Michael's Stature Was On Par With World Leaders

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson's shocking and sudden death has triggered an unprecedented outpouring of grief around the globe and extensive television coverage.

He deserves every bit of it.

Michael was very dear to me, but I speak with a lot of objectivity when I say this; Michael Jackson was on par with royalty and world leaders. Many people see the massive media interest and coverage as being overblown and excessive. Why would a pop star, albeit a very talented one receive such adulation and attention?

Very simple.

Michael was far more than a pop star or an amazing entertainer. His music was equal parts entertainment and inspiration. He wrote and sang songs that were meant to engender change in the world. He touched so many with his singing and dancing and could make a dying child's day by merely showing up. He was a transformative figure that millions of people grew up admiring and revering. Michael Jackson was the original Twitter; millions upon millions followed him and wanted to know what he was doing because he meant something to them. The child sensation that was Michael had found his way into the hearts of so many in the early 1970's because of his jaw-dropping talent and stage presence.

During his prime in the 1980's, the music of the seminal Thriller album captured the world's attention and became a cultural touchstone for even non-listeners of his genre of music. He made people relax and get hyper all at the same time and could make anyone smile just from hearing him speak. In short, he made enormous amounts of people happy.

Michael's iconic music videos and music and dancing and glitter glove and penny loafers became such staples in people's lives all over the world, that he truly felt like someone that we owned -- or at least, a close friend or family member that we'd "known for years."

Michael gave extraordinary amounts of time and money to worthy causes; he was proactive in trying to improve our world. He was shy, sensitive, emotional and soft-spoken and we found that adorable. Even when he exhibited odd behavior and made us shake our heads, we still held reverence for "the good ol' days" of him. People that grew angry at him and were turned off by the child molestation allegations still had their great memories of the man.

Seeing the way people fawned over him for decades internationally in remote locales such as China, Australia and Japan was surreal; here was a guy that started out as a poor kid from a midwestern American ghetto that had ascended so high that he had become an international obsession and a beloved hero of epic proportions.

Truly stunning.

Michael made the world a better place through his music and his philosophy. He made people all over the planet smile. He made us happy. He gave us some of our greatest ever memories and moments. He was about love and togetherness. Being so extensively honored by the entire planet now is the least we can do.

He was truly royalty.