Entertainment | 06/30/2009 6:00 am
No Weeping From Mr. wOw on Michael Jackson
Elvis Presley was an irresponsible drug addict. Marilyn Monroe was an irresponsible drug addict. Judy Garland … Billie Holiday … Janis Joplin … Jimi Hendrix … Jim Morrison … John Belushi. All died of their excesses and their excesses are always cited within the first paragraph of any article written about these brilliant train wrecks.
Mr. wOw mentions this because I see our favorite rabble rousers – the "Rev." Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson – are gearing up to condemn all mentions of Michael Jackson’s fabled bad habits as somehow being criticism exclusive only to Michael. Perhaps even racist in nature. Bull crap.
Jackson was a great big talent and a great big substance abuser and general all-around nutcase. Just like Elvis, Judy, Marilyn, etc.
Jackson’s genius and accomplishments will be remembered forever; and that genius will take precedence over anything else – just as his famous compatriots in unnecessary early death are remembered: talent first, foibles next.
But so too will live those pedophilia charges, his drug-taking, his surgeries, his deliberately bizarre antics. Not to mention Michael’s laughably giant ego (ineptly cloaked by phony humility) and his whispery poor pitiful-me pose. Mr. wOw always had just three words for Michael Jackson: Get. Over. It. Oh, and two more: Get. Therapy. I wonder if his "dear friend" Elizabeth Taylor ever suggested that.
This unique American tragedy made his own extravagant prison and wallowed in infantile excuses. He had absolutely no common sense. None. Michael deserves every single tribute paid to him as an artist. And deserves every slam as an artist who destroyed himself because he "wanted the childhood he never had." Who the hell has the childhood they "want"? Mr. wOw sure didn’t. Did you?
(How about a bit of sympathy for the boys in those child molestation cases?! Oh, they got money for their trauma? Michael was similarly compensated for his unhappy childhood, and you see what money did for him.)
As for Michael’s "shocked, shocked" family – every one of whom became rich and/or famous off his back – whenever one of them speaks, I want to roll my eyes. His father, Joe Jackson … I guess I’ll bow to some sensitivity and not attack a grieving father. Though I sure want to put quotes around grieving. As for the kids, I think they’d be best off with Janet, though I don’t figure her as a perfect model of stability, but likely the best of them.
I know this is very harsh – but don’t let Mr. wOw’s cynicism stop you. Go ahead and weep over Michael. So few did while he lived.
Now … can the front pages get back to health care, North Korea, Iraq and Iran?
Mr. wOw mentions this because I see our favorite rabble rousers – the "Rev." Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson – are gearing up to condemn all mentions of Michael Jackson’s fabled bad habits as somehow being criticism exclusive only to Michael. Perhaps even racist in nature. Bull crap.
Jackson was a great big talent and a great big substance abuser and general all-around nutcase. Just like Elvis, Judy, Marilyn, etc.
Jackson’s genius and accomplishments will be remembered forever; and that genius will take precedence over anything else – just as his famous compatriots in unnecessary early death are remembered: talent first, foibles next.
But so too will live those pedophilia charges, his drug-taking, his surgeries, his deliberately bizarre antics. Not to mention Michael’s laughably giant ego (ineptly cloaked by phony humility) and his whispery poor pitiful-me pose. Mr. wOw always had just three words for Michael Jackson: Get. Over. It. Oh, and two more: Get. Therapy. I wonder if his "dear friend" Elizabeth Taylor ever suggested that.
This unique American tragedy made his own extravagant prison and wallowed in infantile excuses. He had absolutely no common sense. None. Michael deserves every single tribute paid to him as an artist. And deserves every slam as an artist who destroyed himself because he "wanted the childhood he never had." Who the hell has the childhood they "want"? Mr. wOw sure didn’t. Did you?
(How about a bit of sympathy for the boys in those child molestation cases?! Oh, they got money for their trauma? Michael was similarly compensated for his unhappy childhood, and you see what money did for him.)
