Above: a twitterpix from Levar Burton, Row 19, Center at Staples Center.
The King of Pop will receive the kind of tribute this morning that would have buoyed him in real life. But nothing about his life was real. From childhood star with an abusive father, to early pop sensation who never could come to terms with who he was, to the troubled adult who craved normalcy, acceptance, and a childhood, Jackson only knew how he idealized the world he never had. He tried to create it, but of course the conscious creation of that world rendered it unreal from the beginning. None of us live in happy-time forever, and some of us never live in happy-time at all. Most of us come to understand that happy-time actually exists only fleetingly, which makes it all the more precious.
A new star is rising – American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert. Lambert is already attracting a large, devoted, rapturous following. I’m one of them. Yes, I painted my toenails black, and I’m a 62-year-old Glambert. I crave everything Adam. I can’t get enough of Adam. I’m not suggesting that Adam is replacing Michael Jackson, however, in juxtaposing them in this blog. Jackson changed the face of music and dance in such a large way that he could only have done it from a level of genius that almost guaranteed a troubled life.
Lambert may not bring such seminal changes to the music industry but he is giving us something equally as satisfying. His voice is not of this world. His range, his tenor, his pitch – he never strikes a wrong note. In fact, when Adam is onstage, it is pure enjoyment – during Idol we never thought for a moment that he would give a bad performance, miss a note, forget a lyric, or mess up a song. We relaxed and marveled.
Watching Lambert perform found us – and by us I mean girls, young women, older women, men, everyone – transported by his image, his sexiness, his ability to put himself into the song and become the song, his looks, his hints of erotica; yet we didn’t go all swoony-crazy like we did for the Beatles. I think a less discussed (has anyone discussed it?) reason for Glambertmania was that Adam Lambert is a happy person, thrilled at what he is doing onstage, humble, yes, but just out-of-his-mind excited to be doing what he’s doing, and we’re thrilling with him. He isn’t afraid to be honest about his sheer amazement at where he finds himself now. And, most importantly, he is happy with himself.
His demons, such as they were, have been fought in coming to terms with who he is sexually, and he’s accepted himself as who he is – a human being as worthy as any other human being. Will he have more demons along the way? Sure. Who doesn’t. But Adam is going to enjoy his journey and give himself pleasure along with us Glamberts. He doesn’t have anything to prove, a childhood to overcome, and a reality he has to create. He is real and he grew up in the real world. He has the opportunity now that has eluded him so far, and he is ready.
So I say, RIP Michael Jackson, with the peace you never found in life; and Adam Lambert, bring it and let us revel in an out-of-this-world performer who has his feet firmly on the ground.
