The Michael-ing Daily Posts Thread

MJ TinkerBell · Jan 31, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson and The Pepsi Commercial Burn - January 27th, 1984

28 Years Ago Today The Burn That Scorched an Angel

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Everyone knows what happened to Michael Jackson on this day around the World, but not much is known about how he buried his pain to heal others in spite of it !! He would be found cheering up victims in more suffering then him (often hand in hand) while he was being treated along side them !! It is now that we shall understand and acknowledge we will know the true Michael Jackson from HIS STORY in history..

"Quote" Some of the patients were unaware they had a celebrity in their midst until Michael, wearing white socks and a single white sequined glove, made his rounds, visiting Keith, Bessie and the other six patients in the burn unit. One of the patients could not believe that he had actually been visited by Michael Jackson, so the singer returned to prove that it wasn't just a dream.

The People Archived Article:

Thriller Chiller..By Carl Arlington
Pop Sensation Michael Jackson Survives a Fiery Brush with Serious Injury and Plans a Memoir with Jackie O

Michael Jackson had been shot. That was the first reaction of those nearby when he grabbed the back of his head and screamed. It was not a bullet wound that made him scream, though it was almost as bad: Jackson's head was on fire.

This live thriller unfolded last week before thousands of stunned fans at Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium, where Michael, 25, and his musical brothers were filming a Pepsi commercial. It happened during one of the last scenes after four hectic days of shooting under the direction of video wizard Bob Giraldi. Giraldi had ordered another take of the flashy gala opening sequence. Amid brilliant illumination, Michael appeared at the top of a stairway and began his dazzling dancing descent to the floor, where the remaining Jacksons were lined up.

About halfway down, he felt something hot but figured it was just the klieg lights. Pyrotechnical special effects were flashing around him as he pirouetted to a fizzy version of Billie Jean. Suddenly there was a jolt of pain and he cried out. The first to respond was Miko Brando, 22, Marlon's son and a Jackson security aide. "I tore out, hugged him, tackled him and ran my hands through his hair," reports Brando, who burned his own fingers in the process. Within seconds the fire was extinguished and Michael was surrounded by a crowd of bodyguards, Jacksons and technicians. A quick-thinking fan grabbed a handful of ice, borrowed a T-shirt to make a cold compress and applied it to the wound. A few minutes later paramedics arrived and whisked Michael away to the emergency room at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The accident occurred just after 6 p.m. and early bulletins on the local news reported that Jackson had been "severely burned and was in serious condition." In fact, thanks to the emergency ice treatment, he was alert enough to tell the ambulance attendants that he wanted to keep his trademark jeweled glove on when he was wheeled into the hospital. The medical staff checked his vital signs and inspected the wound. The fire had scorched a palm-sized second-degree burn on his crown which surrounded a third-degree burn about the size of the hole in a 45-rpm record. An antiseptic cream (silver sulfadiazine) was applied, and Jackson was offered a painkiller, which he at first refused because of his disdain for narcotics. He later accepted an analgesic.

Word of the accident quickly reached Dr. Steven Hoefflin, Jackson's personal physician and plastic surgeon, who rushed to Cedars-Sinai. "It was quite a shock for Michael, and when I got there he was in a daze," reports Hoefflin. "After I examined him and told him he would be fine, he felt a lot better." Hoefflin, who once cosmetically reshaped Jackson's nose, decided to move his famous patient across town for treatment at the Burn Center of the Brotman Medical Center in Culver City. Accompanied by his parents, his brother Randy, two bodyguards and Hoefflin, Michael arrived at about 8:15 p.m. Once settled in room 3307, he became the patient of nurse Kathy McGrath, 29, who recalls that "he was still pretty shaken up and cold, so we put about five blankets on him."

Soon fans began congregating at the hospital and crowding into the emergency room waiting area. Switch-boards were flooded with calls and six staff volunteers handled the jammed phone lines. Security throughout the hospital was beefed up and a guard placed at every entrance to the burn unit. "Practically everybody who works in the hospital found some excuse to visit the floor," says Burn Center supervisor Pat Lavalas.

Michael, meanwhile, was making a fast recovery. Within a few hours he was asking for a videotape player. Because staffers did not have the key to the cabinet where the hospital video equipment was kept, they broke the padlock to get the machine and found an assortment of about 10 tapes for Jackson. He selected Close Encounters of the Third Kind, directed by his friend Steven Spielberg, and stayed awake watching it until 1 a.m. Then, after being given a sleeping pill, he had a restful night.

Michael awoke to a breakfast of fruit and juice and a tidal wave of messages from friends and fans. Diana Ross called. So did Liza Minnelli. Jackson's favorite among the hundreds of telegrams was one from a girl that said, "I heard you were hot, Michael, but this is ridiculous."

By the time Hoefflin arrived the next day, Jackson had watched American Bandstand on TV and, according to one nurse, "was bebopping in bed while the doctors examined him."

Instead of a typical hospital gown, he had adorned himself in a turquoise scrub outfit. The nurses also fashioned a head bandage that could be camouflaged with a macramé hat. "You're going to start a new wave here in 1984—the net look," nurse Jan Virgil told Michael. "He laughed and said he wanted to look French."

Jackson had been to the Burn Center previously, visiting patients there on two occasions. Only last month, in fact, Jackson called on Keith Perry, a 23-year-old mechanic who had suffered third-degree burns on 95 percent of his body. Perry had just undergone his 14th operation when Michael arrived and was placed in an adjoining room. Another severely burned patient with whom he had been in frequent contact was 41-year-old seamstress Bessie Henderson. "Bessie had gone through many operations and was very depressed," reports Hoefflin, who is also her plastic surgeon. "When Michael started calling she turned around and now she is doing a lot better."

Some of the patients were unaware they had a celebrity in their midst until Michael, wearing white socks and a single white sequined glove, made his rounds, visiting Keith, Bessie and the other six patients in the burn unit. One of the patients could not believe that he had actually been visited by Michael Jackson, so the singer returned to prove that it wasn't just a dream. Another patient wanted to know why Jackson wore the glove. "This way," he explained, "I am never offstage." With the consent of his doctor, Michael decided after less than a day to check out of the hospital and continue treatment as an outpatient.

Accompanied by his entourage and sporting a black fedora and hospital whites over street clothes, Michael was taken to a private car in a wheelchair. On his way, he stopped to have his picture taken with several visitors. "He's going to be bigger than Elvis Presley," said a woman in her 50s. "Bigger than who?" chirped one of the preteens who had flocked around.

Nearly all of the Burn Center staff got their souvenirs, as their famous patient posed for snapshots and signed cassettes, Thriller albums and 8 x 10 glossies. And though Jackson did not dance, Hoefflin knew that wouldn't last for long. "Telling Michael not to dance," said the surgeon, "is like telling him not to breathe."

Jackson plans to attend the mega-party that CBS and Epic Records are throwing in his honor at the American Museum of Natural History in New York this week, and he ought to be back in full gear by the time the Grammy awards (he's nominated for a dozen) roll around Feb. 28. "Michael is healthy and in good shape," says Hoefflin. "That will make for a speedy recovery." It's too early to judge if he will need any reconstructive surgery.

The exact cause of the accident at the Shrine Auditorium has yet to be determined. Eyewitnesses say it was a spark from one of the special lighting effects that ignited his hair. "Michael was exhausted when it happened," says Hoefflin. "It came at the end of a week when he was trying to film the commercial, make plans for a major national tour and finish an album with his brothers."

So far there has been no lawsuit, though the Jacksons and Pepsi executives have been carefully reviewing the film of the incident to determine if there was negligence. The sponsorship deal with Pepsi for two commercials is reportedly the most lucrative celebrity endorsement deal in history, guaranteeing the Jacksons at least $5 million. The family had to be nudged into the deal because, according to one insider, endorsing a product "isn't a decision every artist could be comfortable with immediately."

Although it will be a decidedly less lucrative undertaking, Michael also plans an autobiography. And for this, he will have the help of the most celebrated editor in publishing: Jackie Onassis. Mrs. O was first introduced to Mr. J several years ago at a Kennedy function in New York; both Caroline and John Jr. have been fans since the singer's Jackson Five days. Jackie and Michael met again last October in California—this time, says Jackson aide Steve Manning, "to really get to know each other."

Two weeks ago Jackie's firm, Doubleday, announced a $300,000-plus deal with Jackson—and named Jackie as his editor. Michael's memoirs, which will contain around 200 photos from his private collection, is due out in the spring of 1985. Jackson is also set to star in a new film of Peter Pan with Spielberg directing. The tour, meanwhile, is scheduled to begin this May with the kick-off possibly in the Jacksons' old hometown, Gary, Ind. The concert may be broadcast internationally.

Not that Jackson needs the extra exposure. The Guinness Book of World Records recently stopped the presses on its latest paperback edition to cite Michael's 23-million-copy Thriller as the biggest-selling solo LP of all time. He also continues to break sales records with his sixth single, Thriller's title cut, and his "Say Say Say" duet with Paul McCartney remains at the top of the charts. All of this is mere statistical evidence of Michael's extraordinary fan appeal, a mystique now enhanced by a near tragedy. "I would be willing to break my arm," said 14-year-old Tyrone Davis, one of the faithful who kept vigil outside the hospital, "just to be in the emergency room with Michael." Not to be outdone, Davis' sidekick, John Thomas, 13, boasted, "That's nothing. I would break my neck."

The Blog Article:

Michael Jackson’s Hospital Thermometer (A Back Story)

On January 27, 1984, Michael Jackson was burned while filming a Pepsi commercial at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium. He was rushed to Cedars Sinai Medical Center, then transferred to Brothman Medical Center in Culver City, CA with second-degree burns on the back of his head.
My husband’s father was working at Brothman Medical Center as a burn technician at the time, and had Michael Jackson in his care. At the time of his release from the hospital Michael autographed one of his balloons that he had received and gave it to my husband’s father. He also gave him the thermometer that they had used on him in the hospital. My husband still has this thermometer and we thought that it’s time to show the rest of the world what a neat collector item this is for any Michael Jackson fan.
Michael Jackson was always donating to charities, and one of his favorite charities was Brothman Medical Center that took care of him when he was injured. We are seriously thinking of putting Michael Jackson’s hospital thermometer up for auction on eBay and donating some of the proceeds to the Brotman Medical Center...thanks Julie..

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The Photo Gallery:

MJ-at-the-hospital-1984-michael-jackson-11694410-475-349.jpg

MJ-at-the-hospital-1984-michael-jackson-11694406-466-351.jpg

The Sources:
To View People Blog Article:
Page 1
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20087044,00.html
Page 2
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20087044,00.html
Page 3
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20087044,00.html

http://www.juliesjournal.com/2009/06/

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Jan 31, 2012

The Michael-ing Daily - Michael Jackson Calls Jade Goody - January 29th, 2012

Jade Goody Chats With Michael Jackson..

Michael Jackson while in London to announce the "This Is It" Tour in the UK
where he calls Jade Goody to offer his help and support for her family

Jade Goody received a surprise phone call from the King of Pop yesterday and it was said to lift her spirits immensely.

Jade and Michael talked for quite a while and a friend said, "She was so excited to speak to the King of Pop that she was able to hold a full conversation with him”.

Jade was promised tickets for her and her family to Michael's UK concerts if she is able to attend. The whole day was really exciting to her, because Jade wished to speak to Michael Jackson before she died.

A friend of Jade's said, “He [ Michael ] learned of Jade’s illness and wanted to lend his support and comfort her at this awful time. When she was told Michael was on the phone her eyes lit up and she mustered all the strength she could to have a chat. It gave her a real boost and hope that she’ll be alive to watch him perform in the summer."

It's nice to know that there are moments of brightness for her in her final days.

The pop superstar, who is currently in London for a press release regarding his summer concerts, wanted to visit Goody but was unable to get through to her over the weekend to schedule the visit. "He wanted to pop in and see her but instead sent her his love and said he was thinking about her", said Goody's publicist Max Clifford.

Michael wished her the best and asked if there was anything he could do for her or her family."Jade and Jack were touched." When Jade was too tired to talk any longer, Michael continued speaking to Jack to offer his help. The pal added that Jade a lifelong Michael Jackson fan was overjoyed to speak to the singer.
He said: "It gave her a real boost and hope that she'll be alive to watch him perform in the summer".

Jade Goody took a turn for the worse Friday night and is said to be unlikely to live through the weekend. She is tired and in pain and is afraid to fall asleep, lest she not wake up again. Because of this, she is exhausted and has no relief in sight. A source says, "She only has hours left, her situation worsened so much overnight that it's not looking good to anyone." The police have let Jack's curfew be relaxed in this case of emergency, he is allowed to be at her side 'round the clock. "She's been crying her eyes out, she's been in floods of tears because she too realises it's nearly the end of the road.

The family were told maybe Jade would make it to Tuesday but after such a bad night that's been revised to Monday and maybe sooner."
"She's in a very bad way and has been in so much awful pain. They've given her a lot of medication and she's been in a deep sleep most of the day and hasn't woken up.But Jade's getting weaker and weaker and is looking very pale."

"We all knew it was getting close when she couldn't even raise a smile or give a thumbs-up when she was taken home from hospital on Wednesday. She's gone downhill a lot since then and everyone around her is really upset. Her mum Jackiey is in pieces.Everyone knew this was going to happen, but it's still desperately sad."

Her spokesman, Max Clifford, added: "It's a matter of hours, she's got dramatically worse overnight. Sadly, she's very close to the end. "We've received so many heartfelt comments of love and hope for Jade, we appreciate all of your expressions, thank you! We know that Jade and her family appreciate them as well, please keep them coming. It always help to talk about these situations because they help us face our own fears and mortality. Jade Goody was propped up in bed yesterday to watch what she thinks will be her last sunset.

She had to summon all of her strength to be propped up, but it was definitely worth it to her to do. Her family is waiting for the inevitable, they are waiting for her to die. That is a heart-wrenching thing to have to do but they are staying by her side every step of the way. They are happy for small miracles though because, Jade is finally not in any pain and is sleeping comfortably. That was the biggest issue, the pain, and now it's gone.

Jade Goody passed away in her sleep on Mother's Day at 3:14am at her home in Upshire Essex. She wanted to be strong to see Michael do his shows at the O2 and her fight was brave even after the cancer metastasised. She was married a month before to Jack Tweddy and leaves behind 2 young sons.

Jade Goody appeared as a cast member on the reality hit show, Big Brother, with Jermaine Jackson. Upon entering the house during the taping of the show, Jermaine Jackson stated that Michael was a fan of the show and would be watching. He added, "Michael is in Vegas right now, but has a way of seeing everything."

Jade Goody's sons believe their mom is spending Christmas with Michael Jackson in heaven.
Goody's former partner Jeff Brazier says that Bobby, six, and five-year-old Freddie are taking comfort in the idea that she is dancing with the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who also died this year. Jade Goody's sons have marked their first Christmas without their mother by sending special cards to her in heaven. Bobby, 6, and Freddy, 5, left their hand-written messages out on Christmas Eve in the hope that Santa Claus would make the special delivery.

Their father, Jeff Brazier, told The Sunday Mirror that the boys took some comfort from the idea that Goody would be reading their letters. Brazier said that the youngsters had taken a "real pride" in their work. "They seem to think mommy's in heaven with Michael Jackson and they're likely to be up there dancing all the time," he said. Goody died aged 27 after losing her fight with cancer. The funeral this Saturday for British reality TV star is expected to draw thousands of mourners and the world's news media, though her young sons will not be on hand for the spectacle. They are being taken on a trip to Australia by their father, Jeff Brazier.

After their mother passed away Michael Jackson sent his wishes to Goody's mother, Jackiey Budden, and Goody's husband Jack Tweed. "He sent a message saying Jade was a 'very brave girl.' He said 'You must be very proud of her and what she achieved, that so man lives will be saved because of her,'" says family spokesman Max Clifford. "Michael was never, coming to the funeral, “He also feels the focus of the funeral should be about her and her family"."He sent them his condolences and said that he will be sending flowers for the funeral this weekend. Jeff says he is working hard to make sure their festive season is as magical as it was last year when their mother pulled out all the stops to ensure they had an extra-special Christmas.

The Family Dream Wedding Photo (Feb 21)

R.I.P Jade Cerisa Lorraine Goody (5 June 1981 – 22 March 2009)

The Sources:

http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/archive/2009/03/10/Jade-Goody_2700_s-Dying-Wish.aspx

http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/...he-s-spending-Christmas-with-Michael-Jackson/

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20268881,00.html

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 1, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson an Autism Inspiration -
January 31st, 2012

Michael Jackson an Autism Inspiration Story for One Special Italian Fan

Many friends of mine have asked me to share this wonderful experience. I’ve tried my best to tell it somehow, but I think it’s impossible to describe such a deep, strong emotion. What Michael gave me on that day is beyond words.

Before I begin, I’d like to say that Michael was not only my favorite artist, he accompanied me through different times of my life; during the lightheartedness of my adolescence and also in my hardest times. His music was actually the sound track of my life. Thanks to him I met my husband, not to mention the wonderful friendships that I made.

When I was a child, I called my secret diary “Michael,” and every time I wrote something in it, it was like I was speaking to him. I remember that I covered up my room’s walls with all of his photos, but in particular, I had his poster in life-size beside my bed portraying him lying down; he really just seemed to be on my bed. I remember it looked so natural that my little nieces were scared of it. They adored Michael, but still they were so scared that he would turn into a werewolf. If you only knew of all the conversations that I had with that poster….well, I was 11 at the time. Many children have their imaginary friend; I had Michael Jackson.

The first great emotion that I felt was on May 23rd, 1988, the first time I went to see him in concert (I was 17 years old.) It was in Rome at the Flaminio Stadium, the first European stop on the BAD Tour.

Oh my God, what a concert!

In 1990, I married Giuseppe, better known as “Peppe Michael Jackson.” I’m not joking when I say that he was famous for his resemblance to Michael.

In 1991, my first child Tania was born. Needless to say, she already knew Michael from her mother’s womb. On July 4th, 1992, I attended another concert. It was during the Dangerous Tour, and only those who have seen this concert can understand how wonderful it really was.

In 1993, Vincenzo, my second child, was born. A great joy for me, but unfortunately that year, I had to face a very tough reality. Tania, my daughter, was diagnosed with Autism.

It’s not that easy for a 22-year-old girl to discover she had an Autistic daughter. I’m not referring only to the hurt of finding out, but it’s not easy to handle such trouble at that young age (it’s never easy; whatever age is it, honestly). Thanks to God, He gives us, besides all the pains and the sorrows in our life, also the strength and the dignity to face them.

Growing up and becoming a mother never reduced my love for Michael. On the contrary, it increased. Perhaps it was because I always identified myself with him. Michael and I had so many things in common. Our childhoods and the things we missed during that time, and having 3 sisters and 5 brothers increased my love for him more, I guess.

In 1996, I knew that Michael would have started his HIStory Tour in Prague. Some of my friends were getting ready for the tour, and I was feeling very bad because I knew that having two little children would keep me from ever going with them. As “fate” would have it, my neighbors were from Prague. They knew very well what I felt for Mike. I’ll never forget that night when they told my husband: “Come on you! Michael Jackson will be in our town. Let Stefania go see him with her friends. Our house is midtown of Prague and is vacant, so she could stay there. We will help you here with the babies.”

When my husband said yes, I couldn’t believe it! It seemed to me as I could fly! Since that day my dreams started, and I said to myself: “This time I will not be satisfied only by watching him on stage. He must know that I exist. He’s got to know what he gave me and what he represents to me. I’ll have to do something to impress him.”

So I got a canvas, 2 x 3 meters, and I started painting on it. I just had such a strong inspiration. I knew so well what to do; Michael sitting under a tree with the Walt Disney characters all around him. Peter Pan sitting on his knees; a river, a lawn, many children and Topo GiGio (whom he really adored) waving the Italian flag. I had lots of time to do it since I would not see Michael for many months. 'I’ll make it.' I repeated to myself, and I kept on painting with all my love.

Finally, on September 5th, I landed at the Prague airport with my friend Vania and my canvas. Sonia and Patrizia who were also from Naples, were waiting for us. They had arrived two days before. We went to our friends’ house to drop off our suitcases, and then we rushed off right away to the Intercontinental Hotel where Michael was staying. On our way in the car, Sonia told me she was lucky enough to have hugged Michael the day before. Some fans were allowed to stand within the barriers placed in front of the hotel entrance. She was even allowed to enter with another group of fans into the restaurant where Michael was. I was happy for her, but at the same time I was regretting that I had not been there the day before. Maybe (who knows) Michael could have seen my canvas. This thought kept repeating itself.

Finally, we arrived near the hotel. We knew we were getting close because we could hear hundreds of fans screaming all around. They were gathering under the canopy of the hotel. I began trembling like a leaf, especially when I looked up and saw beside his window an enormous tarpaulin, affixed with the MJ mark on it.

Suddenly, everyone started screaming louder and the crowd flocked together. “Michael! Michael!” Yeah, it was him! He was leaving to go to Letenska Park for rehearsal. We couldn’t see him; we were behind too many others. This is when I had my first hysterical breakdown and cried. We all went to the Park; his voice resounded everywhere. We could hear him clearly as he rehearsed, and each time the wind blew stronger and moved those tarpaulins that divided us, we could even see him. He was stunning!

That night I couldn’t close my eyes for the thought of the next morning, when we would have to leave in the early dawn to get the best places to stand at the hotel. We were the first to arrive that morning, September 6th. We put my drawing within the barriers just in front of the main entrance, so when Michael would come out he would surely see it just in front of him.

The long wait began. Meanwhile, several fans began to arrive increasing the crowd in an amazing way. They were coming from every part of the world. Many of them came up to me to compliment me on my drawing. Michael’s photographer approached me and started taking pictures of it, very satisfied. A little bit later, Michael’s cameraman was there too, and videotaped the canvas for what seemed to be a very long time. He congratulated me on a great job as well.

I was certainly very flattered by that, but I wanted Michael. I wanted to see his eyes looking down on my canvas, and then hope that our glances would cross into one another’s. I had dreamed it for so many years. Finally, into the later part of the morning, the hotel door opened. Everybody started screaming “Michael! Michael!” I was paralyzed. I couldn’t believe it; he was just a few meters from me. He was gorgeous!

He wore black trousers, a red shirt and a black jacket. At one point he looked down at the drawing. He even stopped to do his thumbs-up as if to say, “Okay!" He took a few steps forward to say hello to the crowd, and then he came back to sit in the car. He must have gone to the wrong vehicle because he got out and went to another car. (There were 2 of the same looking cars parked in a row.) Wayne, his bodyguard, called Teddy Lakis (star promoter) and pointed to the drawing. He came over to us and said, “Michael likes this drawing very much, he‘d like to have it.” Since I had lost my tongue to speak, my friends answered, “Oh, yes! This was drawn just for him, but she would love to have the pleasure of giving it to him personally.” He went back to Michael to report what he was told, and then returned to us and said, “Okay, Mr. Jackson is going to visit the President, but when he comes back he said you’re invited to go up in his room.” After those words, I couldn’t understand anything more. I laughed, I cried, I trembled, I stammered; I was totally out of my mind!

He hadn’t much make-up on and he was gorgeous! His hair was tied in a strange way; a sort of loose ponytail. He wore the same red shirt of that morning, but had on different trousers. I was trembling so badly and praying, ‘God please, I don’t want to cry and look foolish, so please give me the strength to control myself and stand on my own two feet.’

I went on staring at him; I did not want to miss anything. Suddenly, Wayne motioned to me to open the tube and I made a fool of myself once again. Since it was huge and very heavy, I made it crash into the chandelier with a terrible clatter. Luckily it didn’t break, and I only managed to say in a whisper, “Oh, sorry.” It was in that moment that his eye caught mine, and he smiled with the sweetest expression.

As the bodyguards rolled out the canvas, Michael stood up from the chair with an, “Oooohhh!” as if to say, “At last!” He began to observe it with the enthusiasm of a child. He was very sweet because I was very nervous, and he tried to make me feel at ease by commenting on it aloud and smiling, “Oh my God, it’s wonderful!” Then, without turning away from the picture, he came closer to look at it and he started shouting, “Oooohhh, Topo Gigìo!” dwelling on the final i of the name. Everyone was laughing at his childlike behavior but me. I was paralyzed.

His eyes lit up like those of a child in front of his favorite toy. Apart from Wayne and Yanik, there were some kids in his room and a woman whom I think was their mother: She had always been with Michael since his arrival in Prague, but I did not know who she was.

When Michael saw Topo Gigio with the Italian flag in his hand, he asked me, “Are you Italian?” I answered, “Yes”. The woman immediately began to speak to me in Italian and said, “Oh, how nice, I’m Italian too. Where are you from?” When I answered, “I’m from Naples,” Michael smiled at me and said, “Oh, I love Naples.”

He kept on analyzing the picture; concentrating on every single detail and saying, “Oh boy, it’s wonderful, wonderful!” Luckily the woman helped me by acting as an interpreter. Michael asked me, “Why did you choose to portray us under a tree?” I answered, “I don’t know, it has been a sort if inspiration. I saw it in my mind before painting.” He said, “Oh, sure. You had a vision! That tree means a lot to me.”
Then the woman smiled and said to me, “Wow, he said he will bring it home and put it in his room.” I couldn’t believe it and I just said, “Thank you.” He said, “No, thank you! You gave me such a beautiful present. It is full of love.” He went on saying, “Thank you, I love you.”

