Kind of a Drag

The New York Times had an interesting piece about Michael Jackson over the weekend, called “After Jackson, Fame May Never Be the Same.” It said that popular culture has fragmented to the point where no single entertainer is likely to repeat the massive crossover popularity that MJ enjoyed in his heyday. (That torch seems to have passed to Tiger Woods and Barack Obama.)

I saw the Times’ thesis first hand Thursday night, only moments after hearing of his death from a friend. We had gathered in a local organic food store which has taken to hosting local musicians. On this night my friend Mark’s band Cow Magnet was playing their highly accomplished takes on classic singer-songwriter tunes and acoustic Zeppelin tracks like “Hey Hey What Can I Do.”

The crowd was hungry for a tribute to the Gloved One however, so Mark launched his band into a very off-the-cuff version of “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough,” yelling out the changes like the guy in Stevie Wonder’s “Fingertips.” It translated remarkably well to an acoustic arrangement.

While the well-heeled patrons bopped to the music and enjoyed locally grown, humanely-harvested free-range meats, veggies and cheeses, the passer-by seen above heard the song's seductive rhythms of the song from the train station across the street and poked his head in.

And by “his,” I use that term loosely, for this fellow fan of the King of Pop was a 6’5” drag queen in cocktail skirt, exposed midriff and Carrie Bradshaw heels.

The smiling transvestite stood in the doorway and dug the "Don't Stop" groove as Cow Magnet rode it end of the line, unaware of the latest addition to their audience. When the song ended, Mark turned his head and rather than being taken aback by the incongruity of a she-male in Martha Stewart country, held out his hand and said

“Hi, I’m Mark.”
“I’m Tony.”

They shook hands and Tony (or is it Toni?) went on his way. Where he was headed is anyone's guess.

But it just goes to show, if you’re thinking about celebrating Jacko, it don’t matter if you’re black or white. Hee hee.