MJPublicist
These comments originally appeared on a Data Lounge thread (http://www.datalounge.com/cgi-bin/iowa/english/forum/threaded/trolls/newbies/gossip/all/page-1/thread/1621096/page-1.html) in June 2005. While we can’t vouch for MJ Former Publicist’s veracity, we can say that this is quite an entertaining read. Unfortunately Data Lounge only seems to show the last 600 discussions so this one has been buried in the mists of time. We present it here for posterity’s sake.
Enjoy!
Posts by MJ Former Publicist
Actually Raymone just joins the long list of the used and discarded in the wake of “Hurricane Jackson.” He used this poor excuse of a publicist because he couldn’t get anyone decent to handle his PR and now she is the “fall guy” for just doing what he wanted…”speaking out on his behalf” even if it was walking the thin line of that gag order.
And now that the defense has been reprimanded (probably on the brink of contempt charges) – they make her take the fall. And I’m sure, with her reaction, she was caught totally off guard. Now she’s left with a tarnished reputation in addition to the fact that Michael will probably use this as grounds not to pay her.
This is so typical of his behavior that its almost like deja vu, I’ve seen him do this to so many people…
by: MJ Former Publicist.
reply 8
06/08/05 @18:32
R19: I posted some things in the past few days. As I mentioned in my previous posts, I worked for Solters/ Roskin/ Friedman PR (no longer in existence under that name) doing PR for MJ and his various entities – MJJ Productions, Records, etc on and off for many years.
The voice thing is altered for the situation – from high falsetto to a “normal” pitch depending on who is present. He is a master manipulator with regards to both his professional and personal life.
I was involved with that whole “hyperbaric oxygen chamber” stunt. You know he gets the tabloids every week and would call us berating us as to why he wasn’t mentioned in them – “all the other celebrities are!” Right before the “Bad” Tour, he became obsessed that it wouldn’t be as FAST of a sell-out as the “Thriller” Tour. So he concocted this whole stunt – we had 2 photogs go over to the Encino compound where he was living at the time and do 2 dfferent photo shoots of him in that hyperbaric oxygen chamber. When we got the proof sheets, we had them messengered over to Jackson, he choose the 4 shots he liked in order of appeal and had us start a bidding war with the tabloids. I remember the day when we got the $500,000 check from the National Enquirer made out to MJJ Productions.
I remember the kids too, that Safechuck kid – I can’t recall his first name. But I remember he weirded Lee Solters out on that tour. Michael and him were inseperable and he looked like Brett Barnes. The Safechuck kid came right after Emmanuel Lewis. I remember we couldn’t mention him to Michael after Emmanuel’s mom freaked on them when she found out Michael checked himself and Emmanuel into a hotel as father and son. From what I could gather it was not a pleasant scene when Margaret (Emmanuel’s mom) came to retrieve her son.
Oh and dealing with Bubbles was just such a freakin headache. But I really felt sorry for both of them (yes, there was a Bubbles No. 1 and a stand-in) as they fell by the way-side when MJ became more enthralled with Bubbles’ human replacements.
by: Anonymous
reply 20
06/08/05 @19:41
Sorry, that was me – I forgot to post my name
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 21
06/08/05 @19:46
R23: No Bubbles wasn’t a myth – in fact, Jacko would send “Bubbles” to event in his place if he didn’t want to go at the last minute. There was this case where this one publicist, Norman Winter (he was one of the on-again-off-again publicists who at the time was relegated to handling Michael’s Zoo – a collection of stuffed animals made after Michael’s menagerie) who was enraged because Michael promised to show up at his daughter’s 14th birthday party. Of course the daughter tells all her friends that her buddy Michael is gonna show up (MJ had been a friend of hers too – allowing her to come to the Encino house and calling her…up til she was around 13 and he discovered the Safechuck kid) Instead Michael sends Bubbles…but not the REAL Bubbles…the fake Bubbles! It was like a double slap in the face.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 32
06/08/05 @20:30
Re: Elephant Man
That was just another story Michael had us sell to the Enquirer. You have to understand that Michael made a mint off of the tabloids by selling stories and photos. A lot of celebrities still do…and that “shock and horror” at those “awful papparazzi” and “those soulless beasts at the tabloids” make me laugh – but then I’m sure those celebs are laughing all the way to the bank as they are depositing those same checks sent to them by American Media Inc.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 35
06/08/05 @20:43
R36: I worked for Jackson on and off in the 80s through the early 90s. By the time the Jordie Chandler incident broke, we were just doing publicity for MJJ Records so my interaction with him was limited …and I liked it that way.
