The White Fedora

April 8, 2012
by Dewey
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Cirque du Soleil’s “Immortal” wows this Florida Michael fan

Tuesday, February 28.

7:50 p.m.

I could not wait to get to the Amway Center in Orlando, find my seat, and simply enjoy the wonderfully unique theatrical entertainment of Cirque du Soleil, especially since they were paying tribute to my most favorite musician/dancer/greatest entertainer of all time, Michael Jackson.

So, when my husband, sons and I finally found our way to the very top (almost) of the Amway Center and I turned around to take my seat, I gasped aloud at the steep angle and decided to remain there until the last note played. My boys braved the descent down in search of Immortal Michael merchandise. “Get me a tshirt,” I said to my husband. “What kind?” he asked, kind of alarmed that he would have to choose. “Surprise me,” I said, laughing.

I watched them leave as I lip synched and bopped to the mood music, more Michael tunes not included on the Immortal soundtrack, like Rock With You and Unbreakable. I was particularly interested in the stage and the sheer white curtain hanging down, thinking the MJ monogram decorating the front in fancy script was very pretty. A long catwalk jutted out from a traditional stage and stopped near the seats on the floor. How I wish I could be in one of those instead of getting a bird’s eye view from my (gulp) precarious perch.

But, it was a Michael tribute in awesomely so right Cirque du Soleil style, and I was excited to see the show, even if I was sitting in the Ozone, or rather, the ”nosebleed” seats. I already knew the music tracks by heart and my oldest son asked me if they would follow the soundtrack. I wasn’t sure until the first track, Workin’ Day and Night, opened the show. It most certainly would be the same.

Being somewhat spoiled by the fantastical performance of “La Nouba” at Downtown Disney, Cirque du Soleil offers in this production the same nonstop feast for the eyes with theater, choreography and dance on all parts of the stage. It was both wonderful and heartbreaking, a bittersweet joy, as the Neverland Gates dominated the stage.

The Muse, dressed all in glittery, silvery white is the essence of Michael Jackson and makes appearances throughout the show.

The Immortal Intro was the most visually striking, with a variety of iconic Michael videos wonderfully choreographed to his incredible music. It’s impossible, even now, to look away from his short films or deny his mysterious and wonderful magnetism. Even with all the other amazing performers right in front of your face, it’s Michael himself who steals the show.

The one-legged dancer, Jean Sok, understandably wowed the crowd with his incredible talent and creative passion for dance.

And what a magnificent exit during Man in the Mirror, where the Muse strikes a classic Michael pose, one hand on his fedora, the other a la crotch, and slowly descends into the stage, out of sight. It leaves a lasting, fitting impression of Michael’s enduring creative and musical legacy.

Think of everything iconic about Michael Jackson; the glove, the shoes, the fedora, the dancing…and multiply it Cirque style for one of a kind, Michael all up in your face (and ears) extravaganza. This is the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour. I truly believe Michael is so proud of this production, one that captures his creative spirit so wonderfully. I can imagine him sitting from his own sky high seat, smiling down at this one of a kind tribute.

I can’t wait to buy it on DVD to re-live it again, on solid ground…up close and personal on my big screen television.

My 8 year old says, “I thought the Immortal Concert was amazing! Honestly, I think I liked “Jam” the best. And I can’t wait to buy the DVD either!”

Neverland Gates
Is it Scary?
Dancing penny loafers (Beat It)


February 5, 2012
by Dewey
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Just Another Part of Me (in concrete)

The recent hand and footprint (or rather shoeprint) ceremony on January 26 featuring Michael’s children and various celebrities at Hollywood’s iconic Grauman’s Chinese Theater got me wondering…just exactly where else are Michael’s hand and shoeprints immortalized in concrete?

Broken Heart Stone, Las Vegas, Nevada 1984

Liseberg, Sweden, 1988

Disney/MGM Studios, 1990 (now known as Hollywood Studios) “Great Movie Ride”

 

January 21, 2012
by Dewey
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Howard Bloom on Michael Jackson

Do you know the poem by William Blake?

To see a World in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour . . .

The intense ambition of that poem, the intense desire for wonder, was alive in Michael. More alive than anything of the sort I’d ever seen. Michael saw the infinite in an inch…

I’ve worked with Prince, Bob Marley, Peter Gabriel, Billy Joel, and Bette Midler, some of the most talented people of our generation, and not one of them had the quality of wonder that came alive in Michael. He saw the wonder in everything. His quality of wonder was beyond anything most of us humans can conceive.

