michael jackson oprah interview transcript michael jackson oprah interview transcript

LEMON: Ben Brockman was one of Jackson's attorneys. And Emmanuel Lewis was right there, underlying, like this is not sexual at all. But was damage done to his soul, to his spirit, to his gentle, kind way of looking at the world? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, and he's not conscious either -- UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not conscious, sir. Filled mostly with past hits and some new angry songs like "Scream," 1995's "History: Past, Present, and Future" could not revive Jackson's success in the studio. on the Internet. And Michael was happy to play along with that, because he understood at a very early age that image-making and public relations was very important. And let's not forget that this wasn't just any man who was playing psychological tricks on pre-pubescent mindsthis was a global superstar, perhaps the most well-known name on the entire planet. I put little like music on into a little story time, I read a book. GORDY: Suzanne de Passe insisted I meet with these kids and audition them. Get more inspiration like this delivered to your inbox, How well do you know the King of Pop? LEMON (on camera): If someone asked you to sing a tribute to Michael Jackson at a service or whatever, what do you think he'd sing? LEMON: The case was eventually settled for nearly $20 million, and the suit was dropped in 1994. That's all tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN, live from Los Angeles. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LEMON (voice-over): January 16, 2004; it seemed like another classic Michael Jackson performance, surrounded by screaming fans. ), Still, even as a grown, college educated, opinionated adult, until just two days ago, I was one of those Michael Jackson defenders. The author claims that Oprah promised not to ask him if he was gay. She kept her promise. And the record company said, no, Quincy's too jazzy. For instance, Leave Me Alone, from his 1987 album Bad, was the first song in what became something of a subgenre in his musical oeuvre: Michael lamenting media harassment and responding to it with music. But one reason that tends to happen in particular is the fact that in this country, Black people are at a disadvantage when it comes to career success. Sometimes I do get angry. CRAIG HARVEY, CORONER'S SPOKESMAN: We know he was taking some prescription medications. Of course, the idea that Michael Jackson may have been not just an abuser, but a pedophile, was not new to me or the rest of the world before news broke about the upcoming Leaving Neverland, which documentary filmmaker Reed began production on last year. BRIAN MONROE, "EBONY MAGAZINE": I was really struck by the razor stubble, all along his face. Which when he first did it nationally, it was like, wait, is gravity being, like, messed with here? He also raised eyebrows with his red carpet companions Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis. On the day after his death, Presley wrote on her blog that Jackson always thought he'd die early like her father. (And who could ever forget that interview Jackson did with Martin Bashir in 2003 where he whispered "I am Peter Pan"? He's unconscious? The album was a smash with songs like "Don't Stop till You Get Enough" and "Rock with You," reaching number one. LEMON: Jackson would become more reclusive, retreating into his Neverland Ranch. Who wants mortality? With all of the pieces and details put together chronologically across four hours, Leaving Neverland brings to life a man who groomed his victims psychologically into simultaneously loving him and fearing him so steadfastly that they never accepted that they were abused themselvesmuch less wanted to tell anyone about it. It's happening in familieswe know it's happening in churches, and in schools, and sports teams everywhere. Of course, we're following developments out of Iran tonight. LEMON: But Brockman says the superstar was terrified. Beginning at a place called Motown------ These are not men who are fame hungry, or chasing money, or seeking to bring down a dead man. LEMON: An audition seen in this video from a documentary produced by Michael Jackson. Im a gentleman. Who satisfies your desire? asked Oprah (in a nod to a line from the then newly released single Give in to Me). After more than two months of testimony, 135 witnesses, and seven days of deliberations, the jury reached a verdict. Naturally, an arena for 62 million viewers when Oprah Winfrey in 1993 interviewed Michael Jackson in today's multi-fractured media landscape simply no longer exists. to Oprah" February 10, 1993: ABC: 2 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex: Oprah Winfrey 49 . And then he would dance, you know. Michael: Thank you. Search the history of over 797 billion JACKSON: Yes. In that sense, the show [was] very ambiguous. Despite the interview being filmed in his own home, one of the rooms served as a set. With Michael Jackson, you never know what the truth is. I mean, within six months, every 10-year-old in Dallas could do it. LEMON: Jackson needed to put distance between him and the taint of Neverland. He sat there on a daily basis, watching accusations hurled at him, suggesting that he was an insensitive monster. So for me, it's time to say goodbye to Michael Jacksonone last time. He wasn't touring. LEMON: Can you sing it a bit please? That right there, that will never be replaced. transcript. ", In 1993, controversy about Michael's skin color was at an all-time high. It would make me sad that I would have to go and work instead. I don't know him the way I'd like to know him," he said. And that is something that is happening every single day in this country at the hands of far less powerful people. I'm going to miss him. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While we're on our way, did anybody see him? It cost him around 10 million dollars to keep that up at its peak. And so Michael and his managers fought them and said Quincy's doing the record. I'm going to miss him so much. In 1993, Oprah Winfrey made history by conducting the most-watched interview in television history. She was 96-years-old. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson doesn't just come along once in a century or a lifetime. LEMON: In July, 1984, the Jackson 5 reunited in a flurry of publicity. And in particular, in the Anna Nicole case, I said, if that's what's going to happen to Michael, it's all going to break our hearts. BOTEACH: He repudiated the adult world. In this never-before-heard interview from 2012, Emmy and Tony-award-winning actress, Cicely Tyson explains the surprising story of how she found her calling, shares behind-the-scenes history of her most iconic roles and reveals the biggest life lessons she's learned. Rick: Well, you just want to. 10 best Oprah celebrity interviews of all time 1. He had the discipline at such a young age, originality, willing to try everything, a work ethic, all of it. My "CNN Presents: Man in The Mirror" continues. At the beginning, Oprah asked both men if they were prepared to "get it" for speaking out about Jackson's alleged crimes. Almost all of the most watched TV interviews are from the United States, except one from BBC One. And yet the money kept rolling in. LEMON: In 1986, a photograph of Michael asleep in an anti-aging chamber rocked the tabloids. LEMON: The transformation was complete. (COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need an ambulance as soon as possible. LEMON: All silent at age 50. this is SOOO funny. It was not like watching a 50-year-old man returning to the stage. Why can't we create the next instrument?" In February, he received the Living Legend Award at the Grammys, an honor bestowed intermittently on the likes of Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin, which Jackson received at the age of 34. She arranges the interviews in advance, and they are very prefabricated, but then she has the [gift] of naturalness, of making herself seem like one more member of the audience, even though she is not. LEMON: But Jackson was born to perform, and the show must go on. Nobody says anything about that!, His physical appearance remained the focus of the conversation. DEEPAK CHOPRA, SPIRITUAL ADVISER: I said, Michael, you don't need these drugs for that. Michael Jackson Talks to. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. It could not be stopped. In the most awkward part of the interview, Oprah took up the topic of the singers love life and asked him a strange, nave question that seemed more suited for a child than a 34-year-old man. PETER CASTRO, ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: He's on the set, and he's descending a staircase. Nobody ever talks about that, but it takes you aback at first. That is why to escape death, I attempt to bind my soul to my work. LEMON: With each not guilty verdict, the crowd outside cheered. LEMON: The marriage collapsed less than two years after the wedding. It's about the fact that every 11 minutes in this country, child protective services substantiates or finds evidence for a claim of child sex abuseand that's just the ones we know about. Several items were taken away. And both men clarified that they decided to take part in the documentary because they want to help victims like themselves. I tried and tried and tried to get the message across to people that sexual abuse is not just abuseit is also sexual seduction." This is the final curtain call. The interview would be Jackson's last. QUINCY JONES, MUSIC PRODUCER: Michael had it all. Jackson told Oprah he suffered from a rare skin disease. For him it was a world of betrayal. And the Jacksons began their rocket rise to stardom. TOURE: It was quite obvious to all of us from the beginning that it was a sham, that it was a publicity stunt. Stay up to date with the latest trends that matter to you most. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's not breathing, sir. USHER: Being the first black artist to ever have a video played on MTV was pivotal for all of us. NORRIS: There's a reason it's called "Neverland Valley." He didn't exchange words with his lawyers very often. He was very placid. As Jackson's marriage began to crumble, so did his career. He said, no one wants to be mortal; we all want to be immortal. In 1993, Jackson spoke about both in this interview with Oprah Winfrey. WINFREY: Would he -- did he ever beat you? And all you had to do was to look in his eyes and to know that was the truth. They were tremendous. Not to mention the timing; Leaving Neverland just so happens to be coming out months after an explosive Lifetime documentary that may have played a part in R&B singerR. JOHN NORRIS, FORMER CORRESPONDENT, MTV NEWS: They are songs that still hold up today. JACKSON: Because he -- he saw me -- he wanted me to -- I guess, maybe, I don't know if I was his golden child or whatever it was. LEMON: It is Chopra's belief that prescription drug abuse was Jackson's downfall. Watching the two interviews back to back reveals an undeniable and astonishing fact: the biggest pop star the world had ever seen had become a completely different person in the intervening 14 years. And it was just kind of disgusting and silly. 