Living with Michael Jackson Part 3 of 9 - Transcript and Analysis

Living with Michael Jackson Part 3 of 9

(Opening scene is Michael with his chin resting in his hand in his home theatre. Cuts to footage of the Jackson Five performing ABC)

♫ “Doe ray me, ABC, one two three, Baby you and me girl, ABC, Easy…”

MICHAEL: “We were terrified of him…terrified, I can’t tell you. I don’t think he realizes to this day (00:00:14 cuts to Michael saying this) how scared…scared…I mean scared. So scared that we…I would regurgitate.

BASHIR (off camera): “You would vomit?”

MICHAEL (emphatically): “UH-huh!”

BASHIR (off camera): “When would you vomit? What…what would produce that sort of reaction in you?”

MICHAEL: “His presence. Just seeing him… And…uh…sometimes I’d faint and my bodyguards would have to hold me up…uh…”

BASHIR (off camera): “When he was beating you, did you hate him?”

MICHAEL: “Yeah…strong hate. That’s why to this day (Michael shakes his head no as his says the next part) I don’t lay a finger on my children; I don’t want them to ever feel that way about me. Ever! And he didn’t allow us to call him ‘Daddy’ and I wanted to call him ‘Daddy’ so bad. He said “I’m not Daddy I’m Joseph to you!” you know? And I totally forgive him for all of it, you know, you have to…but…uh…I don’t allow my children to call me ‘Michael’. I say: “I’m Daddy!” (Laughs) It’s just the opposite. So when people say the abused abuse, that’s not true…that’s not true at all!

(00:01:36 Cuts to Jackson Five performing ABC)

♪ “Counting up to three, sing a simple melody (ABC that’s how easy love can be) ABC Girl! Thank you…”

(00:01:46 Cuts back to close up of Michael in home theatre with his chin resting in his hand then a cut to Michael and Bashir sitting together in the home theatre; chatting)

BASHIR COMMENTARY: “30 years on, the memories seemed as raw as ever. But there was little time now for reflection.”

 

♫ Instrumental plays of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” from Bad 1987

(00:01:58 Cuts to footage taken depicting leaving Neverland. You see a large white stretch limo driving along a highway. The sun is setting as evidenced by an artistic shot taken of the side view mirror.)

“It was late summer and Michael Jackson was leaving Neverland. He called me on my mobile to say he was off to spend a few weeks in Las Vegas and I could join him. In Las Vegas he would reveal his bizarre experiences of love and sex, his obsession with his face and, most extraordinary of all, I’d get to meet his children.”

 

♫ ‘Thriller’ instrumental plays

(00:02:30. Cut to a shot of the night sky with a three quarter full moon. The stretch limo is now driving past a small airfield and can be seen arriving at the lights of Las Vegas timed to coincide with the first crescendo of “Thriller’.)

BASHIR COMMENTARY: “In the summer, Michael Jackson set up temporary home in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas.”

♪ “It’s close to midnight, and something evil’s lurking in the dark…

Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it…

(00:03:27 Cut to the empty corridor of a hotel, then cut to Mr. Bashir striding purposefully towards the door to Michael’s suite)

An example of one of the suites of the Four Seasons Hotel

BASHIR COMMENTARY: “I went to see him at the Four Seasons Hotel where he’d taken out no fewer than 7 suites. I wanted to know why he would leave Neverland to spend months on his own in a hotel room.”

♪ “Thriller! Thriller night…and no-one’s gonna save you from the beast that’s about to strike…You know its Thriller…”

BASHIR COMMENTARY: “Especially as it would become quickly apparent that Jackson was deeply bored and isolated. In fact, he was delighted to have some company other than the bizarre collection of mannequins and gadgets that I found in his room. (Cut to a shot of Michael on a LCD screen which appears to be security equipment)

 

♪ “You hear the door slam…and realize there’s nowhere left to run…”

(00:04:10. Camera pans from the view from Michael’s suite overlooking the Luxor Hotel to near the window where both Michael and Mr. Bashir are standing. It is now broad daylight.)