But with regards to his health – he had lots of doctors tht I knew about. He had doctors all around the world. There wasn’t one “personal physician. But you have to understand that the doctors were also like ice cream flavors – there was a new favorite every month. It was just like with the music business – if he heard a “diagnosis” he didn’t like, you were gone…it was no different in other aspects of his life.
One thing though, the “man” does like his hospitals…and the more attention the better. And he loves the saline IVs. He would check into a hospital overnight – I remember him doing that in NY before a concert just to “energize” himself. Some celebs like their B-12 shots – he likes his IV drips.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 37
06/08/05 @20:59
Billy2: His drug of choice. Well, this stems back (supposedly) to his “Tito, Tito, I’m flaming” accident while filming that infamous Pepsi commercial. He was given morphine while treated for the burns in the hospital then given a demerol prescription when he was discharged to manage the pain. Therein began his own “management” of whatever “pain” he encountered (whether physical or mental) via the demerol and morphine. He has been in detox programs throughout the years, but one must note that these “programs” were ones of his choosing and not “programs” like one would find at Betty Ford or Promises et al. The programs he went through were “alternative programs” that never included therapy or psychological evaluative programs.
When Michael “fled” to Europe during the Jordie Chandler incident, he checked into a rehab program in London that was one of these “alternative programs.” It involved blood transfusions and alternative therapies. Alcohol abuse has also been involved in his “rehab” stays.
It is also to note that when he fled to Europe and went the UK to rehab, his 12-13 year old “special friend” Frank Cascio (now known as “unindicted co-conspirator Frank Tyson) also accompanied him.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 41
06/08/05 @22:16
R40: I am not sure about the OCD. From what I’ve seen and experienced he suffers from CA (Convenient Amnesia), a severe narcissistic disorder and an inability to be responsible for his actions. He has sought his way out of situations he didn’t want to deal with throughout his career – he’s made lawsuit after lawsuit disappear just by signing a check. His inability to make this situation go away must be driving him to utter distraction – I cannot BEGIN to fathom what this must be doing to him (and he gets unbelievably ugly when he’s angry!).
As far as all of the “illnesses” are concerned…it’s Jackson trying to play the PR master. But unfortunately, his gig isn’t PR – it’s music…or it was, once upon a time.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 43
06/08/05 @22:28
Little J: His nose. Well, for a while he really didn’t have one. Michael’s plastic surgeon, Steve Hoefflin (he should have his license revoked) did all of his face work, including the lifts and implants and eyeliner tattoo. I think it was in 1999 or thereabouts when he refused to touch Jackson’s nose again. In true Jackson style, he refused to take no for an answer – so he went to Europe and fot his nose jobs there. Eventually with all of the cauterizing of the blood vessels, there was no circulation to the tip. The tip of the nose eventually turned sort of a black color and began to fall off (don’t laugh it’s true – ok, you can laugh). This was during the time when you saw him with all of the surgical masks on if you recall…and you thought it was a “germ thing”, huh?
Well, he had a waxy kind of prosthesis made that attached on the end. Without it he looked kind of like a mummy does – you know, with just the nostril holes (I apologize if this is rather graphic, but I don’t know any other way to describe it).
However, last year he found a doctor who was able to take some cartilege from his ear, I believe and was able to resculpt his nose. Some people still believe he has a prosthetic tip, but it’s all resculpted now.
