Oprah Interview with Katherine Jackson Reconfirms Mystery of MJ

by Selam Aster

Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the Jackson Family, gave an exclusive and rare interview to Oprah, in which she discussed losing her son and adopting his three children. Although Mrs. Jackson resolved a few matters like admitting that her husband Joe did indeed whip the children because “that’s the way black people raise their children,” there were still a few things that made you wonder if Katherine was lying or if she was just clueless.

Many people simply assume that Michael Jackson bleached his skin despite his claims of vitiligo, the disease which results in loss of pigmentation. His mother reaffirmed that he did indeed have the disease. What makes that claim so hard to believe is the fact that Michael did hate his looks, including his wide nose which he reconstructed to disastrous results via plastic surgery, and that he chose to adopt three white children, who obviously looked nothing like the organic Michael Jackson.

What would be a more interesting study of the music legend would include how his self-hate related to his talents. I believe that MJ could be a metaphor for the black plight. His god-given talents were essentially the source of his suffering. His gift was exploited by his father, for the grander sake of escaping the misery of poverty, and to an extent, by the public. If anything, the life of MJ is a study in the cost of fame and how the souls of black folk, if you will, is a gift but can represent a curse in a world where blacks represent the oppressed.

To see the full interview between Oprah and the Jackson family, click here.