Michael Jackson's inspiration

In a 1999 interview with MTV, Michael Jackson revealed that one of the driving forces behind his video concepts was the Three Stooges. “My dream was to always make short little films, because I’m a big fan of the Three Stooges, and I love watching Curly, who I think is wonderful. They make these 15-minute shorts, and I said, ‘I’d love to do something like that some day,’ and ["Thriller"] was my opportunity.”

In the recent MJ memorial, Marlon Jackson said growing up they always watched the Three Stooges. MJ wrote a somehow revealing foreword of a book about Curly. Here is MJ's foreword from Joan Howard Mauer's 1985 book, 'Curly':

"My memories of the Three Stooges, and especially Curly, are still with me to this day. In my childhood, around our house in Indiana, it was a daily ritual for me to watch the Three Stooges on television. All my brothers loved them then and even more so now. Chaplin and the Stooges are the greatest to me--their humor survives each generation. Even my mother love to see us have fun watching them. Rehearsing as a team and watching the Stooges were the only times we got together as a whole family.

The Stooges' craziness helped me to relax and to escape life's burdens. They influenced me so much that I even wrote a song about them.

Curly was definitely my favorite Stooge. He was unquestionably a comic genius who understood ad-libbing better than anyone. I loved the Stooges' slapstick action and especially Curly's funny noises and his silly, child-like mannerisms and attitudes. He should be honored much more than what has been done for him in the past, for everyone who loves him.

As a kid, I imitated Curly all the time, and I enjoyed feeling superior to and smarter than those three, silly grownups. I owe so much to them that I feel they belong to me. That's why I had to write the Foreword for this book.

Joan, the author, asked me whether I thought that Curly had suffered when he had to shave off his wavy head of hair in order to become a Stooge. My answer was that I was sure he did, that underneath the smile may have been a tear--after all, he was a clown. But it is our duty as entertainers to satisfy the people--to give of our souls even if it hurts.

Curly had a magic. He was God-gifted--a natural. Even when he didn't intend to be funny he was magic.

Today, thirty-three years after his death, Curly still has legions of fans because he was a natural. Such people appeal to the masses young and old--like the color blue.

I love everything about Curly and I would give anything to really know what he was like.

Thanks to the author, this book will clear up much of the mystery of Curly for me and his millions of devoted fans."

Michael Jackson

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Even in just the foreword of a book about another celebrity, MJ allowed us a glimpse of his suffering amid his heart-felt duty to entertain. The words MJ used - greatest, genius, child-like, suffered, magic, God-gifted, natural, entertainer,  mystery, millions of devoted fans - are the same words he could have used to write his autobio. I am sure many books about how he became an inspiration will come out, but none will clear up the mystery of Michael Jackson for his millions of devoted fans.

Basic Instinct + Technology = Sex Scandals

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Wow! This could really be a warning!?@#$%^&*()

I woke up at the usual time, started to cook breakfast for the kids, opened the PC and tried to eke out a blog post about the Hayden Kho sex video scandal. It is not earth-shaking no matter how Hayden tries. But a childhood friend thinks the issue had died down. Then I suddenly noticed that quite a few readers are reading the earthquake prediction post made last month (June 24). Aha, I thought, July 18 nears. And I realized that Twitterfeed re-fed the post to Twitter and then Facebook picked up the tweet, while I was sleeping. Wow, what, why, and how! This could be something big indeed.

Barakong Obama gawks, whats next global cop?

In the G-8 summit last week, US President Barack Obama was photographed covetously ogling at the booty of a 17-year-old junior G-8 delegate. The Clintonesque stare was snapped moments before the group photo was taken.

Also shown enjoying the rear view was French President Nicolas Zarkosy who must be thinking of excuses to his MILF wife Carla Bruni about the stimulus package he saw at the conference.

But we have not seen the end of it. AbcNews reports that the gaze was really quite innocent. Barakong Obama was on a higher step and was stepping down - so he looked down to watch his footing and at the same time help a lady step down - while the girl was walking up the stairs. Butt barako Zarkosy was not cleared.

Butt wait, there's more. Barakong Barry and Zarkosy are again at it. The shy third man who is too ashamed to look is Italian President Berlusconi, himself caught in worse photo controversy. Ahh, boys will be boys!

Butt wait, there's even more. The boob tube reports that the White House has invited GMA to a one-on-one meeting. Barako's top spook, who met GMA just moments earlier before the announcement, must have confirmed to him the recent boob job. Now Barako must see for himself. Will the global cop cop a feel this time?

After that memorial, Michael can't be alive

I downloaded a 2.05gb 3hr video of that Michael Jackson memorial held at the Staples Center on Tuesday. That was really some memorial. There were wonderful eulogies from his friends and there were musical performances of mostly MJ songs by his collaborators and family. The musical numbers were not spectacular as can be usually expected from the legendary performers, clearly because they were not able to fully rehearse as the event was hastily assembled since no one suspected MJ will be gone too soon. And the performers were overcome by emotions during their numbers.

MJ's untimely death really generated renewed interest in his work. Although I'm a big believer of his talent, I'm not really a big fan like I'm a big fan of U2 and Springsteen. I'm not that all familiar with what John Mayer played and what Jennifer Hudson sang in the memoral. But instantly I felt it had a deep connection to MJ. John Mayer played 'Human Nature' and Jennifer sang the them from 'Free Willy'. The lyrics were MJ questioning his inner demons - loneliness, insecurities, self-doubt, desire to break free. I'm sure many will find special and deeper MJ interpretations/meanings also in other songs like 'In the Closet', 'Black and White', 'Privacy', etc.

The aborted comeback tour could have been great. His back-up singers, who likewise performed in the memorial, were really good. The young, female, long haired, blond, lead guitarist/vocalist will become popular, I dare say. Her name is Orianthi. The Japanese looking lead backup singer, Judith Hill, is also good. She'll have more than her 15-minutes of fame.

And just as I thought early on, many still in denial about his death will concoct stories of him being still alive. There is an (un)healthy number of such fans. After that loving, moving, fitting tribute, Michael cannot be alive. Those who mourned and were deeply moved by the memorial will kill him if he surfaces and says he faked his own death. You just don't pour out so much grief for nothing.