Son vs. Father.
As angry as Michael was with Joseph, taking that next step severing his professional relationship with him was still difficult for him to do.
Just as he had felt it important to give Berry Gordy a chance to redeem himself before the group took their first steps away from Motown, Michael now hoped his father would do something to ingratiate himself. However, Joseph simply couldn"t rise to the challenge... mostly because he didn"t even know he was being tested. Joseph never tried to impress his children. In his view, getting them to Los Angeles and making them stars had been impressive enough. He had proved himself, he felt, and that was the end of that.
"He"s finished," Michael decided of Joseph. Katherine may not have been able to get rid of him as a husband, but Michael was sure able to unload him as a manager. Once Michael Jackson made up his mind to fire someone, he stuck to the decision, no matter who the person was even his own father.
"Joseph knew it was coming," said Joseph"s friend of fifteen years, Larry Anderson. "He knew his time was up."
Michael had John Branca draw up the official doc.u.ments informing Joseph that his managerial services would no longer be required. Michael then left the house the day he knew they would be delivered by messenger. He stayed away from home until Joseph had time to get used to the idea. "It"s not easy firing your father," he would later explain, in what was quite an understatement.
In a rare show of unity, the brothers acted as one on this decision. They wanted Joseph out too and if Michael was prepared to take the first step they would follow suite. None None of them renewed his contract with Joseph. of them renewed his contract with Joseph.
Joseph was angry at first, but soon he was crushed. "I can"t believe they"re leaving me," he told Katherine. And his despair caused great conflict in Katherine. Of course she was livid with him about his treatment of her; the divorce was still pending. However, her heart went out to him over the matter of their sons. "I knew how much he had done for them," she would later say, "and this... well, this was just plain suffering. I didn"t want to see him suffer."
According to one of Michael"s advisers, Michael had a meeting with Joseph in the living room of the Encino house to discuss the matter. Michel asked his adviser to be present because he didn"t want to meet with Joseph alone.
"The fact that you can"t even talk to me unless you have this this guy here," Joseph said, motioning to the adviser, "it hurts me, Michael. Do you know how it makes me feel?" He had tears in his eyes; he looked broken. "You know how I feel about you. Why do I always have to guy here," Joseph said, motioning to the adviser, "it hurts me, Michael. Do you know how it makes me feel?" He had tears in his eyes; he looked broken. "You know how I feel about you. Why do I always have to say say it?" it?"
Michael averted his eyes; he didn"t even want to look at his father. "You never said it, Joseph," he said, venomously. "Don"t act like you ever said it, even once, because you never said it."
"After all I"ve done for you and your brothers?" Joseph asked. "Think about it. It"s always been about you and your brothers. That"s how I say it."
Michael shot him a look of disdain. "Oh yeah?" he responded, bitterly. "And what about all you"ve done to Kate? What"s that that been about, Joseph?" been about, Joseph?"
Michael"s comment set Joseph off, according to the witness"s memory. "That ain"t got nothin" to do with nothin"," he said, raising his voice to a level that made Michael recoil. Joseph rose so that he was standing above his son, who was still seated. "My marriage has nothing to do with you, Michael," he shouted at him. "You know I love your mother. It"s between her and me."
Michael stood up to face his father, his dark eyes were blazing. "It"s between all of us, all of us, Joseph," he exclaimed. "If you can"t see that, then I don"t know what to tell you." He stormed out of the room. Joseph," he exclaimed. "If you can"t see that, then I don"t know what to tell you." He stormed out of the room.
Joseph then turned on the adviser. "It"s because of you," he said in a hurting but still furious voice. "You put this bulls.h.i.t in my son"s head and you"re ruining our family. It"s because of you. you." He then crumpled into a chair. Joseph appeared to be reeling as if, for him, all logic, fairness and common sense had suddenly been suspended and now... this. this. He put his face in his hands and sat in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief. He put his face in his hands and sat in his chair, shaking his head in disbelief.
In the summer of 1983, those Jacksons living at the Hayvenhurst estate Michael, Janet, LaToya, and Joseph and Katherine existed in a state of emotional siege. Imagine it: Michael had fired Joseph as his manager, yet they were still living in the same house together. Katherine had filed to divorce Joseph, yet he was sleeping down the hall. Of course, the sensible thing would have been for him to move out. However, Joseph wasn"t going anywhere. The fact that he didn"t even own the house any longer was irrelevant.
