Talking of parallels

Today's Popbitch had some interesting speculation about the Micheal Jackson trial:

As Jackson is nearly broke and no more use to the music industry as a recording artist, it's unlikely he'll have the legal firepower to get off this time.

Instead, this deeply troubled man is going to be torn apart in a media feeding frenzy that reflects a new mood in society: people are starting to resent celebrities and the influence they wield. Jacko will be first sacrificial lamb.

They also mentioned an interesting, though probably flawed, historical parallel with the Fatty Arbuckle case:

The growing impact of movies meant Arbuckle was one of the first mass market celebrities, and in 1921 he faced accusations of raping a young starlet. Virginia Rappe died after a party in Arbuckle's hotel, and the story got out that she was killed by him raping her with a piece of ice.

Newspapers saw they could exploit Arbuckle's celebrity, and the public's prurient disapproval of Hollywood's wild image during prohibition, to make huge sales by publishing these lurid stories.

After two trials Arbuckle was acquitted but he and his career were destroyed. Arbuckle died a broken man, 13 years later, aged only 46.

Which reminded me of an interesting Kim Newman story, The Pierce-Arrow stalled, and... that looks at an alternate Hollywood, and the America it creates, in a world where Arbuckle never made it to that infamous party.