I can't help but wonder why the descriptions used by this author are echoed by so many white Americans? As mentioned before, it's been largely the white press who harbors these cold sentiments about MJ and his family and many other white Americans in the general public.

The day MJ died, for instance, it was like a home going on black radio. People called in crying, discussing how he was subjugated to the most ridiculous of pressures, while white radio on the other hand consistently tried to attach some sort of deviance or weirdness to MJ, and they were the very ones creating that pressure that catalyzed Michael's depression and isolation. And then hypocritically proclaim that he didn't even want to be black so how dare black people love him like their own as if a) the practice of altering one's physique somehow makes them immune from sympathy b) this practice is unique to MJ (the multi-million dollar tanning industry anyone?) and c) forgetting that MJ, like many other people of color, are subjected to constant media images of a Eurocentric ideal of beauty that makes even the most talented of people want to alter their beautiful natural features.

In general, white folks, and this was captured by the first comment, often have double standards when it comes to black people. What was so weird about Michael that other white celebrities have not done- plastic surgery? Please. Altering his skin tone? (see "b" above) Buying an inordinate amount of stuff (I do believe "Cribs" shows equally how rich people of every race waste their money). Since when does doing any of this make one a freak show? If that's the case, practically every white celebrity in Hollywood is a freak.

Anna Nicole Smith was an untalented, ignorant druggie, and she was revered as an angel in her death. Robert Downy Jr. has had a consistent battle with illegal substances, and all that's forgotten after he got his shit together and produced a couple of good movies. Bill Clinton was adulterous and was proven to have had "sexual relations" outside of his marriage, and now he's some sage the Democratic party reveres...the list goes on with how many whites have had failings but are ultimately forgiven, yet this rarely happens among the mainstream with blacks.

Fortunately, most black people could care less, and that we have media outlets with which to express our grief. We still love MJ, and nothing will change the fact that he's the greatest music artist that over walked this planet. Thank goodness for Essence and Ebony to keep us black folks in touch with reality!

Well. Said.

-- euripedes923: the 72 virgin boys is a groaner to be sure

These were both circulating Copps Coliseum in Canada yesterday, so I did not make them up, but thought

Q: Did you hear that Michael Jackson really died of Food Poisoning?

A: He choked on a 12 year old wiener.

Another bad joke:

Q: What are Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett going to get for Christmas?

A: Patrick Swayze.

And before anybody starts with the "how dare you" ad hominem attacks like I've seen on Huffington Post about people who dare to post something not slavering and obsequious.

I've been through Elvis, John Lennon, Princess Diana and this. The grief passes, the salacious tell-all books soon come out which means, so does the truth.

I expect better from salon.com, and when did they start hiring teenage journalists?

Too bad Amanda Fortini seems so out of touch with what really happened at the MJ Memorial. To quote her;

"Queen Latifah read a Maya Angelou poem. (What's a big schlocky event without one?) Maybe, I thought, the low energy derived from the fact that Michael's death, despite what we keep hearing on TV, wasn't an unexpected tragedy. He had been sick, mentally and physically, for so long -- he was, in many respects, the world's youngest invalid -- and it had been ages since he had made any good music. Maybe the loss of the singing, dancing Michael, the early Michael, had been mourned so long ago, that when he finally died -- of self-ordered anesthesia, it would seem -- it was hard to feel much of anything."

This paragraph was pathetic, to refer to his memorial as "schlocky" is completely insensitive and rude. Her statement that "it was hard to feel much of anything" was also way off base. In addition, the memorial was not "low energy" but subdued grieving, has Amanda not experienced this at a funeral or memorial? Maybe she has never been to one.

What did she expect? A rock concert and a riot?

DID AMANDA FORTINI NOT SEE WORLD-WIDE COVERAGE AND THE MASSIVE OUTPOURING OF GRIEF?????

"The world's youngest invalid? WTF???I'd like to see Amanda do the Moonwalk!

Michael may have had his issues (what mega genius superstar doesn't) but he was the world's most amazing entertainer. He donated the most money of any celebrity to charity in history.

He left a mark on all of our lives with the exception of maybe the unfeeling Amanda Fortini.....

Thanks to CNN's great coverage, I was able to sit at home (by myself)and watch the entire Michael Jackson Memorial Service for 2 hours straight with a spellbound sense of sadness and wonder. And, hearing Michael Jackson's music sung by him and/or by other artists during the Memorial Service evoked the same old joyous feelings his music always has. Only this time tinged with sadness at his passing and at the lingering questions and tragic circumstances of his life.

Michael Jackson's history suggests that he was a sensitive and gifted child/adult victim of his own great and overwhelming talent that turned him into a child/adult "money making machine" for many (including his own parents - Joe and Catherine and apparently Joe, the disciplinarian, left his indelible and questionable imprint on Michael's sensitive psyche).

Michael Jackson's talent garnered Michael Jackson: years of worldwide success, fame, acclaim, riches; and, constant and unrelenting media and public scrutiny and attention; and, loneliness, mental dysfunction, isolation, and a longterm prescription drug addiction. And the end result was Michael Jackson's "strangeness" and his death at age 50.

But, Michael Jackson's dysfunctional isolation and weirdness was ameliorated in his later years by Michael Jackson's own 3 young children. Their love for him and his apparent love and devotion to them appears to be true, steadfast, and genuine. And, to Michael Jackson's 3 young children he was "Daddy".

Michael Jackson may be "gone too soon" but he had found love and acceptance with his children before he died.

And, now scores of writers will begin their process to explain in print the mystery that was Michael Jackson.