"My father"s very stern, very strict," LaToya complained to freelance writer Todd Gold at this time. "Deep down inside, he"s a wonderful guy, but you have to know him. If you don"t, you can get the wrong impression. You"d think that he"s mean and whatever he says goes, which it does. Sometimes, though, if you really fight it out, you can have your way." She let out an exasperated sigh. "But it"s just not worth it."
As soon as Joseph would leave the estate for a day of work elsewhere, a sense of relief washed over the premises. On Sat.u.r.days, for instance, when he went to visit Joh"Vonnie, the Hayvenhurst household came alive. LaToya told Todd Gold, "We invite lots of kids over and play some movies in the theatre, and the popcorn machine"s going, the animals are all out, and everyone"s dancing to music."
Throughout the week, Michael tried to make certain that he never crossed paths with Joseph. Should the two accidentally meet, a loud argument would be the inevitable result. Michael would end up in his room, sobbing, Katherine trailing him there. Joseph would follow. There would be shouting, then more crying. Doors would slam all around. The tension affected everyone; Janet and LaToya spent a lot of time in their bedrooms with their music turned up.
Of course, the Jacksons may have been having tough personal times, but they were still the Jacksons and therefore lived with a sense of ent.i.tlement that was, sometimes, astounding. They all expected devotion from their staff; employees had no lives of their own. Steve Howell, Michael"s videographer at the time, remembered what happened when he took a vacation to Lake Tahoe. "I was there with my girl and made the mistake of calling the house to see if everything was okay. "You have to get back here right away," Bill Bray, Michael"s security man, told me hysterically. "There"s no television reception and Michael needs to watch TV! Get back here right away. So I cancelled the rest of my trip, flew back to Los Angeles, bee-lined it to the house, only to discover that the cable wire was unplugged. I plugged it into the wall and the TV went on, and Michael sat down to watch TV. "Thanks," he said."
Good help was hard to find, even in Encino. At one point, money was stolen from one of the bedrooms. The Jacksons suspected a maid. They then began leaving money out in view, and would then sneak about and peer around corners to see who would take it. Ah-ha! It was was the maid. Michael was the one who busted her; twenty bucks! After that, the family employees were often tested. Katherine would leave the alarm on the closet unarmed, the one in which she kept her minks, chinchillas, and other expensive furs. She would leave the door slightly ajar so anyone walking by could see what was inside. She would then stand very still at a nearby vantage point to see who expressed the most interest in the furs. That person would be scrutinized very carefully from then onward. "Keep your eye on that one," she would tell Michael. "I don"t trust her as far as I can throw her." Perhaps this kind of surveillance kept their minds off their troubles with Joseph. the maid. Michael was the one who busted her; twenty bucks! After that, the family employees were often tested. Katherine would leave the alarm on the closet unarmed, the one in which she kept her minks, chinchillas, and other expensive furs. She would leave the door slightly ajar so anyone walking by could see what was inside. She would then stand very still at a nearby vantage point to see who expressed the most interest in the furs. That person would be scrutinized very carefully from then onward. "Keep your eye on that one," she would tell Michael. "I don"t trust her as far as I can throw her." Perhaps this kind of surveillance kept their minds off their troubles with Joseph.
During this time, outsiders were not welcome at Hayvenhurst, especially the press who might sniff out any trouble on the home front. Of course, persistent fans were always a problem. "I love my fans, but I"m afraid of them," Michael told photo journalist Dave Nussbaum. "Some of them will do anything to get to you. They don"t realize that what they are doing might hurt you," Michael talked of a fan who had managed to get beyond the gate. "We woke up and found her sitting by the pool. She had jumped the gate. Luckily our dogs were caged at the time. They"re usually out, and they would have destroyed destroyed her. We brought her inside. She demanded not to leave, in a very rude way, so we held her there until we had somebody come and take her out." her. We brought her inside. She demanded not to leave, in a very rude way, so we held her there until we had somebody come and take her out."
On his way out, the reporter asked Michael if he would like to join him for a bite to eat.
"Oh, no," Michael said, shaking his head. "I can"t go out there." He motioned beyond the electronic gate. "They"ll get me for sure. They"re around the corner, and they want to get their hands on me." The terror in his eyes seemed genuine. "I just don"t want to go out there."
As Michael talked to the reporter, his security man, Bill Bray a former police officer stood nearby watching.
Bray, who worked with Michael until his recent retirement, was formidable in his day. Once, when a Jackson employee left the estate, a fan slipped in as the gate opened.