Wayne, who was holding up the canvas together with the woman, told Yanik to take a picture. Unfortunately, at that moment Michael put on his mask. I believe he did so because he had almost no make-up on. I could clearly see some spots of vitiligo on his face, in particular between his cheek and the right ear. Then he gave me his hand, and invited me to stand close to him for the photo.

I don’t know how I managed to stand on my feet, especially when I felt his hand holding my hip. I wore an openwork t-shirt, and I could feel his fingers touching my skin; he smelt of vanilla perfume. It was the hardest time of my life. My heart was beating so hard that I’m sure he could hear it too. In the meantime, Yanik was fighting with the camera and couldn’t get the picture. Michael said something, but I couldn’t understand. He told Yanik something like he was the only one who could be a true bodyguard, and then he teased him by saying, “Hello, Yanik, you know that if you don’t push the button you can’t take the picture, don’t you?” Everybody started laughing. I was still feeling Michael’s hand on my hip and I felt very dizzy. It seemed like the whole room was moving around me. I took a deep breath and smiled while Yanik finally took the picture. Michael exclaimed, “We did it!”

That was the most beautiful moment in my life; his beautiful eyes were staring at mine. He understood that I was much too excited and so he asked me, “Are you ok?” with such an incredible sweetness. That was the real moment that I did let myself go. I threw my arms around him sobbing, “Oh, Michael.” He hugged me too; he held me so tightly and I broke down and cried. That was the one thing I never wanted to do in front of him, crying just like every common fan, but I accumulated too much tension so I could not hold it back. Michael, with all his sweetness, kept on caressing my head and my back. If I could have, I would have stopped the time and stayed in his arms and felt his warmth, heard his voice and smelled his perfume into eternity.

I couldn’t believe it. I dreamt of that moment since I was a child. I have imagined that scene a million times, and now I really was there in those arms. God, he smelled so good, and how tight he was holding me! I shall never be able to describe what I felt at that moment. Never!

Since I couldn’t stop crying, I told him, “I’m sorry,” and he said to me, smiling with such an indescribable kindness, “Oh-oh! It’s all right.” He stared at me with that particular glance that only he has and asked me again, “Are you ok?” It was incredible! Just a few moments earlier he looked like a child to me, and now only a few minutes later he took the stature of a father figure. I told him, “I’m fine, thank you.” Then he smiled and asked me with some curiosity what I had in my bag.

I actually didn’t realize that I had been holding my bag since I entered the room, but I was so excited I didn’t think to put it down anywhere. Inside of it I had my children’s photos, and a letter that I wrote for him in which I had opened my heart; writing all that Michael meant to me, and giving him all my support for all that he had to endure. He put down the bag on the table and began to leaf through the photos. I told him, “These are my children.” He replied, “Oh, congratulations, you already are a mother. But they’re such beautiful kids!” I said, “This is Vichi, he’s 3, and he has imitated you since he was only one.” He smiled, saying that Vichi was really a beautiful baby boy.

Then I showed him Tania’s photos, and I said to him that she’s Autistic. He said, “Oh no, I’m sorry! I do know Autism. They live in a world all on their own.” “Sure," I replied, "and you are part of her world too. Since she was a newborn baby, she always listened to your music when she breaks down and cries. She needs to listen to your songs to calm her. She does not play any kind of game, so most of the time she usually spends her hours watching your videos. When we were at the hospital, we had to take the video player and all of your VHS tapes with us to make her stay quiet.” He became serious, slowly taking a careful look at Tania’s pictures, visibly touched.

He said nothing at first, and then spoke. “She’s beautiful. Her glance; her smile is wonderful. Can I take her pics?” “Certainly you can," I replied. “How old is she?” He asked. “She’s five,” I said. “Can she speak?” “No, Michael. Unfortunately I never heard the sound of her voice.” He said, “No! My God! She‘s so beautiful! Is there something I could do for her? Do you need my help? How can I help you?” I simply thanked him. I could have asked him to let Tania meet him because he often gave hospitality to many disabled children in Neverland, but I did not have the courage to ask. I’m still regretting this decision. I’m sure that Tania would have been so happy there. She loves to see him singing and dancing.

Michael took my hand, and looking into my eyes he said, “Don’t ever lose your faith or your hope, and don’t stop fighting for her. Never! Don’t give up!” We embraced each other once again, and just as I was crying I said, “Thank you Michael, I love you!” and he answered, “I love you too; I love you more.” It was such an intense moment; so special that I have real a difficulty telling it. I fear that it may go away somehow.

I always knew that he was a sensitive, kind of person, but at that moment he was sensitive only for me. He was really touched, and he made me feel all his support and all his love. What a wonderful man; so humble and special! (Here, I start crying again) Then he took my letter, and I said, “Michael, please, it’s so important to me that you’ll read my letter.” And he said, “I’ll do it tonight, I promise.”

Unfortunately, it came my time to say goodbye. Wayne was already waiting for me close to the door. I said to that woman, “Please, I have something more to tell him.” I would have told him that I felt so sorry for him; for everything he had to go through because of the charges and the wickedness he suffered. I wanted to say these things to him even if I had already written everything in my letter. I was only able to say, “How are you?” But I’m quite sure he knew what I was referring to. In fact, we looked into each other’s eyes and I felt really in tune with him. He thanked me and he told me he was fine, also thanking us for the gestures of love that he received from us in which he gained more and more strength. I told him, “Please, take care of you, and don’t forget you’ll always have our support; we will always be with you.” “Ooh, thank you, I love you so much. God bless you,” he said. We said goodbye, and while I was walking to the door I reminded him to read my letter once again. He brought his hand to his lips and kissed the index and the middle finger, and then he placed them to his heart saying, “I swear it.”

I almost crossed the threshold, when I realized that I had forgotten to take the paper bag which had some gifts in it that my friends gave me to give to Michael. I turned back with confidence, took the bag and said, “Oh, I forgot to give Michael these things” Red faced, I went back over to Michael. He looked at me smiling. I threw this enormous bag of gifts into his hands, and instead of telling him that those were my friends’ gifts for him, I said: “These are my friends.” God, how embarrassing. Everyone there was laughing. Michael made fun of me, looking into the bag with his eyes open wide. We all were laughing; it was really a nice moment and Michael was so cute. He asked me to help him hold the bag while he took the items from inside. I don’t know how I contained myself because from that moment on, I can’t recall anything. I don’t remember how we said goodbye. I don’t remember who brought me downstairs. I don’t even remember if the girls who came up with me had left already or if they came down with me. I only know that I found myself sitting and crying on the sidewalk.

Separating myself from him was one of the most difficult moments of my life.

Thirteen years have gone by, and I still have not remembered what happened; my mind completely removed the moments after I left. He dedicated so much of his time to me making me feel loved….me, a perfect stranger! He was really a gift of God!

Thank you Michael, you are really an angel….. You will always live in my heart. I love you!
Stefania Capasso
(stefyMJ)

The Source:
http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/issue/rising-from-the-ashes/article/one-chance-in-a-lifetime4

:clap:This story was originally Posted by MJJC member 4veryoung:clapping:

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

TheChosenOne · Feb 3, 2012

Good stuff, Bree!

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 3, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson That Leslie Robinette Remembers - February 2nd, 2012

Leslie Robinette was 6 years old when she first met Michael Jackson..

The Article:

Greeneville Woman hopes Michael Jackson's good deeds remembered BY BETH ANN WALKER Posted June 27, 2009

An old photograph shows Michael Jackson visiting Leslie Robinette in the hospital in Seattle, Washington, in 1973. Robinette, now 42, was hospitalized as a child with aplastic anemia.

An ailing little girl with barely any hair and a swollen stomach, Robinette suffered then, as now, from aplastic anemia caused by the genetic disease fanconi anemia, which she describes as being "like a little Pac-Man going after all your bone marrow."

Michael Jackson was only 15. Robinette now believes he must have been more nervous than she was. In 1973, she and her family went to Seattle, where she stayed in Seattle Children's Hospital - then The Children's Orthopedic Hospital and Medical Center.

Robinette received a bone marrow transplant, which at the time was an experimental surgery. She was one of the youngest to ever have the procedure. She went through chemotherapy, radiation and an ever-changing plethora of medications. But worst of all, she was kept in isolation for three months.

She spoke to her sisters through walkie-talkies, and only her mother was allowed in the room. Doctors told the family they had done all they could do, but her condition just wasn't improving.

"After you go through all of that, you just get tired and want to go home; you kind of give up the fight," Robinette said.

She listened to her favorite group, The Jackson 5, on a sterilized record player doctors allowed her to have.

On March 7, she received her first visitor.

A record of the Jackson 5's "Lookin' Through the Windows".Robinette was listening to the record when the group came to visit her in the hospital in Seattle, Washington in 1973.

"I was sitting in my room looking out the window, ironically listening to 'Looking Through the Window' by the Jackson 5, when I heard all the nurses going wild and carrying on," Robinette said.

She looked through the plate glass that was her only connection to the busy hospital and saw The Jackson 5 standing there.

"They asked me which one I wanted to see, and I said I wanted to see Michael - he was the cute one," Robinette said, laughing.

She described the teenage Jackson as obviously shy but incredibly kind and sincere. He gave her an autographed picture, held her hand and asked her how she was doing.

"It had been so long since I'd touched someone not wearing gloves, and I saw hair instead of just a green cap with eyeballs peeking out," said Robinette.

All five members of the Jackson 5 signed a photo for Leslie Robinette in 1973, when they came to visit her in the hospital in Seattle Washington. Robinette, now 42, of Greeneville, Tenn., was hospitalized as a child with aplastic anemia.

After that visit, Robinette started getting better.

"I would never say that he saved her life - that's crazy - but he gave her back a little of her will to live because she had lost it," said Trine Robinette, 49, Leslie's sister.

Leslie eventually did improve, and her family returned to their farm in Greeneville, Tenn., where she still lives with her parents.

When Leslie was 17, she met Jackson again.

The Jackson 5's Victory Tour came to Knoxville in August 1984 for a two-night concert that was extended a third night because of its popularity. Nearly 50,000 fans crowded into Neyland Stadium each night to see the concert.

Leslie Robinette received free tickets to the concerts, and on the third night, she went backstage to meet the whole Jackson gang. She brought Michael Jackson a hand-written birthday card.

A copy of her ticket stub from the 1984 Jackson's Victory Tour.

"I asked him if he remembered me, and he said yes. We talked about my singing in chorus and how I was getting my back brace off soon," Robinette said.

A memorabilia jacket from the 1984 Jackson's World Tour.

Jackson then told his security detail that she was his guest, so she got to watch the third show from a raised VIP platform, seated right next to Jackson's mother, Katherine.

When Robinette left Seattle Children's Hospital three months after her first meeting with Jackson, doctors said she might live 10 years. Still struggling with her disease, she is less than 4 feet tall and weighs about 60 pounds, but she is now 42 and lives an active life.

Like Jackson, she has a strong passion for animals. She is involved in North American Riding for the Handicapped Association and currently is training to become an instructor.

"I've always felt that Michael and I were kind of kindred spirits, because we both grew up not being able to really go anywhere or do anything normal kids do," Robinette said.

Leslie was sitting in her rocking chair when Trine called to tell her about Jackson's death, and she was upset by the news.

Both sisters agree that people can say what they want about Michael Jackson, but he did a lot of good and they hope that is what he will be remembered for. And, of course, his music.

The Article:

What is Aplastic Anemia?

Aplastic anemia is a disorder in which the bone marrow fails to make enough blood cells. The bone marrow is the soft, inner part of bones where the 3 types of blood cells are made:
• Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues from the lungs
• White blood cells, which fight infection
• Platelets, which seal damaged blood vessels to prevent bleeding

These cells are made by blood-forming stem cells in the bone marrow. In aplastic anemia, the stem cells are damaged and there are very few of them. As a result, too few blood cells are produced. In most cases of aplastic anemia, all 3 types of blood cells are low (which is called pancytopenia). Rarely, just one of the cell lines, such as red cells, white cells, or platelets, is abnormal.

Aplastic anemia is not a type of cancer but may be associated with certain cancers (especially those affecting the bone marrow, such as leukemia) or cancer treatments. A small number of patients with aplastic anemia may develop leukemia.

Aplastic anemia can be inherited or acquired. Acquired aplastic anemia is much more common than the inherited type.

The Sources:
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/jun/27/greeneville-woman-hopes-jackson-good-deeds/
For more information:
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/AplasticAnemia/DetailedGuide/aplastic-anemia-what-is-aplastic-anemia

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 5, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson - Held My Hand - February 4th, 2012

Michael Jackson Held My Hand, Too..

Michael Jackson Held My Hand, Too
Posted by The Venice Arts Club on September 6, 2009

I should have come forward with this years ago…it’s been my little secret for too long but now I’m breaking my silence and going public with the fact that Michael Jackson held my hand, too…

The incident took place at Universal Studios during the filming of the music video, Scream, featuring Michael and his sister, Janet. Not too long before this I had met Michael while working on the stage production and rehearsals for the Dangerous tour.

Both Mark Romanek, the director of Scream, and Tom Foden, the Production Designer, are uncompromising perfectionists. It’s been a real pleasure to work with both of them on numerous projects. In the film business, working with people who maintain a vision is significantly better than working for those who lack the big picture. On this particular job I was working with the art department headed by Tom Foden. Other members of the art department included Dana Garman, Richard Berg, Jamie Vickers, Paulie Pietsch, Mark Brooks, to name a few.

The Scream video may be the most expensive music video ever made, I believe the total production/post production budget was somewhere near 8.3 million dollars. And I can tell you the art department budget took a good chunk of that, maybe half. The sets took up three full sized stages at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, with over a dozen sets placed on these three stages. Once shooting began, my role was the ‘on-set dresser’, basically the ‘art department representative’ who remains on set at all times as the ‘face’ of the art department. By the very nature of the position, the on-set dresser has close interaction with the talent while on the set.

This was a crazy big job, no doubt about it. Three stages, over a dozen sets, twenty shoot days.

On the first day of shooting we had a 7am call, except Michael was detained until mid-afternoon. Then hair and make-up, get him to the set and it’s 4:30 pm before we roll. It became clear that we would be shooting nights for the next twenty or so days. It was also clear that Michael liked it this way…working at night, that is.

Finally, we get down to business. Michael makes his entrance and is met by Mark who explains the shot. The first footage we shoot with Michael is of him dancing on one of the many white floors seen throughout the video. Michael finds his position, about six feet from camera, does a couple of takes, then mentions how the floor (white vinyl linoleum) was feeling slick. I move in with my tools, a fine grade steel wool, rag and a spray bottle with the ‘special sauce’ and scruff up the floor a bit with the wool then step back. Mark comes out from behind the camera, looks at my handiwork then calls out for Tom before asking me if we lost the ‘gloss’. I say no, give it a quick spray with the special sauce and it dries to a sparkle. When I get up from my kneeling position Michael is smiling at me and says, “I remember you from the tour rehearsal”. I say, “That’s right”, and he asks me how my kids are doing, I say, “great, amazing.” And then everything is back to normal, Michal does his bit and we’re off to a good start.

As predicted, crew call switched from 7am to 4pm, and we worked throughout each night until 4-6am.

In the final hours of the last night of shooting, we had moved to the ‘zen’ set. This was it, last day, last set, last series of shots. The art department had prepped the set with final touches before Michael was brought in to take his place on the zen podium in the center of the set. Michael surveyed the scene and commented on how beautiful the set looked. He was very relaxed and it was obvious he enjoyed sitting in the middle of this temporary temple.

When Mark called out for a piece of the ceiling to be trimmed, I grabbed a 12-step (ladder), scrambled to the top and began sawing. In an unfortunate moment the portable saw kicked back and amputated a third of my left ring finger. Without word, I reached in my back pocket for my rag, wrapped my finger with it and stepped down off the ladder and exited the set. I passed Tom on the way out and showed him what happened. Tom escorted me to the edge of the stage and I laid down on the concrete. It wasn’t long before an entire film crew of towering bodies was in a half circle looking down at me. Union guys chewing gum. 3am. Right?

Suddenly the crowd parts and Michael appears and stands there for a moment, leaning over me, looking down. He looks at my left hand held in the air then he looks at me. Then just like that he is on his knees by my right side and he picks up my right hand and holds it in his. He looks me straight in the eye and tells me how sorry he was, he kept repeating how sorry he was, and then he had tears in his eyes and he held my hand until the ambulance came and took me away.

That next week, recovering at home, the gifts began arriving from Michael and Janet, tasteful and cool things like great soaps, a bathrobe, incense, a card. Anyway, that’s my story. Michael Jackson held my hand, too. Michael, if you read this, thanks for caring.

Photos by Richard Berg.

The Photo Gallery:

The Source:
http://veniceartsclub.wordpress.com/2009/09/06/michael-jackson-held-my-hand-too/

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

souldreamer7 · Feb 6, 2012

Bree, your most recent MJ daily has been tweeted via: @MJJCLEGACYTEAM Project.

Thanks for your effort!
:heart:
souldreamer7

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 6, 2012

ray: thanks Sweet T :bow: I am so happy you are proud of our work here :agree::group:

souldreamer7 · Feb 6, 2012

Bree you're very welcome. I'm very proud of the team and very proud of you.

:heart:
souldreamer7

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 6, 2012

:bow::heart: Ditto Teamie :bow::heart: :group:

souldreamer7 said:
Bree you're very welcome. I'm very proud of the team and very proud of you.
:heart:
souldreamer7

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 7, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson Saves A Grandmother -
February 4th, 2012

Michael Jackson Saved My Grandma..A True Story

Michael Jackson Saved My Grandma..Friday, 26th June 2009

In December 1997, my maternal grandparents, Joseph and Concetta Delisi, were on an American Airlines flight from JFK to LAX. sitting coach, they were visiting my family for Christmas. Aa couple of hours into the flight, my grandma (literally) falls ill. what started as a stomach ache, ended with granny fainting and tumbling into the aisle.

When she awakes, hovering above (next to my grandpa) and holding out his hand is, Michael Jackson.

“Are you o.k.?” MJ asked, in his delicate voice. He helps grandma up, and invites my grandparents to join him in First Class and they accept.

While grandma rests, grandpa enjoys First Class service and chats it up with MJ. They discuss family, food, and Italy (gramps favorite subjects.)

Upon landing, Michael offers to drive my grandparents from LAX to my folks house (in the valley.) once again, they accept.

With grandma getting pushed through the airport in wheelchair, they make their way to MJ’s limo. however, in an effort to dodge paparazzi, they’re forced to make three limo transfers by Michael’s security. Once settled and on the 405 North, Michael pops-in one of his favorite movies (at the time,) Men in Black, they watch it together.

Once they arrive at my childhood home, my Mom opens the front door to find my grandparents standing on the stoop, with Michael Jackson behind them (holding their bags!!)

MJ enters the house, puts the bags down, and stands in front of the Christmas tree, he is enamored by its beauty and the “family spirit” in the home.

My mom, in utter shock, FAILS to grab a camera to document the event, instead invites Michael Jackson back for a Christmas party, he politely declines, returns to his limo, and heads to Neverland Ranch.

While a photograph was never taken, he left our family with an amazing memory, one that showed us Michael Jackson’s heart, soul, and genuine kindness.

Oh, and this is the first class menu Michael signed on the plane:

The Source:
http://www.chriscantore.com/2009/06/26/michael-jackson-saved-my-grandma/

:clap:This Story was originally Posted by MJCameronS :clap:

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

TheChosenOne · Feb 7, 2012

We have alot of stories that can keep dailying for years.

I think it would be great if we focussed on some of the people who worked with Michael in the studio. What do you think?

TheChosenOne · Feb 7, 2012

Can we send this out to the people on email list. Could that work?

windy09 · Feb 8, 2012

TheChosenOne said:
We have alot of stories that can keep dailying for years.

I think it would be great if we focussed on some of the people who worked with Michael in the studio. What do you think?

I think this is a good idea. I'm sure we can find plenty of stories. I'm thinking we already have some here in the forum. Checking.

windy09 · Feb 8, 2012

TheChosenOne said:
Can we send this out to the people on email list. Could that work?

Nancii are you referring to the Email Alert Distribution List? At this point, my thinking is that we would want to communicate that we are changing our focus of communication to the distribution list.

As it is, we have slowed way down on sending out any stories that are negative and needing a response. We wanted to focus on the more postive side of Michael. We only decided to do this because the number of stories where we can actually refute with facts are decreasing. Additionally, many of the stories are already posted by the time I get onto the forum in the last several intances. Finally, many of the fans wanted to no longer go after these stories from the perspective that should anyone click on the links we shine a spotlight on the stories and also make them money by clicking on the links. So with all that said, using the email list for the daily might not be a bad idea. IMO.

windy09 · Feb 8, 2012

Deleted Post

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 8, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - The J5 Secret Santa Holidays ~ February 14th, 2012

A Holiday Visit with The Jackson Five - (Ebony Jet Jr.)

On Christmas Day, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, the Jackson 5, dressed up as Secret Santas, along with Mary Wilson of the Supremes offer presents and make their appearance on behalf of their record company Motown Records to 400 underprivileged children. During that season, the Jackson 5 perform some Christmas songs during a benefit concert at the “Foundation for the Junior Blind” for 1000 visually impaired children. Lots of little tots were super-delighted to receive gifts and love from not one but five Santas at Motown Records' Christmas party Thursday. The Santas' identities were kept secret until they'd finished distributing presents to the youngsters.

The Magazine Article :

Loco, the playful grinly German shepherd, ran across the basketball court to join the two young boys. Michael and Jermaine Jackson were walking behind their home in Encino, California, not far from Los Angeles. A Christmas tree had been put up the day before and could be seen sparkling through the window. Their mother and father always made everything beautiful at Christmas. But Michael was upset today.

"Christmas always makes me a little sad now," Michael said to his brother. "I always remember the good friends we had to leave in Gary, Indiana. I wish we could see them more often. Especially at Christmas. We used to have so much fun together at Christmas." "We can still call and talk to them on the telephone," Jermaine said, rubbing Loco‘s fuzzy head. “But that’s not half as good as seeing them, is it?" "I miss the snow in Gary, too," Michael added. "We never have snow here in Encino, only the sunshine." "Yeah, that’s true, Michael,” Jermaine said, throwing an arm over his little hrother's shoulder. "But even though we miss our hometown friends, we have made millions of new friends through our music. Dad said we have to remember that."

"You’re right.” Michael said. "I know what I'll do. l'll take some time to personally answer more of our fan mail. I want to thank our fans for liking us." That’s a good idea I’ll helpyou," Jermaine said. "And maybe Tito,” Marlon, Jackie and Randy can help us too."
The boys found their brothers sittiug by the huge swimming pool. Tito, Marlon, Randy and Jackie were rehearsing so that they would be ready for their next concert tour. The Jackson Five always work hard on their music. Even though Christmas was only a few days away, the popular quintet knew that they could not quit practicing. Michael told his brothers what he had on his mind.

"Why don’t we write and tell our fans what we want to get for Christmas," exclaimed young Randy, who joined the group in the summer of 1972 as bongo player. "That’s a good idea,” Tito agreed, putting his guitar in the case. "What do you want for Christmas, Michael?"
"A golf cart," Michael shouted. "But you can't play golf,” Tito said with a chuckle. "I know. I just want to drive around in it like a race car." All the brothers laughed at Michael, who laughed too.
Michael always has a good sense of humor and likes practical jokes. At 14, the young teen star is small, but very strong and quick. When he is not practicing his music, he plays basketball and ping pong. He also enjoys watching television, especially science fiction and detective shows. "Christmas has changed a lot since I was a little boy," said Jackie, 22, and the oldest member of the group. "I can remember when kids in the neighborhood looked forward to getting bicycles and other toys for Christmas. Now, people don’t look up to Santa Claus like they used to."
Yeah," agreed Marlon. "And I guess it really doesn’t matter so much what you give or receive. The spirit you give in or receive in is what counts." Marlon explains himself and reminds his famous brothers that a short and sincere letter from one of their fans means as much to them as one that is five or six pages long. The Jackson brothers nod in agreement.

“Anyone who knows about The Jackson Five should know that the popular singing group sells many records and therefore, earns large sums of money. The brothers could easily afford to show their love for family and friends at Christmastime by spending their money on expensive gifts. But The Jackson Five know well enough that money can not buy friends. They also know that a warm and friendly smile can often better express their love for others than an expensive gift. Each of the Jackson brothers is very mature and enjoys meeting their fans. They enjoy doing benefit shows.”

“One of their favorite benefits was a Christmas party for blind children last year. “It was great to be able to make so many kids really happy in a group small enough to see and talk to,” says Jermaine. More than 400 blind children from the Foundation for the Junior Blind attended the benefit party. At the end of the party, someone asked Michael what he thought about the event. Michael said quietly, “You know, really, this is what Christmas is all about giving!! ”

Jackie described the concert for the blind children as “one of their most rewarding performances we have ever given.” The children had learned the lyrics to some of the group’s hits and were prepared for the show, which for the most part, turned into a sing-a-long. At other parties for children who had no Christmas gifts, The Jackson Five dressed as Santa Clauses and passed out presents.” Jackie, along with his brothers, thinks their fans are the most, important people in their lives. "Without them we’re nothing," he says honestly. "They have made us famous and popular and we owe everything we are to them." The Jackson brothers are all very close. There are no favorite brothers. "Each of the guys has something about him I like, so I can’t pick one over the rest," says Tito. “Jermaine and Michael are great singers. Jackie and Marlon can really dance and then there are personal things they each mean to me."
"When you're like a family and grow up together," explains quiet Marlon, "you know each other and that’s sort of like a safety chain for us."
With the strong chain that holds the Jackson family together, the brothers will have a wonderful holiday this year.

