Yes, it's that time of year again. New Year's Eve - the perfect time to reflect on the year that has just passed and make plans for the New Year that is just about to begin.
You may have noticed, I love filling my blogs with photos. When thinking of this subject, 2010 - The Year in Review, I originally expected to have a photo of Michael, but then I came across this one (I collect photos of MJ & his kids and only require the flimsiest of excuses to include them in my blog!). For me, some of the highlights of this year have definitely come from these three children so it is somewhat fitting they start this posting off.
JANUARY 31st - 52nd Grammy Awards
First there was a performance of ‘Earth Song’ where Michael’s vocals are accompanied by Celine Dion, Usher, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson whilst a 3D mini movie (taken from This is It) plays.
I watched it again just now and I enjoyed it even more than when I first saw it (despite the tears streaming down my face). I guess that’s because the first time, I knew Prince & Paris were supposed to be making an appearance after the song, and I was anxious to see them.
The other thing I recall from the original viewing of the ‘Earth Song’ performance was thinking at the time how the choice of song was particularly appropriate. The devastating earthquake in Haiti had happened less than 3 weeks prior to the Grammy’s broadcast. But despite the round the clock TV news coverage, it seemed to me that few in the media were making the connection that our actions have caused the catastrophes that have plagued the world in the last decade. That to me is what the ‘Earth Song’ lyrics are all about - Michael telling us to “Look at what we’ve done to the world” before it is too late.
It amazes me that day after day, I would watch TV anchors reporting on the latest tsunami, hurricane, earthquake or other unprecedented weather event and not one mentions global warming or humankind’s destructive impact on the earth. So the decision to have the ‘Earth Song’ performed before Lionel Richie presented the Michael Jackson's Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award to Prince & Paris was a very timely one.
Paris had spoken so poignantly and beautifully at her father’s memorial but this was to be the first opportunity we would get to hear Prince speak. He was very impressive I thought. Sure, he was a tad nervous and stumbled over his words in places but overall he came across as a remarkably self assured young man. A real credit to Michael…
Prince:
Thank you, thank you We are proud to be here to accept this award on behalf of our father Michael Jackson First of all we’d like to thank God for watching over us for these past seven months And our grandma and grandpa for their love and support We would also like to thank your fans...the fans Our father loved you so much because you are always there for him Our father was always concerned about the planet and humanity Through all his hard work and dedication he has helped the many charities and donated to all of them Through all his songs his message was simple; love We will continue to spread his message and help the world Thank you We love you daddy
Paris:
Daddy was supposed to be here, daddy was going to perform this year But he couldn’t perform last year Thank you, we love you daddy
The camera returned to Beyonce a few times to capture her reaction to the Michael Jackson tribute. She was obviously feeling Michael’s vocals throughout “Earth Song” and looked adorable in her 3D glasses. In the below interview with Tyra Banks she talks about this night and what Michael Jackson means to her.
More Michael love from Beyonce here...
Her husband JayZ gave me another memorable moment in January. He was interviewed after the remake of “We are the world” for Haiti and he said:
“I know everybody is gonna take this wrong: ‘We Are the World,’ I love it, and I understand the point and think it’s great,” Jay told MTV News in Dallas this weekend. “But I think ‘We Are the World’ is like ‘Thriller’ to me. I don’t ever wanna see it touched.” He went on: “I know the plight and everything that’s going on in Haiti. I applaud the efforts…but ‘We are the World’ is untouchable like ‘Thriller’ is untouchable. Some things are just untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it’s gonna be untouchable.”
Simon Vozick-Levinson writes:
Instead, Jay-Z suggested that it might have been a better idea to record an entirely new song for Haiti relief — like, for instance, “Stranded,” the tune he performed last month at the Hope for Haiti Now telethon with Rihanna, Bono, and the Edge.
I agree with this and I have a feeling Michael would have too. I can imagine him wanting to be involved in a new song - perhaps even writing it himself - just like he did for the 2004 Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina. Like JayZ, I didn't care for the thought of a "We are the World" remake and actually only saw it for the first time a few weeks ago. Even then I only watched it because I knew they left Michael's parts alone...
I must say, I really liked the new version. Particularly as they have added Haiti specific lyrics at the end by Wycleaf and Will I Am.
We didn’t get to see Blanket during the ceremony but later this photo was released.
Seeing as I am the Queen of Wishful thinking I must include this one too!
I've only seen the delightful Captain EO on YouTube (I'm so grateful that all of us overseas fans can do that - at least until we get the opportunity to visit Disneyland).
It’s a fun little short film, shot in 1986 and it’s the classic tale of the underrated hero who encounters an evil adversary but wins them over with his powerful charms, saving the day for everyone. It's about 17 minutes long - in two parts. Here they are if you want to see it for yourself!
I’m so pleased that a new generation of Disneyland visitors will get exposed to the magic of Michael Jackson!
