Was Paris Jackson Exploited?
I was probably one of the few people who had no interest in watching the “Made For TV” movie called The Michael Jackson Memorial. I really had more important things to do in my life. I also don’t get the people who trek thousands of miles to stand by his star or outside of his house. But hey, it is their right to do so.
I need to clarify that I was, and am a huge fan of Michael Jackson’s music and as an entertainer. I grew up with his music. In my mind their was nobody better as a performer, probably the best of all time. I was as shocked as most of his passing.
All over the TV news as well as the main stories on the internet is the story and video of Paris, Michael’s 11 year old daugheter. So being curious, as all these outlets where hoping, I clicked on the story and video. I watched an 11 year old girl, in deep agony over the loss of her father. It was sad and touching.
But I couldn’t help but feel this poor young girl was being exploited. This girls private life is now over. Her every move will now be documented and her already unusual life, will now be forever changed. Couldn’t she have expressed her grief in private? Did the Jackson’s need to use her to show another side of Michael they felt the public needed to see?
As a father, it made me feel a bit uncomfortable and it just disturbed me. Maybe I am in the minority and I am just missing the point. But putting an 11 year old child, in front of millions of people, grieving and crying uncontrollably about the loss of her father, does not seem to be in the best interest of the child.
Wondering how other parents feel. Would you try and keep your child out of the public eye and the media? Do the rules change if your family is famous and already in the public spotlight?
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I hope she was not exploited, but we will probably never know. She may be a strong-willed girl who, on her own, wanted to say good-bye to hear dear father. She may have sensed that she needed this for closure. Her brothers did not speak.
But we don’t really know what happened by the camera – whether she was pushed to speak, or whether she really wanted to and the family did not want to refuse her needs.
Also there is nothing wrong with a life not being “normal.” What is normal to you or me is completely abnormal to someone else. My friends think that jaunts to do mission work in Africa are unusual because the children’s can’t go to “regular” school = and yet how boring life would be if we all did the same thing.
Many pictures were released in the past week of the kids – we all knew what they looked like whether or not Paris spoke. I just hope that the public can let the kids rest and enjoy their lives – which means the rest of us need to stop looking at headlines that, frankly, have nothing to do with our lives or the state of the world.
I think the missing piece for you is that you watched a minute segment of the memorial. Kind of like coming into the middle of a conversation and trying to understand the context of what people are saying. If you watched the entire ceremony, you might have a different view of Paris speaking. Do you know why Paris was on stage? This was a very public funeral. She and her siblings were sitting in the front row the entire ceremony. I didn’t view it as exploitation. Within a public setting, this ceremony was still a family affair. I’m pretty certain Paris was not forced to say something. Before she said something, one of the Jackson brothers said Janet wants to say something. Janet said no, Paris wanted to say something. Should she have been denied the right to say something? I think that would have been more damaging. She’s 11 years old. She has lived a different life than the typical 11 year old. She is quite aware of the legacy of her father and all of the positive and negative things that are said about him. This is a very public family. The Jackson siblings have been in the spotlight since they were kids.
I view it as a little girl who wanted to let the world know that she loved her dad, and that “there was nothing strange about him.” Being heard is cathartic. I’m glad they let her speak. She wasn’t alone. She was being supported by the strength, touches and love of the Jackson clan. A beautiful moment that should be taken on face value.
Point well taken Clarence. I guess as a dad I just would have liked to have seen the family protect these kids like a momma bear protects her cubs, shielding and fighting them from harm at all costs. You are right, this was a very public and media frenzy event. The cameras could not be stopped for a child. She needed to speak about her dad and I am ok with that. They did have a family and private event which I think would have been the place, but celebrities do things different. I feel deeply for her losing her father.
Thanks for stopping by and posting your thoughts. It is appreciated and respected.
I watched her speak and it unnerved me too. As a parent it just didn’t feel right or appropriate. I hope that the Jackson family are looking out for the best interests of these children in the middle of this 3-ring circus.
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I didn’t think it was in her best interest. I know we all define “normal” in our own way BUT your average child goes to school every day. Plays and interacts with other children and does not lead the nomadic, sheltered life these children have lived.
This child is used to no exposure at all and now she has been put out there and you can bet she will be fodder for those who chase celebrities. I agree with Barry, her life will forever be changed and not for the better. And, I’m sure if Michael had, had a say in whether she speak before millions it would not have happened.
I don’t think it is a case of exploitation though. I watched and saw her whisper something to her aunt. The aunt responded by asking her, “are you sure?” The child was allowed to do as she ask but I think she was allowed to do it by people who are grieving. And due to grief were did not think of the repurcussions and what that one moment will mean for this child for the rest of her life.
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I still don’t understand how her speaking makes any difference in terms of the way the media will treat her for the rest of her life. Would not speaking make her less likely to be followed by journalists? If they had not been in public, don’t you think people would have figured out who these kids were if they were registered for school and brought by Katherine Jackson, or an aunt or nanny? Should their guardian have them wear masks and be homeschooled? because that does not seem “normal” either.
I still think it is okay not to be “normal.” We can’t decide what is best for these children – we just have to hope that their guardians put their best interests first. We can’t change the fact that their parent was a great entertainer and they will always be known as his children.
In the end, I don’t think speaking will make a difference except perhaps to give her some solace and closure. The images of all three children are forever engraved in people’s minds – even the brothers who did not say a word. (In fact, even had they not gone to the funeral we all would have recognized them since the news networks have been posting pictures for days of these kids).
She was not asked by the Jackson family to speak, she asked to say something about her father that she loved dearly and whose love she felt equally. If you watched the memorial in its entirety and not sound bites, you would know that Janet was meant to speak and Paris asked to say something. Also, this would have probably happened at a regular funeral with her wanting to honor her father, it just so happens that her Dad was MJ, and the world was listening.
What amazes me, is that we as the general public with no intimate knowledge of this man and his family are so quick to judge and ridicule without knowing 1/10 of the facts! This was an emotional moving experience for a girl loosing her daddy, stop trying to turn it into something seedy!
It was obvious the child wanted, needed to speak.If you watched her throughout the service, whenever the cameras were on her, she was actively interested and involved in the event. At times you would see her clapping, standing, sometimes laying her head on her grandmother Katherine’s shoulder, at times comforting Blanket.Paris showed a maturity that surprised me, considering how sheltered a life she had led. Obviously, Michael was doing a lot more right than what people gave him credit for.
Paris never reluctantly took the microphone nor shied away from it. It was apparent to anyone not looking for a sinister motive that she felt deep within her to a place that only she knows that she needed to publicly express her love for her daddy. Her voice was strong, even through the tears. Surely she is aware of all the things that have been said about her father and she wanted to let everyone know that he was a good daddy and she loved him.
Watch out for when Paris becomes older. I think whe will become an outspoken, formidable force in restoring her daddy’s image. It was appropriate for her to speak at her daddy’s memorial service. To deny her that would have haunted and tortured her.The love that surrounded Paris and Blanket and Prince Michael on that stage was palpable. That family was hurting,and they surrounded those children with love, and for people to think that during their hurt that they would have decided to exploit Paris is just unbelievable.
Paris was wonderful. And her daddy would have been so proud.
One more thing, Paris walked up to the mic, I didn’t see anyone push her to the front. It was her decision to speak. I watched the whole Memorial.