Ben,

While I agree with you about Michael's music I don't agree with some of your comments. First off you have to judge an entertainer by their effect on culture. He was the first to really combine the Hollywood epic and videos, which now are in everything we do. He brought in Hollywood directors (John Landis) and movie techniques to MTV which was still a fledgling network started by Micheal Nesmith (of the Monkees, who's mother invented Liquid Paper)nd others. He also brought a mainstream african American audience to music and did cross a lot of boundries in his own time.
Now, I don't buy that "Entertainer of the millinium nonsense, I still will say Elvis and the Beatles, but he is not that far behind. And as far as not "writing anything" that is pretty much nonsense. You can get away with a song lift once and a while (but to me, and those who are actually in the music business, that is the biggest myth of all, people don't steal songs. There are 12 notes, only so many combinations, and everything has been written before)
So you don't have to go with all the the hype, but you do have to give the guy his due. He was an innovator and very talented. With all talent come a dual side of the personality. Same with actors, songwriters, artists, poets, etc, There are a lot of things you have to be aware of.

MAB