One More for Michael Jackson
I thought long and hard about whether to go on CNN tonight and once again talk about my late friend Michael Jackson. Months ago when he died, I did a flurry of interviews, mostly on CNN and with Larry King, and got a lot of positive feedback for some of the things I said about Michael. Viewers wrote to me in droves via email, Facebook, and Twitter; there were grateful that I had "humanized" him. It was natural to me to recollect Michael more as a friend - I knew him from when I was just a kid on through my college years, my first few years out in the working world, getting married and becoming a father - rather than try to analyze the pendulum of his career from iconic rock-star to scandal plagued celebrity. I was close to him as he endured both phases, and what was remarkable was that he stayed largely the same guy underneath - staggeringly intelligent and wildly irreverent, deeply spiritual but quintessentially cynical. Michael was cool, but he was also conflicted. He was forever a contradiction, a creative visionary who wanted to heal the world, but could barely keep his own life together.
Part of the reason I was ambivalent about going on TV tonight was because I'm not attending the memorial service/burial today in which he is finally being laid to rest. The reasons for that were various. To tick off a few: frankly, because it's really weird to me that he died 2.5 months ago and still had not been buried (in the Hindu tradition, the body must be disposed off within two days, and not that I am even very Hindu, but come on...); because I sensed the service would be more of the same - a circus of attention seekers and media - and I didn't really want to be a part of it; and because, well, I don't think I was really invited by his family or lawyers or post-death entourage, whoever is running the show. I'm not surprised, nor disappointed. I was good friends with Michael, not his parents nor many siblings, not his wonderful children, nor the many in his entourage who always seemed to be around, and appear just as plentiful and voracious in his death. On the former (the family), this has no doubt been a conflicted time for them as well. When I was with him the last few years, Michael intimated a deep respect for many of the members of his family, but he didn't profess a real intimacy with them in recent times. He loved his brothers deeply but he didn't ache to re-establish the famous fraternity the world once knew. Then again, what do I know?
Still, today it feels like some closure is upon us. Michael gets to go underground, which is perhaps a place he may finally find some peace. That said, I could have sworn he once told me he wanted to be cremated when he was all done. Strike that from the record, though, if it means now we have to go through another circus with him and his body. This is all turning a little too Thriller for me...
In our Eastern traditions of course, we do actually draw a distinction between him and his body. To me, Michael left us a long time ago. His soul certainly lingers around us - our recollections of him, our celebrations of his art and our time with him - but his body is just some empty vessel, a symbol I suppose that others feel necessary to put through various rituals and sacraments so as to officially sign off on his death and departure. Even the sadness of the day - it's more for us than it is for him.
Whatever the case, in the weeks and months and years ahead we will all celebrate Michael in different ways. I am working on something myself, a creative project he and I had started together a while ago and over the years were quietly nurturing with no certain deadline to show the world. After he died, I dove back into my archives and aggregated all the notes, the outlines, and sketches - okay I am giving too much away - and looked them over. I was overwhelmed. The story Michael was telling was both haunting and heartening. I'm committed to it now more than ever and hopeful it can be shared with the world someday very soon.
Right, so I'm leaning toward a CNN appearance tonight because, well, I like talking baseball during the breaks with Larry and because I've kind of enjoyed my role "humanizing" Michael Jackson, whatever that means.
Final story (for now): a couple of years ago, Michael became briefly obsessed with an assortment of Indian saints - some living, others dead - Gurus who gleaned pop-culture fame for their dissertations on things like meditation, consciousness, the art of happiness, critical mass effect, and other esoteric spiritual themes. More than their message, Michael was obsessed with the men. He'd call me in the middle of the night after having watched some obscure video on one of these guys. "They seem so at peace," he said in one of those calls, "so pure and happy."
"It's 3 AM, man," I answered.
My wife groaned: "It's Michael, isn't it?" She rolled over and went back to sleep.
"Nobody is that pure and happy, Gotham."
"If you say so," I croaked back.
"Those guys eat cows, don't they?" He whispered.
"What?"
"Aren't cows holy in India? I bet those guys eat cows when no one is looking." He laughed.
"You're strange and I'm going back to sleep." I said.
"Okay Brown (one of his many nicknames for me), go back to sleep. I'll find out the truth when I see those guys in Heaven." He hung up.
Now's your chance, Mike. RIP.
Gotham Chopra blogs a lot at www.intent.com
Follow Gotham Chopra on Twitter: www.twitter.com/gothamchopra
David Wild: Never Can Say Goodbye: A Final Playlist for Michael Jackson on the Day of His Funeral
Nothing I could ever write could possibly convey enduring beauty and power of the songs that he sang in his lifetime. Here are the recordings by which I will remember Michael on this day of his funeral.
