Well a week has passed since we received the sad news about Michael Jackson’s death, and there has been a wide range of reactions that can fall into the following categories:
– The overly devoted fans – These people are probably still having candle lit vigils while listening to Thriller and wearing a sequin glove. (I can’t help but thing of the woman that unleashed a flock of white doves outside the courthouse when she heard Michael was acquitted from his child molestation charges. How is she handling this?!)
– The Appreciators – This group is probably where the majority of people fall. They appreciate his music and contribution to pop culture. They had some shock in the beginning and then say to themselves, “that’s too bad” or “what a tragedy.” Then they move on. The reality of the situation is that he wasn’t going to make better music. His best work was done. It’s not like we lost him at the height of his career. It’s not like we lost a Jonas Brother (I kid, I kid…)
– The Haters – This group was quiet and unaffected when they heard the news, but now they’ve had enough. I think one of my facebook friends’ statuses sums this up best:
“Julie is very sick of hearing about Michael Jackson. His last hit was probably right around the time I was born, he was a pedophile, bleached himself white, and was a complete total freakshow. Enough.”
But no matter what category of MJ fanship you fall into, you have to admit that this Twitter tribute to Billie Jean is pretty awesome…