I'm in the camp that finds this quite revealing in terms of MJ's perception to the wider public in 2023. Pepsi and Michael Jackson was such a huge part of the 80s and clearly their biggest ever endorsement. This new development is apparently acting as a celebration of the music icons Pepsi has partnered with over the years, and Michael is completely absent without explanation. That doesn't seem right somehow. There are even articles pointing out that he's not there. Yes, Michael in his lifetime struggled to find large corporations to partner with, but post-mortem they were lining up. Pepsi themselves happily brought MJ back in the form of soda cans, commercials and large in-store promo campaigns on two separate occasions across multiple territories after 2009.
If the Estate didn't sign off on this, staying silent (as they always do) simply invites journalists and the public to make their own deductions and those will almost all be entirely negative. So what that achieves I'll never know.
But this is a post I've been considering making for quite some time now anyway. I questioned the need to do at all, but it seemed to me like if I'm feeling this way then surely other fans are too and that maybe makes it worthwhile. Of course, by posting it, I'll be opened up to the usual ridicule on here: why you being negative, why you being dramatic, who cares what you think, you don't need to announce your departure this isn't an airport etc etc. But the fact of the matter is, I've been present on Michael Jackson internet forums to some degree or another for over 20 years now. Almost 25. And I've been a Michael Jackson fan for much longer than that. And now, for the first time, I'm noticing a big shift in my feelings towards the whole Michael Jackson thing.
I have continued to pay such close attention to it all because there are some things that keep it going for me. Those things are celebrating him in new ways, blu-rays, deluxe box sets, new footage or restored footage, unreleased songs, in-progress and demo material. Really that's it. I'm not particularly interested in t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, so-called immersive experiences on the other side of the world, or even a biopic or Broadway musical. I'm not interested in how much money the Estate makes. These aren't the things that drive me. I eagerly await things such as a Dangerous anniversary box set brimming with content, or a blu-ray that collects many of MJ's performances on TV and award shows. Lord knows I'm sick of watching Captain EO in such awful quality, or the Superbowl or anything like that (please don't point out that these cannot be released or improved upon in quality). It's these things I'm waiting for. I work a fairly decent job and I have a disposable income. I'd not hestitate to drop triple figures on these types of releases, I'm the prime audience for them. I, however, will not be spending triple figures on a This Is It anniversary box set that, when you dig into it, is devoid of content.
But this isn't a 'let's bash the Estate's choices' post. I've argued with AlwaysThere dozens of times over the years where he/she insists my expectations are unrealistic or even entitled. I've always disagreed. But that isn't the point of this post. The point of this post is that I actually think they might've finally lost me. And if I'm honest I've been feeling this way since Thriller 40. I did buy it, and I listened maybe three times or something. I enjoyed the couple of demos we got that I hadn't heard and very much enjoyed hearing the two new songs. But I left it feeling "is that it?" The biggest album in the history of music and that's it? Meanwhile I see fans of other artists lapping up massive anniversary released teeming with content and discs and things.
Shortly after the release of Thriller 40, some new tracks leaked online. I didn't listen to them. This was a first for me. I'd have gone to extreme lengths in the past to be among the first to hear a completely unheard leaked song...but now I was just like, nah leave it. I told myself that listening to leaked material just spoiled any potential for them to be released properly in the future but that's a painfully slow game to play. Tracks that leaked decades ago have still never seen the light of day in an official capacity. So why have I not listened, what's changed?
I want to be clear. My feelings about Michael have not changed. I love him dearly. He's been a central nucleus of my whole being for virtually my entire life. On his birthday there I went back and watched some stuff that I hadn't watched a lot - mostly in dreadful quality on YouTube. I toasted him and that was that. But I couldn't help but feel another occasion to really celebrate Michael had been missed. The 10th anniversary of his passing was skipped by any and all significant media outlets that would celebrate him. Other artists received theirs, Michael did not. His 65th birthday came and went and nobody batted an eyelid. Some American actress did a post on Insta and it sparked outrage from celebrities. The Estate spent an evening talking up the wonders of Karen Langford and Myles Frost. And again I'm left wondering, is that it?
And now we're heading into another trial and Dan Reed making a sequel. The Estate are mute, the Thriller doc is MIA and any chance they get they insist nothing new is coming except the biopic no one asked for, and still they find time to patronise fans en masse as if we're clueless and generally a pain in their asses.
I don't have confidence in this trial and like someone else mentioned, MJ's tattered and torn reputation is hanging on by all but a thread. Another devastating blow like Reed's sequel and a trial will be devastating. I'm not sure I have it in me to go another 5 years of attacking the Estate's lack of action/releases and defending Michael from these allegations (not to mention generally feeling awkward around people when the subject of MJ comes up and wondering should I keep quiet or speak).
Simply put, it's just not fun anymore. To bring it back on topic, seeing the Michael Jackson Pepsi ads and restored and an opportunity to celebrate him and what he did among his peers like Tina, Madonna and Ray, would've been joyful and positive. But again, denied.
This isn't some dramatic "my last post". I very rarely post anywhere now, except on my personal Twitter account now (and even that's rare for Michael-related activity as too often if you post something positive about Michael you will be publicy accused of denying victims when that person mines through all your past tweets related to Michael - an accusation I find quite devastating personally). I was a regular here until about 5 years ago when my differences with others on here simply became too great and people would wilfully misconstrue my posts. But I remained a silent observer for the most part. I think I look on into the future of my fandom with great uncertainty for the first time. I don't know how I will feel in a few months time, or a year down the line. But I know it looks bleak.
I continue to hope for redemption for Michael and the truth to finally come out. And I guess, I could always just play Thriller and Bad again.
Love to you all.