90 million people tuned in for the sit-down chat at the King of Pop's Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, California. Jackson vehemently denied the accusation on national TV. His steelworker father, Joe, turned five of his boys into a band with five-year-old Michael out front. THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. In a new interview, Oprah discussed and reiterated her support for HBO's documentary series Leaving Neverland, which explores two allegations of child sexual abuse against Michael Jackson.The series saw two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, accusing Jackson of sexually abusing them as children, and immediately sparked intense backlash online from fans of Jackson and from the Jackson estate. Jackson's personal physician, Conrad Murray, who's believed to have been with the singer when he died, has hired an attorney. I mean, you couldn't stop them. His appearance had changed so much since he was a child star that there was much speculation about the work he'd had done. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) (MUSIC PLAYING, "I'LL BE THERE") UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I first saw him I was amazed at his talent that just continued on. CHOPRA: It was the thing that caused his cardiac arrest. Michael entered the shot walking downstairs as Thriller played in the background, but no one was applauding. But their victory tour reviews were mixed. KENNY ORTEGA, CHOREOGRAPHER: He was so excited about this project, and so invested. The unprecedented live event drew a worldwide audience of 90 million people. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. Wonderful., Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAS USA Edition, Sign up to EL PAS In English Edition bulletin, If you want to follow all the latest news without any limits, subscribe to EL PAS for just 1 the first month. Jackson would turn to Quincy Jones, then musical director for "The Wiz," now a multi Grammy winning producer, arranger, and composer. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the greatest moment that disco has in its entire history. Mere months later, his public image would be tarnished forever All the questioning that we have reviewed to this point occurred in just 30 minutes. And I remember going to the recording studio, and there was park across the street. .css-ssumvd{display:block;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.0625rem;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.25;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-ssumvd:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-ssumvd{letter-spacing:0rem;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}Gayle King Interviews Angela Bassett, Gayle Says March Is a Good Month for TV Lovers, Sheryl Lee Ralphs Definition of True Love, What We Know About The Little Mermaid Remake, Oprah Congratulates Kimmel on 20 Years of His Show, Nikole Hannah-Jones on "The 1619 Project", Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Wakanda Forever Podcast, Oprah Is Acting in Tyler Perrys Next Netflix Film. Semipresencial en Aguascalientes, Maestra a distancia en Actividad Fsica y Salud, Maestra a distancia en Energas Renovables, Descubre un completo Directorio de Centros de Formacin, Mejore su italiano con solo 15 minutos al da. And he said -- and even then he said to me, well, it was more like he says a razzle-dazzle kind of thing. DR. HAROLD, BURSZTAJN, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL: The fact that he has spent as much time as he has changing his face, changing his appearance, it's reminiscent of patients who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, which is the condition where when a patient looks at themselves in the mirror, they just hate what they see. It was just incredible. An extended version of the special will also be available on Oprahs SuperSoul Conversations podcast starting Sunday, March 10. And, as unconventional as it is, if you really look at it, it's sort of surrogate motherhood. This is a moment in time that allows us to see this societal corruption that's like a scourge on humanity. You want what you create to live, be it a sculpture, a painting, music, a composition, like Michelangelo. LEMON: Rowe gave birth to their son, Prince Michael Jackson, in 1997. And they were expected to meet with L.A. police today. NORRIS: What a moment that was in pop culture history when he moon-walked across the stage there. SUZANNE DE PASSE, CEO, DE PASSE ENTERTAINMENT: He had the charisma, the talent, the voice, the -- everything it takes. Even from the beginning, when they're nervously holding hands at MTV and he says, "Nobody thought this would last," and then he goes to kiss her. He felt almost abandoned, even though he was acquitted of the charges. Without warning, he just broke down and began to sob. It's a very complicated cultural dynamic with roots in slavery and beyond that would take me an entire separate article to unpack. So, how do you write a song called "We are the World"? Have you ever had suicidal tendencies? Whats a 36-year-old man doing