Al's Pals

[TMBJon]

Right exactly. I don't mean to harp on the issue, but I feel like I've already mourned the loss of Michael Jackson.

And for the record, I don't mean my posts as an attack on MJ so much as a response to the fact that whenever someone dies their nasty side is glossed over out of "respect" by the media/general public.

[weird_el]

This is true. I am among the first to dance on the graves of people I did not like.

Being dead does not improve my opinion of them.

[Orthography Enthusiast]

It is true that being dead shouldn't improve one's opinion of someone. But I think it is rude to be really freely outspokenly negative about someone recently dead when there are people around who are feeling distressed by the death. Remember how we felt when Nick and Mary Yankovic died and then the Onion did that article. So I say, pull your punches for a while for the sake of his fans.

[Dr_Dad]

It is true that being dead shouldn't improve one's opinion of someone. But I think it is rude to be really freely outspokenly negative about someone recently dead when there are people around who are feeling distressed by the death. Remember how we felt when Nick and Mary Yankovic died and then the Onion did that article. So I say, pull your punches for a while for the sake of his fans.

QFT
+1111111111111111

The wisdom of the ages is in our beloved OE. Well said, my dear.

[Bruce the Duck]

It is true that being dead shouldn't improve one's opinion of someone. But I think it is rude to be really freely outspokenly negative about someone recently dead when there are people around who are feeling distressed by the death. Remember how we felt when Nick and Mary Yankovic died and then the Onion did that article. So I say, pull your punches for a while for the sake of his fans.

+1,000,000

Thanks, OE.

[Orthography Enthusiast]

The local oldies station is doing a "King of Pop Tribute Weekend", playing MJ songs and encouraging people to phone in with thoughts, memories, etc. Some of these people actually met him/knew him, including a woman who was in class in junior high school with him. With Michael and his bodyguards that is. I can't even imagine growing up like that.

[FredHuggins]

Of COURSE we'd rather remember the good stuff. When O.J. Simpson dies, I should hope we all prefer to remember the football triumphs. There's too much misery in the world already without the righteously angry forcibly injecting more into us, and bitterness is enough of a waste of time when the targets of it ARE living comfortably. But when they're DEAD, harping on the distant past just becomes cruel and counter-productive. They're at rest now. Gone. Kaput. Their ill deeds won't bother the world anymore, so THAT part should be a relief. When Saddam was executed I felt nothing but relief. But Michael, in some small and perhaps inadvertent way, enriched all our lives. Even if you don't like his music, his unflinching generosity gave Al's career the kick in the pants it needed, and THAT majestic career has brought us all together. And I regret that there is no longer a chance that the world will hear Michael Jackson produce another "Thriller" or "Smooth Criminal." THAT'S why we focus on the good stuff. The rest is a waste of time.

[scottidog]

Moved this here til I have time to weed out the off topic stuff.

[anthontherun]

I don't know, even though it wasn't always the most...er, pleasant discussion (hi, TMBJon!) I don't think it was off topic. I had even sort of considered breaking it out into a separate "R.I.P. Michael Jackson" topic because MJ played a bigger role in Al's success than anyone besides Al himself.

[Teh Dingo]

Dr. Demento says hi