Steve Howell recalled, "I was talking to Mike in the front yard. It was about three in the afternoon. I remember the time of day because at three when the kids got out of school two guards went on duty, instead of one. Mike and I were talking, and the next thing I knew this girl walked up to us and said h.e.l.lo. Then, she gave him a big bear hug. With her back to me, Mike motioned to me with his arms helplessly as if to say, Who is this person? I was about to say something when, suddenly, I felt the air break. Something moved like whoosh! whoosh! the speed of light. It was Bill Bray. the speed of light. It was Bill Bray.
"He grabbed that chick, smacked her to the ground, handcuffed her and dragged her out of there. The cops came, took her away. She was crying hysterically, probably scared to death. Michael took it all in, turned to me and without missing a beat, said, "So, anyway..." And we went back to talking like nothing had happened.
"We had a lot of fifty-one fiftys around there, so that was nothing new." A 5150, Steve Howell explained, was police terminology for a mentally unbalanced person.
How long could the siege continue? Joseph had a good deal of resolve and, as he may have put it at the time, "It will continue for as d.a.m.n well long as I want want it to continue." it to continue."
Finally, Katherine had enough of the divorce drama which was dragging on throughout this parallel family crisis. Years later, she explained her predicament. "I was stuck between a rock and a hard place," she recalled. "Even though I wanted Joe out, I didn"t want to go public by having him forcibly removed. I knew that the press would jump on the story, and I couldn"t bear the publicity. It was the strangest of times for me. Some days, just the sight of him would fill me with anger. Other times, I found myself talking to him as if nothing had ever happened between us."
After ten months, Katherine decided to withdraw the divorce papers. Without Joseph, she decided she would only lead an empty and shallow existence, anyway. She loved him still, she told herself, though she said she didn"t know why she felt that way.
"A part of me believes that a person hurts herself more than the person she"s feuding with by holding a grudge. Also," she explained, "I subscribe to Christ"s teaching on forgiveness. How many times, He said, do you forgive a person? Seventy times seven... as many as it takes.
"But I"m not going to pretend that suddenly everything was the way it used to be between Joe and me," she concluded, perhaps somewhat romanticizing her tumultuous history with him. "Because it wasn"t."
Putting Pressure on Michael.
Michael Jackson suspected that, with his parents now reconciled, Joseph might expect to be welcomed back into the fold not only as Katherine"s husband, but also as the boys" manager. "And that"s not gonna happen," he told Janet, according to her memory. "Mother may want him back, but I don"t, and I don"t think my brothers do, either. There"s no way they"ll let him back in."
Joseph was a bit craftier, however, than Michael may have thought because he did have a plan to get "back in" and it was one he knew that Michael"s brothers would find irresistible: a reunion tour.
Many of the artists who partic.i.p.ated in the Motown anniversary television special felt a new sense of brotherhood and camaraderie with the label. After the programme, Berry Gordy re-signed The Four Tops to the company and teamed them with The Temptations on vinyl, just as they had been united on stage that evening in Pasadena. Other artists began to negotiate with Berry, as well. Holland-Dozier-Holland were back, and even Diana Ross was socializing with Berry again. It was as if they were all trying to recapture the feeling they had had during the glory days of Motown everyone, that is, except Jermaine Jackson.
After the show was taped, Jermaine began meeting with his brothers and Joseph about the possibility of his leaving Motown, reuniting with the group, and going out on the road again, together. Michael knew nothing about these meetings. "Michael"s success can only help us," t.i.to said. "He"s way up there above us, and maybe he can throw down a rope and let us climb it." A tour would also relieve Marlon of certain financial pressures. He and his wife, Carol, had separated but were now reconciled. They were determined to make their marriage work, despite their financial challenges. They needed some a.s.sistance, however.
At this time, the brothers also prepared a new Jacksons alb.u.m for CBS called Victory. Victory. Michael did not want to be involved in the project. He would write and sing only two tracks and partic.i.p.ate in the writing of a third, and even that much partic.i.p.ation was too much for him. However, as they recorded the alb.u.m, the brothers became excited at the prospect of touring to promote it once it was released. Michael did not want to be involved in the project. He would write and sing only two tracks and partic.i.p.ate in the writing of a third, and even that much partic.i.p.ation was too much for him. However, as they recorded the alb.u.m, the brothers became excited at the prospect of touring to promote it once it was released.
