Jackson's 'Bad' Film Showcased His Evolution

CLEVELAND - After the runaway, historic success of the Thriller album and era, Michael Jackson faced an uphill battle when he geared up for his follow-up.

And that is a major understatement.

It was 22 years ago today that Michael's long awaited Bad album debuted. Not only did the iconic entertainer return with a new record (his first in nearly five years), he also sported a new look and style. His skin was about two shades lighter, his face more oval shaped and his chin had a new cleft in it. He also had longer hair, shoulder length this time and a more street-wise wardrobe. His first music video from the new album showcased his new style, but more importantly his evolution as a creative innovator.

The "Bad" video was actually a 17-minute film starring Michael as Darryl, a young man returning home to New York City for school break. When he returns to his urban neighborhood as an educated, on-the-right-path guy, his old buddies meet up with him but haven't evolved at all, contrary to Darryl. The buddies live a life of crime with no focus in life at all and become angry and insulted at Darryl's intelligence and straight and narrow lifestyle. When the leader of the group (a young Wesley Snipes) nearly comes to blows with Darryl, the music portion of the flick begins and suddenly Darryl is clad in an elaborate black outfit adorned with buckles and straps and can amazing move and dance like Michael Jackson!

After the dance number (West Side Story-style with several dancers moving in sync to Jackson), Michael again becomes the more modest, soft-spoken Darryl and comes to an understanding with Snipes' character about being "bad" in a good way.

Michael followed his own lofty pattern of video making with this slick production. He enlisted iconic film director Martin Scorsese to helm the project and insisted on a script, rather than just a song video. The full version of the "Bad" video is almost never shown, rather the five minute song portion is. That's unfortunate because it illustrates once again the amazing innovation of Michael.

Watching the flick, one can't help but think about the stupendous "Thriller" film. That was when MJ took his innovation to another level and set the stage for his trademark film-style videos. The fact that he wanted a storyline and real Hollywood directors to bring his vision to fruition says a great deal about his ingenuity and originality, which were in prime form during the 1980's.

The "Bad" movie wasn't the runaway freight train that the "Thriller" flick was, but it was a tremendous success and brilliant showcase for Michael's relentless innovation.

Who's Bad?

Princess Diana: An Icon On Her Own Merits

CLEVELAND - Princess Diana became famous because of who she was married to. In spite of that fact, she became a truly beloved icon on her own merits and was a legitimate ambassador of good will.

In my opinion.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of Diana's sudden death following a high-speed car chase and subsequent crash in a tunnel in Paris, France. She and her companion Dodi Al-Fayed were among the four in the Mercedes Benz that was driven by Henri Paul, who floored the car while trying to elude a series of persistent paparazzi. Of the four, only one was wearing a seat belt and that was the lone survivor.

I was never a follower of the Princess, but my reaction was the same as much of the world when the news broke on that late summer day in 1997; utter shock. What I knew most about Diana was that she was relentlessly photographed by the media and of course, the paparazzi who were, in my opinion, complicit in her death. I was also aware of her friendship with the great Michael Jackson, whom she famously urged to perform his 1987 hit single, "Dirty Diana" during the London stop of his "Bad World Tour" in 1988 after he'd initially took the song out of the normal playlist out of respect for her name.

What I later learned about Princess Diana was her incredibly giving heart. She took a genuine interest in people (namely children) afflicted with illnesses and diseases. She was beyond brave when she became one of the first celebrities to touch an AIDS victim when the disease was still a huge mystery. She was a champion and spokesperson for homelessness, drug addicts, and the elderly. She was involved with charities and organizations and devoted major time to trying to better the world. In short, she was a tireless humanitarian.

Forget the glamour, glitz, scandal and celebrity of Diana. Let's give her what she truly deserves for the selfless and thoughtful person she was.

Our everlasting gratitude and respect.

