Michael Jackson changed my life …

Have you ever been embarrassed to share something with a friend that you truly valued because of how it would be regarded by others?

A Little Town “History”

I grew up in the small town in the province of New Brunswick, Canada populated with less than 4000 people.  Only minutes from the Atlantic Ocean, summers were amazingly beautiful with our warm, pristine beaches.  Winter was another story; a completely different book might be more appropriate.  The town had one traffic light that only operated in the peak summer months of July and August.

The Town’s Annual “Jam”

The town’s main event during the snowy sleet months was the Winter Carnival, held the first week of February. It kicked off with the Sunday night beauty pageant and finished on the following Sunday afternoon with a Lip Sync Contest. 

“Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”

During my glorious days in middle school, the lip sync contest was deemed as important as the academy awards. I was proud of the fact that I had participated faithfully in the event since sixth-grade.  It was not until eighth-grade that all my hard work and dedication paid off. In front of a sellout crowd of 600 people, I lip synced to George Michael’s hit song “Faith” and became the Winter Carnival Lip Sync Champion.  My one-year reign as king of lip sync began with the presentation of a plaque and a picture for the local newspaper with the Carnivals very own mascot – the Beaver.  What a year that was.  I promised myself that I would be back the next year and win it all again.

“Remember the Time”: The High School Years

Let’s be honest, the likeliness of me mentioning my heroic feet when I entered my freshman year was non-existent. In fact, I remember once denying ever having participated in such a childish event. The more my priorities changed the more I understood why high school students never participated in the locally famous event.  It was a Junior High Thing.

“I Want You Back” 

Fall quickly turned into winter in the Maritime Provinces and before I knew it registrations for the lip-synching contest were posted all over town.  This year one detail was radically different.  They had obtained the unimaginable… the lip sync contest now had sponsors.  That would mean that instead of a plaque and a picture with a big-brown-bucktoothed-beaver, they would have actual prizes.  Cash prizes. The winner would pocket a lofty $250. 

I could “Heal the World”

 Wow! $250 was the equivalent of over 8 months of my allowance.  It could all be mine in just one night.  I thought to myself, ‘does it get any easier than this?’

“Invincible” at the Try Outs [James Bond]

Just as I suspected, I did not recognize one fellow high school student.  As for the other participants, I remembered a few of them from the good old days in middle school. By the look on their faces and the fear in their eyes, it was apparent that they too remembered me. I could tell they wished that I, the former “king of lip sync,” was not standing in the audition room.  Why would I?  I was now 3 full blocks north from the middle school.  I no longer had time to build forts, play Nintendo for entire weekends and I now got to ride to school with my friends’ sister instead of taking the bus.  As I left the tryouts, I remember thinking that I soon would have more money than I knew what to do with. 

“I’ll be There”

As I said before, no one at the high school admitted to knowing this “who wants to be  $250 dollars richer” contest existed.  Even my best friends never mentioned it.  I never let on that I was going to be a performer. 

“The Way You Make Me Feel”

I knew that I would have to be at the top of my game if I was going to win the cash.  I would have to be creative and lip sync a song that no other contestant would perform.  Then it happened, the gods of music spoke to me [ waaaaw]  You will perform Michael Jackson’s “The Way You Make Me Feel.”  It was going to be risky because he just was not cool anymore. We were also too busy enjoying more gifted musicians like Milli Vanilli, Vanilla Ice, and the New Kids on the Block.  

As Easy as “ABC”

For the beginner, imitating Michael Jackson’s complicated dance moves was not going to be easy.  However, for a guy who once proudly wore a leather jacket with 47 zippers (just like Michael whore on his hit video Thriller) and burnt holes in his socks practicing the ever-famous “moonwalk” on the living room carpet, it would be a cinch.

Practicing: “Man in the Mirror”

Many performers have there special move, such as Britney Spears, N’Sync.  Not only were Michael Jackson’s moves difficult to imitate, they were also provocative.  As I practiced his spin move combined with a high leg kick followed by a crotch grab in the mirror again and again, I knew that I was ready. I soon would be lip-synching my way to a first place fast cash finish.   

“I’ll Be There”

Finally, the day of the competition arrived. Just like the year before, the closing event of our winter carnival was a full house.  Close to 1200 people crowded in the high school gymnasium.

 “Leave Me Alone”

 When the MC introduced me, I heard chuckles from a few people in the crowd, until my best friend Jeannot screamed: “We love you Justin”, as the whole audience erupted into laughter.  Not only did I see Jeannot, but my friends, volleyball teammates, and most of my high school peers.  Just when I thought things could not get any worse, I saw Julie.  Julie was a junior that I had a crush on since the beginning of the school year.  I had just recently had enough courage to initiate conversation with her while in line to buy a soda, which I had to borrow money for and did not even like to drink. So much for game plan number one.

“Bad” Situation

Before I realized what was happening, my song began and it was time to focus on the prize.  Little did I know that the price I would pay for possibly winning the money would be more costly than I had ever envisioned. 

“You Rock My World” 

So many thoughts and images were going through my head as I tried to stay focused on my performance. I knew that my complicated combination of dance moves was coming up shortly and I had a crucial decision to make.  To grab or not to grab thy crotch?   For some strange reason I remembered being in second grade coming home crying after school because my classmates had laughed at my Halloween costume.  My mother patiently replied: “Out of all the costumes in the world, you chose this one, you should never be embarrassed about something that you want”.  There was no doubt that I wanted the prize money, so I went for it.  While I performed the moves it was as if I was in slow motion. I now looked directly at the crowd.  I was no longer ashamed of my dancing skills, in fact, I was proud. That is when it happened.  The entire audience started cheering and applauding wildly.  From that point forward, I danced like I did not care who was watching.  When the song was finished, I received a standing ovation. 

“Black or White”

Looking back at my eighth-grade victory, I remember how much I wanted to win, but more importantly, how I was content with simply being part of the event. On the other hand, during my freshman lip-synching experience, all I remember is how much I wanted the money.  I did not even finish third.

“The Girl is Mine”

As for the day after my performance, I felt like a new man. As I walked through the halls, seniors that had never looked at me before acknowledged me and said, “hey! Good job!”  While sitting in the cafeteria with all of my “freshman” friends at lunch, “Junior” Julie came and sat next to me.  She shared with me that she had always wanted to perform in the contest but never had the courage. She then asked if I was going to the school dance on Friday.  In which I replied: “Of course”. 

The 4 Year Old “Smooth Criminal”

I learned many life lessons that day, two of which I will share with you.  Firstly, few things are cuter than a 4-year-old boy dressed up in an Elvis Pressley costume singing     “You Ain’t Nothing but a Hound Dog”.  It did not matter that the boy did not know the words to the song. He thought that the king is a whopper at Burger King.  He did not know how to spend $250 dollars, and like most kids, he cried when forced to take a picture with the beaver. 

“You Are Not Alone”

Secondly, I learned that peers, strangers, friends and family might laugh and criticize instead of supporting your life’s goals.  Often times it still seems easier to not take such risks because of the endless possibilities of humiliation and rejection from ones peers.  I used to think that I could not afford to be myself in certain situations.  Then I think of the true friends that I never would have found and the great gift that I may never have shared with people.  Being myself.  Today I realize that I cannot afford not to be myself. Are you being yourself?  If not, what is it costing you?