This photo was taken of me January 16, 2004 in Las Vegas by my friend Larry Edwards. He had the hat and glove laying around his apartment and I just put it on and struck a pose. Come to find out the hat belonged to MICHAEL JACKSON! It was given to Larry by a director who worked with MJ on a music video.Fast forward years later to this Tuesday July 6, 2009. I woke up early (around 9am) in Provincetown, MA. It was a beautiful crispy Sunny day. I made some coffee and watched The View. I was anticipating the Michael Jackson Memorial Service. Strange, as the Memorial got under way the day turned gloomy and overcast. My windows were open and a cool breeze was blowing through my room. I stayed upstairs in my bed and watched the service on TV while Mick stayed downstairs watching that TV. We kept our kleenex boxes close to us. Later in the afternoon it poured yet again like crazy with rain.
First of all I hope the producer wins an Emmy for this incredible show. It was tasteful and reverent and full of talent - true talent. Some were Superstars and others not famous but they all had TALENT. This show was like a requiem.
Mariah sang one of my favorite Jackson 5 songs "I'll Be There." I had tears.
Stevie Wonder killed me when he sang "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer." It's one of my favorite Stevie Wonder songs. Kleenex.
Brooke Sheilds made me cry because she stole my looks. She was so damn beautiful. Her hair looked so pretty and shinny. Her stories were very moving and human. More kleenex.
Jermaine killed me too when he sang "Smile." When he started singing, he sounded very Michael. Family harmonies are always the best because genetically they are similar.
I don't even know how Jennifer Hudson got through her performance, especially given what she herself has been through... and she's pregnant! That always makes you more emotional.
Everything was so moving. The memorial was drenched in talent from aritists who came to give of themselves. It's a funny thing talent. It's magic. An artist can touch you with their talent and inspire you in your life.
For me, as a young boy with a high voice, Michael Jackson made having a high voice cool on a massive scale. He made looking androgynous cool too. As he said in his Thriller video, "I'm not like all the other guys." I liked that and related to it. I saw hope. I saw there was a chance and a hope for me somewhere.
I won't go into Michael's excentricities because whatever...we all know about them and it is what it is. Much of what he did was to stir the pot and was self-imposed for publicity sake. I don't even care. He was playing the game. We all have to play the game to some extent.
In this memorial I looked back on Michael Jackson's life, and saw that little guy who was so full of talent. He could really sing, dance, look cool and shine. Even as a young boy he had a cool swaggar. He had a certain confident walk when he was performing. He had that certain something that made you take notice.
I was touched by his talent when I was very young and it's even inspired me lately in my shows.
I'm not remembering him like some saint or king or deity or anything like that. I just want to remember the purity of his talent. I just want to remember his magic and how it touched me. That's all.
Later on at 7pm (the weather cleared) I went to The Crown & Anchor to see Ryan Landry's musical "Willie Wanker." It was a 2 hour show with an intermission. Then I went to hang out at The Arthouse. Jeff Roberson (Varla Jean) came out after his show (sans the drag) with his assistant to chat. We were grumbling over how more rain was falling...yet again tonight. I'm wearing hoodies in July! Wow. I'm sorta reliving Winter. Jeff said The Farmers Almanac said it was going to be a rainy Summer.
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