But it is a wig…
Oh – and he has lupus, not vitiligo.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 44
06/08/05 @22:50
Lupus: When he was burned during the Pepsi commercial, his doctors found out he had Lupus. It was due to the tests they did on his skin that they found out he had Lupus that causes hypopigmentation of the skin (usually blotching of the face and hands and scalp). Enter Dr. Arnie Klein (and his loyal assistant Debbie Rowe) who concurred with the Discoid Lupus diagnosis. Klein prescribed him bleaching cremes and told him to stay out of the sun. (Michael tells ppl that he will melt if the sun hits him). But here’s the thing – Jackson’s Lupus causes DARK blotches on his skin…not light blotches. But Michael chooses to bleach most of his body lighter than necessary (like you didn’t already know that…and you already know about the genital – bleaching cream accident).
I think he chooses to use the vitiligo rather than the lupus as the disease of choice because it sounds more exotic and less common than lupus. Seriously.
As far as the back pain goes – the first time I’ve seen him complain of it was earlier this year.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 52
06/08/05 @23:57
R47: The Jackson Family
Janet has had to loan Michael cash twice this year. But I heard that the last time was at Katherine’s behest – but Janet said it was the absolute last time.
Michael is obviously the product of a very dysfuntional family. They claim to love him when in fact they love the money and way of life he has provided for them. They all share the blame for the situation Michael is in at the moment. Not once when any one of them had the opportunity (and there were opportunities) did any of them step in and get him the definitive help he obviously needed. That’s what real family does. Instead they turned their heads and let him go on down a road marked with a flashing neon sign named “Disaster.” Why? Because he was still a moneymaking machine. And moreover, if they said anything that pissed him off – he’d cut them off, communication and money-wise.
Katherine Jackson is a very interesting chareacter in this whole thing, because as much as he loves his mother, Michael has a lot of anger towards her for not stepping in when Joseph was beating the crap out of the kids when they were little. She just ignored the whole situation…much as she comtinued to do when she saw all of Michael’s problems these 15 years. But she is definitely one of those that could have, if she really cared about her son, put a halt to this a long time ago.
Jermaine and Randy – hate each other with a passion since Jermaine slept with Randy’s wife and impregnated her. Jermaine married her after Randy diverced her. They have a lovely child called Jermajesty. Jermaine and Randy have thusly played a tug-of-war during Michael’s many problems trying to get Michael’s ear and the upper hand in Michael’s good graces. Michael really doesn’t like either one much.
Michael doesn’t think much of his family – that’s why he’s always looking for other families. He enjoys the families of those employed at Neverland…and their children.
Michael has always played the blame game – blame others for his problems – he’s the “victim” – he had such a bad childhood – he had NO childhood, etc. However, you have to rationalize that the rest of the Jackson brothers got beaten by their dad pretty badly, in fact Tito and Marlon being older got it worse in some cases. But they didn’t have these problem like Michael.
Also, Michael also said he never had life out of limelight. Not true. Not many people realize that from the time that the Jackson 5 had their last “hit record” and Michael had his next real hit as a solo artist was “off The Wall” – a span of appx 6-7 years. He could walk the streets without screaming fans – he could live a semi-private existence. So that “I was a superstar my whole life – I never had a normal life” is ridiculous.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 54
06/09/05 @00:25
R50: MJ’s Weight
I know that when his problems with the pills and alcohol gets worse, he doesn’t eat. However, I also know that with this body dismorphic disorder he seems to have, it not only encompasses his face and skin, but has gone to his weight. After he completed one of his “rehab” stays, he discovered enemas. I think that’s all I need to say about that.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 56
06/09/05 @00:33
R51: Jackson and women
I saw women around, but they were around in a business function (attorneys or managers or dancers or musicians or crew people)or a household function (maids or staff). I was there for the Madonna fiasco (that was pretty funny – I thought he was going to faint at one point when she got overly-agressive with him). But there were no women in the way that you are inferring.
Even the female children of staffers were shunned to the side in favour of the male kids at long parties and receptions. It was interesting to watch though at the time it didn’t really “click” for many of us.
