Okay

I didn't know if I was going to make a comment about this because it's EVERYWHERE and everything you ever needed to know or wanted to know has already been said.

But I realized something in writing an email to my cousin, where I explained that after an obssession with Elvis movies at around the age of three, I moved on to MJ at around six or seven. I REALLY thought I was going to marry him. "Darrick had this poster on his wall of Michael with ET...which doesn't make sense, but it was a popular image and he was really young and still black, maybe one nose job in, and I just died when I saw that picture. It gave me stirrings every time." I then went on to explain that after my Dad went to work my mom would turn on MTV while she cleaned the house -- against his approval, he didn't want us watching it.

Some of my earliest memories include Madonna in that pink "material girl" dress (what little girl wouldn't go apeshit over that?) And Michael Jackson. I can still see one of his videos and remember how old I was, where I was living, who my friends were etc. Something that I can't say for Madonna. Or really any other artist...

The landscape of my life would have been different had this person's talent not existed, or been shown. For one person to have an impact like that on so many millions of people is noteworthy and awe inspiring.

And I leave you with the photo that provided my young self with my first tinges of heterosexuality. Thanks Michael, for everything.