The Bailey Blog

 

Okay PR gurus out there; think fast!  Who would be the greater job security – having Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley as your client?

 

Yes, both would need to be actually alive, but hey, based on how much both will likely make in death, they still could be lucrative.  Ask the families of each.

 

Now, I’m not trying to be crass or mocking of the dead…wait…yes, I am….I’m just saying that these are two guys that had PR dilemmas bigger than their Never Grace Lands and doctor bills put together.  Who then would pose the bigger challenge to those of us in “da field?”

 

Let’s look at the comparisons:

 

Legend Status:

Elvis is known as the King of Rock N’ Roll for amalgamating black R and B with country music and even pop ballads to package rock n’ roll for the masses ..thus getting it on national TV and radio (with white America not ready for the true originators/innovators at the time), inspiring thousands in his wake – John Lennon and Bruce Springsteen among them. Michael Jackson known as the King of Pop for not only fronting Motown’s successful Jackson 5 with his brothers but a huge solo career with releases like Off the Wall and Thriller – the latter of which created a video explosion on the fledgling MTV which kept him in the public eye for the 80s and early 90s.

 

Home Base:

Elvis had Graceland; MJ had Neverland.

 

Home Boys:

Elvis had the Memphis Mafia to keep him loopy on drugs, his ego filled to the hilt and as paid-for friendship.  Mike allegedly had boys at home of a different variety…as well Bubbles the Chimp and a Llama or what seemed to be a very ugly horse.  Both were known for the worst taste in home décor this side of the front sidewalk of Kmart, where coin-driven merry-go-rounds are more tasteful. And, someone named Lisa Marie!

 

What happened?

Elvis’ mom died while he was in the Army in 1962. They were close and many say he went off the deep end there, beginning a love of pills, food, bad movie roles and schlocky soundtrack tunes. Got cred back in 1968 with a comeback special on national TV and became a major Vegas act right up to death.  But, the weight gain and pills led him to be known as the icon that essentially died on the crapper of a heart attack.

 

MJ? Oh, dear…where to begin and how much time do we have?  Extremely abusive home life as a boy and the Jackson 5 touring schedule robbed him of an adolescence. Therefore, he spent years during a successful solo career trying to recreate his childhood; an obsession with plastic surgery turned him into a wax dummy; horrid spending habits chewed up cash like M & M’s at a sleep over. Oh, and he had this problem about getting busted (though never convicted) with pre-pubescent boys sleeping in his room; the results, while not jail time, killed his image and his bank account for settlements with parents of the kids.  In the process, claims of booze and pill addictions from insiders began to look more and more real…and scary.  And, end scene, his heart seizes up from the abuse last week.

 

Verdict?

Personally, while not the longer list of issues and public foibles, I take Mr. Hips, the Big E.  He was still doing shows up to his death; we purge the Memphis Mafia and get this guy some real friends, get him cleaned up, a personal trainer and BAM! Bob’s your uncle.  I think if he still chose the hair style and the jump suits, a solid retainer for PR services would be needed. Let’s just say: keep the peanut butter and ‘nanner sandwiches but dude, bad look, alright?

 

Michael? In all seriousness, I spent a weekend vomiting in front of my TV desperately looking for something else. I do not care and frankly, have seen this movie way too much. Unfortunately, my sympathy went right out the window. 

 

My point in my little vent above: I wouldn’t have worked for this guy or guys like him for double the money he owed!

It is a line in the sand each of us as PR people need to recognize.

 

When is cleansing company or individual image just making you feel filthy? To coin a phrase from the one-gloved one, there comes a time to look at the man in the mirror.  I hear all the economic woes of agencies, but man, dignity and self respect have to be worth something on a balance sheet.

 

Unfortunately, Mike never really did look at the man in the mirror – or if he did, he never knew what was staring back. All we can say is “at one time, the guy was talented and he blew it.” You know what those are called: “Has beens.”

 

That isn’t an “icon” or “king of” anything to me. 

 

Got problems? Get help. “Commoners” do it every day, your majesty of Pop.

 

Don’t know you got problems? Pick up a frickin’ paper and read it or maybe get the hint from the lawyers’ invoices. And, all these people coming out of the wood and from under rocks to say they were “close” to him and how great he was? Maybe they should have READ him the paper in between enabling the life out of him and feeling like a star themselves. The promoter of the “come back” shows in London hires a doctor to watch Michael for his investment! But no one in the mournful family thought to get him in rehab? Okay, Tito’s not much help but c’mon Janet, you have your own cash – you couldn’t just do it ‘cause it was your brother and he was a mess?

 

It’s sad. It’s a waste. And, this isn’t over – it’s going to make the Anna Nicole thing look like jay walking once more legal vultures leave the nest.  But you won’t catch me moon walking anywhere in his honor.

 

And, despite the “challenging times,” would you find an invoice from me in his $400 million-thick “to be paid” file.

 

In summary, I believe Bubbles was quoted on Larry King this weekend and said it best: “Lie with the Llamas and you get the fleas.”

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2009 at 8:41 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.