BASHIR: “This is your suite… What do you like about Las Vegas?”

MICHAEL: “Uhm…I like the entertainment.” 

View from the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas

 (Cut to shots of the various attractions along the Strip: you can see the Luxor, MGM, Excalibur and New York, New York amongst many others)

BASHIR (voiceover): “The entertainment?”
MICHAEL (voiceover): “Yeah…It’s a fun place to visit!”

♪ “You close your eyes…and hope that this is just imagination”

    

(00:04:19. Panning shot of the waiter mannequin)

♪ “Girl…All the while…”

BASHIR (off camera): “What’s this?”
MICHAEL: “Oh I…uh…I…When I’m bored I…

(00:04:28. Cut to motorized wheelchair)

MICHAEL: “I ride in the hallways of the hotel on this…I cruise through…

(Laughs. The camera pans back to Michael and Mr. Bashir)…the hallways late at night sometime…”

BASHIR: “You are joking?”

MICHAEL: “No. I am serious.”

(00:04:39. Mr. Bashir laughs, Michael motions the motorized wheelchair which the cameraman obligingly pans back to)

♪ “There ain’t no chance against the thing with the forty eyes girl…”

(00:04:43. Cut to close ups of the facial expressions of two other mannequins)

♪ “Thrller! Woo hoo Thriller night…You’re fighting for your life inside…”

(00:04:49. Cut to close up of video game screen before panning out to show Michael playing the game as Mr. Bashir watches with folded arms.)

MICHAEL: “This is…uh…a game that I like.”

BASHIR: “It’s got a skate board, has it?”

MICHAEL: “Yeah.”

BASHIR: “Oh, that was a bit unfortunate…

MICHAEL: “Yeah, I got hit that time.”

BASHIR: “You crashed into a car...There you are.”

MICHAEL: “You make points. Here comes a car! Woo!”(Cut to Michael’s pajama clad legs that are imitating the motion of a skateboard rider) “Whoa! When I’m in my room when I’m bored late at night…” (Pans out to a long shot so that the chef mannequin appears briefly in the foreground) “…in between writing music I play with this thing. Whoa! (Makes screeching sound) Whoa! I just got hit then…”

BASHIR: “I wouldn’t like to see you drive a car!”

(Cuts to a clothing rack that has a pale green maid’s uniform hanging on it)

♪ “They will possess you…unless you change that number before you dial…”

(Cuts to Michael walking behind Mr. Bashir and they stop beside another mannequin.)

BASHIR: “Is that the Incredible Hulk?”

MICHAEL: “Noooooo! The Green Giant…”

BASHIR: “The Jolly Green Giant.”

MICHAEL: “It’s an old commercial…American commercial to make kids eat green peas. ♪Ho, Ho, Ho. Green Giant.”

(Cuts to a toe to head pan of the Green Giant mannequin.)

BASHIR COMMENTARY: “I soon learnt that Las Vegas was full of uneasy memories for Jackson.”

(Cut to Michael seated in the hotel room with at least two of the mannequins visible in the background.)

MICHAEL: “I had to share bedrooms with one of my brothers on the tours and… uh…there was some action going on in my room every night. I could hear it. (Laughs) And I used to…my job was to play sleep. And…and I was told by one of my brothers ‘No matter what don’t get up; don’t open your eyes!’ I go “I won’t I promise I won’t”

(Cut to Bashir listening attentively)

 MICHAEL (off camera): “and so I would hear these girls come in and I would hear them say…” (Cut back to Michael)  “Is that little Michael?” and my brother would say ‘Yeah’ and they would go “Oh, he’s so cute!” like that and I heard everything…and then I would hear…”

BASHIR: “What did you hear?”

MICHAEL: “With the girls?”

BASHIR: “You heard them having sex?”