No one wanted to consider Michael"s reaction to the possibility of a tour, probably because they knew in their hearts that he might present a problem. "The thing is, we"ve always always worked really hard," Marlon observed at this time. "As far back as I can remember, since the time Michael and I were six and seven, we were going to school, doing homework, attending rehearsals, and then on weekends we"d play nightclubs, stayin" up till four in the morning, then get up and go to school come Monday. It was real, real hard for us. And I don"t think you can outgrow your brothers and sisters, and Michael feels the same way. We"re blood. You just don"t sever those ties." worked really hard," Marlon observed at this time. "As far back as I can remember, since the time Michael and I were six and seven, we were going to school, doing homework, attending rehearsals, and then on weekends we"d play nightclubs, stayin" up till four in the morning, then get up and go to school come Monday. It was real, real hard for us. And I don"t think you can outgrow your brothers and sisters, and Michael feels the same way. We"re blood. You just don"t sever those ties."
By the summer of 1983, Jermaine had become excited enough about the prospects of a tour with his brothers that he asked Berry for a release from Motown. He wanted to look at his options, he said. Arista had offered him a deal (which he would take) and he also wanted to be free to tour with The Jacksons.
Sadly, Jermaine"s solo career had never taken hold at Motown. All of that family angst angst and for what? One Top Ten record: "Let"s Get Serious", which sold 722,737 copies, and not until 1981, some six years after the night at the Westbury Music Fair when he had to choose between his family and the Gordy family. However, in the company"s defence, some felt that Jermaine wasn"t motivated; he didn"t hunger for stardom, like Michael. Many of his fans felt he should have stayed with the group, stayed married to Berry"s daughter... and hoped for the best. and for what? One Top Ten record: "Let"s Get Serious", which sold 722,737 copies, and not until 1981, some six years after the night at the Westbury Music Fair when he had to choose between his family and the Gordy family. However, in the company"s defence, some felt that Jermaine wasn"t motivated; he didn"t hunger for stardom, like Michael. Many of his fans felt he should have stayed with the group, stayed married to Berry"s daughter... and hoped for the best.
"Sometimes I have this dream that I"m onstage with my brothers," he told me in an interview in 1983. "And I"m countin" off the songs like I always used to do when we performed together. We"re all onstage and the crowd is goin" crazy. All of a sudden I wake up. What a let-down. We all started here at Motown," he said, "and if anybody left anybody, I feel they they left left me me at Motown. If we were to perform together again, there"d be no end to the things we could do, the excitement we"d create." at Motown. If we were to perform together again, there"d be no end to the things we could do, the excitement we"d create."
Berry gave Jermaine his release, sealing an anticlimactic ending to his days at Motown.
Finally, Joseph called a meeting of all of the brothers in the family"s living room. He announced that it was time for them to go back out and tour, the original Jackson 5, plus Randy. Michael"s response was swift and to the point: "Count me out."
Joseph tried to reason with Michael. A major tour could solve many of his brothers" financial problems, and they all had them. No one had been making money lately, but Michael. Of course, Michael realized that none of his brothers had become as wealthy as he had become since Thriller. Thriller. However, he also knew that if they curbed their extravagant tastes, they would be in good shape. "Michael"s money didn"t matter to n.o.body but Michael," Joseph maintained. "And he was always very secretive about that. More important, the brothers needed to enhance their own situation. Like any other group, they needed to tour." However, he also knew that if they curbed their extravagant tastes, they would be in good shape. "Michael"s money didn"t matter to n.o.body but Michael," Joseph maintained. "And he was always very secretive about that. More important, the brothers needed to enhance their own situation. Like any other group, they needed to tour."
Next, Joseph tried guilt, accusing Michael of turning his back on his brothers now that he was a superstar. If Michael, never selfish in regard to his family, had sensed need, not greed, he might have responded. However, he knew when he was being used. He also realized that even if he agreed to the tour, his superstar status would be ignored. He would be just one vote in six the odd man out, as usual. "No," he said, "I"m not going." The brothers stormed out of the meeting. "See that," Joseph said, pointing a finger at him. "Now, they"re mad atcha"."
"So?" Michael said. "Big deal."
About a week later, the brothers and Joseph had another meeting with Michael and, this time, tried humour on him. They brought along a life-sized stand-up poster of Michael. "If you don"t come with us, we"re gonna put this this onstage in your place," Jermaine told Michael, a grin playing on his face. It was always hard to resist Jermaine"s smile; he and Michael had always been close. The brothers laughed, and Michael said he would think it over. onstage in your place," Jermaine told Michael, a grin playing on his face. It was always hard to resist Jermaine"s smile; he and Michael had always been close. The brothers laughed, and Michael said he would think it over.
