THE CONSPIRACY TO VANISH INTO THIN AIR

O.K., let’s file this one under …

THE CONSPIRACY TO VANISH INTO THIN AIR.

Today, Jeff really surprised me.  He actually criticized a conspiracy theory. 

I take these tiny little victories whenever I can.  The pursuit of the truth can often be a very lonely journey, especially when one spends most of his time front of a computer screen, or looking through a camera. 

I’m sure many of you are booting up that violin computer program right about now…

Anyway, Jeff was reading one of those conspiracy websites that keeps him informed of all of the daily doings of the evil-doers who are constantly conspiring to take over the world.

It seems in the middle of the news feed about mind control, secret societies, and other such fodder for this blog, Jeff came upon a what I now have learned is a persistent conspiracy theory about the late singer, Michael Jackson.

Supposedly, Michael Jackson faked his own death. 

The theories of why Jackson did so did so include his desire to avoid bankruptcy, or to avoid another round of accusations of pedophilia, or to get out from under the thumb of a domineering father.

This is how the conversation went down:

Jeff: Oh c’mon.  This is the sort of thing that gives conspiracy theorists a bad name.

Me:  O.K. I’ll take the bait.  What sort of thing?

Jeff:  That Michael Jackson is not really dead.

Me:  Neither was Paul McCartney.

I’ll leave it to your imagination, whether or not Jeff laughed at my response.

But of course you can reference the prior bog called THE CONSPIRACY OF THE DEAD MOP TOP.

But… Michael Jackson… He might have been just crazy enough to do something crazy.  That’s what crazy people do.

Michael Jackson was married for a short time to Elvis Presley’s daughter.  So, perhaps, the former lead singer of the Jackson 5 - the true boy wouldn’t grow up - might have learned the ins and outs of faking one’s own death from his father-in-law who, as we all know did the same thing, a generation ago.

Why is it that some celebrities might try, and perhaps even succeed at faking their own deaths?  

Why is it such a popular conspiracy theory?

Take James Dean for instance…

The actor had a brief, but stellar, career in the 1950s.  He lived a movie-star life and had a tremendous love of racing cars.  His custom Porsche 550 Spyder would ultimately lead to his demise.  Or, if you believe the conspiracy theory, his way out of the limelight.

On September 30, 1955, he was driving the car on Route 466 in California, and was hit head on.  Dean was pronounced DOA at the hospital.

Some of those who later examined the wreckage of his car said that the damage to the vehicle was supposedly too light to result in a victim who would be killed instantly. 

Scene of the accident-

The theory is, that just like the driver of the other car, Dean walked away from the accident. 

Logic just doesn’t support the idea that James Dean would use such a method to fake his own death.  A car accident seems such a messy and uncertain way to stage such an event.  Plus the other driver had no connection to the actor, and would be risking his own life to pull off the “ruse.”   Also, there were just so many people involved in the aftermath for the dead James Dean to make a clean getaway. 

Years later, singer Elvis Presley supposedly found a more private place to fake his own death: his own bathroom.

The superstar was found dead in his Graceland mansion, on August 16, 1977. 

Graceland-

Two separate autopsies into the cause of death (one in the aftermath of the incident, and a second one performed in 1994) concluded that drugs did not play a part, and that Presley was killed by a sudden heart attack. 

However, given Presley’s widely documented prescription drug abuse, most experts believe that he really overdosed on a cocktail of drugs.

Because the cause of death is so subject to question, it has opened the door for myth making.  By far the most persistent theory is that Elvis Presley chose to stage his death in a bid to boost flagging record sales.  

For me, this also falls into the category of “Oh, C’mon.”

Yet, Elvis Presley and his music are still a multi-million dollar business.  So, if that was his intention in faking his death, it certainly worked.

Again, let’s apply simple logic… The second autopsy was performed in 1994 and the body was still recoverable.  So, unless an entirely new set of people were let in on the conspiracy, dead is dead. 

Singer Jim Morrison of the group The Doors had actually really tried to fake his own death once to create some career buzz, so it’s not entirely out of the question that he would try do so again.

So when he was found dead in his bathtub in his apartment in Paris, on July 3, 1971 at the age of 27 the seeds were planted early. 

Fueling speculation of history repeating itself was the fact that there was no autopsy, and his death was not immediately revealed to the public.

The Paris apartment building-

Unlike the prior incident, the theory this time is that he faked his death to avoid the trappings of fame, which was the very reason he had moved to Paris. 

Three years later, his girlfriend Pamela died of a heroin overdose.  Seems like a hell of a legacy for someone to leave, just to avoid living in the spotlight.

Several more celebrities have been said to have staged their own demise for various reasons:  Walt Disney and Tupac Shakur are among the best known. 

Disney’s “death” even plays into the upcoming investigation on the video blog.

If you want to simply leave your old life behind, I guess anything is possible.  Perhaps there is an entire dead celebrity colony on the island of Atlantis. 

The fact that this particular type of conspiracy theory is so enduring is somewhat of a mystery to rival the acts themselves. 

For the performer, fame can be very isolating.  It leads to drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, thoughts of suicide…

I guess the opportunity to start fresh could come in a more lucid moment.  Maybe some even act on it.  Money can buy a lot of things.

As far as the fans, maybe they simply cannot let go.  They faked death theory allows them to think that their idol is still out there somewhere.

Michael Jackson left three kids behind, and his daughter’s tears looked very real at the memorial service.  I weep for him, if he spent his money fabricating his death and caused that much pain to those so young.

Over the years Michael Jackson fabricated his appearance so much, maybe it was always part of his plan to step into a new identity.

Long Before Plastic Surgery-

Sometimes I am sure we would all like to start fresh…

And on that thought, I too must vanish into thin air.  Except you know I’ll be back, just like they say about Elvis…

As always, emails comments, and even floral arrangements are welcome.