MICHAEL: “Yeah.”

BASHIR: “In the same bedroom as you?”

MICHAEL: “Uh…Let me see…uhm…” (Michael pauses.) “Sometimes and sometimes not…yeah”

BASHIR: “So on some occasions, you’re lying down pre…pretending to be asleep and your brother is having sex with someone in the same room?”

MICHAEL: “Uh huh…”

(Cut to a shot of the drinks waiter mannequin)

BASHIR: “Did you have many girlfriends during your adolescence?”

MICHAEL: “Uh…Not a lot… I did…My first girlfriend…uh…who I really loved a lot was Tatum O’Neal.”

(Cut to Bashir asking this next question)

BASHIR: “And was it a typically romantic adolescent love affair?”

(Cut to Michael for his answer)

MICHAEL: “Yeah it was, but I don’t think I was ready for some of the things she was talking about.” (00:07:10. Cut to picture of Michael with Tatum)

“I was pretty naïve, I’m not joking! I hope she forgives me for telling this story. Okay, Tatum, please forgive me. Uh…I remember her telling me to come over to the house…to her house…a Beverly Hills too…and…what she’s going to do to me when I come…you know, all the…” (Michael makes a motion as if to say you know what I mean)

BASHIR (off camera): “Well, what did she say?”

MICHAEL (grimaces reluctantly but then answers): “All the sexual stuff. So I am scared to death.”

BASHIR (off camera): “So she rings you and says: ‘Michael, come to my house. I’m going to make love to you’?”

MICHAEL (grimaces): “Yeah.”

BASHIR (off camera): “And you…you’re really scared?”

MICHAEL: “I’m scared…scared… Cause I’ve never done anything like that. I came over there trying to be Mr. Big Shot and brave. I remember she cut out all the lights in her bedroom, opened the curtains, you could see the whole skyline of the city, over the cliff – it was beautiful…and she told me to go over and lie on the bed, and I did, I laid on the bed...and she slowly walked over… and… she…(Michael moves his hand to the top button his shirt) touched the button of my shirt to open it and I took my hands like this (Michael covers his face with both hands) and I wouldn’t let them down… and she… just walked away. She knew I was too shy for it. That’s what happened.

BASHIR (off camera): “Did you not feel tempted at all? (Michael shakes his head no.) You just felt frightened.”

MICHAEL: “I was frightened. I was afraid. I don’t think I was ready for that.”

♫ ‘The Way You Make Me Feel’ from Bad 1987 introduction plays

(00:08:43. Cut to Las Vegas strip where white stretch limo is driving along)

BASHIR (off camera): “Now we are going shopping to this spectacular place.

(Cut to Mr. Bashir inside the limo.) Do you like shopping?”

MICHAEL (off camera): “Love it.” (Camera pans over to Michael after he speaks.)

BASHIR (now off camera): “What do you love about it?”

MICHAEL: “Not so much the buying. (Michael clears his throat) and I’m not cheap but…I love seeing how people make things…I love craftsmanship…what people can do with their hands and their imagination.”

(00:09:10. Cut to Las Vegas strip where white stretch limo is passing a building with a giant clown face. Cut to other scenes of Las Vegas streets where the sun can be seen beginning to set.)

♫ ‘Hey pretty baby with the high heels on, you give me fever like I’ve never ever known’

BASHIR (off camera): “Have you always been good with your money? Have you always been…”

MICHAEL (off camera): “With my money?”

BASHIR (off camera): “Yes.”

MICHAEL (off camera): “Yes. I remember getting $200,000 checks in the mail when I was like 12, 13 years old. (Cut back to Michael inside the limo.) I used to get these monthly. My father would say: ‘What you want to do with it?’ (Laughs) and I’d say: ‘Well, of course we should…we should put it away and…”

BASHIR (off camera): “You were 12 years old?”

