"Are you kidding?" Justin said when asked by Wade if he"d be interested in meeting Michael. "h.e.l.l, yeah. Who wouldn"t want to meet Michael Jackson? He"s my idol." The meeting would take place at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York.
At the appointed hour, Wade, his girlfriend Mayte Garcia (ex wife of Prince), and Justin showed up in the hotel lobby... with Justin"s then-girlfriend, Britney Spears. Britney, who is a big admirer of Michael"s, simply couldn"t resist tagging along.
"Oh no," Michael said when told that Justin had brought Britney. "I didn"t invite her. Why"d he have to bring her? her?"
"Well, she"s his girlfriend, Mike," said one of his advisers.
"Oh man, you gotta be kidding me?" Michael remarked. "He brought his girlfriend? girlfriend? d.a.m.n. I just wanted to see Justin. Maybe she should wait downstairs, or something?" d.a.m.n. I just wanted to see Justin. Maybe she should wait downstairs, or something?"
The notion that Britney Spears might wait in the lobby while Michael entertained Justin, Wade and Mayte was not an idea his a.s.sociates felt they could suggest. "Mike, look. You can"t keep her waiting in the lobby," said one of them. "How"s that gonna look? She"s one of the biggest stars in show business, Mike. Come on!"
"Oh, man," Michael protested again, chagrined by the turn of events. "d.a.m.n. She"s just gonna be in the way."
On and on went the discussions. Finally, Michael agreed to allow them both up to his suite.
Once they got up there, however, Michael was enchanted by both Justin and Britney. They were so thrilled to meet him, the two lavished more praise upon him than he"d probably gotten in about a week.
"How about when you did the moonwalk on that Motown show?" Justin said, according to one recollection. "Man, that was so f.u.c.king cool. You are the coolest, Michael. I can"t believe I am standing here with Michael f.u.c.king Jackson Michael f.u.c.king Jackson."
"And how about that "Thriller" video?" Britney enthused. "That was the best. You revolutionized videos, dude. You are the f.u.c.king best best."
His indelible influence on modern pop is so far-reaching and entrenched, it"s probably not surprising that Justin and Britney were dazzled to be in his presence. Michael beamed; as far as the top teen stars of the day were concerned, he was still the man. * *
"Everyone wants to be crazy"
Michael Jackson has earned an estimated $500 million dollars in his lifetime, about $100 million from 1982"s Thriller Thriller alone. A report by the business magazine alone. A report by the business magazine Forbes Forbes last year estimated his net worth at $300 million but warned that he had incurred big debts and that his spending seemed to be out of control. last year estimated his net worth at $300 million but warned that he had incurred big debts and that his spending seemed to be out of control.
Though Michael has made some canny investments, he has experienced financial difficulties in recent years because of his high overheads. He spends money like mad, as demonstrated when he appeared to sh.e.l.l out about six million dollars in minutes on baroque vases and urns, with Martin Bashir"s cameras rolling in Las Vegas. "I want that one," he exclaimed, "and that one and that one and... yoo-hoo? yoo-hoo? How much is How much is that that one!" (However, he did return much of that merchandise after the programme was broadcast buyer"s remorse, perhaps... or maybe just a reconsideration of his taste in furnishings.) one!" (However, he did return much of that merchandise after the programme was broadcast buyer"s remorse, perhaps... or maybe just a reconsideration of his taste in furnishings.) His staff of 120 people costs him about $300,000 a month. More than once, the company that leases much of the amus.e.m.e.nt park equipment has threatened to repossess it; Michael has had to come up with emergency payments, thereby not being able to compensate certain employees. Neverland"s monthly expenditures amount to about $1.2 million.
A couple of years ago, Michael used his one-half share of the Sony/ATV music catalogue as collateral to borrow $200 million. (Michael bought ATV in 1985 for $47.5 million. Ten years later, in 1995, he sold 50 per cent of ATV to Sony for about $90 million. Sony/ATV, of course, owns the publishing rights to hundreds of Beatles songs, as well as more than 400,000 other songs, including some of Elvis"s and even Madonna"s.) Sony guaranteed the $200 loan for Michael. However, if he defaults, the company can then move to claim his share of ATV.
"He"s a ticking financial time bomb waiting to explode," claimed the attorney of Myung Ho Lee, his former financial manager from 1998 to 2001 who sued him for back payment. (The suit was settled in June 2003.) More than likely, in order to meet the loan, Michael will borrow $200 million from someone else, pay back the original lender, and then owe the money to a new one. He"s never going to be sensible when it comes to finances; yet he will always live like a king. According to different legal filings along the way, he owes hundreds of thousands of dollars to attorneys, publicists and even to limousine companies; people apparently work for him, and then wait to be paid, because it"s worth it just to be able to be affiliated to him. He even still owes money to the contractor who built Neverland! Those who predict his financial downfall forget that he"s a person with whom powerful people want to rub shoulders, no matter what, a famous man who traffics with the international elite. There will always be someone, somewhere, willing to bail him out, if it becomes necessary to do so, even if he"s viewed as a poor risk. Why? Because he"s Michael Jackson Michael Jackson.