The Photo Gallery :

The Source:
To View Article and this Magazine (Online)
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...ce=gbs_v2_summary_r&cad=0#v=twopage&q&f=false

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

windy09 · Feb 9, 2012

Deleted Post

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 9, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson's Oprah Interview ~
February 10th, 1993 - February 15th, 2012

Michael Jackson's First Live Interview in 14 Years with Oprah Winfrey..

Oprah's groundbreaking 1993 prime-time interview with Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch provided her with two of her highest-rated shows of all time.

On February 10, 1993, Oprah sat down with superstar Michael Jackson for what would be the most-watched interview in television history. Michael, a fiercely private entertainer, had refused to give an interview for 14 years. The unprecedented live event, drew a worldwide audience of 90 million people. "It was the most exciting interview I had ever done," Oprah said.

Sixteen years later, Oprah reflected on her interview with Michael, which took place at his Neverland Ranch. "I can tell you I really, really liked him," she said. "I thought I could be his friend, because I felt that he was really honest."

The Interview (Transcribed)

Oprah : You're invited to Michael Jackson's house-four minutes from now.

Cut to clips of Michael as people make remarks:

Boy : He's like famous. He dances good. And when he was a little boy he was singing so cool.
Young woman : I grew up with his music and I think he is extremely talented.
Man : This kid does a little bit of everything. He's just so different, so unique in his style.
Boy : His thing is his music. O.K. He's just himself, you know?
Young man : People would die for him. You see all those pictures of people crying and trampling over each other just to get a glimpse of him.
Young man : I think he is the ultimate live performer.
Lady : I don't know how he can dance like that.
Child : He's a great singer. I just love him.
Man : He's a genius.
Boy : He's the King of Pop.
Man : The man is just tremendous. And I am in my seventies and I love him, so you can imagine what my teenagers do.
Man : He's always been the greatest in my book.
Woman : I think he's a gift, you know, to people who love music.
Young man : I just wish that he would just kinda take down his walls and show the world who he really is.

Oprah : Good evening. I am Oprah Winfrey, live to you in North America and countries around the globe - bringing you a world exclusive interview with the most elusive superstar in the history of music, Michael Jackson. I'm here in front of his California home, it's a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, where just inside is the man who has broken every possible musical record, denied inter- views, and defied definition for years. For nearly a quarter of a century, he has been an innovator of music, of dance, of videos, even fashion, and nothing he does is anything short of spectacular. Tonight, Michael Jackson will continue to surprise us with a rare personal tour of his astounding home, which includes a private movie theater and a full scale amusement park. You're also going to see a special performance by him and the world premiere of his latest music video. In the next live, and I do mean unedited ninety minutes, Michael Jackson will reveal himself, I hope, as he has never done before. Tonight, his silence is broken. Tonight---------- Michael Jackson.

Cut to clips for intermission.

Announcer : Live from Santa Inez, California-Michael Jackson talks to Oprah.

Oprah : [from Michael's living room]
Michael Jackson's home is nothing like anyone would expect. I thought there were going to be a few llamas wandering around the living room and maybe some-uh-chimps jumping around. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't dead wrong. There are plenty of mind-boggling areas on this 2700 acre ranch which you'll see in this next ninety minutes. But, where Michael Jackson eats, and where he sleeps, and where he lives is quite simply a beautiful home. There is a library here filled with leather bound classics and art work on the walls, not at all what we thought we'd find. Before we meet the man who does live here, it is important to know where he came from, for his history is nothing short of incredible.

[Cut to clips of photos of Michael and family as he grew up.]

Oprah : Michael Jackson is the seventh of nine brothers and sisters born in Gary, Indiana to steel mill worker Joseph and mother Katherine. Some say the Jackson's turned to music the day their television set broke down, but from the day they started performing, they were destined for stardom. Beginning at a place called Motown------

[Cut to clips of Michael and his brothers performing.]

Oprah : This video tape of the Jackson's Motown audition shows James Brown's influence on young Michael and the boys' performance brought almost the entire company in to watch. Motown head, Berry Gordy knew right away. It was the start of a career that broke almost every record in the book, beginning with a string of four number one consecutive hits.

[Cut to clips of the Jackson 5 appearances on Ed Sullivan and other shows.]

Oprah : For the Jackson family, their lives changed almost overnight. They went from obscurity to super stardom, filled with concert tours, limousines, and television appearances. But, it was little Michael that was getting the most attention. As the number one hits continue to accumulate, Michael became a star in his own right, releasing song after song, each one turning to gold. As the years roll by, the Jackson's success continues while their music changed with the changing times. But, as the boys grew older, who could have guessed what lay in store for Michael Jackson.

[Cut to clip of Michael being interviewed as a child--]
Interviewer : So what's going to happen when your voice changes?
little Michael : It just changes!
Interviewer : Are you going to be able to stay singing?
little Michael : Yeah. (smiles broadly)

The Interview:

Oprah : Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson enters the living room of his home. They shake hands and Michael kisses Oprah on the cheek.

Oprah : How nervous are you?

Michael : How what?

Oprah : How nervous are you right now?

Michael : I'm not nervous at all, actually.

Oprah : You really aren't?

Michael : No, I never get nervous.

Oprah : Not even for your first interview and it's live around the world? I thought you'd be a little nervous but you're not and that's great because if you're not nervous I won't be nervous. I just wanted to let the world know that when we agreed to do this interview you said you would be willing to talk to me about everything.

Michael : That's true.

Oprah : Very true. I was watching you in the background there watching you in the video of the early years. Did that bring back memories for you?

Michael : It made me giggle because I haven't seen that footage in a long time. Did it bring back memories? Yes, me and my brothers who I love dearly and it's just a wonderful moment for me.

Oprah : I saw you laugh when you saw yourself singing Baby, Baby, Baby.

Michael : Yeah, I think James Brown is a genius you know when he's with the Famous Flames, unbelievable. I used to watch him on television and I used to get angry at the camera-man because whenever he would really start to dance they would be on a close-up so I couldn't see his feet. I'd shout "show him show him.", so I could watch and learn.

Oprah : So he was a big mentor for you?

Michael : Phenomenal, phenomenal.

Oprah : Who else was?

Michael : Jackie Wilson who I adore as an entertainer, and of course music, Motown. The Bee Gees who are brilliant, I just love great music.

Oprah : When I look at those tapes of you, and heaven knows, putting this together I think I've seen every piece of video ever done of you, and watching those tapes when, especially in the younger years, you seem to really come alive on stage. Were you as happy off stage as you appear to be on stage?

Michael : Well, on stage for me was home. I was most comfortable on stage but once I got off stage, I was like, very sad.

Oprah : Really?

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : And sad from the beginning, sad since it first started, sad?

Michael : Lonely, sad, having to face popularity and all that. There were times when I had great times with my brother, pillow fights and things, but I was, used to always cry from loneliness.

Oprah : Beginning at what age?

Michael : Oh, very little, eight, nine.

Oprah : When you all first became famous?

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : So it wasn't what it appeared to be to the rest of the world, all of us .. I remember I was a little black child, wanted to marry Jackie Jackson, your brother, so I mean to all of us we thought this was the most wonderful thing in the world, who wouldn't have wanted that life?

Michael : It was wonderful, there is a lot of wonderment in being famous. I mean you travel the world, you meet people, you go places, it's great. But then there's the other side, which I'm not complaining about. There is lots of rehearsal and you have to put in a lot of your time, give of yourself a lot.

Oprah : Do you feel... I talked with Susan de Passe the other day, and Susan de Passe worked with you at Motown and really groomed you all and found the outfits for the Ed Sullivan Show. We talked about whether or not it was really lost, was it?

Michael : Well, especially now I come to realize - and then - I would do my schooling which was three hours with a tutor and right after that I would go to the recording studio and record, and I'd record for hours and hours until it's time to go to sleep. And I remember going to the record studio there was a park across the street and I'd see all the children playing and I would cry because it would make me sad that I would have to work instead.

Oprah : I want to go to this and show some pictures of you as a little boy.

Michael : OK.

Oprah : Susan said it was a heavy price. I want to know how big of a price it was, losing your childhood or having this kind of life?

Michael : Well, you don't get to do things that other children get to do, you know, having friends and slumber parties and buddies. There was none of that for me. I didn't have any friends when I was little. My brothers were my friends.

Oprah : Was there ever a place where - because you know children - because I remember talking to myself and playing with my dolls - was there.. and I think every child needs a place to escape into, a child's world, a child's imagination, was there ever a time you could do that?

Michael : No. And that is why I think now because I didn't have it then, I compensate for that. People wonder why I always have children around, because I find the thing that I never had through them, you know Disneyland, amusement parks, arcade games. I adore all that stuff because when I was little it was always work, work, work from one concert to the next, if it wasn't a concert it was the recording studio, if it wasn't that it was TV shows or interviews or picture sessions. There was always something to do.

Oprah : Did you feel, Smokey Robinson said this about you, and so have many other people, that you were like an old soul in a little body.

Michael : I remember hearing that all the time when I was little. They used to call me a 45-years-old midget wherever I went, I just used to hear that and wherever I went .. just like when some people when you were little and you started to sing did you know you were that good? And I say I never thought about it, I just did it and it came out. I never thought about it really.

Oprah : So here you were, Michael Jackson, you all had hits, you all had so many hits, four hits in a row, and you were crying because you couldn't be like other kids.

Michael : Well, I loved show business and I still love show business, but then there are times you want to play and have some fun and that part did make me sad. I remember one time we were getting ready to go to South America and everything was packed up and in the car ready to go and I hid and I was crying because I really did not want to go. I wanted to play. I did not want to go.

Oprah : Were your brothers jealous of you when you started getting all the attention?

Michael : Not that I know of, no.

Oprah : You never felt a sense of jealousy?

Michael : Oh, let me think - no. No, I think they were always happy for me that I could do certain things, but I've never felt jealousy among them.

Oprah : Do you think they are jealous of you now?

Michael : I wouldn't think so. I don't think so, no.

Oprah : No. What's your relationship like with your family? Are you all close still?

Michael : I love my family very much. I wish I could see them a little more often than I do. But we understand because we're a show business family and we all work. We do have family day when we all get together, we pick a person's house, it might be Jermaine's house or Marlon's house or Tito's house and everyone will come together in fellowship and love each other and talk and catch up on who's doing what and....

Oprah : You weren't all upset about LaToya and LaToya's book and the things that LaToya has said about the family?

Michael : Well, I haven't read LaToya's book. I just know how to love my sister dearly, I love LaToya and I always will and I always see her as the happy, loving LaToya that I remember growing up with. So I couldn't completely answer on that.

Oprah : Do you feel that some of the things that she's been saying are true?

Michael : I couldn't answer Oprah, honestly I haven't read the book. That's the honest truth.

Oprah : Well, let's go back to when you were growing up and feeling all of this, well, I guess it's a sense of anguish, I guess, so there was no one for you to play with other than your brother's, you never had slumber parties?

Michael : Never.

Oprah : So I'm wondering for you, being this cute little boy who everybody adored and everybody who comes up to you they're pulling your cheeks and how cute, how adolescence going through that duck stage where everything's awkward, and I'm wondering when you started to go through adolescence having been this child superstar, was that a particularly difficult time for you?

Michael : Very. Very, very difficult, yes. Because I think every child star suffers through this period because you're not the cute and charming child that you were. You start to grow, and they want to keep you little forever.

Oprah : Who's they?

Michael : The public. And um, nature takes its course.

Oprah : It does?

Michael : Yes, and I had pimples so badly it used to make me so shy, I used not to look at myself, I'd hide my face in the dark, I wouldn't want to look in the mirror and my father teased me and I just hated it and I cried every day.

Oprah : Your father teased you about your pimples?

Michael : Yes and tell me I'm ugly.

Oprah : Your father would say that?

Michael : Yes he would. Sorry Joseph.

Oprah : What's your relationship like with him?

Michael : I love my father but I don't know him.

Oprah : Are you angry with him for doing that? I think that's pretty cruel actually.

Michael : Am I angry with him?

Oprah : Because adolescence is hard enough without a parent telling you that you're ugly.

Michael : Am I angry with him? Sometimes I do get angry. I don't know him the way I'd like to know him. My mother's wonderful. To me she's perfection. I just wish I could understand my father.

Oprah : And so let's talk about those teen years. Is that when you started to go inside yourself? Because obviously you haven't spoken to the world for 14 years. So you went inside, you became a recluse. Was it to protect yourself?

Michael : I felt there wasn't anything important for me to say and those were very sad, sad years for me.

Oprah : Why so sad? Because on stage you were performing, you were getting your Grammies. Why so sad?

Michael : Oh, there's a lot of sadness about my past and adolescence, about my father and all of those things.

Oprah : So he would tease you, make fun of you.

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : Would he ... did he ever beat you?

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : And why would he beat you?

Michael : He saw me, he wanted me ... I guess I don't know if I was his golden child or whatever it was, some may call it a strict disciplinarian or whatever, but he was very strict, very hard, very stern. Just a look would scare you, you know.

Oprah : And were you scared of him?

Michael : Very. Like there's been times when he'd come to see me, I'd get sick, I'd start to regurgitate.

Oprah : As a child or as an adult?

Michael : Both. He's never heard me say this. I'm sorry, please don't be mad at me.

Oprah : Well, I mean, I suppose everybody has to take responsibility for what they've done in life. And your father is one of those people who also have to take responsibility.

Michael : But I do love him.

Oprah : Yes, I understand this.

Michael : And I am forgiving.

Oprah : But can you really forgive?

Michael : I do forgive. There's so much garbage and so much trash that's written about me it is so untrue, they're complete lies, and those are some of the things I wanted to talk about. The press has made up so much ... God ... awful, horrifying stories it has made me realize the more often you hear a lie, I mean, you begin to believe it.

Oprah : Um, we talked about all of the rumors just before we went to the break and there are so many. First of all, I have been in this house getting prepared for this and I've been all over the house upstairs when you weren't looking, looking for that oxygen chamber and I cannot find an oxygen chamber anywhere in the house.

Michael : That, that story is so crazy, I mean it's one of those tabloid things, it's completely made up.

Oprah : Okay, but you are in something there, there's a picture of you, where did that come from? How did it get started?

Michael : That's ... I did a commercial for Pepsi and I was burned very badly and we settled for one million dollars and I gave all the money ... like we built this place called the Michael Jackson Burn Center and that's a piece of technology used for burn victims, right, so I'm looking at the piece of technology and decide to just go inside it and just to hammer around, somebody takes the picture, when they process the picture the person who processes the picture says, "Oh, Michael Jackson," he made a copy and these pictures went all over the world with this lie attached to it. It's a complete lie, why do people buy these papers. It's not the truth and I'm here to say. You know, do not judge a person, do not pass judgment, unless you have talked to them one on one, I don't care what the story is, do not judge them because it's a lie.

Oprah : You're right, that story, it was just like it had legs.

Michael : It's crazy! Why would I want to sleep in a chamber? (Laughing)

Oprah : Well, the rumor was that you were sleeping in the chamber because you didn't want to grow old.

Michael : That's stupid. That's stupid. It's completely made up and I'm embarrassed. I'm willing to forgive the press, or forgive anybody, I was taught to love and forgive, which I do have in my heart, but please don't believe these crazy, horrifying things.

Oprah : Did you buy the Elephant man's bones, were you trying to get them for ...

Michael : No that's another stupid story. I love the story of the Elephant Man, he reminds me of me a lot and I could relate to it, it made me cry because I saw myself in in the story, but no I never asked for the ... where am I going to put some bones?

Oprah : I don't know.

Michael : And why would I want some bones?

Oprah : I don't know. So where did that come from?

Michael : Someone makes it up and everybody believes it. If you hear a lie often enough, you believe it.

Oprah : Yes and people make money selling tabloids.

Michael : Yes

Oprah : All right. Just recently, there was a story and I know one of your attorneys held a news conference, there was a story about you wanting a little white child to play you in a Pepsi commercial.

Michael : That is so stupid. That is the most ridiculous, horrifying story I've ever heard. It's crazy. Why, number one, it's my face as a child in the commercial, me when I was little, why would I want a white child to play me? I'm a black American, I am proud to be a black American, I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity. That's like you wanting an oriental person to play you as a child. Does that make sense?

Oprah : No.

Michael : So, please people, stop believing these horrifying stories.

Oprah : Okay, then let's go to the thing that is most discussed about you, that is the color of your skin is most obviously different than when you were younger, and so I think it has caused a great deal of speculation and controversy as to what you have done or are doing, are you bleaching your skin and is your skin lighter because you don't like being black?

Michael : Number one, as I know of, there is no such thing as skin bleaching, I have never seen it, I don't know what it is.

Oprah : Well they used to have those products, I remember growing up always hearing always use bleach and glow, but you have to have about 300,000 gallons.

Michael : Okay, but number one, this is the situation. I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it's something that I cannot help. Okay. But when people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am it hurts me.

Oprah : So it is...

Michael : It's a problem for me that I can't control, but what about all the millions of people who sits out in the sun, to become darker, to become other than what they are, no one says nothing about that.

Oprah : So when did this start, when did your ... when did the color of your skin start to change?

Michael : Oh boy, I don't ... sometime after Thriller, around Off the Wall, Thriller, around sometime then.

Oprah : But what did you think?

Michael : It's in my family, my father said it's on his side. I can't control it, I don't understand, I mean, it makes me very sad. I don't want to go into my medical history because that is private, but that's the situation here.

Oprah : So okay, I just want to get this straight, you are not taking anything to change the color of your skin ...

Michael : Oh, God no, we tried to control it and using make-up evens it out because it makes blotches on my skin, I have to even out my skin. But you know what's funny, why is that so important? That's not important to me. I'm a great fan of art, I love Michelangelo, if I had the chance to talk to him or read about him I would want to know what inspired him to become who he is, the anatomy of his craftsmanship, not about who he went out with last night ... what' wrong with ... I mean that's what is important to me.

Oprah : How much plastic surgery have you had?

Michael : Very, very little. I mean you can count on my two fingers, I mean let's say this, if you want to know about those things, all the nosey people in the world, read my book Moonwalk, it's in my book. You know, let's put it this way, if all the people in Hollywood who have had plastic surgery, if they went on vacation, there wouldn't be a person left in town.

Oprah : Mmm, I think you might be right.

Michael : I think I am right. It would be empty.

Oprah : Did you start having plastic surgery because of those teen years because of not liking the way you looked?

Michael : No, not really. It was only two things. Really, get my book, it's no big deal.

Oprah : You don't want to tell me what it is? You had your nose done, obviously.

Michael : Yeah, but so did a lot of people that I know.

Oprah : And so, when you hear all these things about you, and there have been more...

Michael : I've never had my cheekbones done, never had my eyes done, never had my lips done and all this stuff. They go too far, but this is stuff that happens every day with other people.

Oprah : Are you pleased now with the way you look?

Michael : I'm never pleased with anything, I'm a perfectionist, it's part of who I am.

Oprah : And so when you look in the mirror now and so the image that looks back at you are there days when you say I kinda like this or I like the way my hair ...

Michael : No. I'm never pleased with myself. No, I try not to look in the mirror.

Oprah : I have to ask you this, so many mothers in my audience have said to please ask you this question. Why do you always grab your crotch?

Michael : (Giggle) Why do I grab my crotch?

Oprah : You've got a thing with your crotch going on there.

Michael : I think it happens subliminally. When you're dancing, you know you are just interpreting the music and the sounds and the accompaniment if there's a driving base, if there's a cello, if there's a string, you become the emotion of what that sound is, so if I'm doing a movement and I go bam and I grab myself it's... it's the music that compels me to do it, it's not saying that I'm dying to grab down there and it's not in a great place you don't think about it, it just happens, sometimes I'll look back at the footage and I go ... and I go did I do that, so I'm a slave to the rhythm, yeah, okay.

After a commercial break, some of Michael's major achievements are shown:

# 1 Album of All Time
# 2 Album of All Time
Biggest Concert in History
More Music Awards Than Any Other Artist
The 80's Most # 1 Hits
Biggest Endorsements Deal Ever - 15,000,000 dollars
Billion Dollar Entertainment Contract
Entertainner of the Decade

Oprah : When you have broken all those records, when you have the number one album ever sold, when you've broken every record there is to break, when you become an icon of an industry, is there always the pressure to do something bigger and something better.

Michael : Oh gee, that is something, um, it makes it harder each time to follow up. You try to be as original as you can be without thinking about statistics, just you go from the soul and from the heart.

Oprah : And so when you think of that what do you do, you go, you meditate, you think, well I will now do the Superbowl.

Michael : Nooo, I just create out of my heart, really.

Oprah : Liz Taylor said you were king of pop, rock and soul. Where did this whole notion that you proclaimed yourself king of pop come from?

Michael : Well, I didn't proclaim myself to be anything. I'm happy to be alive, I'm happy to be who I am, king of pop was first said by Elizabeth Taylor on one of the award shows.

Oprah : And that's where this all started?

Michael : Yes, and the fans ... all the stadiums that we played at they'd bring banners saying king of pop and jackets that say king of pop and T-shirts that say king of pop and they chanted outside my hotel, so it just became something that just happened all over the world.

Oprah : Do you go out, do you date?

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : Who do you date?

Michael : Well, right now it's Brooke Shields. Well, we try not to be everywhere, go everywhere, it's mostly at home, she'll come over, I'll go to her house, because I don't like going out in public.

Oprah : Have you ever been in love?

Michael : Yeah.

Oprah : With Brooke Shields?

Michael : Yes, and another girl.

Oprah : And another girl? Let me ask you this, and it's embarrassing for me to ask you this, but I'm gonna ask you anyway, are you a virgin?

Michael : Uhhhhh, how could you ask you that question?

Oprah : I just want to know.

Michael : I'm a gentleman.

Oprah : You're a gentleman?

Michael : I'm a gentleman.

Oprah : I would interpret that to mean that you believe that a lady is a lady and therefore..

Michael : That's something that's private, I mean, it shouldn't be spoken about openly. ......... You can call me old fashioned if you want, but, you know I mean that's very personal.

Oprah : So, you're not going to answer it?

Michael : I'm embarrassed.

Oprah : Well, we would like to know whether or not there is a possibility that you are going to marry one day and have children?

Michael : I would feel my life is incomplete if I do not 'cause I adore the family life, I adore children and I adore that whole thing. And I would love to, that's one of my dreams, but I couldn't right now because I'm married, I'm married to my music and there has to be that closeness in order to do the kind of work that I want to do and ...

Oprah : What kind of woman makes you - in the video we're going to see later, we premier the world video, there's a line where you talk about being quenched, so what kind of person does that for you?

Michael : (Sings) Quench my desire ... Well Brooke, I've always liked her and when I was little I used to stay with Diana Ross, me and my brother stayed with her for years and I never said, but I always had a crush on her.

Oprah : You did?

Michael : Yes.

Oprah : I heard too, this was another one of those rumors, that you had proposed to Elizabeth Taylor at some point.

Michael : Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, beautiful, and she still is today, I'm crazy about her.

Oprah : Yeah, but did you propose to her?

Michael : I would like to have.

Oprah : Well, Elizabeth Taylor is here. Liz? Can we bring Liz out now? Liz had said she wanted to be here to hold your hand through this. You don't look like you need your hand held. Elizabeth Taylor!

Michael : Hi, Elizabeth.

Oprah : Hi.

Elizabeth : Hi.

Oprah : Have a seat.

Elizabeth : Thank you.

Oprah : Did Michael ever propose to you?

Elizabeth : No! And I never proposed to him.

Oprah : Never did! What do you think is most misunderstood about Michael Jackson?

Elizabeth : All the things you mentioned. He is the least weird man I have ever known. He is highly intelligent, true, intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, generous almost to a fault, of himself.

Oprah : Uh-huh.

Elizabeth : Uh, and he just, if, if he has any eccentricities, it's that he is like larger than life and some people just cannot accept that or face it or understand it. His talent on stage, why I call him the King of pop, rock, soul, music, entertainment, whatever,

Oprah : Yes.

Elizabeth : there's nobody that can come near him. Nobody can dance like that, write the lyrics like that, the music, uh, cause the kind of excitement that he does.

Oprah : And why do you think you all are such good friends? What has brought about this kind of bond? Because people try to make this weird.

Elizabeth : Well, it's not. I mean, our childhoods are very similar, and we have that from the very beginning in common. Um, I was a child star at nine, had an abusive father, um, and that kind of brought us close together in the very beginning.

Oprah : And what is it, I am going to ask Michael this question later on, but, what is it you most want the world to know about him?

Elizabeth : What a wonderful, giving, caring, generous man he is and how good he is.

Oprah : And he's funny, too.

Elizabeth : Oh, he's wildly funny.

Oprah : He can crack some jokes, I tell you.

Elizabeth : Yes, but he is a good man.

Oprah : When we come back - Thank you for joining us too -

Elizabeth : That's fine.

Oprah : ...cause I know you did not want to be on camera at first, but thank you. Coming up next, Michael is going to give us not only a tour of his incredible amusement park and movie theater, but also a very special dance performance. For all of you who say he is faking the Moonwalk with mirrors, we've got some proof coming up in a minute. Cut to dance clips for intermission Announcer : Live from Santa Inez, California. Michael Jackson talks to Oprah.

Oprah : Now this is what's shocking to me, that you even drive. What we're doing, everybody, is that we are coming from Michael's house down to this amazing amusement park, which is, oh, about several hundred yards from the house. And this is, it's incredible.

Michael : Thank you.

Oprah : And I want to know whether or not you did this for yourself or did you do it for all the children that you entertain here?