MICHAEL: “Yeah, he would give me a certain amount to…to buy things that I wanted to buy. (Michael clears his throat) What I would buy was uh…some bubblegum and some candy and stuff like that.”

BASHIR (off camera): “How much do you think you’re worth?”

MICHAEL: “It’s way up there…but I don’t want to…”

BASHIR (off camera): “Well go on now, go on, just…how much?”
MICHAEL: “C’mon Martin! Uh…”

END OF PART 3 – Now for Analysis/commentary

1. Cuts to footage of the Jackson Five performing ABC

 “ABC” was playing throughout the Joe Jackson abuse segment which struck me as being more than just a co-incidence seeing as ABC News would eventually buy the rights to air the program in the U.S for upwards of 5 million dollars.

2. That’s why to this day (Michael shakes his head no as his says the next part) I don’t lay a finger on my children; I don’t want them to ever feel that way about me. Ever!

 I have two reasons for wanting to highlight this portion. Firstly - to establish a base line for Michael’s body language. I’m a fan of the TV show “Lie to Me” which is all about the science of determining whether a person is being truthful or not from their body language and micro expressions. Now the experts have said when someone shakes their head no it can mean they don’t believe what it is they are saying.

But in Michael’s case I don’t have any doubts of his sincerity. Do you? The reason it is relevant is because in Part 8 or 9 when Michael is saying that all three of his children come from his ‘sperm cells’ (a hotly debated issue) he does the very same head shake.

The second reason is this: When the film was edited from 90 minutes to half that, this is where the statement ends. So the sentences as per Point 3 don’t get the wide distribution they should.

 

3. And he didn’t allow us to call him ‘Daddy’ and I wanted to call him ‘Daddy’ so bad. He said “I’m not Daddy I’m Joseph to you!” you know? And I totally forgive him for all of it, you know, you have to…but…uh…I don’t allow my children to call me ‘Michael’. I say: “I’m Daddy!” (Laughs) It’s just the opposite. So when people say the abused abuse, that’s not true…that’s not true at all!

These sentences are amongst the most relevant in my opinion and yet as I’ve just stated, they ended up on the cutting room floor when the film was shortened. So lots of inane, pointless questions remain and pertinent, insightful information is deleted.

It reminds me of this great posting I read in the last few days from a blog I just discovered called "withachildsheart". The article is entitled The Greatest Interview That Never Happened

4. ♫ Instrumental plays of “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” from Bad 1987

Continuing on a recurrent theme, please note yet another song from the 1980’s! Don’t get me wrong, all these songs are great – it is not the songs themselves I object to. It’s the fact that by choosing to ignore all of Michael’s later work (i.e. Dangerous, HIStory, Blood on the Dance Floor and Invincible) Mr. Bashir and his crew are able to insinuate that Michael is a 1980’s has been. Grrr!

5. (00:01:58 Cuts to footage taken depicting leaving Neverland. You see a large white stretch limo driving along a highway. The sun is setting as evidenced by an artistic shot taken of the side view mirror.)

In the interests of fairness I wanted to acknowledge the quality of the camera work in this instance – I liked the shot of the sunset in the side view mirror. I will not always have nice things to say about the camera man, unfortunately…

6. “It was late summer and Michael Jackson was leaving Neverland. He called me on my mobile to say he was off to spend a few weeks in Las Vegas and I could join him. In Las Vegas he would reveal his bizarre experiences of love and sex, his obsession with his face and, most extraordinary of all, I’d get to meet his children.”

“Spend a few weeks” note that because in just a minute or two Mr. Bashir is going to turn ‘a few weeks’ into ‘months’! “His bizarre experiences” Here Mr. Bashir goes again – imposing his negative interpretation onto Michael’s situation.

