The time was 11.00pm.
The next morning on my way to work I passed through Liffey Valley shopping centre and upon passing HMV I noticed that a music stand overwhelming with Michael Jackson CD's had been placed at the entrance of the door, a MJ poster prominently displayed and 'Bad' playing on the sound system.
Let's just remind ourselves that was about 12hrs after he had died in the city of Dublin, thousands of miles away from LA.
The response was so quick!
It was quicker than the international response to things such as genocide in Rwanda or Sudan!
It was quicker than the corporations response to polluting the atmosphere!
It was lightning quick the response to milk the Michael Jackson cash cow.
Somewhere right now there is a factory churning out MJ CD's and lorries that will be waiting to distribute MJ CD's all around the globe to those who have missed out on the greatness of the great entertainer.
Apparently when Elvis died the head of RCA records said 'Great career move'.
And obviously from the point of view of record companies and HMV and Amazon etc. Michael Jackson has pulled of the ultimate career move and done them all a great favour. He was going nowhere musically and suddenly the sound system in B&Q is playing 3 songs. And the royalties are pouring in.
I wonder if they are waiting for the next famous-but-going-nowhere-f
Or even band as band such as Bon Jovi to get run over by the 239.
This is confusing me as a Christian.
As a follower of Jesus I am meant to be filled with compassion and grace and love.
So lets just say that MJ was obviously a very troubled gentleman and you would need to be pretty cold hearted not to feel sorry for the way he was manipulated as a child to make money.
And yes he was a great dancer and singer, an entertainer and superstar.
We need to be full of grace and understanding etc.
But then there is some sense of rage that starts seeping up in me.
Here I am on my tea break watching the news presenter on TV3 wearing a black dress in mourning at the passing of greatness. They are having an extended news broadcast.
Never mind the heart breaking stories of the broken men and women of Ireland who have suffered as much (more?) than Michael Jackson but who have never had the support or opportunities.
The King of Pop has died and now people like me are writing about it like its the most important issue of the year.
Then they pan to a shot of an emotional Lionel Ritchie.
Apparently Mariah Carey was singing at the start. And John Mayer. But I missed those due to carpet cutting duties etc.
So I was thinking this is cheese, then I thought this is sad. We shouldn't laugh at the death of anyone, Jesus wouldn't laugh at a funeral or death.
Then some preacher type comes on and says something to the effect
'They'll never know what it was like for you Michael...to not be able to cross the street without people looking at you. Making fun of you.Pointing at you. Maybe now they'll leave you alone Michael...you'll be singing in heaven now'
And his little girl comes on the stage and breaks down and by this time I'm feeling pretty scummy for thinking bad of a dead superstar.
Then I go down on the floor and sellotape some boxes of laminate and start thinking and avoiding customers.
And it strikes me.
If Michael just wanted to be left alone without people making fun of him, if he just wanted to live a normal life then would the right thing to do not be hold a small family funeral?
Family and friends and that sort of thing?
Why the spectacle I just witnessed?
Put it this way.
If I spend my whole life complaining about how Razorlight are ruining my life, and how Razorlight everyday of my life are played on the work sound system to the detriment of my health then would the best way to pay your respects to a dead me be to play 'Watching America' at my funeral?
Probably not
So if Michael wanted to be left alone and not made fun of lead a normal life why hold a huge worldwide televised cheese fest and broadcast it to the four corners of the earth?
Probably because there is money to be made at the funeral. Television rights. More records sold. The legend made bigger and more profitable.
Perhaps I'm being cynical, but we all know I'm not.
Who's bad?
We're bad for buying into this stuff.
