Arts & Culture

Can I Moonwalk During Shiva?

Much of the global consciousness today is focused on the death of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Headlines in New York City publications are declaring "Shock and Grief Over Jackson’s Death" and "Jacko has Gone to Neverland" while people … Read More

By / June 26, 2009

Much of the global consciousness today is focused on the death of Michael Jackson, the King of Pop. Headlines in New York City publications are declaring "Shock and Grief Over Jackson’s Death" and "Jacko has Gone to Neverland" while people dance in the streets, and every bar, restaurant and car blasts the sounds that have spanned Jackson’s long and strange career. In Paris, "Michael Jackson: Death of a Planetary Icon" stretches out across Le Monde’s front page. In Berlin, "King of Pop is Dead: Jackson was Pioneer of Black America", while The China Post in Taiwan simply states "Michael Jackson ‘King of Pop’ Dead at 50." But what of Jewish and Israeli news outlets? Jackson’s relationship to Jewish culture has had it’s ups and downs over the past decade, culminating in a series of anti-semitic remarks hashed out in this 2005 Jerusalem Post article. Just 4 years ago, ABC’s Good Morning America replayed tapes of Jackson calling Jews "leeches" on one of their November broadcasts, inevitably incurring the wrath of the ADL. Once the recordings had been verified, the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement condemning Jackson’s words, and pointing out that his 1995 track "They Don’t Care About Us" was deeply wrought with anti-Semitic rhetoric. Looking at those lyrics now, I can see why the ADL was very concerned: Will me, thrill me / you can never kill me / Jew me, sue me / everybody do me / kick me, kike me / don’t you black or white me. The controversial video is primarily devoted to protest against racial injustice, and includes actual footage taken from slums outside of Rio de Janeiro; however, Jackson goes out of his way to include terms that are undeniably racial slurs. In his response, he asserted that the lyrics are meant to be from the point of view of the Jew, not against him. If it were not for his later commentary on the Jew as leech, perhaps I would have an easier time defending his position here.

 

All things considered, Jackson is far from a Jew-hater. His friendship with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is well-documented, and is currently the subject of a thoughtful piece on The Jewish Journal of Los Angeles’ blog. Though the two drifted apart after critical remarks on the part of Rabbi Boteach, it is clear from the excerpted interview that the Rabbi continues to hold Jackson in high esteem, regardless of the Rabbi’s declaration that "it is utterly unacceptable for a grown man to sleep in a bed with a boy that is not his son." When I heard of Jackson’s untimely death, I was a bit nervous to see what the Jewish media had to say about a man who had come under fire more than once for critical and alarming actions. I expected a saccharine and sentimental response that glossed over his past transgressions, but feared a somewhat biting and brief au revoir. The Jewish media on the whole seems to have responded to this tragedy with a certain distance and aplomb. The print headlines are for the most part general: "World Mourns Michael Jackson’s Death" in the Jerusalem Post and a Reuters article "King of Pop Michael Jackson dies at 50" in Ha’Aretz. Digitally, more risks are being taken, and emotions besides grief are coming to the surface. There is a slightly more daring link to the Boteach interview hidden away in The Forward’s blog. The JTA links to Boteach’s just-posted editorial on The Jerusalem Post. It is more forgiving than Boteach’s last interview about Jackson, but his tone is pitiful, bitter and somewhat disrespectful, mostly in that he insinuates that Jackson’s demise is directly linked to a refusal to engage with the salvation that Boteach had offered to him. And so the world mourns, mostly in their own particular and odd ways. I met with a friend last night that had come just from a Reboot event, and he told me that someone led the Mourner’s Kaddish for Jackson. Oddly enough, that made me feel a bit more at ease with the entire situation, as grim as that is.

 

HaMakom yenachem et’chem b’toch shar avay’lay Tzion vee’Yerushalayim. May the Omnipresent comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

  • Phil30

    Listen. As a little Jewish kid I idolized Michael Jackson. Glove, socks, jacket, Victory Tour, the list goes on. As a 30 year old Jewish man, I still idolize MJ.

    For some of you on here crying about how "anti-semitic" MJ was, I say bullshit! Stop with the paranoia already. It’s so tired. Michael was an amazing entertainer full of endless talent that we might never see again. It’s not always about you.

    Thank you for such a nice and respectful article.

  • Isaac

    Unlike Mohammed, Baha’u'llah seemed to respect not only the theological autonomy of his predecessor faiths, but the idea that they were all suitable and appropriate within the context of each adherent community’s distinct origins.

  • Isaac

    I suppose it’s silly to make this about what the founder of Christianity would have thought, as opposed to what those who identify with him nowadays would think. And I’m no theologian or religious historian. But to the extent that (even Christians could accept that) Jesus would have had an uncharitable thought toward anyone, he certainly followed the prophetic tradition of railing against those in power.