A few days later, when Michael still had not made up his mind, Joseph tore into him. "Look, we don"t need you anyway," he shouted at him. "In fact, I think it would be better better if you weren"t on this tour. Jermaine can sing some songs, and Jackie and Marlon and Randy can all have songs. t.i.to, too. So, the h.e.l.l with you, Michael. The h.e.l.l with you." if you weren"t on this tour. Jermaine can sing some songs, and Jackie and Marlon and Randy can all have songs. t.i.to, too. So, the h.e.l.l with you, Michael. The h.e.l.l with you."
Joseph"s reverse psychology worked like a charm; Michael was upset by his father"s comments. He told John Branca: "Branca, what"s he talking about? The brothers can"t sing. Only I I can be the lead singer." can be the lead singer."
Just as Michael was on the brink of making up his mind in favour of the tour, lest they go without him and maybe though not likely show that he was dispensable, Joseph pulled out the big gun: Katherine, who was made co-promoter of the tour. Her chief responsibility would be to turn the new family dream into reality by, once and for all, convincing Michael to be involved in the tour. "When Mother speaks, we listen," Jermaine once said.
It could have been successfully argued that Michael had done more for Katherine over the years, financially as well as emotionally, than any of his brothers. It seemed unfair, then, that she would now be coaxing him to do something that he clearly didn"t want to do, just so that she could appease his brothers and make more money for the family. However, Katherine loved all of her children, not just Michael. She knew that they were in financial straits, and that only a tour with with Michael would help them straighten out their lives. In her view, it was the least Michael could do. After all, they were family. Michael would help them straighten out their lives. In her view, it was the least Michael could do. After all, they were family.
Katherine met with Michael privately and asked him to consider the possibility of a tour for her sake. How could he resist such a request? For Katherine he would agreed to continue being held down as part of a family act rather than do what was natural at this time in his life and career: soar on his own. It didn"t particularly matter to Joseph or the brothers that Michael"s heart would not be in the upcoming tour, as long as his body was on that stage.
In any case, Michael had his mind on other things at this time. In October 1983, he and Jackie Kennedy Ona.s.sis met at the Encino home to discuss the possibility of his writing an autobiography to be published by Doubleday, the company for which she worked as an editor.
Five years earlier, in 1978, Michael had befriended John Kennedy, Jr., and Caroline after meeting the two while he was in New York to film The Wiz. The Wiz. So determined was he to meet their mother he decided to try to date Caroline (then twenty) thinking, perhaps, that she might introduce him to the former First Lady. "I remember that Michael began to call Caroline constantly, even hoping that maybe Jackie would answer," recalled, LaToya, who was staying with Michael in New York at the time. "Finally, she agreed to go out on a date with him. They went to an ice-skating rink and then to dinner. Caroline ordered veal os...o...b..co, which Michael said he had never heard of before. After dinner, Michael said he tried to kiss her, and she said, "If my mother finds out I kissed a black boy, she will absolutely kill me." Michael came home crying, but it didn"t stop him from wanting to meet Jackie." (Many years later, when Michael asked Jackie about Caroline"s comment, Jackie was angry. She insisted that Caroline made up the excuse just to avoid kissing him.) So determined was he to meet their mother he decided to try to date Caroline (then twenty) thinking, perhaps, that she might introduce him to the former First Lady. "I remember that Michael began to call Caroline constantly, even hoping that maybe Jackie would answer," recalled, LaToya, who was staying with Michael in New York at the time. "Finally, she agreed to go out on a date with him. They went to an ice-skating rink and then to dinner. Caroline ordered veal os...o...b..co, which Michael said he had never heard of before. After dinner, Michael said he tried to kiss her, and she said, "If my mother finds out I kissed a black boy, she will absolutely kill me." Michael came home crying, but it didn"t stop him from wanting to meet Jackie." (Many years later, when Michael asked Jackie about Caroline"s comment, Jackie was angry. She insisted that Caroline made up the excuse just to avoid kissing him.) LaToya says that she discovered a naked photograph of Jackie in Michael"s room in New York, hidden in his sock drawer. Apparently, an embarra.s.sed Michael explained that he had recently visited a New York Daily News New York Daily News reporter at his home for dinner. While the two rummaged through the writer"s s...o...b..z memorabilia, they came across the picture of Jackie. Michael was perplexed as to why she would pose for such a photographer, while unclothed. The reporter explained that the picture was taken by a paparazzo, obviously without her permission. Then, the scribe gave him the photo as a souvenir. "I just can"t stop looking at it," he told LaToya. "I must meet her." reporter at his home for dinner. While the two rummaged through the writer"s s...o...b..z memorabilia, they came across the picture of Jackie. Michael was perplexed as to why she would pose for such a photographer, while unclothed. The reporter explained that the picture was taken by a paparazzo, obviously without her permission. Then, the scribe gave him the photo as a souvenir. "I just can"t stop looking at it," he told LaToya. "I must meet her."
