Three More Angels in Heaven

They always say everything happens in three's.

Last week was sad in the world of "icons" when we lost some very special people. First Ed McMahon, then Farrah and finally Michael. Whether you were a fan of theirs or not, it cannot be disputed that each were (and will continue to be) icons in their own right.

I will admit, I was not a "big" Ed McMahon fan; and I didn't know a lot about him, other than what was shown on tv (being Johnny's side-kick, hosting Star Search, co-hosting the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon and the commercials he and Dick Clark did for Publisher's Clearing House). That being said, I still realize and appreciate what he did for the entertainment business. Since his death, I've learned more about him and unfortunately, I think the most important thing he did with his life, will be overlooked; and that is all the military duties he performed prior to being in the public eye. The world not only lost an asset to the entertainment industry, but most importantly, a decorated millitarian who fought for his country during WWII. We should all be grateful.

Farrah Fawcett. I always liked her. She was my second favorite 'Angel' and I even had that infamous poster when I was younger (years after it was originally released). Even though she will always be most remembered for "Charlie's Angels", I will always remember her from "The Burning Bed". Her performance in that film was so moving and intense for me, it left a permanent impact on my life. I didn't see her as just an actor. I saw her as someone who spoke for domestic violence. She brought it to life and made people stand up and pay attention. During the last 2 years of her life, Farrah became the "face" of cancer, in a sense. She showed people that even when facing fear and uncertainty, you can be strong. She may have essentially lost the fight against cancer, but she won against fear and I hope for that, she will always be remembered. You truly are an Angel now, Farrah.

One of the first "pin-ups" I ever had on my wall back in 1984, was Michael Jackson. Well, there were four people actually: Olivia Newton-John (no surprise there, right? lol), Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), Madonna and Michael. I'll always remember what each of them looked like and Michael's was the one of him in the pastel yellow shirt with a white vest. That was the Michael I was a fan of; from the 70's and 80's, before all the plastic surgery and well, weirdness took over. Since his very unexpected death on Thursday, I have found myself SO utterly disappointed in people. No one truly knows what happened in his private life, except those involved and none of us lived his life. Therefore, no one has a right to be so expressive in saying such tasteless and tacky things about him. Do not judge. Regardless if you are a fan of his or not, you can not ignore the tremendous impact he had on the musical community. Without him, so many of the performers we know and love today, would probably not even be here, had he not inspired them. May Michael be remembered for his immense talent and the profound impact he made on music; not the controversy that surrounded his life.

On a side note: The first cassette's I ever bought with my own money were Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" and The Jacksons' "Victory", back in 1984. (FYI - My favorite song on the "Victory" album was and still is, "State of Shock" - which is a duet by MJ and Mick Jagger. The only part I didn't like, was Mick's corney suduction by saying "Look at me" at the end lol ) My parents and I went to K-Mart. They had to push me in a wheelchair, because I just had hip surgery that summer and was still healing. All the "Best Selling" cassette's were in a glass case. I remember being very excited to finally some music I bought myself lol. :)

Thank you Ed, Farrah and Michael for touching our lives the only way each of you knew how. You will all be greatly missed.