When Your Kid Asks “Who is Michael Jackson?”

When Francis Magalona died, we had a week or two of FM’s music constantly in the background while we were at home. So it was inevitable that in a matter of just five days, our little boy Kean was already singing “Kaleidoscope World” and “Cold Summer Nights” with feelings.
Now when MJ died, he was just everywhere! My husband and I mourned his passing too so we had our own memorial by filling our house with his songs. And we thought that it was “our responsibility” to educate Kean about Michael Jackson’s music, before uncreative copycats would come out with their own renditions, and mislead this new generation on the originality of the masterpieces.

So now, I believe Kean knows all the lyrics to Michael Jackson’s songs better than every poseur out there who suddenly branded themselves as an MJ fan only after his death. I’m irked that some of these people who claim they are “fans” don’t even know that he sang Dirty Diana. Geez, MJ’s catalog goes far, far, far beyond Beat it, Billie Jean and Bad, okay? Kean even likes MJ’s lesser hits such as “One More Chance” and “Break of Dawn”. Betcha you’re just stuck with the Number Ones, huh? Well, this kid has good ears for music.

Anyway, so while we were immersing ourselves in MJ tributes on TV, Kean of course being the curious 6-year-old that he is, asked us a lot of questions – questions that only kids are brave enough to ask, such as:

• Mom, how did he turn white?
• Mom, why is he wearing lipstick?
• Mom, why is he wearing a girl’s shirt (referring to the lacy black “blousy” top he wore in the “You Are Not Alone” video)
• Mom, what happened to his nose?

Being a parent, I realized that we can’t really protect our children from everything in this world. There are things that we just can’t deny. Other parents would have probably just dismissed such questions, or maybe ignore them altogether; pretend they didn’t hear it at all. I wanted to answer my child as “truthfully” as I can because I don’t want him to grow old, smeared with prejudices.

So I had to tell him what I know and these are based on general “un-malicious” facts: He had a disease called Vitiligo (which I also explained)… Performers wear lipstick and make-up on stage because they have to look good under very bright klieg lights… Lace isn’t just for girls. So I showed him turn of the century images of flamboyant men’s clothing using lace and other frilly materials. And besides, it was only a “costume” – costumes are always exaggerated! As for his nose, I told my son pointblank that he had cosmetic surgery. The reason? I don’t know. I just told him that people make decisions in their lives which only they can understand; and that they have every right to choose not to explain it. And we should respect that. Anyway, it’s not about how he looked or lived his life – we just had to remember his MUSIC. After all, that’s just what he wants to give to the world. But people wanted MORE.

Michael Jackson’s life will always remain a mystery – his childhood, his court cases, his cosmetic surgeries, his children, and even his death. Michael was human. He had flaws but I think his music was perfect… it was the soundtrack of our childhood... it inspired us… it moved the world. So why should we destroy all that by bothering ourselves with all the scandals? There’s more to being an MJ fan than copying his outfits and dance steps, and hounding his private life. I don’t think we will ever know so it doesn’t really matter. The TRUTH is the only thing that has been and forever will be UNREAL in Michael Jackson.