Bull. Those tapes were recorded without his knowledged and were never meant to be released. I do not believe most of the things that he said on there. I think it would be wise if fans would stop relying on private phone conversations to give us an "explanation" about MJ. We should be listening to what he says in his music instead of things he said in some phone calls. I doubt MJ was this wounded soul that could not find love in a cold world. Why do some of you people like to view MJ as this weakling that can't seem to get things together? To assume that he never been in love? To assume that he never have a real relationship? Get a grip, people. This thread is about Janet supposedly saying these things about her father. Not MJ. Damn. Stop relying on crappy phone conversations he had with some nosy woman and put on a MJ CD and listen to him. That is the best way a MJ fan can know about MJ.
Do you even realize the things you say? Recording a private conversation with a friend (an immoral thing to do - but it was her husband recording them, not her) makes the things he says all the more true, instead of him being asked certain things as those publicly, while stressed, not really comfortable. He would not have wasted hours of talking to people on the phone just for the sake of talking, he wanted to confide. He obviously put his trust in that woman as would with other lady friends of his at times, nosy or not, famous or not, especially when not famous, and, therefore, a bit less biased. These unfortunate recordings were, in some ways, awakenings for some people who viewed Michael an impaired person, a child molester or a homosexual, and were intented to be used for the trial as a proof, but later were withdrawn; others (fans or non-fans) even could swear it isn't him, that is how shocked they were hearing him at times. When a person confides in another, he is generally pouring his soul out to that person; whom to speak the complete truth with or frustrations if not privately with friends...or so-called friends if you will? If you don't believe him, that is your business, that does not make it a truth. And whatever he says in his songs is also true, but also art and purpose of relief in some songs, for instance when about relationships and the like. I am not making him a saint at all, but many songs of his (i.e.: the recently leaked snippet of "Got The Hots" or "Give In To Me" and other things like that) are mostly outlets and strong feelings, he exorcises his inner demons creatively for the most part. It is your choice to think that just because a person has a fertile mind and deep inner urges, hell, even sometimes reads or read porn, he is lying about not also living some of these things. Also wrong to hint at him not having much to do with being a Jehova witness / or a a former devout one, because he happens to be a man and feel the things he says or sings about or do, or doesn't do. Apparently, Michael has been categorized throughout the years as either an asexual; a homosexual; a child abuser; more recently even a womanizer or a man who follows his instincts and acts as a result to those instincts, just like any other man or most of them, without thinking. He is none of those things; it imight be true he made a rushed decision involving his first marriage, perhaps his second one as well, but let us not fault him for that without viewing the causes or making it seem at times as a pattern of such behaviours. For instance, he married Debbie because he felt she was his friend, a person whom he can trust (he wouldn't have had let just anyone bear his children, without thinking) and because he didn't want to have children without being married, so there also were religious issues involved. He wanted to live, too, he meant hurting no one and was trying to have a family, and he now has one. He was not a cheater (your typical one) towards Lisa, he wanted a family, trust and friendship, above all things; he was not a cheater one to Debbie (even though they lived separately), he was keeping contact somehow and might have wanted to still be friends with Lisa and even flirt with her a bit, as she, after all, was his wife whom he loved, that does not have to include infidelity, at least not your usual, careless type of it, if you wish. That was my point all along from my first post. And no, simply because people like Shana Mangatal said things on TV around the same time Joanna Thomae did, they are not credible sources at all, but attention seekers firstly; like he said, people often misinterpret his relationships with them, and just because he speaks with other women or contacts them and even flirts with them in his own style, that does not make him a cheater or a woman hunter, he is actually really sweet and charming, and, just like another poster from this forum said a while ago, a dirty mind and a personality like his are a great match.
And to say he wasn't a lost soul looking for love is wrong; he was the type of person to feel lonely in a crowd and be cautious with people's real intentions (which is why he trusted children completely), and just because he has / had many celebrity friends, for instance, that proved not to be enough for him, because he relies on people viewing him for him, not Michael Jackson, the artist. He still does it to this day, and I believe, after the trial, he is even more cautious with confiding and he could be still in search for his love, we don't know. Of course he dated, of course he had and has lady friends, of course he was married, too. And I never viewed him as a weakling, but, in spite of all things happening to him in his life, as a person of incredible strength, actually, probably the strongest person; and, of course he felt weak and insecure many times, especially in his position, it is not at all hard to envision it.
Who assumed he was never in love? Don't attribute fictitious opinions to people. He was in love for sure, more than once, as he said it, and the tonality in his voice and the rest of everything he says repetitively made be believe in what he further said relating this and other issues; and he was balanced enough to be real, as in down-to-earth and funny. And sincere. It doesn't take an expert to hear he wasn't sincere there, you can just feel, because there were things other people would not expect to hear from him when speaking publicly; he was relaxed, not rehearsed, and wasn't lying to himself. Not knowing he was recorded made him sound more truthful than ever; it makes anyone sound more truthful than ever, including about the relationship part (up until that time).
If I see him a better man than most (not perfect), I am not deceiving myself, and those tapes I am continuing to rave about is a solid point, yet far from the only one; but I was pointing it out to those more or less incredulous that tend to not believe most of what he says publicly anyway, so when they don't, unfortunately we have to resort to some immorally recorded conversations instead, which is sad. I am tired of bringing them up, so I won't again. It is called thorough analysis and empathy, and common sense; just because a person is born on the same earth, that does not make one similar to the other. It really is upsetting to read (in general) many people's view of him, so many views about him being distorted for decades, so let's not be quick to draw to conclusions.
I apologise for drifting off from the subject like that, but I wish people could learn to empathize more and not snap with making comments. On other boards, such as MJNO, threads as those would have been closed from the beggining or eventually, as they will lead to nowhere, but more controversy. And by saying that, I include Janet in it, as well. Even if she said those things or not, and so far, we only have a seemingly unreliable source with respect to her alleged words.
P.S.: No personal attacks on you, Bee, just on some of your opinions, I just wanted to point this out.