As for Lisa Marie – I wasn’t working for MJ during that time, however I did work for Lisa Marie’s PR firm, Rogers & Cowan a few years after her “marriage.” She was a very interesting woman and I found her quite regretful about her decisions regarding Michael.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 58
06/09/05 @00:44
R57: Thank you. I’m glad you find my experiences insightful. It was not a good experience by any means – and not anything I’m particularly proud of. If not for the other clients I was able to work with, I certainly would not have stayed at the firm. In fact, I sold all of the memorabilia I had of Jackson years ago – all of the autographs, platinum records, cds etc…in fact the only thing I have of Jackson’s in my home is a framed photo from the Pepsi commercial filming of Jackson coming down those stairs with his head on fire. I like to remember him that way.
Regarding your post. You’re right, he is very calculating and manipulative – in all aspects of his life. The Bashir documentary was very puzzling that he was so outright with the claims of “yes I sleep with little boys” statement. However, it all goes back to the image he wanted to create in the 80s. That “oxygen chamber” and “elephant man” image of being so beyond everyone’s imagination and “not of this earth.” He wants people to think that he is not like you and me – he’s not a normal human, a normal man. He won’t be treated like a normal man – won’t abide by the laws of a normal man – won’t be subject to the responsibilities or behaviors of a normal man – of “joe citizen” if you will. For example if he signed a contract he would find a way to get out of it if later on he didn’t like it – or he would buy out of it – or he would bend some clause…just to show that he wasn’t subject to ANYONE’S rules.
The behavior in the Bashir documentary was his way of thumbing his nose (bad pun) at society and in a way (perhaps subconciously) at his arch-enemy Tom Sneddon.
His statement about “love” – that his actions were “love” was another one of his excuses another one of his lies. He is an expert liar…especially to the press (remember his claims that he only had 2 nose jobs – and that Prince & Paris are his biological children?).
Interacting with Michael – working with him is a complex psychological merry-go-round that will make you feel like you are living in a psych ward. Sometimes I feel like I could write a thesis on psycho-sociological dysfunction after what I’ve seen with this guy. It is really beyond what you can imagine calculating could be – it’s almost like he’s this spider weaving these webs. But its so unbelievable because all the public ever sees is “Michael” he chooses to divulge – “Peter Pan.”
And yes, he chooses people carefully – these dysfunctional families of these kids who all looked alike. But I think he knew, after the Emmanuel Lewis incident that he could only go so far with the celebrity children. But it did creep me out when I did hear him say “look at those lips,look at how red his little lips are, look at his lips!” …about MacCauley Culkin when we passed a Home Alone poster at the theatre next to our hotel on one of our tour stops.
by: Anonymous
reply 64
06/09/05 @01:19
Long-Winded: I used to read the posts here and just returned from Italy (I no longer do music publicity but work in tv production) and thought I’d dispell some Jackson myths since there are so many.
Anyway, its funny you mention Taraborelli. He used to call us all the time wanting our help for his “newest project.” Basically Lee Solters told him to f.o., especially when he tried to worm his way backstage at concerts and events. So sad because the Jackson family used him and when they finally got him to write or say whatthey wanted they basically shunned him and cut him off. He was such a sucker.
Now I am not familiar with the Anderson book you are referring to, but I have heard about the Thorson claims. I don’t know during what time period he is referring to. I never saw him around Jackson from 83-90 when I was working on his personal publicity. But that doesn’t mean they didn’t have private dates.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 68
06/09/05 @01:32
R62: Paris & Prince are not his biological children. I have heard the sperm donor was MacCauley Culkin.
Blanket – no clue.
I have no idea what will happen to the kids. you have to remember that Debbie Rowe is still suing Michael for custody of Paris and Prince. Michael had Katherine call Debbie the night before her testimony at the molestation trial to tell her that if she testified “positively” for Michael that he would be more amenable at the custody trial. We all know what happened there.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 70
06/09/05 @01:40
R65:Elizabeth Taylor – The relationship is this: he brought her just as much publicity as she brought to him. He also brought her alot of jewelry in apprecation for her “frienship.” They used each other.