    As long as Jews are targetted as a discrete and powerful elite (like the Pharisees who are their spiritual forebears – and against whom Jesus also had a bone to pick), then Jews can fit the bill.

    And why do people presuppose that Jesus’ ethnic heritage makes anti-Semitism an un-Christian phenomenon? Jesus’ own community would have ultimately come to be known as Christians – whether they previously had been ethnic Jews or not. Is it really reasonable to believe that he saw unconverted Jews as a part of his own community once he established his own, separate ministry – and one theologically mutually exclusive with Judaism at that?

    That doesn’t make sense at all. Further, it is at odds with the history of how leaders of new sects relate to their previous faith communities.With the possible exception of Baha’u'llah.

  • Levitt8

    Tommy, The Muslims and Arabs loved MJ just as much as anyone.

  • FDBurke

    I’m one of those who was unmoved by Jackson’s untimely death. The rather squalid details of his personal life are his to answer for: I never was a fan at any iteration of his career; and his slide from utterly bizarre to simply anonymous went largely unremarked.

    So I don’t know who I should be feeling any sympathy for. His family – maybe, though they certainly bear some of the responsibility for his increasingly erratic behavior. His fans – perhaps. They had their enabling role. The media? Liz Taylor? Liza Minelli? No idea.  I can’t believe that anyone who professed any concern for his person (let alone his career) would have let him stagger along as he did.

    What ghosts stalked that poor man. What anger, or self-pity, or self-delusion. I would suggest we leave him now, at peace, and let him contemplate his own version of eternity.

    BTW - I thought Thriller was quite good.

  • Tommy Barrios

    Oh for the love of Yahweh!  What is wrong with this world?  We have people salivating and whining over a filthy rich penile prevaricating molester of prepubescent children? 

    I blame most of this mass idiocy on the MGMSM, but there are obviously some folks that have some serious identity issues just like this jerk off Jakco Whacko!  I NEVER liked this clown’s music and have ALWAYS regarded same as pop slop crapolla!  Talent, what talent.  He had EVERYTHING written and arranged by someone else. 

    A voluntary castrated white man wannabe that never touched a black woman or any woman for that matter as far as we know.  Had WHITE children surrogated for him by God-knows-who so he could have his own prepubescent WHITE children to molest at will!  This man was a personification of the evil that possess his whole besotted avaricious family led by Joe Jackson Sr. MA (Master Abuser) 

    This whole thing is sick and disgusting.  People wanna know why the Muslims hate us.  Well, our perceived tolerance of Whacko Jacko and his ilk is just one prime example!

  • Zeevico

    Right–forgot to add one thing. 

    [IMG]http://palmgoon.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/the_more_you_know2.jpg[/IMG]

  • Zeevico

    "Huh? Identifying with Jesus is associated with antisemitism?"

    By some, yes, on the ground that they believe Jews killed Jesus. The fact that Jesus was a Jew himself is irrelevant to them, because they do not think rationally about this issue. If one is Christ-like, then one’s flaws and failings are never one’s fault. Whose fault are they? Why–group X, of course. The identity of group X as Jews is a matter of historical study. Hannah Arendt suggests that in modern times it stemmed in part from the perception that Jews, as a distinct social grouping, served no apparent ‘purpose’; they were consequently looked upon with suspicion (see ‘On Totalitarianism’). But that may not account for the religious Christian anti-semitism, whose source may lie in medieval times. 

  • Kokapelye
    I dunno BrookeLynn, did Robot Chicken show the “Michael Jackson’s Giant Dancing Robot” or “Alien v. MJ” bits?
  • Isaac

    I’ve got a lot on my plate right now Brooke, and your comment deserves my attention. But two things stand out. And they are:

     1) The schizophrenia bit is based on a quote from one of his brothers stating that they remembered that he was prescribed an antipsychotic in childhood. Quick leap to suspect schizophrenia – as you point out, especially because such things were probably tried long ago for various other reasons: as sedatives, etc., and other things that Joe probably put into Michael to have more control over his psychological state and performances.

    2) He had too much estrogen coursing through his veins for me to believe the molestation charges. Not that it matters, but your insistence on his guilt does not conform to the fact that no criminal charges ever stuck, and might (assuming you’re correct and he was acquitted) constitute libel according to stricter standards that aren’t incredibly relevant here. But as long as we stick to the speculative and personal, I’ll say that I don’t believe it. The parents wanted money and Jackson just wanted a little kid to cuddle with and love him and look up to him the way women generally do. He was naive and the circumstances he put himself into smack of pedophilia, but we knew that. On the other hand, you seem to have some plausible explanations for his skin bleaching and voice, so maybe you’re onto something with this as well…

  • BrookeLynn

    I think a more accurate two things to say about him would be 1) musical genius, and 2) child predator.

    There are many kids in show business who don’t get the opportunity to enjoy the experience of being a child, and many kids who are abused by their stage parents.  His sexual molesation of children, is far more defining than the rough treatment he received from Joe Jackson.