Michael Jackson's 51st Birthday: An Appreciation

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson was born 51 years ago today in Gary, Indiana and thus, the world was forever blessed with his arrival.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

Naturally, I am still very upset that he isn't still on earth to celebrate his personal holiday. That horrible June 25 day will forever draw my ire. With yesterday's revelation that he was essentially murdered, I won't speak on that with any detail because it won't be at all pretty. I will suppress my searing rage in favor of great thoughts of that amazing individual.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

I am just so very grateful to Michael for the awesome catalog of memories he left me. His music, his dancing, his unique speaking voice, his custom costumes, trademark hair styles and epic creativity will forever elicit smiles from me. I love how Michael always had a healthy curiosity for all things and how that trickled down to his own style. His image was inspired by Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Sammy Davis Jr and of course, James Brown.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

Those groundbreaking short films (disguised as music videos) remain awesome to this day and continue to inspire contemporary artists. He was never afraid to be himself, even when many branded him weird and wacko. That aspect of the man inspires me personally more than anything else about him.

Let all of us that love Michael celebrate the totality of his colossal being, not just certain aspects of his being. Today is our day almost as much as it is his. We will forever and always love him and carry him in our souls. I know I will.

Happy Birthday, Michael.

King's Dream Will Never Totally Come True

CLEVELAND - Racism has always been a major stumbling block for this country, so even though we have made incredible progress to improve, it will never totally evaporate.

So much for that famous dream once shared by a King.

Today marks the 46th anniversary of what came to be known as the 'I Have a Dream' speech given by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King in Washington D.C. The lasting theme of that iconic speech was King's revelation of his dream of unity between people of all races and creeds. He articulated his ideals for a homogenized America, not a polarized one and it came during the apex of the Civil Rights movement. His words, so powerful when he delivered them, continues to resonate with Blacks all these decades later. But in spite of the major progress (in certain areas) made by us as a people, our country remains divided along racial lines and will always be that way.

That's the power of ignorance.

True, present day America is guided by a Black president named Barack Obama. His election last year was historical because it placed a black man in the White House as its top resident for the first time in history. But his seven month old administration has seen its fair share of racist threats and taunts and many Americans still harbor ill feelings towards others outside of their own race because of their race.

That is unfortunate.

We still have a long way to go because the destination is so vague. People inherit beliefs and philosophies from their ancestors and pass them on to their progeny. It's a vicious cycle without a conclusion and thus, a sad reality.

We'll never be perfect, so let's just pray for continued progress.

Ted Kennedy Was His Families' True Icon

CLEVELAND - When I initially learned of Senator Ted Kennedy's malignant brain tumor in the Spring of 2008, I was saddened and nervous that he might soon die.

He lived for another 15 months.

Kennedy, 77 died last night in Hyannis Port, Mass., leaving behind a gigantic legacy in American Democratic politics and a multitude of groundbreaking legislation. His family, the legendary Kennedy clan has captured the attention of the American public for a century, but the omnipotent Teddy came to represent not only his family, but the Democratic party as a whole.

Sure, Kennedy's older brothers achieved higher office (with John becoming president and Robert the attorney general), but Ted was a major force in the U.S. senate for nearly 50 years. Contrast that to JFK, who was tragically assassinated after less than three years in the White House. RFK was similarly killed five years later while running for president. Both of those brothers never made it out of their 40's. Another brother, Joe died in World War II in his 20's. Teddy outlasted them all and thus, had time to craft a sweeping legacy and accumulate an enormous "fanbase" in spite of the occasional mudslinging in the Senate.

Kennedy supported President Barack Obama's run for office last year, which helped to ameliorate Obama's candidacy and give him increased credibility. Kennedy was a role model and inspiration to many and endured unprecedented tragedies in his life that served to only make him stronger. He nearly became a dubious, infamous figure in history after the famous Chappaquiddick incident in 1969 that ended in a woman's death, but became an unlikely hero and beloved elder statesman instead.

I'm not heavily into politics, nor have I ever been. But Ted Kennedy's impact was sizable enough for me to feel sadness over his loss.

We'll miss him.

Aaliyah's Demise Continues To Hurt

CLEVELAND - I remember vividly the first time I fell in love with Aaliyah's voice. It was the summer of 1994 and her single "At Your Best" was always on the radio, much to my delight.