MARCH APRIL
MAY
JUNE - Remarkable ways MJ fans commemorated the one year anniversary.
JULY
AUGUST– The highlight of the month for me was stumbling upon the online MJ fan community. I knew of course that Michael had a great many fans but I didn’t know that they could be an alternative to the conventional media. It was such a revelation! And I am literally in awe of what the fans do on a daily basis in the name of Michael Jackson.
SEPTEMBER - Million Trees for Michael now have their first forest. 15,000 trees.
Prince doing some humanitarian work – showing everyone that he is following in his Daddy’s footsteps.
On a personal level, it was on the 10th September that I posted my first entry in my other blog, thus fulfilling a long held ambition of mine to write.
OCTOBER
This was such a joyous occasion that it warrants two photos (Well, I did say earlier I only needed the teeniest excuse!)
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER 19th- Heal the World for Children getting its official UK registration as a licensed charity.
What are your New Year's Resolutions?
Usually I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Because they would be the usual ones – diet, exercise and give up smoking - which I won’t actually follow through on until I am ready. For example, I have stopped smoking but I did so mostly by accident. I cut down the amount I was smoking due to financial concerns until it was just as easy to quit completely – so I did.
But this year, my New Year’s Resolutions are all Michael related and I feel, not only inspired, but compelled to see them come to fruition.
My New Year Resolutions:
1. Pursue confirmation that the 250,000 pound donation Bashir was supposed to make to get to interview Michael Jackson has been paid. IF it has not been paid then continue with campaign until it has.
Here are the steps I’ve taken this year on behalf of this campaign.
Post first chapter of “The Other Jackson Five” on the www.mjpopculture.blogspot.com . This is my creative writing blog. This particular tale is designed to tell the story of the donation in a light hearted and (hopefully) entertaining way. I only created this second blog when I felt the need to do more for Michael.
Contact Rev. Catherine Gross from A Place in your Heart Blog Talk Radio & Catherine Coy from www.mjtruthnow.com to see if they would be interested in supporting a campaign of this nature.
Sent email to Mr. Mesereau asking him for any helpful information about the donation.
Go on Rev. Catherine’s show Power of the Bloggerview: The Power of the Pundit Part 2 to discuss Bashir’s role. You can download this radio show for free by going to the website www.blogtalkradio.com/a-place-in-your-heart. While you are there, check out the other shows Rev. Catherine has done, she has great interviews with Larry Nimmer, Rev. Barbara Kaufman, Dr. Patrick Treacy plus many, many more.
Post Transcripts and Analysis on the 90 minute ‘Living with Michael Jackson’ film. (There are 9 parts in total – and I’m currently up to Part 5). Raven Woods from www.allforloveblog.com has very kindly posted the transcripts on her blog as well. I’m so grateful to Raven for this because my blog is still fairly new so she has allowed those posts to get more exposure than they would otherwise get.
I’ve got a few more ideas in mind, after I’ve completed the transcripts. These include:
1.Send letter to Bashir/ITV/Granada Television on behalf of The Silenced Truth website asking for confirmation that payment had been made and to which charities so that the list of Michael Jackson’s charitable acts can be updated.
2.Hold “Cheater” flash mob events outside ITV and MSNBC offices. I am going to attempt to contact two very well known choreographers; Ashley Banjo in the UK and Wade Robson in the US. I’m aiming high I know but both have been vocal in citing Michael as their biggest inspiration. So I am hoping that means they’d be willing to help if approached to do so.
3.Arrange for an open letter in a reputable UK newspaper and a US one as well to Bashir/ITV/Granada TV/Nivea/ABC/Disney/MSNBC requesting them to make good on the donation.
4.Seeing as Mr. Bashir once reached No. 5 in a poll of the 100 Worst Britons, I think MJ fans should focus a little energy and get Mr. Bashir bumped up to his rightful place - No. 1 on that poll. After all, we are very experienced with getting our beloved to No. 1!
5.Another tongue in cheek idea I had – I’ve included this in the story I did for my other blog – was to have MJ fans make piñatas for children hospitals and charities. (In my story they are donkey shaped and have BASH HERE written on them). I thought this might be a great way for creative minded MJ fans to vent their anger at Mr. Bashir. It’s subtle but makes a point, and better still it helps brighten the day of both the child who receives it and the MJ fan that made it. Here is the helpful instruction link if you are one of those crafty MJ fans.
I would love everyone to give me their suggestions on what more we can do or if you think you can help in some way with any of the above, I would welcome that!
2. Michael's birthday present - September 2011. Raise enough funds for 2 families from the Ronald McDonald House to be treated to an all expenses paid day out (a la Neverland) at the Royal Show in Melbourne, Australia - my home town.
Million Trees for Michael - 17,761 trees - this is their year end total for 2010.