R66: Madonna – She used their “date” as a publity stunt and he reciprocated. She thought she’s rile him up by making a pass at him and he just about lost it.
Life as a superstar is what you make it. Yes, you live in the public eye and there are sacrifices – that comes with the territory. but that, like everything in life is about balance and you have to balance your life. However, if you create this huge publicity “monster” and feed it and feed it, don’t bitch and moan when that “monster” turns around and bites you in the ass.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 76
06/09/05 @01:48
JonBodhi: Even a few years ago they had to pay those performers a lot of money to show up for that show. In fact Brando was paid a few million just to sit there! That show, if I recall correctly, was produced by David Gest (another one of Michael’s friends) and many of those performers were his “clients.” Lee Solters used to say that showbiz was socially acceptable, glamorized prostitution “you pay them enough, they’ll come anywhere.” (You’d have to know Lee)
The bottom line is if you pay them they will come. However, if you noticed when these latest allegations came out, none of his celebrity “friends” made any statements of support. Elton? Liz? Liza? The shine is officially off.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 79
06/09/05 @01:59
R73: I know someone close to Debbie
R77: Debbie’s heart is in the right place. She’s a nice woman. She sincerely wants her kids back. However, when she sees Michael, those feelings that she has for him overwhelm her. You have to understand that she is one of his biggest fans. Its not like she’s in love with him. She loves him – like the fans love him who travel from Germany and Japan and stay here for months and cry outside the gates of Neverland and dress like him. Except she got swept up into donating her womb to him.
Note about the fans: During the 90s in the years that I worked doing PR for MJJ Records, we got a great deal of fan mail for Michael. It was interesting to see that 2 out of every 100 pieces of fan mail to him came from the US. Everything else was from overseas. Kind of signifies his fan base and where his audience lies.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 81
06/09/05 @02:09
R84: You’re welcome. It’s really my pleasure to, in some way, balance a lot of this tripe that Michael and his enormous image/PR machine sends out to people, not only through what he says via his “spokespeople,” but through his actions and this whle Peter Pan facade thats been ingrained in the public’s psyche for all of these years. The image really is so heartily ingrained that so many people don’t know what’s real and what’s fake about him…and that’s exactly what his betting on.
I I think I should clarify my statement about Debbie being a “nice” woman. I think when I wrote that I meant that she is really pleasant when you meet her. You never see her throw tantrums or get overtly angry or throw attitude to anyone in any way. In that way she is “nice.” But she had had enough when she suddenly asked for a divorce and demanded that $10 million dollar settlement (or else). Michael was scared and knew she’d spill the beans on him. She had anything she wanted and the divorce settlement was signed ASAP.
by: MJ Former Publicist.
reply 98
06/09/05 @11:15
R85: I have no idea whether the fans outside the courthouse and Neverland are being paid, although I do know that in the past, busses of fans from various fan clubs have been organized to be bussed in with promises of parties at Neverland and other “perks.”
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 99
06/09/05 @11:18
R86: I have no idea what MacCauley thinks he is these days. I don’t know what happened with MacCauley and Michael. I have my suspicions, but I think Michael was testing his limits with him because he didn’t want another incident happening like it did with Emmanuel Lewis and his mother. I think it all depended on the everchanging and volatile situation that MacCauley had with his parents. It was opportunity and situation. I don’t know whether the two were ever “perfect.”
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 100
06/09/05 @11:22
R91: When I was still in publicity I had a great deal of contact with AMI. You had to if you had any client of any “worth.” You had to build relationships with these reporters and the better your relationships were, the better you could handle the media. Being a publicist is either about being a “press agent” or a “supress agent.” Either way its about relationships – a good publicist is only as good as his or her relationships with the press – and you cannot be arrogant enough to count out the tabloid press with it.
