Google This: I Met Michael Jackson

[TinaG]

I was bored tonight and when that happens, I often times Google MJ. Mostly I'm looking for photos I haven't seen before. It's always fun to see MJ's face over and over in image searches anyway. But tonight I thought I'd Google this: I met Michael Jackson. Since I was never lucky enough to meet him, I love reading stories of those who have anyway if I accidentally come across them. So I just thought it would be fun to actually hunt for those stories tonight.

I Googled for images and the web in general. There are lots of neat results you find! Sweet stories from people who've met him, fun photos. Just thought I'd mention it, for anyone who may not have Googled this before.

Here's a neat story here...
http://www.china.org.cn/culture/Michael_Jackson/2009-07/09/content_18101976.htm

And it has an image with it too...

 

[Dangerous21]

sweet story! love reading stuff like this. thanks for the nice find

 

[TinaG]

Oh here is another sweet one...
http://staceymckenzie.com/2009/06/26/the-way-you-made-me-feel/

It's shorter so I'll paste it here...

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to meet the KING himself. I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life. I was chosen to attend The Fifth Element premier at the Cannes Film Festival as Jean Paul Gautiers’ date, the next day Mr. Gautier informed me that we were invited to attend the premier for Michaels video “Ghosts”. I brought my disposable camera ( yes people DISPOSABLE) and took my seat in the 2nd row centre. Soon there was a lot of mayhem, people jumped out of their seats running to get a picture with Michael who was being swarmed by mad security. The security escorted Mr. Jackson to his seat and I almost had a heart attack, it was right in the front row centre behind me!
Once he settled in and the lights went dim, I began to tap him on his shoulder, he would turn around and smile, then speaking in his low boy like voice he said to me,”Hi pretty, are you having a good time”? I couldn’t speak but I was snapping away with my disposable camera. Through out the night, I tapped him quite a few more times and took quite a few more pictures, each and every time he would laugh asking if “I was enjoying myself”. After the premier, he was willing to take a picture with me, while about to do so a crowd of people rushed him and he had to leave immediately due to security reasons. The last time I saw Mr. Jackson was while he was being taken away from beside me, the last thing he said to me was,”I’m sorry pretty girl, I hope you still had fun”. That was the day I met the KING and I continue to cherish it to this very sad day.
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THRILLING us with your music!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for being the BADDEST dancer!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for INSPIRING so many generations to follow your footsteps
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THE WAY YOU MADE ME FEEL that day in France
Thank you Mr. Jackson for making us SCREAM for more!
May god rest your beautiful soul!

 

[Ashtanga]

OMG!!!!!!!!!! :doh:

Thanks for posting! :wild: :wild: :wild:

Beautiful and wonderful stories of a moment soooooooo special and unforgettable. :wub:

 

[TinaG]

I think so too! Reading these stories I'm finding, it's made me smile tonight after kind of a yucky day! So I was hoping others might enjoy them too.

 

[CaptainEoLove85]

Cool. I love these stories too. Thanks for sharing. :wub:

 

[144000]

so let me get this straight. this girl who was a teenage contestant for miss junior America, is posing there with Michael, when she was 17? and she describes a whole group of teenage miss junior america contestants, who were otherwise calm, until Michael was in the house...and then they went absolutely giddy? so...these are teenage miss junior america contestants? i assume, this is in America? in the year 2002? and all these contestants not only know who Michael is, but they went giddy over him? and..a whole lot of people outside the complex went pandemonium over him, too? and this is in america, in 2002? wait a minute? didn't the media say MJ was irrelevant at that time, in america? how do all these teenagers know about him, and are getting that excited about an irrelevant figure? why all the american pandemonium over an irrelevant figure? i remember the media saying he was irrelevant in this country? or...am i imagining things? no...i don't think i imagined what the media said. they said that. they said he was irrelevant. and these are teenagers?

hmmm..

is there anything else the media was or is lying to me about, concerning Michael? like...him being in debt, at that time...or...at any time? or..now?

i'm just sayin.

oh..am i off topic? oh. sry.

 

[Spider-Man]

so let me get this straight. this girl who was a teenage contestant for miss junior America, is posing there with Michael, when she was 17? and she describes a whole group of teenage miss junior america contestants, who were otherwise calm, until Michael was in the house...and then they went absolutely giddy? so...these are teenage miss junior america contestants? i assume, this is in America? in the year 2002? and all these contestants not only know who Michael is, but they went giddy over him? and..a whole lot of people outside the complex went pandemonium over him, too? and this is in america, in 2002? wait a minute? didn't the media say MJ was irrelevant at that time, in america? how do all these teenagers know about him, and are getting that excited about an irrelevant figure? why all the american pandemonium over an irrelevant figure? i remember the media saying he was irrelevant in this country? or...am i imagining things? no...i don't think i imagined what the media said. they said that. they said he was irrelevant. and these are teenagers?

hmmm..

is there anything else the media was or is lying to me about, concerning Michael? like...him being in debt, at that time...or...at any time? or..now?

i'm just sayin.

oh..am i off topic? oh. sry.

completely off topic, but a good point nontheless. The media's foolishness is frustrating(I'd say more but I'd only end up getting myself worked up)


Nice find Tina, I love reading fan experiences Haha I never thought of googling to find them though, I usually just come to MJJC for that (plus that way I'm surrounded in a fan atmosphere)

haha at Benihana, I think I've heard of him liking that place before.

 

[Jacksonxo]

Aw, sweet stories. Thanks for sharing. I wish I could have met him!

 

[suzynyc]

Nice stories and very lucky people. Although once again, I'm amazed at his patience. I would have been like, um lady, stop tapping me on the shoulder, okay?

LOL

 

[mkgenie]

Here's a neat story here...
http://www.china.org.cn/culture/Michael_Jackson/2009-07/09/content_18101976.htm

She came to China premiere of THIS IS IT

and this is her video of meeting Michael in 2002

http://www.thefabtab.com/www.thefabtab.com/Movie.html

 

[Ashtanga]

I found some stories in my archives:

How I Met Michael Jackson

Y.E.onDOMReady(show_notes_initially);
F.decorate(_ge('photo_notes'), F._photo_notes).notes_go_go_go(58893780, 'http://farm1.static.flickr.com/24/58893780_0308cd6309_t.jpg', '3.1444');

Now the ONE person I really got nervous about meeting was Michael Jackson. So here goes this story. I'll try not to be too long so hold on to your coffee!

Alright, the photo above is a photo of when my father used to work for Joe Jackson's (Michael Jackson's father) music company (in the old Motown Building on Sunset Blvd.) back in the mid 1980's. My dad was always trying to manage my career, his career, and just about anyone who would give him a chance to prove himself a true hustler---from The Bronx. He was a "mover and a shaker" as they say, and it always seemed like everyone knew my father. Somehow, someway, he ended up workin' for the "King of Pop's" pop.

I actually met Michael Jackson twice. The first time was at his home in Encino, California when I was about 11. My dad was good friends with singer Betty Wright at the time. Anyway, she 's the "Clean-Up Woman." She also had a short comeback in the late 80's with a song called "No Pain, No Gain."

Betty wanted to drop a music demo tape off to Michael so I went along for the ride. I remember us waiting at the front entrance of his home (in Encino, California) and he actually came out to the running car to pick up the tape, lol. All I remember was that thick, big, red robe he wore and that high-pitched voice. Man, he and Diana Ross sure did sound alike! End of episode 1.

Gosh this is long already, I must write a book...I will right a book!

Episode 2. Jump cut to: I was 14, so 1985-ish. The Roxy on The Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. The whole Jackson siblings are seated in the balcony to preview Joe Jackson's hottest new kid group--- an almost complete replicated version of The Jackson 5. The place is jumpin' and I'm there, in the middle of it all.

Look, over there, oh snap! There's my friend Alfonso Ribeiro, The Tap Dance Kid and hot off the Pepsi commercial he did with Michael. Boy, can he dance. He'll always be Carlton from "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" to some though.

http://static.flickr.com/17/22677902_88f67795fe_o.jpgBack to past tense.

Anyway, I had heard that Janet Jackson was there (in the balcony) and since we were friends from the show "Diff'rent Strokes," I asked Alfonso if he could take me up there to her and also introduce me to Michael...again! Like it wasn't nothin', and after getting through some heavy security, I arrived with Alfonso to that balcony...oh that balcony, I'll never forget it! They were all there. Rebi, Latoya, Janet and the King of Pop himself--and all strangely giggling amongst themselves. Must've been "inside" jokes. They were like kids. I couldn't believe my eyes, that I was in Michael's presence, so I froze. Alfonso grabbed me and pushed me towards Janet as if he were forcing his best friend to go to the high school prom with his dateless sister. She didn't notice me right away but guess who did? Michael screeched in a high pitched voice, "Oh I remember you, you're on the show with Janet, right?" He called out to his sister, "Janet guess who's here? it's your little friend Dudley..." After Janet and I had a nice reunion, I got to meet Latoya and their other sister Rebi. Then, uh oh...the show is starting! (present tense) "What should I do?" I thought.
Lights out. Then, like a movie playing itself out:

Michael:
(to Shavar)
Come sit down, sit down, watch the show with us.

Chairs pull up. Hmmmm...how did Alfonso find his seat so quickly. "He's been up here before" I thought. Michael surprisingly pulls up a chair for me! Wow, I'm stunned! Lights even darker now. Intro. Applause. Music. The show starts. Why it's The Jackson 5 all over again. No where near as good though.

My only goal: To get one good look at Michael Jackson before the night is over! I am literally sitting RIGHT next to him and mind you, this was the mid 1980's. Michael was HOT at the time. In between the strobe and spot lights, I glance at him. It's unreal! I mean, HE'S unreal...literally. He had what looked to be the perfect face, yet so porcelain, so surreal. I got a bit scared and nervous.

For the whole set I just stared at him, in such awe of this man so famous to the world. I tried to figure out how his powerful influence could have so many people ridiculously in tears, sobbing and crying hysterically in his concerts.

For a brief moment, Michael must have felt me hawking my eyes at him. I just couldn't help it.

Michael:
(to Shavar again)
Could you move to the left just a little bit. I can't see.

He DID seem to really be enjoying the show....and that imitation Jackson 5 performing? I could care less! I was sitting next to Michael Jackson!

And lastly, to make a long story even longer, the boring show finally came to an end but surprisingly to an almost standing ovation! Standing ovation? What? Was Michael standing too? More giggles.

Smash cut to: Kid imitation Jackson 5 group coming up to the balcony to meet Michael! Michael inviting them to his home AND to Disneyland. Close up: Me hearing it all.