Besides, the $200 million isn"t due until 2006. In Michael"s world, that"s a lifetime away. There are times when he"s simply trying to get through the week; his eye certainly isn"t on what will happen in three years. Also, he can take comfort in knowing that he can eradicate the entire matter by doing the one thing he most doesn"t want to do: tour. A couple of unsuccessful CDs, videos and bad judgement calls can still not dim the glory that has been Michael Jackson"s performing career for decades. His 1997 HIStory HIStory tour was a monumental success for him, setting attendance records at each stop along the way. The public might not be as supportive of his music as it was before the allegations, but Michael still sold out concert halls after the scandal. tour was a monumental success for him, setting attendance records at each stop along the way. The public might not be as supportive of his music as it was before the allegations, but Michael still sold out concert halls after the scandal.
For instance, he feared that he would have problems performing in the United States, and was particularly nervous about two January 1997 dates in Hawaii, his first American shows since the scandal (and his first US Tour stop since 1989). However, the two concerts (4 and 5 January 1997, in Honolulu) were hugely successful for him. While no other musical act had ever sold out the stadium, Michael"s shows sold out in less than a day. Hawaii promoter, Tom Moffatt enthused, "I"ve never seen anything like it... there"s been nothing even close to this the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Julio Iglesias, the Eagles." Evan Chandler may have thought he would "ruin" Michael Jackson... and maybe he did do him significant damage where record sales are concerned, but not when it comes to his ability to draw concert goers.
In 2001, he was offered ten million dollars simply to perform two nights in Las Vegas. He also had $100 million guaranteed for a national tour. Imagine what he might command for a world world tour? He could earn enough to handle his responsibility with the bank loan plus whatever he may require to cover his annual Toys "R" Us budget. "But it takes too much out of me," he told me of touring, back in 1995. "It"s like a two-hour marathon, every show. I swear, I must lose ten pounds a concert. The expectations are too high. It"s hard." tour? He could earn enough to handle his responsibility with the bank loan plus whatever he may require to cover his annual Toys "R" Us budget. "But it takes too much out of me," he told me of touring, back in 1995. "It"s like a two-hour marathon, every show. I swear, I must lose ten pounds a concert. The expectations are too high. It"s hard."
Michael also spends a fortune on presents for children around the world, some of whom he knows but many of whom he doesn"t and who are connected to him through various charities. Also, of course, he splurges on himself: for instance, in June 1999 he paid $1.54 million at a Sotheby"s auction to own David O. Selznick"s Best Picture Oscar for Gone With the Wind Gone With the Wind. Moreover, he gives generously to friends such as Elizabeth Taylor, who is accustomed to receiving expensive baubles from Michael on a regular basis, and he doesn"t disappoint. He recently spent $10,000 in Las Vegas, on perfume for her.
Unfortunately, making his life more complex is the fact Michael is always involved in lawsuits from people with whom he"s done business in the past: former promoters, producers, managers, accountants, investment bankers, employees have all come after him for tens of millions of dollars. It seems that the lawsuits never stop coming. Brian Oxman, who has represented Michael and some of his siblings for more than ten years, says that Michael has given about 500 depositions in his lifetime and, amazingly, been involved in more than 1,500 lawsuits. If one figures that Michael didn"t start becoming involved in litigation until he was a professional entertainer of about ten years of age, and it"s unlikely that the suits started that early, it would amount to thirty-five years of lawsuits or an average of forty lawsuits a year.
Michael, of course, is not the only one giving depositions all of the litigants are required to do so, as well. Such interrogations then become public record and, often, the foundation for interesting a.s.sertions. Earlier this year, as a result of depositions given during a lawsuit filed against Michael, it was reported by Vanity Fair Vanity Fair that he hired a witch doctor named, Baba, to sacrifice forty-two cows in order to curse David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and dozens of others on a Hate List. Sure, it"s preposterous, but in Michael"s world one in which he whisks his baby out of a hospital, "with all the placenta and everything all over her" it could be argued that anything goes. that he hired a witch doctor named, Baba, to sacrifice forty-two cows in order to curse David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and dozens of others on a Hate List. Sure, it"s preposterous, but in Michael"s world one in which he whisks his baby out of a hospital, "with all the placenta and everything all over her" it could be argued that anything goes.
In Michael"s song "Tabloid Junkie" he wrote, "Just because you read it in a magazine or see it on a TV screen don"t make it factual." He might have added,"... or read it in a deposition."
Michael becomes anxious about each lawsuit filed against him, but often not until it involves his personal partic.i.p.ation which is usually at the time of deposition. "He has, on some occasions in the past, not eaten when he should," says Oxman. "He can become very concerned and nervous at depositions. He doesn"t like lawsuits, and it makes him ill to have to cope with litigation that people heap on him. He is tired of being sued. But this is the kind of life that Michael leads. No one wants to be reasonable. Everyone wants to be crazy."
Fathers and Sons.
Perhaps it"s not surprising that one person more moved by Martin Bashir"s Living With Michael Jackson Living With Michael Jackson doc.u.mentary than maybe anyone else in the Jackson family was Michael"s father, Joseph. Every time he sees Michael on television describing how he was beaten as a child, Joseph can"t help but cringe. doc.u.mentary than maybe anyone else in the Jackson family was Michael"s father, Joseph. Every time he sees Michael on television describing how he was beaten as a child, Joseph can"t help but cringe.
Today, Joseph regrets many of his actions, wishes he had made different choices as a parent even if he does put up a tough front. Michael first spoke about his view of his father in a 1993 interview by Oprah Winfrey. "There were times when he"d come to see me, I"d get sick," Michael said. "I"d start to regurgitate. He"s never heard me say this," Michael added. "I"m sorry," he said, looking into the camera. "Please don"t be mad at me." He hastened to add, "But I do love him." Afterwards, a visibly hurt Joseph went on television and said, "I didn"t know he was "gurgitatin", [sic] but if he did "gurgitate, he "gurgitated all the way to the bank." True to the nature of their conflicted relationship, Michael then felt so badly about his words to Oprah that, to show his deep regret, he bought Joseph a new automobile.
