What a tragic week it's been for the entertainment industry! While I was somewhat expecting Farrah Fawcett's death to be imminent, the deaths of Ed McMahon, and especially Michael Jackson, really shocked me. That Fawcett and Jackson died the same day is obviously a coincidence, but still mind-blowing to me. I think I'll say a few words about all three of these people here.
Regarding Ed McMahon: McMahon and Johnny Carson started their incredible 29-year run on The Tonight Show well before I was born, but I remember the latter years (80s onward) of the show very well. McMahon was a perfect straight man for Carson's dry but hilarious wit, and he often allowed himself to become a part of the joke. He always seemed like a "grandfatherly type" to me...very gentle and willing to help others. And his famous "Heeeere's Johnny!" introduction of Carson will always be one of the greatest TV moments for me. Sometimes I'll still dig out old tapes of Carson's Tonight Show or watch clips on YouTube, paying particular attention to McMahon. While he certainly kept himself in the limelight over the years with various commercials and TV shows (not to mention his unfortunate financial woes as of late), I'll always remember him best while sitting on that couch, bantering with Carson or his guests in that deep, booming voice of his.
Regarding Farrah Fawcett: First of all...yes, I did have "the poster." Honestly, what young American male didn't have it? Besides her stunningly beautiful looks, she wasn't a bad actress, either. She wasn't my favorite of Charlie's Angels (that would have been Jaclyn Smith), but I still liked her a lot. After she left the show, several acting roles kept her in the public consciousness, and many of her performances were quite good (I still remember watching her in The Burning Bed when I was a teenager...what a great portrayal!). Although her profile waned a little bit in recent years, I think she did a really great and courageous thing by allowing parts of her battle with cancer to become public. Maybe the way that she seemed to fight the disease--maintaining her humanity by showing some of her fears, but also displaying a sense of humor and optimism--will inspire others to keep going through the difficult struggles that we will all encounter in life. I heard that shortly before she died, Fawcett wanted to see her son who, unbeknownst to her, had been incarcerated. Unfortuntaely her son wasn't able to get to see her in time, but Fawcett still expressed her love for him, just like any good mom should do. It's a shame that her son wasn't able to see his mom one last time, and it's also a shame that Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal did not get a chance to "officially" get married before she died. Still, it was obvious that Fawcett and O'Neal loved each other deeply, and that bond is no less real to me just because it didn't have a marriage license attached to it.
Regarding Michael Jackson: News of his death completely blew me out of the water. While he definitely seemed to have quite a few strange things about him, his talent was undeniable. One of my favorite groups as a kid was the Jackson 5, and so many of their songs still hold up today. Regarding Jackson's solo work, I believe that Off The Wall and Thriller are two of the best albums of all time. And that video for the song "Thriller" is still amazing! I know that he had been in the news in recent years for some really terrible things (and I hope that the biggest thing was not true...you know what I'm talking about). Still, I felt quite a bit of confidence that he would be able to recapture some of his old stardom and "magic" with the 50-concert stand in London that was due to start in just a few weeks. I really think that he would have proven a lot of people wrong who were saying that he was a "has been" and that he should just give it up. Maybe it wouldn't have been like it was in his heyday, but I think it could have been something big. It's a shame that we won't get to find out. I was never the biggest fan of Jackson's, but as I said earlier, there were parts of his career that I enjoyed immensely. His legacy, though, will live on through remembrances of his talent and his humanitarian efforts. His talent, I believe, made him the "Elvis" of my generation. His humanitarian efforts were far-reaching and did much good in the world. For that, Jackson has my respect.
Rest in peace, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. We thank you all for your talents and impact on the world, and you will all be missed.
Regarding Ed McMahon: McMahon and Johnny Carson started their incredible 29-year run on The Tonight Show well before I was born, but I remember the latter years (80s onward) of the show very well. McMahon was a perfect straight man for Carson's dry but hilarious wit, and he often allowed himself to become a part of the joke. He always seemed like a "grandfatherly type" to me...very gentle and willing to help others. And his famous "Heeeere's Johnny!" introduction of Carson will always be one of the greatest TV moments for me. Sometimes I'll still dig out old tapes of Carson's Tonight Show or watch clips on YouTube, paying particular attention to McMahon. While he certainly kept himself in the limelight over the years with various commercials and TV shows (not to mention his unfortunate financial woes as of late), I'll always remember him best while sitting on that couch, bantering with Carson or his guests in that deep, booming voice of his.
Regarding Farrah Fawcett: First of all...yes, I did have "the poster." Honestly, what young American male didn't have it? Besides her stunningly beautiful looks, she wasn't a bad actress, either. She wasn't my favorite of Charlie's Angels (that would have been Jaclyn Smith), but I still liked her a lot. After she left the show, several acting roles kept her in the public consciousness, and many of her performances were quite good (I still remember watching her in The Burning Bed when I was a teenager...what a great portrayal!). Although her profile waned a little bit in recent years, I think she did a really great and courageous thing by allowing parts of her battle with cancer to become public. Maybe the way that she seemed to fight the disease--maintaining her humanity by showing some of her fears, but also displaying a sense of humor and optimism--will inspire others to keep going through the difficult struggles that we will all encounter in life. I heard that shortly before she died, Fawcett wanted to see her son who, unbeknownst to her, had been incarcerated. Unfortuntaely her son wasn't able to get to see her in time, but Fawcett still expressed her love for him, just like any good mom should do. It's a shame that her son wasn't able to see his mom one last time, and it's also a shame that Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal did not get a chance to "officially" get married before she died. Still, it was obvious that Fawcett and O'Neal loved each other deeply, and that bond is no less real to me just because it didn't have a marriage license attached to it.
Regarding Michael Jackson: News of his death completely blew me out of the water. While he definitely seemed to have quite a few strange things about him, his talent was undeniable. One of my favorite groups as a kid was the Jackson 5, and so many of their songs still hold up today. Regarding Jackson's solo work, I believe that Off The Wall and Thriller are two of the best albums of all time. And that video for the song "Thriller" is still amazing! I know that he had been in the news in recent years for some really terrible things (and I hope that the biggest thing was not true...you know what I'm talking about). Still, I felt quite a bit of confidence that he would be able to recapture some of his old stardom and "magic" with the 50-concert stand in London that was due to start in just a few weeks. I really think that he would have proven a lot of people wrong who were saying that he was a "has been" and that he should just give it up. Maybe it wouldn't have been like it was in his heyday, but I think it could have been something big. It's a shame that we won't get to find out. I was never the biggest fan of Jackson's, but as I said earlier, there were parts of his career that I enjoyed immensely. His legacy, though, will live on through remembrances of his talent and his humanitarian efforts. His talent, I believe, made him the "Elvis" of my generation. His humanitarian efforts were far-reaching and did much good in the world. For that, Jackson has my respect.
Rest in peace, Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson. We thank you all for your talents and impact on the world, and you will all be missed.
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