And she was just 15 years old.

Today marks the 8th anniversary of that horrible plane crash in the Bahamas that led to her stunning and violent death. At the time, Aaliyah was just 22 years old and poised for a major career upswing. She'd just released her third album five weeks earlier and it had been well received. The whole reason she was even in the Bahamas in the final week of August was to film a video for her new song, "Rock the Boat."

The shoot went well, but tragedy followed.

I don't want to go into too many details about that well documented plane crash because it still stings. Aaliyah wasn't supposed to die then. She was far too young, beautiful, talented and kind. It was too sudden and it continued the eerie trend of young, highly talented major figure in hip-hop/R&B dying suddenly. Since 2Pac's 1996 murder at age 25, his rival the Notorious B.I.G. was killed at 24, Big Pun died in 2000 at 28, Aaliyah in '01, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes eight months later in 2002 and Jam Master Jay in the fall of 2002. Six young greats gone in just six years and four of them in just two years.

Of course, the music industry was stunned and saddened. Aaliyah's closest friends paid tribute to her often; her boyfriend at the time, music mogul Damon Dash was understandably heartbroken and nearly catatonic for a time afterwards. Rap legend Jay-Z and Aaliyah's friend Missy Elliot issued major tribute songs in her honor.

A little more than two weeks later, the epic terrorists attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon changed the United States' perspective on life as we knew it and made Aaliyah's demise seem comparatively small. Whatever the case was, she was a shining star that graced our world.

That should never be forgotten.

Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'

CLEVELAND - Every time Deante Young interviews someone, the result is usually pure magic. He gets people to open up and expose the worst of themselves and he does it effortlessly.

That's what makes his web series so riveting.

Young debuts the 40th episode of a Date with Deante today entitled, "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and once again delivers his trademark brand of shock humor by way of brutal honesty. Let's face it; nobody plays honesty for comedic effect better than Mr. Young.

In this clip, the 20th of the ongoing second season, Young converses with a homeless bum named Charlie who goes from "wise man of the streets" to "old pervert stripping in the streets" when a young woman shows up for a chat.

Then there's the iconic Tony Train Wreck, whose legend is based entirely on the side-splitting hilarity of his abhorrence; he is a gruff talking, brazen racist with a strong affinity for beer in copious amounts.

In the end, this stands as yet another brilliant example of Deante's genius. Check it out!

Jackson's 'Off The Wall' Was Historic Record

CLEVELAND - Everyone on the planet knows about the colossal success of Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller, but few understand that his solo brilliance had already arrived a few years before.

In an enormous way.

Michael's solo debut, apart from the Jackson 5 had been released in 1972. But it was the scintillating album Off The Wall that marked his beginning as a solo superstar. This week marked the 30th anniversary of that incredible album's release, August 10, 1979 and it made me reflect on just how awesome it was.

Ironically, today marks the 32nd anniversary of the iconic Elvis Presley's death. In many ways, that tragic event was a symbolic passing of the torch from the wildly popular Presley to the then-adolescent Michael, who was two weeks shy of his 19th birthday when Presley died. Michael flew under the radar between that 1977 event and the 1979 release of Off The Wall, but when that record hit stores -- it was over. America had a new superstar, all grown-up Michael Jackson...you know little Michael Jackson of the Jackson 5!

Oh man...he's all grown up and awesome!

"Don't Stop Til' You Get Enough" was an instant standout song and remains one of my all-time favorite MJ tunes. It, along with the track, "Rock With You" was another major hit and both were supported by simplistic music videos. That was the last time Michael made a simple video; everything that followed were major groundbreaking productions.

Off The Wall showcased all of Michael's expansive talents as a vocalist and songwriter and the album was as versatile as his prodigious gifts. My favorite track, "Working Day And Night" is a frenetic groove that makes one want to move and dance rapidly. The midtempo songs ("Get On The Floor"), the ballads ("She's Out Of My Life") and the dance cuts make for a breathtaking listen, and the hyper "Burn This Disco Out" is strangely addictive after a few listens.