"What will you do when you meet her," LaToya asked.
"I don"t know," Michael answered. "Faint, I guess."
By the fall of 1983, Michael was a world-famous superstar and Jackie a Doubleday editor who wanted to edit his memoirs. Finally, Michael would have his chance to meet her when Jackie asked to have lunch with him in Los Angeles. However, on the day of the scheduled luncheon, Michael suffered a panic attack. "She"s the most famous woman in the world," he explained to one family member. "And I"m, well, I"m just me."
Michael spent the afternoon at Hayvenhurst vomiting and hyperventilating while Jackie and a couple of a.s.sistants waited for him in a Beverly Hills restaurant. The next day, Michael invited Jackie to his home in Encino.
"On the day she was set to come by the house, everyone was excited," Steve Howell remembered. "Naturally, we all wanted to meet her but would have settled for just a glimpse of her going from the limo to the house. The buzz around the house was "Jackie O"s coming, Jackie O"s coming." Her driver called from the car to alert Michael that they were about thirty minutes away. "Okay, everybody out," Mike said. "You can all go home. Out, out, out out!" Though n.o.body wanted to leave, everyone had to go. Michael wanted the entire staff to vacate the premises so that he would be able to be alone with Jackie. "But I want to meet, Jackie O, too," Katherine said. "Nope," Michael told her. "Not this time, Kate. Maybe next time.""
Another friend of Michael"s remembered, "Jackie wanted to talk book business, but Michael had other things on his mind. He wanted to know how she felt about always being photographed everywhere she went. He wanted to know how she handled her celebrity. He asked her for tips on how to avoid paparazzi. He admired her and was hoping to figure out what makes her tick."
Michael was twenty-five years old and felt uneasy about writing his memoirs. "I"m still trying to sort it all out myself," he told Steve Howell. Indeed, some of his life did deserve close examination, but most people who knew Michael at this time agreed that he was not the most impartial person for the job. Michael was much too concerned about his public image, and that of his family, to write the real story. He certainly had many personal problems, most of which Jackie was not aware of, but he would do anything to protect the family"s dignity. "I don"t want to let my fans down by having them know the whole truth," he said. "They"ll be crushed."
Michael knew that baring his soul in a book at this time was not something he could do, so he asked Jackie to consider a sc.r.a.pbook concept, a book ill.u.s.trated by such novelty items as his first report card, early pictures and poetry. Jackie tried to act interested, but she really wasn"t enthralled by the notion. She wanted his whole life on paper, but she agreed to the sc.r.a.pbook idea, at least for a while.
The next day Michael took Jackie to Disneyland. Jackie wore a sleek leather jacket with belt fastened around her impossibly thin waist, along with playfully striped pants. Michael was in the requisite military-styled, sequined jacket adorned with silver zippers and buckles. They both wore sungla.s.ses.
"Afterward, he told me he thought she was strong and intelligent, and the fact that she survived JFK"s death made him feel that she was someone he should have in his life as a mother figure," said LaToya. "I told him, "But, Michael, we already have a mother," and he said, "Yes, but we have to take care of Kate because of all she"s going through with Joseph. Who is there to take care of us?" I didn"t know the answer to that," concluded LaToya, "but I felt sure it would not be Jackie O."
Meanwhile, Michael struck up the first of many friendships with young boys, this one being the twelve-year-old actor Emmanuel Lewis. Emmanuel was three feet, four inches tall at that time; Michael enjoyed carrying him in his arms as if he were a toddler. Emmanuel had come to Hollywood to star in the sitcom Webster; Webster; Michael had seen him on television commercials and had always wanted to meet him. He telephoned the boy"s mother and invited him to visit Hayvenhurst. When he did, the two became fast friends. In truth, Michael nearly became obsessed with Emmanuel Lewis. They would play with Michael"s pets, run around the estate like little kids playing "Cowboys and Indians", roll around on the lawn together, laughing. It appeared to observers that Michael was trying to live the childhood he feels he missed. Today, of course, this is "normal" behaviour for Michael. Everyone is used to seeing him rolling around with kids. However, in 1983, this was considered unusual, even for him. Michael had seen him on television commercials and had always wanted to meet him. He telephoned the boy"s mother and invited him to visit Hayvenhurst. When he did, the two became fast friends. In truth, Michael nearly became obsessed with Emmanuel Lewis. They would play with Michael"s pets, run around the estate like little kids playing "Cowboys and Indians", roll around on the lawn together, laughing. It appeared to observers that Michael was trying to live the childhood he feels he missed. Today, of course, this is "normal" behaviour for Michael. Everyone is used to seeing him rolling around with kids. However, in 1983, this was considered unusual, even for him.
