The Gloved Wonder
"I'm starting with the man in the mirror, I'm asking him to change his ways, and no message could have been any clearer If you wanna' make the world a better place. Take a look at yourself, and then make a change" ("Man in the Mirror"). Michael Jackson took his own advice from his single Man in the Mirror and made a change, not only to his appearance, but to the world. He is one of the greatest selling artists and is admired by most as the "King of Pop." His status, however, has not halted the overwhelming rumors and controversy surrounding his life. Media targets his fixation with plastic surgery, affection for small children, and his countless controversies.Michael Jackson was born August 29, 1958, to a musically inclined family in the Gary, Indiana (Pokutlowicz). From day one, his destiny was set in stone. He had a devout interest in music, as did his four brothers, and he began performing with them at an early age. Their father, Joseph was controlling and he forced his sons to form the musical group the Jackson Five, signing with Motown Records. This group would become one of the most influential R&B groups in music history, but it would cost Michael his childhood and innocence. The group would practice over three
In the late 1980s Jackson also seemed to be growing lighter and lighter in complexion when he received his first nose job. This sparked gossip that he was bleaching his skin in attempt to turn himself into someone more Caucasian in appearance. He seemed to be out of touch with reality. Most believed him to be weird, failing to realize his milky skin tone was not from cosmetic affectation but that he was victim to a rare skin disease called Vitiligo. This is a condition in which portions of the skin are progressively robbed of their pigment cells, leaving unsightly porcelain-white blotches all over the body (Atkinson 52). His condition is treatable, not curable, and certainly not his fault. "I'm a Black American," Jackson said. "I'm proud of my race" ("Michael Gives Interview"). Plastic surgery is not the only cosmetic reconstruction Jackson has had. In 1983, his superstar status enabled him to sign one of the largest sponsorship deals in history with the Pepsi-Cola Company (Pokutylowicz). During the filming of this top-secret, 1.5 million dollar commercial taped in front of 3,000 fans, Jackson's hair caught on fire (Zoglin). On several occasions Jackson glided down a staircase towards his four brothers as a pyrotechnic display was set off behind him. On the fifth take, sparks from a smoke bomb ignited his hair, sending him to the hospital with second and third degree burns on his scalp. On April 18, 1984, Jackson underwent surgery to repair the palm-sized burned area on the back of his head ("Dates in History"). The surgery lasted roughly 80 minutes and was performed by Dr. Steven Hoefflin (Zoglin). The doctor used a laser to repair the damage from the special effects explosions, which meant that Jackson would heal with no scars as due to the loss of
Some common words found in the essay are:
Michael Talks, Company Pokutylowicz, True False, Michael Jackson, Gordon Rosen, Pop America, Neverland Ranch, Sadie America, Hoefflin Zoglin, Prisoner Jackson, plastic surgery, michael jackson, prisoner jackson, king pop,
Approximate Word count = 1198
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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