About Power Groupies & Power Guys

The Governor Sanford affair is the latest in the saga of
political sex scandals. In some ways it’s fairly typical. In
others, not so much. I mean he didn’t just trek across town, or
even across country to hook up with his mistress. He went all the
way to South America with no back up story to really explain his
disappearance. Plus once he confessed he couldn’t stop talking
and cataloguing his sins. This at least spared us the spectacle
of the loyal political wife bravely standing by her man.
I have often been skeptical about these public displays of
support. In private I picture the wife pounding the offending
husband up side the head with a frying pan. And having this kind of
response to any request by the husband.
“Get you a beer. You want me to get you a beer. Why don’t you
ask the slutty little bitch to come get you a beer?”

The female groupie personality type is hardly new. Especially
in high profile professions like acting, music, and athletics. In
the case of politicians power is the great allure. For every JFK
or John Edwards there could be an aging, balding, not so hot
looking politician scoring with a hot babe solely because of his
position of power.
For the power guys, it could be several reasons why they become
players in the game. From believing they are entitled because of
the exalted position they hold, or being thrilled at the chance
of hooking up with a woman they considered to be way out of their
league.
In the past, a sex scandal almost always spelled doom for the
elected official. These days it’s an iffy situation. It could
depend on how the story is spun, what the circumstances are, or
believe it or not, how good a job the office holder is doing in
representing his constituency.
Also in the past, the press looked the other way in the case of
Marilyn Monroe and JFK. In today’s world of overblown media
outlets and instant internet coverage, it would seem to be
virtually impossible for a major female entertainment personality
to carry on an affair with the President of the United States.
Thus, we had a chubby intern becoming an instant infamous
celebrity, and a president going through impeachment hearings.
To me, I almost wish some newly elected official would say
something like:
“I must say, I’m a horny type guy. I might succumb to lust in
my heart. I may screw the wrong girl. But I won’t screw you, my
loyal voting public.”
Of course, this will never happen. But as for sex scandals, I
suspect they’ll stay around for awhile. You can count on it. Stay
tuned.

Random Thoughts About Michael Jackson

I have to say I grew up in Gary so I was a witness to seeing the Jackson Five evolve from talent show sensations to playing local clubs to being signed by Motown. On the every day side the house where they lived happened to be situated directly behind a little league baseball field where I and the older Jackson brothers played. I remember many a foul ball landing in the Jackson’s yard. Seeing the van they used to transport themselves and their equipment to gigs. Or passing by seeing little kids like Janet running about in baby clothes.
I keep thinking that Michael’s life was the ultimate contradiction. What made him highly popular and successful also kept him from finding a delicate balance between his private and public life. It was if his celebrity burned so white hot he became like an alien from another planet. He could be admired to the point of frenzy, but not really completely understood by his fans. He could look for a place to fit in, but would find it difficult to find someone that could completely relate to his unique position in the world.
At the time Michael married Lisa Marie Pressley I wondered why he picked her out of all the women in the world. But on the other hand, with Michael reputed to be an astute student of show business, he knew Elvis was the one rock and roll era entertainer that mirrored his own career the most.
The parallels between Elvis and Michael are obvious. The rare triple threat of top notch vocals, unique dancing and movement, combined with irresistable charisma. In their own ways both were ground breaking. Elvis drove white teenagers crazy in the sexually repressed 1950s. He also scared the crap out of parents, drew the ire of religious conservatives, and as a by product, probably caused white kids to gravitate more to black entertainers with styles that Elvis emulated. With the sheer force of his talent Michael became a world wide sensation. He also broke down barriers like the practice of black acts having to break out big on the R&B charts before ever getting airplay on top 40 stations. Not to mention making MTV revamp their early practice of not broadcasting videos by black artists.
The classic TV appearance by Elvis was his stint on the Ed Sullivan in which they blocked out the bottom half of his body because his movements were considered too sexually suggestive. Instead of protecting their children, the action probably made them even more attracted to Elvis.
Michael solidified his position as the undisputed man of the times with his dazzling performance of Billy Jean on the Motown 25th television special. Anybody would be hard pressed to find a more electrifying and right on point piece of video of the same length on any subject, let alone a musical performance.
I’m hardly an expert, and could be off base, but I can’t help but wonder what would have happened had Michael had under gone a type of theraphy that would have helped him separate his performing self from his real life existence. If he could have been his on Clark Kent and put his Superman suit in a closet to be pulled out at appropriate times. I suppose we’ll never know.
I’m sure that, like Elvis, Michael’s music and video contributions will live on and prosper, and will be embraced by a new crop of fans who didn’t get the chance to see him perform in person or on a live broadcast. Such are the things legends are made of.