EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT From Carrie Fisher's New Book 'Shockaholic': Michael Jackson's Last Christmas

[respect77]

She has an idea of why he hung with kids, but how about using what he said. He said numerous times why little ones interested him, but I guess we disregard that and form our own opinions.

I think what Carrie says here about that is basically the same as what Michael said: he liked to hang out with kids because they didn't care about his fame. Isn't that what Carrie says too?

[Pace,MioDolceCuore]

I usually have to smile when those around Michael put a lot of effort into describing that they feel his otherworldliness- but they of course where not 'struck' by him etc.

It just makes me smiles, since that right there tells me they must have immersed himself in his presence that so many tried to describe. It just makes me grin sometimes since there seems to be this theme in many descriptions of those that met him.


I guess charismatic people just make you fumble a little since so many of his contemporaries insist that they were able to react 'normally'. I LOVE the way so many accounts describe themselves as "but I treated him totally normally, you know."

We don't actually have to be all the same to be able to enjoy another's presence.

I did enjoy reading the chapter- thank you very much for posting that, despite disagreeing about picking apart who takes what picture. I think I learned more about Carrie Fisher in that chapter though, than about Michael, despite her talking about Michael= but that's cool, too.
Reading that reminded me a little bit of Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegon" monologue... "where all the men are good looking and all the kids are above average- and that's the news from Lake Wobegon, my hometown."- the way she describes people.

[morinen]

Oh, her text is definitely telling about her. To tell you the truth, I hated her style - I couldn't get through the book and after an honest attempt had to skip to the MJ part and end there. But she does make some interesting observations.

And I noticed that pattern too, when people insist self-consciously that they (unlike all others) treated Michael normally - which shows right there that they actually didn't, but rather tried very hard to leave that impression.

Another impression many people carry is that Michael somehow specially connected with them personally, because of some special qualities or similarities that they had. (Even Carrie talks about it a little bit - the Princess and the King - though she denies a close friendship.) I guess, he just had this way about him, being so kind and open with people, that it made them feel special. It isa really amazing quality of Michael, that although he seemed so different and otherworldly, so many people around the globe could identify with him on some level.

[Selene]

It's funny,isn't it? They always talk about how unusual he was,but it's always others that react to this perceived strangeness,not them.

Thanks for posting the chapter.It's an interesting read,but I agree that it says more about Carrie and the way she views the world,people,fame and herself than about Michael.Some parts made me cringe and she often comes as judgemental and condescending.I don't know if it's the way she writes about everything,but that's what I felt reading this.I also thought that,although I acknowledge ( and envy! ) the time she shared with Michael,I'm going to agree with her on one thing : perhaps she didn't know him that well...

Another impression many people carry is that Michael somehow specially connected with them personally, because of some special qualities or similarities that they had. (Even Carrie talks about it a little bit - the Princess and the King - though she denies a close friendship.) I guess, he just had this way about him, being so kind and open with people, that it made them feel special. It isa really amazing quality of Michael, that although he seemed so different and otherworldly, so many people around the globe could identify with him on some level.

I've noticed that too and I find it amazing.He had a huge capacity for empathy and that may be why.I think it's also related to the reason he's able to connect in such a way with many of us,fans,on a personal level,even if we never met him or talked with him face to face.

[Petrarose]

I think what Carrie says here about that is basically the same as what Michael said: he liked to hang out with kids because they didn't care about his fame. Isn't that what Carrie says too?

Michael said much more, including they do not judge you and they do not want anything from you--something you cannot say for Carrie and others. She explains why Arnie wanted to be connected to him. What was her reason? Why did she go if she found him and his face so strange? She must be getting some value from going. I will not accept that her veiled nastiness is her writing style. Then after her unkindness she tries to show that he did not have sex with the children. It is like being nasty to someone and then saying "Oh I like your hair" so the person should forget the other unkindnesses because you gave them a compliment.

By the way, what is her book about, people she met in her life.

[MIST]

For me it seems like she gave Chandler some ideas

[Petrarose]

For me it seems like she gave Chandler some ideas

Mist you have something there and I did not think of that.

[MJBT]

Charming story, Thanks for sharing

[maral]

For me it seems like she gave Chandler some ideas

totally.. reading that i was like wth? chandler was creepy but her being a friend to MJ and immediately thinking in those terms.......