Michael knew the power of the tabloid press – the fact that the National Enquirer had the highest circulation of any magazine. And that publicity was golden to him. The marriage between Jackson and the tabloids was a good one and it suited one another.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 101
06/09/05 @11:32
R92: Defense lawyers are a rare breed who, if you speak to many of them are staunch believers in “the defendant’s right to counsel.” Many defense attorneys believe it is their duty to provide the best counsel available if their client says they are not guilty- the “innocent until proven guilty” aspect is concrete. BUT once their client says or insinuates that they are guilty – they cannot or will not proceed in defending him.
As far as the celebs not coming forward – they just don’t want anything to do with it – they don’t want their reputations tainted by associations. Sadly it’s like that “don’t ask don’t tell” adage.
As far as Elizabeth Taylor is concerned, she is old and is angry with him. He was a no-show an an event she had – I think it was one of her birthday parties. It was unforgivable in her eyes. She stopped taking his calls. He sent her a big diamond bracelet. She started begrudgingly talking to him again, but the “friendship” petered out. She doesn’t really talk to him anymore and can’t be bothered with the 2 am phone calls or the frantic cries for help only when its convenient for him.
by: Anonymous
reply 105
06/09/05 @12:01
R103: I worked with Janet during Rhythm Nation. She was focused and determined and very savvy relative to her business. She knew she couldn’t break away from being a Jackson but also wanted to focus her interviews on defining a focus on her individual self away from that of the Jacksons. She did so with grace and style although it was frustrating at times, she did so with patience.
I didn’t work or have many dealings first hand with LaToya or Diana Ross. I couldn’t really comment.
I did however work with Rebbie. In the 90s Michael gave Rebbie a record deal on MJJ Records. It never went anywhere though it had really good producers and the songs were fairly good. Sony distributed it. But I always wondered why it never got radio play.
I think in that first paragraph you are referring to Bob Jones’ new book. Bob is a bit of an enigma. I know he saw things. But like everyone who saw certain things and who have testified to seeing strange behavior – you never really see what went on behind those bedroom doors (and Michael made sure of that). Bob Jones knew Michael since the Jackson 5. Bob was loyal to Michael and he expected, justifiably, that Michael would treat him accordingly. Bob tried to tell Michael to stop the sleepovers. Bob was frustrated about these weirdos taking over management. He was used to experienced music industryprofessionals like Frank DiLeo, Sandy Gallin, and Trudy Green handling management for Jackson – not these oddities from Germany (Weisner & Konitzer) who appeared like a rabbit from Majestik the Magician’s hat.
When Randy stepped in and fired Bob for disagreeing with him, that was the last straw for Jones. He was tired of being treated like some idiot by an amateur who didn’t know what he was doing. And the fact that Michael didn’t object to his firing after 30+ years of service wa sthe lowest blow. He knew what was coming too – he knew that whatever he said, he’d be called a “disgruntled employee” – just like everyone else who every worked for them and dared speak our. But the only thing is, Bob knows where all the bodies are buried – and has known for 30 years. The book should be good. And I wish him luck!
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 106
06/09/05 @12:34
R113: First of all I think the “illnesses” are a ploy for public and jury pity. he knows that the jury most likely gets wind of his emergency room visits. Michael isn’t THAT stupid. However, you have to understand that he is like a caged now. He is at someone else’s mercy…and caged animals get desperate. If you notice he is behaving more and more out of that desperation. You have seen glimpses of that as the trial went on. The pajama incident on the day Gavin testified about sleeping with Michael was a clear case in point. Do you think that the jury did not see the irony of Michael wearing pajamas while this kid was talking about being in bed with Jackson?
While I think Jackson is too narcissistic to commit suicide and is being too closely watched by Santa Barbara sheriff’s to flee (he does have his passsport in his posession), I do believe that suicide is a possibility. He has been whacked out on pills and booze enough in the pst to the point where he thought he could fly and tried to jump out of windows. There again he did state in an interview with Uri Geller that he would kill himself if he couldn’t be around children anymore…
…but then again Frank Cascio’s (aka Frank Tyson) 13 year old little brother is still spending nights at Neverland.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 117
06/09/05 @15:40
Billy2: Hi again! I’m glad you are enjoying the posts.
