IMDB Michael's biography update is possible

[DenisRS]

(Since IMDB is one of the world's most important sources of information for people, I would like to ask moderators, if possible, let this thread stay in this forum for at least some time so more visitors could have chance to look at the matter. Also, this thread may be somewhat helpful for novice fans so they could have more ways to be not that necessary attached to mass-media cliché on Michael. Thanks in advance.)

In the 90s the down side as an 80s pop phenomenon began to show. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes were obviously image oriented. Despite it all, Michael Jackson's skills as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled life.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001391/bio

Of course, there are a lot of errors in "Trivia" section, too, but the short biography is by far the most important subject to be as accurate as possible.

To make information update request, please go here (choose update of "Biography"):
http://www.imdb.com/updates?o.1.object=nm0001391

I would offer the following arguments for correction:

1) "(in 1990s) Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his celebrity." -- according to direct witnesses, Jackson was child-like and introverted since childhood, he did not became one in 1990s as "down side". He was fan of Disney, wore Disney T-shirts and wanted to have his own Neverland theme park since 1960s.

2) "A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with" -- being "timorous" and "androgynous" has nothing do with each other, and Jackson was never "androgynous" to begin with. Liking military clothes, having mandly body proportions and way of movements, being unshaven often, not having painted nails, earrings, tcetera directly contradict to descriptions like "androgynous" or "feminine". However, all those features are consistent with Jackson wanting to be childlike, even though in "painted cartoon character" version, which comes partly from him having vitiligo, skin pigmentation disease.

3) claim like "his behaviour grew alarmingly bizarre" is not event of Michael's life, hence it does not belong to biography at all. It is just negative estimation slant, with no fact referenced, so it has to be removed.

4) "Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged". Jackson's relationships with Presley lasted for about five years, both before and after the marriage and, according to numerous witnesses, they did not see any sign of whatever "forging" of the marriage. Even after divorce and later final bitter break-up Presley admitted that the marriage was fulfilled, complete sense matter. There is also no information that the marriage with Rowe, Jackson's second wife, was "forged", even though the subject there was primary giving birth of children of Rowe and singer (giving birth to children is the most opposite sign of "forged" marriage).

5) "the purposes were obviously image oriented" is not event of Michael's life, hence it does not belong to biography at all. It is just negative estimation slant, with no fact referenced, so it has to be removed.

6) "talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled life." -- there is no information on whatever negative aspects in Jackson's life for years already, let alone "extremely", and there is information ib serious trouble in his life either. Whatever liquidity insufficiency singer probably facing currently does not offect the quality of his life, nor has perspective even potentially threaten it since worth of his assets like his own music catalogue and half-owned Sony-ATV Music Publishing is much beyond of speculated loans' value he has.

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Of course, we saw much uglier biographies, but with IMDB we have at least theoretical possibility to improve things, to make it free from the tabloid nonsense.

 

[DenisRS]

I submitted the following version of the last paragraph (original quoted above):

In 1990s, Michael became even more target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Jackson had two marriages -- one to 'Elvis Presley' (qv)'s daughter 'Lisa Marie Presley' (qv), and the second with his dermatologist's nurse, with whom he had two children. Despite the passed troubles, Michael Jackson's skills as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the problems of the past.

It is not perfect and I would re-write it in more impartial way with all those excelling epithets, but I chose "correct" only factual errors and insulting NPOV (negative point of view) that has nothing to do with events of Michael's life, hence, with the biography.

Of course, the update, if any, will only appear in "2-4 weeks" and chances, as always, are slim. But still there is room to try.

Maybe someone will have talent to offer his/her own short, very short biography for Michael? If so, then please submit it to IMDB.

 

[Roger Spy]

I'm sorry to say this but you haven't got a clue of what ANDROGYNY is. I suggest you look it up.

 

[DenisRS]

Characteristics I listed above directly contradict to androgyny's definition: "possession of both male and female characteristics" (vocabulary's short definition); other characteristics that some may like to describe as "feminine" are meant to be childlike or result of vitiligo.

And, by the way, this thread was not for discussing androgyny. So I only outlined direct contradictions to definition of the term to show how much exactly media's cliché are misguided and (or) ignorant.

Media like to imply everything from whatever just to make their sinister speculations more believable to novice readers. It is just the same story as media in "documentaries" saying that Jackson likes to hang out "only with blond boys" (which is many layers outright false, too), or whatever else.

(Edit: I am not here to say that being androgynous is "bad" or anything; I only correct media cliché related to Michael since it is factually contradicting to the term and since media likes to misuse it in sinister way.)

 

[Roger Spy]

Michael Jackson is probably the most androgynous figure on the planet. He fits into no gender or genre known to man. Androgyny has nothing to do with male looking feminine or feminine looking male. It's a condition.

 

[DenisRS]

If so, You are talking about "medical" term, not commonly used meaning. And, by the way, there is no information that Michael is androgynous physiologically. That hypothesis is even wilder, rare tabloid speculation than the average, though -- of course, I have heard of that (as well as another quality speculations such as Michael sleeping with boa constrictor may bear sexual interest 8| )

Anyway, author above used the word in common sense, not medical. Hence I used standard common meaning vocabulary definition. By the way, there is no information that people You listed are androgynous "medically", either. And by characteristics those people do not match Michael's case, even though if they have psychological androgyny.

Lets better change the subject (or else we will break the rules with those wild speculations about Jackson's health): what is Your variant of short Michael's biography? IMDB likes up to six paragraphs, no more.

 

[Roger Spy]

You're the one who's using the term "medical", not me possum!*

RS

 

[Marni]

Unfortunately, just like Wiki, anybody can edit IMDB profiles too. I went through the WHOLE thing last year and submitted corrections - it took me forever, and my corrections lasted less than a week before other people edited them.

 

[DenisRS]

Editions go through editors' selection. Amazing thing is that edition that lasts for week needs "2-4 weeks" to appear since very beginning. That is why I presented corrections instead of new minibiography -- there is hope that editors will be conservative and prefer current biography to stay, but, allowing few changes.

Roger Spy: calling Jackson "the most androgynous person" and saying that it is "condition" is reference to medical meaning, or there is no consistency in Your posts. I hope You did not want to "troll" the thread and this inconsistency is just matter of temporary loss of focus. When I am tired it happens to me too so this is not critique.