Michael Jackson Should Have Had Tougher Friends

Fame. Once you got it, it clings in varying doses. More commonly, it follows a simple 1/x curve, dwindling over time until something new and exciting happens, worthy of media attention, whether warranted or not is another question. That's what happened with Michael Jackson.

We loved him when he had big songs on the charts. My favourite is still Billie Jean (why hasn't anyone set up the one step light up dance floor anywhere?). Coming in close by are Off The Wall and Smooth Criminal. Yes, early Michael, before the pointy nose and Diana Ross-ish hair. Black Michael.

When we got news about his weird ways, many labelled him a freak. More fame, the wring kind. It was easy because we don't want to understand why he'd do such things and we love to talk about famous people. From Bubbles the chimp, the oxygen chamber, Neverland Ranch, whether he and Janet were the same person, the child molestation stories, MJ and Elizabeth Taylor, Brook Shields, Macaulay Culkin and Uri Geller, the burnt hair incident, the skin disease, the two marriages, the three kids hidden behind scarves, how he's broke (How did that happen anyway?). The list could go on longer easily. It was fun to wonder what the real Michael was about. No one knew. We don't even know if he told anyone how he felt really.

I remember he hired this Malaysian chef to make nasi lemak for him, once a week, at a salary of US$10K a month. Or so we heard.

Now suddenly we are all keen, again. Playing his songs, sending them up the charts (6 MJ songs debuted on the UK charts in the week following his death, Man In The Mirror coming in at number 11), asking how and why he died. Famous again.

I stopped being as keen about MJ after the Dangerous album came about. His music got less impressive though his slower songs were becoming poignant. The stories though got more interesting.

His life seemed all topsy turvy these past 10-15 years. I think he needed friends, some stronger ones to tell him to wake up his ideas. I think he should have been less paranoid about his face and looks. He should have been more concerned about where his money was going. It seems his celebrity friends were simply dragging him along their Hollywood journies and being chums. He had all these people around him that sort of knew he wasn't doing too well and somehow had little positive effect on him. What's the point?

They say he's worth more dead than alive. What a horrible truth. There'll be people who'll want to milk this for all its worth. Getting that fame any way they can. We saw some bodyguard with info about his past being interviewed on E! entertainment. Wonder what he got out of it?

Now his kids are being fought over. I'm pissed with Debbie Rowe. She took millions to not have custody and now that MJ's will leaves them to his mum and Diana Ross, she's wants to have her day in court. Goodness, she took money to leave her kids! She, what, regrets now? I hope the kids will be fine.

Let's all remember him for all the great music he brought us. That's the way I will.

Thank you Michael Joseph Jackson.