Sunday, June 28, 2009

Michael Jackson

Three days after his very untimely death, the tributes continue to roll in for pop singer Michael Jackson. Hastily prepared television and radio retrospectives on his life and career are filling the U.S., British (and worldwide) airwaves. Amongst all of this, I have come across a very funny sidebar story that once again validates the adage, "It could only happen in Hollywood."

There is another Michael Jackson; the veteran Los Angeles-based talk radio broadcaster who began his career at the BBC and afterwards spent so many memorable years working for ABC. Like the recently deceased pop singer, the still very healthy and living (though slightly aging) broadcaster also has a "star" on the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame. Because the deceased singer's own star was temporarily covered by a red carpet for a movie premiere, fans of the singer unknowingly started lighting candles and setting up shrines in his honor at the star belonging to the other Michael Jackson.

As Michael states on his own personal blog, “I am willing to loan it to him and, if it would bring him back, he can have it. He was a real star. Sinatra, Presley, The Beatles and Michael Jackson.”