Silence. Waiting for my invite. Silence again. Nothing. No nice meeting you, no nothing. I turned my head for a quick second to look for Alfonso and the Jackson Clan had disappeared! Poof! Like right out of thin air! That's when I realized that celebrities have an art to their grand exits. It's all very stealth. Then the announcer said something to the effect that Michael, Janet, Latoya and Rebbie had "left the building." Depression, dejection, rejection and everything else you can fill in seem to settle into my 14 year old heart. I was devastated. Michael didn't invite me to his DisneyWorld.

I finally found Alfonso. "You didn't go?", I asked intently. "Why didn't he invite us?" I hammered Alfonso again. "Oh 'cause we too old man...we teenagers now and if you over 12, he don't like you no more," replied Alfonso. Alfonso laughed it off but I still didn't understand him. It would take me nearly 20 years to understand what he meant and even now I am still not sure what he meant by that statement.

That night, and all throughout the entire night, I found myself sobbing hysterically to the point where I made myself literally sick to my stomach. I threw up several times and thought I was gonna die because I got to sit next to Michael Jackson.

In hindsight, maybe it was all for the best that I never got invited, who knows...(June 25, 2009, but may he now rest in peace).

June 26, 2009: Note: Just know that Michael Jackson inviting me to sit next to him beats Disneyland with a bunch of kids any day.

©November 1, 2005
ShavarRoss.com
(subject to future edits, corrections, etc.)
--Photo not mine--

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shavar/58893780/

Jun 26, 2009

Opinion: The day I met Michael Jackson, the day I'll never forget

By Janet McNair.

1 of 2 ►


I grew up to the soundtrack of Michael Jackson's music. I waited my whole life to meet him. In a bookstore at The Palm Beach Mall the moment arrived.
Ever since my parents took us to the Jackson 5 concert at the L.A. Coliseum, their very first major concert tour for their fist hit album, ABC (released in 1969), I’ve been a fan. Crowds of Victorville, California girls chased one of my brothers home from school every day thinking he was Michael Jackson under cover.


“How silly of them,” I thought. “It’s just my brother Kerry.” Why would he be living on an Air Force base with an older brother and 2 sisters, one of whom is named…oh….nevermind.
When Thriller was a hit and Michael Mania was at it’s 80s height, my brother Kerry would say to me, “Janet, he can’t possibly go any higher. He’s larger than life. Can you imagine him aging?"

Kerry McNair​

Kerry McNair​

Like | 4 people liked this
var imgid = "53103";


Instead, Kerry didn’t age and 21 years ago, my brother died at the age of 29.
If I ever got the chance to meet the real Jackson, I’d have so much to say. Security would have to intervene just to spare his ears. Jackson was more than an entertainer -- he was like family to everyone who remembers where they were when they first saw him Moonwalk at the Motown 25 television special. He was unbelievable.
Does anyone remember Jackson doing the human beat box on Oprah’s prime time special at "Never Land Ranch?" This brother could sing simultaneous harmony with himself -- emphasis on the word “simultaneous.” One word sang out split into a chord with no special effects. Who does that?
To hear the headline “Michael Jackson dead at 50,” was somewhat surreal. Just yesterday I heard what I described as, “The voice of an angel,” on a television advertisement singing.
“You and I must make a pact.
We must bring salvation back.
Where there is love,
I’ll be there…”
It was Michael Jackson and his brothers. That voice led me on a series of thoughts starting with where my path crossed that of Jackson’s and ending with the one thing in life that is certain -- death.
I was not a friend, but a fan who last saw Jackson in person in a bookstore at the Palm Beach Lakes Mall (West Palm Beach, FL). I believe it was April of 2005 and it was definitely a Saturday morning, almost as soon as the mall opened, and the crowds had not yet arrived.
As soon as I walked into the bookstore, I noticed additional mall security. A security guard had already tipped me off at the coffee shop that Jackson was indeed in the building. No other shoppers were in the bookstore other than his undercover security detail posing as other shoppers. Once I checked out, it’s as if the mole on the cell phone told Jackson that a 40ish woman posed no threat. Without warning Jackson emerged from who knows where.
I saw the build and stance of the slim man at the magazine rack. I vicariously knew it well. He was taller than I imagined. First, I saw the everyday Joe navy sweatpants. As my eyes traveled up, they took notice of how nearly transparent the skin on his left hand was. He moved slightly toward me as if thinking about greeting me, then back the other way. Finally, he turned toward me.
This was it.
My head slowly tilted up from the bottom of his pant leg, past those thinly skinned hands and at my moment to speak, I couldn’t. The moment arrived that I waited nearly all my life for and all I could muster was an upward head nod that tacitly said, “What’s up?” He waved hello. I think I was taken aback that he was wearing a Spider Man mask -- the whole Spidey head, not one of those front-half-only masks attached by an elastic string.
About 30 minutes later, despite the mask or perhaps aided by it, a crowd of youth were running behind him screaming his name.
“I love you,” he yelled back.
So, just the night before he died, I remembered a botched meeting I’ll never have again. I sensed he could have used a friend, but knew I was just another stranger. I said to myself, I’m not certain of who I will or will not ever see again. But, one thing I am certain of is it is appointed to all of us to die.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/274812




Here there are many stories of fans:

How I Met Michael Jackson

http://www.mjfanclub.net/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=356:how-i-met-michael-jackson&catid=118:fan-reports&Itemid=120

It all started mysteriously.

I received a phone call in the afternoon. The husky voice said, "I am representing a VIP who would like to come to the Strand." (The Strand is a bookstore that was founded 82 years ago by my grandfather and is run by my dad and me.) The voice continued, "I work for Michael Jackson. He would like to come to the store without customers around." I was directed not to tell anyone that Michael was coming. There was a contact telephone number at the New York Palace hotel, and I received updates from his representative throughout that day. It was decided he would come to the store at 10:30pm, after the Strand closes. And I kept the visit a secret, except to a few managers whom I asked to stay late with me; in turn I asked for their vow of secrecy.

By nightfall the air was swirling with electrical excitement. I piled copies of Moon Walk, Michael's memoir (edited by Jackie Onassis,) in the store for him to see. I remembered from reading it how kind his voice was as author.

And then there was Michael walking (not moon-walking) through the door of our third-floor rare books department. His skin was bleached white, he had orange rouge on his lips and his hair was straight. But he was still Michael. I had watched him grow up.

The first thing Michael said when he walked into the room was, "Are there any cameras?" I said no. I knew that ruled out my having a picture taken with him; I had brought a camera just in case. I felt his paranoia. I could hear the crowd shouting at street level "We love you, Michael!" He asked that I pull down all the shades in the oversized windows. I was later told that some fans were climbing the gates that protect the store windows.

Despite my conscientious effort to keep this event a secret on Michael's behalf, somehow news had spread. But how did they find out? Maybe because Michael and his entourage were traveling in a motorcade that included a huge white stretch limousine, a white stretch Lincoln and a black Suburban truck. I was told that they had just come from Times Square. The curious onlookers must have followed them, and word got out.

In filed his entourage: two security guards, three nurses all dressed in crisp white uniforms, and four children varying in age, some Hispanic, some African-American. There was such a sweetness to Michael in how he interacted with them. They seemed like nice, polite, appreciative kids; I wondered if he took them under his wing because they'd had a hard life.

Then there were his beautiful children; they looked like magical Disney characters. They seemed as doll-like as their names: Paris and Prince Michael I. Both were dressed in matching royal blue velvet. Paris, who was 4 years old, was wearing a tiara with diamonds, like a real princess. Prince Michael, 5 years old, had straight blond hair cut in a page-boy; Paris had flowing brown hair and big blue eyes. Their skin was pure white...they looked Scandinavian. The effect was adorable: I wanted to keep them, to take them home.

I knew he covered them with shawls when cameras were around, and he did so when he later continued his shopping downstairs. Draped in cloth, his children walked around looking like Cousin It from the Addams family. The kids seemed well adjusted. We gave them a wind-up doll of a tan dog in a red bow tie and a suit, and they played on the wooden floor. Prince Michael brought over an oversized book on collectable toys, barely able to carry it. He said in the cutest little voice; "Dad, can I have this" Michael lovingly smiled and asked if he was going to read it. He replied, "Yes."

One nurse was holding an adorable newly born baby with dark hair. I hadn't heard that Michael had three children nor was it public knowledge at the time. I wondered if Michael had a new baby, or could the child be borrowed? Months later, I found out that he was Prince Michael II.

Michael picked out a young Hispanic employee to help him. He had his name, Jesus, written in black magic marker on his plastic oval Strand name tag. I would think this was the thrill of the young man's life. Michael handed the books that he wanted to buy to Jesus, who then gave it to us in a basket to be sent to the cash register to be added and packed. Occasionally, Michael had requests. He wanted books on black folk music, books by Roald Dahl (including James and the Giant Peach), and something on Versailles. I would send my troops to look for the books and hand the findings to Jesus. On a previous visit, my dad had helped him, and he picked out books on Howard Hughes, dictionaries and first edition children's books.

Of course, I'm fond of anyone that shares my love of books, and I was impressed with Michael's selection. He sang quietly to himself and focused on photography and art books for a while, climbing on a ladder when necessary. All told, he spent $6,000 in books and allowed anyone in his group to take books. Although the people in his entourage did choose some, they did not seem as excited about shopping for books.

Michael was hands off when it came to the transaction. I asked a security guard about getting paid when they were nearing the end. He handed me a cell phone, and I was given a credit card number, in a different person's name. The next day a black town car was dispersed to pick up Michael's purchases, all packed in doubled shopping bags.

Michael and his entourage piled in the cars and, despite his desire for secrecy, his paranoid nature, you could tell he loved his fans waving and yelling, and he told them that he loved them. He craved love just like the rest of us, or maybe even more so.

It was after midnight. They had been at the Strand for 2 hours. Michael's security guard told me their next stop was FAO Schwartz, which like the Strand was open just for them. I felt like jumping with excitement, and thought to myself, I want to go with them. I wanted to be a kid again. I didn't want to stay in a crammed bookstore worrying about personnel, inventory, customer complaints. I WANT TO HAVE FUN. I want to shop for toys and dance on the giant piano like Tom Hanks did in the movie Big. I want to ride in the big white limousine with Michael and the kids bopping to loud music. I want to follow Tinkerbell, be sprinkled with fairy dust, open the window, and fly through the night sky.