Michael : For myself and the children. Every three weeks we - terminally ill children that come to - uh-

Oprah : To the house?

Michael : Yes, yes.

Oprah : Make a wish foundation, Dream Street, Starlight, yes?

Michael : Every three weeks - and these are sick children, children with cancer. And I entertain them.

Oprah : Uh-huh.

Michael : And they come here to enjoy themselves.

Oprah : This is unbelievable. What I have to say is, these are, as I was talking to some kids that were here, these are not just grandma rides here. These are some major rides.

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : I mean the Sea Dragon, the Ferris Wheel, and there's that Zipper over there.

Michael : The Wipeout.

Oprah : Yeah, the Wipeout, and there are Bumper cars here, it's really-

Michael : Thank you. Well, it brings out the child that lives in every- body. I love rides and things like that and I share it with the children.

Oprah : Were you able to do that when you were a kid?

Michael : Not really. Sometimes, sometimes, but not often enough.

Oprah : But now you can anytime.

Michael : Every day. It's right in my back yard.

Oprah : How often do you actually come out here and do this?

Michael : Whenever I'm here I come out and I go on the rides.

Oprah : Well, is this a part of you, what we were talking about earlier, the pain of growing up and not being able to experience all the things that kids normally experience and so now you are fulfilling all those fantasies.

Michael : To compensate, yes.

Oprah : Really.

Michael : Yes, it is very true.

Oprah : Do you think you can ever really recapture it though? Does it feel the same? I mean, I don't know.

Michael : (laughs) It's more fun.

Oprah : Really?

Michael : I wouldn't change the past if I could. I'm enjoying myself.

Oprah : And here we are inside the theater. I had one too many sugar babies at the candy counter.

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : But the candy is here for all the kids. Pinocchio is here, ET is here. Did you - what's fascinating to me about you is that obviously you have this childlike aura about you and I see children with you and they play with you like you are one of them. But, a child did not do this.

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : A child did not put this together. This is really magnificent.

Michael : Well, thank you. I - I love to do things for children and I try to imitate Jesus - and I am not saying I am Jesus, I'm not saying that.

Oprah : Yes, we're clear on that.

Michael : Right, I'm trying to imitate Jesus in the fact that he said to be like children, to love children, to be as pure as children, and to make yourself as innocent and to see the world through eyes of wonderment and the whole magical quality of it all and I love that. And we'll have like a hundred bald headed children, they all have cancer, and they're all running around.

Oprah : Um-huh.

Michael : And they are enjoying themselves and it makes me cry happy tears that I was able to do this for them, you know.

Oprah : Um-huh.

Michael : Makes me so pleased inside.

Oprah : Well, when I came here to, um, about a month ago to shoot a commercial with you for promoting tonight's event, one of the things that really impressed me the most, I hope you guys are getting shots of this. I don't know how you are, if all the cameras are on us, but, oh, we got other cameras - is that there are, built inside the walls here-beds-beds for some of those sick children who come. And what I realized when I saw this is that you have to be a person who really cares about children to build it into your architecture.

Michael : Yes, yes. We have children that come who are - who intravenously - they are very sick, bedridden-

Oprah : They can't sit up.

Michael : Right. They can't sit up and these beds, they are hospital beds, you push a button, you go up or you go down and they are able to watch. We have a magic show, we show the current films, there's cartoons, anything you know, anything so they can escape to that world of magic that they don't have a chance to experience, the world I was deprived of when I was little.

Oprah : Now let me ask you this. You know I believe everything happens in people's lives for a reason. Do you think that had you not missed a lot of, uh, the life and fun and fantasy of childhood that you would be so in touch with children today. Would you relate to them as you do?

Michael : I probably would, but not as much. That's why I wouldn't change a thing-

Oprah : Really?

Michael : Because I am happy with the way things are and my caring for young people and everything.

Oprah : Are you really happy now, because you seemed so sad for a long time.

Michael : (laughs) I was sad for years and years and years. But I'm happy, I'm getting there. Yes, I'm very happy.

Oprah : And what has made you happier.

Michael : Being able to give back, you know, and to help other people.

Oprah : Uh-huh.

Michael : Heal the World Foundation which I've formed which helps children in healing in the world. We're doing Heal L. A., which is uh, we have three primary goals in mind: immunization of children, mentoring-a big sister, big brother program, and education in drug abuse. And Jimmy Carter has teamed up with us to do Heal Atlanta and we're going to go from state to state healing-- you know we've gone to Sarajevo, we've done lots of places.

Oprah : I know, I know, we have photographs of you from all over the world where you are with all these children. One of the things I was saying before we went to the last break, before the alarm went off in the house and all that-

Michael : Yeah-

Oprah : is that, uh, we were talking about the rumors. One of the strangest ones I heard was that when you're Moonwalking, you're faking it, that you have some mirrors in your socks someplace.

Michael : Oh, boy!

Oprah : And it's not really real.

Michael : No, that's not true.

Oprah : How did you, first of all, you know we've spent so much time trying to dispel the rumors, trying to get the truth out that I haven't had a really opportunity to talk to you about how you conceive your music, how you conceive the dance. Where did the Moonwalk come from?

Michael : Well, the Moonwalk came from these beautiful children, the black kids who live in the ghettos, you know, the inner cities, who are brilliant, that just have that natural talent for dancing any of these new - the running man - any of these dances. They come up with these dances, all I did was enhance the dance.

Oprah : O.K. I want to see you dance.

Michael : Oh, God, no, no.

Oprah : I want to see you dance. I want to see you dance, live.

Michael : No, no. I can show you a step or two, but, I'm a little rusty right now.

Oprah : A little rusty?!

[Michael goes on stage and dances to Dangerous.]

Michael : That's the Moonwalk - wait, you need to catch it from the - sideways.

Oprah : You gotta turn sideways?

Michael : Are you from the front?

Oprah : Yeah, we got ya!

Michael : Catch it from the sideways.

Oprah : O.k. Just show me slow motion. Could you show me slow motion?

Michael : O.K., wait, it's like, it's pushing and then there's like a popping type of thing.

[Michael stops dancing and comes down from stage.]

Michael : I'm sorry.

Oprah : (applauding) Well, I saw it live, I saw it live, I saw it live. And so you took it from the kids who were doing it.

Michael : Yeah, because, um, I think they are the real dancers.

Oprah : Yeah! And when you are, for instance, when we were here before, when we were here before to shoot that commercial, you were--

Michael : You were supposed to do this with me! (laughing)

Oprah : I don't know how to do this!

Michael : (laughing)

Oprah : You know I don't know how to do this!

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : You know what? I mean all the things that were printed in the tabloids, the only thing that's ever been true was when they said I couldn't dance. Now that's the truth!

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : When we were here the last time shooting the commercial, you were like in between shots running off and conceiving the dance, choreographing the dance, you were up all night dancing.

Michael : For the Super Bowl.

Oprah : Yes, yes.

Michael : Yes, well, I'm never satisfied. Even when I see something that I've done and people say oh it was so phenomenal - when I did Motown 25 and I did the Moonwalk for the first time, I was backstage crying afterwards.

Oprah : Why?

Michael : Because I was unhappy.

Oprah : You cried after Motown 25??

Michael : After Motown 25, yes. But, then as I was walking to the car there was this little boy, he was like 12, was a little Jewish kid, and he said, " OOOOO, you were amazing. Who taught you to ever dance like that?". And for the first time, I felt I did a good job, because I know children don't lie and I just felt so good about it then.

Oprah : You wanted to, you felt so good, you probably wanted to say- (imitating Michael) HEH-HEH!

Michael : (laughs) Heh-heh!

Oprah : I want you to sing something acapella for me, if you can.

Michael : Oh, no! What could I sing?

Oprah : Who is it, you know do that whole little beat thing, since we're here in the theater.

Michael : Um, oh, boy, what could I sing? Who Is It?

Oprah : Where did that Heh-heh thing come from? Heh-heh.

Michael : Heh-heh! (starts the beat and makes instrument sounds to Who Is It?) (sings) I gave my money, I gave my time, I gave her everything in life one heart could find. It doesn't seem to matter and it doesn't seem right, but the will has brought no fortune, still I cry alone at night. Don't you judge of my composure cause I'm bothered every day, and she didn't leave a letter, she just up and ran away.

Michael sings "Who Is It" live - click here

Oprah : OOOWWWW! Fabulous!

Michael : I mean, you wanted me to do it! I get embarrassed. I'm sorry. I get embarrassed.

Oprah : I like it very much. Thank you very much for that. We're going to come right back with more of Michael Jackson live--- That was GREAT! (hugs Michael)

[Cut to clips for intermission]

Oprah : One of the reasons we wanted to look at that piece when we went to break there was because music videos used to be you, used to just be people singing their song until you came along and changed music videos. Did you know when you first conceived your first one that's what you were doing? Michael : Yeah. The idea was to make something that was a story so it had a beginning, a middle and an ending.

Oprah : Uh-huh. Michael : So it felt like a mini movie, that's what I wanted to do. And that is what we did with Beat It and Thriller and Smooth Criminal and all those type of things.

Oprah : So when you start to look at a piece of work or look at a piece of music, are you already thinking about how you are going to -- Michael : Sometimes, yes, that is very true.

Oprah : Uh-huh. I wonder what it feels like, I will never know since I cannot sing one thing, but, what it feels like to be on stage with a sea of people, a sea of people. One of the things that has impressed me in putting the pieces together for you, is all around the world, the response to you is so incredible. I just wanted to, for the rest of you in the world who haven't seen how people respond to Michael Jackson to take a look---

[Cut to concert clips and crowd scenes from around the world, with Will You Be There playing as background music.]

Oprah : So, when you're standing there and there's a sea of people responding to you, screaming you name as they were, what does it feel like?

Michael : Love, you just feel lots of love and I feel blessed and honored to be able to be an instrument of nature that was chosen to give them that, what I give them. I'm very honored and happy about that.

Oprah : An instrument of nature-that's an interesting way to describe your- self.

Michael : Thank you, yes.

Oprah : Are you very spiritual?

Michael : In what sense?

Oprah : I mean, do you, do you meditate? Do you understand that there's something bigger than yourself at work here?

Michael : I believe in God, absolutely, absolutely, very much.

Oprah : Uh-huh. And I believe that everybody comes to the world for a reason. I think, um, most of us spend our lives trying to figure out what the purpose of our being here is. What do you think yours is?

Michael : My purpose?

Oprah : Uh-huh.

Michael : Oh, boy, I think, um, to give in the best way I can through song, and through dance and through music. I mean, I am committed to my art. I believe that all art has as it's ultimate goal the union between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine. I believe that to be the reason for the very existence of art.

Oprah : Uh-huh.

Michael : And, um, I feel I was chosen as an instrument to just give music and love and harmony to the world. To children of all ages, and um, adults and teenagers.

Oprah : Do you think that by talking now, setting the record straight for yourself, that maybe people will be able to focus more attention on your music and not judge you for anything other than the kind of music that you play?

Michael : I would hope so. I would love that.

Oprah : Well, I hope that comes out of this, too. I'm also excited that the world is watching, and because the world is watching, we thought this was a good time to let the world see the world premiere of Give In To Me. Cut to world premiere showing of Give In To Me video.

Oprah : So, we want to know how it starts on a piece of paper-quench my desire-and turns into that.

Michael : Well, Give In To Me, I wanted to write another song, you know, that was kinda exciting and fun and had a rock edge to it. You know, like when I did Beat It and Black or White. And Slash, who's a dear friend of mine, we love animals and things like that, he wanted to play guitar and I wanted him to play guitar. We got together and we went to Germany and we shot this thing in just like two hours. We had no time at all to shoot it. We wanted it to be exciting and fantastical and fans, you know, like it's a rock concert and that's how it ends up-that's the result.

Oprah : You mentioned animals. I know everyone's going to ask me when I leave here, where are all the animals? I said it in the opening, I expected chimps to be jumping all over the living room and I didn't see any. Where's Bubbles?

Michael : (laughs) Well, the animals are everywhere. They're in their habitats. They're all over the ranch. And they come out in the daytime and they play and jump around, they have their own playground and area.

Oprah : Why, why were you so fascinated by animals, do you think?

Michael : Because I find in animals the same thing I find so wonderful in children. That purity, that honesty, where they don't judge you, they just want to be your friend. I think that is so sweet.

Oprah : I do, too. We'll be right back with Michael Jackson, live.

Announcer : Michael Jackson talks to Oprah. Ninety prime-time minutes with the King of Pop.

Oprah : We're live at Michael Jackson's house, in his theater and we asked NBC for ninety minutes. I don't think it was enough time.

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : I think we've cleared up all the rumors though. There are no chimps running around the house-

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : No oxygen tank in the house. I don't know, are you going to lay off the crotch a little bit?

Michael : (laughs) Ask the music.

Oprah : Ask the music will you lay off the crotch. Oh, we didn't get about the inauguration. Did you tell President Clinton that you had to be the only person there singing?

Michael : That is horrible. That is the stupidest, craziest story that I have ever heard. I mean, why would I just want me and nobody else could be on the show, just me. That's so stupid, to me. I mean, it's crazy. That's not even in my heart. I would never say any- thing like that. Again, somebody made it up and the whole world believed it . It is so false, it's incredible.

Oprah : What do you want, want most-what do you want the world to know about you most? I asked Liz that of you, what do you want them to know?

Michael : Like to be remembered for?

Oprah : Not to be remembered for-what about for now? Forget remembered.

Michael : Oh, known for now. As to be an artist, a great artist. I, I love what I do and I would love people to love what I do and to be loved. I just simply want to be loved wherever I go. All over the world, because I love people of all races from my heart, with true affection.

Oprah : Hmm. You know, Gene Siskel who's a movie critic asked me this question once. And I love the question, so I am going to ask you.

Michael : Yeah?

Oprah : You're 34 years old. What do you know for sure?

Michael : Hmm. What do I know for sure?

Oprah : What do you know for sure?

Michael : Oh, boy, I'm still learning. I mean, life is an education for me. I can't say that I know anything for sure. I really believe that.

Oprah : I can't thank you enough for letting us in and I wish you all the happiness in the world. I loved being here because it makes me feel like a child again and one of the things I promised myself was that when this interview was over-live around the world- I was going to go get on that Ferris Wheel!

Michael : (laughs)

Oprah : And that is exactly what I intend to do. I'm gonna take off my blue shoes and I'm gonna ride that Ferris Wheel!

Michael : (continues laughing)

Oprah : I'm gonna have a good time and have myself a little popcorn, maybe, and maybe when it's all over, you'll teach me how to do the Moonwalk-when everybody's not looking!

Michael : O.K.! O.K.! That sounds good.

Oprah : Yeah! This was fun!

Michael : Yeah! Lots of fun!

They leave the theater together to go to the amusement park.

End of program.
(A full transcript of the interview can be found on Oprah.com and in Chapter 14 of the book "Michael Jackson, the king of pop By Jel D. Lewis Jones". )
Michael Jackson (February 10, 1993)

Michael Jackson interview with Oprah Part 1 of 8

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Michael Jackson interview with Oprah Part 8 of 8
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The Photo Gallery:

The Source:
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/In-Memoriam-Remembering-Oprah-Show-Guests/4

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

windy09 · Feb 10, 2012

MJ TinkerBell said:
Hey K Love I am on set doing a television pilot and there is no internet I can access to work in here today! Please PM nancii and let her know your post needs approving ok ! Also would you please delete your posts in this thread the other thread is for all conversations and questions I will do the same because this thread is for approved and posted to the forum already posted ok I hope this helps :heart:I will be working in here all day tomorrow and will post more research then k::ciao:

Hi Bree Z...

Yes your explanation does help. Thank you. I will PM Nancii and will remove all my posts here unless they are already posted to the forum. Thank you for the clarification.

Your new project sounds exciting. Perhaps you will share more about it some day.

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 17, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - "King of The Kids" in Yongmo Village ~ February 17th, 2012

When Michael Jackson Visited Mainland China..Original Article (Chinese)

ZS News, People's Republic of China
'When Michael Jackson Visited Mainland China...Translated By James Chen
June 29, 2009

On June 26, Michael Jackson, the 'King of Pop'' passed away at the age of 50 when his heart stopped. Most of his fans in China regret that he never performed on the mainland. He was fascinated by the rice fields, water buffalo and ducks in the pond when the pop star visited Zhongshan City 22 years ago he actually did step on Chinese ground. In 1987, when on holiday in Hong Kong, Jackson visited Zhongshan as a tourist. This was the only visit he made to mainland China during his lifetime. Michael Jackson took a group photo with children and villagers in Yongmo Village on his face there's a free and sweet smile, which makes him look like the 'King of the Kids.'

On the evening of June 27, with the assistance of the Zhongshan China International Travel Service [Zhongshan CITS], our reporter contacted Liu Guangzhi, who now lives in the United States. He is a Zhongshanese and once worked for Zhongshan CITS. On October 23, 1987, he accompanied Michael Jackson as a tour guide during his one-day visit to Zhongshan.

HIS ONLY VISIT TO MAINLAND CHINA

"He came to Zhongshan to see what China was like." says Liu Guangzhi, who now lives in the U.S. state of Maryland. Having a good command of English, on that day in October 1987, Liu was assigned to receive a tourist group, among which was Michael Jackson. At the time, Liu was only 23 years old. Michael Jackson was wearing dark green shirt, black trousers and black frame glasses. He appeared friendly and quiet. "It wasn't until I got the list of tourists that I discovered I would be receiving Michael Jackson." Liu's excitement was still evident as he spoke of the events of that day, twenty-two years ago.

"On the list there were arrangements for vehicles and restaurants. Then I realized that a superstar was coming!" That very tourist list is still kept in very good condition. Michael Jackson’s name is on the top. Under the column "occupation," it reads "Entertainment Industry."

VISITING YONGMO VILLAGE, SANXIANG TOWN

It was a sunny day and that morning, 12 tourists including Michael came to the Gongbei Customs office from Hong Kong. Liu guided them to Yongmo Village, Sanxiang Town, then on to Cuiheng Village, Nanlang Town, in order for them to enjoy the beautiful scenery in the hometown of a great man Dr. Sun Yat-sen, father of modern China.
In 1987, although China still wasn't very open to foreign pop music, a large group of young people in Zhongshan knew of Michael Jackson thanks to his best selling CD Thriller.
"He was very nice. At that time, he wasn't surrounded by a large group of bodyguards. In Yongmo Village, many foreign tourists and villagers recognized him and asked for photographs and signatures."

Michael only spent 40 minutes in Yongmo Village. He was obviously quite interested in the Chinese village, which was not modernized. "He was fascinated by the rice fields, water buffalo and ducks in the pond. Along the road there were villages and farmhouses." Liu said that the friendliness and hospitality of the villagers, as well as their simple lifestyle, attracted Michael deeply. "He walked on the bluestone road in Yongmo Village, looking with great interest at a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth. He also said 'Hi' to children and took photos with an old woman in front of her house. He and his companions took lots of pictures and videos of the village."

Jackson took a group photo with children in Yongmo Village (below), which appears in his autobiography. In the photo Liu sent to our reporter, the young "King of Pop" was surrounded by several lovely children. Michael wrote down his feelings below the photo: "When I saw the Chinese kids, I couldn’t resist them."

VISITING THE DR. SUN YAT-SEN MUSEUM

"He admired Dr. Sun Yat-sen and was interested in his Chinese tunic."

Visiting Zhongshan city in Guangdong Province.

They had lunch at the Zhongshan Hot Spring Resort. A large group of Americans saw him there and recognized him. So they took photos with him excitingly. "Michael Jackson was a vegetarian at the time, so we prepared vegetarian food for him. Other than that, it seemed that he wasn’t very picky about food." After lunch, they went to Cuiheng Village, Nanlang Town. They visited the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the Zhongshan Memorial Middle School. "As the main attraction in Zhongshan, the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the houses in Cuiheng Village were the "must-go" places for many foreigners." Liu said.
Before he came to China, Michael wasn't familiar with Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He listened to Liu’s introduction and gradually came to understand the revolutionary road of Sun. "In the Museum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, he showed great interest in architecture with Chinese characteristics. He asked me to tell him stories about Dr. Sun Yat-sen. He seemed to admire him a lot."
The photograph of Dr. Sun Yat-sen wearing a Chinese tunic suit attracted Michael’s attention (photo, left). He inquired about the origin and design of the Chinese tunic suit. "It was said that he had a Chinese tunic made to order in Hong Kong and brought it back to the United States."
The seven-hour-visit was soon over. Before he left, Jackson told Liu Guangzhi that, "the scenery of Zhongshan is similar to Switzerland. Everything is green."

"He left us with good memories. He was very quiet but also very friendly and would greet the children and take pictures with them. His stay was so short that we didn’t have a chance to discuss specific topics in any detail."

Liu Guangzhi (Douglas Liu) poses for photography together with Michael Jackson during the superstar's trip to the city of Zhongshan, Guangdong Province on October 23rd, 1987.

Liu feels regret over this. But he was touched by Michael’s carefulness. "When he went back to Hong Kong, he asked his agent to send the group photo to me - and he signed it."

Together with the photo of Liu , he sent the photos of the kids and the old woman in Yongmo Village as well. Liu sent those photos back to the village. To this day, many of these photos remain in the villager’s homes. "To us, it was a wonderful memory. And Michael had kept it for us."

In 1990, Liu Guangzhi applied for further study in the United States. He brought these memories to the U.S. with him, including the tourist list and photos taken at that time. Now Liu counts them as some of his most precious things. "Though he is gone, I will always think of him when I look at those photos. He's an extraordinary superstar and will remain in our minds and I still remember his kindness. He's the unparalleled King of Pop, I'll keep the memory of him in my heart forever."

Michael's Only Visit to the Mainland Revealed

Audio of Interview with Liu Guangzhi

Anchor:
Of the millions of fans in China mourning the passing of pop music legend Michael Jackson, few knew that Jackson actually once set foot on the Chinese mainland 22 years ago as a tourist.
Our reporter Zhao Kun spoke over the phone with Michael Jackson's tour guide during that trip, Liu Guangzhi, who now lives in Maryland in the United States.

Reporter:
In October 1987, while Michael Jackson was on vacation in Hong Kong, he took a one-day trip to Guangdong Province. His only visit to the mainland had remained unknown to Chinese people for more than twenty years, except for a few senior staff members at a local travel agency. That day, Mr. Liu Guangzhi was assigned to show Jackson around town.
After Jackson went back to America, Liu Guangzhi never got to see the superstar again. In 1990, Liu Guangzhi went to the US to study and stayed there to work after graduating. Now he lives with his wife and two kids in the northeastern state of Maryland. Few of his friends and neighbors knew about his meeting with Jackson until the star died last Thursday.
Over the past two decades, Liu Guangzhi has gone from a young tour guide in China to a middle-aged father and husband on the other side of the ocean. But these huge changes of time and space haven't blurred his memory of the time he spent with Michael Jackson. As mementos of that day, Liu Guangzhi still has photographs of himself with Jackson, a list of names from the tour, and his memories, still fresh in his mind.

For China Drive, I'm Zhao Kun.
To hear this amazing Interview :
http://english.cri.cn/6666/2009/07/02/1321s498330.htm

Originally Posted by:mkgenie

The Article:

Famous Hong Kong singer Alex To said in his Chinese twitter Weibo.com that he took photo with Michael Jackson in 1987 and he will never forget that day. He also showed the photos of he and MJ, MJ's autograph for him, and he went to see Thriller Live , and recently Immortal in Las Vegas, and he collect a MJ arts for inspiration:

this is in the autumn of 1987, MJ visit HK TV giant TVB's studio. Alex and MJ stay together for 3 hours. Alex said he will never forget the day in his life and always miss MJ.

MJ's autograph for him

He was about to see This Is It concert in London in 2009, however...... He was then went to Paris and found this art by local artist Andriya Filipovic . He collected it for inspiration and then put it on the wall of his bedroom.

He went to see Thriller Live in London in 2009

He went to see debut of MJ Imortal World Tour in Las Vegas and visit Fan Fest

After MJ passed, Alex used his own money to place a MJ statue in Hong Kong

He also invited Jermaine's wife Alejandra Jackson and daughter Genevieve Jackson to the unveiling ceremony.

This lovely statue of Michael Jackson was scheduled to be unveiled on 2011.1.1 at 11.11am at the Guangzhou city, which is the capital city of the Guandong province. Michael Jackson visited a nearby town in the same province in 1987.
Video originally uploaded by: 大天使Michael@China video site, Youku
[YOUTUBE]x2s4Q65O7zM[/YOUTUBE]

The Youtube Videos of this historic Event in China :

[YOUTUBE]jShadpGbyig[/YOUTUBE]

0:24 MJ trying to herd cattle
0:30 MJ wearing a Chinese Fisherman Hat
1:00 MJ photo with an old lady
2:45 MJ holding a Chinese baby
3:44 MJ photo with an old villager.

[YOUTUBE]jBmlCI5qmgg[/YOUTUBE]

Hundreds of Primary school children dance Michael Jackson in China !
[YOUTUBE]2mBgwVFqkdQ[/YOUTUBE]

At China's Got Talent, a patient with Vitiligo, imitated Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone"
[YOUTUBE]kWbE4GYtH6o[/YOUTUBE]

The Photo Gallery:

Michael in rice paddy fields.

These images appeared in Mainland China's newspapers as ones he took during his one-day trip in Guangdong province.

Michael posing on the streets of Hong Kong at night (or in the Shaw/TVB studio)

Not sure but this looks like Hong Kong to me
(the small little islands and landscape make me think so)

This is definitely Hong Kong, probably in an area called Aberdeen where back in the 80s
(and less so today), there were still tons of people living on boats. They're called "boat people".

