Goodbye Farrah and Michael

I remember precisely where I was the moment the news came over the radio that Elvis had died. I recall what I was having for breakfast when I turned on the television and heard the news reports of the passing of Princess Diana. And, I suspect that years from now I’ll remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when the news was reported yesterday of the deaths of two culture icons, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson.

Like so many other young females of that time, I secretly wanted to be one of Charlie’s Angels and I tried my best, yet unsuccessfully, to accomplish that Farrah-feathered hair. Along with the rest of the world, I sang along with Michael Jackson’s hits as they played through stereo speakers and tried, again unsuccessfully, to try to moon walk. In this generation, few have established the level of fame, recognition, and talent as Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. Yesterday, the world lost two culture icons who not only provided the public with entertainment but also with memories of the progression of our own lives.

For all of the incredible acting skill and memorable projects that Farrah Fawcett shared with the public, it may very well be the recent documentary of her battle with cancer that may be the most respected. Her determination and her attitude in the no-holds-barred feature was an example to all who suffer from cancer, and it contained a personal honesty that sets it apart from all of her other film and television roles.

I doubt that there is a human being on the planet who isn’t familiar with the music of Michael Jackson. In the eighties, Jackson’s music was heard often on the radio and he was a regular presence at award shows and in television commercials. His videos were ground breaking, his dance moves were unlike any we’d ever seen, and his clothing began fashion trends that swept the world.

As we age, our lives are punctuated with memories of family, friends, and the changes we experience throughout the years. But memories are also made that are related to entertainment—who we were dating when we saw a popular movie, what hit song was playing at the prom, what was on television when we received a phone call containing exciting or devastating news, or the way we look in old pictures when we were younger and a popular hairstyle or jacket was all the rage. Very few entertainers can achieve the status of culture icon, someone who influences culture in one way or another, but Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson did exactly that.

For the entertainment you provided and for the memories of our own lives you helped to create, thank you. You will not be forgotten.

May you rest in peace.