"I was tough on him," Joseph told me of Michael, a few years before Oprah"s interview. At the time, he and Michael weren"t even speaking; the subject of their disagreement was not known to me. "See, the thing is that I wanted him to know that the world was not a nice place," Joseph went on. "He was so d.a.m.n sensitive, more than the other kids, I was worried about him. Me and Katie both were. So, yeah, I admit it," he said, a bit defensively. "I was hard on him. Maybe too much, huh?" His eyes searched my face for an answer. "Maybe I should have backed off, do you think? I don"t know. I do know this. I would do it differently, today." He shook his head, sadly and concluded, "What father doesn"t wish he had the chance to go back and do it... differently?"
By February 2003, Joseph"s son, Michael, was four years older than Joseph had been on the day he took his talented boys to Motown to audition for the company. Then, Joseph was vigorous and full of fight, arguing with Berry Gordy and Ewart Abner, playing around behind his wife"s back and ordering his boys about in his own inimitable way. Now, he"s slowed down. He sometimes finds it difficult to rise from a chair.
Those who know him best say that seventy-three-year-old Joseph Jackson has become, in his senior years, sentimental and even sad about the past. He wishes his relationship with his wife and children had been better, more satisfying. Somehow, he has managed to set it straight with Katherine, especially in the last ten years. Despite all that has happened to their family the in-fighting, family politics, hurt, anger, betrayal and disappointment Joseph and Katherine, seventy-two, remain united as husband and wife. They have been married for more than fifty years. The names of the women who have come and gone from their lives have been relegated to the distant past. "Now, what was that girl"s name?" Katherine recently asked him in front of a family member. They were speaking of Gina Sprague, from almost twenty-five years ago. Joseph thought for a moment, and had to smile. "I swear to G.o.d," he said, "I can"t remember." Katherine looked perplexed for a moment, then exclaimed, "My goodness, Joseph. Neither can I. Oh, well..."
Given all the evidence, it could be said that what should have been the story of a family"s transcendence and triumph over poverty turned out, instead, to be a tale of tragedy and disappointment. However, maybe that"s a cynical view of the Jacksons" story. What if Joseph hadn"t been so driven to transform the lives of his family? What if they"d never left Gary, Indiana? Would they have been better off there? It"s doubtful. They"ve had a remarkable, thrilling life in Los Angeles, even with all of the intense, and often hurtful, melodrama.
"At the root of it, we love each other," Joseph has explained, "and I guess that"s what has kept us together all these years. Even when it got bad," he said, before correcting himself with a smile, "even when I got bad and I did didget bad, that woman loved me, and my kids loved me, I like to think. You don"t see that in this world so much. I"m a lucky man."
Joseph and Katherine were both upset about the Martin Bashir doc.u.mentary. They know how easy it is to paint a sensational picture of their most famous son. They felt that Bashir had exploited his obvious eccentricities, and were incensed by his machinations. They were also moved by Michael"s recollection of his childhood. It was obvious from his demeanour that he was still in such pain.
When Joseph telephoned Michael early the next morning, he found him crying. Michael said he felt wretched about the way the doc.u.mentary had turned out and, according to a family member, he told his father, "I just hope that, in twenty years, my kids don"t see it. What will they think of me, Joseph?"
Joseph said that he and Katherine wanted to visit him as soon as possible at Neverland. It had been some time since they"d been to the ranch. Michael was suspicious. In the past, whenever Joseph wanted to meet with him it had to do with a scheme to reunite him with his brothers. Michael didn"t have the energy to turn him down again. "I promise you, Michael, it"s not about the brothers," Joseph said. "It"s about us, you and me and Katherine. Plus," he said, "we want to see the kids. Please." (He was referring to his grandchildren.) "They"re as important to us as they are to you, Michael."
Michael must have been moved. Whereas show business was once paramount in his life, it"s true that his children are, today, his primary concern, his great pa.s.sion. Ironically, the allegations of s.e.xual abuse levelled against him a decade ago, those charges that practically laid ruin to his life and career, had a surprising consequence: they were the catalyst for change. Evan Chandler, father of Jordie, had promised to ruin Michael. "You"re going down," he told him. "You are going down down." It was a terrible threat, one no person would ever want to hear. In an effort to reprioritize his world, Michael then reached within to learn what might truly matter to him. He wanted to be vitally involved in something meaningful, not just in show business, and he decided that it would be in the raising of his own children that he would find the most satisfaction. So, he had children not in a conventional manner, but what else could one expect of Michael Jackson?
Katherine and Joseph arrived at Neverland a few days after the United States broadcast of the Martin Bashir programme. They would then spend the next five days with Michael and his children. Mornings would begin with the ritual of Katherine and Michael having breakfast together on one of the patios, the air thick with the mingled scent of the wildflowers Katherine has said she so enjoys. They would then feed the children in the expansive kitchen.
