Jeff Crouere penned a column in Bayou Buzz several days ago in which he slammed the media for what he considers its “excessive” attention to the story of Michael Jackson’s death. He considers the focus on Jackson to be indicative of a society with a warped sense of morals. Though less caustic in tone, his views were substantively similar to the acid remarks of Republican Congressman Peter King of New York, who ripped the media for what he views as its over-the top coverage of a “pervert” and a “pedophile.” And while both men have a point about the media’s tendency to overemphasize celebrity at the expense of substance, their comments appear more mean-spirited than directed at a serious critique of TV journalism. Moreover, their comments are also, at root, hypocritical.

            Crouere pretends not to understand why the Michael Jackson story is such big news. According to him, Jackson’s death should have only been mentioned in passing. But Crouere knows better.  Michael Jackson’s sudden and unexpected death embodies all of the classic elements that attracts journalists to a story. Objectively speaking, Michael Jackson was easily the most well-known human being on the planet No person in human history (with the possible exception of Princess Diana or Barack Obama) was (or is) as well-known worldwide within his or her own lifetime as Michael Jackson.  His life is the classic rags to riches story: a kid from inner-city  Gary, Indiana rises to become the greatest entertainer of his generation (and arguably, the best entertainer of all time) and a cultural icon. What is more American than the story of someone rising from nowhere to the apex of his or her field? The man literally had millions of fans on each and every continent - his death was mourned worldwide. The Thriller album is still the best-selling album in recording history, and Michael Jackson’s death will inevitably push sales even further skyward as nostalgia for his music intensifies. By contrast, Jesus Christ became well-known worldwide after his death, resurrection, and ascension: during his life on Earth, he never lived more than fifty miles from his place of birth. Thus, the Michael Jackson story has the celebrity element which makes it a tantalizing story in spades.

            Secondly, despite his unbelievable success, Michael Jackson was without a doubt a deeply troubled man. Because of his incredible celebrity, his flaws were exposed on an unprecedented scale. The shortcomings of his character, his legal and financial troubles, and his generally bizarre behavior give a Shakespearian tragic dimension to Jackson’s life. These very characteristics which, for many people, made Jackson an enigmatic figure make him a compelling news story. Additionally, the circumstances surrounding his death are genuinely mysterious. All indications are that the public will not have definitive answers (if at all) into the exact causes of his death (as well as if there will be any persons held criminally liable) for quite some time. Finally, Jackson’s passing leaves a host of unsolved, and potentially nasty legal problems - most notably, the possibility of a protracted court battle over the custody of his children - that must play themselves out. Thus, the clouds of uncertainty surrounding the superstar’s demise as well as the settling of his legal affairs insure that the Michael Jackson story will be with us - in one form or another - for quite a while.

            Given the fact that the Michael Jackson story embodies all of these elements, it is sort of disingenuous for people like Jeff Crouere and Peter King to pretend that they do not understand why his death is such a huge media event. They are much too smart for that explanation to be believable. Nor is this another example of the excesses of the so-called “liberal media” which they like to lampoon. The media’s obsession with this story has nothing to do with liberal politics. Partisan politics has not prevented Fox News - the leader of the right-wing media establishment - from joining in on the obsession (Rupert Murdock knows a money maker when he sees one.). The media’s focus on Michael Jackson’s death reflects the most fundamental media bias of all - its bias toward making money. This proclivity trumps political labels like “liberalism” and “conservatism.” Crouere is fundamentally wrong by suggesting that the media’s focus on this story is about promoting flawed people (like Jackson) with bad morals; rather, it has more to do with promoting what sells - the ruthless pursuit of corporate profits.

            Crouere also errs by suggesting that Al Sharpton  likened Michael Jackson to a civil rights leader. Sharpton made no such claim.  Sharpton did properly give credit to Jackson for opening the doors of opportunity of popular acceptance to African American artists to a degree that would be difficult to imagine had he never lived. People often forget that before the Thriller album, MTV would not even air videos by African American artists. Without the popularity of videos such as “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “Thriller,” it is hard to imagine MTV becoming as successful as it ultimately became. His carefully choreographed dance moves and rhythmic music revolutionized the video business and provided inspiration for a generation of future artists after him. Moreover, there was something about Michael Jackson’s music that simply transcended traditional barriers of race, gender, and culture. Before there was the Cosby Show, Oprah Winfrey, and now Barack Obama (black celebrities who have “transcended” race), there was Michael Jackson. He is loved by millions of fans the world over of every race, creed, or color.  In fact, it may not be too crazy to suggest that the reverence white America conferred upon Michael Jackson at the height of his popularity helped sow the seeds for black prominence and leadership to be accepted by whites in more “serious” areas of endeavor (such as business and politics).

