For his 30th anniversary concert, and his first New York show in 11 years, held at Madison
Square Garden on Friday night, the self-declared King of Pop smashed every show business rule:
in pricing, professionalism, pacing, humility, taste — you name it!

Instead of delivering the tight, well-paced performance an average star might, this mega-deity went a
ground-breaking route by allowing his show to amble on with endless unexplained pauses,
ballooning the entire night to a fascinatingly shapeless event of almost five hours.

Rather than sufficiently rehearsing his many, many guest stars, as a more common host would, Jackson
took the rare approach of apparently letting them wing it. As a result, some had the fascinating look of people
who had no idea when to enter or leave the stage — or where they were supposed to fix themselves on it.

Of course, Jackson also boldly broke conventions with the mere cost of attending the show. These weren't
the usual boring pop star ticket prices. At up to $2,500 a head, his prices had the thrill of kidnap ransoms.

And the gouging didn't stop there! Jackson also brought on Marlon Brando, who thoughtfully lectured the crowd
on its greed and selfishness in the face of the world's blind and legless children. Now that's entertainment!

I hereby crown myself ...

Jackson also had the challenging idea to devote two full hours to having himself  lionized by scores of other stars
while he sat on a kingly throne gazing down at them. No other pop star in history has come up with the brilliant
idea of throwing his own tribute concert. One wonders what the great one might decide to award himself next.
A Nobel Prize, perhaps?

Certainly, the voice-overs that boomed throughout the entire evening — and that will be repeated at another
Garden performance tomorrow night — indicated that nothing less will do. Throughout the night, Jackson
featured announcements that piled on the accolades, some even breaking the tedious bounds of sense —
such as "his passion defies the very laws of physics."

Jackson also had a unique way of performing with his brothers for their reunion segment. Instead of doing
the obvious by singing the hits on the beat, he decided to languish way behind it and, better yet, to squeak
the lyrics where he used to deliver them soulfully. Another first!

The night wasn't without more conventional pleasures. Marc Anthony sang a thrillingly operatic
"She's Out of My Life." And Jackson's solo segment saw him far more engaged, even if in
"Billie Jean" his dance moves seemed stuck in 1983.

Then again, Jackson can't be expected to be a typical with-it superstar.

He's clearly in a class — nay, a world — all his own.
 
 
 

...just like Tiger Woods.