Really CNN?

Today I noticed that CNN has devoted 11 AM - 3 PM (Central) today to the Michael Jackson memorial service.

Four hours.  On a network supposedly devoted to news.  This is why the cable news networks drive me up a wall.

It got me thinking though - I can’t imagine any other current musician/pop star getting this kind of coverage if they died.

Paul McCartney?  I don’t see it.

Dylan?  Nope.

Bono?  Maybe more than any other, but not even in the same ballpark.

To me, this just confirms that people’s interest in Michael Jackson isn’t really in his music.  It has to do with his celebrity and his weirdness.  The circumstances behind his death contribute to this too.  I think the interest in his music is just something to try to legitimize the obsession over him.

Anyway, speaking of weird, I saw this Flickr set on Boingboing a few months ago.  I’m not sure what I got out of it, it’s more of a trainwreck thing.