But 7 years later, I now have kids and I read them fairy tales. And as we all know, fairy tales can also have a dark side. Even Peter Pan said, "To die will be an awfully big adventure."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-bass/the-day-i-met-michael-jac_b_225954.html

Me and Michael Jackson: When I met the King of Pop

By Fiona Cummins 25/06/2009

I can still remember every single detail about the first time I met Michael Jackson.
The lavender smell of his skin, his softly-spoken voice, the way he spontaneously hugged me to him even though he had never met me before.....
As I sit at my desk at home and write these words, I can barely believe it. The King of Pop is dead.
***** suffered a massive heart attack at his home in Los Angeles but was dead by the time he got to hospital. He was just 50.
In one twist of fate, a life snuffed out before he had the chance to make his longed-for comeback and prove to the world that he still had it.
He was a conundrum, Michael Jackson. Never quite able to shake off allegations of child abuse, although he vehemently protested his innocence, but one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
We first met at Harrods three years ago when he was visiting his old friend Mohammed Al Fayed and he agreed to grant me a private audience.
I have met a lot of celebrities over the years but none have quite enjoyed the legendary status of *****, probably the most famous man in the world.
Unusually for me, I was nervous and not quite sure what to expect. I had read the stories about his plastic surgery gone wrong, obsession with face masks, the Peter Pan syndrome of a boy locked in a man's body,
So it was something of a surprise to be greeted with a surprisingly firm handshake, a smile and a pleasing lack of artifice.
In fact, he wore barely a trace of make-up and exuded warmth, flinging his muscular arms around me in a welcoming hug.
We chatted for several minutes and he was alert and interested and interesting.
I knew, even then, that when he finally returned to the stage, it would be to give the performance of a lifetime.
Michael was never afraid of hard work and when he committed to something, he gave it his all.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/06/25/me-and-michael-jackson-when-i-met-the-king-of-pop-115875-21471876/

var cookieEVar = TD.ProjectTheStar.ReadCookie("cookieEVar1"); if(cookieEVar=="news") { TD.ProjectTheStar.CreateCookie("cookieEVar1",cookieEVar, 3600); } else if ("news" == "") { TD.ProjectTheStar.CreateCookie("cookieEVar1","standard", 3600); } else if("news"=="visualview" || "news"=="timelineview" || "news"=="gridview" || "news"=="mapview") { TD.ProjectTheStar.CreateCookie("cookieEVar1","news", 3600); }

Michael Jackson was a 10-year-old Star carrier when, thanks to his mother's efforts, he got to meet his namesake at a 1984 Exhibition Stadium concert at the height of the singer's Thriller fame. Right, Jackson, now a teacher in Orillia, holding a signed program, says he has fond memories of the meeting.



Michael Jackson was a 10-year-old newspaper boy for the Star 25 years ago when he met the other Michael Jackson, the superstar.
And the Michael Jackson he met that memorable night many years ago isn't the same Michael Jackson the media has pilloried with such relish over the ensuing years.
"I still remember it. It was a pretty cool event. Meeting him, you got to see a different side of him, not the ***** ***** stuff. He was just a really nice guy. That's what I remember about him, just being so kind and patient," said Jackson, 35, who teaches history and civics at his alma mater, Orillia District Collegiate Vocational Institute.
As a boy, Jackson was constantly teased about his name and "not being the real Michael Jackson." He was also a huge fan of the pop star, who in 1984 was in the midst of his Victory Tour and at the height of his fame.
Jackson's mother, Ann, wrote tour promoters Concert Productions International and asked if they could help fulfill a young fan's wish. They agreed.
On a chilly October night, accompanied by former Star reporter Joyce McKerrow, the Grade 5 student and his mom slipped through a side door at Exhibition Stadium and were taken to a private room.
"All of a sudden ... there was Michael Jackson. It was a special moment," Jackson recalled.
The singer, just minutes before he was poised to go on stage, offered Jackson and his mother some juice, signed an autograph and did his best to put them at their ease.
Jackson recalled that when the media came into the room to shoot pictures of the two Jacksons together, the singer "clammed up."
"But when they left, he was back to normal," Jackson said, recalling the singer as soft-spoken and a bit shy.
The singer's manager soon came in, reminded Jackson to put on his trademark sequined glove and the magic moment was over.
Jackson said he rarely speaks about the experience – even to his own wife, Rachel – because of the negative media coverage over the years that has focused on the superstar's eccentricities and allegations that he sexually assaulted young boys.
"I was driving with my wife when we found out about Michael Jackson passing away and then I told (her) the story. She never knew," Jackson said.
"That's the sad thing, that he (Jackson) does have that public image. But in my memory... for those 10 minutes, he just treated me really, really well, he made me feel comfortable, he made my mom feel comfortable. That to me is him," Jackson said.
"I've met prime ministers ... and they've never made me feel that comfortable," he said.

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/657614--when-michael-jackson-met-michael-jackson

The day I met Michael Jackson

I just finished watching the Michael Jackson memorial on television, and I decided as soon as it was over that I wanted to write about the day I met Michael Jackson.
I have told this story to many friends and family members, but I never actually wrote it down. I might as well do it right here, right now, as Michael is on my mind, and the memory of my encounter with him will only fade over time.
It was in 1983 when I met Michael Jackson. He was on top of the world, and the charts. He was the King of Pop. His album “Thriller” was tearing up the charts. I think he was on his third or fourth #1 song from that album, and everybody in the world seemed to own it. I experienced this frenzy of album sales first hand, as I was working at a record store at the time. It was there, at the record store that Michael Jackson came strolling into my world.
Licorice Pizza was in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, located in the San Fernando Valley. This is the same record store that was used as a location in the movie “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” The name of the store referred to the vinyl records we sold in those days. We also sold a lot of cassette tapes.
The day Michael walked into my store was a very slow day. It was as if he knew when the mall would have the least amount of people, and decided that was the best day to do a bit of music shopping. I could not tell you what day or time it was exactly, but it was likely mid-week, while most people are at work.
I was managing the store and working the cash register, which was near the front entrance of the store and looked out into the mall. There was nobody in the store other than myself and a co-worker, who was in the backroom. When I first spotted Michael I did not recognize him. And this is why…
I saw a man approaching the store in a Halloween mask. The mask was semi-translucent. I could almost see his face behind the mask, but not quite. The mask had sort of a white colored tint to it, but was mostly clear. The mask was shaped like a human face, as if its purpose was to simply distort the face of the wearer. The only marking on the mask was a black painted mustache. It was very odd to say the least… mainly, because it was nowhere near Halloween time.
I could tell the man behind the mask was African American. He was dressed extremely casual, and even his clothing was sort of a non-costume costume. He was wearing jeans and tennis shoes, and a red plaid button up shirt, with a t-shirt under that. He almost looked like a farmer. It was not a style that would have been considered fashionable at the time. It just seemed strange.
Today, if a man walked into a retail shop in July wearing a Halloween mask, most people would think they were about to be robbed. This thought did not occur to me though. One reason was that a young boy accompanied the masked man. Yes, I said it… Michael’s companion was a young boy, who looking back had an appearance similar to Macaulay Culkin. The boy was blonde, with pale skin, and he was dressed like Michaels twin (only instead of a red plaid shirt, he was wearing green plaid). This boy was not Macaulay though, as I think this was even earlier than their friendship.
So, there I see an African American man wearing a Halloween mask, dressed like a farmer, with his young blonde haired friend who was dressed the same (but with no mask). They walked right up to me when the man behind the mask spoke — “Hello, can you help me to find some Stevie Wonder tapes?”
As soon as I heard the voice, I knew it was Michael. It was high-pitched, rather quite and gentle. The face behind the mask came into focus more. The hair. The mannerisms. It was him. Talk about a Thriller! Michael Jackson was standing right in front of me. I could not help but try to make out his features more from behind the translucent mask. I was stunned to say the least.
Over the years, we had lots of musicians come through that Licorice Pizza. I remember meeting members of REO Speedwagon, ABC, Bananarama, Spandau Ballet, Mr. Mister, and even Billy Idol.. but nobody comes close to Michael Jackson.
I could tell by the mask he wore and his body language that he really did not want people to know it was him (Duh!). He was trying not to attract attention. Yes, he was wearing a Halloween mask in July! Hello?! Still, his strategy was working. He and his pal came in alone, and nobody else was in the store with us. I felt it was my duty not to freak out, but to simply help him find the music he was looking for.
So I took Michael over to the Stevie Wonder tapes against the wall, and left him to browse with his friend. Micheal and his friend were squated down going through the tapes together, and I can only imagine Michael was giving the boy a bit of a musical education on Stevie Wonder. Two minutes later they were back at the register with me placing every single Stevie Wonder cassette we had in stock on the counter to be purchased. Obviously he was a fan.
I rang up the purchase, and Michael took out a credit card to pay. Sure enough, right there printed on the Master Card it said “Michael J. Jackson.” I knew it! The King of Pop was in my store. So what do you think I said next to Michael? I said, “Mr. Jackson, may I see your drivers license or a picture ID?” Checking ID was standard credit card protocol, and the man was wearing a mask after all.
He took out his driver’s license and handed it over. Yep, it was Michael alright. There, the Michael Jackson we all know and love (the face on his Thriller album) was smiling back at me. When I gave the ID back to him, I looked up and the real Michael Jackson was smiling too. In that moment, we both knew I was just doing my job by asking for his ID, and his smile was sort of saying “we are cool, right?”
As I finished the transaction, I then felt comfortable enough, or compelled perhaps to murmur “Huge fan, Michael.” Short, and to the point. He said “Thank you!” That was our conversation. Lame, but remarkable.
Now, I wish I could say that I had kept the conversation going, and that I had asked him to autograph an album, but that’s not how it played out. As he was signing his credit card receipt, my co-worker came out from the back room. Having another person walking towards us changed the dynamic right away. I was almost fearful for Michael that his secret would be discovered, and then all hell would break loose. There were a few random people walking past the front entrance of the store, and I felt the right thing to do was let the man go in peace.
Michael left the store with his bag of Stevie Wonder tapes, and I watched him as he continued through the mall and out of sight. He passed by some people who turned their heads, but not because it was Michael, because it was some man wearing a Halloween mask. Michael’s secret was safe.
I remember saying rather casually to my co-worker, “You just missed Michael Jackson. Yeah, he just bought up all our Stevie Wonder tapes. We better order more. Yeah, he was wearing a mask. Yeah, I’m certain it was him.”
Sure, it would be nice to have an autographed “Thriller” album made out to Michael’s pal Brian. I’m sure he would have signed one for me had I asked. There was something so odd about the whole experience though. At the time, I felt that the best way to show him I was a fan was to just play it cool, and treat him like any other customer. In my mind the fact that he knew I knew, and I calmly and quietly told him I was a fan, but did not make a fuss or draw attention to him was the right way to go.
For all his strangeness, I can only say that his kind spirit shined through from behind that mask. When he spoke, the tone of his voice was rather shy and like a child.

