Michael Jackson, Peter Pan, You Should Have Stopped and Smelt the Flowers.

My obsession with Michael Jackson continues....

Come to think of it, Michael Jackson was the ultimate control freak. In his autobiography (which I have read, knowing son Ronnie’s obsession with him) he mentions how he was maniacal about little details. He also exhorts other to do the same. “Learn everything about what you are passionate about,” is his advice. I, somehow, keep thinking and always thought of him as a teenage icon, somebody of my son’s age, while the truth was, he and I are of the same age. He was, um, the ultimate Peter Pan.

The amount of control he wanted to exercise on his singing, performance, and looks was phenomenal. He kept experimenting with his appearance the way he kept experimenting with his lyrics and onstage persona. He even wanted to control the way his children looked. He made them wear masks, and kept them secluded from the public, didn’t allow them to play like normal children for fear of catching germs.

He also slept in an Oxygen tent, ate very little for fear of putting on weight, and kept away from his own parents and brothers. All this, I guess, to maintain his forever young Peter Pan appearance. Gradually his minders formed a strong cordon around him and stopped him from smelling the flowers.

Michael, man, wherever you are, it’s very important to stop and smell the flowers.