Peace Michael...

I was in a classroom yesterday and some kids were laughing and carrying on about the news about Michael Jackson's passing. I didn't understand why. I brushed it off as these were bad ass kids and that's why they are in summer school anyway. But then I really started to piece it together.

Kids make fun of it because they don't relate. They weren't alive when he was really big, they don't really know anything about him other than he was once really popular. What they have seen is him being taken back and forth to court for child molestation cases. To anyone under say 20 he is just some freak that looks like someone with bad hair pieces and a messed up face.

They don't know that he was probably the greatest performer ever. There has never been another performer that has had a moment that he had. Every performer since has tried to have that moment but none have ever come close. That night on Motown 25 was his defining moment. That is when he blew past Elvis, Bing, Sammie and any other. He was equal to them before he took the stage that night and when he was done on that stage he was a giant.

He changed the game and although his off the stage persona was freakish, when he stepped into an venue it was sold out, it was crazy and he was that GIANT once again. I was saddened by the whole things because it's just another reminder that I'm getting old. I can remember seeing the Triumph tour in Dodger Stadium with my cousins. I remember as a kid wondering why these girls were crying and screaming the whole night. 3+ hours straight tears and crying like they were watching Jesus.

I've been lucky enough to see some great moments on TV in my life. I saw Dr. J go behind the backboard against the Lakers. That was HUGE. I saw Reggie Jackson's 4 home run night in the World Series, I saw Reagan get shot, I watched the Space Shuttle blow up, I watched the second plane hit the building on 911. I saw all those events live, but none of them gave me chills like seeing Michael perform at that Motown 25. I remember going to school the next day and that is all people were talking about.

My daughter called me yesterday telling me about it and she had a tone in her voice like it was funny. She is from that Usher, Chris Brown era. I wanted to tell her so bad that the people she liked are probably someone crying because Mike is who they WANT to be.