Based on the events of yesterday, I’d be remiss if I didn’t spend a moment commenting on the passing of Michael Jackson. Obviously I have previously taken advantage of many opportunities to be a wise ass prick. And you’d think with the plethora of material that the odd and questionable actions Jacko has engaged in over the years would lead me down the same path.Nah, that should be saved for another time perhaps. Not now. As fucked up as he was reported to be – nobody can honestly deny what an iconic and brilliant talent he actually was. Even more so – he was a celebrity that was so much larger than life, it’s even more undeniable that the legend will forever only grow larger.True legends are rare – and of course, our society dictates that their popularity is eminently grander if they are celebrities from the entertainment or sports world.My Italian heritage obligates me to mention Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio as legends, although I’m fairly certain few could argue even if they’re opposed to our vowel-ending surnames and penchant for Camaros and Chianti. Some of the few names that you can toss in the same ring might be Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Muhammad Ali. And, well…you get the point; there aren’t really all that many names. Screwy as he may have acted in his personal life, when you look at the world wide popularity and lifetime success that the man had for 45 of his 50 years – Michael Jackson quite possibly could have been the most famous, and legendary celebrity we’ve ever known.I caught the end of a news report on the radio (yes, really, on the radio) late yesterday afternoon – and it was one of those AP feeds that was a little choppy, and the reporter was reading off bits of information as they got them. He’d been transported to UCLA Medical Center, possible cardiac arrest, pause, no further information, it sounded serious and important, but as the feed was going along, and as I had tuned in after it began, it was a full minute or so before they repeated who they were talking about. I was surprised when they said Michael Jackson.

Checking online back at the office I read a little more and then caught a story stating he was in a coma. A bit after 5:30pm I received an e-mail headline from All Access (a radio industry newsletter) that Michael Jackson was dead.

I’m not going to bullshit anyone that I was a big fan – but I would never deny his talent and influence, and always liked some of his songs. But, like most people my age – I too sort of grew up with his music and videos, and, frankly, found a few of his foibles somewhat entertaining. Yes, he was 50 – but you never thought of him being 50 – you thought of him as a life long child – so it made his passing all that much more shocking.

I was going to call Chrissy and tell her, but then thought it might upset her and didn’t want to be the one to do that. She called me about a half hour later – and was crying. I didn’t quite expect for her to be as sad as she was, but then realized as she’s so much more of a child of the ‘80’s than I (yes, she’s waaay younger than I) it was somewhat more devastating to her than me. Guess I sort of fell between the Elvis and Michael Jackson generation.

Everyone is, and rightfully so, posting and showing some of his greatest hits in remembrance. In fairness, I could tell you that I distinctly recall hearing “Beat It” for the first time. Interestingly, I heard it on a certain rock radio station, that several years later I was hired to work for. Also interestingly, I learned years later that that certain station got in major trouble for playing the song off a radio promo almost a week before it was approved for air by the record company (Release date was 2/14/83). Seems that the PD wanted to play the song ahead of time since Eddie Van Halen was featured on the song, and Van Halen was a core artist for the station.

Not the only great song with a legendary guitarist – I always enjoyed the song and video for “Black or White” with Slash.

Some of Boneheads favorite Michael Jackson songs and videos are “Smooth Criminal” – mainly because the very talented young Junior Miss Giddy did a great dance number in competitions and recitals to the song when she was an even younger Junior Miss. I also always got a kick out of the video for “Leave Me Alone” because I always appreciate when somebody can poke fun at themselves in a public forum, and I always felt he sort of did this in the video for this song. My all time favorite though is “Scream” – and not just because it’s a duet with his hot sister.

Now is not the time to focus on the sometimes strange actions of a man who lived his entire life in the public eye and was left open to intense daily scrutiny. It’s time to be a little sad for the passing of a talented man whose early death may have ultimately been the result of just that.