Rupert Everett: Michael Jackson 'A Freak,' Obama 'Gone Black'

Rupert Everett is rather provocatively running his mouth again. The British actor, who has commented on Graydon Carter's "monster cock," the wimpiness of UK troops and Hollywood's resemblance to Al Qaeda tells the Daily Mirror that Michael Jackson was a "freak" and is better off dead.

"He looked like a character from Shrek. He was a black to white minstrel. He was crucified by that court case when he was accused of child molestation - that killed him.

"He personified the pain and anxiety of a black man in a slave country. We all watched as he changed from black to white. He was living performance art.

"I think it was fortuitous that he died. He was supposed to be doing 50 concerts in London.

"It wouldn't have mattered how good or bad he was. He wouldn't have managed to do all of them and the press would have destroyed him."

Everett believes that Jacko's death may even spell the end of modern-day celebrity itself.

"You cannot divide the music from the person," he says.

"I think his life - and death - is a great lesson."

He also discussed his fascination with President Obama's racial identity.

"We have Michael Jackson, a black man who has gone white, and we have President Barack Obama, who is a half-white man gone black. It's absolutely fascinating to watch."

You can read all of Everett's thoughts on the King of Pop and his post-9/11 disillusionment with America here.

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Comments

[disfasia]

What bigotry in these comments. Everett's comments are cogent and well-stated, agree with them or not. It is painfully clear that many of the readers are illiterate as the above comments show that few have actually understood a word of what Rupert Everett has written. He is making a larger cultural critique--a critique that in many respects is compassionate towards Michael Jackson and our culture of racial spectatorship which produced him.

[linnyb]

Thank you for pointing out the larger cultural critique to those of us who are too bigoted and illiterate to understand such intellectual depth and compassion, oh literate one.

[RBJR]

Rupert Who?"
Has no real career....­and after tihis...wh­atch what happens to to loudmouth.­..
Rupert Who?"
has taken a page out of the madonna book of talent...c­ause an uproar and get noticed.
Rupert Who?
I will make sure everyone i know...and i know many people...w­ill know who you are now!
and avoid you!
Rupert Who?"

[linnyb]

What is "a half-white man gone black" supposed to mean? Mr Everett should go back to riding Madonna's coattails and leave the pontificating on American race relations to, um...maybe someone who's read a book. MJ's death was fortuitous for you because you'd never get this much press for your own insignificant achievements.

[mmartin046]

Everett is controversial in lieu of taking part in newsworthy films. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F166o1QO6Y8

[Trueheart]

The guy doesn't mince words. i don't think you could categorize this as a total slam against Jackson. Hey, it's one man's opinion.

[bartonfink]

remember when rupert everett was a cinematic god? not that long ago, but now he just seems embittered

[A Denise Moore]

1st of all, who is this person and why is he so special to make comments about Michael Jackson and President Obama. 2nd, he has no idea what the h e ll he's talking about.

[moviepage101]

Ignorance.­..pure and utter ignorance.­..raw and unfiltered. Memorizing lines should not give one license to spew such....ig­norance.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

Whether I agree or not, it's refreshing to hear someone speak his mind without consideration for what is politically correct.

[kappa08]

agreed...

[realpolitic]

Rupert Everett is a man paid to read the words of others. Too bad no one can write him a script when he speaks for himself. His words about Obama speak to a real racial insensitivity.

[HelixScanr]

He would get more coverage giving Madonna comfort over her latest misfortune.

[Knowledgeseeker]

lets boycott any of Rupert movies...
lets teach him a lesson

[MNTom]

What movies?

[RonNYC]

rupert has made many movies and has just appeared on broadway.
i doubt you losers will make a difference in his career.
his comments were quite correct.

[Knowledgeseeker]

these are racist comments.

[wilray]

The fact that the rest of you are telling the rest of us that we are confused logically means one thing; Rupert Everett is an ineffective communicator and he should have never opened his mouth. As part of my academic career, I took several communications courses including an advanced course from famed author Dr. Michael LeBoeuf. I know some of you may not have understood my first sentence, but if you read it carefully you will realize that it is a virtual tautology. If you are right that we are wrong, then it means that Rupert was wrong to have spoken. Think about it. Until it sinks in.

[sixyfivepercentwater]

No.

[Ceregene]

Now I have a headache. Great post by the way. :)

[minneapolismn]

A better idea might be to let someone have their opinions, just as you are allowed to have yours.

I'll give you the same advice; you are wrong to speak so please stop. (My opinion is supreme, just as you believe yours is).

[mcmingus]

Well now, aren't you the most brilliant one now, eh?

[kappa08]

zzzzzzzzzz­zzzz......­...

[LateBoomer2]

Let's see: Michael Jackson wrote Billie Jean, Beat It, Black or White, Heal the World, and Bad, and co-wrote We Are the World and The Girl Is Mine.

He popularized dance moves that took the world by storm, while performing them better than anyone else. Even his last rehearsal tape, made 2 days before his death, is dazzling and unmatched.

From the age of 10, he sang songs incredibly well, often better than artists twice his age.

He started the Heal the World Foundation. He brought attention to HIV/AIDS before it was politically correct to do so, risking his own career. He contributed money, time, and talent to poor starving children the world over.

Let's see, Rupert who? A guy whose only good movie, as far as I can tell, was The Importance of Being Earnest, and even then that was due to the presence of Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon. A guy who tried but failed to break into the music business in the '80s. A guy who himself has had major plastic surgery yet castigates another for doing so, saying he is "living performance art" while ignoring medical issues such as burns, vitiligo and lupus that plagued Michael Jackson.

"Rupert Who?" -- what a guy. At least Mel Gibson had the decency to age naturally.

[wilray]

Spot on. I can't tell you how impressed I am that you said popularized instead of invented. Unlike most people said of him, I don't think Michael Jackson ever claimed to have invented the moonwalk. I don't think he would claim to have invented a dance move that was around before he was born. Take a look at this video of a Perez Prado mambo. Pay attention to the guy that comes on screen at about 2:39.

[wilray]

Darned I could have sworn I pasted the url above.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWN92UD-N8c

[LateBoomer2]

At my dance class this morning, we had a celebration of Michael Jackson's life and danced to a lot of his tunes. During the class, I was forcefully reminded of the fact that MJ did not invent the moonwalk by one of the dancers, a formally trained mime and modern dancer, who told us that it has been used by mimes long before MJ. He kept calling it the "mimewalk" and he did it pretty well too. So, yeah, I was schooled, and I didn't make that mistake. :)

By the way, everyone was thrilled with the music this morning - it was so danceable and fun! And these were mainly white senior citizens. Incredible how good music lifts up everyone of all ages and races!

Can you post the link to the Perez Prado video? I didn't see it in your post. Thanks!

[Knowitall]

I think most people who know popular music and dance, especially those who frequented black theatre were familiar with the moonwalk. The fact is, nobody did it better than Michael.