As for Michael’s "shocked, shocked" family – every one of whom became rich and/or famous off his back – whenever one of them speaks, I want to roll my eyes. His father, Joe Jackson … I guess I’ll bow to some sensitivity and not attack a grieving father. Though I sure want to put quotes around grieving. As for the kids, I think they’d be best off with Janet, though I don’t figure her as a perfect model of stability, but likely the best of them.
I know this is very harsh – but don’t let Mr. wOw’s cynicism stop you. Go ahead and weep over Michael. So few did while he lived.
Now … can the front pages get back to health care, North Korea, Iraq and Iran?
Read more about: Al Sharpton, Billie Holiday, Drugs, Elizabeth Taylor, Elvis Presley, Family, Janis Joplin, Jesse Jackson, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Jackson, John Belushi, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Mr. Wow
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144 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment
Dear Kermie B. Good questions! The "Mr. Wow" is really a stylistic joke….but would it sound any less arrogant or presumptuous if wrote "I think…?" In lumping togther Elvis, Judy, MM, Janis the rest, I wasn’t implying they all had the same problems and drives that caused their addictions and oddities. Only that Michael was not getting special unsavory unsympathetic treatment. He is being covered just as the others were…only more, because of the overload of information and instant technology we use to murder privacy. In fact, all the people I mentioned, I admire—their work, anyway. I am enjoying my fifteen minutes of fame, just as everybody who posts here enjoys theirs—we all love to have an opinion and an outlet, yes?
Bernie Madoff? That would be taking coals to Newcastle. Who has had a kind word for him? There’s not even an argument to be mounted. The man is a pig and how he’s in his pen for life.
But Kermie, thanks for writing, though it was hardly a love note.
It’s being reported that the LAPD found the generic version of Diprivan, a drug used for sedation in surgical settings. It can by itself cause the following:
Arrhythmia, Atrial Fibrillation, Atrioventricular Heart Block, Bigeminy, Bleeding, Bundle Branch Block, Cardiac Arrest, ECG Abnormal, Block, Hypertension, Myocardial Infarction, Myocardial Ischemia, Premature Ventricular Contractions, ST Segment Depression, Supraventricular Tachycardia, Tachycardia, Ventricular Fibrillation
Use of DIPRIVAN Injectable Emulsion has been associated with both fatal and life- threatening anaphylactic and anaphylactoid reactions.
Lady Gator,
I don’t know if it’s on the pharmacy’s sheet - probably is. I happened to research the drug.
I take a few benign drugs and if I didn’t know better about drugs I take, and read the couple pages [in tiny print, no less] of info the pharmacy hands out, I’d be scared to death to take anything.
But as far as this particular drug - it’s damned dangerous and as far as I know it’s never used by anyone except anesthesiologists. In the hands of anyone else it’s gunpowder.
Libra,
I had to break away for a walk to clear my head so I had my radio on. Lawdy, now it seems that MJ gave his mother custody, and if she can’t do it, then [sitting down?] Diana Ross gets custody.
Now the Neverland public viewing is canceled. [Who’s the idiot who wanted it anyway? One guess, Papa Joe.]
They’re reporting that the drug I mentioned on this website [Propofol], a powerful anesthesia, was found in the house and that various medical experts say there is absolutely no medical justification for anyone to ever have this drug at home, as it’s administered IV and is used as an anesthetic. [No kidding.] And they’re saying that they found needle marks all over his body and that probably he used the drug and it killed him. What do you need TMZ for - I figured that out a couple days ago.
Now the first wife is claiming she’s the mother of all the kids and is demanding all Jackson’s assets be transferred to her. Hey, send her the liabilities, too.
And you wonder by people overseas think we’re lunatics.
LL,
I’m sure you’re right.
Somewhere else on this website I posted that the DEA is now involved. Turns out that Propofol is an anesthetic that some anesthesiologists are addicted to. It knocks you out FAST. Isn’t cheap. They’ve used some anesthesias for rapid detox of opioids/heroin. My guess is that MJ does his heroin and then uses the Propofol to knock himself out and detox really fast. Now there’s no way he would have the smarts to figure out how to use it so obviously he probably paid off a few docs to do it and then show him how. Big respiratory failure problems.