I have seen him without his wig. You must realize that he has bald patches where he suffered those burn. The hair did not grow back.
I have seen Michael without some of his makeup on – twice by accident. You see that’s a tricky question because the eyeliner he has is now tattooed on – he got that done in the late 90s. I saw him “makeupless” prior to that. The lipstick wasn’t always so pronounced. I remember the days when he just used a Bonnne Bell lip smacker to moisturize his lips (he loved that awful Dr. Pepper flavour). Why do I remember this weird stuff, lol? Anyway, the eyebrows are penciled in and without it all, he looks like…how do I put this? He looks like he’s been beat up and spit out, if you know what I mean. His hair is patchy and his skin is splotchy. He is nothing like what you see when he has all the war paint on. However he would have been much better off if he left well enough alone.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 127
06/09/05 @17:16
R122: I couldn’t make an assessment on “arrested development.” I have seen many other executives and celebrities throw tantrums just as extreme.
I once saw a “bold name” music exec stand on top of his desk and throw a tantrum in his empty office (doors closed) so loud you could hear him down the hall. Might I add this was because the subscription cards were still inside his hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety (he also had powder trails around his nostrils).
I’ve seen tantrums thrown by celebs because their limos were regular limos and not “stretch” limos.
I’ve seen a manager rip a phone out of his wall and throw it out of a 6th floor window after getting unpleasing news on a call.
I’ve been at the end of one of Michael’s tantrums in relation to his ongoing obsession with The Kennedy Center Honors. As you may know, Michael loves his military attire. Well, during the mid-80s he got word that Ray Charles was going to receive a Kennedy Center Honor. He saw Ray’s award and tried it on – thinking how perfectly it would look with his “look.” Michael gets on the phone with us and emphatically instructs us to contact the Board for the Kennedy Center about getting Michael honored the next year.
The Kennedy Center Board gets our letter and reply nicely that, in essence, the award comes with grey hairs and when Michael gets some, they will contact Michael. We tell Michael and he won’t accept no for an answer – he wants that award! “Write Back!” he demands. We contact the Kennedy Center again. This goes on back and forth 6 more times until finally they tell us that the award is for those with “few tomorrows left and when Michael is ready to file for Social Security, then and only then should you contact us.”
Michael never took that well. For years thereafter when Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones both got Kennedy Center Honors before he did, Michael flipped. But I think the moment that really stung was in 2002 when Elizabeth Taylor flaunted hers in front of him.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 128
06/09/05 @17:39
R137: Your post is really interesting and a lot of what you say fits. Lee (Solters) and I had several long discussions about Michael that would delve into Jackson’s childhood. On two ocassions he spoke to me of hearing from a member of the family that Michael was “touched inappropriately” by a certain well-known “friend of the family” in the 70s when Michael was a young boy.
The portion about the shopping trip was more of a show for the cameras to display for the public that he still had this awe-inspiring wealth of the superstar he once was when in fact his aides called the store shortly thereafter and cancelled his so-called “purchases” he made. In addition, that very same store ended up filing a claim against him for non-payment for antiques he purchased some 6 months prior.
I do think you are right on the money with regards to your comments that his pedophilia is not the textbook case and that his satisfactions are not of the norm for a 46 year old man. Certainly his childhood has a great deal to do with his behaviour – that I have no doubt, however I think a great deal of his behaviour is of his own doing.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 141
06/09/05 @20:33
R139: I don’t see him surviving jail – not even for 30 days. Even if he was in solitary, he would have a breakdown. The confinement. The lack of children. The lack of attention. He seriously would not survive.
You have to consider you would be stripping him of all his masks. His wig. His makeup. His costumes. His addictions. His excuses (there are NO excuses in jail). he has never been without one mask or another. To go cold turkey would not be an option for him.
by: MJ Former Publicist
reply 142
06/09/05 @20:39