3. Donating to the A Million Trees for Michael - I want to try to have the trees in my own state - Victoria. In February 2009 we suffered from devastating bushfires, Americans describe it as wildfires. 173 people died on that day, you might even remember this iconic image...
Look at the blackened tree behind. Koala's get most of their moisture from the eucalyptus leaves which is what Michael is feeding this koala in the below photo. This was during his 1985 visit to Australia.
Had to throw in another koala shot...
That is one happy looking koala!
(I must go now so I apologise for the incomplete posting but I wanted to have it posted in 2010! I will complete it early next week.)
All the very best for the Festive Season to all my MJ friends and fan-mily.
I am so pleased to have a little time off to focus on writing some new stories for my other blog as well as continuing with this one. I hope you will forgive me not posting Part 5 of Living with Michael Jackson - with it being so close to Christmas I couldn't stomach another Bashir session just at the moment!
I hope you all have a wonderful time and I look forward to catching up with you all after Christmas when I am back on line.
(Opening scene Michael is with Mr. Bashir in the stretch limo and Mr. Bashir has just asked Michael how much he is worth - financially.)
♫ “The Way You Make Me Feel” from Bad 1987 is playing in the background
MICHAEL: “I’ve done really well…”
BASHIR (off camera): “A billion dollars?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah, it’s over there…”
BASHIR (off camera): “It’s over a billion dollars?”
MICHAEL: “Yes.”
(00:00:05. Cuts to Michael & Mr. Bashir exiting the limo having arrived at their destination. Nanny Grace Rwaramba can also be seen coming out of the limo but we don’t see the children. As Michael & Mr. Bashir make their way into the mall, we see they are accompanied by several uniformed police/security guard escorts.)
BASHIR: “Okay, let’s go!”
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “We headed straight for Jackson’s favorite shopping mall. He told me he wanted to spend some serious money – and he wasn’t joking.”
MICHAEL: “This is the Venetian…”
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “And when Michael Jackson goes out, every step of the way, there’s a fan waiting to greet him.”
MALE FAN (off camera): “I loved your song, ‘Ben’!”
MICHAEL: “Thank you…”
(00:00:26. Cut to a view of the mall in front of Michael, so you see the corridor of ornate arch ways that stretches before him. The camera then pans back to Michael who has stopped walking and is looking at the middle aged male fan who has moved into the frame.)
MALE FAN (some inaudible): “…I learnt to play it on the guitar and I played it all the time!”
MICHAEL: “Yeah?”
MALE FAN: “My name is Steve from Houston…”
(00:00:31. Michael Jackson shakes hands with Steve from Houston)
MICHAEL: “How long ago?”
FEMALE FAN (off camera): “You’re wonderful!”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “Oh…well…”
MICHAEL: “I love ‘Ben’.”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “When it first came out…”
MICHAEL: “Thank you. God bless you.”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “That’s my favorite song…”
MICHAEL: “I was 12 when I first sang that...”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “Give me a hug!”
FEMALE FAN (off camera): “Oh, My Gosh!”
(00:00:40. Michael Jackson warmly embraces Steve from Houston)
MICHAEL: “Where are you from?”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “Houston, Texas…”
MICHAEL: “Oh, cool!”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “And my sister’s your biggest fan.”
MICHAEL: “Awwwwh! Thank you.”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “If she was here, she’d be crying like a baby.”
MICHAEL: “Awwwwh! Awwwwh.”
STEVE FROM HOUSTON: “Bye-bye!” (Steve from Houston pats Michael’s arm)
FEMALE FAN (off camera): “Get one for Sissy!”
MICHAEL: “Okay. Bye!” (00:00:52 Michael resumes walking further inside the mall)
BASHIR: “You must get that all the time, don’t you?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah…”
(00:00:55. Cuts to the crowd below, some of whom are waving excitedly to Michael. As the camera pans back to him you can see that he waved back to the fans as the escalator takes him and Mr. Bashir to the upper level.)
BASHIR (off camera): “People coming up to you…Is that lovely for somebody to say…they loved your music…they learnt to play it on the guitar”
MICHAEL: “Yeah, its sweet…These ceilings…are amazing!”
(Camera pans to show the gloriously ornate ceilings)
BASHIR (off camera): “Do you think it’s a bit tacky?”
(Cut to Michael & Mr. Bashir walking again now that they are off the escalator. Camera pans in for close up of Michael’s answer.)
MICHAEL: “Tacky! Are you…are you silly?”
(Cut to a different angle – wider, so we can see the line of people observing Michael as he walks past.)
BASHIR: “Do you like to buy jewelry?”
MICHAEL: “No…For my mother…Elizabeth Taylor, yes! Because Elizabeth loves jewelry, my mother loves jewelry and…uh…”
BASHIR: “Cause did you hear that Elizabeth Taylor was…”
MICHAEL: “If there’s a girl I like at the moment I’ll buy her jewelry.”
