African american Quote by Chris Hedges
““Chris Hedges said that Michael Jackson's memorial service was a variety show with a coffin, that MJ transformed himself through surgery and perhaps female hormones from a brown-skinned African American male to a chalk-faced androgynous ghoul with no clear sexual identity.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Chris Hedges on Michael Jackson memorial, 2009
Commentary on how media spectacle can obscure personal identity and transformation
In simple terms: Media can mask true identity
Key Takeaway
Critically assess spectacle vs reality
Themes
identity
media
celebrity
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
observational
critical
When to use this quote
- celebrity death coverage
- media analysis
- identity politics
Key Concepts
gender
performance
public perception
Questions to Reflect On
- How does spectacle affect our perception of individuals?
- What responsibilities do media have in portraying identity?
A Different Perspective
The description may exaggerate and sensationalize personal aspects
![“Michael [Jackson] reconstructed his face and deconstructed the African features into a spooky European geography of fleshly possibilities, and yet what we couldn't deny, that even as his face got whiter and whiter his music got Blacker and Blacker. His soul got more deeply rooted in the…” quote by Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/03f/michael-eric-dyson-1424_agony_michael-jackson-reconstructed-his-face-a_2394872.jpg)
![“Honey, you [Michael Jackson] gotta pick a race first. All of a sudden you're a black man, then you're Diana Ross, now you're Audrey Hepburn. Then he's got the little beard going on. He's like Lord of the Rings, the entire cast. Michael's about to jump species.” quote by Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e96/robin-williams-682_audrey_honey-you-michael-jackson-gotta-pick-a-r_1971930.jpg)
![“I wrote this [Most Kings] before MJ died, and his death only proves my point: When he was alive, the King of Pop, people were tireless in taking him down, accepting as truth every accusation people made against him, assuming the worst until they drove him away. When he died, suddenly he was…” quote by Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/06b/jay-z-713_accepting_i-wrote-this-most-kings-before-mj-died-a_773935.jpg)