http://brianselzer.com/2009/07/08/the-day-i-met-michael-jackson/

The $3,500 photo. Totally worth it.
IT HAPPENED - PART 1

I Met Michael Jackson

In March, Michael Jackson held an exclusive “fan appreciation day” in Tokyo where 300 lucky people got to line up and be led one by one into a teeny room where they would have the chance to spend 30 seconds of face time with “The Gloved One”—all for the low, low price of $3,500. Hi, that’s $117 per second. ​

Artist Meredith Danluck was one of these fortunate few. She made an art video about her experience and will be exhibiting it at Renwick Gallery in New York through the end of June. She’s still slightly traumatized.​

s soon as I heard about it, I knew I had to go. I reserved a ticket right away—I think mine was number 296 out of 300 so I just made it.​

I got to Japan and I was totally jetlagged, so everything already had this surreal feeling to it. I headed over to Studio Coast, the venue where the event was happening. There were all these paparazzi outside and everyone was gathered around a Michael Jackson impersonator, watching him do the Moonwalk. Everyone was holding gifts and flowers and things for him to sign. I was empty-handed.​

Most of the people there were Japanese, but somehow I ended up in line with a bunch of English-speaking folks. I met a really cool girl who worked for the Moroccan embassy who ended up becoming my line-buddy. Standing in front of us was a normal-seeming Scottish couple who told me, “Some people spend $10,000 for a safari—this is our safari.” I also met Carlo, a computer technician/Michael Jackson impersonator from Colorado who hit on me. He was like, “What are you doing later? Wanna go by Michael’s hotel and hang around outside?” And I met the head of the Australian Michael Jackson fan club, who brought a massive, four-inch-thick binder of fan letters she had collected from fans in Australia to give to Michael Jackson. I wonder if he’ll read any of them. I feel like he might. I mean, what else does he have to do?​

Before we were let in, a parade of about 50 children in wheelchairs were hoisted up the stairs into the venue. People around me were actually getting pissed off, like, “Why do they get to go in first? They probably didn’t even have to pay!”​

So finally we get let inside, and it’s really lame! There is a buffet of crap food, like deli sandwiches and shit. I mean, for three grand you’d think there’d be some decent food. I ate, like, a cracker. I was starving and I think that contributed to my mental breakdown later.​

There was nothing to do for two hours. Everyone was just milling around, waiting for something to happen. Finally Michael showed up and made his way through the crowd with about five bodyguards forming a shield around him. People FLIPPED out: crying, screaming, taking pictures like crazy. Suddenly Michael stopped walking and crouched down into, like, a crash position and covered his head because I guess the camera flashes were too much for him. The bodyguards started yelling, “No flashes! No flashes!”​

He went upstairs into this VIP box and everyone just stood there staring up. Once in a while he would come to the window and wave and people would freak out. Then I got hit on by another Michael Jackson impersonator! He was like a hip-hop dude whose name was “E. Casanova.” I kept wondering what it was about me that was so attractive to Michael Jackson impersonators!​

The crowd stared up at the booth for hours hoping to catch a glimpse of MJ. When he came to the window to wave for a nanosecond, the screams were deafening. ​

I got about two seconds of video footage of me and him before they turned my camera off. ​

http://www.viceland.com/int/v14n6/htdocs/happened.php​

When I met Michael Jackson

By Jonathan Josephs

BBC News reporter ​

​

​

Jackson's visit to Parliament raised eyebrows

​

As a student on your gap year it doesn't get much better. It was my first week working in Parliament as an assistant to The Lord Janner of Braunstone. I only found out the day before about the visit.


Without doubt it was the highlight of my three months in the job.


Like anyone else born in the early eighties, I'd grown up to a soundtrack of Michael Jackson hits, I still remember making sure I caught his Earth Song video on Top of The Pops and I was determined to get my picture taken with the 'King of Pop'.


It was a bright sunny Friday in June 2002, I showed up nice and early at the Houses of Parliament armed with my camera, my parliamentary pass and the knowledge that I would get behind the scenes access.


The picture didn't quite work out as I'd planned but nonetheless it was a day, and an experience, that I'll never forget.


Celebrity Entourage


As one might expect with a global superstar, Jackson turned up late and with a huge entourage. I waited patiently with Lord Janner and his other staff for the arrival.


We were in one of the Palace of Westminster's inner courtyards. As word of the megastar visitor spread the crowd of people grew and grew. Everybody, support staff, policemen, cleaners, kitchen workers and no doubt the odd MP or Peer wanted to catch a glimpse of this living legend.


Eventually, a fleet of blacked-out people carriers pulled up, the entourage of bodyguards and staff emerged, but where was the man we were all waiting for?


Several minutes later, the back-door of one of the cars opened, a swamp of bodyguards surrounded it, an umbrella went up (he wasn't allowed any direct exposure to sunlight), and there he was.

Jackson was joined by his close friend Uri Geller

​

Just as we had all seen on television, here was a white middle-aged man with a face that didn't quite look right. Michael Jackson had arrived.


David Blaine was amongst those who arrived with him, the two were friends of Uri Geller and through his friendship with Lord Janner the spoon-bender extraordinaire had arranged the visit.


The King of Pop was apparently insistent that whilst in Britain, he should see the Mother of all Parliaments. There was no doubt the Mother of Parliaments had never seen anything quite like this.


Request for the throne


Crowds of hysterical fans had gathered on Westminster Bridge, hoping to sneak a peak of their hero if he emerged on to one of terraces that overlook the River Thames.


However, the Jackson whirlwind spent most of its time whipping up a frenzy inside the Palace.


Whilst in the Royal Robing Room, Jackson apparently enquired how much it would cost to buy the throne. Not a surprising request given his reputation for indulging his fantasies with zoos and fairgrounds at the Neverland ranch at which he lived at the time.


His enquiry was of course politely rebuffed.


Royal Audience


One of my strongest memories comes from meeting the man himself and shaking his hand. With the vast crowds, both inside and outside the Palace of Westminster, it felt a real privilege.


About twenty of us had been granted an audience with the King of Pop. Jackson was softly spoken and seemed a little lost in the immense surroundings.


I remember him telling us how he wanted to save the sick children of the world, there was no doubt he was sincere in his conviction.


To this day I'm convinced that they were the words of an individual who was somewhat confused and lost in a world that would seem bizarre to most of his fans.


He was clearly misunderstood by the society that pounced on every piece of his sometimes strange behaviour. I felt sorry for him.


Eventually, I did get that picture with Michael Jackson.


However, with the bubble of craziness and sheer excitement that surrounded his every step, I had to settle for a snap that merely had the two of us in the same frame.


Oh, and his autograph on my copy of his Invincible album.


However The King of Pop is remembered, I'm sure his music will always live on, but for me, I'll have my album, my picture and the time I met Michael Jackson. ​

​

​

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8121597.stm​

How I met Michael Jackson: a secret is revealed

if(typeof(ffxAds)=="undefined")var ffxAds = [];var ad = { width: "1", height: "1", adtype: ""};ffxAds.push(ad);document.write("​

");

Vilma and Michael in 1987​

BY NICK SOON

08 Jul, 2009 01:31 PM
Riverstone Aboriginal leader Vilma Ryan has broken a 22-year pledge of silence to speak about her encounters with Michael Jackson.
Mrs Ryan, 70, arranged for the star to visit Murawina Preschool at Redfern when he was in the country during his 1987 tour in support of the Bad album.
She said she had been sworn to strict secrecy.
``Michael was very interested in Aboriginal affairs, especially black deaths in custody, but didn't want to alienate his fans,'' Mrs Ryan said.
At the time of the visit Mrs Ryan worked as director of the centre.
She said she had been told the visit would have been cancelled if the press found out.
``I was also warned not to publicise it even after his return to America,'' she said. ``That's why it was never reported.
``It was the highlight of my life and my biggest secret for 22 years.''
Mrs Ryan said she was first invited to meet Jackson at the Regent Hotel in Sydney after she passed a letter to his people at Sydney Airport.
``Michael wanted to meet with staff, parents and kids of the preschool after his Sydney concert when I told him about my work,'' she said.
``He gave me 100 tickets to his concert at Parramatta Stadium when I told him our kids couldn't afford to see his show.
``He was very polite, soft spoken and respectful during our meeting.''
She said that the day after his concert, Mr Jackson's people asked her to meet at his hotel and guide him and about 30 others to Redfern.
``I organised a team of Aboriginal women guards to look after his security and instructed them to lock the doors after his arrival,'' she said.
``He spent about two hours at the centre talking with the kids, their parents and staff.''
She also organised for a group picture later of Jackson with the kids at a Surry Hills photo studio.
``I cried when I heard he passed away and so did many of the kids who met him.''​

http://www.blacktownsun.com.au/news/local/news/general/how-i-met-michael-jackson-a-secret-is-revealed/1562602.aspx​

and​

http://www.thesauce.info/2009/07/06/the-day-i-met-michael-jackson/​

​

My thoughts inevitably returned to the unforgettable evening of 24th August 1992. The evening I met Michael Jackson.

Here’s how it happened.

I was working in Hamleys, for Marvin’s Magic at the time. At approximately 3pm I was called to the telephone in a tiny office on the ground floor. It was my boss, Marvin Berglas.
‘Nick, can you hang around for a bit after the store closes?’
‘How long for?, and Why?’
‘Probably for 2 to 3 hours and I can’t really tell you, but it would be great if you could stay a while’
‘Well, to be honest, I am pretty tired and I really want to get home tonight’
‘Ok, listen, Michael Jackson is in town and they are closing the store for him to look around. He loves magic and is likely to spend quite some time at the Marvin’s Magic shop’.
‘There was a moment of silence as I picked my jaw off the floor. OK, I am not tired anymore, I’ll be there!
And so, as the store closed its doors to the public, a large white van backed right up to the staff entrance on Kingly Street and I’ll never forget the moment the van’s doors opened, literally into the building (to block any passing public from view) and out stepped the legend that was Michael Jackson. There seemed to be a huge amount of flashing dials and other weird instruments in the van which looked like some kind of futuristic, electronic cockpit control.
Michael was accompanied with four young children and immediately started to walk through the store like a big kid himself. He picked up one of the thousands of Hamleys’ teddies and hugged it as he began to make a beeline for the Marvin’s Magic area at the front of the store.
As he walked past me he said in that trademark high pitched voice:
‘Is there a trash can there?’
I missed a trick as I directed him to the nearest bin. Of course this was way before e-bay but can you only imagine what a genuine, chewed piece of Jackson gum would have fetched!
As he moved closer to the front of the shop, passersby started to peer through the glass front doors that lined the entrance and began to chant ‘Michael, Michael, Michael’ He waved back and the crowd suddenly got bigger and louder as people started to hammer the glass and throw themselves against the windows. Shop staff quickly began to line the glass panels with Hamleys wrapping paper to obstruct their view but the chanting continued and was deafening.
Meanwhile, He asked to see several magic tricks and began to instruct his entourage to collect together all the items he wanted to purchase.
Then he gratuitously posed for photos and autographs. One bright spark had been to Athena earlier that day and picked up a 10 x 8 action shot of a young, black Michael Jackson from the Thriller album era.
Michael, by this time almost white, looked at the photo as he signed it and exclaimed:
‘Wow! I can’t believe this was me!’
After a quick snap with four other colleagues and an autograph which I shall cherish forever he continued with his shopping and my short time with the King of Pop came to an end.
Am I the biggest Michael Jackson fan, no. However, he was a genius and an incredible, one of a kind icon and I feel privileged and honoured to have shared a tiny moment of his life on our planet. May he rest in peace.​

» Nicholas's blog​

​

http://www.einhorn.co.uk/?q=node/69​

I Met Michael Jackson. Really. I Did.

