Tuesday, June 14, 2005
The Jackson Verdict
Well, that train-wreck of a media circus out in California is finally over, and Michael Jackson was found to be completely..... well, not exactly "innocent", but "not guilty" in the legal meaning of the term. I was very impressed with the jury members who spoke for interviews. Seems to me that they did their job conscientiously and tried as best as they could to follow the judge's complicated instructions. They also made a decision, early on, to ignore Jackson's celebrity and reach a verdict as if he was any ordinary person. I think they succeeded.
Interestingly, several of the jurors were still troubled by Jackson's bizarre behavior with young boys, and they all but said outright they felt he had probably molested SOMEONE, somewhere along the line. But the jury felt there was simply not enough evidence to convict him of this particular case. (I didn't think there was, either.)
I think this is a good example of how this country's judicial system is supposed to work. And it did work. In any alleged crime, the prosecution has the burden of proof. There has to be legal evidence to convict--- just a gut feeling isn't enough--- and the phrase "beyond a reasonable doubt" really does have meaning. I'm glad it does.
Now, what about Michael Jackson? He has already made a statement, via his lawyer, that he won't be sleeping with any more boys. Well, that's a good start anyway. He should have known better than to do that in the first place. Let's hope he keeps that promise.
If I were Jackson's manager / advisor, here's what I would suggest he do, if he wants to recover his health, his sanity, and his career:
1. First, he needs to get some therapy, some psychological help. Whether this molestation occurred or not, it's pretty obvious by now that he's a very troubled, damaged person in too many ways. He's got to learn to live in the real world, and understand the values and concerns that normal people have. His reputation as a bizarre freak is really dragging him down.
2. He needs to lie low for a while. No interviews or public appearances. Just spend a few months "taking care of business." From the rumors I've been hearing about his financial state, there's a lot of that to do. Make a budget, and stick to it. Sell the unnecessary junk. (Maybe even sell Neverland).
3. Ne needs to begin salvaging his music career, what's left of it. I think the guy is talented, so this is do-able, even if won't be easy. First thing I'd have him do is go to Europe. Not a good idea to start a comeback attempt in the U.S. And I'd have him do some concerts. They don't have to be multi-million dollar extravaganzas with fireworks and electronic effects, either. He should let the raw musical talent take precedence. If Bruce Springsteen can just go onstage with a guitar and a small rock band and do his thing, Michael Jackson can scale down a bit too. The "King of Pop" nonsense has become too over-the-top.
4. If he succeeds in Europe, then I'd have him come back to the states. But he needs to act more like a normal person, be seen in normal places, wearing normal clothes. Obviously he's not the blue-jeans type..... Justin Timberlake can go around in jeans with a hole in the knee. Michael Jackson probably couldn't. But he doesn't have to get himself rigged up like a mannequin either. There must be a middle ground. Maybe a fashion consultant could help. But he has to get the perception of being somewhat "normal", otherwise forget it.
5. He should not mention children, kids, childhood, any of that stuff. People don't want to hear the word "children" and "Michael Jackson" in the same sentence any more. And I don't blame them, because neither do I. It sounds really icky at this point.
6. At this point, I'd slowly have him begin doing some performances here in the States. Record an album, or do some shows, or get involved in production or management or something. But I'd tell him to keep it on a normal human level.
Ha ha..... I've always had dreams of being a manager!! Actually, several years ago, a couple of guys in Madison who were writing songs and starting a band once asked me to be their manager, for real. And if they'd had enough material, I would have done it. But they only had about 5 songs completed, and that just wasn't enough.
Interestingly, several of the jurors were still troubled by Jackson's bizarre behavior with young boys, and they all but said outright they felt he had probably molested SOMEONE, somewhere along the line. But the jury felt there was simply not enough evidence to convict him of this particular case. (I didn't think there was, either.)
I think this is a good example of how this country's judicial system is supposed to work. And it did work. In any alleged crime, the prosecution has the burden of proof. There has to be legal evidence to convict--- just a gut feeling isn't enough--- and the phrase "beyond a reasonable doubt" really does have meaning. I'm glad it does.
Now, what about Michael Jackson? He has already made a statement, via his lawyer, that he won't be sleeping with any more boys. Well, that's a good start anyway. He should have known better than to do that in the first place. Let's hope he keeps that promise.
If I were Jackson's manager / advisor, here's what I would suggest he do, if he wants to recover his health, his sanity, and his career:
1. First, he needs to get some therapy, some psychological help. Whether this molestation occurred or not, it's pretty obvious by now that he's a very troubled, damaged person in too many ways. He's got to learn to live in the real world, and understand the values and concerns that normal people have. His reputation as a bizarre freak is really dragging him down.
2. He needs to lie low for a while. No interviews or public appearances. Just spend a few months "taking care of business." From the rumors I've been hearing about his financial state, there's a lot of that to do. Make a budget, and stick to it. Sell the unnecessary junk. (Maybe even sell Neverland).
3. Ne needs to begin salvaging his music career, what's left of it. I think the guy is talented, so this is do-able, even if won't be easy. First thing I'd have him do is go to Europe. Not a good idea to start a comeback attempt in the U.S. And I'd have him do some concerts. They don't have to be multi-million dollar extravaganzas with fireworks and electronic effects, either. He should let the raw musical talent take precedence. If Bruce Springsteen can just go onstage with a guitar and a small rock band and do his thing, Michael Jackson can scale down a bit too. The "King of Pop" nonsense has become too over-the-top.
4. If he succeeds in Europe, then I'd have him come back to the states. But he needs to act more like a normal person, be seen in normal places, wearing normal clothes. Obviously he's not the blue-jeans type..... Justin Timberlake can go around in jeans with a hole in the knee. Michael Jackson probably couldn't. But he doesn't have to get himself rigged up like a mannequin either. There must be a middle ground. Maybe a fashion consultant could help. But he has to get the perception of being somewhat "normal", otherwise forget it.
5. He should not mention children, kids, childhood, any of that stuff. People don't want to hear the word "children" and "Michael Jackson" in the same sentence any more. And I don't blame them, because neither do I. It sounds really icky at this point.
6. At this point, I'd slowly have him begin doing some performances here in the States. Record an album, or do some shows, or get involved in production or management or something. But I'd tell him to keep it on a normal human level.
Ha ha..... I've always had dreams of being a manager!! Actually, several years ago, a couple of guys in Madison who were writing songs and starting a band once asked me to be their manager, for real. And if they'd had enough material, I would have done it. But they only had about 5 songs completed, and that just wasn't enough.
# posted by Dave Hill @ 2:58 PM 
