Beat It

Last week as part of our journey through musical history, we wrote about an incident in which Michael Jackson was caught in a California Zales sporting an outrageous costume. Our subsequent research found that the King of Pop left the house dressed up more than once. The costumes varied in skin color, facial hair, outfit, and absurdity, and they asked more questions than they answered.

Michael Jackson in disguise.

It’s easy to make fun of Mike and his not-so-clandestine creep through public, but it’s important to dig through his digs and ask the real question: Why? In this Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s talk about what Michael’s disturbing disguises say about the battle within.

Since the early days of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson was one of the most recognizable individuals in America. After launching his solo career in 1971, going No. 1 with ‘Ben’ in 1972, and then exploding with the Grammy-winning Off the Wall, Michael couldn’t go anywhere without cameras and fans mobbing him. That was a problem.

See, Michael was raised a Jehovahs Witness and was notoriously shy off stage. He suffered from body image issues, including struggles with vitiligo, weight and race, and ravaged himself with plastic surgery. He avoided interviews like the plague. He skipped any semblance of a childhood as Barry Gordy and Joe Jackson whisked him around the country, and in the 80s built himself a fantasy retreat in what seemed an attempt to relive that childhood. He bought a secluded, private estate complete with carnival rides and a chimpanzee named Bubbles. John Landis shot him and Macaulay Culkin prancing like a pair of Peter pandas in the ‘Black and White’ video. And then, the disguises.

Mental Health issues rear their head in many forms.

The media attacked at every turn. Every strange story stole headlines, and Michael became more erratic and reclusive. His every move on stage was synchronized and sensational. His moves off stage were a cry for help. We see it in celebrity all the time from Michael’s masks, to Britney’s shaved head, to Kanye cancelling tour.

These are people who bare themselves publicly for our entertainment. Before we lambast these performers who grace us with their gifts, let’s continue to dig deeper and challenge what their actions mean. In this #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, let’s ask questions before pointing fingers. Let’s check on the human beings before we see celebrity and hang em high.