June 26, 2009 in Uncategorized | Tags: childhood, Michael Jackson, remebering

It was back when he wasn’t too big a deal. After the Jackson 5 had kind of cooled off and before Michael’s career as a solo artist really took off. It must have been 1974.

My family was on vacation at Disney World, we were staying in the Royal Palace Hotel. Michael and at least some of his brothers were also staying there. We wouls see them by the pool. One evening my sister and I, being bored with the pool, ventured into the game room to see what was going on. This was before video games, so about all there were pinball machines and a Foosball table.
There were a few other kids around. All of us wet from the pool and undoubtedly overstimulated from our day at the theme park. There was one kid who was taller than the rest of us, other than that, he seemed just like the rest of us. Just another kid passing some time in the game room with the other kids. He asked if anybody wanted to play Foosball.
Several of us gathered around and we played a couple of games. Nothing special. I knew who he was. I’d seen him on TV and even had a couple of his records. One kid did ask if he was Michael Jackson, he said yes, and everyone left it at that. I think it was because we were in the realm of kids. You know, away from adults, going by the unspoken, but well understood rules, of kids gathered together. We were playing and that’s all.
After a couple of games, Michael left. He thanked us for playing with him and he was off.
Nothing was said among us kids after he left. We just kept playing Foosball.
Not long after this Michael Jackson would become the pop icon everybody is remembering today. All the fame, all the craziness, an existence beyond the imagining of most of us.
I was only a casual fan of his music. I appreciate good pop, but it’s just not my thing. When I would see him on television, especially in recent years, with all the surgery, all the strangeness, I would wonder what exactly happened. He really was, at least sometimes, very much like a normal person once.
Today I’m remebering the kid I played foosball with. He was alright.
​

http://addiepray.wordpress.com/2009/06/26/i-met-michael-jackson-really-i-did/​

​

 

[Ashtanga]

When Shannon Elizabeth met Michael Jackson

June 30th, 2009​

@ShannonElizab- I’ll forever be grateful to have had this moment to meet such a talented icon who affected my life!​

​

http://celebtweeting.com/pic-when-shannon-elizabeth-met-michael-jackson/​

Meeting Michael Jackson


Friday, November 21 2003 @ 12:27 PM GMT+4

Contributed by: cgrotke I have a confession to make. I've met Michael Jackson. Twice.​

Years ago, I worked at Capital Children's Museum in DC running the Media Arts program. Lots of celebrities make their way to children's museums.

I met Mr. Carlton from the Bob Newhart show. Cher. Raisa Gorbechev. Jane Curtain. Jeb and George Bush and all their kids. Harry Belafonte. And many others.​

​

Michael Jackson first arrived on an official visit as part of a deal with a show company promoting some new expensive shoe to inner city kids. It was madness, unlike any other celebrity visit. We even held a meeting beforehand where our director asked if Mr. Jackson was a good person to have come to the museum. "What kind of music does he play?" She hadn't heard of him.​

I was teaching animation at the time. MTV camera people stormed the room we were in as Michael approached our part of the building. They jumped up on the tables, standing on kids artwork, and aimed their cameras. I kicked them out and yelled at them for standing on the art.​

I was under the impression that he would come, take a really quick look and move on.​

First came my friend and co-worker, Pete, who was warning us that he'd be hear soon. Then came a mass of people, handlers, photographers, etc. It was almost scary. Big body guards were by his side, as was his manager and a number of other people.​

The Animation Lab was one of the few rooms in the building that had a door that closed and locked. Michael and his handler ducked in, closed the door, and we all looked out through the big glass windows at the crowd. It was like being an animal in a zoo.​

Seeing that they had a moment to themselves, Michael relaxed. We started talking about animation. He looked at our books and videos and kept saying "I have that." and "Do you have a copy of ...?" He told us about his screening room and I showed him the animation stand and how it worked. We talked about Bugs Bunny, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, and other animation legends.​

He spoke softly in a tone that made me think he was being protective of his vocal chords. He was rail thin, wearing jeans, and was very polite.​

Much of that visit was a blur. I tired to act like myself and treat him like I'd treat anyone. Still, it was like meeting an international brand, like Coke or McDonalds, and makes your brain mush a bit.​

He signed the wall for us and after a few more minutes, departed for other parts of the museum. Before he left he gave everyone there, including me, a pair of the shoes on behalf of the company.​

Some kids in the museum questioned whether it was really him, or just an imposter.​

My impression that he was very much a child in his own mind. He acted more like the children that came to the museum than the adults. Quiet, shy, then animated when something was interesting, like a cartoon collection.​

That night, we watched our museum on Entertainment Tonight.​

Fast forward a year or so. Our PR director gets a call that Michael is in the area and wants to stop by again. Not officially. After hours with no press. She calls us all and asks if we'll stay late. "Our old friend Michael? Sure!" we said.​

The Jackson team is very careful about images, since the empire is built upon images and sounds that are highly staged and pre-arranged. They instructed us that we could have no cameras (Pete tried to set some up anyway, which didn't really work due to the angles he was at), and could not call the TV stations (our PR director did, as soon as his limo was safely locked within our grounds).

The limo arrived and out hops Michael and a young teenager he introduces as his cousin from New York. The limo is filled with toys, and Michael tells us they had just been shopping at a big toy store.​

They tour around. Michael has a black silk mask this time over his face, which he says he wears to keep photogrpahers from getting unauthorized photos. We're suspicious, of course, thinking that there must be some remnant of plastic surgery under there, but who knows?​

This time in the Animation Lab, he tells me that this is his favorite part of the museum. His cousin was quiet and reserved, almost fading into the background. I tried to pay attention to both of them.

We decide to try a bit of animation and look for a book with big pictures to use as a background. The Star Wars book!​

We open up the book and start going through. "How about these big walking machines on the snowy planet?" I ask.​

At that point, Michael turned into a 12 year old before my eyes. "Those are the x-13 pod transporters from Endor. They are modelled after elephants. George Lucas told me all about them..." and off he went on a very detailed, child-like description of Star Wars trivia.​

I had my own agenda, though. I was curious about the morphing special effect that was used in his brand new video, Black or White. I told him I liked the effect a lot, and asked if he got to watch while they did it.​

"Yeah, I got to see some of that. Did you like the part where the ponytail pops out? That's my favorite part..." says Michael.​

After a while, he had to go. They hopped back in their limo, this time with photographers at the museum gates vying for a good shot, and drove off.​

http://www.ibrattleboro.com/article.php/20031121112722696/print​

The night tragic Stephen Gately met his pop idol Michael Jackson

[/i]

Wednesday, 6 January 2010

​

​

Stephen Gately with pop idol Michael Jackson

• More pictures

Tragic pop star Stephen Gately fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams when he met his idol, Michael Jackson.​

​

As this exclusive picture reveals, the late Boyzone singer came face to face with the superstar in 1997.​

Fans of the high-profile singers were left stunned when both men died just four months apart in 2009.​

Stephen, who died last October from natural causes at the age of 33, was just 21 when he met Jackson backstage at Dublin's RDS.
The Thriller singer was in town for a sell-out gig at the Southside venue as part of his HIStory tour on July 19, 1997. At the time delighted boyband singer Stephen expressed his joy when manager Louis Walsh managed to score VIP tickets to the gig.
The pair watched the concert backstage close to where Michael's own family were situated, with Jackson's mother Katherine also posing for a picture with the young Dubliner.
However it was the meeting with his long-time inspiration Michael Jackson that really left Stephen on a high. Posing proudly here alongside his idol, Stephen looks the picture of happiness as he and Jackson smile for the cameras. ​

​

​

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/the-night-tragic-stephen-gately-met-his-pop-idol-michael-jackson-14623863.html​

​

Amitabh Bachchan met Michael Jackson​

Amitabh Bachchan talks about his first meeting with Michael Jackson- funny one. Even the Big B is a big fan of Michael Jackson. Check out the recollection of memories by Amitabh Bachchan at CalcuttaTube.

Amitabh Bachchan has recalled his meetings with late King of Pop, Michael Jackson and has also written a tribute of sorts to him.​

​

Amitabh Bachchan met Michael Jackson-recollection​

In around mid-60s Bachchan had heard first about the pop group Jackson 5 and some years later had caught their video on his video player. His first Jackson concert experience was in his US trip in early 80s where he like any other lay man fan of the pop sensation had to watch it sitting at the back most row of a huge football stadium after buying tickets in black.

But however his first face to face meeting with Michael was a very funny one.

“In the early 90’s on another private visit to New York, the door bell of my room in the Helmsley Palace Hotel rang, and I sauntered up to open it. There as I stood in the doorway, across me, was Michael Jackson. He looked a little surprised as he turned around to those he was accompanied with and in his now well known soft voice gently spoke up – “Oh Excuse me. I think I have the wrong room ”.
I have no recollection of what I said in return, whether I said anything at all, how long I remained in that state and when I closed the door to come back in. But that was him and he had come to the wrong room.
Later the next day, my friend Mohan Murjani, who was perhaps working with MJ on some project and staying in the same hotel, set up a meeting for me with Michael Jackson and we met and laughed at the previous days incident and exchanged pleasant conversation. He was soft spoken, very humble and most polite. Introduced me to his Mother who accompanied him and then I was out of there.
I never saw him again but when he came to perform in Mumbai at the Andheri Sports Complex, Prateeksha, where I live, shook the entire night with the vibrations of all his most popular numbers booming out from the venue.
An exceptional artist has gone. Someone that created an almost outer world experience for all of us with his art.” recalls Big B through his latest blog.
Interestingly, Amitabh has further added that when he gets back from abroad he shall be pulling out an old birthday party recording of 7-8 year aged Abhishek, dressed like Michael and dancing to ‘Thriller’. Sampurn
Get online deal on the Book “Amitabh: The Making of a Superstar” online from CT store partners​

​

Amazon.com Price: $9.95 (as of 2010-04-20 15:40:53 GMT) Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.