“Most extraordinary of all, I’d get to meet his children” – I couldn’t agree more but not for the same reasons as Mr. Bashir! My amazement is due to the privilege he got to spend time with Prince and Paris. Not that he honored that, of course, because the children were not supposed to be included in the finished film and they were. Yet another area Mr. Bashir reneged in…

7. ♫ ‘Thriller’ instrumental plays

(00:02:30. Cut to a shot of the night sky with a three quarter full moon. The stretch limo is now driving past a small airfield and can be seen arriving at the lights of Las Vegas timed to coincide with the first crescendo of “Thriller’.)

The film makers spent a good minute setting up the next scenes in Las Vegas. They use the song “Thriller” and moonlight to create an ominous, dramatic mood. Yet the Las Vegas footage is all shot in the day time!

8. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “In the summer, Michael Jackson set up temporary home in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas.”

Now, I must take exception to this on behalf of the city of Las Vegas. Las Vegas is so much more than simply ‘the gambling capital of the world’. Of course, Mr. Bashir was probably only trying to sensationalize Michael’s chosen destination hence the phrase used. Nonetheless, I took offence! But, more about Las Vegas a little later…

 

9. ♪ “It’s close to midnight, and something evil’s lurking in the dark…

Under the moonlight, you see a sight that almost stops your heart

You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before you make it…

(00:03:27 Cut to the empty corridor of a hotel, then cut to Mr. Bashir striding purposefully towards the door to Michael’s suite)

This is where it is abundantly obvious that this is NOT a documentary but a film. The film makers have set this up – the show down, the hero (?) Mr. Bashir going to face the ‘beast’ the camera follows him down a long winding corridor.

10. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “I went to see him at the Four Seasons Hotel where he’d taken out no fewer than 7 suites. I wanted to know why he would leave Neverland to spend months on his own in a hotel room.”

7 suites. Well, Seven of www.mjj-777.com does say 7 is Michael’s favorite number! Mr. Bashir had said that he meets Michael’s children in Las Vegas but conveniently forgets that in his very next sentence - when he says Michael ‘spend months on his own’. The 7 suites are probably for Michael’s children, their nannies and the security team. So he’s hardly on his own now is he?

Plus do you remember that just a little while ago I pointed out that Mr. Bashir specifically said ‘a few weeks’ now he is talking ‘months’?

11. BASHIR COMMENTARY: “Especially as it would become quickly apparent that Jackson was deeply bored and isolated. In fact, he was delighted to have some company other than the bizarre collection of mannequins and gadgets that I found in his room.

Mr. Bashir obviously subscribes to the theory that if he says ‘bizarre’ enough it will stick. And it did, didn’t it?

The “that I found” in his room reminds me of a new piece of information I heard during Charles Thomson’s Blog Talk Radio interview with Rev. Catherine Gross this past Friday.

Charles Thomson was told by Dieter Wiesner (Michael’s manager at the time) that he came across Mr. Bashir snooping through Michael’s luggage when they were in Berlin in November 2002.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll know that November 2002 was when one of the two agreements relating to ‘Living with Michael Jackson’ was signed. The same agreements Mr. Mesereau implies were either signed by Michael without his attorney being present or else was a forgery.

Charles Thomson went on to say that even though Dieter Wiesner brought the snooping to Michael Jackson’s attention, Michael was still trusting of Mr. Bashir and let it pass. It wasn’t until their last meeting in January that Dieter says Michael became suspicious of Mr. Bashir.

This supports my theory that it was the January 2003 agreement that Mr. Mesereau  infers is a forgery because the relations between the Bashir and Jackson camps had deteriorated by this time.

12. (00:04:10. Camera pans from the view from Michael’s suite overlooking the Luxor Hotel to near the window where both Michael and Mr. Bashir are standing. It is now broad daylight.)

Let’s lighten the mood for just a second. As soon as I saw the Luxor I thought of Paris Jackson’s response to Oprah’s question about one of her favorite memories of her father – that of spending quality time with her daddy, away from her brothers, being on the roof of their Las Vegas home and watching the Luxor lights. Awwwh!

