Las Vegas and Michael Jackson
Las Vegas used to be the last working refuge of performing scoundrels. It doesn’t seem as tainted these days, in part because the aesthetic of the culture has sunk down to Vegas’s level over the past 15 to 20 years, but the possibility of Michael Jackson committing to a long-term performing gig as a way of launching a possible comeback reiterates what Vegas and its audience are basically about.
That looks like a risky financial gamble. If he manages to show up but doesn’t have the chops and moves, the word of mouth will be stink-o. I could easily back my little car into the cleft in his chin and it would get lost in there.
That’s just about the worst bet in Vegas.
As much as I admire MJ’s talent, there’s no chance in hell this won’t end in a breach of contract suit. Physically, emotionally he’s not prepared for the rigors of a Vegas gig.
And so he continues to go the Elvis route…I bet Vegas is taking bets on a Jackson overdose within the decade.
Ditto and ditto.
Getting “back to the music” is probably the smartest thing he could do – assuming he still has a strong enough connection to Planet Earth to tap into his former genius.
But the grind of a Vegas show sounds like it’s asking for trouble.
The only way I can think of to make this riskier is to call Axl Rose and ask him to bring “Guns n Roses” over as the opening act.
I can’t think of a pop-star/rock-star/celebrity more tarnished, pathetic, damaged and dangerous than Michael Jackson. This is a man with severe emotional/psychological problems who should at least be in intensive therapy in some in-patient program, although frankly, as far as I’m concerned, he should be in prison.
Maybe O.J. can be his opening act in Vegas, reading from “If I Did It.” Maybe the two of them can harmonize on “Smooth Criminal.”
That looks like a risky financial gamble. If he manages to show up but doesn’t have the chops and moves, the word of mouth will be stink-o. I could easily back my little car into the cleft in his chin and it would get lost in there.
Re “long-term”, I would guess that MJ would have a schedule where he’s performing no longer than two weeks (with one day off each week) at a time during his likely multiyear contract.