Micheal Jackson.....?

Why is it that when MJ was alive I thought he was a creeper and I had never heard one of his songs But once he died it hit me in the face and now I'm like obsessed! Like every recess (I'm 13) me and my friends do Thriller and this weekend I saw This is it pre-ordered it on iTunes and bought the CD! Can you tell me why he's now cool only once he's dead?