 13. BASHIR (voiceover): “The entertainment?”
MICHAEL (voiceover): “Yeah…It’s a fun place to visit!”

More mocking – of Michael Jackson or Las Vegas or both and I’m fed up with it! Michael is 100% right – Las Vegas IS a fun place to visit. I was lucky enough to travel to the US in 2002 and I spent four months all up in America and I loved it!

I had originally only scheduled one night in Las Vegas because I’m not much of a gambler. But there is way more to Las Vegas than gambling. I think I ended up staying five nights and it would have been even longer had there been room in my itinerary to do so!

I would spend all day and a good portion of the evenings too, exploring the attractions of the various casinos and hotels. My favorites were the Excalibur, Treasure Island, the Venetian and the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton.

14. ♪ “You close your eyes…and hope that this is just imagination”

    

(00:04:19. Panning shot of the waiter mannequin)

Here’s another example of the disgusting practice of using Michael’s own possessions to mock him. In Part 3, the cameraman has substituted his obsession with the David Nordahl painting for the mannequins. There are the frequent cuts to them, the head to toe panning of the Green Giant and it just goes on and on.

March 25, 2011 - I recently found this gif on a fan website/blog and decided to incorporate it here. Even though I find it disturbing, I love it when MJ fans take things back from those who would hate on Michael. I'm familiar enough with the fan who posted it to know she adores Michael, so  if she can turn something around, then I'm all for that!

15. BASHIR: “I wouldn’t like to see you drive a car!”

By all accounts, Michael was perhaps not the best driver so this comment by Mr. Bashir is one that I am not going to take offence to! I know I’m a fan but I find it kind of endearing that Michael, who was so good at so many other things, might not have been that great a driver.

March 13, 2011 - Seven has a great posting on this subject!

16. (Cuts to a clothing rack that has a pale green maid’s uniform hanging on it)

I have no idea of the significance of this shot. Does anyone have any ideas? I’d love to hear your thoughts on it!

17. BASHIR: “So on some occasions, you’re lying down pre…pretending to be asleep and your brother is having sex with someone in the same room?”

MICHAEL: “Uh huh…”

(Cut to a shot of the drinks waiter mannequin)

Again, we see the use of the mannequin with the quizzical expression. Oh and let’s not forget the actual subject - Ewww! I have my suspicion as to which brother was it that did this to Michael…Assuming it was the same brother?

18. What she’s going to do to me when I come…you know, all the…” (Michael makes a motion as if to say you know what I mean)

BASHIR (off camera): “Well, what did she say?”

MICHAEL (grimaces reluctantly but then answers): “All the sexual stuff. So I am scared to death.”

Mr. Bashir could have spared Michael some embarrassment here but…no, I think he was enjoying Michael’s discomfort far too much.

As for the last bit – about being scared to death – this made me chuckle every time I heard this when I was doing the transcript. Michael is so earnest here. And it is kind of refreshing to hear a man admit they intended to act all macho but then chickened out at the last minute!

Now, I know that that was not the film maker’s intention, particularly with the loaded question about ‘weren’t you tempted at all?’ I’m sure as a viewer I am supposed to be convinced that this means Michael’s sexuality is in doubt. But I do not see it that way.

19. BASHIR (off camera): “So she rings you and says: ‘Michael, come to my house. I’m going to make love to you’?”

MICHAEL (grimaces): “Yeah.”

Michael is grimacing (I think) because he is nervous of Tatum’s reaction to his telling this story. But hearing Mr. Bashir uttering the words “making love’ makes me cringe, grimace and consider taking a vow to start a new campaign preventing those words from ever being said by him again!

20. BASHIR (off camera): “How much do you think you’re worth?”

MICHAEL: “It’s way up there…but I don’t want to…”

BASHIR (off camera): “Well go on now, go on, just…how much?”
MICHAEL: “C’mon Martin! Uh…”

Tacky, Mr. Bashir, tacky!