Meanwhile, Joseph would sleep late in one of the guest quarters. When he awakened, a personal butler, on staff at Neverland, would a.s.sist him with his morning needs. Joseph would then spend afternoons with Michael, taking in the well-manicured vistas of Neverland, talking privately. From all accounts, they looked happy to be together. One of the few a.s.sociates of Michael"s also present that week at Neverland recalled the afternoon father and son were seen having a picnic with Prince Michael I on one of Neverland"s verdant lawns. Katherine and Paris were off with a staff member to a Toys "R" Us store in nearby San Maria. (The baby spent the afternoon, sleeping.) Because it had rained earlier in the day, dampness lingered into the chilly February afternoon. Still, as they ate a fried chicken meal prepared by Michael"s personal chef, the bright sun shone down upon them, three generations of Jackson men, laying on a blanket... talking, laughing and enjoying each other"s company. "I love him," Michael later said of his father, "and I totally, totally forgive him."
Joseph and Katherine were delighted to check in on their grandchildren and see how Michael was progressing with them. They found that Prince Michael I and Paris are bright, confident, affectionate and considerate. They pray before meals. They are polite, thoughtful and funny. Michael becomes angry when they swear, as they sometimes do since most of their friends are adults. He never spanks them, however; he would never lay a hand on them, but as he puts it, "No means no no." He doesn"t raise his voice in anger, and doesn"t seem to have to do so they are generally well behaved. If one does act up, he or she has to endure a "time out", which means standing in a corner, alone, to cool off.
Michael explained that he rations the youngsters" toys and sends presents they receive as Christmas gifts from his fans to orphanages around the world, allowing the children to keep just one. He has taught them not to refer to any of their toys as "mine", when friends are over to visit; he wants them to learn to share. It"s telling, maybe, that he doesn"t like seeing his children stare into a mirror for too long when getting ready for the day. "I look great," young Prince once said, as he combed his hair. "No, you look okay," Michael said, correcting him. Though Michael has always been frightened of dogs (since being bitten as a child), he got over his fear in order to buy the children a much-wanted Golden Retriever. If they have a question (and children always have questions), Michael will not give them an answer unless he is sure it is accurate. He makes use of his expansive library to look up factual responses to even the most innocuous questions asked by his children.
Michael and his governesses dress Prince up as if he were little Lord Fauntleroy, whereas Paris wears dainty, lacy and velvet dresses. The baby, Prince Michael II, seems happy and well-adjusted. All three openly adore their father. Once a year, he dresses up in full clown regalia, and thrills them. "If I could spend all my time with Daddy, I would do it," Prince Michael I told Katherine. "I think he"s the best daddy in the whole world." Michael scooped the boy up into his arms. "And you"re the best little Prince, ever," Michael said, kissing his face. "I love you," said the child. "I love you, more," Michael responded.
While Michael was recording tracks for Invincible Invincible at The Hit Factory Criteria studio in North Miami, Prince Michael I spilled some popcorn on the floor. A producer was about to bend over to clean it up when Michael intervened. "No, let me," he said, apologetically. "He"s my kid. I"ll clean up after him." Then, according to the producer, "I look down and there"s Michael Jackson on his hands and knees picking up his son"s popcorn. I"m not sure you would see Madonna doing that." at The Hit Factory Criteria studio in North Miami, Prince Michael I spilled some popcorn on the floor. A producer was about to bend over to clean it up when Michael intervened. "No, let me," he said, apologetically. "He"s my kid. I"ll clean up after him." Then, according to the producer, "I look down and there"s Michael Jackson on his hands and knees picking up his son"s popcorn. I"m not sure you would see Madonna doing that."
Of course, there could be problems for his family in the future. The day may come when his three progeny will wonder why their mothers have decided to play such a small part in their lives. They could feel abandoned. Might they one day lament their childhoods, just as their father does his? Though there are never any guarantees in child rearing only time will tell how these three will turn out Michael Jackson"s family is unique in almost every way. His children face challenges in life perhaps even greater than those faced by their famous father.
Their being made to wear brightly coloured gauze scarves that resemble burkas, and other kinds of disguises, in public is disturbing. The two older ones must watch television and movies and realize that they are the only kids on the planet earth wearing masks when it"s not Halloween. Certainly, being forced to hide their faces in public puts the two Prince Michaels and Paris at risk of becoming antisocial, paranoid adults.
In the summer of 2003, Michael and his two oldest children went shopping in a Santa Monica store. He had on a red-and-white baseball cap, and a lavender surgical mask. Prince, then six, wore smart little slacks, a vest. Paris, then five, had on a red sweater and plaid skirt, with ruby-coloured shoes that resembled Dorothy"s from The Wizard of Oz The Wizard of Oz. Both children had on red-and-black Spider Man masks, which covered them from the neck up. Father and children were followed by LaToya, in a straw hat. What a scene.
Why does Michael think his children must be protected in such unprecedented ways from kidnappers? Again, using Jackie Kennedy Ona.s.sis as an example, no woman was ever more famous than she was, nor more protective of her and the President"s children. Yet, she would never have thought to make them wear masks in public. In fact, no celebrity in recent memory if ever has seen fit to disguise his or her children in such an outlandish way. Even after Frank Sinatra"s son, Frank, Jr., was was kidnapped in 1963, Sinatra didn"t make him wear a disguise to prevent future abductions! It begs the question of whether such costumes are for the children"s sake, or a way for Michael to distinguish himself as the most prominent, sought-after man in the world, thus his offspring the most prominent, sought-after progeny? At the very least, he seems to be imposing his own fears on to them. However, they"re his children, it could be argued, and he can therefore raise them anyway he sees fit, as long as he doesn"t abuse them. (Also, Debbie Rowe has said it was kidnapped in 1963, Sinatra didn"t make him wear a disguise to prevent future abductions! It begs the question of whether such costumes are for the children"s sake, or a way for Michael to distinguish himself as the most prominent, sought-after man in the world, thus his offspring the most prominent, sought-after progeny? At the very least, he seems to be imposing his own fears on to them. However, they"re his children, it could be argued, and he can therefore raise them anyway he sees fit, as long as he doesn"t abuse them. (Also, Debbie Rowe has said it was her her idea that the children wear masks and scarves. However, given Michael"s ages-old habit of wearing disguises in public, that explanation doesn"t seem likely.) idea that the children wear masks and scarves. However, given Michael"s ages-old habit of wearing disguises in public, that explanation doesn"t seem likely.) The weird ways he disguises his children aside, has Michael Jackson finally found happiness as a father?
