He was a really unique person...I cannot say he was the kind of person I would hold up as a role model or anything...but he was a true talent, a consummate performer, and a true entertainer. He made a major contribution to American/Modern culture - both musically and visually. I miss him already.
Yeah, funny how this impacted me more than the other recent celebrity deaths (McMahon, Fawcett, Carradine). My Twitter feed went bananas around 6:15 p.m. EST and I actually felt kind of attacked by the barrage of tweets. Such a stark difference from the last time a celebrity death hit me between the eyes: John Lennon in 1980. I was sitting in a college campus parking lot in my 1970 Fury listening to AM radio when I got that news. I was a bit too young to know what was going on for JFK's death...the one most people ask the "Where were you when..." question about.
Michael Jackson is my age...he's been a part of my musical experience for my entire life. I've always watched his greatness and his vulnerability compete for front and center...and I've prayed for him for years. I sincerely hope he finds the REAL "Neverland" now.