Battle lines have been drawn yet again in what is sure to be the (newest) trial of the century, set to begin on your television screens with around-the-clock news coverage starting in January. OK, so maybe the media blitzkrieg has begun, but any facts actually relevant to the case will most likely go unspoken for the next month, after which he’s slated to be formally charged.
That’s right, Michael Jackson (allegedly) did it again. This time: a young male cancer survivor, the intoxicating effects of wine and the infamous mystique of the Neverland ranch — allegedly. Oh, and the love letters.
On the eve of Jackson turning himself in for the latest (alleged) molestation charges, CNN spent hours replaying a clip of Jackson exiting his car and waving at nobody in particular. Another clip of what seemed to be Jackson’s vehicle driving down the highway was also a popular shot. The OJ-like car scene — save the drama of the original 40-mile-per-hour chase, of course — coupled with Jackson’s brother Jermaine spouting about the modern-day “lynching” of Michael by society or the media or whomever, made for a pleasant afternoon of media insanity (somewhere, Kobe Bryant is thanking his lucky stars).
The only aspect missing from the media-deemed open-and-shut-case was an expert interview of a comedian to figure out whether (alleged) child molestation is still funny or not. After all, it’s only a matter of time before the jokes start flying and everybody forgets about what we’re really talking about.
Then there was the mugshot. Finally, more fodder as commentators quickly switched focus from “Did he do it?!?” to “Is he an alien?!?” Admittedly, the Editorial Board has no formal medical training, but we’re pretty sure his head isn’t supposed to be (allegedly) offset on his neck like that.
The one thing the media’s circus left out, amidst interviews with family members and legal consultants and that homeless guy who got Jackson’s spare change, was whether Jackson should really be charged with corrupting America’s fairy-tale view of the ever-innocent Peter Pan, who symbolizes every American’s dream of never growing up. Jackson declared in a documentary last year that he is Peter Pan, shortly after admitting that he shares a bed with small children.
Suddenly, it all made sense. Jackson and his (alleged) obsession with “the lost boys” at the Neverland ranch. His insistence that he was really interested in “Wendy” the whole time, and no, it was not a media cover-up, and no, that kiss was not staged. And who can forget the formidable Captain Hook, now played by Tom Sneddon, the Santa Barbara district attorney who (allegedly) lives to beat Jackson in an epic clash between good and weird. The only discrepancy is that Jackson can’t fly. Oh well.
In the end, we hope that despite his momentous media profile and constant television coverage, Jackson will — like any other American should expect — receive a fair trial and avoid an assumption of guilt. Despite how smart and prolific the broadcast industry thinks it can be, only two people know the truth, and that truth will be revealed in a courtroom — where it should be.