Because the old school gay is fast becoming the new modern man, AKA William theater contributor Ben Rimalower will, every Thursday, document exactly how, when, and where everything old becomes new again.
Straddling the line between old school showbiz cheesiness and contemporary short attention span whateverness, Ben is the New Old Gay. He loves Patti LuPone.
Was Michael Jackson gay? Well, he never sucked my cock, darling . . . but even if I’d had a personal sexual experience with him, the answer, as always, depends on the definition of gay.
Perhaps a better question is whether Michael Jackson might be “queer.” One needn’t look too hard at any picture of Michael Jackson (particularly since the early 90s when he added the heavily made-up female face to an already uber-flamboyant appearance) to acknowledge him as at least “Gender Fuck.”
I don’t wish to address the questions of Michael Jackson’s alleged pedophilia or the sexual molestation charges made against him. I am interested in Michael Jackson as a “queer” artist and in what his work means to me as a New Old Gay.
As a very young child, I identified Michael Jackson as a kindred spirit. At the top of the “Beat It” video, Michael wears a girly t-shirt and pajama bottoms, looking like a teenage girl crying in her room over a broken heart. Pouting as he sings about the dangers of an impending brawl, even his courageous venture out onto the streets begins with drama queen mugging. He preens up off the bed, shoulders back, jazz hands out, and then, with limp wrists, minces into the first chorus.
But what a chorus – his voice soars over Eddie Van Halen’s legendary guitar part as he changes into a red fetching leather jacket and struts his formidable stuff through the dangerous gang fight. The thugs are instantly transfixed and transformed. Everyone falls in line dancing behind Michael and then, he is the definition of fierce. Singing and dancing with a virtuosic soulfulness, Michael doesn’t have to look over his shoulder to know that he has triumphed and they are all following him. So is the rest of the world.
Amazing that most of this never occurred to me. Would have loved to hear how “Remember the Time” fits into this theory. He was “with” a girl, but he was also a wizard or, perhaps, a faerie of some kind. I loved that video and despite the awkward kiss with Iman (again, the moment where we all winced at how improbably the coupling played on screen) I thought his BADness was kept intact. But wow… He was totally a queer icon. I always think of Prince as my queer icon, but Michael was really the first. Great piece, Ben. And I like the article too. Ha!
I just wish people would leave MJ alone. Let the the man RIP please. His children is going threw enough they don’t need anyone putting down there father.
New Old Gay,
As a huge Michael Jackson fan, I really enjoyed this essay. I certainly noted all the aspects of his videos that you mentioned, but somehow I never quite saw it that way (accidental queer icon). Your description of the “Bad” video was particularly beautiful.
Thank you so much! Keep up the good work.
– Tim Obialo