Michael Jackson: The Person Behind the Personality

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson passed away on 25 June this year at the age of 50.

Rumours surrounding the reason for his death have reached catastrophic lengths, from murder to accidental suicide but since his death the pop icon has not yet been allowed to rest in peace.

After accepting one of his numerous awards, the star once said that it felt good to be "thought of as a person not as a personality".

Michael's brother, Marlon, said at his memorial service: "We will never understand what he endured, not being able to cross a street without a crowd gathering around him. Being judged, ridiculed...how much pain can one take? Maybe now Michael, they will leave you alone."

However, the controversy surrounding his children, money and personal life as well as new stories that have come to light since his death, show that he is still only the "personality".

We've seen these actions before when Princess Diana passed away - leaving her loved ones with the scars of the media's consistent badgering, and now it's Michael.

Even in death he will continue making money although he won't be able to take pleasure in it.
The Daily Record recently reported that Michael Jackson has earned £60m since his death and that he could exceed the posthumous business empire of the late Elvis Presley.
A book on Michael's life featuring never before seen lyrics, a movie and a tribute to him will all appear soon but who will gain from them?

The media, which once sympathised with the Jackson family can't do this any longer as the behaviour of some of the family members seem more like a publicity stunt than acts out of love for their late brother or son.

Marc Freden, Hollywood-based celebrity expert told the Daily Mail: "A backlash has started because of the deep unease here about how the family is blatantly cashing in.

"As far as Joe is concerned, it's very hard to reconcile a man who is supposedly grieving for his son and who at the same time is basically saying, 'Kerching!' He is working on yet more big deals, despite the fact Michael clearly said he wanted no money from his will to go to his father.

"And lest we forget, Joe caused outrage when he arrived on the red carpet at a music awards ceremony honouring his son just three days after Michael's death and used the occasion to publicise his new record label."

In all this madness, Michael Jackson was a person who should be remembered for who he was to those who knew him best.

Brook Shields who has been his friend since they were children gave a heart altering speech at his memorial service.

"To the outside world Michael was a genius with unchallenged ability," she said.

"To the people who were lucky to know him personally he was caring and funny, honest, pure, non-jaded and he was a lover of life. He cared so deeply for his family and his friends and his fans."

"He was often referred to as the King but the Michael I knew always reminded me more of a little Prince."

Shields also mentions that Michael "saw everything with his heart" and that his favourite song was a song that Charlie Chaplin wrote for the movie Modern Times called 'Smile'.

"There's a line in the song that say's, 'Smile though your heart is aching'," Shields said.

"Today although our hearts are aching we need to look up where he is undoubtedly perched in a crescent moon and we need to smile."

The pop icon was an artist who loved his job and should also be remembered for what he has done for the industry.

Since making his debut in 1964 as part of The Jackson 5 sensation, he had won over fans across the US and world with his voice and dance moves.

In 1971 he went solo and wrote and produced numerous hit albums like "Thriller" and "Bad" and also choreographed multiple music video hits like "Billie Jean" and "Beat it".

Michael holds the record for making the biggest selling album ever with "Thriller" selling 50 million copies in the world.

He is known for his moves like the robot and moonwalk and has had many people across the world try to copy him at some stage or another.

Michael Jackson was an entertainer and he did so for four decades and he features in the Guinness World Records as the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time".

He boasts with 13 Grammy Awards, 17 number one singles and sold around 750 million records world-wide.

Also as an artist the King of Pop contributed directly and indirectly to the creation of numerous jobs in the US, UK and other countries in the world through concerts, records and memorabilia sales but also through his accomplishments.

Michael Jackson also gave back to the needy and during his life he raised millions of dollars for the Heal the World Foundation as well as countless other charities.

A couple of months ago while on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Brad Pitt was asked by a viewer what he would do if for one day no one would recognise him.

His reply was that he would break down the walls around his house and watch his children play in the street.

The downside of stardom is far greater than any normal human being could ever successfully grasp.

When has it become vital for people to see how a celebrity looks without make-up?

Or what personal troubles a celebrity has?

Why do we have an infected hunger to know a stranger's insides?

It doesn't matter if you still think of Michael Jackson as "Wacko Jacko", the name the tabloids gave him, nor does it matter if he is and always will be the King of Pop to you.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and after seeing photographs and reading the articles published about him in the later years, one can not help but wonder if some of the things written about him could be true or not.

The reality is that Michael Jackson, the person, has died and this truth will leave those who justly loved him with an inconsolable void for years to come.

But his music, the only aspect of him that we do have a right to judge, will live forever.