Greetings Mouthketeers:

Nothing angers me more than people who use the race card to make a point—especially when the point is much bigger than race. And that’s precisely the issue I raise when talking about the continuing tragic saga of the death of Michael Jackson.

As predicted (in a previous blog), the media gave Michael Jackson fifteen more minutes of fame, and then played out his death as if it was a murder mystery, complete with Michael’s costumes, Michael’s music, and Michael’s legal issues and money troubles.   All that showbiz is backed up with videos, b-roll footage and a family cast of characters only equal to those who star in 007 movies.

And then there was Al Sharpton, Jamie Foxx, Usher, Spike Lee—you name it—Hollywood was out en force to bring Michael Jackson’s legacy back to Black.  God damn it. Where is President Obama when you need him? I thought when Obama was elected the shenanigans of using the race card unnecessarily was ovah?

What the hell am I talking about?

During a recent BET award show, many of the celebrities attending actually had the nerve to claim Michael Jackson as their African-American hero.  Wha?  Uh, excuse me, Black America! Michael just moon walked in purgatory over that comment! The last time I checked out Michael Jackson, he looked more as if he was a late 60s version of Cher, (an ultra thin waif with pale white skin and straight black hair dotted with sequins throughout), not James Brown—if you get my drift. Michael Jackson’s skin and hair transformation compared to that of a disgruntled child who lived on the east coast with his parents, only to move 3000 miles away—as far as he could go—as soon as he could move away to college. If young Michael was west coast, older Michael was the the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain.

Michael Jackson worked hard to become a white woman. And so what? Who cares? It worked for him, and kept the mystery going. Why go on and on about it? And why play that really tiresome race entitlement thing again, Hollywood? B-o-r-i-n-g.

There is no doubt Michael Jackson changed music and pop history. There is no doubt Michael Jackson released music that changed our lives. But in order to figure out what was going in Michael Jackson’s head, for God’s sake, turn down the backtracks, read his lyrics . . . and look at the photos.

Actions speak louder than words.

Suzanne de Passe: Thank you for discovering the Jackson 5.

Peace.

The Mouthinator.

The Mouthinator entertainment