Is Michael Jackson Really Dead?

Ever since it was first announced by tabloid gossip mongers TMZ, the death of Michael Jackson was almost immediately met with skepticism as to the legitimacy of his demise. After all here was a 50 year old man that never had a history of heart or circulation problems, all of a sudden being stricken down by cardiac arrest. Since most victims of heart failure usually have some symptoms or predilection for the heart disease like being obese, have a family history, don’t live a healthy lifestyle, have diabetes and the list goes on. None of these things was MJ known to suffer from.

The first analysis of his downfall tell of a person tirelessly working to regain his past greatness and how this stress, both physical and mental was the cause for his eminent heart attack.

Nonsense.

Michael Jackson had spent his entire life dancing, singing and working his craft like a professional athlete and although there have been cases where even the most in shape person has been stricken down by an arterial explosion, the likely-hood of this happening to Michael is somewhat suspect.

Even during his memorial it seemed as if he would suddenly pop out of his golden casket as a way to promote his latest tour. But alas it was not to be.

Perhaps the real truth behind all the coverage is that the King of Pop was tired. Tired of defending himself from a world that had turned on his greatness because of allegation of pedophilia which had tarnished his iconic image forever and tired of living in his own shadow, never being able to play in the sun without the heat from the paparazzi always trying to burn him.

So lets look at some things that might make the idea of Michael Jackson faking his own death as a way of escaping his tortured life plausible.

1. MJ was forever trying to relive a childhood that he never had. When he was attacked and accused of molesting the very children his held so dear he was forced to give up the one place on earth where he felt safe, secure and at peace – Neverland. Without Neverland he became a nomad, wondering from place to place, never really fitting in and never being able to find a home – except perhaps in Du Bai.
2. He was under constant surveillance. This was a person that couldn’t even open a window curtain without dozens of people and cameras invading his privacy. His life wasn’t just under the microscope it was magnified and displayed on the global stage for any little thing and while other celebrates experience similar invasions, Michael had to have even to most minuet item become an excuse for the media to regurgitate the past allegations.
3. He was considered a has-been musically. As much as the media fawned over his genius and recounted his many contributions to music, culture and society as a whole, prior to his “death” he was viewed as washed up and merely a freakshow. Before his announced perishing, it was a rare occasion that a radio station would play a Michael Jackson song unless it was an oldies format or old school urban play-list. As soon as he was declared dead you couldn’t tune in to a station without hearing at least one song if not his entire collection. After his death MJ suddenly became relevant and his talent was recognized for the brilliance it had. After years of relative obscurity Michael Jackson became hip again.
4. He needed the money. Reports of Michael Jackson’s wealth varied from being worth close to half a billion dollars to being bankrupt. His beloved Neverland was put up for sale, perhaps it was because he could never call it home again or perhaps because he was in desperate need of cash. Not having a hit record in over a decade and his flamboyant style of living creates a lot of debt. A sudden surge of popularity would increase his holdings and in fact the day of his death Michael Jackson’s albums took the top 8 spots on iTunes music stores creating a tsunami of wealth in a very short time. The revenue generated by other MJ memorabilia, royalties that go directly to Michael’s estate was staggering by previous years income and has not waned as of yet.
5. Fast action by family and friends. In a matter of hours Michael’s family had his entire residence emptied and placed in storage and just as quickly a star-studded memorial was put together that could rival most head liner concerts. For more acts and sporting event the Staple Center has to be booked well in advance and yet it took just a day or so to have the venue secured, a multi-media presentation put together, musicians, dancers and singers hired -rehearsed and ready for a show stopping extravaganza.  There are military operations that can’t be put together that quickly and without a hitch.
6. Emotional content. Although it can be said that the Jackson family is a very tight knit group and have a great deal of love for each other, it is because of this fact that the lack of a complete emotional breakdown by members of the family and close friends weren’t displayed. During the memorial service there were tears and Jackson’s beautiful daughter gave a very heartfelt performance but given her rhetoric was said many times before there was a sense that this could be an act. A front so as to disguise the true nature of the event, one that gives the King of Pop a smoke screen from which to disappear.

Michael Jackson gave the world more than music, he gave us his life and whether he has gone to heaven or to the far reaches of the Du Bai he and his music will be missed forever. Hopefully where ever he is has has finally found peace.