User Reviews Send this to a friend Amitabh: The Making of a SuperstarManufacturer: Penguin Global Customer Rating:

​

List Price: $10.00 Sale Price: $9.95 Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours

Free Shipping Available​

​

http://calcuttatube.com/amitabh-bachchan-met-michael-jackson/6380/​

Brett Ratner on Michael Jackson: 'You felt like God was within him'

June 26, 2009 | 12:25 pm​

My father loves to brag to his friends that while his son is a big-shot Hollywood reporter, it was his father who actually met Michael Jackson. Until he retired a few years ago, my dad had a store called the 24 Collection on the Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach that specialized in fashion, jewelry, art and one-of-a-kind oddities (I still have a clock set into a Cuban cigar box with a portrait of Fidel Castro on the clock face). One day Brett Ratner, who grew up in Miami and whose mother was a regular customer at the store, called my dad and asked if he could bring his pal Michael Jackson by to look around. As he often did as a courtesy for celebrities who might be annoyed or hounded, my father closed the store that afternoon and put the staff at Jackson's disposal.

"Michael walked around every inch of the store, feeling things, smelling things," my father remembers. "He'd ask questions about what this was or that was, where it was from, how we found it. I made sure the staff didn't intrude on him, although one person did ask for an autograph, which made them an ex-employee right away. But Michael was just off in his own world, curious about everything he saw."
I think my dad got his hopes up when he saw that Jackson was also accompanied by an aide who had a zippered envelope full of cash. But the King of Pop never bought anything. After spending an hour in the store, he just thanked everyone for letting him look around and left.
I called Ratner this morning to ask him how he became such fast friends with Jackson. It turns out that they met in 1998 when Ratner was finishing his first "Rush Hour" picture. One day, Chris Tucker was doing a scene and broke into a wild, Michael Jackson-style dance. The sequence was so funny that when Ratner had test screenings of the film, it got one of the biggest laughs in the picture. But because it was an obvious Jackson impression, Ratner knew he had to clear it with the pop star before he could put it in the movie.
That presented a problem, since Jackson was so reclusive that even Ratner, one of the great celebrity schmoozers of our time, couldn't get to him. He even called Jackson's Neverland ranch but never got anywhere. Then he got lucky. "My editor was talking to the projectionist who ran the final screening and it turned out that he was Michael's personal projectionist," Ratner told me today. "So I gave him the print and asked him to play the beginning of the second reel for Michael, which had Chris' dance in it."
Two days later Ratner picked up the phone and heard the soft, feathery voice of Michael Jackson. So what did Michael say? Keep reading.​

​

"Michael said he'd watched the whole movie and loved it, especially the scene Chris did with his dance. He said, 'You have my permission to use whatever you want.' " That was great, but Ratner needed something in writing. When he asked Jackson to sign something on a piece of paper, Jackson simply invited him up to the ranch. "So I drove up there and walked in, with all his giraffes and other animals, all out there to greet me." Ratner recalls. "I ended up staying at the ranch and we just became great friends. We both had this huge, almost childlike fascination with movies and music and all kinds of entertainment."

Over the years, Ratner and Jackson spent an enormous amount of time together. They would film each other, with Jackson asking Ratner about how he became a film director and Ratner asking Jackson about how he became an entertainer. "I have hours of footage of us, sitting around in our pajamas, with me asking him about what kind of music he loved as a kid, what kind of books he had on the wall as a kid. When you were with him, you really felt like God was within him. He was an amazing, superhuman kind of person, but he always treated you as an equal. He would be your friend and he never asked for anything in return."
One of their favorite activities was to have dance-offs in the game room at Jackson's house. Jackson would put on a record, usually a song by his sister, Janet, and unleash some awesome dance moves. Then Ratner or Chris Tucker, who would sometimes come along, would play Michael's records and dance along to them. I asked Ratner if that felt a little like a mere mortal playing one-on-one with LeBron James. "Hey, I wasn't self-conscious. I'm a pretty good dancer. It was just fun to do it together."
When they weren't dancing, Ratner and Jackson would watch movies together. He says they must've watched the original version of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" 50 times over the years. "I know that people looked at Michael and thought he was strange, but to me, he was fascinating," Ratner says. "He was the most inspirational person in my life. His one dream was to cure all the sick children in the world. And when I'd say, 'Isn't that impossible?' Michael would just start to cry. He was very emotional about things that moved him. I guess you'd have to say he was a pure innocent in a world that wasn't so innocent anymore."​

​

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/06/brett-ratner-on-michael-jackson-he-was-superhuman.html​

Monday July 13, 2009

Vanessa Hudgens once met Michael Jackson — and she insists the experience was “incredible”.

The actress reveals the tragic King of Pop and his three children visited the cast of High School Musical when they were on tour in Las Vegas, leaving her, boyfriend Zac Efron and their co-stars shell-shocked.

“I got a chance to meet him, which was incredible,” said Hudgens. “Kenny Ortega, the director of High School Musical, was working with him on his last tour and he came out to one of the shows when we were on tour with High School Musical in Vegas.

“He came backstage with his kids and was just so sweet and so normal and it’s really sad. I’ll always remember it. It was extremely surreal.
“I admire him so greatly like the rest of the world does but to be able to talk to him and see that he’s a normal human being was crazy. I got to talk to him again on the phone… It was so weird; like, how do you make small talk with Michael Jackson? It was odd but he was so kind and generous.”​

​

http://www.showbizspy.com/article/189225/vanessa-hudgens-met-michael-jackson.html​

​

Who is Annie Jackson, and How she met Michael Jackson.

Hello everyone! This is my only and OFFICIAL myspace account. Don't add any one else because their posers. My name is Annie, if you already have not known. Most people know me for the memorial page I created in memorial for the King of pop, Michael Jackson. However, there is more to this story than you know.​

I was 14 when I met Michael, now I am 21. My best friend who is no longer here with me had cancer, and her uncle did happen to know Michael Jackson's security guard. At that time, she invited me to her birthday and she always looked so happy, and usually she never liked birthday parties. So as I arrived I had a blast, and then I'm told that one of my biggest idol's and favorite musician is going to show up. At first I thought it was going to be thos impersonators, but no, right before me stands Michael. It was all so surreal, I litteraly did not breathe for a couple minutes. He was looking straight at me which made me more nervous. I remember saying to myself "Oh god.. look at someone else, not me not me!" He weant by my friend Emily, the one with the cancer, and gave her a rose and kissed her on the head. No one was aloud to go by him without his consent though, but people still jumped over one another trying to get atleast a glimpse of Michael. He sang Smooth Criminal which to me was funny, but he did not know my name yet. Then probably 2 hours went by with him sitting in somewhere far with Emily, and there were alot of security infront of him. Then I here on the michrophone, Annie come here! It was Emily, telling me to sit. Although I love michael I just did not want to go up there. I was to nervous, I felt like I was dying! So I sat, and I knew they both knew I was about to faint, and we had the cutest and most beautiful conversations that night, but of course he did not stay long.. after all, he's the King, he got other plans haha. Then Emily and him got close and after that party I only got another chance to be with him, until Emily died in 2007. [RIP] He attented the funeral and sat next to me. I cried so much, just so you all know I am teary from writing this. But he really did make me happy, and that is one thing, I will never be able to thank him enough for. He had a face that would make you melt, and a smile that would make you smile and feel warm inside. There on in, we became very close. More parties and events showed up, however some are private and too much to write.​

The last time I saw Michael was April 4, 2009. It was after he announced his London tours, and I was going to be where the audience was but I couldn't make it due to personal reasons. And all I remember was that day, he was wearing a white shirt with a black jacket ontop of it, and it was a little sparkly. And his black pants that would reach up to his ankles, and his hair was up in a pony tail. And I remember us holding hands because he was crying. The only reason he was crying was because I said I love you. Then he cried! I felt so guilty.. I did not even know what I did wrong. He told me, I'm crying tears of joy. And we hugged and he said..............​

"I love you too annie, I really do" I never met Prince. I met paris and blanket and they were the sweetest things ever. Blanket looked so much like his father!! And the last things Michael told me were, "Im doing these concerts because I love my fans so much, and I want them to know that. I would sacrifice my all for them, and this is the way I will send them my message of love, don't ya think annie? Im so ecstatic for July! I love my fans, they must know that till the day I die! I love you Annie, thanks for everything.. I love you.​

​

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=518299471&blogId=526365791

Photo of Michael Jackson and George Lucas [/b]

at Skywalker Ranch, for one of their

Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.​

​

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo​

​

Photo of Michael Jackson and his bodyguard at [/b]

George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch during one of

their Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.​

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo​

Photo of Michael Jackson and George Lucas

at Skywalker Ranch, for one of their

Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.​

​

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo

Photo of Michael Jackson and his bodyguard at

George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch during one of

their Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.​

​

​

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo





I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to

meet many Great American Superstars in my life, but this

is the story about THE DAY I MET MICHAEL JACKSON​

​

The day I met Michael Jackson was such a Thrill for me...