I say good riddance.
Bet the DEA will be getting all kinds of records……and the pharmacy that sued MJ and settled? Well that’s going to be burst wide open, I’ll bet. People are going to fall would be my guess. Serves them right.
Now, would anyone be interested in discussing James Caan? He died today. I thought he was an excellent actor. What a shame he took a back seat today for this drug addict [MJ].
Andrea….I didn’t hear about James Caan passing….I did to love that man…and Karl Malden, what is going on with all these actors passing? mj…well…he was just another druggie except he lived on the horse instead of on the streets….a few more years and he would have been there himself. There has been so much being said about Propofol….Greta last night interviewed someone who said it is never to be used outside of the hospital….something is very, very fishy….mj’s nurse said he was warned about using it….so I say…..you did it to yourself mj…no pity…no mercy….only for your children, or whose ever children they are or end up being!!!
OH-OH, I’m finding nothing about James Caan’s passing. I just googled, web-crawled…… NOTHING! I KNOW I heard it on the news. I KNOW I did. Did the news media miss it, too, or am I just going nuts???
Let me retract what I wrote and let’s assume the man is still alive. So sorry - but I did hear it. I just can’t validate it.
Cubie,
Aw, that’s a shame. He was hot in my younger days. I remember him most in "Paint Your Wagon." Here’s something I picked up from Twitter:
Born, George Harvey Presnell on Sept. 14, 1933, he was known for his booming baritone voice. The 6-foot-4 actor first gained attention in 1960 as mining prospector "Leadville" Johnny Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown. He later reprised the role in the 1964 film version opposite Debbie Reynolds in the title role.
Presnell became a leading man when he was cast as wealthy, bald Daddy Warbucks in a tour of Annie. He continued to play the role in various productions of the musical, including a run on Broadway from 1981-1983. He also played the character in the ill-fated, off-Broadway sequel, Annie Warbucks.
Outside of theater, Presnell was best known on the big screen for his role in the Coen Brothers’ 1996 film Fargo, in which he played Macy’s father-in-law. Some of his other notable film appearances include When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965), The Glory Guys (1965) and Paint Your Wagon (1969). The Fargo role helped revive his career, leading to roles in Saving Private Ryan and most recently Evan Almighty.
Presnell was also no stranger to the small screen. He was recurring character Mr. Parker on NBC’s The Pretender and starred in the short-lived Andy Barker, P.I. He also had a brief arc on Dawson’s Creek as A.I. Brooks, an old-Hollywood director and mentor to Dawson.
A:
Like you, I looked up his body of work after I heard the news. I did remember him from Paint Your Wagon, but I was floored at the volume of television work he did, even up through this year. Quite impressive. I was surprised wOw didn’t do a bit more on Karl Malden. He did so many things I liked. Do you know what I was thinking about this morning? He did a Lifetime movie (I think) based on a military base killing in North Carolina: Fatal Vision playing the real life father (Freddy Kassab) of the victim. His daughter and grandchildren were murdered by their sociopathic husband-father, and Freddy fought tooth and nail and many appeals to bring this man to justice. He still pops up on the news fighting his life sentence, looking crazier and crazier as each year passes. I pray they never let him out. Anyway…I was thinking how often Karl played these "straight arrow" types…backbone….righteous….moralistic. He played Gen. Bradley in Patton beautifully against George C. Scott. For someone you wouldn’t think of as photogenic, he could sure hold your attention. And speaking of Fatal Vision and a father committed to justice, I always think of Fred Goldman when I think of Fatal Vision and how he was determined to find justice for his son.
Cubie,
Malden was indeed an exceptional actor. I even liked his old American Express commercials. He was far, far under-recognized for his brilliant work. I checked out Wikipedia for his bio and was floored at he number of productions he was in. I’d forgotten so many of them. He was the product of two LEGAL immigrants who obviously taught him about values. Somehow that seemed to carry over in so many roles he played - always fighting to the death for something he believed in. He will be missed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Malden