The album will forever be known as the little brother to the gigantic Thriller, but without the opportunity that Off The Wall provided Michael, nothing after it would have been as awesome. Indeed, legendary composer Quincy Jones made his first collaboration with MJ on Off The Wall after meeting him on the set of 1978's The Wiz. Furthermore, Off The Wall sold 7 million copies in the United States (a huge figure at the time) and made history by spawning four top-10 singles in the U.S.

Yes, we all know about Thriller, the machine that dominated America a few years later. But Off The Wall should also be recognized as one of the greatest albums in music history.

It's only fair.

Convicts and Cum Dumpsters

CLEVELAND - Deante Young is one busy guy. For the 39th episode of a Date with Deante, the one-of-a-kind entertainer travels from an afternoon ghetto to a nighttime trailer park.

And of course, it's all hilarious.

Young converses about the sexual similarities between white and black women with his "distant" uncle John, then questions slut bucket Emily about her insatiable taste for sperm.

With a nice closing surprise, this clip, entitled "Working Day And Night" once again delivers Young's legendary comedic brilliance.

A Circus Of Weirdos

CLEVELAND - Every episode of the brazen web series, a Date with Deante is a daring and explicit joy ride through some of the most stunning mentalities in human history.

That brings us to the brand new, episode 38.

The clip, entitled, "Off the Wall" lives up to its name in a huge way. A homeless brigade takes over host Deante Young's porch and puts on a disgusting display of affection; a tattoo artist exposes his genitals to display a most unusual tattoo; Alicia takes great pride in explaining what her favorite STD is and John reveals that he enjoys wearing women's underwear.

Just like any other Deante Young concept, it has to be seen to be believed.

Hughes Created Classics That Defined My Youth

CLEVELAND - With the sad and sudden death of filmmaker John Hughes yesterday, I feel compelled to give thanks to the man for creating some of my all-time favorite movies.

Mr. Hughes, you rock!

Hughes got his start in the 1970's as a writer, but where his brilliance began to impact my life was in the 1983 Chevy Chase film, National Lampoon's Vacation. He wrote the screenplay, which was inspired by long trips he and his family took when he was a kid. The hi jinks and often slapstick humor (masterfully executed by the bumbling Chase) in this flick delighted me to no end. Even now, I chuckle every time I see it on television.

I understand that Hughes' most iconic work is as the director of such classic 1980's teen comedies as Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

However, I never watched those movies in their entirety but I was certainly aware of them when they hit theatres and then, VHS. I did see bits and pieces of the flicks, and my favorite moment may have been in Sixteen Candles, when the geeky Anthony Michael Hall showed an entire gym full of students Molly Ringwald's panties to win a bet.

Hughes was so awesome that he actually made Matthew Broderick (as the titular Ferris Bueller) seem cool and worth emulating.

Another of Hughes' creations, the seldom mentioned but highly entertaining 1985 film, Weird Science was super popular in my book. My cousin and I used to watch that movie all the time and we even believed that it could be possible to create a real-life, bodacious white chick by using nothing more than a computer and a little imagination. That was an awesome film and Kelly LeBrock never left my "to-do list."

It is worth mentioning that Hughes wrote and produced the wildly successful Home Alone film, which catapulted 10-year old Macauley Culkin to superstardom upon its 1990 release, and its two ensuing sequels.

No, I wasn't a follower of his most revered films, nor was I even in the targeted age range for those classic teen flicks. But John Hughes left an indelible mark on my life with his meticulously realistic work. His movies weren't designed to win Academy Awards, all they were meant to do was give a voice to a generation of developing adults.

That's not a bad legacy at all.

When Michael Jackson Became A Legend

CLEVELAND - Looking at the wide array of celebrities and musicians that have existed over my lifetime, I became very curious as to why Michael Jackson has stood head and shoulders above them all.

It happened in 1983 and 1984.

Michael was a very prodigious star as a child. He was the leader of The Jackson 5 in the late '60's and early '70's and by the end of that decade, he had become a superstar in the music industry as a result of the brilliance of his then-brand new album, Off the Wall. It was the release of Thriller in late 1982 that began him on the path towards music immortality.