            Jackson also used his celebrity to promote noteworthy causes. He holds the record for the most money donated to charity by a celebrity. Without Michael Jackson, We Are the World would not have happened: he was instrumental in assembling the all-star lineup of popular artists who came together to raise funds and awareness about famine relief in Ethiopia. Other causes are embodied in some of Jackson’s other songs. At the end of his life, he had plans to make environmentalism a central focus in his music. This is a heck of a legacy that should be lauded.

            People like Jeff Crouere and  Peter King would prefer that more attention would be paid to the disturbing accusations of child molestation that were leveled against the singer. But what news channels have they been watching? The media has not neglected to mention the allegations that dogged his career and scarred his reputation. But there is a fundamental reason the media has not “focused” as much on these chapters of Jackson’s life to the degree that Crouere and King would like - the fact that Jackson was never found guilty of any crime. One case settled out of court in 1994, and in 2005, he was acquitted in a highly publicized and lengthy trial. Settling a case out of court DOES NOT prove guilt (as Jackson’s detractors insist). People settle cases out of court all the time because they make a calculation that a lengthy court battle is simply not worth the time and the damage to their reputation. It does not necessarily mean that they are admitting guilt. By wishing that we focus more on the allegations against Mr. Jackson, both Crouere and King show themselves to be hypocrites. On one hand, they condemn the media for its obsessive adulation of Michael Jackson. Yet, their desire to concentrate on the allegations of pedophilia lodged against him personifies one of the worst aspects of popular media culture - its tendency to try people in the press (the so-called “court of public opinion”). The constant, unrelenting coverage of high-profile trials too often irreparably tars the reputation of defendants like Michael Jackson even when their prosecutors fail to persuade a jury of their peers that they are guilty of the crimes they are accused of. Thus, King publicly calls Jackson a “pervert” and a “pedophile,” despite the fact that no jury ever convicted him of a crime. Thus, they violate the supposedly sacrosanct American principle that individuals are innocent until proven guilty.

            I do not deny that Michael Jackson’s behavior was, at best, eccentric, at worst, symptomatic of someone with severe emotional and psychological problems. But being strange does not make someone a criminal.

            Crouere and King appear more upset by the fact that, despite all of the oddities that accompanied Jackson’s personal life, his death has been occasioned by an overwhelming outpouring of sorrow, love, and fond memories. They can’t stand the fact that Jackson’s fans love him in spite of his shortcomings. This is especially true for his African American fans, many of whom have questioned over the years whether Michael Jackson was ashamed of his racial heritage. However, it is precisely the abuse heaped on Jackson by critics like Crouere that partially explain the black community’s re-embrace of the King of Pop. African Americans tend to rally around one of their own when they perceive that that person is being unfairly attacked or maligned by the white political and/or media establishment. In the wake of Jackson’s demise, many African Americans are willing to let bygones be bygones and have set about the business of celebrating  the superstar’s rich musical legacy.

            None of this means that anyone who does not like Michael Jackson or his music is necessarily wrong or evil. This applies to Crouere and King as well. There is only so much coverage on any one story that most of us can take. But there is a simpler solution to their frustration with the saturation of media coverage of Michael Jackson’s death and the investigation into the circumstances surrounding it: exercise their fundamental American right to change the channel. Believe me, I have (countless times). They should spare us the phony outrage about the media’s fascination with this story and stop pretending not to understand why this is a big story. If they want to criticize the media’s coverage of this story, let them knock themselves out, but do so in a thoughtful, respectful way that doesn’t trivialize what should be a serious issue. If you are unable to do that, then do the rest of us a favor: Just Beat It.

By Jeff Crouere:

Michael Jackson Mania Madness In Sharp Black and White

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