Look, above all other things I’m a scientist. Science is my religion. It’s been my religion since I was ten years old. The first two rules of science are 1) the truth at any price including the price of your life; and 2) Look at the things right under your nose as if you’ve never seen them before and then proceed from there. And that’s not just a rule of science. It’s a rule of art. And it’s a rule of life. Very few people know it. Even fewer people live it. But Michael was it, he incarnated it in every follicle of his being. Michael was the closest I’ve ever come to a secular angel. A secular saint.

Look, I’m an atheist, but Michael was not. He believed he was given a gift by God. He believed he was given talents and wonders and astonishments seldom granted to us very fragile human beings. Because God had given him this enormous gift, he felt he owed the experience of wonder, astonishment, awe, and Blake’s infinities to his fellow human beings. But unlike other generous humans–Bill and Melinda Gates, for example–with Michael giving to others was not just a part-time thing. The need to give to others was alive in every breath he took every single day.

Michael Jackson’s entire life was receiving and giving and the whole purpose of receiving was so he could give. He worked with every cell in his body to give the gift of that amazement, that astonishment to his fellow human beings. Needing the adulation of crowds WAS Michael’s connection to others, his most profound connection, far more profound than family and friends (though those are indispensable), and far more healing. That act of giving keeps an iconic person, a person who never knows normalness, alive.

It seems strange to say this, but Michael will always be a part of me. No other superstar I worked with wound himself into the threads at my core the way he did. Michael opened a window to a quality of wonder unlike anything I’d ever been exposed to in my life. For that gift, I felt I owed him. I felt we all owed him. And we still do. We owe him an honest view of who he was. We will owe him that until we finally sweep away the crap of sensationalist headlines and clearly see why those who love him know more about him than any expert or journalist who claims to have probed his life. Those journalists and experts do not know Michael Jackson. But if you love him, there’s a good chance that you do…”

Howard Bloom, Michael Jackson’s friend and business associate

December 11, 2011
by Dewey
0 comments

MJWorldCry Orlando

If you’re a Florida Michael fan, like MJWorldCry Orlando on Facebook. Even if you’re not from FLORIDA, but support this worldwide event, please take a second of your time to LIKE this page.

Be a part of our pebble in the pond and watch Michael’s message grow in ever widening circles throughout the entire world. Remember him every June 25 with beautiful candlelight. It’s free and all for love.

November 2, 2011
by Dewey
0 comments

Thriller, in the making and making history

In appreciation of ‘All Hallow’s Eve,’ let’s talk about Michael Jackson’s Thriller video.

Thriller is the first music video to ever be inducted into the 2009 National Film Registry at the Library of Congress, preserved in perpetuity.

Watch this Michael and Quincy clip on the set of the iconic Thriller video. I’ve been a fan forever and I’ve never seen this.

Thanks to mental_floss magazine for the following information:

Ola Ray
After Thriller, Michael’s video girlfriend went on to make appearances on popular TV series like Cheers and Gimme A Break!, and play a small role in 1987’s Beverly Hills Cop II, but has been largely absent from show business since. After several publically-voiced complaints (and one subsequent retraction) about unpaid Thriller royalties, Ray sued Jackson a few months before his June 2009 death saying “I got the fame Thriller, but I didn’t get the fortune.”

John Landis
At the point Landis began working on Thriller, he was already one of the most well-known directors in Hollywood, responsible for Animal House, Trading Places, An American Werewolf in London and The Blues Brothers. He was also known at the time for having been in charge of the ill-fated production of Twilight Zone: The Movie that led to the tragic death of three actors on set. In the years immediately following Thriller, Landis directed Spies Like Us, Three Amigos and Coming to America. More recently he directed several episodes of the show Psych and the 2007 documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project.

Vincent Price (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993)

The 1950s and 60s horror film great was in the latter stages of his career when he delivered Thriller’s pitch-perfect creepy narration. In the years that followed, Price would make appearances in a number of other projects, including lending his iconic voice to the 1986 Disney film The Great Mouse Detective and appearing as the inventor in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands.