On some days, yes, it would seem that way. From all accounts, he is a father who is good to, and for, his children. He has joyous times with them, watching them grow up, being completely involved in their lives. Hopefully, parenthood has been a self-educating experience for him and he"s now setting straight for himself his history of abuse and yearning for a better childhood, by giving to his own children that for which he has so longed love, with no strings attached, nothing expected in return, unconditional.
On other days, he remains one of the walking wounded, a lost boy holed up at Neverland, cowering from an ever-pressing world. "How can I get past the pain?" he recently asked one a.s.sociate. "That"s the question I ask myself. I"m so tired of being controlled by fear," he admitted, "and by my own bulls.h.i.t." He"s working on himself, working on forgiveness. He has good days, he has bad the latter spent sitting atop his so-called Magic Tree content to retreat into his imagination, reviewing his life, feeling unhappy about the way things are, coping as best he can with it and wanting to effect change in his life just wanting some relief relief from it all. Who knows, but maybe when stripped of all of his fortune and celebrity and his unconventional behaviour it"s in that very human place of restless discontent that some of us can find commonality with, of all people, Michael Jackson. from it all. Who knows, but maybe when stripped of all of his fortune and celebrity and his unconventional behaviour it"s in that very human place of restless discontent that some of us can find commonality with, of all people, Michael Jackson.
About two years before the Martin Bashir interview was broadcast, Michael gave a speech at Oxford University about raising children, launching his global initiative for his "Heal the Kids" charity. Much of what he said was absorbing, especially in that it seemed to have as much to do with his feelings about Joseph as it did about his own experiences as a father. ""What if they grow older and resent me, and how my choices impacted their youth?" Michael asked rhetorically of his children. "Why weren"t we given a normal childhood like all the other kids?" they might ask. And at that moment I pray that my children will give me the benefit of the doubt. That they will say to themselves: Our daddy did the best he could, given the unique circ.u.mstances he faced. I hope," he concluded, "that they will always focus on the positive things, on the sacrifices I willingly made for them, and not criticize the things they had to give up, or the errors I"ve made, and will certainly continue to make in raising them. We all have been someone"s child, and we know that despite the very best of plans and efforts, mistakes will always occur. That"s just being human."
The week Michael"s parents visited in February 2003, Michael enjoyed most of his time with them. Of course, as sometimes happens with families who"ve had a troubled history, there was a brief and sudden disturbance. On the third day, Michael and Joseph became embroiled in a disagreement. The specific subject of the quarrel is unknown, but witnesses recall Michael loudly insisting to his father, "It"s none of your business, Joseph. This is my my house." It sounded like the sort of argument that has been engaged in by grown children and their visiting parents throughout the ages. Joseph stormed off to his guest quarters, where he remained for about three hours. Katherine ran to be with Michael; the two had an intense conference in the kitchen, as Michael cradled Prince Michael II. By sunset, however, whatever it was that had caused the abrupt outburst had blown over; Joseph joined his wife and son, and grandchildren, for dinner in the ornate dining room. house." It sounded like the sort of argument that has been engaged in by grown children and their visiting parents throughout the ages. Joseph stormed off to his guest quarters, where he remained for about three hours. Katherine ran to be with Michael; the two had an intense conference in the kitchen, as Michael cradled Prince Michael II. By sunset, however, whatever it was that had caused the abrupt outburst had blown over; Joseph joined his wife and son, and grandchildren, for dinner in the ornate dining room.
On their final morning together, it again rained. As the black limousine approached that would take the senior Jacksons on their two-hour drive back to Encino, the day"s first sun rays shimmered through dark clouds, suddenly filling the sky with incandescent light. Michael was dressed for a meeting scheduled that day with business a.s.sociates; he was fashioned as if he were European royalty in a black jacket, a white-on-white tuxedo shirt and a tie with crests on it. An artificial mane of jet-black hair in a straight, pageboy cut fell just to his shoulders. He was also in full makeup, with thick eyeliner and densely pencilled eyebrows and lipstick. He even had powder on his hands. He and his mother embraced, holding on to each other for a long moment. Katherine whispered something into her son"s ear. He smiled, broadly, and kissed her on the cheek. Affectionately, Joseph then took hold of Katherine"s arm and helped her into the stretch vehicle. After Katherine was seated, Joseph turned to Michael and pulled him into a bear hug. Michael seemed to melt into his father"s arms. The two held on for a long moment. When he finally released him, Joseph patted Michael on the shoulder, straightened his tie for him in a fatherly fashion, and then got into the car.
The tall, oak gates of Neverland opened before them as the Jackson parents were slowly driven away, leaving Michael at the foot of the long, long road leading out of the ranch. He waved goodbye. As they disappeared into the horizon, Michael lingered a while, perhaps with memories flooding him fully, carrying him back to Encino with his parents, farther back even, to Gary with the rest of his family.
