I'm a skeptic when it comes to people and their good intentions. With that said, what's up with folks cashing in on Michael Jackson two weeks after his overdose? First, Daddy Joe was promoting his new record label at the BET Awards a few days after his celebrity-son dies. Then there were articles written everywhere by cultural critics who claim to be dropping the only real knowledge about Michael J and his serpentine journey. Now LaToya Jackson wants to release a single in honor of her brother and promises the proceeds will go to a Los Angeles AIDS Charity. I won't even mention the number people who have taken over the corners of NYC dressed in Billie Jean attire and dancing the Moonwalk. I even received a Facebook invite last night from a colleague who's putting on a comedic tribute to Michael Jackson and he promises you will see Michael like you've never see him before [or something like that].
Truth is, I know why people do what they do, for the most part. [I think]. I guess some days I don't want to wake up and be reminded that capitalism has its ugly-UGLY side. It can prompt money- and attention-hungry vampires to find ways to withdraw blood from a celebrity corpse while it's still relatively warm. But hey, the economy is tight. People have to eat and pay for shelter. Maybe I should jump on the Q Train to Manhattan, pull out my paper cup, and sing [horribly] my rendition of MJ's Ben. I might be able to pay my rent for a few months, or, at least, grab the attention of some agent looking for the next MJ. See, this post could even be considered an attempt at chasing on the King of Pop.
Keith Josef Adkins is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and social commentator.