THEY may be behind bars, but the 1,500 inmates at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center have earned their share of global fame with the debut of their YouTube dance video, Thriller in 2007. And they owe their inspiration and the recognition that they were afforded from the man who started it all – the pop icon himself, Michael Jackson.
The King of Pop passed away on June 25 from cardiac arrest in his home in Los Angeles and the world was never the same.
Memorial gatherings,tributes and 24/7 news updates on investigations following his death continue to flood the airwaves until now.
The grief of his passing affected the inmates of Cebu just as profoundly. And they could only lament and find comfort by giving their idol a most fitting tribute last June 27 -- one that required nine hours of rehearsal, stopping only to eat or when rain started to pour.
According to the Associated Press, the Thriller video "has attracted 24.3 million hits since it was posted two years ago, with nearly a million of them in the 24 hours since news of Jackson’s death spread."
Despite his passing, Michael Jackson continues to touch and uplift the spirits of the Cebu inmates and they will continue to draw inspiration from the man who brought them fame and most importantly, a renewed sense of self-esteem. (AJPress)
( Published on July 1, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A7 )
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