Celebrity Tribute-Rest in Peace ~Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon

It was a sad week in that several favorite celebrities passed away..Ed McMahon, Farah Fawcett and the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. I wanted to write a little tribute to them this week with prayers with their families at this time.

I feel like it is the end of an era. Ed McMahon as many of you remember hosted the popular show, Starsearch. Aside from being one of my favorite childhood TV shows, Many stars of today becan their careers as contestants on star search! Names you may know including Christina Aquilera, Aaliyah, Destiny's Child, Drew Carey, Dave Chappelle, Rosie O'donnell, Leann Rhimes, Jessica Simpson, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Simpson to name just a few. It was the time of good clean T.V. and a show that my family and I enjoyed very, very much. Popular shows of today like American Idol, So you think you can dance and last comic Standing are all direct results of Star Search taking the contest to a different level by separating categories. Ed McMahon was the funny, relaxed Host of the Show who was never offensive and always a pleasure to watch!

MICHAEL JACKSON will be missed by the entire world, his legacy career spanning 4 generations. At the tragic news, my father, who is early 60 teared up a bit upset that he had never seen Jackson in person. My colleague in her 40's claimed it was her generation that 'grew up with him' while my friends and I in our 20's felt it was us who grew up on his music during the early 1990's albums. And so it goes, a man who was so often misunderstood.

Although there was some controversy around the mysterious Jackson, I always have had a very soft spot for him. One can speculate frame ups etc, due to his high profile, etc, but that is another story. Michael's amazing performances and robust stage persona were so different from his live interviews. It seemed like all of his close friends were extremely protective of him, giving me the sense that his interview persona~that of a shy, childish, almost effeminate individual was the true him. He was forever a child, and I don't think he every truly 'fit' into this world...i recall an interview when he was so excited that he had purchased something for his mother, and the reporter, who was fixated on the hefty price of the item was twisting facts openly, winking at the camera and manipulating statements to make Jackson seem like a money wasting person. Over the years, it is a fact that many, many of us grew up on Michael Jackson, and in many ways broke huge barriers.

Black or White, closed a gap in extend ot racial boundaries showing people of all races coming together to unite. Heal the world had a focus on helping youngsters. With all of this unity-thought, I dare say that the work of Michael Jackson greatly contributed to the fact that we are blessed with such an intelligent president today- it is in fact our generation who heavily voted for the first time in decades that pushed the vote, not to mention, out generation who reaped many benefits of Jackson's wish for global unity. He will be sorely missed and I hope that he is in a better place now, away from the scrutiny of the nasty public eye, tabloids and exploits that helped to detriorate his sense of self.

Whether it be fashion sense, music or helping a larger cause, Michael Jackson will be be missed by so many.

Rest in Peace to all lost.

xo
Sarah:Artwark