 

 

Rick Baker
The makeup and visual effects genius responsible for turning Jackson and a group of dancers into “grisly ghouls from every tomb” has won a total of seven Academy Awards for Makeup (An American Werewolf in London, Harry and the Hendersons, Ed Wood, The Nutty Professor, Men in Black, Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Wolfman) and been nominated five other times. In fact, he is responsible for the fact that the creators of Norbit can honestly refer to the film as an Oscar-nominated piece of cinema.

And, I was not aware of the work Michael Peters did outside of Thriller. (From Wikipedia):

Michael Peters (August 6, 1948 – August 29, 1994)

Peters was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in New York City to an African American father and Jewish mother. His first major breakthrough came when he did choreography for Donna Summer’s “Love to Love You Baby” in 1975. He went on to stage other memorable dance sequences for music videos, including Pat Benatar’s “Love Is a Battlefield” (in which he has a brief cameo) and Lionel Richie’s “Hello” (in which he also has a brief cameo as the dance instructor of Lionel Richie’s blind love interest).

However, he was most recognized for his choreography work in Michael Jackson’s videos. Especially the smash hit “Thriller”, directed by John Landis, and “Beat It” directed by Bob Giraldi, which is vaguely reminiscent of West Side Story: Peters co-stars as one of two gang leaders who prepare for a dramatic showdown/knifefight, which is averted at the last moment by Jackson. Peters is dressed all in white, and wears sunglasses during the piece.

Peters is also widely credited for the striking transformation of actress Angela Bassett into Tina Turner in the 1993 biopic What’s Love Got to Do with It.

Peters danced with Talley Beatty, Alvin Ailey, Bernice Johnson, and Fred Benjamin, and worked with Michael Bennett. Bennett and Peters shared a 1982 Tony Award for Best Choreography for their work on the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. In 1985, he directed and choreographed the Ellie Greenwich jukebox musical Leader of the Pack.

Peters died in Los Angeles, California of an AIDS related illness at 46.

I hope everyone enjoyed their ‘Thriller night.’ {Vincent Price laugh here.}

 

October 17, 2011
by Dewey
2 Comments

We Had Him

With the trial drama and heavy emotions, I had to find something enduringly beautiful about our sweet Michael. Maya Angelou captures his essence and his worldwide influence in such a lovely way with her poem, below.

Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.

Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.

In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.

Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.

Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana’s Black Star Square.

In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England

We are missing Michael.

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.

::Maya Angelou

See the Recitation on YouTube

October 7, 2011
by Dewey
2 Comments

Michael Jackson’s Children’s Hospital

A community initiative has begun on Facebook to gather support for building a children’s hospital to honor of one of Michael Jackson’s last wishes. This effort is in the very beginning stages and is a huge undertaking for Michael’s global fan base. More information can be found at the Michael Jackson’s Children’s Hospital website.

All fans everywhere should support this global effort in some way. Healing Planet Earth and protecting and caring for the world’s children were social issues near and dear to Michael’s heart. I believe he would be so very proud to know that his beloved fans made his hope for a children’s hospital a world-changing and enduring reality.

September 30, 2011
by Dewey
1 Comment

My Best of Joy

The trial, People v. Conrad Murray, is heartwrenching and unbearable. So, I’ve decided to indulge in the brighter side, to smile (and write) even though my heart is breaking again, and share why I’m a lifelong Michael Jackson fan. Hopefully, the scales of justice in that southern California courtroom will tip overwhelmingly for our sweet Michael.

Dictionaries define “inspire” as the ability, by a divine influence, to do or feel something. To be inspired shows how the actions of another can breathe new life into a stagnant spirit. For me, Michael embodies inspiration and positivity, through his constant message of worldwide love and unity. He simply was a breath of fresh air for the music industry and ultimately, countless people all over the planet. The entire world saw and admired these qualities in the divine union of his music and dance, in his selfless humanitarian gestures. And for quite a while now, I’ve associated the constant, glowing moon with the essence of Michael Jackson. Perhaps my romantic notion of Michael as the moon is too ethereal to capture regarding his musical talent and universal appeal. But for many fans, his beautiful spirit, gentle kindness, and loving heart will always remain magically inspiring.