Michael with famous TV personality/actress, Liza Wang

The King of Han Dynasty with the HK actress Leung Pui-Ling , 梁佩玲。

The Sources:

http://www.zsnews.cn/ZT/GongGaoZhuanQu/2009/06/29/1137163.shtml

http://worldmeets.us/ http://worldmeets.us/CSNews000001.shtml#ixzz1llPxYv2p

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/showbiz/2009-06/30/content_8338187.htm

http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/t...ex-To-took-photo-with-Michael-Jackson-in-1987

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 25, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson Saved James DeBarge from a Suicide Attempt ~ February 19th, 2012

The Essence Article:

James DeBarge: 'Michael Jackson Saved My Life'
By Yolanda Sangweni

Janet Jackson's ex-husband James DeBarge is speaking out about a painful night he shared with her older brother, Michael Jackson. He opens up about a time when Michael saved him from committing suicide. In an episode of "Dr. Drew's LifeChangers," DeBarge tells Dr. Drew how he once contemplated jumping off the roof of Micheal's home, and how the pop icon calmly talked him out of it. “One time I was on the roof of [Michael’s] house…I was going to jump and everyone was losing it,” said James. Dr. Drew asked, “How did he stop you?” "He was the only one NOT freaking out!" he says. "He seemed to be familiar with my pain… he knew I needed someone to talk to so he was that ear. So we just talked all night and I forgot that I was even on the roof and that I was going to jump."
James, his sister Bunny and brother Randy -- members of the '80s group, DeBarge -- will sit down with Dr. Drew for a two-part intervention on "LifeChangers"

[YOUTUBE]2o-GCA-zJao[/YOUTUBE]

The VIBE Article: (Family Back Story)

The Rise and Fall of The Debarge Family (Episode 1)
By: Michael A. Gonzales, August 29, 2007

The DeBarge family - El, Marty, Randy, Bunny and James, not to mention Thomas, Bobby, and baby brother Chico - were supposed to be Motown's follow-up to the Jacksons. But after a trail of dazzling '80s hits, behind-the-scenes drama threatened to bring the family down. From dating Latoya and Janet Jackson to allegations of sexual abuse and drug addiction - the DeBarge family has dealt with everything from prison time to AIDS. But even now, their music is still sampled by the likes of Diddy and Polow Da Don, and some of the DeBarges are trying resurrect their careers. Is it too late, though, to pick up the pieces?

The house lights dimmed on a humid summer evening in 1994, and El DeBarge floated across the cluttered stage of the now-defunct New York City nightclub Tramps.

"Respect to the old school!" screamed a drunk woman from the bar. El, then 33, gently grabbed the microphone and wrapped his feathery falsetto around a songbook of classic material from his family's R&B-pop group, DeBarge. Though he'd left the group in 1986, El opened with their heartbreaking 1983 hit "Stay with Me" (Gordy), which Sean "Puffy" Combs would soon sample for the Notorious B.I.G.'s 1995 smash remix of "One More Chance" (Bad Boy). As El sang, it seemed he was ready for another chance himself. Despite rumors that he was caught up in a fog of drug addiction, on this night, both El's voice and his wardrobe were sharp as nails.

An ex-child preacher at Bethel Pentocostal Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., Eldra DeBarge still knew how to work a crowd, baptizing the blissful audience simply by playing a few chords on his white keyboard. Born into a biracial - not hispanic, as many still believe - family of sublime vocalists, El was the brightest star of the eight singing DeBarge siblings.

DeBarge was part of Motown's second wave of soul-music stars after founder Berry Gordy Jr. fled the grit of Detroit for the glam of Los Angeles. Consisting of brothers El, James, Mark, and Randy, and their elder sister Bunny, the group was instantly transformed from Midwestern church singers into Right On! magazine teen dreams, complete with flashy 1980s fashions and beaming smiles. But by the late '80s, DeBarge's fame was fading.

Less than a decade later, El was in NYC to promote his new album Heart, Mind & Soul (Warner Bros.) and perhaps to make a new start. Except for the huge hit he had with Barry White, Al B. Sure!, and James Ingram of 1990's Quincy Jones-produced "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)," El had been off the radar for years. He was already a throwback in a world dominated by new jacks like R. Kelly and Jodeci, but no one could have predicted that H,M&S would be El's last solo release for 13 years.

At Tramps, El briefly closed his eyes and sang the tortured lyrics of "All This Love," a massive radio hit he wrote and produced in 1983: "I've had some problems," he sang. "And no one could seem to solve them." The poignant lyrics were a fitting synopsis of the turbulent life and times of the DeBarge family, the greatest story never told.

It began 1975, when Barry White fired a crew known as White Heat, one of his many backing bands, which included pianist/singer Robert "Bobby" DeBarge Jr., the second oldest of the 10 DeBarge siblings. The whole DeBarge family loved music. They'd sing on the radio in Detroit on Sunday mornings and perform at talent shows. Bobby's talents stood out.

"I've never heard anyone sound quite like him, and with so much ease," producer Bernd Lichters has said. "I knew I saw a star." Lichters worked with former White Heat members Bobby DeBarge and Gregory Williams (a schoolmate of Bobby's) to launch the pioneering soul-pop group Switch. Bobby co-wrote and co-produced much of the group's best music, but behind the good looks and dazzling talent lurked a tortured soul.

Bobby's drug issues were common knowledge among the members of Switch, but his voice was too gorgeous to ignore. Still, Switch - which released five albums on Motown's subsidiary Gordy Records - almost bounded into the studio without his supple crooning. "I wasn't sure I wanted Bobby to be in the group because he was still on drugs," says Williams. But when a chance meeting in Los Angeles with Jermaine Jackson and his wife, Hazel (Berry Gordy's daughter), got them an audition with Gordy, Williams reconsidered.

The Rise and Fall of The Debarge Family (Episode 2)

Bobby was determined to kick his habit before reaching Hollywood, sweating the junk out of his system on the Greyhound bus ride west from Grand Rapids. By the time anyone from Motown met him, Bobby was clean. Switch - which consisted of Bobby and Tommy DeBarge, vocalist Phillip Ingram, Williams, Eddie Fluellen, and Jody Simms - was offered a contract.

Released in 1978, Switch's self-titled debut featured the standout "There'll Never Be," which rode the Billboard R&B charts for 26 weeks, peaking at No. 6. The album went on to sell a million copies and formed the sonic template for future groups as diverse as Jodeci and Mint Condition.

"The night we wrote 'I Call Your Name' was a strange one," says Williams of the achy slow-jam, which was sampled in 2006 by Polow Da Don for Rich Boy's big hit "Throw Some D's." "Bobby was dating LaToya Jackson," Williams says, "and she was the only girl on his mind. One night, he started fooling around on the Fender Rhodes. I started singing along, and next thing you know we had a song. I'm not saying the song was written for LaToya, but they were in love, and Bobby couldn't wait to play her the completed song."

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While Bobby was working on that second Switch album, Mark and Randy DeBarge visited Los Angeles to see what their brothers were up to. Before long Bunny, Mark, Randy, El, and James made the journey west. Lichters leased a five-bedroom house and took them to buy instruments. "Motown put us on salary, because we were starving," says Bunny by phone from Grand Rapids. "Because he'd lost the Jacksons, we became his pet project." Motown encouraged the DeBarges to fire their managers and sign with DePassse and Jones management, which was affiliated with Motown. They eventually agreed.

While family acts like the Osmonds and the Sylvers had become passe after the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975, the acclaim of DeBarge's 1982 sophomore album, All This Love, inspired a new generation of brothers and sisters -like Five Starr and The Jets - to bum-rush the sibling scene. But DeBarge stood head and shoulders above the rest. Romantic, pop-friendly R&B jams like "All This Love," "I Like It," "Who's Holding Donna Now," "Love Me in a Special Way," and their biggest pop hit, "Rhythm of the Night," from the 1985 Motown film The Last Dragon (Tri-Star Pictures), made the group crossover stars.

But the DeBarge family was ill prepared for the challenges of celebrity. Back in the 1960s, when Gordy's hit factory was still run like a mom 'n' pop shop, the "old" Motown was renowned for artist development that included everything from dance lessons to etiquette classes. The label's 1972 move to L.A. killed that tradition. "Coaching? What coaching? I haven't been fortunate enough to have people around to show me things. I wish I did," El said to the Los Angeles Times in 1984. "Basically, I'm out there by myself."

That same year, James DeBarge, the second youngest of the group, married Janet Jackson. She was 18. He was 21. He was a rising star at Motown, and she was struggling to break away from a notoriously insular family. James met her because his brother Bobby was dating La Toya. "James and Janet started secretly seeing each other," says Bunny DeBarge. " Then they came to Grand Rapids and eloped. For the Jackson family, it was a nightmare. Nobody knew how serious it was, but they were so young." The marriage was annulled after several months amid allegations of James' drug abuse.

It was also in 1984, during DeBarge's four-month stint as the opening act on Luther Vandross's sold-out "Busy Body" tour, when the family discovered just how famous they'd become. This was the year of Michael Jackson's Thriller, Prince's Purple Rain, and The Police's Synchronicity, but DeBarge was driving their fans every bit as crazy as those household names. "Girls would jump onstage, pull out our hair, tear off our clothes, and sometimes scratch off our skin," says James by phone from California. "It got even scarier when we stopped off in Detroit to perform at a record shop. The crowd broke down the barricades and smashed the windows. We had to get a helicopter lift from the roof. There were a lot of Beatles-type moments."

Nevertheless, in the classic Motown tradition of separating powerful lead singers from successful groups - Diana Ross from the Supremes, Smokey Robinson from the Miracles, Michael Jackson from the Jacksons, Lionel Richie from the Commodores - it wasn't long before divide-and-conquer tactics apparently went down with DeBarge. "They made El think that he was better than his brothers and sister," says El's 71-year-old mother, Etterlene. "Michael was the star of the Jacksons continues the woman who refers to herself - even on her MySpace page - as Mama DeBarge. Speaking by telephone from her home in Grand Rapids, Mama's voice is as soothing as peppermint tea, but she still harbors bad memories of Motown, which she's channeling into the book she's working on, titled The Other Side of The Pain. "Everything became about what Motown wanted, not what the kids wanted," she says. "My kids were fighting like enemies."

But according to Bunny, it wasn't just label troubles that derailed the DeBarge family's dreams of showbiz glory. "We weren't able to sustain our success because of our childhood," she says. On the surface, they seemed like a model family. But the parents' relationship was troubled. "Interracial marriage was still controversial and we were talked about everywhere," recalls Bunny. To make matters worse, Bunny says her father was "always fighting" with her mother. "Mom came from a loving, church family," says Bunny. "She wasn't used to people who were violent."
Even family friends could sense the trouble at home. "To put it simply," says Williams, who has known and worked with the DeBarges since they were all youngsters, "their father was psychotic.

The Rise and Fall of The Debarge Family (Episode 3)

Etterlene Abney was 17 when she met the 21-year-old Army soldier Robert DeBarge at a Detroit skating rink. "At first I didn't think he would like me, because I was so dark," Etterlene recalls. "A white man with a black woman…we were a freak show." They were married in 1953, two weeks before he was shipped out overseas. Etterlene says she'd never known brutality in her life — until she wed. "Robert was very jealous," she said with a sigh, "and an extremely abusive father." They stayed together 21 years before divorcing in 1974.

"Bobby went through a lot of pain," says Chico DeBarge of his oldest brother. "My father sexually molested a lot of my brothers and sisters. You could hear that anguish in Bobby's music."

Robert DeBarge Sr. has a voice as dry as sandpaper. At 75, he's had three surgeries and breathes with the help of an oxygen tank. "She has the right to her opinion," he says of his wife's allegations of abuse. "I don't think that I was at all . . . I don't speak a lot against her becasue she's the mother of my children. There are a lot of things, for the sake of the children, some things are best for them not to even know." Now remarried, with one son who died in a car accident, he firmly denies abusing his children sexually or otherwise. "Ohh no, no no," he says, sounding shocked at the idea.

"That may be our fault," says Bunny, unsurprised to hear her father's denials. "We never made daddy stand up. I don't hate my father, but he has a way of blocking things out of his mind."

Robert Sr. was a trucker after leaving the Army. A religious man, he sometimes found time to play the piano. "I was musically inclined," he says with a laugh, "so the children couldn't help but be talented." Although he had split with "the boys' mother" by the time his children had moved to Los Angeles, he says he "wasn't tickled to death about it," preferring they further their education instead. He never thought Motown would treat them right. "I knew they would use them instead of being fair with them. Being in the limelight is a struggle," he says. "Here today, and gone tomorrow."

According to Bunny — who, like her mother is working on a book, ominously titled "The Kept One" — the DeBarge siblings' experience with drugs started early. She tried sniffing coke after the group finished its second album and eventually became dependent on pills. "It was the '80s — doing drugs was the thing to do," says Bunny, stressing that she never went to sessions high. "If you weren't doing drugs, you weren't in."

By 1987, Bunny had left DeBarge and was in a free fall. "I had no drugs to help me cover, no fame to hide behind," she writes in her forthcoming book. (Bunny has since kicked her habit, crediting her turnaround to her relationship with God). The following year, Bobby and Chico were convicted, along with two other accomplices, on drug conspiracy charges . Chico's self-titled debut album had been released just two years earlier, and he should have been enjoying the success of his single "Talk To Me" (Motown, 1986). Instead, both brothers found themselves in jail cells serving five-year sentences. But the most tragic fall of all was Bobby's.

"Bobby was always very sensitive and withdrawn," says Williams, "and there was a lot of abuse at the hands of Mr. DeBarge. Heroin became his main way to escape." Though he stayed clean for a while, after the success of Switch II, Bobby began slipping. "He was back on drugs, and his ego was out of control," Williams says. "Bobby was going around saying, 'I'm Switch.'"

But Etterlene believes her son had simply outgrown the group. "There was a lot of hating going on," she says. "People might have bought Switch records, but they were really buying Bobby's voice."

Maybe he didn't need the band to show off his musical talents, but Bobby did seek refuge at his former bandmate's California home after being released from prison in 1994 with the HIV virus ravaging his immune system. "Bobby's last years were hell," Williams says. "He was separated from his wife and kids, and acting paranoid toward everybody. Bobby knew his life was basically over." He moved back to Grand Rapids the following year, and his family checked him into a hospice. After riding the heroin horse since his teens, Bobby died from complications of AIDS on August 16, 1995 at the age of 39. Taking his big brother's death to heart, El would never be the same.

The Rise and Fall of The Debarge Family (Episode 4)

Much was expected of Eldra. Like Bobby, El simply had it. Aside from his vocal talents, El was also a keyboardist and producer who seemed destined to run in the same company as Michael Jackson and Prince. But at his core, El was more tortured balladeer than the mammoth pop stars.

"I've seen him get to a special place while performing, and he'd just start crying on stage," says friend/collaborator David "DJ Quik" Blake from his Southern California home. "That's how powerful his music is."

Legendary producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, who did some production work on El's Heart, Mind and Soul, fondly remembers the days when his old group the Deele - which included drummer-turned-Island-Def-Jam-chairman Antonio "L.A." Reid - and DeBarge opened for Luther Vandross. "I was in awe of El back then," says Babyface, "and learned much about songwriting and performance from studying him."

El's solo track record is frustratingly short. Motown released his self-titled solo debut in 1986, featuring the lighthearted pop hit "Who's Johnny." A second solo album Gemini, was dropped (to moderate fanfare) in 1989. In 1992, he laced Quincy Jones' majestic "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)." El's first post-Motown disc, In the Storm (Warner Brothers, 1992), featured underrated collaborations with Earth, Wind & Fire leader Maurice White, a duet with Chante Moore ("You Know What I Like") and a chilling remake of Marvin Gaye's "After the Dance" with Fourplay. And while that stellar track was a hit on urban radio, the disc was a commercial disappointment. In 1995, Warner Bros. dropped El from the label. With the exception of supplying keyboards and background vocals on Chico's strong post-prison disc, Long Time No See (1997), and DJ Quik's 1999 Rhythm-Al-Ism, El hasn't recorded anything for public consumption in more than a decade.

So, what happened?

"Drugs happened," blurts Etterlene. "It's painful to talk about, but when El got into drugs, it just paralyzed him." The drug abuse masked deeper scars. "El was lonely without his brother [Bobby]," his mother continues. "He just couldn't deal with all the people in the music industry. He couldn't deal with their fakeness and people ripping him off. Motown had taken all his publishing, and they're still making money from those songs." His own financial needs were just the tip of the iceberg. According to Bunny, El sired as many as 10 children, starting from the time he was 14. He could do little more than to put all this stress into his music, but then one day the music stopped.

"Is this going to be a cover story?" El asked in measured tones the one time VIBE spoke to him for this article, in April 2007. The most accessible DeBarge brother, Chico, who was recording new material in a Times Square studio, had gotten him to the phone, if only for a minute.
"Not my decision," this writer replied.
"Well, call me on Monday," El said. "We can talk then."

After weeks of repeated phone calls that seemed to be ringing inside a black hole, it was obvious that El had no intention of talking to anyone. But there may yet be another chapter to El's story. The reclusive soul man has recently been spending time in a California recording studio with Babyface. Williams holds out hope for El's redemption, but a full-length interview is another matter. "Most of the time I can't even get a hold of him," says Williams, CEO of Switch Entertainment, who is also acting as El's manager. "But the voice is still there. El still has that gift."

Along with older brothers Bobby and El, the suffering "soul man" strain can still be heard in Chico's music as well. While Switch, DeBarge, and El may enjoy top billing in the DeBarge family's musical hierarchy, Chico's Long Time No See is a conceptual gem that recalls Marvin Gaye's 1978 Here, My Dear (Motown). When he signed to Kedar Entertainment, home of songbird Erykah Badu, Chico wasn't aware that he was creating such a memorable project. "Coming out of prison," he says, sipping a Grey Goose and cranberry in a Brooklyn restaurant, "my goal was to make music that would get me to the other side of the pain."

After the release of Chico's 1999 follow-up album, The Game, he and Massenberg parted company. "We both have very strong opinions," says Massenberg. "His ideas for The Game were corny; Chico wanted to be more bling and mainstream. We did manage to make one classic album, but sometimes Chico can be his own worst enemy."

It's 2 a.m. one Saturday in Times Square, and perfectionist Chico has spent the night working at Quad Recording Studios. Dressed in a fly sweatsuit and sneakers, he's just finished recording a new track called "Make You Feel Good" featuring rappers Jim Jones and Young Nic, which he plans to release on his own Innovator label as part of his new album, Lessons.

The heartbreak in Bobby, El, and Chico's music may have many sources, but part of it stems from having to always prove themselves worthy. The Jacksons are constantly name checked as the first family of R&B. But when it comes time to define the canon, the artistry and rich contributions of the DeBarge family has been unfairly kicked to the curb.

Slightly buzzed from a vodka cocktail, Chico glances out of the studio window and watches a taxi zoom down Broadway. "You know what us being in the studio tonight means?" he asks of no one in particular. "It means that the DeBarge story is not over. What my brothers and sister gave me was a beautiful musical legacy that has already been written in stone," he says. "Honestly, nobody can change that history." And that's a story, no matter how painful, that Chico intends to carry on.

But his mother takes a very different view of this latest DeBarge comeback attempt. "If I had to do it again, I would never allow my kids to be in the music industry," says a somber Mama DeBarge, who recently put a bunch of Chico's keyboards and recording equipment up for sale on eBay. "There are a lot of snakes out there," she observes. "And they bite real hard."

The Youtube Videos of this interview on Dr.Drew:

[YOUTUBE]MKq54TJGMIk[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]JDTt-PTQul8[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]JDxP-nwY4Y8[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]-xSF5nZL95A[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]gw_d8Ml0GyU[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]hclGuqXdb0Q[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]tQc4_6taCTY[/YOUTUBE]

The DeBarge Music History:

DeBarge - "Time Will Reveal"
[youtube]lPT2y4nnSmo[/youtube]

DeBarge - "I Like It"
[YOUTUBE]uoBpNjV4peU[/YOUTUBE]

DeBarge - "All This Love"
[youtube]MyK0ZFFpJIM[/youtube]

DeBarge - "Who's Holding Donna Now"
[youtube]Pd7821u1SAY[/youtube]

The Photo Gallery:

R.I.P Robert Louis "Bobby" DeBarge, Jr. (March 5, 1956–August 16, 1995)

To View the Jet Magazine Article - "Janet Jackson & James DeBarge Unite Famous Families":
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Gq0...esult&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=debarge&f=false

The Sources:
The Essence Article
http://www.essence.com/2011/09/20/james-debarge-michael-jackson-saved-my-life/
The Vibe Article (Archived)
http://www.vibe.com/news/news_headlines/2007/09/debarge_epi_1/
http://www.vibe.com/news/...rge_epi_2/
http://www.vibe.com/news/...rge_epi_3/
The DeBarge Blog Spot:
http://thedebarges.blogspot.com/p/books-and-articles.html

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 25, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson and Donna Ashlock's Heart of L.O.V.E.
- February 21st, 2012

Michael Jackson Brings Joy to the "Heart" of heart Patient Teen Donna Ashlock..

February 28 1986 - Bubbles, Michael Jackson and Donna Ashlock in Encino:

Donna then 14 years old needed a heart transplant to live. One that retrieved Donna from the verge of death and ennobled the death of her donor, his boyfriend 15-year-old Felipe Garza Jr. Felipe, who'd been experiencing severe headaches, collapsed with a brain hemorrhage that proved fatal. Some days earlier, he told his family he had had a premonition. He was going to die and he would like the girl he loved, Donna Ashlock, who he had heard needed a donor, to have his heart. After the transplant, Donna gets a phone call from Michael Jackson. He had heard that she is a big fan of his. Michael invites her to his home in Encino as soon as she is feeling better. This visit takes place on March 8th. Donna stays for dinner and watches a movie together with Michael. Donna's body rejects the heart transplant and needed another. On March 7, 1989 Donna died at the age of 17. The Ashlocks received a phone call and condolences from Michael Jackson last week on their loss and they were greatful for this comforting call from the pop star.

[/COLOR]

The People Magazine Article: Felipe Garza Jr. (Archived)

Felipe Garza Could Not Win Donna Ashlock's Love but He Gave Her His Heart By William PlummerJanuary 27, 1986 Vol. 25 No. 4

Now that Donna Ashlock is out of intensive care, you can usually find her in her room at San Francisco's Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center, watching her favorite soaps or, augh! doing freshman math with her tutor. Or you may catch her dressed in her Snoopy pajamas, kidding with the nurses or perpetrating emotional blackmail against her visiting parents. "When she was the only child in the cardiac unit," says Raymond Ashlock, her father, "if Donna wanted something, the nurses gave it to her. Now, she says to us, 'Oh, you can't say that to me. I have a bad heart.' "

To look at this perky, freckle-faced 14 year old, you would never imagine that she was on the mend from a heart transplant operation, with excellent chances for living a normal life. Nor would you guess that she was a principal in a bizarre sort of Romeo and Juliet story, a tragedy with a partly happy ending—one that retrieved Donna from the verge of death and ennobled the death of her donor, 15-year-old Felipe Garza Jr.

On Jan. 4 Felipe, who'd been experiencing severe headaches, collapsed with a brain hemorrhage that proved fatal. Some days earlier, he told his family he had had a premonition. He was going to die and he would like the girl he loved, Donna Ashlock, who he had heard needed a donor, to have his heart. "Felipe's a hero," says Raymond Ashlock. "He gave me back my daughter."

Felipe and Donna were from Patterson, Calif. (pop. 5,000), a farming community ("the Apricot Capital of the World") in the rich San Joaquin Valley. The two kids went to Patterson High School. Like everyone else, they hung out at a hamburger joint on Highway 33 named the Tiger's Den, where Donna swept up, cleaned tables and Felipe played the video games. Felipe was called "Pino" by his family, short for pepino or cucumber, because he was so skinny. He was a poor student, but he enjoyed working with his hands and was full of mischief. "He liked to have fun, pulling tricks and playing games," says Don Penland, a school custodian who monitored him in a work experience program. "We'd be putting stuff in the dump truck and he'd pretend he was going to drive it. But he was so short he couldn't reach the gas pedal. He was a normal kid, but he had a way that would capture you. You could see that sparkle in his eye."

According to her friends, Donna appreciated Felipe's sparkle, but it didn't ignite her affections. Donna was something of a tomboy who liked to ride her bike about Patterson and listen to her records; besides, her affections were engaged elsewhere. She was going with a boy named Arthur Oliva. Still, Felipe tried to get Donna's friend Jessica Figueroa to intercede for him. "He really enjoyed her company," says Jessica, "and they looked cute together. They were so tiny. After school he'd come to my house and say, 'Get me together with Donna.' But I told him that she wouldn't because she liked Arthur. Donna would always say that Felipe was sweet and everything, and he'd cheer her up because he'd sing songs and dance to them at the same time and make us laugh."

Last Dec. 15 Donna finished work at the Tiger's Den at 5 p.m. "About 9 she couldn't breathe," says her mother, Mary, "and she was doubled over with pain. At 10 we took her to the Del Puerto Hospital in Patterson." The doctors thought at first that it was appendicitis, but tests two days later revealed that Donna had an enlarged heart. She was transferred to Moffitt Hospital in San Francisco, where on New Year's Day the Ashlocks were told Donna had to have a heart transplant. On Friday, Jan. 3, she was taken to Pacific Presbyterian to await a donor.

