Yachats Oregon Writer Rick Schultze

Well it happened again; an individual who meant a lot to a lot of people suddenly was taken by death. I know there several people of notoriety and fame who passed away near the same time, but Michael Jackson’s exit was the show stopper. I’m old enough to have experienced the death of Elvis, JFK, John Lennon, and others and have written about most of them. It’s something that reporters and writers do even if they sometimes think that the media coverage borders on “too much info”. There are a couple of reasons for that with news being the key word in most cases. Another reason is the nature of reporters to look at situations and try to put into perspective just what an event like Jackson’s death means to us all. Sure there are some who could care less about it, and have no interest in it at all, but in this case I think that his popularity was much, much more than just that of a regular pop star. Michael Jackson was a mega star, an icon to millions.

In true Michael Jackson style his death was as questionable as his choice of lifestyles and fashion, but it was undeniably crowd catching. On the eve of a tour rumored to be somewhat of a savior of his racked financial status, this entertainer was going to show the world that he was truly “The King of Pop”. According to insiders the tour preparation was going very well and all the shows in London were sold out. Now that’s nothing to sneeze at. Despite all the wacky stuff which continually surrounded Jackson he could still sell tickets.

I remember writing about Elvis the day he died and wondered then how his legacy would be remembered. Well, Elvis today still sells records and is very much alive in the hearts of countless admirers. Michael will surpass all of that. As of today he had reached nearly 3 million downloads of his hits and the record industry will show a definite spike in sales for some time. But beyond the music there is the Michael Jackson who was the catalyst of bringing different generations and ethnicities together as fans and his pioneering of the music video scene thanks to “Thriller” is unprecedented. To say he was different is an understatement, but beyond the facade of pop fame was a man who had a multitude of talents and a very sharp mind and eye for production and presentation of what people wanted. From a little kid to a man Jackson was a student of people and knew just what buttons to push to get their attention. Granted some of his actions were questionable and there is a segment of the world who would second that thought, but overall the name Michael Jackson was synonymous with entertainment, music, and the frailty of a superstar caught in the heavy vise of the media on a daily basis. Can we imagine that the Michael Jackson of the Jackson Five ever envisioned what his life would become? Do you think he was a victim of “be careful of what you wish for’? Or can you, like me, wonder what happened and feel a loss in the sense that there will never be another Michael Jackson.

To reach Rick Schultze email:yarick@pioneer.net.