One visitor at the Encino estate recalled watching as Michael read the story of Peter Pan to Emmanuel. Afterwards the two of them imagined themselves as characters in the story. According to the eyewitness, twenty-five-year-old Michael and twelve-year-old Emmanuel sat on the floor with their eyes closed and fantasized that they were flying over Never-Never Land. "Believe it and it"ll be true," Michael whispered. "Now, are you ready? Do you believe? Do you?"
"Yes, I believe," Emmanuel said, his eyes closed tightly. "I do believe."
They then began to recite dialogue from the story. After a while, the two broke up laughing and began to wrestle on the floor like puppies.
Emmanuel Lewis"s family reportedly became concerned about the friendship after Michael and Emmanuel checked into the Four Seasons hotel in Los Angeles as father and son. It"s not known what fantasy they were acting out at that time. However, shortly afterwards they stopped seeing as much of each other.
Once Michael had agreed to a reunion tour with his brothers, Joseph and Katherine asked Don King to a.s.sist in promoting the venture. Don is a flamboyant, outrageous and controversial black man considered by many at the time to be the leading boxing promoter in the world. Raised in a Cleveland ghetto, he went to prison in 1966 for second-degree murder after killing a man in a street fight. He served four years and then began promoting prizefights.
King was best known for his huge boxing promotions of Muhammad Ali"s "Thrilla in Manila" and Sugar Ray Leonard/Roberto Duran rights. When the Jackson sons met with him, though, they were not impressed. During the meeting, King wore a white fur coat, diamond rings and a gold necklace on which hung a charm: a crown with the name DON DON on top of it. His grey hair stuck straight up, as if he"d just been electrocuted. The brothers decided that he was too ostentatious, not the type of man they wanted representing them in the public arena. However, their negative judgement about Don King shifted when he came up with three million dollars to give them as a show of good faith, against concert earnings $500,000 to each member of the group. The brothers were ecstatic, Joseph was happy, and Katherine content. Michael was not impressed. on top of it. His grey hair stuck straight up, as if he"d just been electrocuted. The brothers decided that he was too ostentatious, not the type of man they wanted representing them in the public arena. However, their negative judgement about Don King shifted when he came up with three million dollars to give them as a show of good faith, against concert earnings $500,000 to each member of the group. The brothers were ecstatic, Joseph was happy, and Katherine content. Michael was not impressed.
"I think he"s creepy," Michael told one friend. "I don"t trust the guy. He just wants a piece of the action, that"s all." It wouldn"t be a small "piece", that much was certain. Forty shows were planned, with a projected gross revenue of thirty million dollars. Deducting six million dollars for expenses would leave twenty-four million dollars net profit 85 per cent of which would go to the group, 7.5 per cent to Don King, and 7.5 per cent to Joseph and Katherine. That amounted to $3.4 million for each Jackson member enough to get the brothers back on their feet, for a while anyway as well as $900,000 each for Joseph and Katherine, and a $1.8-million pay-day for Don King.
Once aboard, Don King contacted Jay Coleman, an enterprising promoter who specialized in obtaining tour sponsorships from major corporations. Don told Jay about the Jacksons" tour and their need for a big-money sponsor. "And you, my man, are just the white boy who can walk into a corporation and tap them for the change," he said. He was right about that: Jay recruited the Pepsi-Cola Company to pony up another five million dollars to sponsor the tour.
Jackie, t.i.to, Randy, Marlon and Jermaine all voted to work with Don King as promoter. After all, an extra five million dollars was was impressive. However, for Michael, five million dollars was, as they used to say back in Gary, "chump change", especially after it was split six ways and 15 per cent was taken off the top for Don, Joseph, and Katherine leaving Michael with $700,000 and not much incentive. Michael reluctantly agreed to allow Don King to promote the tour, but he wanted Pepsi out of the picture. "Forget it," Michael said. "I don"t drink Pepsi. I don"t impressive. However, for Michael, five million dollars was, as they used to say back in Gary, "chump change", especially after it was split six ways and 15 per cent was taken off the top for Don, Joseph, and Katherine leaving Michael with $700,000 and not much incentive. Michael reluctantly agreed to allow Don King to promote the tour, but he wanted Pepsi out of the picture. "Forget it," Michael said. "I don"t drink Pepsi. I don"t believe believe in Pepsi." in Pepsi."