On Saturday night Dr. Barry Levin called the Ashlocks and said he'd found a donor. "He said the news was both good and bad," Raymond recalls. "Then he asked, 'Does Donna have a boyfriend?' We said, 'Yes.' And he said, 'A call has come from Doctors Medical Center in Modesto. He's died of brain damage.' We just about freaked out. We thought it was Arthur. Dr. Levin said if we didn't take this heart, another one might not come along in time and she'd only have two to four to six weeks to live. So we said we'd do it. We didn't find out until the next morning that it was Felipe, not Arthur."

Three days after the transplant, a funeral service was held for Felipe Garza at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Patterson. High school classes were canceled so that students could attend. Felipe's friends, Latino youths in windbreakers and white shoes, hung around outside talking in hushed tones. Inside, the church was filled almost to capacity. On the casket was a bouquet, a single red rose surrounded by baby's breath with a ribbon reading, "With Love, Donna Ashlock." Just before the service, his family went up to the open white coffin to say goodbye to Pino. Father Tom Cargo noted, "There's a strange irony...Felipe's heart continues to beat in Donna." If the youngster with the sparkle in his eye could not make two hearts beat as one, he would make one heart beat for two.
Contributors: Nancy Faber, Michele McCormick.

The Article: Spotlight follows Teenager (Archived)
http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...dlVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4611,4312756
Heart Transplant patient Donna Ashlock seeks NORMAL Life..
Quote from Donna Ashlock:
"I had more fun with my Idol Michael Jackson then even meeting the President of the United States"..

The Family Back Story Article:

FAMILY LOSES A SECOND DAUGHTER TO HEART DISEASE.
(CAPITAL REGION)Byline: San Francisco Chronicle

The parents of Donna Ashlock, the Patterson girl who received a donor heart after a love-struck classmate died in 1986 only to succumb herself three years later, have again been struck by tragedy with the death of their other daughter.
Tracy Lynn Ashlock, the remaining daughter of Ray and Mary Ashlock, died Wednesday of heart failure at age 20, four years after her older sister's death.
She had been in a coma since April, when she went into cardiac arrest after giving birth to a daughter. Until April, the Stanislaus County family had no idea that Tracy had a heart condition.
(Albany Times Union (Albany, NY) August 24, 1993 | Copyright)

The Sources:

http://mjmyinspiration.blogspot.com/2011/08/donna-ashlock.html

The People Magazine Article (Archived)
http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20092818,00.html

The Funeral Article for Donna Ashlock from Patterson Website (Archived):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/stanislaus/cemeteries/patterson-1989-transcription.txt

The Funeral Article for Felipe Garza Jr. from Patterson Website (Archived):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/stanislaus/cemeteries/patterson-1986-transcription.txt

The Funeral Article for Tracey Lynn Ashlock from Patterson Website (Archived):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/stanislaus/cemeteries/patterson-1993-transcription.txt

R.I.P Donna and Tracey Lynn ~The Ashlock Angels

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Feb 25, 2012

42 Years Ago ~ The Jackson 5 Debut on American Bandstand
- February 21, 1970 ~ February 24, 2012

[YOUTUBE]UYsej0ykSXI[/YOUTUBE]

We're goin' hoppin' (hop!)
We're goin' hoppin' today
Where things are poppin' (pop!) the Philadelphia way
We're gonna drop (drop!) in on all the music they play
On the Bandstand American Bandstand..

On October 13, 1952, WFIL-TV began a local show called Bandstand. Originally hosted by Bob Horn, it kept Philadelphia teenagers up-to-date on the latest dance steps. Horn was fired following a drunk driving arrest. On July 9, 1956, Richard Wagstaff "Dick" Clark took over as host. By the spring of 1957, he pitched it to ABC with this decision completely racially intigrated the show and went national as American Bandstand on August 5, 1957. Dick Clark held the job for the next thirty years, becoming a major media mogul and earning the nickname “America’s Oldest Teenager”. On February 21 1970, Michael Jackson and the rest of the Jackson 5 introduced themselves to America with their TV debut on American Bandstand. They performed a few hits and Michael also talked to Dick Clark. The performances show not only that the group were amazing performers working together, but that Michael was a superstar in the making. Watching MJ sing and dance like that as an 11-year-old kid where the group perform classic hits like “I Want You Back.”

The Article:

Michael Jackson Called Dick Clark his "Second Dad"..

Michael Jackson once called Dick Clark his "second dad" the veteran US TV presenter has revealed. Clark, 80, is to be honoured at the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards in Las Vegas.
Well known in the US for presenting American Bandstand, the TV host met the late pop singer when he was just 11.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Clark says: "Michael [and I] had a 40-year friendship from the time he was just a kid to when he became the biggest star in the world.
"I remember the first time I interviewed an 11-year-old Michael on Bandstand.
"He insisted on taking the microphone from me. When I heard the news of his passing, I thought of the photograph he signed to me as his 'Second Dad'."
"I knew Michael as a child and watched him grow over the years. Of all the thousands of entertainers I have worked with, Michael was THE most outstanding. Many have tried and will try to copy him, but his talent will never be matched. He was truly one-of-a-kind"

The Youtube Videos of this Event :

The Jackson 5 - Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah/There Was A Time live on American Bandstand 1970
[youtube]yIO6tHCxnDY[/youtube]

The Jackson 5 - Interview with Dick Clark American Bandstand 1970 [HD]
[youtube]t9eH9XsM2Mw[/youtube]

The Jackson 5 - ABC live on American Bandstand 1970 [HD]
[youtube]J_sx5d_CoLo[/youtube]

Michael Jackson 1970 American Bandstand Dance
[youtube]M-P2ZoBeFO4[/youtube]

The Michael Jackson & Dick Clark Photo Gallery: (Through The Years)

Michael Jackson and American Music Awards' executive producer Dick Clark go over the show's script during rehearsals Jan. 24, 1993, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Jackson, nominated for five awards, opened the show.

The Sources:

http://wods.radio.com/2012/02/21/jackson-5-make-tv-debut-wods-rewind-videos/#ixzz1n5hyAXBB

http://www.metrolyrics.com/2010-michael-jackson-called-dick-clark-his-second-dad-news.html

http://www.digitalspy.ca/celebrity/news/a162171/clark-jackson-talent-unmatched.html

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Mar 24, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - Michael Jackson "Victory" Pilot ~ February 28th, 2012

The Blog Article:

Michael Jackson and the author, David Rowland, in the cockpit of N220AM.

The Former VH-EBA and the Michael Jackson Connection
by David Rowland - AIRMARK CORPORATION
David Rowland -Head Pilot for The Victory Tour on July 6, 1984

I was employed by Airmark Corporation in March 1982. We were a private aviation department for a wealthy person in southern California. We were based at Burbank, California (KBUR). At that time, we were only operating a Gulfstream II N21AM. In order to offset operating costs, we placed the G-II on an FAR 135 charter certificate. The owner wanted an extra mode of transportation in the Los Angeles area, so a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter N221AM arrived, and we also made it available for charter.

The owner had purchased a very large ranch east of Perth, Australia, and wanted a longer range aircraft with more than two engines. A search was made in the summer of 1983, and N138TA (ex VH-EBA) was purchased from Tiger Air on 16 October and later re-registered N220AM.

During that period of time in the aviation world, Tiger Air had been very active in converting BAC-111s, and a couple of Boeing 727s and 707s into corporate aircraft. The 707 was the choice for those individuals who needed the extra range.

N138TA was a special project for Tiger Air as they actually purchased the aircraft and converted it on their own for resale. They did not realize the noise issues were soon to devastate the 707 market.

They chose the 138B for its size and fuel capabilities, which translated into range. Since it was outfitted for only 34 passengers, there were extra fuel tanks added in the forward and aft baggage compartments. They were all the same size and similar in shape to the potable water tanks in the aft hold and were hung from the floor above. I believe there were 9 total. 6 aft and 3 forward. With all 9 installed, the forward hold could take no baggage and the aft hold was only useable from the aft end (edge) of the baggage door to the front of the aft hold. There was a 9G barrier just at the aft end of baggage door so that baggage could be placed in the forward part of the aft hold. I don't think there were gauges for these tanks. I think there were lights indicating valves were open or shut (bleed air and aux tank to main tank valve). As I recall, we could put a maximum of 130,000 pounds of fuel on board.

The fuel tank system was unique in that we could use just about any combination of the tanks required for the mission. There were some weight and balance issues if just the forward, or just the aft tanks were used. The fuel was pumped using engine bleed air from each tank into the center fuel tank in the wing. We rarely used the auxiliary fuel system, but a friend, the late Ron Rounce, flew the aircraft for Prince Bandar and told me they used them all the time without problems.

The Victory Tour N220AM (1984)

The engines were updated to the Pratt & Whitney JT3D-3B fans (18,000 lbs of thrust each) and an APU was added in the forward baggage compartment. Unfortunately, the APU did not produce enough air on the ground for air conditioning, so external carts had to used for conditioned air.

There was an aft airstair, which made the aircraft "self contained" except for ground air conditioning. Those air stairs were the best that were ever installed on an airplane like this. I have used others on 707s and 727s that only worked about half the time.

The galley was full VIP with sterling silver service utensils and serving tools. Limoges China and Waterford Crystal were used in the dining and lounge area. There was a four place round table at the forward part of the lounge area. The seats were covered in a very expensively tanned and produced pig skin. According to a popular story which circulated around Burbank for many years, this choice of covering severely limited Tiger Air's sales propects in certain parts of the world. In that same area, there was a beautiful brass outline of the world on the forward bulkhead. Televisions and the latest (for the day) VCR equipment were located in the passenger areas. View the cabin of N138TA.

The cockpit was equipped with the latest (again for the time) radios, radar, and navigation equipment. We had dual Delco Carousel IV-INS units, plus a GNS-500 VLF as a backup. The rest of the cockpit was standard Boeing except for the sheepskin coverings on the seats.

We began operating the aircraft under an FAR 125 certificate while we were undergoing certification as an FAR 121 Supplemental Air Carrier. We were awarded 121 worldwide operations specifications in July 1984. We moved the 707 operation to an American Airlines maintenance hangar at Los Angeles International (KLAX) in June 1984.

Lee Crawley, Michael Jackson, David Rowland and Jerry Pappe
in the cabin of N220AM.

Our first big charter was the Michael Jackson Victory Tour, which started on July 6, 1984 in Kansas City, Kansas and concluded on December 9. Although the Jacksons used road and rail for some sectors of the tour, Airmark did all the flying with the 707. There were usually no more than 10 passengers on the aircraft.

During the course of the Victory Tour, N138TA was flown to Tramco at Everett, Washington for maintenance, arriving on August 10. The aircraft re-emerged on August 20 under the new registration N220AM.

While we were on the Victory Tour at Vancouver, two teenagers actually "broke into" the aircraft while it was parked on the ramp. I don't remember the handler or FBO we used at Vancouver, but they noticed an over wing exit open at night and called the police, who caught the kids. The police did a thorough search including a bomb dog walk through. They did not vandalize the aircraft, as they were only interested in seeing Michael Jackson's plane. I met with the father of one of the teens who was very upset and concerned that we would press charges, which we did not. We also alerted Bill Bray, the chief of Michael Jackson's security. They thought it was funny and actually gave the kids free passes.

After the Victory Tour, we flew the owner on several trips, plus charters to New Zealand, Japan, France, and England. Other clients included a Saudi Prince (not Prince Bandar) and a group of executives from the Diamond Shamrock oil company.

The stage 3 noise regulations grounded the aircraft as of 31 December 1984. However, Airmark had a firm deposit on a Stage 3 hush kit, and was given an exemption to continue operating the aircraft in the USA until 31 May 1985. The exemption stipulated that we could only operate to the same airports we had serviced in 1984, so for a charter operation, it effectively shut the operation down.
David Rowland
13 January 2009

Two of Airmark's Flight Attendants with Michael Jackson in the cabin of N220AM. Lynn DeGrasse (Daugherty) on the left and Vicki English (Maynes) on the right.

Flight Log of former VH-EBA as N220AM:Vicky Maynes
- Head Flight Attendant for The Victory Tour..

09MAR09 Vicki Maynes (nee English) was a Flight Attendant with Airmark Corporation when they operated the former VH-EBA as N220AM. Vicki has kindly provided a photo of herself and fellow Flight Attendant Lynn Daugherty (nee DeGrasse) with Michael Jackson in the cabin of N220AM. Thanks Vicki.

13JAN09 Thanks to the power of the Internet, we have been contacted by David Rowland who was Vice-President Operations for Airmark Corporation when that company operated the former VH-EBA as an executive aircraft. David has provided a detailed insight into Airmark's use of the aeroplane, particularly with regard to the Michael Jackson connection. David has also provided several images of the cabin and the cockpit. Thank you David for this most valuable contribution to the history of this famous aeroplane. Airmark Corporation and the former VH-EBA.

N138TA JUN84 Airmark moved their 707 operation to an American Airlines hangar at Los Angeles International.

N138TA JUL84 Airmark were certified as an FAR 121 Supplemental Air Carrier for worldwide operations.

N138TA 06JUL84 Airmark signed a contract for a Stage 3 hush kit with a delivery date of 31MAY85.

N138TA 06JUL84 Airmark's first big charter was the "Victory Tour" by The Jacksons pop group (including Michael Jackson) which commenced in Kansas City on this date and concluded in Los Angeles on 09DEC84. Although the Jacksons used road and rail for some sectors of the tour, Airmark did all the flying with the 707. There were usually no more than 10 passengers on the aircraft.

In all there were 55 concerts in the USA and Canada and at the time, the tour was the highest grossing tour in history.

Note: Michael Jackson also used the former VH-EBB as N138SR in SEP96.

N138TA 10AUG84 The aircraft arrived at Tramco, Everett, Washington for maintenance.

N220AM 20AUG84 The aircraft departed Tramco, Everett, Washington having been repainted as N220AM.

N220AM SEP84 Re-registered to Airmark Corp (AL215/13)

N220AM 16SEP84 Noted at Montreal (AL215/13).
This date corresponds with an appearance by The Jacksons on their "Victory Tour".

N220AM NOV84 Noted at Vancouver carrying The Jacksons on their "Victory Tour".

N220AM 09DEC84 The "Victory Tour" concluded in Los Angeles. After this, the aircraft flew Airmark's owner on several trips as well as operating charters to New Zealand, Japan, France and England.
(Source: David Rowland, then VP Operations for Airmark)

The Sources:

http://www.adastron.com/707/qantas/VH-EBA.htm

http://www.adastron.com/707/qantas/airmark.htm

http://www.ukmix.org

http://www.adastron.com/707/qantas/n220am-cabin.htm

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Mar 24, 2012

The Michael~ing Daily - An MJ "Raisin" in The Sun ~ March 3rd, 2012

The Blog Article:

In the '80s, Michael Jackson was Raisin Awareness..July 02, 2009
By Margi Shrum, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Freewill Entertainment Inc.
Michael Jackson as a California Raisin in cleaning out some folders, I came across a brochure about the 25th anniversary of the California Dancing Raisins. This struck a chord.

Twenty-five years ago, when these TV commercial raisins were beginning to get down, Michael Jackson was, too.

Both of them were pretty hot, the late Mr. Jackson, for all the reasons you well know, and the raisins for the special effects used to create them, the likes of which had not been seen much in the late 1980s. They sing a twist on the Motown hit, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

As it turns out, Mr. Jackson liked the raisins quite a bit, too.

"Michael called up and I'm sitting there, having small talk with Michael on the phone," says Will Vinton, Claymation and California Raisins creator. "And I'm going, 'What is this about? Why am I having this conversation?' I realized he was talking about the California Raisins.

"I said, 'Michael, we should make you a raisin!' I realized he was heading that way, anyway. And as soon as I said it, he said, 'Yeah!' "

And so he was. "Mr. Jackson said he would do the spot without charge, as long as he was involved in the creative end of it and choreography," says Mr. Vinton. The Academy Award-winning artist, director and animated film producer lives in Portland, Ore., where he runs his company, Freewill Entertainment Inc.

Mr. Vinton had previously worked with Mr. Jackson doing effects on his "Captain EO" three-dimensional movie shown at Disney parks. He also worked on Mr. Jackson's "Moonwalker" movie (a 1988 compilation of videos and films that included "Speed Demon," which was directed by Mr. Vinton and used Claymation, the process he patented.)

The California Raisin project, though, "was a dream for me," says Mr. Vinton, whose work has brought in many other awards, including several Emmys.

He worked with Mr. Jackson at Neverland, the singer's ranch in California that at the time was under construction. He says he "was just the sweetest person in the world. A really amazing, gentle soul" who was "misunderstood in many ways."

He was uber idealistic, "probably because he wasn't patterned in the same way most of us were," getting some leavening kicked into us in school and being out in the world.

Despite his idealism, Mr. Jackson would do "anything for the show, for the project to make it cooler, hipper, hotter" and so was eager to tap into the popularity of the Raisins commercials, which also had featured Ray Charles.

They worked to create a bit that captured Mr. Jackson's "Bad" image (the commercial was done a year or so after the 1987 release of that album).

The hardest part was getting "a good likeness and caricature for Michael that he was happy with," says Mr. Vinton, who ended up with a figure that was "slightly more effeminate looking" with heavy eye makeup.

And, of course, a sequined glove, tape around his fingers, a jheri curl and a low-slung studded belt.

In the film, Michael Raisin tosses off a fedora that's covering his eyes and starts to sing about being a sun-raised California raisin, to a "Bad" era beat -- several "woos!" in this. A strawberry in the audience screams "Michael!" and then passes out.

The commercial, which aired only in theaters, ends with a Claymation Mr. Jackson waking up, looking around, seeing a bowl of fruit and saying, "Wow. Must've been something I ate."

See it on youtube, where the Ray Charles version also is playing.

As for Mr. Jackson's passing last week, Mr. Vinton was as shocked as the rest of us.

The California Raisins are no longer animated, but do represent the product in print ads, as a mascot and as the World's Largest California Dancing Raisin, created by students at California State University, Fresno.

You have to think Mr. Jackson would appreciate the fun.

The Youtube Videos of the California Raisins Commercial and The Speed Demon Video:

Michael Jackson - California Raisins "Raisin Attitude" Tape
[YOUTUBE]G9jPsyb0HrI[/YOUTUBE]

California Raisins Commercial Ad in HD:
[YOUTUBE]Kka0jDxzzQo[/YOUTUBE]

Speed Demon Video HD Quality:
[YOUTUBE]yIXhxbT1hMA[/YOUTUBE]

We're Makin Movies
Portland's "We're Makin' Movies" TV show. Ray Nelson and Hal Hickel from Will Vinton Studios explain what goes into creating a half hour Claymation California Raisins special.
[YOUTUBE]JXHhTrQEBFA[/YOUTUBE]

The 2002 segment on The California Raisins from the show, Unwrapped. Features an interview with Will Vinton and footage of Mark Gustafson, Chuck Duke, Paul Diener, and Kevin MacLean.
[youtube]qDN_C70xpZ8[/youtube]

Claymation Documentary Part 1
1978 documentary on the early days of Will Vinton Productions.
[youtube]hAFSu8rUiHI[/youtube]

Claymation Documentary Part 2
[youtube]Wbc5Nc4GQ5c[/youtube]

The Back Story:

The California Raisins were a fictional rhythm and blues musical group as well as advertising and merchandising characters composed of anthropomorphized raisins based on black caricatures. Lead vocals were sung by musician Buddy Miles.The California Raisins concept experienced high popularity in the mid-to-late 1980s principally through claymation TV commercials and animated specials, winning an Emmy Award and one nomination.To their surprise, the commercial became wildly popular, paving the way for several future commercials–one of which featuring Ray Charles and another with a raisinized incarnation of Michael Jackson and opportunities through other media. The unique presentation was thanks to Vinton Studios' famed claymation with character designs by Michael Brunsfeld. The following year, the Raisins appeared in the Emmy Award-winning Claymation Christmas Celebration, singing the classic Christmas carol, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer." The California Raisins TV commercial campaign marked the first time in history that merchandising products were developed from a commercial advertisement. Many of the items created for the campaign have become part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Blackthorne Publishing also released a 6-issue comic book series entitled The California Raisins 3-D which included 3D glasses.
Several California Raisins music albums were also released, featuring classic Motown and rock standards. These albums were included in the Smithsonian collection and were illustrated and art-directed by Helane Freeman, who later became famous for her work on Hannah Montana and the Suite Life of Zack & Cody, among other Disney programs. On March 28, 1997 Entertainment Weekly published "The 50 Best Commercials of All Time" as its cover story. The article ranked The California Raisins' premiere advertisement, "Lunchbox," at #15 with comments by ad agency executive Claude Jacques and described the Raisins as "The coolest wrinkled musicians this side of the Stones." The vast amount of California Raisins merchandise has made for a substantial collectors' market. It even led to an unauthorized collectibles guide published in 1998, cataloging the many items based on the clay characters. In 2002, the Food Network program "Unwrapped" featured a segment on the California Raisins featuring interviews with Will Vinton, David Altschul, and Mark Gustafson of Vinton Studios. Concept illustrations of the Raisins were also featured as interviewees discussed the characters' creation. An article published by AnimateClay.com in the late 2000s details the whereabouts of the original claymation sculptures used by Vinton Studios. The figures were kept in a box for several years and headed for the trash before being obtained by Webster Colcord, a former employee of Vinton. As of the 2010s, packages of Sun-Maid Natural California Raisins still modestly feature an updated California Raisin character. This figure is also included on CalRaisins.org. In a 2011 interview, country music artist Blake Shelton reminisced on collecting Hardee's California Raisin figures in his youth.

The Photo Gallery

Speed Demon (Biker)

Michael Dancing with Biker

The Michael Inspired "Raisin Figurine"

On the "Raisins" Set

The Source:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09183/981099-34.stm
http://www.barbiegriffin.silverforsalelosangeles.info/load_California_Raisins
CalRaisins.org.
The Will Vinton Website:
http://willvinton.net/bioFilm.htm

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Mar 24, 2012

The Michael-ing Daily ~ Michael's Sound of Music Connection ~ March 8th, 2012

-Quoted from Michael Jackson during an Interview where he was asked if he was happy "(with a smile he states) "My Favorite Things," the show tune from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music (1955).

Charmian Carr as Liesl von Trapp (The Sound of Music)

The Blog Article:

Michael Jackson with Charmian Carr

Charmian Carr played Liesl von Trapp in " The Sound of Music" . Charmian Carr never thought about acting. THe only acting role she ever had was a high school girl in a school play. She used to model until her friend send a picture of Charmian to the casting director of "the sound of music". Charmian Carr only modeled because she was saving up a trip to Europe. The Director discovered Charmian Farnon ( The director changed her last name because her real name was always miss prounounced) could dance and sing when he called her in for an interview . A screen test actually. Charmian now owns her own design business in Ecino California with a client that includes Michael Jackson who hired her in part because of his love for Liesl. Charmian is internationally recognized as Liesl and often does personal appearances, radio and television as a result of the phenomenal success of this film. In 1995, she hosted "The Sound of Music" segment for the A&E channel's special on Rogers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Movies." Television audiences remember Charmian when she starred with Anthony Perkins in the John Houseman/Stephen Sondheim production of "Evening Primrose." Then Charmian found herself involved in two careers. She spent many years acting in national commercials while at the same time developing a highly successful Interior Design business. Her clients include Michael Jackson. Charmian was the contractor/designer on his Encino, California "Disneyland" home. She toured with Michael, who introduced her to scores of renowned people. Charmy designed five homes for her Von Trapp sister 'Louisa,' Heather Menzies and husband Robert Urich. She is currently decorating for Ernest Lehman, the screenwriter of "The Sound of Music." Charmian's interests include skiing, aerobics, dance, biking, and she is often called upon to perform "Sixteen Going on Seventeen." She spends as much time as possible visiting her two daughters, Jennifer and Emily and swimming with her three yellow Labrador Retrievers. One of her passions is gardening, and her results are spectacular.

The Blog Article:

Michael Jackson with Charmian Carr

The Interviews with Charmaine Carr regarding Michael Jackson:

Carr's film career tapered off when she focused her energies on becoming a full-time mom. She is currently an interior designer with her own firm (Charmian Carr Designs). Her TSOM legacy, however, continues to follow her, even into that field. In fact, one of her most famous clients is a huge fan of Liesl. His name is Michael Jackson.

"Wow! You were the mannequin room lady!" I blurted upon learning of Carr's work with the King of Pop. Michael Jackson wanted a room that looked like a party was going on, so Carr complied by gathering a room full of mannequins and dressing them in party attire. As we discussed her friendship with Michael, uncharacteristically, she let down a bit of reserve.

" I had a wonderful relationship with him. I worked with him for six and a half years (from 1981-87) at the height of his career -- Thriller had come out".

"He was terrific," she remembers. "He was very kind to me, very caring. We became good friends. He was over for dinner very often. We would go to Disneyland. He took my two daughters and me on tour with him, when he did the Victory tour. I haven't seen him in years now." Her words drop off wistfully.

It seems fitting that the woman who portrayed Liesl, seen by so many as the the ideal teenager -- "innocent and naive" -- in the ideal family, would befriend the man known as much for his childlike fantasy world as for his music.

You left your acting career behind, why was that?

I decided I wanted to have a family and I didn’t think that I could do both things well.

And you’ve gone into interior decorating, how has all that come about, is it something you’ve always been interested in?

I was dating an interior designer when I was filming The Sound of Music and I became very interested in what he did. I spent time with him and loved when he would show me his fabrics and samples for jobs and thought that when I was married and had my own house that I would want to decorate it and then it was just a word of mouth business that started and has become full time.