In the song, Best of Joy, Michael sings, ”I am the moonlight, you are the spring.” He acknowledges the natural, magnetic force, a mutual understanding, between him and his beloved fans. Thirty years ago, I had no idea he would completely have such an impact on my young life. My earliest memory of being captured by Michael’s music began in the mid 70s. I loved listening to Top 40 hits on our local radio station and would ask Mom to buy K-Tel records to play on my turntable. This is how I heard ‘Blame It On the Boogie’ for the first time. I also remember hearing ‘Dancing Machine’ on AM radio and trying with great enthusiasm to do the robot dance. I remember watching snippets of the Jacksons Variety show on TV when I was only 7 years old. In 1979, at the tender age of 10, we did a dance routine to the first three minutes of ‘Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough’ in gym class, the tune blaring through the gymnasium while me and 20 or so girls had a blast doing the moves right up until he sang, ‘Aaaoowww!’

But it wasn’t until 1983, while sleeping over at a friend’s house, that I fell in love with the photo on the Thriller album cover. I told my 14 year old self, ‘My goodness, he’s gorgeous’ and would just stare at him while we played the songs over and over again. It wasn’t long until I had my own copy, which I still have today. I so clearly remember watching the now iconic Motown 25 performance of Billie Jean while sitting on the living room floor, completely mesmerized by him.

So, by 1984, I knew all the Thriller songs and ‘Say, Say, Say’ and I’d watch MTV hoping to see the Beat It, Billie Jean, or Thriller ‘short films.’ One pin-up picture became a multitude of posters and magazine photos covering all four of my bedroom walls — my very own version of Michael inspired wallpaper. I was only 14 years old but there was just something magnetic about him, an inexplicable attraction, and I absolutely loved his looks, his music and dancing, and (omg!) we were from the same state. Back then, being a Michael fan meant obsessively gathering all information about him from radio news, television shows, and anything available in print. And going to record stores to buy the vinyl or cassettes. Saving up allowance to buy posters, buttons, tshirts, magazines. Hoping the radio would play a Michael tune next. No Internet or iTunes or YouTube to speak of back then.

I think the moment I fell head over heels in love with him was watching him accept all those Grammys in 1984, when he took off his glasses for the girls way up in the balcony. I loved his shyness and his voice and his incredible smile. His entire demeanor, mannerisms, and humbleness took my breath away. There were hearts in my eyes and my family, my friends at school, noticed my Michaelmania insanity.

I was hopelessly hooked. In 1987, I couldn’t wait to get Bad, buying it on that ‘new’ compact disc format even though I already had the vinyl. Then buying Moonwalker on VHS, and his biography, Moonwalk. Even though I had the albums, I bought all the CD singles, too. I tuned in to see the ‘Black or White’ video on television, premiering after The Simpsons. I watched MTV’s 10th Anniversary celebration and every ‘worldwide MTV premiere’ of all his new videos. He was my joy. No matter the controversies, the lies that became ‘truth,’ I saw and admired his beautiful spirit, his exceptional talent, his inspiring social awareness and humanitarian efforts. I bought HIStory because I loved hearing his voice and wanted to learn and absorb every word of all his new songs. My way of connecting with with him was, is, and always will be through his music. Even while I grew into adulthood and lived my life; graduated from high school and college, bought my first house, married my first love and had two sons, Michael was always present musically, giving the world yet again, in the dawn of a new Millennium, a collection of his wonderful music with Invincible. Effortlessly, he mesmerized me with his 30th Anniversary Special performances in September 2001. I walked through a store while shopping and saw the 25th Anniversary Edition of the Thriller CD, that famously gorgeous Michael pose, and told my husband, with kids in tow, ’I can’t help it, I’ve gotta get this.’

It broke my heart when he was taken from us so prematurely and under such negligent circumstances. He was such a good person with a beautiful heart. Now, my kids love his music and ask me to play his CDs in the car. I usually do so at a very loud volume. Michael Jackson is the soundtrack of my life. I feel such a sweet connection to him through his musical genius and talent, a gift he freely gave to everyone. Most importantly, I admire his constant love and gentleness, the kindness in his eyes. He has that intangible ability to fill a new generation of fans with joy and laughter and inspires me to be a better person, to strive be an exceptional parent to my children, and above all things, to love. Even God in Heaven says the greatest of faith, hope, and love, is love. It really is all for love.

He captured my heart so long ago and never let it go. Maybe someday, we’ll meet again on the sweetly shining moon, our shoes creating softly glowing moonbeams, dancing the dream together on an eternal, heavenly dance floor. Indulgent, yes. But, why not? He believed so strongly in magic and fantastical things, fairy dust and wishes on stars, happily ever afters. He truly is… forever.

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