The family then worked on Michael to accept the Pepsi endors.e.m.e.nt; there was too much money involved to let it go, and it was was a viable and impressive sponsorship whether Michael drank the soft drink or not. The Rolling Stones had only received a half million for their endors.e.m.e.nt. In fact, up until that time, the biggest deal in Madison Avenue history had been actor Alan Alda"s for Atari, and that was only a million. The brothers thought Michael was crazy. "I just don"t want to do it," Michael insisted. "I have a bad feeling about it." a viable and impressive sponsorship whether Michael drank the soft drink or not. The Rolling Stones had only received a half million for their endors.e.m.e.nt. In fact, up until that time, the biggest deal in Madison Avenue history had been actor Alan Alda"s for Atari, and that was only a million. The brothers thought Michael was crazy. "I just don"t want to do it," Michael insisted. "I have a bad feeling about it."
Finally, after a weekend of intense pressure, Michael signed the contract at four o"clock one Monday morning. A rider made it clear that he would not have to hold a can of Pepsi, or drink from one, in any commercial or publicity photo.
"You know something? I don"t know what that boy has against making money," Joseph said later, in regard to Michael"s reluctance about the Pepsi endors.e.m.e.nt. "You can always have more money. You never get to a point, I don"t care how much money you have, where you don"t need more money. And at that time everybody in the family, except Michael, I guess, needed it."
On 30 November 1983, a press conference was organized at the Tavern on the Green restaurant in New York City to announce the Jacksons" reunion tour, and the fact that Don King would be promoting it. By this time, Michael had had two more major hit singles, "Human Nature" and "PYT", so it was expected that the site would be mobbed with fans, which it was; there were over a hundred police officers guarding the Tavern.
The press conference began on an odd note...and went downhill from there. In his introductory remarks, Don King spoke of G.o.d, then love and "enrapturement", and the fact that "Michael has soared the heights to the unknown". Then, said the master promoter, "It is so fortunate for all of us and so symbolic that we have such a beautiful family to use for all the world to see. They are humble. They are warm. They exude charming magnetism. The love that emits from these guys is so contagious," he enthused. "It"s so captivating and infectious and it got me into this whirlwind of a musical spell that I can"t seem to get out of..." On and on he went, for almost a half-hour. Then, he showed a fifteen-minute doc.u.mentary about himself. Katherine, Joseph, LaToya and Janet watched with confused looks on their faces as Don King then paraphrased Malvolio"s speech from Shakespeare"s Twelfth Night, Twelfth Night, "Be not afraid of greatness," he said, his chest puffed with pride. "Some men are born great. Some achieve greatness. And others have greatness thrust upon them." "Be not afraid of greatness," he said, his chest puffed with pride. "Some men are born great. Some achieve greatness. And others have greatness thrust upon them."
Joseph leaned over to Katherine and was overheard asking, "Is he talking about us or himself?" She shrugged.
"Does anything he"s saying make any sense at all?" she asked, bewildered.
Don King then spoke of the upcoming forty-city tour, a concert film and a live satellite broadcast. He also announced that Pepsi-Cola had ponied up five million dollars for the privilege of sponsoring the event. The Jacksons would star in two commercials for Pepsi as part of the deal. "It is going to be fabulous. The highest-grossing tour, the most amazing tour ever in history by these extraordinary men..."
Finally, Michael, Marlon, t.i.to, Jermaine, Randy and Jackie walked out to great applause from the press corps; they sat on the dais with glum faces, their eyes hidden behind sungla.s.ses. None of them looked amused by the manner Don King continued to grandstand for the media. Finally, Don urged Michael to speak. "I really don"t have anything to say," Michael began. "I guess I would like to introduce the rest of my family. First my mother, Katherine "
"Yes, that"s the mother, Katherine," Don King b.u.t.ted in. "The backbone, the strength, the heart and soul "
"And this is my father, Joseph."
"Hmm-hmm, that"s him. Joseph Jackson. I love that man. That man has truly mesmerized me."
"And that"s LaToya and Janet," Michael said, now frowning at Don.
"Yes, aren"t they truly lovely? The Jackson sisters, LaToya and..." Don"s voice trailed off when he noticed Michael"s expression.
"And my brothers" beautiful wives are here," Michael continued. "Hazel, Carol, Enid and Dee Dee. My sister Maureen is not here because she is doing an alb.u.m for CBS. Thank you very much."
Michael then refused to answer questions.
"Thank you, Michael, the golden voice of song," Don said, quickly.
"So, what"s this tour going to be called?" a reporter asked.