A Story of Kings -- One Fallen, One Who Stayed on His Feet

NEW YORK

The surprising death last week of Michael Jackson supplied the final chapter in the most improbable and unprecedented celebrity tale of modern times. But the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" actually has a literary antecedent -- one who can be found in the Bible, of all places, dream-walking through the final chapters of the book of Genesis.

In many ways, both significant and superficial, Jackson resembles the biblical character of Joseph -- interpreter of dreams, viceroy of Egypt and favorite son of the Israelite patriarch Jacob.

Like Jackson, who achieved fame as the youngest and most talented member of the Jackson 5, Joseph was imbued with natural gifts that allowed him to tower over his older brothers. In both cases, the golden child's superiority was marked by the acquisition of a jacket.

Jackson took to wearing his trademark red coat after the release of "Thriller," the record-smashing 1982 solo album that propelled the performer into a stratosphere of superstardom beyond the reach of his siblings. Joseph's father gave him a multicolored tunic, underscoring his elevated status as Jacob's favorite son and chosen successor.

And both fought famine in Africa. Jackson used his superstar power to line up dozens of celebrities to record the hit song "We Are the World," a successful effort to raise millions of dollars to fight hunger. Joseph used his dream-reading power to warn Pharaoh of an impending famine, successfully fending off starvation in Egypt.

Despite their respective good works, both Jackson and Joseph were plagued by a rising insecurity over their personal appearance. For both men, physical change became a vehicle for assimilating into the wider culture.

Jackson and his brothers hit it big after signing with Motown, the country's dominant black record label during much of the 1960s and '70s. Much later, Jackson appeared in public with white skin, his African-American facial features transformed through repeated plastic surgeries into cartoon versions of Caucasian characteristics.

As for Joseph, he was the emerging leader of the nascent Israelite nation before being sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Upon becoming Pharaoh's right-hand man, Joseph assumed the trappings of an Egyptian -- to the point where his siblings could not recognize him after years of separation.

Even Jackson's nadir -- standing trial for allegations of abusing children -- reads like a plot line adapted from Genesis. Joseph, before ascending to the highest circles of Egyptian power, spent years in prison after being falsely accused of making advances toward the wife of his first master, Potiphar.

A final parallel between the two stories emerged during the trial, when prosecution witnesses claimed that the singer plied his alleged victim with alcohol to lower the youngster's defenses and inhibitions.

In the biblical narrative, Joseph used a royal goblet -- a symbol for drink -- to test whether his brothers had shed destructive sibling rivalries and their hatred of him. Joseph framed Benjamin, the youngest son in the family and Joseph's only full brother, by clandestinely placing the goblet into his bag and then having him arrested.

The ostensible goal of the ruse was to see whether the same half-brothers who sold Joseph into slavery would step forward decades later to save Benjamin. Yet you also can detect a longing on Joseph's part to reconnect to his lost youth, a faint echo of Jackson's pathological desire to create a virtual childhood at his Neverland Valley Ranch.

Their Place in the Universe

For all the parallels, the most vital lessons emerge from the differences in the two stories.

Jackson often seemed to be riding the roller coaster of fame without a spiritual center to anchor him. Over the years, he conducted a highly public religious search that included flirtations with self-described paranormalist Uri Geller; Orthodox rabbi/Kosher Sex author Shmuley Boteach; members of the Nation of Islam; and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

In contrast, Joseph maintained his faith in the God of his forefathers. As a result, the ancient and medieval rabbinic tradition generally insists, Joseph never actually succumbed to the worst of the spiritual and sexual temptations that he faced as an Israelite climbing the ladder of Egyptian power. He never lost an understanding of his ultimate place in the universe.

Spared the ravages of seven years of famine, Egyptians might have viewed Joseph as a godlike figure, but he always made it clear that he had been divinely blessed with the ability to interpret dreams. Jackson, on the other hand, spent years cultivating an image as a celebrity who could make dreams come true.

The distinction is a vital one that serves as a harsh condemnation of celebrity culture. It also helps to explain how one favorite son worked his way out of jail to become the beloved viceroy of Egypt, while another was anointed only to self-destruct on the public stage.

Ami Eden is the editor-in-chief of JTA. This article was adapted from a piece that first appeared in the Forward.