I just heard.

Well, Michael is gone. I just heard the news.

I have mixed feelings about Michael. I have to admit the Thriller album did hit hard during my third grade year of school. I remember I had a notebook with all the Jacksons' names on it. Yeah, even Tito. Billie Jean, Thriller and PYT are some of the tunes that stand out in my memory. After the MTV/Thriller stage, MJ faded to wayside for me (no pun intended).

Over time, Michael just creeped me out. With all the allegations and with his own statements regarding sharing his bed with children, I had no use for him. Michael mismanaged his money and was surrounded by a bunch of "yes" men similar to Elvis Presley. On the other hand, he may have made the best business deal of all time by purchasing the rights to the Beatles' catalog of songs.

Was Michael a role model/Civil Rights leader for the Black community? I don't no. Civil Rights leader is a little ridiculous. That's all I have been hearing on television. I don't even watch it anymore. I don't feel that I'm in a position to say yes or no since I am not African American. He did break down some racial barriers on MTV for black artists. And MTV was a big deal in pop culture and influencing society. You can take that at whatever it's worth. I also believe that it is absurd to discredit Michael's influence on music, his talent and his influence on culture. However, to glorify the man as an upstanding person is huge stretch. A person that admits to sharing his bed with children that are not his own and pays hush money to a family during child molestation cases - pretty much meets the criteria for a wack job. And THAT's only 1 part to his crazy life!

I also don't find it amusing that Bill O'Reilly and other television "entertainment reporters" find it amusing to rope Michael's kids into all of this by questioning their "whiteness" or "blackness" (like they don't have enough problems of their own). They had no choice in the matter! Don't bring them into this, Bill. Bill O'Reilly you receive my Pinhead award for this one.

Michael didn't influence my music. Did he influence music around the world? Yes. I didn't buy any of his music. I wasn't looking to buy his next record. Was his talented? Yes. Was he a strange bird? Yes. Did he molest children? Don't know, but if I had a poker hand riding on it, I would go all in. Did he invent the moonwalk? No.

I will predict a new Michael Jackson album very soon that will receive critical acclaim. Next years Grammys to follow.

The Masked Blogger: Peta vs. Obama

If there was any question in your mind that those who serve in political office are the greatest recipients of criticism; those doubts have to be vanquished.

Last Tuesday, on June 16, during an interview for CNBC at the White House, a fly interrupted President Obama's conversation with correspondent John Harwood. Obama did what every person does in that situation; he tried to kill it and was successful.

Since then PETA has been all over Obama. "We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals," PETA spokesman Bruce Friedrich said Wednesday. "We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals."

I am no animal expert, but don't flies qualify as insects? Doesn't Obama have more on his mind than insect homicide? Maybe things like Iran, North Korea, healthcare, and the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. You might notice that I sighted issues dealing with human life.

Here's my question: How many animal activists are pro-choice in regards to abortion?

Man, I want some of these ribs!

Jay Leno's last time to host Dwight Yoakam on the Tonight Show

Do You Remember This Mouth? The Masked Blogger

When I was in Jr. High in the late 1980’s, I was channel surfing one summer evening and I came across the Morton Downey Jr. Show. After seeing the show once, I was hooked. Everyone knows Jerry Springer and Maury Povich, but if it wasn’t for MDJ, these guys would not have a platform for their garbage.

The Morton Downey Jr. Show was famous for covering controversial topics while engaging in verbal and physical altercations. Current talk show hosts love to create controversies between guests and then sit back with the audience and enjoy the fireworks. Downey Jr. was different. He loved being right in the middle of the action. He used the tagline “zip it” almost as much as he used nicotine. Downey Jr. died in 2001 and yet his show still opens the door today for others to recreate what he created. In case you have never seen the show or had forgot about it, check it out:

The short return of the Masked Blogger

I doubt the Masked Blogger's next job will be as a journalist. ENJOY!

________________________

With the exception of some sort of a tragedy, nothing is worse than looking for a job. To help the unemployed, there are a variety of different employment search engines such as Careerbuilder.com. I don't know who their marketing personnel are, but if their ace card is a guy in a Speedo, picking toe jam, it may be time to clean house. Question: With a picture such as this, should the tag line be "Start Building" or "Start Bulging"?

ANOTHER...use for Duct Tape.