sleeping with a 12-year-old boy? Have you ever had sexual intercourse with a child? The rest of the story is familiar: Bashirs 2003 interview, in which Jackson again claimed to share his bed with children, prompted an investigation and then a trial for the sexual abuse of a young boy who appeared with him on the show (Jackson was found not guilty). So when I heard about the new two-night HBO documentary Leaving Neverlandand the fact that Oprah was going to be interviewing Wade Robson and James Safechuck, the two men in the film who accuse Jackson of sexually abusing them as childrenI had a similar reaction to the rest of the world: Disbelief. Do you go out and have fun, do you date? Yes, Michael replied. MICHAEL JACKSON: I would do my schooling for three hours with the tutor, and right after that I'd go to the recording studio and record. Rank Interviewee Interviewer Avg. Toward the end of her interview with Michael, Oprah talked with him about his life's purpose. LEMON: When we return, Michael on-stage the night before he died. This is a UK airing of the famous interview of Michael Jackson by Oprah Winfrey in 1993. on July 25, 2021. My father was too strict, he was too much of a disciplinarian. And it also broke barriers. He moved to Bahrain with his kids. Ellen: I can defnitely hang out. That's a lot of dates. And the lead singer, Michael, was just so incredible. LIONEL RICHIE, MUSICIAN: Now, one great thing that happened that we both had to realize, I can't read or write music, and Michael cannot read or write music. LEMON: And with Neverland came the children. He announced his farewell tour, This Is it, in a brief press conference on March 5, 2009, in London. He's trying to not affect the legal proceedings in any way. CASTRO: It showed him to be quite abnormal. SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS TODAY AND ENJOY THE BENEFITS. Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Jacksons 2005 trial lasted 18 months; the trial lasted 14 weeks. "He kept getting whiter and whiter and whiter, and nobody understood why," Oprah says. LEMON: It was a triumph for Jackson as a musician and as a humanitarian. The special featured an interview between musician Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey, filmed at his Neverland Ranch in California. Or at least that was how it went until February 10, 1993, when, sitting across from Oprah Winfrey in an ABC live special, he responded. Then Oprah asked the question even she says was embarrassing: "Are you a virgin? And it's happening right now. It was his greatest blessing, but, I think, also his biggest curse. LEMON: Jackson, in his last interview with "Ebony." LEMON: Pain that dated back at least a quarter of a century. While never forgetting any of the sexual details that happened between us, but having no understanding that it was abusehaving no concept in my mind that anything about Michael could ever badeverything that Michael did was right to me for so many years." Why? Spawning iconic music videos and a sold-out world tour, "Bad" went on to sell 8 million copies, and Jackson went on to change his image once again. LEMON: Jackson's follow-up to "Thriller" hit stores in 1987. JACKSON: I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. The superstar seemed to be fading in front of the world's eyes. "It was the most exciting interview I had ever done," Oprah says. "After the attention is no longer on this film, this is something I will be dealing with for the rest of my life," Safechuck told Oprah. In fact, in the documentary, Safechuck reveals that he only finally came to terms with his own abuseand opened up to his wife about itafter seeing an interview Robson did about his experience with Jackson on The Today Show in 2013. He's not going to be able to get any weirder than this. Kim Kardashian Back in 2012, Kim did a tell-all interview with Oprah about her leaked sex tape with former partner Ray J. Sometimes he would call me at 3:00 in the morning crying, terrified about what would happen to his children. You know? Media mogul Suzanne de Passe was there at the beginning. His cheeks were sunken in. SMITH: Neverland, which cost him around 19 million dollars in 1987, had a staff of about 150 at its peak, and all these carnival rides, exotic animals which required full-time veterinary care. Are you a virgin? Michael sighed, laughed and replied, How could you ask me that question? Ultimately, he sidestepped a direct answer with an odd response. Oprah interviews Michael Jackson, broadcast live around the world from his home at the Neverland Ranch. And I know that it tore him to pieces. He also sang and danced. There were dozens of lawyers and bodyguards and assistants. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody like it anywhere in the world. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a doctor there? This is a guy 40 years old who has literally done everything that you can think of, but still hungry enough to say, I want to create an instrument. WINFREY: He did? MJ: You're welcome anytime. But his face was expressionless. web pages The Moonwalker: Transcripts from Interviews Transcripts Here are transcipts from many of Michaels interviews. I had go-to lines about being able to separate the art from the man; about how Jackson was certainly an oddball with an affinity for children because of his own troubled upbringing, but that didn't make him a criminal; about how there was never any real proof that he had abused children.