As a result, now that I know better I am incredibly cynical about the veracity of any news report I see or read. It infuriated me recently when all the various media outlets seemed to be insisting that I fear for the safety of several US journalists covering the unrest in Egypt. Most notably to me were Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper. Firstly, they knew what they were getting themselves into; after all that is why they were there – to cover the newsworthy event.
After the election of President Obama in September 2008, I began watching a lot of CNN to learn more about the charismatic new US leader – and in particular I watched Anderson Cooper 360. I picked his show because he had become known to me as doing exceptionally good work covering Hurricane Katrina. The impression I got was that he was one of the few remaining authentic newsmen; an honorable journalist committed to using his reporting skills to make a positive change in the world.
I distinctly remember they covered the ‘This Is It’ announcement in March 2009. They implied that Michael was a rambling, incoherent mess. Now, they are not members of the tabloid media so I assumed (incorrectly) that it must be true. I felt bad for Michael; I did not want to see him humiliated so I fast-forwarded the rest of the segment featuring the O2 Press Conference.
Imagine my surprise when a year later, I came across a transcript of his O2 announcement. It was so brief, how could anyone possibly label it as rambling?
2009-03-06jacksonaction.com "I love you so much. Thank you all. (Fans begin chanting ‘This Is It’ and Michael responds to this by chanting along with them) This is it. I just want to say these…these will be my final show performances in London. This is it, this is it and when I say “this is it” it really means this is it because erm…I’ll be, I’ll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is it, I mean, this is, this is the final curtain call okay? And, erm…I’ll see you in July and (Fans chat “We love you Michael!”) I love you. I really do. You have to know that, I love you so much, really, from the bottom of my heart. This is it and see you in July!”
To characterize it like that, when it could be so easily verified…it shows you how audacious the media has become. And it also shows how stupid they think we are! I suppose they’re right because I didn’t question them…not enough.
With Katie Couric, I have been a fan of hers for years. I would even tape ‘NBC Today’ everyday (it is on at 4am in Australia) because I loved her and Matt Lauer. I still watched it even after she left for CBS – until Congressman…the former Congressman (hee hee!)…Peter King appeared on it. One day, I came across a YouTube video of Katie on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman’ discussing Michael Jackson.
Now, my situation is a bit different, I do not have the internet at home (ironic isn’t it? I cancel my home internet and then a week later I start a blog!) So after I finish work I use www.keepvid.com at my office to save any videos. I don’t watch them at work – instead I use a USB device to transfer files between my home and the office. Anyway, the point is: when I got the Katie Couric ‘Late Show’ appearance home it wouldn’t open. I didn’t give it another thought other than perhaps I was better off if the story Katie told was mean spirited.
So I wasn’t inclined to feel instantaneous concern for either Anderson Cooper or Katie Couric. Even that angered me, because I would have prior to Michael’s death. It is the loss of trust I have in the media, my increasing levels of scepticism that I struggle with daily. I’ve found that most of us are Michael Jackson fans not because of his undeniable and unquestionable talent, but because of his heart. He was a genuinely good person. He was an angel on earth, here to make the world a better place.
I want to be like him not like them…I want to see the world through his eyes not theirs.
Months passed, I became more adept at using the new system I’d implemented for YouTube videos so I re-tried and finally got to see the Katie Couric MJ discussion for myself a few days ago. Here it is:
I was so relieved that she wasn’t nasty about him! The video also served to inspire me to group the following items together, with Michael, as he always should, getting the last word.
“My friends, with 2 children of my own, I know what it means to have to balance the demand of family and career -- let's not even talk about finding a date for myself, even though... Even though Rabbi Shmuley keeps telling me he's going to find me the perfect woman, my response is: As long as it's not a journalist!”
Michael Jackson, Heal the Kids, Carnegie Hall Address
February 14th, 2001
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