Lisa de Moraes of The Washington Post reports on the media coverage of the Michael Jackson memorial service:
At least 16 television networks plan live coverage of the Jackson memorial. At press time, the list included ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Fox News Channel, CNN, CNN Headline News, MSNBC, TV One, MTV, VH1, VH1 Classic, VH1Soul, TV Guide Channel, E!, Univision and we’re sure we’re missing a few. Think Princess Di times 2.
She doesn’t mention all of the foreign TV networks that showed up and the untold number of internet sites that streamed coverage.
Why? Someone please explain this fixation, this adulation. Yes, Thriller was a good album, and, yes, Michael Jackson was a really good dancer. But what accounts for this outpouring? When Michael was alive, the media was accusing him, wrongly or rightly, of all kinds of insanity bad behavior, including child molestation and child abuse. (Remember him dangling his baby off the balcony?) But now the media is worshipping him, as is much of the public. Watch for spiritual claims to be made about Michael in heaven, how he is always with us, how he hears our cries, etc., etc. Michael Jackson is an American idol. But why him, in particular?
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