BASHIR: “Oh yeah? Who’s that?”
MICHAEL: “If there is one I like at the moment…”
BASHIR: (Laughs) “Is there?”
MICHAEL: “At the moment, no…Not right now. I haven’t found one yet.”
BASHIR: “Well, who knows? There’s time…You’re still a young boy…”
♪ “The way you make me feel (the way you make me feel). You really turn me on (you really turn me on). You knock me off my feet now baby…”
(00:01:49. Cut back to Michael and Mr. Bashir arriving at the shop.)
BASHIR: “….hideously expensive as well…”
MICHAEL: “See, this is the shop I like…”
BASHIR: “This is the shop.”
MICHAEL: “I bought so much stuff here… Wait until you see the stuff I bought…”
BASHIR: “Show me.”
MICHAEL: “I want to show you…”
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “This is Michael Jackson’s favorite shop in Las Vegas, with the luckiest manager in the world.”
MICHAEL: “I bought that…” (Michael points to an item which is off screen)
BASHIR: “You bought that…the globe?” (Camera pans over to a large silver globe)
MICHAEL: “Yeah.”
BASHIR: “Right…”
MICHAEL: “Wait till you go upstairs…we’re taking you upstairs…”
(00:02:11. Cut to Michael climbing the stairs. He is facing the camera, waving when a female voice calls out “Hi Michael!” and he can be seen and heard saying “Hi!” back. 00:02:17. Cut to the area he was waving at – and it’s the outside of the shop. There is a large crowd outside the window, wall to wall people, many with cameras poised to capture the moment. You hear cheering and applause.00:02:23. Cut to Michael indicating which items he had purchased followed by Mr. Bashir.)
MICHAEL: “I bought these…” (Michael first points to an emerald green and golden urn set) “I bought these…”
BODYGUARD (talking on cell phone): “Uh-huh.”
MICHAEL: “I bought this one…this one…”
BODYGUARD (talking on cell phone): “About midnight.”
From www.juliensauctions.com
MICHAEL: “This one…I bought this table… (Michael lightly touches the table top) this chess set… (Michael points to a chess set) Isn’t it beautiful this set?”
BASHIR: “Your chess set in your library is…”
MICHAEL: “No, this one is bigger, it is bigger…” (Michael holds one of the chess pieces by the tip)
Perhaps this is the chess set Mr. Bashir is referring to?
BASHIR: “Wow! No, it’s sold, look!”
MICHAEL: “I bought this one, right?”(Michael is addressing the store manager as he points out another item)
STORE MANAGER: “Uh-huh.”
BASHIR: “Is this yours?”
(Michael turns back to answer Mr. Bashir.)
MICHAEL: “Yeah, that’s the sold sign means it’s for me.”
BASHIR: “Okay, how much is that one?”
MICHAEL (addressing the store manager again): “Did we ever get this one…these ones?
BASHIR: “It’s only $89,000.”
STORE MANAGER (answering Michael): “No.”
MICHAEL: “Can you put that on the list?”
STORE MANAGER: “Of Course.” (Rubs hands together)
MICHAEL: “Get you pen… (Michael motions to write it down) just so you can mark and not forget cause I…”
STORE MANAGER: “I’m getting…uh…the list now.”
MICHAEL: “Okay…Did we get those?” (Michael points up at an item off screen)
STORE MANAGER: “I don’t believe so…”
MICHAEL: “I like those.”
STORE MANAGER: “OK.”
MICHAEL: “Why don’t we order those?”
STORE MANAGER: “Right” (inaudible)
MICHAEL: “Yeah I like those.”
BASHIR: “Have you got enough space for all this Michael?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah I do” (Michael turns his back on camera and walks off to different section of the store. Mr. Bashir and the store manager follow him.)
BASHIR: “You’ve got space?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah. And these…”
BASHIR: “In the house at Neverland or…?”
(Michael turns to answer him but after doing so Michael immediately resumes shopping.) MICHAEL: “No. This will be for another house.”
BASHIR: “Oh, for another one, okay.”
MICHAEL: “We…we bought these, right?”
STORE MANAGER: “Uh huh.”
MICHAEL: “And these…and these…”
BASHIR: “You like your urns don’t you?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah…and these we bought…”
STORE MANAGER: “Yes.”
MICHAEL: “and these…”
STORE MANAGER: “Yes.”
MICHAEL: “This table…”
STORE MANAGER: “Yes.”
MICHAEL: “These…these…right?” (Michael points out various items.)
STORE MANAGER: “Yes.”
MICHAEL: “Look at these big blue ones! Look how beautiful these are. These, right?”
BASHIR: “My goodness!”
MICHAEL: “These?”
STORE MANAGER: “Yes.”
