Ed, Michael and Farrah R.I.P.

I was never a big fan of Michael Jackson's, but I have to give him credit. Not only was he the first African-American entertainer to accumulate a strong crossover following on MTV, but his 1982 Thriller is the world's best-selling record of all time. He's made into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, and his contribution to four decades of popular culture cannot be denied.



I was on Twitter when the first rumours were announced. I've only been actively using Twitter for a short time (see my post about 10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers) but I've already noticed how ANY major (including pop culture) news hits Twitter before mainstream online news venues.

Within a matter of minutes, there were rumours that Michael Jackson was being taken to the hospital, that he had had cardiac arrest, and then he had died. I'm sure media companies, especially those with traditional print newspapers, are paying close attention and trying to figure out how to compete or (wiser) join. If they aren't paying attention, they should be.


Farrah Fawcett didn't get nearly as much Tweet-coverage, but she had a bigger impact on my life than Michael Jackson. Charlie's Angels was one of my favourite shows as a teenager. My favourite Angel was Kate Jackson, but Farrah Fawcett had a bubbly innocence that appealed to me.


I still remember one year in grade school, though, when all the girls (including me) had Farrah hair. We'd use a curling iron to get the flip and then a round brush to pull the curled hair into the shag. Unless you used hairspray, though, you had to keep brushing your hair to pull the curl back. It must have driven the teacher crazy, with all these girls constantly brushing their hair.

Hey, here's Farrah on the Partridge Family:



Anyway, the comic summarizes my general mood yesterday. I didn't know these people personally, nor was I a huge fan of either. But both were part of my childhood while growing up. Losing them means that another tangible piece of my childhood falls from the present into the past, and makes me that much more aware of my own life journey.

Ok, that's enough philosophizing for a Friday morning. :)