Brian Oxman: Michael Jackson, Supernova
Everyone in the Great Mausoleum was sad to see Michael go, and it was as if no one wanted to say a final farewell.
Tamara Conniff: We Killed Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was a desperate man in pain and everyone threw stones at him. Now it's fashionable to be a fan.
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If someone considers themselves a friend of Michael's, then they should unequivocally state Michael is innocent of all charges. Until then, I consider them a fair weather friend of Jackson's.
Mr. Chopra, like it or not, the reality is you are part of the circus of attention seekers and media. You and your father skirt around the issue when asked directly if Michael could have abused those boys, and yet I see both of you making the media rounds. - Pathetic!
Such a sad ending to an artificially elevated career. Michael was enormously popular for his energy on stage, but he was a stunted man in a teenage body and psyche. His voice was twittery, reticent, and often artificially loud, not resonant like a fully developed man. His songs and lyrics never reached beyond his adolescence.
So I take it you're not a fan? Seriously, NO ONE, in any field, can maintain a career at as high a level and for as long as Michael Jackson did by "artificial" elevation. He was a one-of-a-kind genius of a performer.
Humanistic,
Excuse me, please go through Michael's catalogue before making the judgement!! Have you listened to 'Stranger in Moscow' or 'Give in to me'?
Michael was not one of the most loved artists across the globe for no reason! He could dance like no one else could ever do. He could sing with his soul and he has done some great amount of charity with his music and fame.
Nevertheless, even if his voice wasn't that of a alpha male, why does it matter? Who said all great singers have to sound in a certain way? We all are different by genes. This is how God has created us. It's better we respect the difference and appreciate humanity.
Can we please give him a rest. We're tired of talking of Michael. Talk about this children, their future, what they like, anything but Michael. Unless, it is something new about Michael, no gossip, we know he was talented but had issues.
We who?, please save yourself the grief do not read or post a comment on any articles about him.
Do not watch any shows/reports about him! This will give you a lot of relief from all the MJJ stuff. I use that example as it relates to any thing on a network or print media owned by ru pert like Fox, NYP, WS, ETC; and it has assisted me to have a much more peaceful life. I hope this little tidbit will help you!
"We're tired of talking of Michael."
Please speak for yourself, I still mourn Michael Jackson and enjoy discussion with other supporters and fans.
I appreciate you discussing your friend Michael Jackson. However, I believe if you ask twenty people about MJ you will get twenty different answers which to me means that no one really knew him. I just wish him peace in his next life and hopefully his children will have a full and blessed life.
Gotham, when you say, "...becaus
I, too, was disturbed by the 2.5 months of his body being in limbo. Recently his brother, Randy, has stated he was dismayed by the helicopters circling above the outdoor funeral. These types of
statements seem ridiculous because the Jackson family allowed live feed of the funeral up until it began. If they didn't want helicopters trying to get a peek, why wasn't it indoors and out of sight private...
"In our Eastern traditions of course, we do actually draw a distinction between him and his body. To me, Michael left us a long time ago. His soul certainly lingers around us - our recollections of him, our celebrations of his art and our time with him - but his body is just some empty vessel, a symbol I suppose that others feel necessary to put through various rituals and sacraments so as to officially sign off on his death and departure. Even the sadness of the day - it's more for us than it is for him."
Yes, no one is pure and happy. Michael is so right. But people claim so all the time.
Michael was human too, with happiness and sorrows, drawbacks and greatness. The sad part is that the world just wanted to see him pure and happy and when we saw anything else, we called him a weirdo, we outcasted him. We never thought Michael was human and never allowed him to be one. It's all perhaps because he had certain genius abilities that none of us had. He could bring us all happiness, divinity and magic through his art. I do truly believe the world was unfair to him. Nevertheless, his service to the world of dance, music, entertainment and humanitarianism has been more than extraordinary and larger than life, though the other aspects of his life were as human as everyone else.
Thank you Gotham.
Beautifully said, Shamone. We projected on to him...we wanted him to more than human. When he really did seem human--brilliant and flawed--just like everyone else, we shunned him, due to our own need for perfection. The world, especially the USA was unfair to him and at time, inhuman towards him. Regardless, his humility, humanitarian efforts and his artistry was magnificent and larger than life. And that in itself was his sacred service to the world.
Well said. I think the general public could never see Michael as anything other than an icon - never as just a man - with all the frailties and foibles that come with being a human being. How sad that we could never let him just be 'Mike'.
