Fall from Grace

August 29, 2009 Justice Mitchell

"The King of Pop" seems that he will always be remembered for his ground breaking approuch to the music and dance scene. He's been praised like a demi-god since his recent passing. Let's jar your starry-eyed memory for a second and remind you that there is a dark side to this moon:

What we remember:

Jackson was born on Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children.
Along with older siblings Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon, Jackson first rose to fame as the pint-sized lead singer of the Jackson 5
Formed in 1964 and signed to Motown in 1968, the group quickly scored four back-to-back No. 1 pop and R&B hits, beginning with its 1969 debut single, "I Want You Back."
Michael Jackson launched a solo career in 1972.
"Motown 25" TV special became an iconic moment when he introduced his James Brown-inspired moonwalk to a national audience.
46+ Million album sales of "Thriller"
Sibling of the incredibly talented Motown group "The Jackson Five"
In 1985, he paid $40 million dollars for the rights to much of The Beatles' catalog
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (with his brothers) in 1997
1983 Grammy: Producer of the Year, Non-Classical - Winner
1983 Grammy: Record of the Year - Winner
1983 Grammy: Best R&B Song - Winner
1983 Grammy: Best Recording for Children - Winner
1985 Grammy: Song of the Year - Winner
1984 Grammy: Best Long Form Music Video - Winner
1983 Grammy: Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - Winner
1979 Grammy: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance - Winner
1983 Grammy: Best Male R&B Vocal Performance - Winner
1990 Emmy: Outstanding Music and Lyrics - Nominee
1983 Grammy: Album of the Year - Winner
1983 Grammy: Best Male Rock Vocal Performance - Winner
1989 Grammy: Best Short Form Music Video - Winner
1995 Grammy: Best Short Form Music Video - Winner
1983 Emmy: Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program - Nominee
1984 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Music Video - Winner
1984 People's Choice Awards: Favorite All-Around Male Entertainer - Winner
1989 People's Choice Awards: Favorite Music Video - Winner
Oh and his hair caught on fire making a Pepsi add for more money then I'll ever see in ten lifetimes

What We Have Forgot (most and points derived of research from Wikipedia):

Slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber
Owned and monkey named "Bubbles" (while not relevant to my point, just plain weird)
1993, Jackson was accused of child sexual abuse by a 13-year-old boy named Jordan Chandler
under the influence of sodium amytal, a controversial sedative, Jordan told his father that Jackson had touched his penis
He and Jackson engaged in unsuccessful negotiations to reach a financial settlement with Chandler
In 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, Jackson was seen holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with Gavin Arvizo, 13, who later accused him of sexual abuse
Held his own infant child over a railing to show off the paparazzi
Multi-million dollar debt forced the foreclosure of most of his properties and assets
He's facial reconstruction, and skin bleaching over the past twenty years is nothing but bizarre and disrespectful to his family in my opinion
The research into his death has no found a man riddled with addiction just to sleep and awaken every morning

I've had this conversation with a great many people and many have said "You have to look at what they gave us and not let their person life ruin how you see them." That being said, I'd like to introduce a few more people to you, and ask if their personal life has not adversely effected your view of them:

It's time to pick a better class of idol.