Michael Jackson’s death was a surprise. When it flashed across the Sky News ticker last night, I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t expecting it.

But, within a minute of the news sinking in, what I was expecting is the out poor of public grief and adulation that we’re seeing within 12 hours and are likely to see for days.

Scenes of people sitting out in Times Square watching the news break; grown men carrying shrines of pictures and flowers through the streets; teenage girls sobbing on the grass outside the hospital in LA where he died. It will be of Princess Diana proportions in terms of US national and then Global mourning.

Jackson was an idol to many. People across generations latched on to his talent and adopted him as their role model during their formative years

He seemed to moonwalk his talent through many of our lives in a ways that were ‘special’ to us individually, impressing with his dancing, vocals, lyrics or fashion.

I remember smiling when I read Danny Wallace’s Friends Like These (Danny is one of the funniest authors around) that as a teenager he adored Jacko – and secretly still does in his 30s. There are loads of people out there who similarly adore MJ, whether they are ‘in the closet’ or ‘out’ like Danny.

But let’s not forget, Jackson was monumentally weird.

I once read an interview in the 80s with Dire Straits’ guitarist Mark Knopfler (my personal teenage idol). He was asked why he turned down the opportunity to play the guitar solo on Jackson’s Bad album. In a roundabout way, Knopfler put his lack of interest down to Jackson’s desire to acquire the remains of the Elephant Man.

His list of oddness is far reaching - from living in a personal theme park with a chimpanzee to theatrical facial reconstruction; holding babies over Berlin balconies to alleged child abuse; marrying Elvis Preseley’s daughter to anti-semitic lyric accusations from Stephen Speileberg….

Jackson’s resume of weirdness is long – he was certainly very ‘different’ from any other celebrity of our times.

So my question is this…

What gives you more impact, being talented or being different?

If Jackson had been just talented but not ‘different’, would he have had the same impact?

My personal conclusion:

If you’re just different, you’ll make a little splash in life but the ripples will slowly fan out and disappear.

If you’re very talented, there’s a good chance you’ll make a big splash in life, creating a few waves.

But, if you’re talented and different, you’ll create a Tsunami, making a huge impact on the people around you.