we were discussing this:

Is there anyone living who is *more* famous than Michael Jackson? I don't only mean in the sense of number of humans who know about a person, but also level of iconicity, degree of cultural absorption and sense of cultural ownership... these aren't technical terms, I'm just trying to put it into words. Do you guys think anyone comes close?

If you extend it to people who were alive in living memeory, there's Elvis for sure. Other candidates fall way behind, in my opinion. Especially for those who aren't old enough to remember Elvis's life (*raises hand*), he's far more of an icon than a person. He's almost like Santa Claus, in the sense of being a mythic character. That's the level I'm talking about.

I'm usually the curmudgeon who has no particular response to celebrity deaths. Of course I don't *want* them to die, but they're people I don't know -- lots of people I don't know die constantly. I actually think this is a bit different in that MJ was at least verging on mythic stature. Maybe as the living memories of his later-life scandals fade, it'll be even more so.


ETA: Not only is Jeff Goldblum alive, old celebrity death hoax is old! I had no idea.

I hope someday to appear in a news headline stating that I am still alive.

we were discussing this:

Is there anyone living who is *more* famous than Michael Jackson? I don't only mean in the sense of number of humans who know about a person, but also level of iconicity, degree of cultural absorption and sense of cultural ownership... these aren't technical terms, I'm just trying to put it into words. Do you guys think anyone comes close?

If you extend it to people who were alive in living memeory, there's Elvis for sure. Other candidates fall way behind, in my opinion. Especially for those who aren't old enough to remember Elvis's life (*raises hand*), he's far more of an icon than a person. He's almost like Santa Claus, in the sense of being a mythic character. That's the level I'm talking about.

I'm usually the curmudgeon who has no particular response to celebrity deaths. Of course I don't *want* them to die, but they're people I don't know -- lots of people I don't know die constantly. I actually think this is a bit different in that MJ was at least verging on mythic stature. Maybe as the living memories of his later-life scandals fade, it'll be even more so.


ETA: Not only is Jeff Goldblum alive, old celebrity death hoax is old! I had no idea.

I hope someday to appear in a news headline stating that I am still alive.