While he stood there silently, a light rain began to fall. He tilted his head back, letting the gentle drops fall upon his face. As if on cue, a young male in his twenties, wearing a black silk shirt and slacks, hurried toward Michael, trailed by two uniformed, ageing housekeepers. The trio gained momentum as they realized the King was getting wet. The man opened a bright, red umbrella with a flourish, and held it above Michael"s head. The women wrapped him in a scarf and cloak as he stood motionless, like a mannequin being staged for display. Michael attempted a small smile of appreciation to the three; their faces remained stoic.
As the rain began to fall harder, Michael turned away from those gates that opened to the outside world. The four then made the long trek back to the main house at a slow pace: Michael and his young man-servant, side-by-side under an umbrella; the two old maids dragging behind, becoming drenched in the downpour. An eerie parade of strangers in the rain. None of them speaking, all knowing their task. Onward, to Neverland.
Michael"s World Caves In... Again.
He thought being ten was hard, being famous before he knew what it was to be a human being. He thought being eighteen was hard, going through adolescence with the eyes of the world upon him. Twenty-one was hard, too, feeling like a phoney, not fitting in... choosing plastic surgery, hoping it would be the solution to all his problems. He came to thirty with a desire to do good, but it was hard. While his career was history-making, his life remained... hard. Forty. Then forty-five... harder than he ever dreamed possible.
The end of 2003 and beginning of 2004 has been the worst period of time in Michael Jackson"s life. Making it even more unfortunate for him is that he had, at the time that the last edition of this book was published, been working, even if tentatively, on repairing his personal life as well as his career, trying to come to terms with the past, with his father and other family members, and making important choices about how to handle other problems in his life. Yet he still had not made the most important decision of all, the one having to do with the on-going habit of entertaining other people"s children at Neverland. Such continual lapses in judgement and caution has caused another ma.s.sive personal upheaval for him, a true crisis in his life.
What a shame. There are no other words to describe the sight of Michael Jackson being led away in handcuffs... then, the mug shot... then, the arraignment on child-molestation charges.
Michael was at the Mirage Hotel suite in Las Vegas on 18 November 2003 when a police raid of Neverland, the second one in ten years, occurred. He was shooting a video for a new song, "One More Chance", written and produced by R. Kelly (who has also been arrested on child-molestation accusations, in a case that is still pending). However, there was no way for him to continue with the project. Seventy officers had descended upon the Jackson ranch and spent fourteen hours searching for evidence that might connect him to the latest charges. "I don"t think I"ll be able to get through it," he said, according to an aide who was present. Michael looked desperate and alone, said the aide, "the very foundation of his soul, shaken. But, still, there was a strong sense among people present that he had somehow brought it onto himself."
It"s true that after the first allegations of molestation were made against him ten years ago, Michael Jackson had every opportunity to change his behaviour. He would have been smart to stop himself, not just from making obsequious comments about young people ("I would die if there were no children in the world") but from seeking out the company of other people"s offspring. At the very least, it seemed unwise and even foolhardy for a man once accused of molestation to continue having sleepovers with the children of strangers.
After the Chandler case was resolved, many on Jackson"s team hoped he would never again mention the subject of children and certainly not be seen on television cuddling them, as he was on the controversial Martin Bashir doc.u.mentary. As we have seen earlier, during his interview with Bashir, Michael admitted sleeping in a bed with many children. "When you say bed you"re thinking s.e.xual," Michael said. "It"s not s.e.xual, we"re going to sleep. I tuck them in. It"s very charming, it"s very sweet." While watching Michael holding hands with the wide-eyed and star-struck youngster in the doc.u.mentary, who was described as a cancer-survivor, anyone who had been following Jackson"s chequered story over the years and knew his troubled history with the parents of young boys could sense trouble ahead. Indeed, a year later, that same boy is Michael"s accuser.
What was Michael Jackson thinking? Had he been so emboldened by the solution to the Jordie Chandler problem that he was now arrogant about the way he lived his life? Did he not recognize the need to protect himself from the possibility of similar events? Was he so naive that he simply didn"t understand the danger in which he continued to place himself by entertaining hundreds upon hundreds of children at his Neverland ranch? Or, one at least has to wonder, did he just have the misfortune to cross paths with a family that is now out to get him, and ruin him?
Of course, there is another possibility: Maybe Michael Jackson is a paedophile a remote prospect as plain and simple as it is sick and twisted and he got caught... again. The question remains unanswered at this stage, at least from a legal standpoint. There are many who believe in his innocence, and probably just as many who believe in his guilt.
Ten years earlier, even at the height of the Jordie Chandler scandal, matters hadn"t escalated to the point where an arrest warrant was filed against Michael. During the latest raid in 2003, if Michael had been home, he would probably have been taken to jail and booked, immediately. The authorities had an arrest warrant with his name on it, and an ambulance present in case he fainted.
There was good reason for such concern about Michael"s state of mind, though it seems unlikely that Santa Barbara District Attorney, Tom Sneddon, was genuinely worried about him. Michael is so fragile a person, the Chandler case almost sent him over the brink; he became addicted to drugs and, if not for the positive influence Elizabeth Taylor and Lisa Marie Presley, he might never have been able to recover. However, he did recover and, then, paid Jordie millions of dollars to settle the matter in order that he be able to move forward with his life.