BASHIR: “Okay. Let’s have at look at these ones…”
(Mr. Bashir moves over to the blue urns to check out the price tag)
MICHAEL: “They’re beautiful!”
BASHIR: “Oh, that’s only $275,000 each…so that’s half a million dollars…for those two. I suppose it’s not…”
MICHAEL: “Well he’s…He’s going to give us a good deal…”
BASHIR: “…that doesn’t matter to you. He’s going to give you a good deal? He needs to give you a good deal!”
MICHAEL: “He loves…He loves to bargain.”
(Camera pans over to store manager)
STORE MANAGER: “That’s what we are here for.”
MICHAEL: “Celebrities like bargains too. Let me show you…”
(Camera moves in for a close up of the store managers hands which he is still rubbing together. The camera cuts to a close up of a statue of a cougar.)
STORE MANAGER: “And we’re…happy to give them to you.”
BASHIR: “How much…how much has Mr. Jackson spent, do you think?”
STORE MANAGER: “Uh…..”
BASHIR: “Out of interest, just a round figure?”
MICHAEL: “He hasn’t put the bargain together yet.”
STORE MANAGER: “I haven’t put everything together yet.”
BASHIR: “But I mean, based on the price of things…a couple of million or…?”
STORE MANAGER: “Uh… I’m not liberty…I’m not at liberty to say…” (Laughter. The store manager goes to walk away. The camera goes in for another close up of him rubbing his hands together.)
MICHAEL: “These things are mine, right?”
BASHIR: “It’s like you surround yourself…”
MICHAEL: Yoo-hoo? (Cut to Michael trying to get the store manager’s attention.)
BASHIR: “…with stuff that’s, like, an emperor’s house isn’t it? It’s like Louis XIV…”
MICHAEL: “Uh…It’s my taste…Yoo-hoo?”
(Cut to Mr. Bashir addressing the Store Manager with Michael in the foreground)
BASHIR): “You could probably retire, couldn’t you, after having just one client?”
(We don’t hear the Store Manager’s answer but he is shown in the background nodding his head and smiling happily. Michael is in the foreground with his back to the two men.)
BASHIR: “We’re going to go down and out?”
MICHAEL: “Well…yeah…We’re going to go down.”
(Cut to stairwell. Michael has reached the lower floor and Mr. Bashir is close behind him on the last couple of steps.)
BASHIR: “What about pictures Michael? You love your furniture…”
MICHAEL: “Did we do these?” (Michael indicates two large black urns on the landing.)
BASHIR: “You want these as well…”
MICHAEL: “Yoo-hoo? Yoo-hoo? We got these, right?” (Michael looks up to the Store Manger. Once satisfied with the response, he turns around and makes his way down the remaining stairs.)
BASHIR: “Wow!” (Mr. Bashir is studying one of the black urns, and examines the top of it.)
BASHIR: “What about pictures Michael? You love your furnishings but what about pictures?” (The camera follows the two men down the stairs)
MICHAEL: “Paintings?”
BASHIR: “Yeah, paintings.”
MICHAEL: “I like this one because it’s…they’re bathing Apollo. That looks like Apollo…and the girls are bathing him. Excuse me…”
STORE MANAGER (Off camera): “Yes?”
MICHAEL: “I want that one there.”
STORE MANAGER (Off camera): “Okay.”
MICHAEL: “And this one.”
STORE MANAGER (Off camera): “Okay.”
MICHAEL: “Cause we have this…I bought this statue…the whole marble…its bigger than life size. That’s the bathing of Apollo, right?
STORE MANAGER (Off camera): “Yes...”
♪ “The way you make me feel (the way you make me feel). You really turn me on (you really turn me on). You knock me off my feet now baby…”
(Michael turns away and finishes walking down the stairs.)
STORE MANAGER (Off camera): “Michael definitely knows his art.”
BASHIR: “Obviously!”
(00:05:25. Cut to shot of the waiting crowd downstairs with the security detail in the foreground)
BASHIR (Off camera): “Well, I suppose about 80% of the shop has been bought by you.”
(Michael and Mr. Bashir move into the frame. Initially, Michael shields his eyes from the flashing cameras, but after adjusting, he then waves to the fans.)
MICHAEL: “If you want to look at it that way…”
BASHIR: “Let’s go to the next shop.”
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “As news spread, crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Michael Jackson. It’s been the same since he was a boy and what happened then sparked a lifelong obsession with his face.”
MICHAEL: “I would never look at myself in the mirror, ever! (Cut to Michael sitting in his suite at the
Four Seasons Hotel) I would turn off all the lights…and…cause I had pimples really badly and… it was just difficult and… to face the public. One time we were in an airport I remember I think it was somewhere like…um….Virginia or something. And…uh…some lady recognized… my brothers and all of us and she goes:
“Oh My God, it’s the Jackson Five! Where’s Little Michael? Where’s Little Michael?” She’s looking around, looking down. “Where’s Little Michael?”
