Oprah: So, when you're standing there and there's a sea of people responding to you, screaming you name as they were, what does it feel like?Michael: Love, you just feel lots of love and I feel blessed and honored to be able to be an instrument of nature that was chosen to give them that, what I give them. I'm very honored and happy about that.
Oprah: An instrument of nature-that's an interesting way to describe your- self.
Michael: Thank you, yes.
Oprah: Are you very spiritual?
Michael: In what sense?
Oprah: I mean, do you, do you meditate? Do you understand that there's something bigger than yourself at work here?
Michael: I believe in God, absolutely, absolutely, very much.
Oprah: Uh-huh. And I believe that everybody comes to the world for a reason. I think, um, most of us spend our lives trying to figure out what the purpose of our being here is. What do you think yours is?
Michael: My purpose?
Oprah: Uh-huh.
Michael: Oh, boy, I think, um, to give in the best way I can through song, and through dance and through music. I mean, I am committed to my art. I believe that all art has as it's ultimate goal the union between the material and the spiritual, the human and the divine. I believe that to be the reason for the very existence of art.Oprah: Uh-huh.
Michael: And, um, I feel I was chosen as an instrument to just give music and love and harmony to the world. To children of all ages, and um, adults and teenagers.
Oprah: Do you think that by talking now, setting the record straight for yourself, that maybe people will be able to focus more attention on your music and not judge you for anything other than the kind of music that you play?
Michael: I would hope so. I would love that.
Oprah: Well, I hope that comes out of this, too. I'm also excited that the world is watching, and because the world is watching, we thought this was a good time to let the world see the world premiere of Give In To Me. Cut to world premiere showing of Give In To Me video.
Oprah: So, we want to know how it starts on a piece of paper-quench my desire-and turns into that.
Michael: Well, Give In To Me, I wanted to write another song, you know, that was kinda exciting and fun and had a rock edge to it. You know, like when I did Beat It and Black or White. And Slash, who's a dear friend of mine, we love animals and things like that, he wanted to play guitar and I wanted him to play guitar. We got together and we went to Germany and we shot this thing in just like two hours. We had no time at all to shoot it. We wanted it to be exciting and fantastical and fans, you know, like it's a rock concert and that's how it ends up-that's the result.
Oprah: You mentioned animals. I know everyone's going to ask me when I leave here, where are all the animals? I said it in the opening, I expected chimps to be jumping all over the living room and I didn't see any. Where's Bubbles?Michael: (laughs) Well, the animals are everywhere. They're in their habitats. They're all over the ranch. And they come out in the daytime and they play and jump around, they have their own playground and area.
Oprah: Why, why were you so fascinated by animals, do you think?
Michael: Because I find in animals the same thing I find so wonderful in children. That purity, that honesty, where they don't judge you, they just want to be your friend. I think that is so sweet.
Oprah: I do, too. We'll be right back with Michael Jackson, live.
Announcer : Michael Jackson talks to Oprah. Ninety prime-time minutes with the King of Pop.
Oprah: We're live at Michael Jackson's house, in his theater and we asked NBC for ninety minutes. I don't think it was enough time.Michael: (laughs)
Oprah: I think we've cleared up all the rumors though. There are no chimps running around the house-
Michael: (laughs)
Oprah: No oxygen tank in the house. I don't know, are you going to lay off the crotch a little bit?
Michael: (laughs) Ask the music.
Oprah: Ask the music will you lay off the crotch. Oh, we didn't get about the inauguration. Did you tell President Clinton that you had to be the only person there singing?
Michael: That is horrible. That is the stupidest, craziest story that I have ever heard. I mean, why would I just want me and nobody else could be on the show, just me. That's so stupid, to me. I mean, it's crazy. That's not even in my heart. I would never say any- thing like that. Again, somebody made it up and the whole world believed it . It is so false, it's incredible.
Oprah: What do you want, want most-what do you want the world to know about you most? I asked Liz that of you, what do you want them to know?Michael: Like to be remembered for?
Oprah: Not to be remembered for-what about for now? Forget remembered.
Michael: Oh, known for now. As to be an artist, a great artist. I, I love what I do and I would love people to love what I do and to be loved. I just simply want to be loved wherever I go. All over the world, because I love people of all races from my heart, with true affection.
Oprah: Hmm. You know, Gene Siskel who's a movie critic asked me this question once. And I love the question, so I am going to ask you.
Michael: Yeah?
Oprah: You're 34 years old. What do you know for sure?
Michael: Hmm. What do I know for sure?
Oprah: What do you know for sure?
Michael: Oh, boy, I'm still learning. I mean, life is an education for me. I can't say that I know anything for sure. I really believe that.
Oprah: I can't thank you enough for letting us in and I wish you all the happiness in the world. I loved being here because it makes me feel like a child again and one of the things I promised myself was that when this interview was over-live around the world- I was going to go get on that Ferris Wheel!Michael: (laughs)
Oprah: And that is exactly what I intend to do. I'm gonna take off my blue shoes and I'm gonna ride that Ferris Wheel!
Michael: (continues laughing)
Oprah: I'm gonna have a good time and have myself a little popcorn, maybe, and maybe when it's all over, you'll teach me how to do the Moonwalk-when everybody's not looking!Michael: O.K.! O.K.! That sounds good.
Oprah: Yeah! This was fun!
Michael: Yeah! Lots of fun!
They leave the theater together to go to the amusement park.
End of program.
