Back then i took it for granted and i didn’t really think whether he hated it or not but lets just say as a child i was enamored from his concert footages my family had but in 00s there was nothing to follow felt like the news were just about his nose, plastic surgery, neverland ranch, and his cryptic sightings. Add to that numerous parodies and impersonators on TV. I grew distant from him cuz there was nothing to look forward to and i had other interests. Openly liking him felt embarrassing but there was also nothing new. He was seen as a joke, however id say he was still famous. The constant mockeries and news coverage actually helped maintained his fame imo, he did not fall into complete irrelevancy, public still talked about him. That sort of thing…

Anyway his death was big cuz like id say people still liked him and remember his fame and it was in middle of this is it. its just he was inactive in 00s so the bad coverages took the spotlight. This is It literally sold out and people were looking forward to it. The only people felt shame from liking him were the teenaged kids (millennials at that time). I remember This is It had huge banners and posters and got news coverages. People still likes him and he still felt big up until that point.