(00:06:29. Cut to a photo of a teenage Michael. You can see someone’s hand holding a pen and they place a hand on either side of the photo.)
Okay, so not the same photo as in the film, but it is the same era.
And…Another person goes: “There he is!”
And she goes: “Ugggh! What happened?” Just like that! (00:06:39. The camera cuts back to Michael briefly before switching to a panning shot of the Life magazine cover from September 1971– again the hands are present.) And, God, I could have just died right there! That’s exactly what that lady said to me.”
BASHIR (off camera): “Did your…father and your brothers tease you about your appearance as an adolescent?”
MICHAEL: “My father did…and some cousins did.”
BASHIR: “What did your father say?”
(Cut back to Michael) MICHAEL: “Oh God! (Michael groans.) It’s pretty embarrassing. He used to tease me real bad about it.”
BASHIR (off camera): “It’s cruel isn’t it?”
MICHAEL: Yeah, it used to hurt me. I don’t think he realized how much he was hurting me.”
BASHIR (off camera): “What sort of thing did he say?”
MICHAEL: (Sharp intake of breath and Michael grimaces): “He would tease me about how I looked and he would…say: ‘Well, you didn’t get it from my side of the family. Must have been on Kate’…Kate he would always say; meaning my mother. “You didn’t get that from me’ and I said…I felt like saying ‘Thanks for making me feel better’ you know…cause…I don’t think how bad…he didn’t even laugh…I don’t think...People don’t stop to think what they’re saying sometime and the effect it can have on a person, you know? And one cousin would always…you know…(makes pimple popping motion and sound effect) would do this to me when they see me…want to pop my pimples…and I would just go into the bedroom and cry, you know.”
BASHIR (camera pans over to Bashir as he asks this): “Is it true that your father used to say that you had a fat nose?”
MICHAEL (off camera): “Yeah.”
BASHIR: “What did he say, what did he actually say?”
MICHAEL (off camera but the camera does slowly pan over to him but doesn’t reach him until he has finished speaking): “God your nose is big! You didn’t get it from me.”
BASHIR (off camera): “What does that do to someone who’s going through adolescence?”
MICHAEL: “You want to die. (A long pause) You want to die. And on top of it you’ve got to go on stage, in the spotlight, in front of hundreds of thousands of people and just…God! It’s hard! I would have been happier wearing a mask.”
MICHAEL (off camera): “Let’s see how it looks on you. (00:08:31. Cut to a mask shop where Michael is holding a jester mask up to Mr. Bashir’s face.) Wow!”
BASHIR: “Is it an improvement? (Laughter) Thank you.” (Michael selects another more colorful mask and tests that on Mr. Bashir.)
MICHAEL: “That’s fun!”
BASHIR: “That’s a bit better I think. Yeah.”
(Cut to outside the shop window, where rows of people are pressed up to the window, watching Michael shop and taking photos of him)
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “So had these adolescent experiences in the spotlight led Michael Jackson to remake his face, to create his own mask?”
(Cut back to Michael who is still perusing through the mask selections)
MICHAEL: “Oooh, these are beautiful!”
BASHIR COMMENTARY: “I had to ask him.”
BASHIR (off camera): “What do you say to people who say: ‘Well, when Michael Jackson was a boy he was a black kid and now, (00:09:05. Cut to Michael sitting in the Four Seasons Hotel suite) as an adult he looks like a white man?”
MICHAEL: “Well…you gotta ask God that…that has nothing to do with me, Okay. And that…that is ignorance…”
BASHIR (off camera): “What do you…what do you mean that’s got nothing to do with you?”
MICHAEL: “I don’t control…you know…puberty. I don’t control…the fact that I have vitiligo.
Artwork found at The Tribute Portrait website. I think this is amazing!
I don’t control …you know…uh…Well, how many…how many white people…when they’re little kids look white now they look very… and they sit out in the sun…all day to look black. And the sun tan lotion business is a multi billion dollar business. Nobody says nothing about that. They do…you know…they’re trying to be other than what they are, but that’s okay I guess, right?”
(00:09:51. Cut to shot of “Black Stars” magazine circa 1980 with Michael on the cover with a more recent shot alongside it.)
BASHIR (off camera): “Are you trying to be other than what you are?”
MICHAEL: “No.”
BASHIR (off camera): “So when they say things like you’ve had implants in your cheeks…”
MICHAEL: “Oh God!”
BASHIR (off camera): “You’ve had a di-”
END OF PART 4 – Now for some analysis/commentary
1. ♫ “The Way You Make Me Feel” from Bad 1987 is playing in the background
We are now one third of the way through this 90 minute film and there has still not been one Michael Jackson song that was released later than the Bad album which was 1987! So that means nothing from Dangerous, HIStory or Invincible.
