I wouldn't be surprised if your assessment turns out to be accurate. I have the same gut feeling.

I remember as a kid witnessing all of the celebrities and media after MJ's death praising him and it was the first time I had ever seen the media machine in full action. I did not know what I was seeing at the time, just that it was so fascinating and notable how they kept talking about it. But I'm sure now that it was them setting the narrative for the masses and hoping you forget about everything that was said by these same people years before.