    There are valid medical explanations for many of his personal decisions.  For instance, you mention his change of race.  He had vitiligo.  The only cosmetic remedy for this splotchy dark & light skin condition is to either bleach the skin from head to toe, or to really darken the skin overall.  He chose to go lighter.  With regard to his child-like voice– that happens to be a classic symptom of adults who were abused as kids.  Their emotional development is arrested as children, & they often still continue to speak in the same voice that they had when they were last abused.  Even his obsession with rhinoplasty, was linked by many psychiatrists to his strong desire to distance himself from his dad. (Supposedly people would always comment to him that he had his dad’s nose.)

    I disagree with you that he was possibly schizophrenic.  I’d lean more toward a diagnosis of narcissism.  But what concerns me the most was his desire to sexually prey upon kids.  I don’t know when child molestation became something to ignore in this country.  Yes, I recognize/remember that he was legally found "not guilty", and that lots of settlement money was paid out.  But it is so wrong to downplay the seriousness of the behavior that led to those allegations, just because he was the king of pop music.

    On a lark last night I turned on the tv and left it on to watch the adult cartoon comedy "Family Guy".  (My little toddler was up & I just couldn’t stomach one more kid’s show.  He seemed to like the colorful animation.)  The show dealt with the dilemma of deciding whether to stay involved with malignant people.  It was specifically highlighting O.J. Simpson.  Legally he’s been found not guilty; he still deserves our respect, right?  I was amazed at the parallels between Michael Jackson & O.J. Simpson.  I kept thinking–I wonder if this happens to be a re-run being shown by sheer coincidence.  At the end of the show, the credits began rolling a dedication to Michael Jackson.  It’s so ironic that a pop-culture comedy show is one of the first to deal with the conflicting ethics of this situation.  Bravo Seth MacFarlane!        

      

  • Isaac

    While unrestrained anger can’t be good for one’s heart, neither can the cornucopia of pharmaceuticals fed to Jackson by the people he was deluded into thinking cared about him.

    I think Andrew Sullivan’s obituary was about as apt as they come. Jackson was an empty man, possibly schizophrenic, likely a closeted homosexual – (whose extremely effeminate affectations visually and otherwise were incredibly, and quite ignorantly, mistakenly regarded by white America as just a way of making him less threatening than how it regarded blacks generally) – who made it his over-riding aim to be the greatest celebrity on the planet. And look where it got him. The "drive" that propelled him to that status (later lauded as wholesome by a presenile Ronald Reagan – another mistaken icon of celebrity pop virtue) was savagely beaten into him at a young age by a tyrant of a man who made for a better circus showman than father.

    Any remembrance of Jackson – gifted as he was – that does not emphasize these facts, and the fact that he merely fed the whims of a society addicted to the appareance of things, is woefully incomplete. His willingness to entertain anti-Semitic tropes is the least of it. But that probably speaks to his own embrace of simplified, easy appearances as if they were realities, and the fact that he self-identified with Christ. The news of his death was, unfortunately, entirely unsurprising to me - even moreso given the changed culture, both racially and technologically, in which we now find ourselves.

    Any obituary of a man intentionally made into a martyr by his own admirers, that does not mention that fact, is far from accurate.

  • Emily Goldsher

    Oh, lbjack, did you actually read this post, or did you just get mad because it’s about Michael Jackson and you are the only person that doesn’t care he’s dead?

    I barely even count myself a fan, but I understand the significance this event has had on the media, especially in a climate where most outlets are struggling to stay afloat.  All I did here was take a look at his passing with the Jewish media in mind.  I don’t really see any eulogizing, besides for the little bit of hebrew at the end, a courtesy I’d hope any Jew would extend to the recently-deceased.

    so please, just relax and try to ignore all that MJ being pumped from every speaker in America.   All this anger isn’t good for your heart!  

  • lbjack

    Speaking of "shit," I thought the human fart only stinks up discussions about Israel.  Alas, it permeates the entire site.

  • Ismail

    Someone get lbjack a few raw steaks and a case of Red Bull. He’s getting too chill.

  • Kokapelye

    “All things considered, Jackson is far from a Jew-hater. His friendship with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach….”

    And this would be the first time an anti-semite has a Jew? Whether the friendship was rationalized as “But Shmuley is my Jew,” or “Shmuley isn’t like the other Jews,” cultivating an association with a particular Jew is not proof against anti-semitism if there is hostility toward Jews as a group.

  • BrookeLynn

    Wow, this article/interview says more about Boteach than anything he’s ever written in any book he’s authored.

    Just an excerpt:  

    "What most frightened me was not that he would be arrested again for child molestation, although he later was. Rather it was that he would die. As I told CNN on April 22, 2004, "My great fear, and why I felt I had to be distanced from Michael … was that he would not live long. My fear was that Michael’s life would be cut short."

    If this is really true, it’s a very bizarre outlook, especially for a rabbi.