Not only did this film lead to the allegations, it also encouraged the misconception amongst the public that Michael was ‘losing it’ – the magic that had made him the superstar he is.
2. MICHAEL: “I’ve done really well…”
BASHIR (off camera): “A billion dollars?”
MICHAEL: “Yeah, it’s over there…”
Michael’s money is another one of those subjects that merit their own posting or series of postings. Before I even consider tackling it I need to do a whole lot more research. But what I will say for now is that it is yet another area that the media’s reporting on is woefully inaccurate.
Too many reporters rely on generalisations and stereotypes. For example, I can’t tell you how many articles I’ve read where Michael’s finances are being discussed, and the so-called journalists blame Michael’s ‘out of control’ spending for the debts he had accumulated.
Here is an extract from an article, and whilst I really like this particular paragraph, I found the rest of it to be quite disappointing.
"Mr. Malnik, who began advising Mr. Jackson a few years ago, said in an interview that the entertainer had spent about $8 million annually on plane charters, antiques, paintings, hotel rooms, travel and other personal expenses, and that the annual upkeep for Neverland and its staff was about $4 million. A forensic accountant who testified in Mr. Jackson's criminal trial last year said that the singer's annual budget in 1999 included about $7.5 million for personal expenses and $5 million to maintain Neverland. None of this explains the scale of Mr. Jackson's borrowing, however, or the rapidity with which he burned through those funds."
The reason I found this article disappointing is that the writer concludes that it was ill fated ventures that are the root cause of Michael’s debt levels being as high as they were.
Instead, what seems more plausible to me is something I read only in a couple of blogs (naturally it is Michael Jackson fans that have brought this to my attention not anyone in the media).
“Since 2005 MJ and his Estate had to pay off like $120 million of the debts, leaving like $80 million unpaid. But, in 2007 Sony/ATV bought the Famous Music catalogue for $400 million. According to sources, the original 1995 Sony-MJ agreement said that MJ has to pay half of the cost of any such purchases. This is why MJ's Sony/ATV debt might be still around $280 million.”
November 2001 - Sony/ATV Music Publishing acquires Tony Martin's Baby Mae Music catalogue of 600 songs. July 2002 - Sony/ATV Music Publishing buy country music publisher Acuff-Rose for $157 million. The venture includes publishing rights to 55,000 songs
My day job is in the finance industry, lending - to be precise. The global financial crisis exposed many of the questionable lending practices that exist, but what you might be surprised to learn is that the criteria gets increasingly conservative the higher the loan amount. So I find it more plausible that the loans advanced to Michael Jackson were to finance his half share in the newer Sony/ATV catalogue purchases, like the ones described above.
3. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “And when Michael Jackson goes out, every step of the way, there’s a fan waiting to greet him.”
Mr. Bashir is able to make this sound ominous somehow, but I am so grateful to the fans that were ever present in Michael’s life. I’m sure there may have been some who crossed the line from fan to stalker but for the most part, I love that they were there to shower him with love ‘every step of the way’.
“It’s always a good feeling. I never take it for granted. I’m never puffed up with pride or think I’m better than the next-door neighbor. To be loved is a wonderful thing. That is the main reason I do this. I feel compelled to do it, to give people some sense of escapism, a treat to the eye and the ear. I think it’s the reason I’m here.”
One of the things that surprised me most when I started to collect Michael Jackson photos after he died was when I saw, time and time again, Michael embracing fans of all ages, sexes and races. I must confess that despite being a fan, I was obviously not immune to the media characterization of him. I had thought him to be a germaphobic recluse and yet here he was in photo after photo hugging all these people – most of whom were strangers to him. And, in typical Michael Jackson style, he doesn’t do things by halves. When he hugs, he does so whole heartedly, often tenderly and lovingly cradling the person’s head as per the below pictures.
There are many, many more of these photos; these are just 2 of my favorites.
4. MICHAEL: “Tacky! Are you…are you silly?” Once again, Michael Jackson proves how astute he truly is. Yes, Mr. Bashir IS a silly, silly man.
5. BASHIR: “Well, who knows? There’s time…You’re still a young boy…”
Patronising, facetious and deceptive are some other adjectives we could use for Mr. Bashir. Here he is pandering to Michael, saying he is still young but in the film commentary he repeatedly makes reference to Michael being 44 years old.
On the whole though, I like this interchange a lot, especially because of the look on Michael’s face just before he says “And if there’s a girl I like…”
I feel like Michael was toying with Mr. Bashir a bit here. Given the end result of the film, I only wish he had done it more often.
6. MICHAEL: “I bought so much stuff here… Wait until you see the stuff I bought…” Here is a prime example of the media misreporting Michael’s finances.