I really look forward to seeing/hearing the creative project that Gotham and Michael worked on together.
Thank you to all his true friends, like Gotham, who knew Mike. What amazing memories you must have - thank you for sharing some of them.
Gotham, I enjoyed reading this article.
You have done a good job on your Larry King appearances.
I thank you for being a good friend to Michael Jackson.
Please do finish the "creative project" you began working on
with Michael Jackson. I look forward to its revelation.
When...WHE
When there is no hoopla over any of the world's other legends.
Do you have a channel changer on your TV?
Is there an X inside a little red box up in the right hand corner of your screen?
You're in control. You're not a victim.
We (the rest of us) aren't quiet done.
I appreciated the antidote as well, but Gotham and Deepak's public comments always leave me wondering. Particularly Deepak's in the days following MJs death. I sensed frustration, anger, or resentment under the obvious grief. That's understandable when you care about someone and they don't take your advice. Clearly MJ had justifiable reasons to need medication for chronic pain and debilitating insomnia, but what were Deepak's recommendations to MJ? That's what I'm curious to know.
I've read Dick Gregory's account and know MJ was primarily a vegetarian who supplemented with animal protein when working, ate organic, and drank fresh juice. All the talk of him being an "addict" just doesn't fit. There's something else. I can't fathom he was taking all the drugs that has been alleged. Perhaps he rotated, or switched often for maximum effect. And, if he was the sterotypical Virgo, it makes sense he'd have multiple drugs and/or supplements "just in case". LOL It was reported that he wanted off all the meds because he didn't like the way they made him feel. In the property seized during the '93 raid of his home were instructions on how to do a detox from pain meds at home. There are several reports since suggesting he was detoxing, which is necessary when one take drugs on a regular basis, to reset tolerance levels. Detoxing off of psych drugs can cause terrible insomnia. Clearly he didn't use Propofol regularly, only under extreme distress.
So.... what did Deepak recommend?
i agree...De
but
i suffer from cronic back pain { three surgeries } and i understand about wanting the pain to ease up..with nothing to help but sleep to escape it.......i can about will myself to sleep..i think its my bodys mech. against pain when it gets to severe.
i use pain patches,bi
dont use all of these at once...i fear to o.d....it scares me..dr. gets on me sometimes for not taking something and letting the pain get so intence.sa
after so many have accidentaly gone that way it scares me....
MJ
Heath Ledger
DJ AM
Mss.Monroe
and so many others it is no wonder i have that fear...im not one to think that it cant happen to me so i am extra carefull.
R.I.P....M
lol MJ adored Kentucky FRIED chicken.. his comfort food.
Thanks for the nice anecdotes focused on humanizing and not on hyperbole and demagoguery. Much appreciated.
you chopras really know all the stars. golly gee!
d
What was the delay-----really, for his burial? He should have been cremated, as was his wish. Maybe it's not too late.
Who knows, honestly. But based on reports, the delay was due to the multiple autopcies, toxicology report, and coroner's investigation.
As for the cremation issue. MJ left a will. Had being cremated been important to him, seems he would have left specific instructions. If he left instructions and they were withheld or destroyed, that's another matter. But, if what happened to his physical body after his spirit left wasn't that important, I can see him leaving it to those who survived him, in this case Katherine. Under the circumstances, I think she made a good choice. His physical remains are safe there and are amongst many that he studied and admired.
And, a full moon night. How fitting for The Thriller.
Note: G.Chopra's flippantly throwing that little unprovable nugget wasn't necessary; therefore, it along with other little misstatements make me even happier that MJJ did have a family to depend on for long term social support. Thank God Mrs.Jackso
The ultimate reason for the delay was finding, and agreeing, on his final resting place. This was after the coroner released his body to the family. Jermaine was one who wanted him buried at Neverland, but others did not. Besides that, it is against the law to bury someone in Cali on private land. Jermaine, who always spoke up for Michael during times when he needed a strong shoulder and a voice, wanted to celebrate his life at Neverland with the doors opened up to his fans, like at Graceland. The mom, I've heard, wanted no parts of that. Besides, after the LAPD raided his home, he declared that he would never go back there again, and he kept that declaration until his death. It would have been wrong to put him there against his wishes so the family had to put him somewhere where his body would be safe. That is what took so long. I'm glad he is now in his final resting place. Now the media can leave him alone.
Thank you for you for the beautiful description of a fascinating person..Wh
The quick disposal of bodies started in ancient times when there were no mortuaries to keep the bodies in freezers. Of course, waiting for relatives was not possible either; traveling wasn't as easy as it is today.
But, you're right. The sooner the funeral is held, the better.
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