Like millions of others across the globe, I watched the televised funeral of the world’s greatest entertainer, Michael Jackson. I had my reservations about turning his service into yet another spectacle, but it turned out to be a tastefully done and moving tribute to the man and his career. In a way, it was fitting to allow his fans to share in a goodbye ceremony, as Jackson had lived nearly his entire life with them watching, sharing moments both joyous and troublesome. And it seemed, in that moment, after sending him off with remarks from his friends and the music that decorated his life, he was finally being laid down to rest, away from the burning eyes of the camera that illuminated and haunted him here on earth. It felt as if, at last, the Thriller would know peace.
A year-and-a-half later, the King of Pop is making as much news dead as he did alive, with his doctor being charged with manslaughter in the case of his death, the counter-narrative purported by the doctor that MJ killed himself, and a lucrative $250 million posthumous deal that has already resulted in the release of one album of previously unreleased material and a video game for the Nintendo Wii. In death, as in life, he is ingrained in the cultural psyche and a mainstay in the gossip rags. While it’s not ideal in the sense of allowing him to “rest in peace,” he follows in the tradition of artists like Elvis Presley and Tupac Shakur in being major money earners and tabloid fodder. That’s usually as far as it goes.
But, regretfully, a circus-like atmosphere loomed throughout Jackson’s life, and that fact is proving to be immutable in death. Europe’s Discovery Channel, known for programming that deals with science and history, had planned to debut a new program on Jan. 13 in the United Kingdom that claims to re-enact Jackson’s autopsy (a thorough examination of a corpse to determine cause of death). The line has officially been crossed.
WATCH COVERAGE OF THE MICHAEL JACKSON AUTOPSY SHOW CONTROVERSY
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The Jackson estate, via John Branca and John McClain have condemned this program, saying it is in “shockingly bad taste” and exploitative of the pop-star’s death. More than 9,000 fans and supporters have signed an online petition protesting the show’s airing, to which the Discovery Networks Viewer Relations department responded: “We are very sorry to hear that you have been disappointed by the scheduled broadcast of Michael Jackson’s Autopsy. Our programming covers a wide variety of topics, which we appreciate at times may not suit the tastes of some of our viewers.”
Nevertheless the backlash must have eventually spooked the network brass. It was announced this weekend that the autopsy show would be “postponed indefinitely” and would likely never be aired.
In our celebrity obsessed culture, no one felt the intense pressure and scrutiny of public life more than Michael Jackson. With a decade spanning four decades and a pile of controversies including a litany of legal woes and personal troubles, Jackson knew firsthand what just how ruthless and depraved the “journalists” charged with tracking and reporting on celebrity ins-and-outs could become. Every single tidbit of information that could be found, the public ate up with reckless abandon, the juicier the better. But something like this, where a major, well-known and otherwise highly respected cable network stooped to the levels of “autopsy reenactment” to drive ratings, is unprecedented.
True, the great “unsolved” murder mysteries of historical import have been treated to documentaries and television specials (think President Kennedy), but the idea of taking an intimate look at what should be the most private of medical procedures of a man who has barely had time to settle into his grave is disturbing on a whole new level.
Using the name and likeness of high-profile celebrities in order increase interest (and typically revenue) in a project is not a new practice, and neither is the exploitation of death, but we have to ask ourselves “how far is too far?” This right here seems to be it. We are in a collective grieving process, as a nation of fans attempts to cope with the death of a man who appeared immortal. There are some of us still in a state of denial, trying to make sense where there appears to be none. Shows like the Discovery Channel’s look to feed on that thirst for information, but the cost is the last bit of privacy and decency that could have been afforded to a man who gave his life to entertain us all.
Michael Jackson is one of the greatest artists this world has ever known, and one of the most deeply flawed and troubled. He was and continues to be loved by millions, if not billions, all over. Isn’t it about time he finally got some rest?