But his iconic celebrity was something different.

Yes, the Thriller album is the biggest selling record in history, but there wasn't much to indicate that it was anything special upon its release 27 years ago. The lead single, "The Girl is Mine" was released in October of '82 and received mixed reviews. You'd think that a studio pairing of Michael Jackson and ex-Beatle Paul McCartney would be thought of as monumental and historic, but at the time, it was met with subdued excitement. Admittedly, neither Jackson or McCartney showcased their true brilliance on the track, even though it was still a fun song. Also, Michael was just 24 years old and had not yet become a demigod in the industry. He was a mere superstar recording with a 40-year old icon in McCartney.

The Thriller album began to dominate the charts and bolster Jackson's image beginning in early 1983. That was when "Billie Jean" was released as a single and music video. For the first time, Michael's effortless dancing and feathery smooth abilities as a vocalist were on display in unison. In the video, Michael came off as a magical and mysterious figure -- graceful and stylish as he danced his way through a desolate neighborhood while illuminating the pavement with his every delicious step. The catchy bassline of the song only furthered the clip's appeal.

Then, the "Beat It" video hit the airwaves in the Spring and once again fueled Michael's image and greatness. The zippered, red leather jacket, penny loafers with white socks and flooded pants made up his highly stylized outfit in the clip. With an actual storyline and choreographed dancing, this video continued shoving Michael deeper into America's collective minds as a wildly talented and creative genius. And none of us could get enough of this megastar.

Jackson's historic appearance on "Motown 25" catapulted him to a new level of superstardom, if that was even possible. This performance, the first public one of "Billie Jean," forever stamped MJ as the ultimate performer, an unmatched dancer and showman and received universal praise for his mastery and command of the stage and crowd. All of his trademarks were on display during this performance; the single, glittery glove, sparkly jacket and shirt, black fedora pulled down to obscure his face, then tantilizingly tossed into the audience, the leg kicks, body spins, head pops and for the first time ever, the moonwalk. Even his Jheri-curled hair was more stylish than anyone else's; "baby hair" near his temples and forming delicate sideburns and ubiquitous curls hanging down his forehead.

This is when his entire "look" became iconic and forever burned into our minds.

After that May 16, 1983 airing of the Motown special, Michael was no longer just a megastar. He was THE star; an iconic member of entertainment in his prime and only getting better. For the next several months, Thriller continued its historic sales records and stunned folks in the industry for its unreal popularity and staying power. When the unspeakably brilliant "Thriller" video debuted in December 1983, it became an instant masterpiece of history. Nothing about it was standard or customary; Jackson somehow managed to top the untoppable: himself. It was critically acclaimed from the get-go and caused the album of the same name to surge in popularity and sales for the umpteenth time a full year after its release.

Wow!

Just three months into 1984, Michael had already had a full and accomplished year. Thriller earned him an astounding 16 awards in January and February and two commercials he'd filmed for Pepsi won him even more popularity (though one of those ads famously almost cost him his life). A videocassette documentary on the making of the "Thriller" video became the best-selling in history, just another in an endless stream of accolades for the 25-year old legend. By the time he and his brothers embarked on the Victory tour in the summer of 1984, Michael had become the biggest star in the world by a mile. That legendary status was so great that it held strong even as his popularity and "approval rating" began to take major hits years later.

Indeed, as media reports of Michael became less and less favorable, he never stopped being the ultimate star. When he went on trial for child molestation in 2005, his legion of fans stood behind him faithfully and other contemporary musicians became humbled or speechless in his presence. Understand that all of this was taking place over 20 years after that amazing Thriller era. At the time of his unspeakably tragic death in June 2009, Michael's face had been redesigned so many times that he looked nothing like he did back then. He hadn't been a force in music in more than 15 years and his last album had been released nearly eight years in the past. He'd been vilified in the media for, not only the child molestation allegations for which he stood trial, but also ones he faced in 1993. In spite of all that negativity, his legend endured and he continues to be the biggest celebrity in history.

That's pretty damn amazing.