You famously said that one of your clients is Michael Jackson, how did all that come about?

He loved Liesl and he’d actually moved to Encino because he’d heard Liesel lived in Encino and the builder that was going to build his house I had been the decorator on a house that he had worked on right before Michael’s and he gave Michael my name and phone number.

What is he like as a person?

He’s pretty brilliant, he’s very talented but he’s very eccentric to say the least.

Does it bother you that given the media attention that he’s had for various things, that you are associated with him?

No, it doesn’t bother me.

The Youtube Video of an Interview with Charmian Carr talking about Michael Jackson ..
[youtube]y_YU_9zDFdg[/youtube]

The Back Story Article:

Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II

The Sound of Music, Rodgers and Hammerstein's last work together, told the story of the von Trapp family. Starring Mary Martin as Maria and Theodore Bikel as Captain von Trapp, it opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16, 1959, garnering much praise and numerous awards. It has been frequently revived ever since. The show was made into a film in 1965 starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as the Captain. It won five Oscars, including best picture and best director, Robert Wise. Hammerstein died in August 1960, before the film was made. So when Rodgers wrote two extra songs for the film, he wrote the lyrics as well. The Sound of Music probably contains more hit songs than any other Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, likely due to the phenomenal success of the film version. It was the most financially successful film adaptation of a Broadway musical ever made. It also contained many memorable songs, including the title song, "Do-Re-Mi", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" "So Long, Farewell", "Sixteen Going on Seventeen", and "Edelweiss".
"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is a show tune from Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "The Sound of Music". Here it is sung at the close of the first act by the Mother Abbess. It is themed as an inspirational piece, to encourage people to take every step towards attaining one's dreams.

The Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City is named after Rodgers. Forbes named Rodgers and Hammerstein the second top-earning dead celebrity in 2009 at $235 million. While Rodgers and Hammerstein's work contains cheerful and oftentimes uplifting songs, they departed from the comic and sentimental tone of early 20th century musicals by seriously addressing issues such as racism, sexism and classism in many of their works. For example, Carousel concerns domestic violence, while South Pacific addresses racist views by westerners of Pacific islanders, and racism generally. Based on the true story of the von Trapp family, The Sound of Music explores the views of Austrians to the takeover of Austria by the Third Reich.

One of Michael Jackson's first public appearances was at a school program in the first grade in 1963 at Garnett Elementary School in Gary Indiana. Wearing black pants and a white shirt, he sang "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from "The Sound of Music". The reaction was overwhelming.

~ Quote from (Mother) Katherine: "Michael demonstrated in public for the first time, singing “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” a cappella at a Garnett Elementary School assembly. Joe’s father and I were in the audience, and it was something to see hard-nosed Samuel Jackson burst into tears the second that Michael began to sing in his sweet pure voice. I was matching him, tear for tear. Michael was so poised; not nervous a bit. A natural even then.

~ Quote from Michael: "When I finished that song, the reaction in the auditorium overwhelmed me. The applause was thunderous and people were smiling; some of them were standing. My teachers were crying and I just couldn't believe it. I had made them all happy. It was such a great feeling. I felt a little confused too, because I didn't think I had done anything special. I was just singing the way I sang at home every night. When you're performing, you don't realize what you sound like or how you're coming across. You just open your mouth and sing."

~ TV Guide Interview - Michael was asked: “Do you remember the first time you ever stepped onstage?” to which he replied, “I was 5 years old. And it was at a public school recital. We had to wear white shirts and short knickers. And I remember them saying, ‘Little Michael Jackson is coming up to sing ‘Climb Ev'ry Mountain.’ I got the biggest applause. When I went to my seat my grandfather and mother were crying. They said, ‘[We] can’t believe how beautiful you sound.’ That’s the first one I remember.”

Climb Every Mountain from "The Sound of Music"

Climb every mountain,
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,
Every path you know.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
'Till you find your dream.

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream

A dream that will need
All the love you can give,
Every day of your life,
For as long as you live.

Climb every mountain,
Ford every stream,
Follow every rainbow,
Till you find your dream.

The Jacksons: An American Dream: Climb Every Mountain
[youtube]TdWv1dT0abI[/youtube]

The Back Story Maria Von Trapp Article:

Maria von Trapp Returns to
"Sound of Music" Home..By Karin Strohecker

SALZBURG, Austria (Reuters) - Maria von Trapp has taken a trip down memory lane to see her old family home just before it opens as a new hotel.
Staying in the house for the first time since the von Trapps fled the Nazi regime in the late 1930s has been a deeply moving experience for the second-eldest daughter of Baron von Trapp, whose story was made famous by the "Sound of Music" film.
"Our whole life is in here, in this house," the 94-year-old told Reuters in an interview. "Especially here in the stairwell, where we always used to slide down the railings."
Von Trapp smiles as she recalls the memory of her and her six siblings clambering and playing in the villa in the leafy suburbs of Salzburg in Austria and spending nights in hammocks in the park surrounding the family home.

The Photo Gallery:

A Book About The Real Maria Von Trapp and Her Musical Family

The Real Von Trapp Family

The Garnett Elementary School

What used to be Garnett Elementary School and is now Images of Hope, Inc., a preschool Friday, July 10, 2009 in Gary IN. Michael Jackson attended Garnett Elementary as a boy. Danese Kenon/The Star

Inside what used to be Garnett Elementary School and is now Images of Hope, Inc. Michael and some of his siblings attended Garnett Elementary School. It was closed, then reopened as an adult education center called Martin Luther King, Jr. Academy. It was closed again, again reopened as of March, 2010 as Images of Hope, Inc. Danese Kenon/The Star

Images of Hope
Images of Hope (IOH) provides educational services, job training, and enrichment programs.
2131 Jackson St, Gary, IN

The Sources:

http://www.angelfire.com/hi2/thevontrappfamily/Liesl.html

http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:78066

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/enterta...arr-45563.html

http://andrerieufan.com/2008/07/26/villa-von-trapp.aspx

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Mar 24, 2012

The Michael-ing Daily ~ Michael Saves a Street Gang.. ~ March 13th, 2012

A Special Sesame Street Christmas..(1978)

A Special Sesame Street Christmas was a CBS Christmas special, made the same year as Christmas Eve on Sesame Street, aired over 40 years ago on December 8th 1978 at 8 pm.
Michael Jackson crossed paths with the Muppets a few times. The most notable example is his appearance in "A Special Sesame Street Christmas".
The special features only three of the Sesame Street Muppets - Oscar, Big Bird, and Barkley. In addition to the Muppets, Mr. Hooper, David, Bob, and Maria made appearances. The special also feature several celebrity cameos and guest stars, including Leslie Uggams, Imogene Coca, Henry Fonda, Michael Jackson, Ethel Merman, Anne Murray and Dick Smothers.
The special incorporates many elements of the classic story "A Christmas Carol". To win round the typically grouchy Oscar into the Christmas spirit, celebrity guest stars portray the ghostly visitors. Anne Murray appears as the Ghost of Christmas Past, who shows Oscar his childhood; Imogene Coca plays the Ghost of Christmas Present; and Dick Smothers is the Ghost of Christmas Future. The special also includes a crippled kitten named Tiny Tim, to whom Oscar grows sympathetic.
Next, Michael Jackson walks down the street, reading a book about ghosts. Oscar asks him for the book, Michael gives it to him, and then leaves.
In 1979, the special was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Children's Program. However, the program lost to that year's other Sesame Street Christmas show, "Christmas Eve on Sesame Street".

Michael Jackson with Oscar the Grouch and Leslie Uggams

The Article:

How Did Michael Jackson Save Sesame Street..

For all of the musical parodies that Sesame Street produced, very few of them resembled the original song enough to warrant legal action. “Letter B” by The Beetles, a parody of The Beatles’ “Let It Be”, had the unfortunate distinction of being too similar to the original. Northern Songs, which owned the Beatles’ library, persued legal course to sue the Children’s Television Workshop for $5.5 million. Thankfully, before the case went to trial, Michael Jackson swooped in and purchased The Beatles ATV Catalog from Northern Songs. Michael decided not to pursue legal action, and CTW was only fined $50, which songwriter Christopher Cerf quoted paid out of his own pocket.
It might’ve saved Sesame Street $5.5 million (minus $50, of course). And we’ll just tack that on as one of the many, many ways Michael Jackson left his mark on the world.

Christopher Cerf related at a book-signing on January 5, 2009 about Michael Jackson's other significant connection to Sesame Street, where in he explains how he saved CTW.
To hear this story by Christopher Cerf (MP3 Formatted Link below)

The Blog Interview Article:

Jim Henson on Puppetry, the Creative Process and Inner Children
by David Zahl on Jul 26, 2011..

The more you study Jim Henson, the more fascinating he becomes. He was not only a self-taught pop genius (the sort that I admittedly have an enormous soft spot for), spreading magic everywhere he went, he was also by all accounts a bit of a saint. A more irreverent/hippie Fred Rogers, if you will, with vision to spare, and the sort of connection to his inner child that some of us would kill for – the kind that gave him an enormous advantage in connecting with people of all ages. Of course, puppetry was only the tip of the iceberg; his gifts were technical as well as narrative, both filmic and comic, even financial. Henson’s operating philosophy was perhaps a tad optimistic for our tastes, but the basis was refreshingly gracious – and even spiritual, in the religious sense of that word. An entertainer by vocation, he clearly understood a thing or two about reaching people, not to mention creativity in general, yet he never took himself (or others) too seriously. His brand of absurdity came from a place of compassion rather than cynicism. See for yourself:

~"All of this stuff is about mankind trying to see himself in perspective. That’s what literature is about, that’s what art is. It’s trying to figure out what you are and what you’re doing here. This is the kind of thing that puppetry does very well. It goes way back to when men first carved little wooden dolls of themselves and drew stick figures on cave walls. It’s why kids like teddy bears and little girls like dolls. It’s all one thing. Puppetry is part of the real raw essential elements of all that stuff.
When I hear the art of puppetry discussed, I often feel frustrated in that it’s one of those pure things that somehow becomes much less interesting when it is overdiscussed or analyzed. I feel it does what it does and even is a bit weakened if you know what it is doing. At its best, it is talking to a deeper part of you, and if you know that it’s doing that, or you become aware of it, you lessen the ability to go straight in. Fairy tales certainly are in this category, as is a lot of fantasy – maybe everything is.
I don’t know exactly where ideas come from, but when I’m working well ideas just appear. I’ve heard other people say similar things – so it’s one of the ways I know there’s help and guidance out there. It’s just a matter of our figuring out how to receive the ideas or information that are waiting to be heard.
Creatively, I find I work best if I can work with someone – talking things over as ideas come up. I do this best with people I’m very comfortable with – there has to be an absolutely pressure-free situation for this to work well. Jerry Juhl and I have always been able to work this way. It’s important to be able to say virtually anything – which may be totally silly or stupid or obscene – in a no-risk situation.
The most sophisticated people I know – inside they’re all children. We never really lose a certain sense we had when we were kids."

Perhaps Henson’s great collaborator, Frank Oz, summed up the self-effacing Muppet ethos best:
“Whenever characters become self-important or sentimental in the Muppets, then there’s always another character there to blow them up immediately.” After the success of The Muppet Show and Sesame Street, it was only natural director/producer/puppeteer Jim Henson should take his knack for creating and bringing to life amazing puppet characters, and create yet more mind blowing shows !! In the movie " Labyrinth the character of Jareth also underwent some significant developments during the early stages of pre-production. According to Henson he was originally meant to be another puppet creature in the same vein as his goblin subjects. Henson eventually decided he wanted a big, charismatic star to the play the Goblin King, and decided to pursue a musician for the role. Sting and Michael Jackson were both considered for the part, but the role went to David Bowie instead due to his extremely divers personality and career images.

The Youtube Videos

Michael Jackson (Segment) - A Special Sesame Street Christmas
[YOUTUBE]-BgFAI2fZYg[/YOUTUBE]

A Special Sesame Street Christmas (Complete) - (Part 1 to 6)

The Opening
[YOUTUBE]aCjCBc0G9AM[/YOUTUBE]
with Henry Fonda
[YOUTUBE]_GxPM2VRs3A[/YOUTUBE]
with Anne Murray and others..
[YOUTUBE]noXb-GuBQso[/YOUTUBE]
with Leslie Uggums and others..
[YOUTUBE]WV3cfKfy6dA[/YOUTUBE]
with Michael Jackson and others..
[YOUTUBE]mGx8Q6-wXcE[/YOUTUBE]
The Finale
[YOUTUBE]sQl1J9G0POo[/YOUTUBE]

Little Chrissy - Wet and Dry
The Sesame Street song "Wet or Dry" spoofs Michael's "Black or White."
[YOUTUBE]_eW4TX4_pS4[/YOUTUBE]

The Muppet Show - Ease on Down the Road
[YOUTUBE]POLxsNIecc0[/YOUTUBE]

Letter "B" by The Beetles
[youtube]WmVd9F1fW00[/youtube]

Hey Food by The Beetles w/ Cookie Monster
[youtube]RwcFA4nHvho[/youtube]

Elmo Does Jackson5 song "ABC"
[YOUTUBE]MZ9uF94CzYw[/YOUTUBE]

The Sesame Street Theme Song
[youtube]LXqMzmFSX_4[/youtube]

The Puppet Show Theme Song
[YOUTUBE]Kxiu_Ri0saw[/YOUTUBE]

The Jim Henson Documentary (Complete)

The World of Jim Henson Part 1/9
[YOUTUBE]jjw7bFM8zPM[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 2/9
[YOUTUBE]5vKHfb3fJA4[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 3/9
[YOUTUBE]dB5WrjvFnRI[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 4/9
[YOUTUBE]8D43BHZP1A4[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 5/9
[YOUTUBE]hU20upYTK7U[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 6/9
[YOUTUBE]TvXCA0s15cM[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 7/9
[YOUTUBE]og1Puy4W8N4[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 8/9
[YOUTUBE]5_4ixWxnKug[/YOUTUBE]
The World of Jim Henson Part 9/9
[YOUTUBE]NlsnwbtaQUY[/YOUTUBE]

The Back Story Article:

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street

Is a narrative non-fiction book written by former TV Guide editor Michael Davis. The 384-page hardcover book focuses on the development and rise of Sesame Streetas an influential children's show and pop culture staple.
The project was first announced in passing in trade journals in March 2006; one such article claimed that "a dozen of New York’s top publishers were eager to get their hands this week on the story of how Sesame Street emerged as the iconic program that shaped the minds of countless kiddies around the globe. The book was released by Viking Press in December 2008. Author Michael Davis has confirmed that the book is the result of completing more than 200 interviews over the course of five years.
The book's back cover features an endorsement by puppeteer Frank Oz, who says:
"What I appreciate about Michael Davis' new book on Sesame Street is the depth of his research and how he spotlights those people who deserve to have more light shed upon them for their great contributions to the show. And what's refreshing is how he does not run away from conflicts that sometimes occurred behind the scenes, which were part of the creative energy of the show. He has really captured the spirit of how Sesame Street came to be. A wonderful book."

The Photo Gallery:

Jim Henson with characters from the show Sam and Friends (1956/57)

Jim Henson with Rowlf the Dog and guests on the set of 'The Jimmy Dean Show, 1964.

Michael and Kermit shake hands during the 1984 Victory Tour.

Jim Henson with Kermit and Michael Jackson...

Baby Kermit portrayed Michael Jackson in issue #18 of the Muppet Babies comic book.

Kermit, dressed as Michael Jackson for the live show "The Muppet Show" on Tour (2nd Edition)
"Beat It" was included in the 1985 stage show of this Muppet production.

Fraggle Rock

The Dark Chrystal

The Story Teller

Labyrinth

Feb 27, 2012 - "Man or Muppet" WINS The Muppets Their First Oscar !!

Jim Henson Quotes:

Lesson #1: Embrace Your Inner Child
“The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children,” said Henson.
Lesson #2: Be Positive
“I believe in taking a positive attitude toward the world, toward people, toward my work,” said Henson.
Lesson #3: Believe In Yourself
“I’ve got a dream too, but it’s about singing and dancing and making people happy,” said Kermit. “That’s the kind of dream that gets better the more people you share it with.”
Lesson #4: Be A Pioneer
“When I was a kid, I never saw a puppet show,” Henson recalled. “I never played with puppets or had any interest in them.”
Lesson #5: Drive Yourself Hard
“The only way the magic works is by hard work,” said Henson. “But hard work can be fun.”

R.I.P James Maury "Jim" Henson ~ September 24th, 1936 – May 16th, 1990

The Sources:

http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/A_Special_Sesame_Street_Christmas

http://www.mbird.com/2011/07/jim-henson-on-puppetry-the-creative-process-and-inner-children/

http://bryoncaldwell.blogspot.com/2011/09/world-of-jim-henson-1994.html

http://www.evancarmichael.com/Famous-Entrepreneurs/590/Lesson-1-Embrace-Your-Inner-Child.html

http://themuppetmindset.blogspot.com/2012/02/man-or-muppet-wins-muppets-their-first.html

http://mildlydeprecatory.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-michael-jackson-saved-sesame-street.html

Christopher Cerf (MP3)
http://boards.mjjunderground.com/topic/1992-how-michael-jackson-saved-sesame-street/#

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Mar 24, 2012

The Michael-ing Daily ~ 37 Years Ago - The Michael and Bob Marley "Jah'men" Tour ~ March 16th, 1975 ~ March 22nd, 2012

The Article:

"The Natty Dread" Tour was a concert tour organised to support the album "Natty Dread" by Bob Marley & The Wailers. The tour began in Miami, Florida, on June 5, 1975, and ended in Manchester, England, on July 20, 1975. Before the tour started Bob Marley performed a concert along with Jackson Five on March 16th 1975 in Kingston. The Jackson Five, Bob Marley and The Wailers and other Reggae Greats played this Show at the National Stadion in Kingston. Bob Marley recorded an album in Jamaica called "Catch a Fire". The album was released to great acclaim in the winter of 1973 and marked a milestone in the development of reggae music. Before the release of "Catch a Fire", reggae had been more concerned with singles rather than the finished product of a full album. In its scathing lyrics that sought to indict slavery and colonialism, the album officially launched the era of reggae music. Bob Marley's follow-up album "Burnin' featured a more folk Jamaican sound, and garnered the hit single "I Shot the Sheriff." The singer and his group toured Europe and the United States as an opening act for artists like Bruce Springsteen, Sly and the Family Stone, and The Jackson Five.

It was apparently taken near Marley’s house in Kingston (56 Hope Road – now the Bob Marley Museum) in 1975, when The Jacksons went to Jamaica to play the National Stadium.

The Back Story Articles :

Jackson 5 vs. Kingston College at Jamaica, March 11th, 1975

The untimely passing of Michael Jackson has left those of who grew up in the 1960's and 1970's teary eyed and sad. As children and teenagers we knew all the songs 'by heart' as we sang (or spoke the words) with our girlfriends who loved the Jacksons to death. The bold amongst us had our glove and as rudeboys we already had our 'gunmouth' pants so we were in style influenced by Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five!!!

Greatness loves great company and as such with Michael's passing the members of the Fortis family immediately dug up the direct link/interaction between Kingston College and the Jacksons which occurred on March 11, 1975. I recall the latter vividly....

Basketball was not a popular sport in Jamaica in 1975 and very few fans existed. On the eve of March 11, 1975 KC's Sports master Ivan 'Wally' Johnson summoned me with the news that the Jacksons were in Jamaica (as if we didn't know), they were cognizant of the fact that Kingston College was the very best high school and athletic champions in Jamaica and wished to scrimmage KC in that popular American sport at Clovelly Park.

To our teenage ears this was near unbelievable and word travelled fast! The team captained by Donald Turner with Kenny Campbell, Gerald Jackson, Clinton Cunningham, Garth Lumsden, Don Pagon and myself brought our basketball uniforms to school on March 11 only to be told that fearing the crowd crush the game would be played at the National Stadium. We stayed in the Changing rooms at the Stadium still thinking that this was all a hoax until that huge Tour Bus arrived with the Jacksons.

For the first (and possibly only) time the stands at the basketball court were full to capacity and more with a crowd of 99% girls/ladies screaming at the site of these Musical superstars which included Marlon, Tito and Jackie. Michael and Jermaine did not show up. The game was of course incidental, KC won 39-28 and at one point there was a rush of girls onto the court to rebuke Donald Turner for a hard foul on Jackie Jackson ("the KC bwoy dem rough eeh" was the cry) and I seem to recall they shouted for the stadium police to arrest our captain but good sense prevailed!!!

Rest in Peace Michael.......FORTIS CADERE CEDERE NON POTEST! - Ivor Nugent
Editor's note: Ivor Nugent is the KC player on the left in the photo.

The Article:

In Memory of Michael Jackson- The Gloved One Who Visited Jamaica
By Joan A. Muir, Ph.D...Published Jun 30, 2009

Michael Jackson performing at the Jamaican National Stadium in 1975.

As far I knew he was talking to me, heart to heart and I loved it. I was going to grow up and marry Michael Jackson, whatever it took to get rid of the millions of other girls in line. I was convinced it was my destiny. St Andrew High was full of Jackson 5 adulation. I thought the most enthusiastic, if unregistered Jackson 5 fan club was filled with my classmates, a clique of six girls. They loved the Jacksons, talked about them incessantly and formed a dance group that started for the sole purpose of performing Jackson 5 hits. And they practiced hard, performing with gusto at school barbecues and other events. They spent hours planning and scheming how to host their own show at Carib Theater in Crossroads, imitating the Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson performing at the Jamaican National Stadium in 1975.

Of course, they all went to the concert, while I had to spend another Saturday night watching “Little House on the Prairie, a morally sound television show approved by my mother. My friend Michelle had obtained tickets through her mother’s connections for seats right up front of the stage at the National Stadium. Michelle and the entire group of girls lucky to attend the Saturday night concert arrived at school on Monday morning dazed and ecstatic. They had discovered that the Jackson 5 were staying at the Sheraton Hotel in New Kingston. We headed over the there right after school, walking in the sun from St. Andrew. If my mother only knew! Apparently, the other high school girls in Kingston had obtained the ‘Lets go see Michael’ memo. There were scores of girls scattered all over the hotel lobby and in the pool area, hoping for a glimpse of Michael or any of his handsome brothers. The Jacksons emerged in about half hour after we arrived, dressed for a basketball game against Kingston’s finest high school players. I remember first seeing Marlon’s head on the top of the stairs, then Jermaine, Jackie and finally Michael. The girls screamed as in mass frenzy, they rushed up the short flight of stairs. I saw the look of panic on Michael’s face before he ran back and we never saw him again. I wonder now how many of those frightening encounters set back his childhood development and created the recluse he became out of necessity.

Members of the Jackson 5 including Michael (far right) performing at the Jamaican National Stadium 1975.

I do not recall how long it took to quieten the crowd and bring order to the Sheraton lobby or how the Jacksons got out. Eventually we took a bus to the National Arena and spent the rest of the afternoon drooling at Marlon, Tito and Jackie Jackson playing against the Jamaican boys. I recognized only two boys from Kingston College and if they played like NBA stars, I could not tell you. I had eyes only for the Jacksons, mesmerized by their billowing Afros, their sparkling smiles, their powerful legs in those short shorts; it was my dream come true. I may have missed the concert but I had seen Michael, the boy of my dreams and his gorgeous brothers in the flesh, and now I have my friend Michelle to thank for the memories.

The Article:

The Marley Family Remembers Jackson 5's Visit to Jamaica
13th July, 2009

The year was 1975, one year before the Jackson 5 officially left Motown, the record label responsible for turning the group into the first black teen idols, appealing to both black and white audiences. It was the year Bob Marley had his international breakthrough with "No Woman No Cry" from the Natty Dread album. Gerald R. Ford was the 38th President of the United States of America, whilst Michael Norman Manley was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica.

Bob Marley, The Wailers and Mrs. Jackson at 56 Old Hope road, Kingston, Jamaica

The main fashion trends were platform shoes 2-4 inches thick, flared jeans and trousers, Mexican peasant blouses, mini skirts and not to mention the afro hairstyles epitomized by the Jackson's. This bore heavy contrast alongside Bob Marley and his associates who sported the Rastafarian dreadlocks.
Who would have known that Michael Jackson (merely sixteen at the time) and Bob Marley would later share so many similarities i.e. a humanitarian outlook penned in songs such as "They don't care about us", by Michael Jackson or "Africa Unite", by Bob Marley. Their music would carry messages of peace, hope, love and a timeless global appeal that transcended international, racial and generational barriers. Not to mention a premature legacy marked by the sentiments - "gone too soon!"
When asked what they remembered most about Michael Jackson, the Marley's reminisced about this moment in time when the Jackson 5 came to Jamaica on the invitation of Edward Seaga who was (at that time) the Jamaican opposition leader:
".... the Jackson 5 concert that was held in Jamaica and their visit to 56 Hope Road. It was a joyous occasion. Jermaine even threw his sweaty shirt to a screaming girl in the front row who happened to be our sister Sharon. We will cherish those moments for the rest of our lives."
Thousands of fans gathered that day to witness the concert for which Bob Marley was the headliner. Although the Jackson's hung out with the Marley's casually during their brief stay, the young Marley's could not help reacting as other screaming fans did when the Jackson 5 were on stage. It was reported that every young teenager excuses themselves to attend the concert. A historical moment is created when Michael Jackson and his brothers pose for pictures with Jamaica's Reggae legend, Bob Marley.