The reporter states that Michael spent $6 million in one day, citing this particular shopping expedition as proof. This was probably a ‘cut and paste job’ – information taken from another article - because had they actually watched the scene in question, it is obvious that most of the purchases were made prior to that visit. And the only figure I heard mentioned was $2 million not $6 million.
7. (00:02:11. Cut to Michael climbing the stairs. He is facing the camera, waving when a female voice calls out “Hi Michael!” and he can be seen and heard saying “Hi!”)
In the interest of fairness, the cameraman does a very good job in the whole shopping trip of capturing what it is like to be Michael Jackson. Showing the security escort, the encounter with Steve from Houston, recording the reaction of the fans lining Michael’s route to the store and documenting the fans waiting outside the store window with cameras poised.
The same can not be said for Mr. Bashir however. His attempts at establishing the exact amount Michael had spent were cringe worthy in the extreme. There are times when journalists have to ask questions we, as fans, would rather they didn’t, but I don’t believe this is one of those occasions.
8. MICHAEL: “Get you pen… (Michael motions to write it down) just so you can mark and not forget cause I…"
How endearing is Michael here; Mr. Bashir seems determined to bait him, but Michael is letting nothing interfere with his shopping! And asking the store manager to write down his new purchases so nothing is missed…
The filmmakers have devoted quite a lot of time to the shopping trip, but I don’t think Michael comes off badly at all. Now perhaps it’s easy for me to say that, because as a fan I’m aware of how incredibly giving Michael was to the charities he supported so I don’t begrudge this spending spree.
From the general public’s point of view, those that are not aware of the extent of his generosity might find his spending excessive. And, of course, there was no mention by the filmmakers of Michael’s humanitarian acts that would have put the spending into context.
9. MICHAEL: “These…these…right?” (Michael points out various items.)
Does anyone else find this scene reminiscent of that one in ‘This Is It’ where Michael, Kenny Oretga and Travis Payne discuss flight attendants and the way they point out the aircraft exits? LOL. 10. MICHAEL: “Celebrities like bargains too. Let me show you…”
(Camera moves in for a close up of the store managers hands which he is still rubbing together. The camera cuts to a close up of a statue of a cougar.)
In a refreshing change, the filmmakers have found a new target for their ridicule – the Store Manager. It is not completely undeserved for he does appear to be continually rubbing his hands together gleefully - a fact, the cameraman is quick to hone in and feature. The predatory cougar statue shot is consistent with their methodology – at least it’s not one of Michael’s possessions!
11. MICHAEL: Yoo-hoo? (Cut to Michael trying to get the store manager’s attention.)
(Please allow me to simply be fan for a moment.)
Adorable!
12. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “As news spread, crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of Michael Jackson. It’s been the same since he was a boy and what happened then sparked a lifelong obsession with his face.”
Ah, and now we return to our normal programming…
Mr. Bashir getting back on track to mock another aspect of Michael’s life – this time his appearance. He is setting up the following scenes where plastic surgery will be discussed.
Not taken from this film - This was found at www.fanpop.com. I love this and seeing as we have all the ugliness of Bashir I want to counteract it with beautiful MJ art. Please enjoy!
13. (00:06:29. Cut to a photo of a teenage Michael. You can see someone’s hand holding a pen and they place a hand on either side of the photo.)
This is one of those times when I’m not sure what the filmmaker’s intentions are. I open it up to you, the reader, to provide your interpretation of why the hands are in this scene.
And no-one really minds that I swapped photos, do they? Hee Hee.
14. MICHAEL: (Sharp intake of breath and Michael grimaces): “He would tease me about how I looked and he would…say: ‘Well, you didn’t get it from my side of the family. Must have been on Kate’…Kate he would always say; meaning my mother. “You didn’t get that from me’ and I said…I felt like saying ‘Thanks for making me feel better’
Michael’s relationship with his father and other family members I will save for a separate posting.
It is important to remember that Michael totally forgave his father. And for me, I can not dislike Joe Jackson, for he is 50% responsible for creating the man I admire most in the whole world.
But we can have a little fun, can’t we? Here is a creation I found atwww.fanpop.comwhich I shall call “Michael’s Revenge”. I hope it makes you chuckle as much as it did me!
15. BASHIR: “Is it an improvement?(Laughter) Thank you.
I simply can’t resist! Yes, wearing that mask was most definitely an improvement, Mr. Bashir!
16. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “So had these adolescent experiences in the spotlight led Michael Jackson to remake his face, to create his own mask? I had to ask him.”
Of course, you did, Mr. Bashir! You have decided Michael is a plastic surgery addict and so will bring this subject up every chance you get.
And Oprah Winfrey has followed your lead and now brings up her version of the MJ3 (allegations, plastic surgery and drug addiction) at every chance she gets.
17. MICHAEL: “I don’t control…you know…puberty. I don’t control…the fact that I have vitiligo.
Pictures say so much more than words can when it comes to Michael’s appearance so please enjoy the following:
