The deaths on the same day of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson made the TV networks scramble. NBC decided to combine the two and broadcast what it called a Dateline Special: Two Legends. This was expedient but misguided. With all due respect to Fawcett, her contribution to pop culture could not approach Jackson’s innovations and artistry. On the other hand, Fawcett’s life story seemed saintly when juxtaposed with the scandals Jackson attracted in the latter part of his life. The result was a jarring dissonance of tone in TV news coverage.
ABC, which had earlier scheduled Barbara Walters’ Fawcett special for 10 p.m. ET, used the hour preceding it to run a Jackson special. It was anchored by Martin Bashir, the British TV reporter who became a Nightline anchor partly on the back of his 2003 interview special Living With Michael Jackson, a display that found Bashir grinning at Jackson’s eccentricities but then editing them into one of the most damning portraits of a materialistic man; in a clip shown on ABC this evening, Bashir followed Jackson on a shopping spree, announcing that Jackson had just spent half-a-million dollars for two lamps. During that interview, Jackson admitted on-camera to offering his bed to a child whose face was pixilated onscreen.
Walters asked Bashir on Thursday night, “Will he be remembered for his great talent, or his scandals?” And Bashir had the gall to say piously, “His great talent.”
Walters’ Fawcett hour was, by contrast, a tidier but still moving piece of work. There was a nicely edited series of interviews Walters conducted with Fawcett over the decades, and it was striking how articulate and self-possessed she was right from the start, while still just a pop-culture sex symbol. (Those young women who’ve graduated from The Hills could learn a lot by looking at Fawcett’s tapes.)
In interviews conducted last week, Walters spoke extensively to Ryan O’Neal, who, no matter how self-congratulatory he can sometimes seem, came across as a thoroughly dedicated man, displaying a brash jocularity even in the midst of his grief. ABC had been promoting all week a clip in which O’Neal said he wanted to marry Fawcett “as soon as she can say yes.” What they didn’t show was his joke after that: “Maybe we can just nod her head.” It was the kind of endearing laughing-in-the-face-of-death humor that — by the accounts here from O’Neal, Fawcett’s friend Alana Stewart, and Fawcett’s doctor — Farrah herself appreciated.
Fawcett’s life has become a closed chapter. Jackson’s death, however, remains a series of open questions. As the days go by, TV coverage will focus more on him than her. We’ll see how televison-news balances the artistry versus the scandals.
More on Michael Jackson:
Michael Jackson: 18 key moments in the life of the King of Pop
Michael Jackson: Colleagues and friends pay tribute
Jackson on TV: A classic artist, a revolutionary
Michael Jackson: Share your memories
More coverage on CNN.com
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Wow, what a day.
I can’t fault the networks for what they tried to do today. It’s the same on CNN, for instance. Larry King was going to do a show on Farrah, and it turned into a combination of the two. This was a no-win situation for the networks to honor them both, and they’ve done the best they could do given the time frame and all.
Sad day.
The only one grappling seems to be the author of this story. To say the least, there was nothing newsworthy in this story, just a rehash of what has been. To compare Farrah and Michael is to compare, like in economics, apples and oranges. There is very little comparison. They were both entertainers but under much different circumstances. Respect them both for who they were…I don’t see any reason to make it a contest who received more air time because they died.
I can’t believe Martin Bashir hosted a special on MJ! Rude. I was living in the UK when that documentary came out and it was ugly! I was also appalled tonight by the Barbara Walters interview of MJ back in the day. Did she ever come off as grade A b****!!
The passing of Ed MacMahon, Carradine, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson remind me of the time when Gianni Versace, Princess Di and Mother Teresa died month after another. All with different impact but all tragic nonetheless.
While it is understandable that Michael overshadowed Farrah’s death, Farrah had the longest time to say goodbye to all of us, having several tributes prior to her death, lucky to be with her love ones on her deathbed. Michael, like the lonely figure that he was, died alone, just a week before his comeback tour.
I think part of the issue here (with ABSOLUTELY no disrespect intended) we’ve had almost a year of ‘previews’ into Farrah’s death. Every network and entertainment show ran sentimental retrospectives on her career and her struggles with cancer. Her passing was tragic but inevitable.
Michael Jackson’s death was inconvenient to the networks ready to run soft-focus puff pieces on Farrah’s life. Now they have to shunt aside those pre-recorded obituaries in favor of hastily assembled coverage of Jackson that is fair, but much more complicated.
i am still in shock about Michael its just so weird!!! Ok Farrah did have these docos showing her fight it was sad and yeah she did get to say goodbye but Michael just ………………….. i cant say how i feel its just so sad, i want to cry but i cant its such a shock that he s gone! RIP Michael and Farrah!!!!
Deathh always come in 3!!!!
The tone of this story was as confused as the afore mentioned TV specials.
Michael Jackson’s death will overshadowed Farrah Fawcett, because he is a legend not her (though i like her). This actress was a cult tv actress but Jackson is well known all over the World : Africa, China, South America, Europe and of course America , Farrah is not famous everywhere. The lady can’t compare one second with the megastar that is Michael Jackson. He will be remembered in 100 years, not her.
The guy was a genius in music area, whatever his scandals. Michael Jackson is dead, i can’t believe it !!
Farrah Fawcett’s famous poster is legendary in its own right, and I have never heard a Jackson song that wasn’t catchy and didn’t make me smile. RIP to both these legends.
Believe it or not, it actually reminds me of when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, July 4th, 1826, within hours of each other. (Not that I was there). Maybe it seems laughable, but think about it. Two American icons, one whose contributions seemed to outshine the other’s. Perhaps it is comparable after 183 years. (Although I’m not sure that Jackson and Fawcett ever corresponded with the depth and sincerity that Jefferson and Adams did, if at all–did they ever even meet?) Still, was there ever another date in our country’s history when we lost two beloved, iconic Americans within hours of one another? Perhaps, but I can’t think of one. If anyone can correct me on this, please do.
I bet Farrah’s family will get alot more privacy when it comes to funerals and grieving now that MJ has passed.
Somewhere in South Carolina, Mark Sanford is breathing a sigh of relief that the media is off his ass for now.
Eric, please… you’re comparing the deaths of two founders of this country to the deaths of two entertainers? That’s wrong on so many levels.
The media coverage of Jackson and Fawcett deaths is over the top. There are 2 related posts at http://iamsoannoyed.com
ericnyc. Seriously. I can’t tell if that post was supposed to be funny or not. I got plenty of laughs reading it out loud, but then I thought..”oh man, this guy might be serious”
first of all: may they R,I.P. both. Michael did make some nice popsongs but not very spectucular to me. Not too mention his odd behavior for example with his own child. Farrah I’ve admired all over the years and if people in the US look abroad then they will see that Farrah was worldwide well known and had the same populairty as in the us in the ‘ 70’s and ’80’s. As you all know (I hope): the world is bigger then the USA !
This reminds me of when John Ritter died one day and then Johnny Cash the next. Ritter was completely overshadowed (which was a shame), and the same has occurred for Fawcett. Perhaps the only saving grace is that Fawcett’s death wasn’t sudden, unlike Ritter’s.
terrible… they need to find out whose been killing all these celebrities and stop them before they strike again!!!
Ryan O’Neal leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I feel for his loss but my impression of him is that of a manipulative, self-interested addict. It makes me see Ms. Fawcett’s life as all the more tragic to have been entangled with him to the end.
Yes I feel sad for Farrah to pass away especially the way she did when she was such a sexy lady.
But you can’t compare her to the icon of Michael Jackson. Every knows him from my grandparents to my own 4 yr old. He was a troubled soul,but a talented and special person.
Both of them will be missed. Both of them deserve the respect for the life they led rather than compare who was bigger than who. For those who said Farrah had time to prepare yet Michael did not, let us also remember Farrah fought for her life, where Michael may have had a hand in his. This is meant as no disrespect to any of Michaels family or fans (of which I am one) this is just meant as an answer to those who have made comment on how Farrahs was inevitable and the comparison of who will be missed more etc. All death is tragic to those that loved them. Period.
All death is tragic for those who loved them. We should not be comparing who was more important or “bigger”. And as for the comment that Farrahs death was inevitable yet Michaels was a shock, IF (and only IF) Michaels death was a result of drug abuse, then his death too was inevitable. Farrah was fighting for her life, and Michael was not. This is not meant as a disrespect to Michael or his fans (I am one) but an answer to the posts that seem to have a need to compare the two, which is wrong.
So many discussions have gone on back and forth about these tragic losses. Michael Jackson indeed came as a shock to us all; Farrah Fawcett did not. That said, they both contributed so much to the 70’s/80’s cult. I being an 80’s child grew up with Michael – his music meant so much to me. I have a memory of Charlie’s Angels, but truly appreciated Farrah in later roles. It is my sincere hope and prayer that they passed peacefully; their pain is over, their families’ pain is just beginning. Let us remember Farrah was someone’s daughter, mother and wife; Michael was someone’s son, sibling and father. God bless them and their families.
I really think that everyone is missing the point here. Both were human beings that left loved ones with or without a long goodbye. And both deaths were inevitable because God was ready for them both to come home on the same day. So to say that one death was inevitable while the other one wasnt? Now on how many levels is that wrong.
This reminds me of the deaths of Jim Henson and John Ritter — totally unexpected.
RIP MJ and thanks for the music.
This is dedicated to the loved ones we have lost:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndIZuppIPkA&feature=related
Well for one they act as if they just want people to not even think of micheal at all! wowww he had problems and she did also her son was a drug head and a seller and they say micheal was a molester? well we werent there and we dont know. The media makes everyone looks bad. Its sad that the press makes them look bad then they get upset when one gets more attention than the other when they both are gone and trying to rest in peace!! its very sad!! I love you micheal may you rest in peace from these haters and mr farrah plz rest in peace, if the media could just leave you alone!!