Reggae superstar Bob Marley performs at the historic "One Love" peace concert in Kingston, Jamaica, on April 22, 1978, which marked a truce between the warring Jamaica Labour Party and the People’s National Party; Bob persuaded Prime Minister Michael Manley (left) and opposition leader Edward Seaga to join him on stage and shake hands. For this and other efforts he received the United Nations Peace Medal.

The Youtube Videos of this Event :

Jackson 5 performing "I Shot The Sheriff" by Bob Marley (The Jacksons TV Show)
[youtube]UEj7z9vbfLE[/youtube]

Bob Marley - One Love
[youtube]Ou5pzKuKP8w[/youtube]

Bob marley "No Woman No Cry" 1979
[youtube]jGqrvn3q1oo[/youtube]

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Don't Rock My Boat - Kansas City - LIVE -1973
[youtube]kzFQ3AA9Jng[/youtube]

Bob Marley - Redemption Song ( Studio Acustic)
[youtube]OFGgbT_VasI[/youtube]

Bob Marley Funeral - Kingston, Jamica (1981)
[youtube]1rJr3IlTYBg[/youtube]

Jamaica Independence Celebrations 2009: Michael Jackson Tribute Performance at National Stadium
[youtube]uKdiFi0II-U[/youtube]

The SXSW Documentary "Marley" 2012 :

From Bob Marley to Big Star, '70s music playing again in varied SXSW Documentaries..Jake Coyle, The Associated Press Mar 14, 2012 00:59:00 AM

Bob Marley Movie: Most Anticipated Documentary of 2012!

In this March 12, 2012 photo, director Kevin Macdonald, left, and Ziggy Marley, discuss the new documentary film "Marley", during the SXSW FIlm Festival in Austin, Texas.
(AP Photo/Jack Plunkett)

AUSTIN, Texas - Whether reggae, soft rock, hardcore punk or power pop, the music of the '70s is playing again at South By Southwest.
Several of the many music documentaries at this year's SXSW revisit acts from the decade, a time often skipped over in pop culture history. But for that same reason, the '70s left a number of stories ripe for rediscovery or more thorough examination.
Put under the documentary lens is the beloved legend Bob Marley ("Marley"), the forgotten songwriting talent Paul Williams ("Paul Williams Still Alive"), the cult band that proved curiously resistant to the mainstream Big Star ("Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me"), the radical punk of Bad Brains ("Bad Brains: Band in DC") and the curious story of rocker Rodriguez ("Search for Sugar Man").
The films are among the highlights of SXSW's robust music documentaries which essentially make up the connective tissue between the film and music components of the annual Austin festival. Many of them are grouped under their own music documentaries category, "24 Beats Per Second."
"Marley," which will be released April 20, takes a linear, biographic approach that takes nearly 2 1/2 hours to tell the life story of Marley through friends and family. It might be called the "roots rock reggae" take on a subject often shrouded in iconography and myth.
"For all these years, I've seen so many things on Bob and I always felt like: 'Who are these people talking about Bob and writing about Bob?'" says Ziggy Marley, the eldest son of the Jamaican legend.
The film is a long in-the-works project authorized by the Marley family (Ziggy is an executive producer) that originally had Martin Scorsese signed up to direct. Then Director Kevin Macdonald has made a number of documentaries, himself, including 2003's "Touching the Void," but it was his fiction film "The Last King of Scotland" that led him to Marley. While shooting in Uganda, he saw that Marley's popularity reached even to remote African slums. He hopes that "Marley" is the definitive documentary of the musician, and that it being "authorized" doesn't detract from its clarity.

Bob Marley Movie: the most anticipated documentary of 2012, is here. A few days ago, we brought you Life in a Day and the response was extremely positive! That was our favorite movie of 2011 and Bob Marley Movie is by the same director: Kevin Macdonald. INCREDIBLE. JAH, MAN

Bob Marley/ "Marley" Trailer:
[youtube]NOhDBe-pmUs[/youtube]

The Photo Gallery:

Michael got a picture taken while he was holding a white bird in Jamaica.

<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=e7bbxe" target="_blank"><img src="http://i43.tinypic.com/e7bbxe.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=wiu7hg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i41.tinypic.com/wiu7hg.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

"Photo Effects Contest" - Michael Jackson & Bob Marley

<a href="http://tinypic.com?ref=6yo7xy" target="_blank"><img src="http://i44.tinypic.com/6yo7xy.jpg" border="0" alt="Image and video hosting by TinyPic"></a>

The Bob Marley Quotes:

~ “The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just got to find the ones worth suffering for.”
― Bob Marley

~“Don't Gain The World & Lose Your Soul, Wisdom Is Better Than Silver Or Gold.”
― Bob Marley

~“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively”
― Bob Marley

~“The people who were trying to make this world worse are not taking the day off. Why should I?”
― Bob Marley

~“My fear is my only courage”
― Bob Marley

~“The winds that sometimes take something we love, are the same that bring us something we learn to love. Therefore we should not cry about something that was taken from us, but, yes, love what we have been given. Because what is really ours is never gone forever.”
― Bob Marley

R.I.P Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, February 6th, 1945 ~ May 11th,1981

The Sources:

Bob Marley
http://BobMarley.com

Bob Marley School for the Arts Institute
http://www.bobartsinstitute.edu

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101112215934AAOS2QF

http://islandfuse.com/articles/marleysmeetj5.html

http://islandfuse.com/articles/mjtribute.html

http://pjbutta.com/uncategorized/jackson-5-bob-marley/

http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-47221.html?

http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/p...f-michael-jackson--the-gloved-one-who-v.shtml
Bob Marley Natty Dread & All Tour Dates:
http://www.thirdfield.com/new/tours.html

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20070713/news/news7.html

http://www.kcobaatl.org/2009/Jun/Article17.html

http://www.news1130.com/entertainme...ic-playing-again-in-varied-sxsw-documentaries

http://sxsw.com/film

Bob Marley Movie:
http://documentarystorm.com/bob-marley-movie-most-anticipated-documentary-of-2012/

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/25241.Bob_Marley

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

MJ TinkerBell · Apr 24, 2012

The Michael-ing Daily ~16 Years Ago - "Eles Não Ligam Pra Gente" - Saint Michael in Brazil..
- March 31st, 1996 ~ April 4th, 2012

The Article:

"They Don't Care About Us" is the fourth single from Michael Jackson's album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I, released on March 31, 1996
he song was accompanied by two music videos directed by Spike Lee. The first was shot in two locations in Brazil, a favela in Rio de Janeiro called Dona Marta and in Salvador da Bahia. State authorities tried to ban all production over fears the video would damage their image, the area and prospects of staging the 2004 Olympics. Still, the residents of the area were happy to see the singer, hoping their problems would be made visible to a wider audience. The second video was shot in a prison and contained video footage of multiple references to human rights abuses.
A judge banned all filming but this ruling was overturned by an injunction. Although officials were angry, the residents were not and Jackson was surrounded by crowds of enthusiastic onlookers during filming. One woman managed to push through security to hug Jackson who continued dancing while hugging her. Another woman appeared and hugged him from behind. He then fell to the ground as police pulled the two women off him and escorted them away. After the director helped Jackson get up off the street, he continued to sing and dance. 1,500 policemen and 50 residents acting as security guards effectively sealed off the Dona Marta shanty town. The music video was directed by Spike Lee. Asked why he chose Lee to direct the video, Jackson responded, "'They Don't Care About Us' has an edge, and Spike Lee had approached me. It's a public awareness song and that's what he is all about. It's a protest kind of song ... and I think he was perfect for it". Jackson also collaborated with 200 members of the cultural group Olodum, "who swayed to the heavy beat of Salvador's 'samba-reggae' music". The media interest surrounding the music video exposed Olodum to 140 countries around the world. It brought them worldwide fame and increased their credibility in Brazil. At the beginning of the video, a Brazilian woman says "Michael, eles não ligam pra gente" which means "Michael, they don't care about us".
Speaking of the music video, in The New Brazilian Cinema, Lúcia Nagib observed:When Michael Jackson decided to shoot his new music video in a favela of Rio de Janeiro ... he used the favela people as extras in a visual super-spectacle ... All the while there is a vaguely political appeal in there ... The interesting aspect of Michael Jackson's strategy is the efficiency with which it gives visibility to poverty and social problems in countries like Brazil without resorting to traditional political discourse. In 2009, Billboard described the area as "now a model for social development" and stated that Jackson's influence was partially responsible for this improvement. For the first time in his career, Michael Jackson made a second music video for a single. This second version was filmed in a prison with cell mates; In the video Jackson is seen handcuffed. It also contains real footage of police attacking African Americans, the Ku Klux Klan, genocide, and executions
The music video of the song also appear on video albums HIStory on Film, Volume II and Vision (Brazil and prison version).

Michael Jackson no Brasil - Reportagem do Fantástico (1996)

[youtube]MZ_jreINpD8[/youtube]

Translated:
From Salvador, Michael Jackson came so fast to Rio de Janeiro. Without any relaxation.
During the night, He appeared many times in the hotel´s window with some kids and said 'hello' to fans.
To the fans whom stayed in there, had saw Copacabana like this. With a rainbow too.
In the end of the morning, Michael hurried out of hotel and go to Copacabana´s fort that is front of the hotel. His staff do not lose time: Michael gets out of car and scenes starts recording, they are parts of the video, but this soldiers know it?
One scene more. Michael gets out running. Behind him, the soldiers, it´s like a persecution.
Now, a helicopter´s flight, but without job. It´s a tourist´s tour. Know Rio de Janeiro flying in the sky, was an old dream of Michel Jackson and he was lucky. The Sunday´s morning was gorgeous. Was that images that he saw in the sky: 'a Rio that he never will forget', he told.
The tour was short, he got more job. Was the time to record in the place that caused much controversy: the Dona Marta Favela in the south zone of Rio, one the biggest in the city. Today the favela stoped. Everyone wanted see the star.
Michael arrived in a helicopter and then disappeared.
Is not easy for us follow the recording of the video here in the Dona Marta´s Favela. We´re getting this because Bob Jhones (he´s the responsible for the working life of Michael) has authorized us. Bob went down there, in the "favela´s foot", to search our staff to film all that, Michael Jackson recording the video clip.
Although all this marathon, Michael Jackson gets up the favela in a good way. In the hands, only a towel to clean the face. Was more of 15 minutes walking until arrive in the house that served like a dressing-room. In the back yard of the house, was many hours until get the finals details of the record. The director, Spike Lee, was commanding an army of more 300 people, between technicians, camera mans, assistants and life guards.
Time to record. The life guards go search Michael Jackson. Considered a hard person, exigent, super problematic, he show us a simple, nice and patient.
Yeah, but the star is a perfectionist person, and until a stain on his pants, but it don´t disappears. That´s okay.
While wait, Michael is training the muscles. Is the time so expected: starts the record. This rhythm present on the video is of Olodum, also in the t-shirt. And Michael Jackson show us why make many success: because he´s a super star.
This images are exclusives of Globo Tv. In the local of the record, the only camera for reports was from a tv show of the U.S.
Okay, after see Michael Jackson like this, so, closer, only rest to me get an interview.
Of course Michael Jackson doesn´t gives interviews, because he have to maintain the appearance of a myth, but we asked, and asked to him, and he accepted say some words to Brazilian people.
Looking the archive of my grandmother, I found the journalistic field that was transmited in the tv program "Fantástico" on Globo Tv of Brazil in 1996, during the records of Michael Jackson´s video "They Don´t Care About Us". This is my way to honor this big artist!

The Article:

Brazil Dangerous Tour 10/1993 by Kara (NYC)

During the Bad Tour, in a amusement park, Brasil Oct. 1993. Michael rented it for one night for him, his bodyguards and some lucky people (includes me) who worked at the company that organized his trips around the city of Sao Paulo.

The Article:

Rio to Erect Statue of Michael Jackson in Slum Where He Filmed Video..

RIO DE JANEIRO – The governor of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro announced Friday that he is going to erect a statue in tribute to the late singer Michael Jackson in the Rio slum where he filmed a music video in 1996.
“We’re going to honor Michael Jackson, an idol of my generation, with a space in Dona Marta. We’re going to put a likeness of Michael Jackson there, a beautiful sculpture to recall his time in Rio,” Gov. Sergio Cabral said during a speech the day after the superstar’s death from an apparent heart attack.
Jackson chose the “favela” or shantytown of Dona Marta to shoot some scenes of the video for his song “They Don’t Care About Us,” in which the Brazilian percussion ensemble Olodum also took part.
At that time, Dona Marta was dominated by a gang of drug traffickers that guaranteed the artist’s safety during the shooting in exchange for a large sum of money, a deal that sparked controversy in Brazil.
Police have now expelled the drug traffickers from Dona Marta and use the poor neighborhood for a pioneer security project combined with an extension of social services.
The Rio state government uses the slum as a “laboratory” and is providing all kinds of services, such as free wireless access to the Internet. (EFE)

Brazil: Michael Jackson Immortalized at a Slum in Rio de Janeiro
Posted 27 June 2010 0:23 GMT

Translated:
Michael Jackson was honored this week in Rio de Janeiro's Santa Marta Slum. The terrace where he recorded part of the video “They Don't Really Care About Us” in 1996, is now officially called “Michael Jackson Terrace” and it is also the scenario for a statue of the artist. According to the Brazilian news website "G1", a statue of Michael Jackson was placed at Morro Dona Marta, a slum in the Botafogo neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, where Michael filmed part of the Brazilian version of the "They Don't Care About Us" videoclip. The statue, designed by cartoonist Ique, was placed at the paving stone where the shot a few scenes of the video. "Maico", as locals call it, affectionately, the King of Pop. The residents of the favela believe that the statue will help make the community more famous outside Brazil. A glorious slab sits on the House of Culture of the community, where for six years and operates a library, there are three, the music school of the NGO Social Attitude. All the property was financed by the government reform. The statue, which weighs 180 kg and was made in size, is signed by the cartoonist Ique. Also in space, will be a mosaic, the artist Romero Brito. Other celebs have also visited Morro Santa Marta, like Madonna, Beyonce and Alicia Keys.

Michael with the Artist Romero Britto

"Todo Para Ti" Campaign with Michael Jackson and other Artists.
(What More Can I Give)

The Michael Jackson Mosaic

The Youtube Videos of this Event :

Media Coverage by JoaoPauloA : Michael Jackson no Brasil - Parte 1-7 (Un-Translated)
[youtube]TqDsox2dcgc[/youtube]
Parte 2 http://youtu.be/ypyAYFljAKE
Parte 3 http://youtu.be/HwVE_QiSyy0
Parte 4 http://youtu.be/6yCXi1DYsVU
Parte 5 http://youtu.be/IiMn8REJCKk
Parte 6 http://youtu.be/AHpuw-nKHVw
Parte 7 http://youtu.be/Jouan2JDB8I

Michael Jackson - Dangerous Tour Brazil 1993 (Rare Snippets)
[youtube]XZay1TZDNsQ[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - The Making of They Don't Care About Us - (Pt. 1)
[youtube]0BBM-Z5hhi4[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - The Making of They Don't Care About Us - (Pt. 2)
[youtube]EMGlHpgXQao[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us (Edit Version)
[youtube]QNJL6nfu__Q[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - They Don't Really Care About Us (Banned Prison Version)
[youtube]8HSNeHHuQA4[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - 'They Don't Care About Us' This Is It - (March Segment)
[youtube]hn9miCJvNGk[/youtube]

Cirque du Soleil's version of Michael Jackson's - They Dont Care About Us - (X Factor USA)
[youtube]VPP9wVmxtVk[/youtube]

Leona Lewis Version - Album: Labyrinth Tour: Live at the O2 - (CD/DVD 2010)
[youtube]6kW5SDu0CsU[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us Immortal (Version 2011)
[youtube]728WbMnCiJI[/youtube]

Michael Jackson - They Don't Care About Us - (Wii Version)
[youtube]m77mvrbCal0[/youtube]

The Back Story Articles:

Rio Frets as Michael Jackson Plans to Film Slum
By Diana Jean Schemo....February 11, 1996

In the sweltering heat of a summer afternoon in the hillside slum of Santa Marta, a toddler cools herself under the water dripping from a rag that dangles from a wire stretched high above her head. Raw sewage runs down the hills, sending nauseating odors like curses through the neighborhood. Drug dealers stand at checkpoints along winding alleys.This is the favela, or hillside slum, that the singer Michael Jackson will use as a backdrop for his music video, "They Don't Care About Us." The knowledge that the poverty here will be used as an international image of urban misery has sparked an emotional debate dividing the "Marvelous City," as Rio likes to be called.
The furor began two weeks ago, when word filtered out that Mr. Jackson would descend by helicopter on either Santa Marta or Rocinha, another hillside slum, to film his video. It was at roughly the same time that the singer Madonna was sparking protest in Argentina over plans to have her portray Eva Peron.
Ronaldo Cezar Coelho, the state secretary for Industry, Commerce and Tourism, complained that such a video would damage the city's image, and reportedly said he would demand editing rights over the finished product. "I don't see why we should have to facilitate films that will contribute nothing to all our efforts to rehabilitate Rio's image," Mr. Coelho told newspapers here.
Governor Marcello Alencar, said the favela should charge Mr. Jackson for the right to film there and offered the residents legal help.
Pele, the former soccer superstar who is now Minister of Sports, complained that the filming would hinder Rio's campaign to bring the Olympics here in 2004.
Cristina Becker of the Rio Convention Bureau said: "We've always oriented producers to show the good that Rio has. If Michael Jackson only wants to show the bad side, it's better that he not come."
A few days later, a lawyer went to court to try to prevent the filming, and a judge issued an injunction. The film director Spike Lee, who is directing the singer's music video, called Brazil a "banana republic" for what he described as half-baked efforts to prevent the filming, aggravating the sense of injured pride among some public officials.
Then, earlier this week, a higher court ruled that Mr. Jackson could come after all and film as he wishes. On Friday, the gloved one arrived in Brazil as the masked one, sporting a black mask over his nose and mouth against an outbreak of conjunctivitis that is sweeping the city.
Though many people who opposed the filming said they were only trying to protect the favela's image, its residents are skeptical.
The conditions in the favela do not "depend on Michael Jackson," said Jose Luis de Oliveira, the 30-year-old president of the Santa Marta Residents' Association. "It depends on the Government."
From the top of the favela, where the climb is steepest and the lean-tos most precarious, Mr. Jackson will be able to capture not just the slum, but also postcard images of Rio: fabulous views of Corcovado, the Christ with outstretched arms on a nearby hill, Sugar Loaf and the Lagoon.
Rather than opposing the filming of the video, the residents of Santa Marta from children to older people seem to be fairly crackling with the excitement about it.
Mr. de Oliveira said he was all for the singer's project. Children were making up a song and drawing posters to welcome him, he said.
Sandra Gomez de Barros, who will turn 27 on Sunday, said: "I think his coming is great. For me, it's like getting a wonderful birthday present."
She lives in one of the poorest houses at the top of the 1,000-foot hill, the site Mr. Jackson has chosen for his film. She looked over at an abandoned house, its roof gone, where a doctor once lived. Because her 7-year-old son Renato suffers from epilepsy, she is hoping that the publicity may somehow bring another doctor to the favela.
"I think his coming will make things better," Ms. Gomez said. "They're ashamed of the conditions here, and they'll have to do something."
Milton de Souza Filho, who runs two samba schools in the neighborhood, said, "For the community, it's already been very constructive." He said music was "occupational therapy" for the residents.
"Everybody's suddenly paying attention to Santa Marta, talking about the social, sanitary and other conditions here," Mr. de Souza said in an interview in his office, which is plastered with yellowing newspaper photos of Brazil's World Cup soccer heros and is furnished with such diverse salvaged items as a couch shiny with grime, a tattered dentist's chair and a curving psychiatrist's couch. "It's a poor world surrounded by a rich world, an island of misery surrounded by wealth."
Mr. de Souza said he planned to create a Michael Jackson memorabilia museum on Santa Marta Hill, sometimes also called Dona Marta Hill, to preserve its moment of fame.
At the top of the favela, on the concrete where the doctor's office used to stand, Wendell Liberado de Farias, 13, and some of his friends flew a kite in the windless air, jerking the string to lift the kite "like a lizard scampering up a wall," he said.
Asked whether he liked the American singer, the child tipped his head and, acknowledging that the reports of the singer's legal problems with children had even reached here, said: "No, I like girls, not boys. But I like his music."
The drug dealers of the Commando Vermelho, or Red Command, have painted their letters on the soccer field where Mr. Jackson will land in his helicopter, so there will be no doubt whose turf he is on. Mr. Jackson has hired 50 or so residents -- said to be provided by the drug dealers, since they control this favela -- to provide security during his filming.
Mr. Jackson began filming today in Salvador, the capital of the state of Bahia, where he was mobbed by admiring fans. He was expected in Rio on Sunday.
In Rio today, Mr. Oliviera, the leader of the residents' group, looked around at the crowd of people who had gathered at the foot of the hill to talk about Mr. Jackson's visit and said, "The expectation is enormous."
"The Government tried to step in to stop him from showing the misery of people here," Mr. de Oliveira added. He looked away for a moment and shook his head, resorting to English from the title of the video to make his point. "They really don't care about us," he said.

The Article:

Olodum musician wants to play in the wake of Michael Jackson..

Translated:
Bahia - The percussionist Bira Jackson, who recorded the video clip of the song "They do not care about us", in Pelourinho, Bahia, in 1996 said he wanted to play in the wake of singer Michael Jackson, who died yesterday in Los Angeles. The news was announced by the G1 site still shows that the musician was 24 when he was called by Spike Lee, director of the clip, to leave behind the formation of Olodum and recording with Michael Jackson.
Recalling that meeting he said:
"I was in a place where many people wanted to be. I played with him once and would love to play one more time for him. I wanted to say goodbye to Michael Jackson at his funeral. It was a happiness too great to be with a megastar. I got to say thank you for it. Michael Jackson took my hand and smiled at me."

The Article:

Va Brazil! Spike Lee To Make A Documentary About the Country?
Monday Mar 19, 2012 – By Britni Danielle

Spike Lee & Olodum (in 1996)

Brazil has been making the rounds on the black interwebs lately, and for good reason. The only Portuguese-speaking country in South America, Brazil has the world’s sixth largest economy and the largest black population outside of Africa. The country is also gearing up to host one of the biggest sporting events on the globe, World Cup in 2014. Now, a new spotlight may be getting ready to shine a light on Brazil.

The Photo Gallery:

Neighbourhood assist the pop star Michael Jackson singing and dancing on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson sings and dances on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson performs on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson, right, speaks with American film directorand producer Spike Lee, left, on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson visits a Ipanema's shopping center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 12, 1996. Michael Jackson is in Rio de Janeiro for the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson looks at a Rolling Stones album in a Ipanema's shopping center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 12, 1996. Michael Jackson is in Rio de Janeiro for the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Neighbourhood assist the pop star Michael Jackson singing and dancing on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson performs on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson sings and dances on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Pop star Michael Jackson sings and dances on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Neighbourhood assist the pop star Michael Jackson singing and dancing on the roof of a building in the Dona Marta slum, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Feb. 11, 1996 during the filming of the video for his song "They Don't Care About Us." (Austral Foto/Renzo Gostoli)

Brazilian fans reaching out to touch US pop star Michael Jackson during the filming of Jackson's video "They Don't Care About Us," in Salvador, Brazil, in 1996.[Agencies]

Michael with the Policia in Brazil

Michael Jackson filming "They Don't Care About Us" on 75 Brazil Street.

Michael with a lucky Brazilian Fan

Olodum was created as a way of giving poor kids in Salvador self-esteem and create pride in their African roots.

The Michael Jackson Statue in Brazil

Tips from Santa Marta by Reinaldo Marques on 17/02/11

Translated:
The Santa Marta is now part of the project called Rio Top Tour. Guides have the community to tourists and locals who want to know the place. The service is free to join just go to the tourist information booth near the entrance to the community, the square Corumbá.
Among the points shown by the guides are the very Square of Canton, space observatories and Michael Jackson. This space was created in honor of the singer who recorded the video for the song "They do not care about us" in the community in 1993. In June 2010 it was placed a bronze statue of the singer in a local panel, done by artist Romero Brito. To get there just take the tram to work in the community and down in the fourth season. The cable car runs from 5am until 23:45 and it's free.

The Sources:

They Don't Care About Us (Brazil Long Version)

http://music.yahoo.com/michael-jackson/

http://www.rtbot.net/michael_jackson_they_dont_care_about_us

http://globalvoicesonline.org/2010/...son-immortalized-at-a-slum-in-rio-de-janeiro/

http://michaeljacksonforevers.blogspot.ca/2010/06/michael-jackson-dara-nome-laje-do-santa.html

Dicas do Santa Marta
http://www.correspondentesdapaz.com.br/201102/0827-dicas-do-santa-marta

http://www.michael-jackson-lovers.com/brazil-dangerous-tour-101993.html

http://www.somnacaixablog.com/post/736/musico-do-olodum-quer-tocar-no-velorio-de-michael-jackson

http://www.australfoto.com/Arts-Ent...in-Rio-de/8695481_zwNtBT#!i=601253028&k=wyfiR

http://www.mjjcommunity.com/forum/threads/93643-Statue-of-Michael-placed-in-Rio-de-Janeiro

40acres.com
http://www.40acres.com/index.php?op...:music-videos&catid=17:jointography&Itemid=86

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=338032&CategoryId=13003

http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/03/va-brazil-spike-lee-to-make-a-documentary-about-the-country/

Sincerely your
MJJC
Legacy
Team

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