Though Michael was able to put the other case behind him without admitting guilt in fact, with many declarations of innocence his career never recovered; his record sales were never the same. There was hope that a 2003 CD, a greatest hits compilation called Number Ones Number Ones, would help matters when issued in November. A single from it, "One More Chance", a melodic tune with multi-layered and lush harmonies, in the vein of some of his best 1980s work, seemed poised for success. In the UK, the compilation found quick acceptance: Number Ones Number Ones debuted at the top of the charts. "One More Chance" was also a hit. It"s clear that Michael"s British fans remain supportive. He also has the support of legions of fans in most other countries, but not in America. In the USA, he may never be able to rebound, especially now that he has been arrested. Indeed, in America, debuted at the top of the charts. "One More Chance" was also a hit. It"s clear that Michael"s British fans remain supportive. He also has the support of legions of fans in most other countries, but not in America. In the USA, he may never be able to rebound, especially now that he has been arrested. Indeed, in America, Number Ones Number Ones was a huge commercial disappointment, nowhere close to being considered a hit record. was a huge commercial disappointment, nowhere close to being considered a hit record.
"You have to stay strong," Michael"s aide told him on the day of the Neverland raid. "For your children, you have to be strong."
Michael crumpled into a chair. "I"ll do the best I can," he said. "But..." His voice trailed off as he buried his face into his hands. "Oh, my G.o.d. What a shock. I can"t believe this is happening to me... again."
Explaining Away His Pain.
Michael Jackson is always caught by surprise whenever something terrible occurs in his life. He never seems able to connect the dots of unfolding misery back to his own impulsive actions and questionable judgement.
For instance, he had never recognized that for every disadvantaged youngster who visited Neverland Ranch, there would always be a set of parents in the background. Some, such as those of his present accuser (and those of Jordie Chandler"s), might be at war with each other in a battle that could involve child custody (as it has in both cases). Also, each child and each parent was likely to have his and her own dysfunctional history, as well as aggressive attorneys. Since there was no way to check the backgrounds of every child and every parent who entered his private domain, would it not have made more sense to keep strangers out of Neverland? If he was so determined to host an amus.e.m.e.nt park for kiddies, could he not have maintained Neverland for that purpose, but chosen to live elsewhere? The simple answer for Michael is: no. He must be around children. He must have them in his midst. Neverland is a shrine to adolescence. There are statues of youngsters and photographs of boys and girls all over the place. He"s obsessed with kids.
How long, one wonders, can Michael and his enablers continue to explain his strange behaviour by saying that he is compensating for a childhood ripped from him by his career, his fame, his fans?
The duration of a person"s conscious childhood probably spans the years between five and eighteen. Michael became famous at the age of ten. Not to be reductive of a person"s dysfunction in such a complex world, but if one insists upon harping on the notion of a lost childhood, then it would seem that Michael "lost" eight years. Michael bought Neverland in 1988. He has lived there, surrounded by a dreamy and fake adolescence, for roughly sixteen years. Therefore, it would seem that he has compensated for his "lost childhood" two times over.
In truth, Neverland remains a monument to Michael"s confusion and conflict about childhood, and not how much he missed out on it but, rather, how much he misses misses it. He clings to every vestige of youth with almost manic desperation, as if growing up would be the worst thing that could happen to him. it. He clings to every vestige of youth with almost manic desperation, as if growing up would be the worst thing that could happen to him.
The ride on the private jet, a Gulf Stream G-4, from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara on 20 November 2003, the day Michael was arrested, was, of course, a difficult one. He was frightened and pessimistic about the future. "Why does everyone else get to be happy, and I"m always thrashing through the mud?" he asked.
Michael arrived at the jail wearing a black suit with his hands cuffed behind his back. He was photographed and fingerprinted and handed over his pa.s.sport; it took about a half-hour. He was charged with ten counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age fourteen, each count punishable by three to eight years in prison. Michael was freed on $3 million bail, which means he had to come up with $300,000 not a difficult thing for him to do.
Later, Michael would claim that he had been abused by police officers while at the station; they had even dislocated his shoulder! It was unlikely that Jackson suffered at the hands of law enforcement; there were video cameras everywhere. When did the abuse happen? He seemed fine when he arrived at the station, and was waving to people and flashing the victory sign when he left. The bruise Michael displayed to 60 Minutes 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley (on 29 December 2003) as evidence of handcuffs that had been too tight was so high on his arm it had to be the result of some other occurrence. Some speculated that he had actually hurt himself during the caravan ride from Santa Barbara to Las Vegas, while shaking hands with fans out of the half-opened window of his automobile. correspondent Ed Bradley (on 29 December 2003) as evidence of handcuffs that had been too tight was so high on his arm it had to be the result of some other occurrence. Some speculated that he had actually hurt himself during the caravan ride from Santa Barbara to Las Vegas, while shaking hands with fans out of the half-opened window of his automobile.
There was something about Michael"s detailing of police abuse that felt impulsive in delivery, as if he hadn"t thought about it in advance but, rather, made a snap decision in a desperate, anxious moment. It"s doubtful that he discussed it with his attorneys in advance. Coming directly from Michael, the accusation of abuse truly was disconcerting. Everything Michael says these days has to hold up under scrutiny; his credibility is on the line now, more than ever. It"s also doubtful that anyone in his camp would dare take him to task for such impulsive behaviour, though. It is more likely that, after they were caught by surprise, they scrambled to figure out how to handle it.