It was at one of Luasfilms Annual Picnics, in the late 80's,

which took place every year around the 4th of July, out at
Skywalker Ranch in Marin County.​

​

It was during the time Michael Jackson was working with

George Lucas on his Captain EO 3D project. My sister was

working for Lucasfilm at the time and invited me to the party.​

​

​

It was also around the same time I had been hired by

Lucasfilm to be their Tiger-Woman Double for The Morf to

Morphing sceen in the film Willow. Which can be seen on
The Special Edition DVD of Willow.​

​

Soon after arriving at the picnic at Skywalker Ranch I spotted

Michael Jackson and went over to say hello. He was talking

to George Lucas and a handful of kids were surrounding him
so I didn't get the chance to say hello up close and personal
until later that day. However I was able to take some great
photos of Michael in those first few moments.​

​

Michael was wearing his trademark shades, black slacks,

black shirt and black hat, along with a blue surgical mask

over his mouth. And when I pulled out my camera and held it
up to take some photos of Michael, he kindly took off his hat,
and surgical mask and smiled for the camera. His smile was
brighter then The Sun and could have lit up the entire galaxy
that day. He had a presence that was truly magical.​

​

Later that day I ran into Michael under a covered shaded

area where he was sitting at a picnic table all alone, well

with his bodyguardand a big German Shepherd Dog
standing close by, so I approached slowly and asked his
bodyguard if I could say hello to Michael and get an
autograph, his bodyguard said "ask Michael yourself" so I
did and I slipped right into the seat next to him and said HI!
very shyly, and he said "HI!" back just as shy and his voice
was as soft and sweet as you would imagine Marilyn
Monroe's being.​

​

I told Michael that I loved his music and said that his lyrics

really move me and touch me. Michael replied by saying,

"Thank You that really means a lot to me, really it does!
Thank You!" I felt like I was floating on air in that moment
and knew that his words were genuine and that he really
appreciated his fans and I could tell that he truly loved being
a performer and making a difference in peoples lives.​

​

I also asked if he would mind signing The Lucasfilm yearbook

I had and he graciously agreed to do so, as did George

Lucas earlier that day.​

​

A little later I was walking down the dirt road to my car, and

a fire truck they had on the property was driving down the

road in the same direction, and it was ringing it's bells and
tooting it's horn, so I thought they wanted me to move off
the road to give them more room to pass, but even after I
moved over into a ditch they were still ringing their bells and
tootin their horn, so I looked back again and to my surprise, I
saw Michael Jackson hanging out of the passenger side
window of the fire truck and he was waving and ringing the
bell like an exited 5 year old kid would be.​

​

It seemed as though he was starring at me, but I couldn't

image that, so I looked over my shoulder to see who he was

waving at and no-one was there, it was just the parking lot
filled with cars behind me, so when I looked back at him, he
was still waving, and it suddenly dawned on me that he was
trying to get my attention all along and waving at me.​

​

In that very moment I saw his true child-like spirit shining

thru and it felt so pure and innocent. It was a really special

moment for me and I will always cherish those moments with
Michael. I feel very lucky to have met him that day. He had a
beautiful spirit, a precious soul, and an angelic smile, and I
am so grateful to have witnessed his playful side.​

​

Michael Jackson was Magical On Stage and Off and was

Gone Too Soon!​

​

​

http://www.sftalent.com/American-Superstars.html​

When Amitabh Bachchan met Michael Jackson!

Mumbai, June 26: The sudden demise of the King of Pop Michael Jackson has engulfed the whole music world in an ocean of sorrow. In a rare tribute to the true blue pop star, Bollywood giant Amitabh Bachchan has shared his exhilarating experience of meeting Michael Jackson in person.

google_protectAndRun("ads_core.google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);In his blog, Bachchan says about Jackson, “…Mesmerized by his brilliance in each and every department of music and performance, he changed the very psyche, of not just the kind of music he was making, but also the psyche of the listening audience. Nothing compared to him. He was just this incredible perfection that God could have possibly created in his mercy.”​

The Bollywood veteran goes on to say that during his stay in the USA for medial treatment, he had the rare opportunity of witnessing Michael Jackson’s live performance. Narrating about Jackson’s phenomenal performance, Amitabh says, “With a bit of shoving and pushing we finally were able to seek deliverance – the space to finally rest our posteriors. This unfortunately lasted just a few seconds, for, a huge bang of music almost immediately, tore our eardrums away and a blinding light from the stage on one end, accompanied by the most decibel led roar from 100,000, got everyone on their feet again !! And that is how we remained for the next three hours !! For almost 45 minutes the build up kept us in hungry anticipation and then… almost by magic.. he was on stage… NOTHING WAS HEARD THENCE, NOTHING WAS SEEN THERAFTER, NOTHING BUT UTTER.. UTTER .. HALUCIGENIC MADNESS !!”​

Well, Amitabh met Michael in person was during early 90s when, during his stay at Helmsley Palace Hotel, New York, Jackson accidentally rang his doorbell and said, “Oh ! Excuse me ! I think I have the wrong room !”.​

Later, Amitabh pestered his friend Mohan Murjani to fix a meet with Michael where Amitabh was bowled over by the King of the Pop. “He was soft spoken, very humble and most polite. Introduced me to his Mother who accompanied him and then I was out of there !!”​

Ah, memories.​

​

http://www.zeenews.com/news542437.html​

And there's much more.... :wub: :yes:​

google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);​

google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);​

 

[Jey B]

http://celebtweeting.com/pic-when-shannon-elizabeth-met-michael-jackson/​

http://www.ibrattleboro.com/article.php/20031121112722696/print​

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/entertainment/music/news/the-night-tragic-stephen-gately-met-his-pop-idol-michael-jackson-14623863.html​

​

http://calcuttatube.com/amitabh-bachchan-met-michael-jackson/6380/​

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2009/06/brett-ratner-on-michael-jackson-he-was-superhuman.html​

http://www.showbizspy.com/article/189225/vanessa-hudgens-met-michael-jackson.html​

[/SIZE]​

[/CENTER]
​

[/LEFT]


http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=518299471&blogId=526365791

http://www.sftalent.com/American-Superstars.html​

http://www.zeenews.com/news542437.html​

And there's much more.... :wub: :yes:​

google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);​

google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);google_protectAndRun("render_ads.js::google_render_ad", google_handleError, google_render_ad);[/LEFT]

OMG, :cheeky:

 

[Dangerous21]

haha at Benihana, I think I've heard of him liking that place before.

haha, for some reason i feel like Mike might be so polite that everyone thinks he really likes certain places! i can't imagine him saying 'the food here sucks' haha....or maybe he really does like benihana, who knows..

 

[mjjer]

so let me get this straight. this girl who was a teenage contestant for miss junior America, is posing there with Michael, when she was 17? and she describes a whole group of teenage miss junior america contestants, who were otherwise calm, until Michael was in the house...and then they went absolutely giddy? so...these are teenage miss junior america contestants? i assume, this is in America? in the year 2002? and all these contestants not only know who Michael is, but they went giddy over him? and..a whole lot of people outside the complex went pandemonium over him, too? and this is in america, in 2002? wait a minute? didn't the media say MJ was irrelevant at that time, in america? how do all these teenagers know about him, and are getting that excited about an irrelevant figure? why all the american pandemonium over an irrelevant figure? i remember the media saying he was irrelevant in this country? or...am i imagining things? no...i don't think i imagined what the media said. they said that. they said he was irrelevant. and these are teenagers?

Fortunately not everyone was influenced by the media. I am around the same age and when a classmate of mine did her tribute dance (included "Billie Jean" & completely awesome moonwalking) in high school, all the kids went wild. She was known and admired for her ability to dance like MJ, especially for the moonwalk. She was invited to dance for him on at least one of his birthday celebrations (and met and danced for him on a few other occasions) and is still a professional dancer/choreographer/dance teacher today. She also said there was an incredible energy around him when she met him.

I don't live in America and don't remember seeing very much of him in the tabloids (or maybe I was just too busy to notice) and not much of a tv watcher. So I missed all that media persecution. But I do remember hearing some critical comments by Oprah, feeling sad & hoping for the best when I heard about the trial and being glad when I heard he was acquitted on the national news. I didn't know there was such detailed & negative coverage until reading about it and seeing it after his death. And I'm glad I missed it all! Glad to have grown up just knowing the music and the dancing thanks to my friend. I've also read how people face a lot of negativity being MJ fan in the U.S. but fortunately, that wasn't the case for us.

 

[MarielovesMJ]

I envy everyone in those stories.

 

[Rockin.]

he said to me,”Hi pretty, are you having a good time”?

:dropdead:

 

[xthunderx2]

Oh here is another sweet one...
http://staceymckenzie.com/2009/06/26/the-way-you-made-me-feel/

It's shorter so I'll paste it here...

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to meet the KING himself. I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life. I was chosen to attend The Fifth Element premier at the Cannes Film Festival as Jean Paul Gautiers’ date, the next day Mr. Gautier informed me that we were invited to attend the premier for Michaels video “Ghosts”. I brought my disposable camera ( yes people DISPOSABLE) and took my seat in the 2nd row centre. Soon there was a lot of mayhem, people jumped out of their seats running to get a picture with Michael who was being swarmed by mad security. The security escorted Mr. Jackson to his seat and I almost had a heart attack, it was right in the front row centre behind me!
Once he settled in and the lights went dim, I began to tap him on his shoulder, he would turn around and smile, then speaking in his low boy like voice he said to me,”Hi pretty, are you having a good time”? I couldn’t speak but I was snapping away with my disposable camera. Through out the night, I tapped him quite a few more times and took quite a few more pictures, each and every time he would laugh asking if “I was enjoying myself”. After the premier, he was willing to take a picture with me, while about to do so a crowd of people rushed him and he had to leave immediately due to security reasons. The last time I saw Mr. Jackson was while he was being taken away from beside me, the last thing he said to me was,”I’m sorry pretty girl, I hope you still had fun”. That was the day I met the KING and I continue to cherish it to this very sad day.
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THRILLING us with your music!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for being the BADDEST dancer!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for INSPIRING so many generations to follow your footsteps
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THE WAY YOU MADE ME FEEL that day in France
Thank you Mr. Jackson for making us SCREAM for more!
May god rest your beautiful soul!

I found this story a little creepy...imagine being poor Michael and chic keeps tapping you on the shoulder and every time you turn around she is snapping pics ...he probably saw white spots in front of his eyes all night...poor baby.

 

[Rockin.]

I found this story a little creepy...imagine being poor Michael and chic keeps tapping you on the shoulder and every time you turn around she is snapping pics ...he probably saw white spots in front of his eyes all night...poor baby.

:lol:

Yeh I have to agree with you there.

 

[suzynyc]

I found this story a little creepy...imagine being poor Michael and chic keeps tapping you on the shoulder and every time you turn around she is snapping pics ...he probably saw white spots in front of his eyes all night...poor baby.

My thoughts too as I read it.

 

[TinaG]

Yeah, that one was a tad creepy. I'd have only tapped his shoulder once (if that--I'd have been so nervous!). LOL What I thought was cool though was how sweet and gracious he was. But that was Michael, eh?

 

[MJJ:G.O.A.T]

Oh here is another sweet one...
http://staceymckenzie.com/2009/06/26/the-way-you-made-me-feel/

It's shorter so I'll paste it here...