After the accusation of abuse made headlines, the police department retaliated by releasing a video in which it seemed Michael wasn"t abused at all but, rather, actually treated well by the authorities. The suspicious allegation against the police made things worse for Michael; it looked like a diversionary tactic and caused some of his critics to speculate as to why he would need one.
The Way He Wants It.
A compelling image and one his fans want to believe is the notion of Michael Jackson hunkering down with his staff in a boardroom, ordering people about, expressing his "outrage" about whatever is going on that day, issuing edicts and pounding his fist on his desk as frightened minions scramble about him. Actually, there"s little evidence to suggest that Michael is, at least in the last few years, the calculated strategist his handlers describe as they spin his present situation in the press. In truth, he spends most of his time with his three children, ignoring as much as he can the frightening details of his dilemma.
"When he is forced to become involved in meetings with lawyers and accountants, he is often in a tense, sullen and uncooperative mood," says another person who knows him well.
Perhaps it is understandable that Michael would just as soon not face his troubles, and maybe he"s lucky to be able to avoid most of the details. He has many people in his employ whose job it is to shield him from the reality of litigation, as well as the media coverage of the on-going molestation story. When he hears of a particularly controversial report usually second-hand since he does not watch television or read the newspapers he is "appalled" by it. Someone then writes a statement expressing such empty emotion, and "exposing" the untruth of the story. New people in his circle act as if we"re living in a parallel universe, and that everything ever published or said about Michael or his family including that which they have said and written about each other in the past occurred in some other other reality, not our own. The only history the public is supposed to have with Michael is one that begins on the morning someone in his inner circle appears on television to proclaim that all is well... and that we"re wrong-minded for believing, or even suspecting, otherwise. reality, not our own. The only history the public is supposed to have with Michael is one that begins on the morning someone in his inner circle appears on television to proclaim that all is well... and that we"re wrong-minded for believing, or even suspecting, otherwise.
Unfortunately, coddling and indulging Michael serves to reinforce his own self-image of being a rich kid in a mean world of money-grubbing adults and, thus, unable or unwilling to deal with his responsibilities and obligations. When he does give a firsthand interview, he seems distracted, disconnected from reality. He expresses himself as if he"s never been around adults, as if he has no social skills. He looks troubled, scared, sick to his stomach. He truly is is childlike. However, it remains disconcerting to hear family members and reasonable-thinking, educated people describe him that way as if it"s an admirable, even awe-inspiring, trait for a man in his mid-forties, instead of a troubling, worrisome one. What can be done to help Michael Jackson? Certainly more than just approve of him. childlike. However, it remains disconcerting to hear family members and reasonable-thinking, educated people describe him that way as if it"s an admirable, even awe-inspiring, trait for a man in his mid-forties, instead of a troubling, worrisome one. What can be done to help Michael Jackson? Certainly more than just approve of him.
After his arrest, Michael came forth to say, once again, that he would never hurt a child and the public is "crazy" to think that there is anything strange about his rapport with children. "I love children. I would slit my wrist before hurting a child," Michael told Ed Bradley in the televised 60 Minutes 60 Minutes interview. His eyes were wide and heavily lashed, the nose small and sharp. He seemed delicate, frail, almost like a geisha girl as he sat so primly in his turquoise-blue silk blouse. His hair fell to his shoulders, a jet-black swoop that contrasted with his whitish skin. Every now and again, someone would rush to his side, looking alarmed. He said he didn"t feel well, he clearly wanted to wrap the interview up. He looked as if he was about to wilt under the pressure. interview. His eyes were wide and heavily lashed, the nose small and sharp. He seemed delicate, frail, almost like a geisha girl as he sat so primly in his turquoise-blue silk blouse. His hair fell to his shoulders, a jet-black swoop that contrasted with his whitish skin. Every now and again, someone would rush to his side, looking alarmed. He said he didn"t feel well, he clearly wanted to wrap the interview up. He looked as if he was about to wilt under the pressure.
Later, his family members, in support of Michael, confirmed that he "loves all children" and as Jermaine put it, "he would never harm a child".
Actually, the Jackson family"s defence of Michael"s obsessive love for children does little to help him. Rather, it tends to make them look out of touch with society and with what is considered appropriate behaviour in the real world. Simply put, loving children and not wanting to hurt them is no defence against child molestation. In fact, most child molesters express great affection for their victims and feel that they are not hurting them. Most would rather "slit" their "wrists" than hurt a child... and, horribly, they all all end up hurting children. end up hurting children.
"People in the real world will always out-number them in their world where, it seems, anything goes," remarked one legal a.n.a.lyst. "They are not going to be able to beat us, or change our minds about what makes sense and what looks inappropriate when it comes to kids and adults. They may as well join us in the real world, and maybe sit down and have a very strong talk with their son and brother."
"After the 60 Minutes 60 Minutes interview, we looked at each other and said, "Holy Christ! That did not go well, did it?" says the former spokesman. "What happened there?" interview, we looked at each other and said, "Holy Christ! That did not go well, did it?" says the former spokesman. "What happened there?"
"Michael has been around for so many years, one expects him to shine on camera. But people who know him well know that he does not do that. Instead, he acts as if he"s never done an interview in his entire life.
"He tries, G.o.d knows he does, and it"s hard for him. I saw it firsthand. He is sick before going on camera for an interview, throwing up, so nervous, so upset, so filled with anxiety. Your heart goes out to him. You wonder how he ever ended up in the public eye, and what an ordeal he has been through just to get this far in it.