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to meet the KING himself. I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life. I was chosen to attend The Fifth Element premier at the Cannes Film Festival as Jean Paul Gautiers’ date, the next day Mr. Gautier informed me that we were invited to attend the premier for Michaels video “Ghosts”. I brought my disposable camera ( yes people DISPOSABLE) and took my seat in the 2nd row centre. Soon there was a lot of mayhem, people jumped out of their seats running to get a picture with Michael who was being swarmed by mad security. The security escorted Mr. Jackson to his seat and I almost had a heart attack, it was right in the front row centre behind me!
Once he settled in and the lights went dim, I began to tap him on his shoulder, he would turn around and smile, then speaking in his low boy like voice he said to me,”Hi pretty, are you having a good time”? I couldn’t speak but I was snapping away with my disposable camera. Through out the night, I tapped him quite a few more times and took quite a few more pictures, each and every time he would laugh asking if “I was enjoying myself”. After the premier, he was willing to take a picture with me, while about to do so a crowd of people rushed him and he had to leave immediately due to security reasons. The last time I saw Mr. Jackson was while he was being taken away from beside me, the last thing he said to me was,”I’m sorry pretty girl, I hope you still had fun”. That was the day I met the KING and I continue to cherish it to this very sad day.
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THRILLING us with your music!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for being the BADDEST dancer!
Thank you Mr. Jackson for INSPIRING so many generations to follow your footsteps
Thank you Mr. Jackson for THE WAY YOU MADE ME FEEL that day in France
Thank you Mr. Jackson for making us SCREAM for more!
May god rest your beautiful soul!

Mike's response was cute. She kept tapping his should but wouldn't talk to him. She was probably gawking at him too.

Photo of Michael Jackson and George Lucas


at Skywalker Ranch, for one of their

Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo


Photo of Michael Jackson and his bodyguard at


George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch during one of

their Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.

Photo of Michael Jackson and his bodyguard at

George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch during one of
their Annual Lucasfilm Picnics, in the late 80's.

Taken by Diana Dawn DiAngelo


I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to

meet many Great American Superstars in my life, but this
is the story about THE DAY I MET MICHAEL JACKSON




The day I met Michael Jackson was such a Thrill for me...


It was at one of Luasfilms Annual Picnics, in the late 80's,
which took place every year around the 4th of July, out at
Skywalker Ranch in Marin County.





It was during the time Michael Jackson was working with

George Lucas on his Captain EO 3D project. My sister was
working for Lucasfilm at the time and invited me to the party.





It was also around the same time I had been hired by

Lucasfilm to be their Tiger-Woman Double for The Morf to
Morphing sceen in the film Willow. Which can be seen on
The Special Edition DVD of Willow.





Soon after arriving at the picnic at Skywalker Ranch I spotted

Michael Jackson and went over to say hello. He was talking
to George Lucas and a handful of kids were surrounding him
so I didn't get the chance to say hello up close and personal
until later that day. However I was able to take some great
photos of Michael in those first few moments.





Michael was wearing his trademark shades, black slacks,

black shirt and black hat, along with a blue surgical mask
over his mouth. And when I pulled out my camera and held it
up to take some photos of Michael, he kindly took off his hat,
and surgical mask and smiled for the camera. His smile was
brighter then The Sun and could have lit up the entire galaxy
that day. He had a presence that was truly magical.





Later that day I ran into Michael under a covered shaded

area where he was sitting at a picnic table all alone, well
with his bodyguardand a big German Shepherd Dog
standing close by, so I approached slowly and asked his
bodyguard if I could say hello to Michael and get an
autograph, his bodyguard said "ask Michael yourself" so I
did and I slipped right into the seat next to him and said HI!
very shyly, and he said "HI!" back just as shy and his voice
was as soft and sweet as you would imagine Marilyn
Monroe's being.





I told Michael that I loved his music and said that his lyrics

really move me and touch me. Michael replied by saying,
"Thank You that really means a lot to me, really it does!
Thank You!" I felt like I was floating on air in that moment
and knew that his words were genuine and that he really
appreciated his fans and I could tell that he truly loved being
a performer and making a difference in peoples lives.





I also asked if he would mind signing The Lucasfilm yearbook

I had and he graciously agreed to do so, as did George
Lucas earlier that day.





A little later I was walking down the dirt road to my car, and

a fire truck they had on the property was driving down the
road in the same direction, and it was ringing it's bells and
tooting it's horn, so I thought they wanted me to move off
the road to give them more room to pass, but even after I
moved over into a ditch they were still ringing their bells and
tootin their horn, so I looked back again and to my surprise, I
saw Michael Jackson hanging out of the passenger side
window of the fire truck and he was waving and ringing the
bell like an exited 5 year old kid would be.


It seemed as though he was starring at me, but I couldn't image that, so I looked over my shoulder to see who he was
waving at and no-one was there, it was just the parking lot
filled with cars behind me, so when I looked back at him, he
was still waving, and it suddenly dawned on me that he was
trying to get my attention all along and waving at me

In that very moment I saw his true child-like spirit shining

thru and it felt so pure and innocent. It was a really special
moment for me and I will always cherish those moments with
Michael. I feel very lucky to have met him that day. He had a
beautiful spirit, a precious soul, and an angelic smile, and I
am so grateful to have witnessed his playful side.

Michael Jackson was Magical On Stage and Off and was
Gone Too Soon!

This story is sweet. Thanks for posting. I love the pictures. :wub: I wonder if that's the family dog.

 

[suzynyc]

I found some stories in my archives:

Quote:
It all started mysteriously.

I received a phone call in the afternoon. The husky voice said, "I am representing a VIP who would like to come to the Strand." (The Strand is a bookstore that was founded 82 years ago by my grandfather and is run by my dad and me.) The voice continued, "I work for Michael Jackson. He would like to come to the store without customers around." I was directed not to tell anyone that Michael was coming. There was a contact telephone number at the New York Palace hotel, and I received updates from his representative throughout that day. It was decided he would come to the store at 10:30pm, after the Strand closes. And I kept the visit a secret, except to a few managers whom I asked to stay late with me; in turn I asked for their vow of secrecy.

By nightfall the air was swirling with electrical excitement. I piled copies of Moon Walk, Michael's memoir (edited by Jackie Onassis,) in the store for him to see. I remembered from reading it how kind his voice was as author.

And then there was Michael walking (not moon-walking) through the door of our third-floor rare books department. His skin was bleached white, he had orange rouge on his lips and his hair was straight. But he was still Michael. I had watched him grow up.

The first thing Michael said when he walked into the room was, "Are there any cameras?" I said no. I knew that ruled out my having a picture taken with him; I had brought a camera just in case. I felt his paranoia. I could hear the crowd shouting at street level "We love you, Michael!" He asked that I pull down all the shades in the oversized windows. I was later told that some fans were climbing the gates that protect the store windows.

Despite my conscientious effort to keep this event a secret on Michael's behalf, somehow news had spread. But how did they find out? Maybe because Michael and his entourage were traveling in a motorcade that included a huge white stretch limousine, a white stretch Lincoln and a black Suburban truck. I was told that they had just come from Times Square. The curious onlookers must have followed them, and word got out.

In filed his entourage: two security guards, three nurses all dressed in crisp white uniforms, and four children varying in age, some Hispanic, some African-American. There was such a sweetness to Michael in how he interacted with them. They seemed like nice, polite, appreciative kids; I wondered if he took them under his wing because they'd had a hard life.

Then there were his beautiful children; they looked like magical Disney characters. They seemed as doll-like as their names: Paris and Prince Michael I. Both were dressed in matching royal blue velvet. Paris, who was 4 years old, was wearing a tiara with diamonds, like a real princess. Prince Michael, 5 years old, had straight blond hair cut in a page-boy; Paris had flowing brown hair and big blue eyes. Their skin was pure white...they looked Scandinavian. The effect was adorable: I wanted to keep them, to take them home.

I knew he covered them with shawls when cameras were around, and he did so when he later continued his shopping downstairs. Draped in cloth, his children walked around looking like Cousin It from the Addams family. The kids seemed well adjusted. We gave them a wind-up doll of a tan dog in a red bow tie and a suit, and they played on the wooden floor. Prince Michael brought over an oversized book on collectable toys, barely able to carry it. He said in the cutest little voice; "Dad, can I have this" Michael lovingly smiled and asked if he was going to read it. He replied, "Yes."

One nurse was holding an adorable newly born baby with dark hair. I hadn't heard that Michael had three children nor was it public knowledge at the time. I wondered if Michael had a new baby, or could the child be borrowed? Months later, I found out that he was Prince Michael II.

Michael picked out a young Hispanic employee to help him. He had his name, Jesus, written in black magic marker on his plastic oval Strand name tag. I would think this was the thrill of the young man's life. Michael handed the books that he wanted to buy to Jesus, who then gave it to us in a basket to be sent to the cash register to be added and packed. Occasionally, Michael had requests. He wanted books on black folk music, books by Roald Dahl (including James and the Giant Peach), and something on Versailles. I would send my troops to look for the books and hand the findings to Jesus. On a previous visit, my dad had helped him, and he picked out books on Howard Hughes, dictionaries and first edition children's books.

Of course, I'm fond of anyone that shares my love of books, and I was impressed with Michael's selection. He sang quietly to himself and focused on photography and art books for a while, climbing on a ladder when necessary. All told, he spent $6,000 in books and allowed anyone in his group to take books. Although the people in his entourage did choose some, they did not seem as excited about shopping for books.

Michael was hands off when it came to the transaction. I asked a security guard about getting paid when they were nearing the end. He handed me a cell phone, and I was given a credit card number, in a different person's name. The next day a black town car was dispersed to pick up Michael's purchases, all packed in doubled shopping bags.

Michael and his entourage piled in the cars and, despite his desire for secrecy, his paranoid nature, you could tell he loved his fans waving and yelling, and he told them that he loved them. He craved love just like the rest of us, or maybe even more so.

It was after midnight. They had been at the Strand for 2 hours. Michael's security guard told me their next stop was FAO Schwartz, which like the Strand was open just for them. I felt like jumping with excitement, and thought to myself, I want to go with them. I wanted to be a kid again. I didn't want to stay in a crammed bookstore worrying about personnel, inventory, customer complaints. I WANT TO HAVE FUN. I want to shop for toys and dance on the giant piano like Tom Hanks did in the movie Big. I want to ride in the big white limousine with Michael and the kids bopping to loud music. I want to follow Tinkerbell, be sprinkled with fairy dust, open the window, and fly through the night sky.

But 7 years later, I now have kids and I read them fairy tales. And as we all know, fairy tales can also have a dark side. Even Peter Pan said, "To die will be an awfully big adventure."



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-bass/the-day-i-met-michael-jac_b_225954.html

Oh, I like this one, thanks. A New York story. Strand & FAO Schwarz!

 

[mjbusterdion2009]

These are all lovely stories, he really was an truly amazing man and def one of a kind... Love ya MJ xx

 

[CaptainEoLove85]

I found this story last night. http://adiaha.com/michael-jackson/

 

[Starlight1986]

These stories are wonderful... They show again and again how special he was. Thanks for sharing. :heart:

 

[mjscarousal]

That was a nice story, very touching

 

[adry_mjj]

nice stories !

 

[xthunderx2]

I absolutely love this thread...thank you all for posting stories ...:hug: