Planet Earth

Poemul "Planet Earth", care va putea fi ascultat în lectura lui Michael Jackson pe noul album "This Is It", a fost publicat în cartea sa, "Dancing the Dream - Poems and Reflections", în anul 1992 (editura Bantam Dell Pub Group), la scurtă vreme după lansarea albumului "Dangerous" (fără legătură cu acesta - doar că în volum sunt publicate şi "Heal the World" şi "Will You Be There", acesta din urmă incomplet - fiind eliminat "recitatitvul" de la finalul cântecului). Putem crede că înregistrarea poemului "Planet Earth" datează tot din vremea aceea.

Cartea cuprinde 20 de poeme şi 20 de eseuri - după cum scrie în prezentarea făcută pe Wikipedia. Dar eseurile acelea cuprind şi câteva poveşti în toată regula, care nu ştiu să se fi numit cândva eseuri. Dar eseurile care chiar sunt eseuri tratează temele principale abordate de Michael Jackson: nevoia de pace, copiii abandonaţi şi foametea. În schimb, în poemul acesta e vorba despre o altă temă dragă artistului:

Planet Earth, my home, my place
A capricious anomaly in the sea of space
Planet Earth are you just
Floating by, a cloud of dust
A minor globe, about to bust
A piece of metal bound to rust
A speck of matter in a mindless void
A lonely spaceship, a large asteroid
Cold as a rock without a hue
Held together with a bit of glue
Something tells me this isn't true
You are my sweetheart, soft and blue
Do you care, have you a part
In the deepest emotions of my own heart
Tender with breezes, caressing and whole
Alive with music, haunting my soul.
In my veins I've felt the mystery
Of corridors of time, books of history
Life songs of ages throbbing in my blood
Have danced the rhythm of the tide and flood
Your misty clouds, your electric storm
Were turbulent tempests in my own form
I've licked the salt, the bitter, the sweet
Of every encounter, of passion, of heat
Your riotous color, your fragrance, your taste
Have thrilled my senses beyond all haste
In your beauty, I've known the how
Of timeless bliss, this moment of now
Planet Earth are you just
Floating by, a cloud of dust
A minor globe, about to bust
A piece of metal bound to rust
A speck of matter in a mindless void
A lonely spaceship, a large asteroid
Cold as a rock without a hue
Held together with a bit of glue
Something tells me this isn't true
You are my sweetheart gentle and blue
Do you care, have you a part
In the deepest emotions of my own heart
Tender with breezes, caressing and whole
Alive with music, haunting my soul.
Planet Earth, gentle and blue
With all my heart, I love you.

De pe domeniul său selenar, Michael Jackson admiră acum în voie, la orice ceas, cât de albastru mai e norul său de praf.

Cântecul "This Is It" şi un nou album Michael Jackson

Ceea ce am scris la titlu se va petrece la 12 octombrie 2009, dar pentru public, albumul - care cuprinde, practic, coloana sonoră a filmului "This Is It"- va fi disponibil abia la 28 octombrie (cu plus/minus, conform fusului orar). Cântecul este (de ce nu mă mir) în două variante. Pe disc va fi şi poemul "Planet Earth", recitat de Michael Jackson (poemul e cunoscut, dar e pentru prima dată când poate fi auzit în lectura autorului). Anunţul a fost dat de site-ul oficial www.michaeljackson.com. Alte amănunte interesante sunt la linkurile date (la fotografie e cel către film).

Ăsta e afişul. Ceea ce mă nedumereşte este că s-a spus că, de duminică, se pot cumpăra bilete pentru film (rulează doar două săptămâni), DAR rezervarea se face "la cinematografele unde aţi dori să vedeţi filmul", am încheiat citatul. Da, dar care sunt alea? Cre' că o să păţesc ca la Sting, când au luat toate ţoapele (ţoape de ambe sexe) bilete şi, ajunse la concert, n-au înţeles nimic - fiind profund nemulţumite că omul a cântat muzică medievală. Aşteptăm cu mare interes piesa şi albumul (la care au contribuit şi fraţii). Vorbim dup-aia.

Şăd şi cujet

Spre deosebire de Ion - din banc, care, întrebat fiind "Ce faci, Ioane, şezi şi cujeţi?", a răspuns "Apăi, numa' şăd". Daaa, azi, în timp ce-mi zornăiau în urechi tot felul de sunete - muzică, trăncăneli, maşini, claxoane, sirene de salvări şi ce-o mai fi fost, cugetam că există şi laturi pozitive ale dispariţiei lui Michael Jackson.
N-ai zice, nu? Păi, să vezi: a câştigat mulţi fani, foarte mulţi fani în plus faţă de cei pe care-i avea. Treaba se poate verifica simplu, numai din comentariile postate pe tot felul de site-uri şi bloage, cu mărturisiri de tot felul, numeroase fiind cele care spun că Michael Jackson abia acum a fost descoperit şi, prin urmare, e preţuit cum se cuvine de descoperitori.

Şi cum statistica spune că, la un mesaj expus, există un număr mult mai mare de inşi în aceeaşi situaţie, dar care n-au scris nimic (pe vremuri - la o scrisoare trimisă spre presă - fie radio, tv sau publicaţie -, se socoteau 10.000 de ascultători, telespectatori sau cititori; or fi alte evaluări acum, dar tot tre' să fie ceva destul de consistent), trebuie să cred(em) că Michael Jackson a mai stabilit un record.
(Mă gândeam, cu sadism, să zic că şi-a dublat numărul de fani, din moment ce am intrat şi eu, oarecum, în categorie; dar mă abţin să fac asemenea glume! Nu, nu se cade, ruşine să-mi fie! Mai ales că nu-s ceea ce se cheamă fan.)

Pe de altă parte, o Oprah se pare că a pierdut nişte fani. Şi cum aria ei de audienţă este, totuşi, cvasi-americană (pentru că degeaba se laudă că i se difuzează show-ul peste tot în lume: vorbele nu sunt limbaj universal, una la mână şi a doua: temele ei sunt, în mare-mare parte, americăneşti) - n-o să spere nicicând la o asemănare a popularităţii. Chiar m-a înveselit comentariul unui iutubist (sau o iutubistă, cred), prin iulie, care, impresionat(ă) de imensul val de simpatie faţă de Michael Jackson, se întreba dacă şi Oprah, atunci când va muri, va beneficia de aceleaşi omagii din partea fanilor. Poate că da, dar mai puţine - dincolo de ideea că sunt unii care nutresc asemenea gânduri nesănătoase...

Mărci poştale

Ceea ce se vede deasupra este prima-prima-prima marcă poştală tipărită vreodată cu Michael Jackson, zice-se. Cred că e vorba despre el ca solist, pentru că Jackson 5 au fost, după ştiinţa mea, "timbraţi" şi "marcaţi poştal" îndeajuns în epoca lor de glorie.

Nu sunt expert în domeniu - dar mă mir că n-am găsit mărci poştale americane.

Mai jos sunt nişte mărci poştale tipărite prin 1985 (cu aproximaţie), în urma unui referendum popular care voia să stabilească cine este superstarul care merită să fie onorat:

Acum urmează un şir de mărci tipărite în Abhazia (mi-a luat ceva vreme până am descifrat ce scrie) după moartea artistului, ca un omagiu adus acestuia:

Şi, tot ca un omagiu postum, cele tipărite în Insulele St. Vincent (şi Grenadine):

Desigur, există (şi) locuri unde experţii în domeniu ştiu ce să spună în plus despre toate acestea şi care, probabil, au în colecţii mai multe "modele" de mărci poştale cu Michael Jackson. Mi s-a părut interesant însă site-ul www.michael-jackson-stamps.com, unde sunt prezentate mărci care pot fi colecţionate dar şi mărci cu erori...

Moonwalk cu Moonwalker, pe Lună

În urmă cu câţiva ani, adică în 2005, Michael Jackson, ca orice american adevărat, şi-a cumpărat (cu 2,70 de dolari pe acru) niscaiva teren pe Lună, de cam 1200 de acri, gândindu-se că va avea, cândva, nevoie de un loc reprezentativ unde să se plimbe cu adevărat... sau să danseze. Locul respectiv se numeşte "Lacul Visurilor" (The Lake of Dreams), un nume cum nu se poate mai potrivit cu majoritatea proiectelor artistului. Conform "registrului selenar", în care sunt trecuţi toţi proprietarii terenurilor de pe Lună, Michael Jackson este - şi aici - "cel mai": deţine cea mai vastă suprafaţă de pe satelitul natural al Pământului şi, se pare, a făcut o investiţie bună. Proprietatea a şi fost împărţită pe parcele cu destinaţii precise: turism, domeniu ştiinţific, bază de operaţiuni, domeniu de industrie uşoară. Iată harta proprietăţii sale:

Acum, după ce Michael Jackson şi-a luat cu adevărat în stăpânire proprietatea, organizaţia numită The Lunar Republic i-a dăruit şi un alt domeniu: un crater selenar care să-i poarte numele.

Acesta se află în chiar Lacul Visurilor (Lacus Somniorum), ale cărui coordonate selenare sunt 38° N şi 29,2° E - fiind cea mai mare suprafaţă ce poartă acest nume (Lac), având diametrul de 384 km.

"Lacul Visurilor" este, cum spuneam, deţinut de Michael Jackson, iar craterul "dedicat" artistului purta, până acum, numele de Posidonius J.

Stejarul care (se) ghindeşte

Uită-te la el. O face ghinde? Un om deştept (în afară de mine) ar lua ghindăraia acestui ciudat Mike-Mişu şi ar împărţi-o de-a lungul şi de-a latul continentelor, să răsară păduri întregi unde, pe câte-o cracă, să cugete orice "ghinditor". Căci ghinda, ce poate face ea? Ghindeşte. Şi cei ce n-ar fi în stare să se cocoaţe, vor sta la umbra câte unui stejar şi-or cădea pe gânduri (sau ghinduri). Ca mine, acum.
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(fotografia e captură din emisiunea Larry King Live - vezi linkul)

Nemişcarea de rezistenţă

Veşti bune şi veşti rele. Veste bună: a apărut, sub formă de sample, compilaţia "Michael Jackson - Number Ones". Vestea proastă este că albumul e însoţit de un supliment. Vestea şi mai proastă e că suplimentul e scris de nişte unii, întâmplător - de pe la noi.

În Jurnalul naţional, care are la "ediţia de colecţie" de azi CD-ul în chestiune, există un apel la mişcare. E vorba de mişcarea de rezistenţă prin care, în vorbe cam multe, tot omul e îndemnat să lupte (pacifist, cum altfel?!) împotriva a tot ce nu e bun. Dar mai ales împotriva imposturii. Păi, e cam nasol, căci dl. Marius Tucă, cel ce a lansat manifestul acesta, ar trebui să facă ceva curăţenie în propria ogradă.

De pildă, unii care, ca să fie neinformaţi - primesc leafă; altfel nu-mi explic cum a putut fi lansat un supliment atât de plin de inexactităţi. Au altă treabă şi n-au când să se ocupe de un pic de documentare? Dacă emit păreri proprii sau dacă le-au copiat - e jenant în ambele situaţii, vorba împăratului din Harap Alb: dacă te-a învăţat careva, rău sfat ţi-a dat, iar dacă ai făcut după capul tău, rău cap ai avut. Bine, pe lângă neştiinţa unora, este careva acolo care nu o dată a dat dovadă de rea-credinţă, ce să ne mai mirăm, întrebarea e: de ce trebuie plătită neştiinţa şi, mai ales, răspândirea ei... cu bună ştiinţă?

Din prima: anunţul (marele promo despre care am gargarisit deunăzi) că discul conţine toate Number Ones-urile. Cât creier îţi trebuie ca să observi că e o compilaţie marca Sony şi atât? Că, doar un exemplu, lipseşte "Who Is It" - căreia Sony i-a pus tălpi? Şi mai găsim, dar pierdem timpul - pe cin'să lămureşti?

A doua - de pe pagina a doua: Campania USA for Africa, pentru care Michael Jackson a compus împreună cu Lionel Richie "We Are the World" n-a fost ideea lui Jackson, ci a lui Harry Belafonte, înciudat că Bob Geldof şi Band Aid, la finele lui 1984, au lansat piesa "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - în ideea de a strânge bani pentru Etiopia, ţară afectată de foamete. Povestea e în mai multe surse, dar cea mai la îndemână e, desigur, Wikipedia. Dar e greu să ajungi acolo. Ca şi povestea cu Cortina de Fier. Poate e bine de ştiut că România, ca şi alte ţări de "dincoace" de cortină, era în anii aceia într-un program special de promovare a americănismelor: am văzut primii, înaintea vest-europenilor seriale precum Dallas, biblioteca americană funcţiona din plin, filmele de pe marile ecrane aveau, de asemenea, prioritate faţă de ţările capitaliste. Era mişcarea lor de rezistenţă. Că la bibliotecă ajungeai mai rar şi apăreai pe anumite liste, e altă poveste. Ei îşi făceau treaba lor americănească, ai noştri - rumänischen Werken. Ei dădeau filme, la noi se difuza ce trecea de anumite birouri. Ei, şi uite că treceau unele chestii. Dar e mult de trăncănit despre asta.

Apoi: n-auzirăm de tehnică vocală? Cum adică, la "Blood on the Dance Floor" Michael Jackson avea vocea obosită? Obosise doar la solo? Mai exact: doar la strofe? Pentru backing vocals şi refrene era neobosită? Zburda? Ca-n bancul cu tipul care, cu voce cavernoasă, îi spune doctorului: "Plămânul stâng e terci... Nu mai e nimic de el...". Doctorul, curios, îl întreabă: "Şi dreptul?", la care tipul, cu voce cristalină, spune: "A, la dreptul n-am nimic."

Pagina a 23-a: acordul, în formularea privind discurile vândute, se face la "bine", nu la "vândute", dragi analfabeţi cu leafă: "Iată câteva dintre cel mai bine vândute albume de studio... etc". Nu mai dau alte exemple, că mi se-apleacă (nu e nevoie să mănânci tot oul ca să-ţi dai seama abia la sfârşit că e stricat).

Da, trebuie reformulat înţelesul zicalei conform căreia prostia se plăteşte. Adică, în zilele noastre, e remunerată. Şi, mai rău, o cumpărăm, ca să putem avea albumul. Altfel, să ne mişcăm de rezistenţă...
Să închei cu o altă veste, de data asta bună: lui Mircea Badea îi place Michael Jackson.

Cea mai frumoasă

Privelişte. Să tot zaci holbându-te afară, cu un laptop în braţe - dacă o fi la îndemână şi cu mintea hălăduind. Din toate sefeurile din deja doar imaginatul Neverland, ăsta e locul pe care l-aş fi luat acasă.

Cum spunea Mark Twain: "Vreau să scriu o poveste aşa cum mi-a povestit-o cineva, care o auzise de la tatăl său. Care, de asemenea, o auzise de la părintele său, astfel încât, urcând din generaţie în generaţie, timp de mai bine de 300 de ani, părinţii au împărtăşit-o copiilor şi au păstrat-o neatinsă. Poate să fie adevărată, după cum poate fi numai o poveste. Totul poate că s-a-ntâmplat. Sau - poate că nu. Dar hotărât este că s-ar fi putut întâmpla."

N-a fost nevoie să treacă 300 de ani peste Neverland, să fie viteza timpurilor noastre cauza?, hotărâtul lucru este că a rămas doar o poveste.

Da

Cine spune că nu există societate civilă în România? Numai pe pagina de You Tube care se deschide la linkul fotografiei de mai sus sunt incredibil de multe asemenea postări - omagii, flash-moburi, întruniri. Din România, mai ales din Bucureşti. Dacă are cine să-i mobilizeze pe oameni, uite, se poate. Problema e că e cineva (tot) din afara României care (poate) face asta. E minunat că acest cineva e Michael Jackson. E groaznic că e numai amintirea lui. E bine că oamenii demonstrează că nu sunt apatici (doar când vine vorba de politică - românească, desigur). Şi aşa putem diseca firul în patru cât cuprinde. Dac-aş fi sociolog, aş trage nişte concluzii. Dar nu sunt, iar sociologii îşi taie unghiile pe la talk-show-uri politice, eventual. Sau nu şi le taie deloc. Care sociologi?

Evenimentul prezentat în poza de mai sus a avut loc în trei locuri diferite: Piaţa Romană, Gara de Nord şi în Mall-ul Plaza (Plaza Romania) la data de 29 august. N-a ajuns la ştiri. Opt oameni, coregrafi - Ioana Marchidan, Mircea Ghinea, Raluca Popa, Alexandra Gavrilescu, Irina Strungăreanu, Doina Botiş, Violeta Dumitraşcu şi cea care a postat filmuleţul, Judith State - s-au ocupat de cei aproape 200 de dansatori de ocazie care au realizat aceste impresionante momente. Sincere felicitări. Pe bune!

La MTV România au fost difuzate în week-end două documentare importante: "Michael Jackson - Human Nature" şi "Michael Jackson in His Own Words: The Music Videos". Primul - realizat după moartea artistului cu câţiva dintre cei ce l-au cunoscut şi au lucrat cu el (Kenny Ortega, Akon, R. Kelly şi alţii; mai puţin Jay Z care doar l-a cunoscut şi care a şi fost uşor pe dinafară, reuşind să fie doar politicos), cel de-al doilea a fost făcut acum 10 ani, fiind vorba de un interviu realizat de Alex Colletti - MTV, la 12 august 1999. Bravos, dom'ne, aşa mai merge. Dacă s-ar hotărî să dea scurt-metrajele muzicale întregi, dacă ar da şi Moonwalker - măi, ar fi şi mai bine. Dar tot e ceva, faţă de apatia de acum o lună, de pildă... Fotografia are link la MTV.com, unde, pe bucăţi (ordonate de subiecte: inovaţie şi creativitate; ce face ca un film să fie de succes; Thriller - cu trei segmente: în spatele camerei de filmat, scena favorită şi coregrafia; Beat It; Billie Jean; Black or White) poate fi văzută întreaga filmare din 1999.
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fotografiile sunt capturi You Tube şi MTV.com

Gică şi Mike

Nichita Stănescu avea un copac favorit: plopul Gică, mai mare peste toţi copacii din jur. Gică locuia tot în Piaţa Amzei. Nichita Stănescu a murit la 50 de ani, în 1983. Gică a fost tăiat după douăzeci de ani: în 2003. Am găsit informaţia pe blogul dordecasa (care citează presa vremii), nu-i decât încă un motiv de triste presupuneri.

Michael Jackson, trăitor şi el numai vreme de 50 de ani, a avut un copac favorit: un stejar bizar, ce pare că, în lumea lui vegetală, a exersat toate piruetele neliniştitului său protector. Stejarul n-are un nume cunoscut - şi mă mir, pentru că Michael Jackson dădea nume conforme cu imaginaţia sa oricărei prezenţe notabile din preajmă. Şi un vieţuitor atât de preţios ca acest stejar era musai să aibă un nume. Până când vom afla cum l-a botezat cel ce se legăna pe ramurile sale, o să-i spunem Mike (căci n-am tupeul să-i spun Mişu).

Dar ştim că şi vegetalele au sentimente: mă-ntreb ce-o zice Mike (ă, Mişu) acum, singur definitiv (după ce a fost părăsit, vremelnic credea el, în urmă cu patru ani)?

Copacul numit Gică

de Nichita Stănescu

N-am avut de treabă şi întorcându-mă mai târziu acasă, l-am scărpinat cu unghiile pe coajă pe Gică. Măgarul de copac numit Gică m-a luat în serios şi brusc vrînd-nevrînd a început să facă parte din mine însumi.
Dacă nu încep printr-o glumă, nu se înţelege nimic din prietenia mea cu Gică şi din prietenia lui Gică cu mine. invitasem o distinsă doamnă, şi ceva nu era la locul său. Până când, deodată azvârlindu-mi vederea peste balcon, l-am văzut pe Gică, mai mare peste cei zece copaci ai lui, care fojgăiau şi frunzăreau, pe măgarul de Gică solemn şi ţeapăn uitându-se verde şi fix la mine. Îi era frică că nu m-aş fi purtat după rang. În gândirea lui de copac nu avea încredere în gândirea mea de om. Ce mai, m-a luat sub protecţia umbrei sale, indiferent dacă răsare soarele sau nu, indiferent dacă luna este ca o seceră turcească sau ca o mămăligă albă.
Gică este un copac gelos.
M-a pus dracu de l-am scărpinat pe scoarţă într-o seară şi nu mai scap de el defel.
Venise la mine într-o zi o distinsă doamnă. Din pricina principialităţii lui Gică, nici mâna nu am apucat să i-o sărut. Gică este un copac gelos. Excesul de grijă pe care îl are pentru mine, curiozitatea lui de pom care se uită la mine mirat, că sunt om, nu mă lasă în libertatea mea.
N-avui treabă! Cine m-a pus să-l scarpin pe scoarţă când singuratic am venit acasă?

Partea plină a paharului

N-am văzut emisiunea de luni (spre marţi, cum ar veni, la noi) "Oprah Winfrey Show", dar am dat de comentariile unor telespectatori, la adresa www.aceshowbiz.com. Mai toţi n-o scot din "oportunistă", "şarpe ascuns în iarbă" (la noi ar fi fost "încălzit la sân"), cu două feţe etc. La ora când scriu sunt 158 de comentarii - şi, cât am rezistat să citesc, nici măcar unul nu e de partea doamnei. Nici măcar neutre (unii încep cu "dreptul la opinie", după care e remarcată sec goana ei după audienţă, suspecta lipsă a publicului din studio...hm-hm, gelozia faţă de celebritatea internaţională a lui Jackson, folosirea lui pentru propria faimă ş.a.m.d.).

Înseamnă c-a fost ceva venin pe-acolo şi-atunci nu mai înţeleg articolele de promo pentru emisiune. Să fi apărut vreun contract? Vreo clauză? Un paragraf scris cu litere mărunte? Culmea e că adresa e dată pe chiar site-ul oficial al lui Michael Jackson, www.michaeljackson.com. Foarte interesant. Aşa că, n-am văzut emisiunea: ce bine!

Firmituri, dar bune

Da! Există popor jacksonian care e preocupat de luminarea unor minţi frustrate de lipsa bunătăţilor la care au acces doar cei din ţările agreate de You Tube, MTV şi alte asemenea organizaţii. Poporul acesta face şi el ce poate, cu limitele impuse de cei pe care-i spusei, totuşi - aşa putem vedea ce am pierdut.

Un astfel de loc minunat este blogul numit TSCM's Michael Jackson Updates, adică tscmmj.blogspot.com, unde se pot vedea hălci din "This Is It" (cum sunt repetiţiile - în mai multe versiuni - la "Human Nature", de exemplu). Şi nu numai atât: cine e harnic şi talentat este trimis să-şi "descarce" filmuleţe din timpul repetiţiilor. Ceea ce se vede în ele e, pot spune, bulversant.

10 februarie 1993 - partea I

În urmă cu 16 ani şi jumătate, Michael Jackson - considerat de presă un entertainer "sălbatic" şi un interlocutor "neîmblânzit" pentru că refuzase, vreme de 14 ani, orice interviu televizat, protejându-şi cu nestrămutată hotărâre viaţa privată, a acceptat să acorde un interviu de 90 de minute cunoscutei (deja pe-atunci) Oprah Winfrey. Avem acum transcrierea, mă mai gândesc dacă s-o traduc. Să fim noi sănătoşi mai întâi, apoi vedem. Lectură plăcută:

The Interview

Oprah: You're invited to Michael Jackson's house-four minutes from now.

Cut to clips of Michael as people make remarks:

Boy: He's like famous. He dances good. And when he was a little boy he was singing so cool.
Young woman: I grew up with his music and I think he is extremely talented.
Man: This kid does a little bit of everything. He's just so different, so unique in his style.
Boy: His thing is his music. O.K. He's just himself, you know?
Young man: People would die for him. You see all those pictures of people crying and trampling over each other just to get a glimpse of him.
Young man: I think he is the ultimate live performer.
Lady: I don't know how he can dance like that.
Child: He's a great singer. I just love him.
Man: He's a genius.
Boy: He's the King of Pop.
Man: The man is just tremendous. And I am in my seventies and I love him, so you can imagine what my teenagers do.
Man: He's always been the greatest in my book.
Woman: I think he's a gift, you know, to people who love music.
Young man: I just wish that he would just kinda take down his walls and show the world who he really is.

Oprah: Good evening. I am Oprah Winfrey, live to you in North America and countries around the globe - bringing you a world exclusive interview with the most elusive superstar in the history of music, Michael Jackson. I'm here in front of his California home, it's a ranch on the outskirts of Santa Barbara, where just inside is the man who has broken every possible musical record, denied inter-views, and defied definition for years. For nearly a quarter of a century, he has been an innovator of music, of dance, of videos, even fashion, and nothing he does is anything short of spectacular. Tonight, Michael Jackson will continue to surprise us with a rare personal tour of his astounding home, which includes a private movie theater and a full scale amusement park. You're also going to see a special performance by him and the world premiere of his latest music video. In the next live, and I do mean unedited ninety minutes, Michael Jackson will reveal himself, I hope, as he has never done before. Tonight, his silence is broken. Tonight: Michael Jackson.

Cut to clips for intermission.

Announcer : Live from Santa Inez, California-Michael Jackson talks to Oprah.

Oprah: [from Michael's living room] Michael Jackson's home is nothing like anyone would expect. I thought there were going to be a few llamas wandering around the living room and maybe some-uh-chimps jumping around. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't dead wrong. There are plenty of mind-boggling areas on this 2700 acre ranch which you'll see in this next ninety minutes. But, where Michael Jackson eats, and where he sleeps, and where he lives is quite simply a beautiful home. There is a library here filled with leather bound classics and art work on the walls, not at all what we thought we'd find. Before we meet the man who does live here, it is important to know where he came from, for his history is nothing short of incredible.

[Cut to clips of photos of Michael and family as he grew up.]

Oprah: Michael Jackson is the seventh of nine brothers and sisters born in Gary, Indiana to steel mill worker Joseph and mother Katherine. Some say the Jackson's turned to music the day their television set broke down, but from the day they started performing, they were destined for stardom. Beginning at a place called Motown------

[Cut to clips of Michael and his brothers performing.]

Oprah: This video tape of the Jackson's Motown audition shows James Brown's influence on young Michael and the boys' performance brought almost the entire company in to watch. Motown head, Berry Gordy knew right away. It was the start of a career that broke almost every record in the book, beginning with a string of four number one consecutive hits.

[Cut to clips of the Jackson 5 appearances on Ed Sullivan and other shows.]

Oprah: For the Jackson family, their lives changed almost overnight. They went from obscurity to super stardom, filled with concert tours, limousines, and television appearances. But, it was little Michael that was getting the most attention. As the number one hits continue to accumulate, Michael became a star in his own right, releasing song after song, each one turning to gold. As the years roll by, the Jackson's success continues while their music changed with the changing times. But, as the boys grew older, who could have guessed what lay in store for Michael Jackson.

[Cut to clip of Michael being interviewed as a child--]
Interviewer: So what's going to happen when your voice changes?
little Michael: It just changes!
Interviewer: Are you going to be able to stay singing?
little Michael: Yeah. (smiles broadly)

The Interview:

Oprah: Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson enters the living room of his home. They shake hands and Michael kisses Oprah on the cheek.

Oprah: How nervous are you?

Michael: How what?

Oprah: How nervous are you right now?

Michael: I'm not nervous at all, actually.

Oprah: You really aren't?

Michael: No, I never get nervous.

Oprah: Not even for your first interview and it's live around the world? I thought you'd be a little nervous but you're not and that's great because if you're not nervous I won't be nervous. I just wanted to let the world know that when we agreed to do this interview you said you would be willing to talk to me about everything.

Michael: That's true.

Oprah: Very true. I was watching you in the background there watching you in the video of the early years. Did that bring back memories for you?

Michael: It made me giggle because I haven't seen that footage in a long time. Did it bring back memories? Yes, me and my brothers who I love dearly and it's just a wonderful moment for me.

Oprah: I saw you laugh when you saw yourself singing Baby, Baby, Baby.

Michael: Yeah, I think James Brown is a genius you know when he's with the Famous Flames, unbelievable. I used to watch him on television and I used to get angry at the camera-man because whenever he would really start to dance they would be on a close-up so I couldn't see his feet. I'd shout "show him show him.", so I could watch and learn.

Oprah: So he was a big mentor for you?

Michael: Phenomenal, phenomenal.

Oprah: Who else was?

Michael: Jackie Wilson who I adore as an entertainer, and of course music, Motown. The Bee Gees who are brilliant, I just love great music.

Oprah: When I look at those tapes of you, and heaven knows, putting this together I think I've seen every piece of video ever done of you, and watching those tapes when, especially in the younger years, you seem to really come alive on stage. Were you as happy off stage as you appear to be on stage?

Michael: Well, on stage for me was home. I was most comfortable on stage but once I got off stage, I was like, very sad.

Oprah: Really?

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: And sad from the beginning, sad since it first started, sad?

Michael: Lonely, sad, having to face popularity and all that. There were times when I had great times with my brother, pillow fights and things, but I was, used to always cry from loneliness.

Oprah: Beginning at what age?

Michael: Oh, very little, eight, nine.

Oprah: When you all first became famous?

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: So it wasn't what it appeared to be to the rest of the world, all of us .. I remember I was a little black child, wanted to marry Jackie Jackson, your brother, so I mean to all of us we thought this was the most wonderful thing in the world, who wouldn't have wanted that life?

Michael: It was wonderful, there is a lot of wonderment in being famous. I mean you travel the world, you meet people, you go places, it's great. But then there's the other side, which I'm not complaining about. There is lots of rehearsal and you have to put in a lot of your time, give of yourself a lot.

10 februarie 1993 - partea a II-a

Oprah: Do you feel... I talked with Susan de Passe the other day, and Susan de Passe worked with you at Motown and really groomed you all and found the outfits for the Ed Sullivan Show. We talked about whether or not it was really lost, was it?

Michael: Well, especially now I come to realize - and then - I would do my schooling which was three hours with a tutor and right after that I would go to the recording studio and record, and I'd record for hours and hours until it's time to go to sleep. And I remember going to the record studio there was a park across the street and I'd see all the children playing and I would cry because it would make me sad that I would have to work instead.

Oprah: I want to go to this and show some pictures of you as a little boy.

Michael: OK.

Oprah: Susan said it was a heavy price. I want to know how big of a price it was, losing your childhood or having this kind of life?

Michael: Well, you don't get to do things that other children get to do, you know, having friends and slumber parties and buddies. There was none of that for me. I didn't have any friends when I was little. My brothers were my friends.

Oprah: Was there ever a place where - because you know children - because I remember talking to myself and playing with my dolls - was there.. and I think every child needs a place to escape into, a child's world, a child's imagination, was there ever a time you could do that?

Michael: No. And that is why I think now because I didn't have it then, I compensate for that. People wonder why I always have children around, because I find the thing that I never had through them, you know Disneyland, amusement parks, arcade games. I adore all that stuff because when I was little it was always work, work, work from one concert to the next, if it wasn't a concert it was the recording studio, if it wasn't that it was TV shows or interviews or picture sessions. There was always something to do.

Oprah: Did you feel, Smokey Robinson said this about you, and so have many other people, that you were like an old soul in a little body.

Michael: I remember hearing that all the time when I was little. They used to call me a 45-years-old midget wherever I went, I just used to hear that and wherever I went .. just like when some people when you were little and you started to sing did you know you were that good? And I say I never thought about it, I just did it and it came out. I never thought about it really.

Oprah: So here you were, Michael Jackson, you all had hits, you all had so many hits, four hits in a row, and you were crying because you couldn't be like other kids.

Michael: Well, I loved show business and I still love show business, but then there are times you want to play and have some fun and that part did make me sad. I remember one time we were getting ready to go to South America and everything was packed up and in the car ready to go and I hid and I was crying because I really did not want to go. I wanted to play. I did not want to go.

Oprah: Were your brothers jealous of you when you started getting all the attention?

Michael: Not that I know of, no.

Oprah: You never felt a sense of jealousy?

Michael: Oh, let me think - no. No, I think they were always happy for me that I could do certain things, but I've never felt jealousy among them.

Oprah: Do you think they are jealous of you now?

Michael: I wouldn't think so. I don't think so, no.

Oprah: No. What's your relationship like with your family? Are you all close still?

Michael: I love my family very much. I wish I could see them a little more often than I do. But we understand because we're a show business family and we all work. We do have family day when we all get together, we pick a person's house, it might be Jermaine's house or Marlon's house or Tito's house and everyone will come together in fellowship and love each other and talk and catch up on who's doing what and....

Oprah: You weren't all upset about LaToya and LaToya's book and the things that LaToya has said about the family?

Michael: Well, I haven't read LaToya's book. I just know how to love my sister dearly, I love LaToya and I always will and I always see her as the happy, loving LaToya that I remember growing up with. So I couldn't completely answer on that.

Oprah: Do you feel that some of the things that she's been saying are true?

Michael: I couldn't answer Oprah, honestly I haven't read the book. That's the honest truth.

Oprah: Well, let's go back to when you were growing up and feeling all of this, well, I guess it's a sense of anguish, I guess, so there was no one for you to play with other than your brother's, you never had slumber parties?

Michael: Never.

Oprah: So I'm wondering for you, being this cute little boy who everybody adored and everybody who comes up to you they're pulling your cheeks and how cute, how adolescence going through that duck stage where everything's awkward, and I'm wondering when you started to go through adolescence having been this child superstar, was that a particularly difficult time for you?

Michael: Very. Very, very difficult, yes. Because I think every child star suffers through this period because you're not the cute and charming child that you were. You start to grow, and they want to keep you little forever.

Oprah: Who's they?

Michael: The public. And um, nature takes its course.

Oprah: It does?

Michael: Yes, and I had pimples so badly it used to make me so shy, I used not to look at myself, I'd hide my face in the dark, I wouldn't want to look in the mirror and my father teased me and I just hated it and I cried every day.

Oprah: Your father teased you about your pimples?

Michael: Yes and tell me I'm ugly.

Oprah: Your father would say that?

Michael: Yes he would. Sorry Joseph.

Oprah: What's your relationship like with him?

Michael: I love my father but I don't know him.

Oprah: Are you angry with him for doing that? I think that's pretty cruel actually.

Michael: Am I angry with him?

Oprah: Because adolescence is hard enough without a parent telling you that you're ugly.

Michael: Am I angry with him? Sometimes I do get angry. I don't know him the way I'd like to know him. My mother's wonderful. To me she's perfection. I just wish I could understand my father.

Oprah: And so let's talk about those teen years. Is that when you started to go inside yourself? Because obviously you haven't spoken to the world for 14 years. So you went inside, you became a recluse. Was it to protect yourself?

Michael: I felt there wasn't anything important for me to say and those were very sad, sad years for me.

Oprah: Why so sad? Because on stage you were performing, you were getting your Grammies. Why so sad?

Michael: Oh, there's a lot of sadness about my past and adolescence, about my father and all of those things.

Oprah: So he would tease you, make fun of you.

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: Would he ... did he ever beat you?

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: And why would he beat you?

Michael: He saw me, he wanted me ... I guess I don't know if I was his golden child or whatever it was, some may call it a strict disciplinarian or whatever, but he was very strict, very hard, very stern. Just a look would scare you, you know.

Oprah: And were you scared of him?

Michael: Very. Like there's been times when he'd come to see me, I'd get sick, I'd start to regurgitate.

Oprah: As a child or as an adult?

Michael: Both. He's never heard me say this. I'm sorry, please don't be mad at me.

10 februarie 1993 - partea a III-a

Oprah: Well, I mean, I suppose everybody has to take responsibility for what they've done in life. And your father is one of those people who also have to take responsibility.

Michael: But I do love him.

Oprah: Yes, I understand this.

Michael: And I am forgiving.

Oprah: But can you really forgive?

Michael: I do forgive. There's so much garbage and so much trash that's written about me it is so untrue, they're complete lies, and those are some of the things I wanted to talk about. The press has made up so much ... God ... awful, horrifying stories it has made me realize the more often you hear a lie, I mean, you begin to believe it.

Oprah: Um, we talked about all of the rumors just before we went to the break and there are so many. First of all, I have been in this house getting prepared for this and I've been all over the house upstairs when you weren't looking, looking for that oxygen chamber and I cannot find an oxygen chamber anywhere in the house.

Michael: That, that story is so crazy, I mean it's one of those tabloid things, it's completely made up.

Oprah: Okay, but you are in something there, there's a picture of you, where did that come from? How did it get started?

Michael: That's ... I did a commercial for Pepsi and I was burned very badly and we settled for one million dollars and I gave all the money ... like we built this place called the Michael Jackson Burn Center and that's a piece of technology used for burn victims, right, so I'm looking at the piece of technology and decide to just go inside it and just to hammer around, somebody takes the picture, when they process the picture the person who processes the picture says, "Oh, Michael Jackson," he made a copy and these pictures went all over the world with this lie attached to it. It's a complete lie, why do people buy these papers. It's not the truth and I'm here to say. You know, do not judge a person, do not pass judgment, unless you have talked to them one on one, I don't care what the story is, do not judge them because it's a lie.

Oprah: You're right, that story, it was just like it had legs.

Michael: It's crazy! Why would I want to sleep in a chamber? (Laughing)

Oprah: Well, the rumor was that you were sleeping in the chamber because you didn't want to grow old.

Michael: That's stupid. That's stupid. It's completely made up and I'm embarrassed. I'm willing to forgive the press, or forgive anybody, I was taught to love and forgive, which I do have in my heart, but please don't believe these crazy, horrifying things.

Oprah: Did you buy the Elephant man's bones, were you trying to get them for ...

Michael: No that's another stupid story. I love the story of the Elephant Man, he reminds me of me a lot and I could relate to it, it made me cry because I saw myself in in the story, but no I never asked for the ... where am I going to put some bones?

Oprah: I don't know.

Michael: And why would I want some bones?

Oprah: I don't know. So where did that come from?

Michael: Someone makes it up and everybody believes it. If you hear a lie often enough, you believe it.

Oprah: Yes and people make money selling tabloids.

Michael: Yes

Oprah: All right. Just recently, there was a story and I know one of your attorneys held a news conference, there was a story about you wanting a little white child to play you in a Pepsi commercial.

Michael: That is so stupid. That is the most ridiculous, horrifying story I've ever heard. It's crazy. Why, number one, it's my face as a child in the commercial, me when I was little, why would I want a white child to play me? I'm a black American, I am proud to be a black American, I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity. That's like you wanting an oriental person to play you as a child. Does that make sense?

Oprah: No.

Michael: So, please people, stop believing these horrifying stories.

Oprah: Okay, then let's go to the thing that is most discussed about you, that is the color of your skin is most obviously different than when you were younger, and so I think it has caused a great deal of speculation and controversy as to what you have done or are doing, are you bleaching your skin and is your skin lighter because you don't like being black?

Michael: Number one, as I know of, there is no such thing as skin bleaching, I have never seen it, I don't know what it is.

Oprah: Well they used to have those products, I remember growing up always hearing always use bleach and glow, but you have to have about 300,000 gallons.

Michael: Okay, but number one, this is the situation. I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin, it's something that I cannot help. Okay. But when people make up stories that I don't want to be who I am it hurts me.

Oprah: So it is...

Michael: It's a problem for me that I can't control, but what about all the millions of people who sits out in the sun, to become darker, to become other than what they are, no one says nothing about that.

Oprah: So when did this start, when did your ... when did the color of your skin start to change?

Michael: Oh boy, I don't ... sometime after Thriller, around Off the Wall, Thriller, around sometime then.

Oprah: But what did you think?

Michael: It's in my family, my father said it's on his side. I can't control it, I don't understand, I mean, it makes me very sad. I don't want to go into my medical history because that is private, but that's the situation here.

Oprah: So okay, I just want to get this straight, you are not taking anything to change the color of your skin ...

Michael: Oh, God no, we tried to control it and using make-up evens it out because it makes blotches on my skin, I have to even out my skin. But you know what's funny, why is that so important? That's not important to me. I'm a great fan of art, I love Michelangelo, if I had the chance to talk to him or read about him I would want to know what inspired him to become who he is, the anatomy of his craftsmanship, not about who he went out with last night ... what' wrong with ... I mean that's what is important to me.

Oprah: How much plastic surgery have you had?

Michael: Very, very little. I mean you can count on my two fingers, I mean let's say this, if you want to know about those things, all the nosey people in the world, read my book Moonwalk, it's in my book. You know, let's put it this way, if all the people in Hollywood who have had plastic surgery, if they went on vacation, there wouldn't be a person left in town.

Oprah: Mmm, I think you might be right.

Michael: I think I am right. It would be empty.

Oprah: Did you start having plastic surgery because of those teen years because of not liking the way you looked?

Michael: No, not really. It was only two things. Really, get my book, it's no big deal.

Oprah: You don't want to tell me what it is? You had your nose done, obviously.

Michael: Yeah, but so did a lot of people that I know.

Oprah: And so, when you hear all these things about you, and there have been more...

Michael: I've never had my cheekbones done, never had my eyes done, never had my lips done and all this stuff. They go too far, but this is stuff that happens every day with other people.

Oprah: Are you pleased now with the way you look?

Michael: I'm never pleased with anything, I'm a perfectionist, it's part of who I am.

Oprah: And so when you look in the mirror now and so the image that looks back at you are there days when you say I kinda like this or I like the way my hair ...

Michael: No. I'm never pleased with myself. No, I try not to look in the mirror.

Oprah: I have to ask you this, so many mothers in my audience have said to please ask you this question. Why do you always grab your crotch?

Michael: (Giggle) Why do I grab my crotch?

Oprah: You've got a thing with your crotch going on there.

Michael: I think it happens subliminally. When you're dancing, you know you are just interpreting the music and the sounds and the accompaniment if there's a driving base, if there's a cello, if there's a string, you become the emotion of what that sound is, so if I'm doing a movement and I go bam and I grab myself it's... it's the music that compels me to do it, it's not saying that I'm dying to grab down there and it's not in a great place you don't think about it, it just happens, sometimes I'll look back at the footage and I go ... and I go did I do that, so I'm a slave to the rhythm, yeah, okay.

10 februarie 1993 - partea a IV-a

After a commercial break, some of Michael's major achievements are shown:

# 1 Album of All Time
# 2 Album of All Time
Biggest Concert in History
More Music Awards Than Any Other Artist
The 80's Most # 1 Hits
Biggest Endorsements Deal Ever - 15,000,000 dollars
Billion Dollar Entertainment Contract
Entertainner of the Decade

Oprah: When you have broken all those records, when you have the number one album ever sold, when you've broken every record there is to break, when you become an icon of an industry, is there always the pressure to do something bigger and something better.

Michael: Oh gee, that is something, um, it makes it harder each time to follow up. You try to be as original as you can be without thinking about statistics, just you go from the soul and from the heart.

Oprah: And so when you think of that what do you do, you go, you meditate, you think, well I will now do the Superbowl.

Michael: Nooo, I just create out of my heart, really.

Oprah: Liz Taylor said you were king of pop, rock and soul. Where did this whole notion that you proclaimed yourself king of pop come from?

Michael: Well, I didn't proclaim myself to be anything. I'm happy to be alive, I'm happy to be who I am, king of pop was first said by Elizabeth Taylor on one of the award shows.

Oprah: And that's where this all started?

Michael: Yes, and the fans ... all the stadiums that we played at they'd bring banners saying king of pop and jackets that say king of pop and T-shirts that say king of pop and they chanted outside my hotel, so it just became something that just happened all over the world.

Oprah: Do you go out, do you date?

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: Who do you date?

Michael: Well, right now it's Brooke Shields. Well, we try not to be everywhere, go everywhere, it's mostly at home, she'll come over, I'll go to her house, because I don't like going out in public.

Oprah: Have you ever been in love?

Michael: Yeah.

Oprah: With Brooke Shields?

Michael: Yes, and another girl.

Oprah: And another girl? Let me ask you this, and it's embarrassing for me to ask you this, but I'm gonna ask you anyway, are you a virgin?

Michael: Uhhhhh, how could you ask you that question?

Oprah: I just want to know.

Michael: I'm a gentleman.

Oprah: You're a gentleman?

Michael: I'm a gentleman.

Oprah: I would interpret that to mean that you believe that a lady is a lady and therefore..

Michael: That's something that's private, I mean, it shouldn't be spoken about openly. .... You can call me old fashioned if you want, but, you know I mean that's very personal.

Oprah: So, you're not going to answer it?

Michael: I'm embarrassed.

Oprah: Well, we would like to know whether or not there is a possibility that you are going to marry one day and have children?

Michael: I would feel my life is incomplete if I do not 'cause I adore the family life, I adore children and I adore that whole thing. And I would love to, that's one of my dreams, but I couldn't right now because I'm married, I'm married to my music and there has to be that closeness in order to do the kind of work that I want to do and ...

Oprah: What kind of woman makes you - in the video we're going to see later, we premier the world video, there's a line where you talk about being quenched, so what kind of person does that for you?

Michael: (Sings) Quench my desire ... Well Brooke, I've always liked her and when I was little I used to stay with Diana Ross, me and my brother stayed with her for years and I never said, but I always had a crush on her.

Oprah: You did?

Michael: Yes.

Oprah: I heard too, this was another one of those rumors, that you had proposed to Elizabeth Taylor at some point.

Michael: Elizabeth Taylor is gorgeous, beautiful, and she still is today, I'm crazy about her.

Oprah: Yeah, but did you propose to her?

Michael: I would like to have.

Oprah: Well, Elizabeth Taylor is here. Liz? Can we bring Liz out now? Liz had said she wanted to be here to hold your hand through this. You don't look like you need your hand held. Elizabeth Taylor!

Michael: Hi, Elizabeth.

Oprah: Hi.

Elizabeth: Hi.

Oprah: Have a seat.

Elizabeth: Thank you.

Opra: Did Michael ever propose to you?

Elizabeth: No! And I never proposed to him.

Oprah: Never did! What do you think is most misunderstood about Michael Jackson?

Elizabeth: All the things you mentioned. He is the least weird man I have ever known. He is highly intelligent, true, intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, generous almost to a fault, of himself.

Oprah: Uh-huh.

Elizabeth: Uh, and he just, if, if he has any eccentricities, it's that he is like larger than life and some people just cannot accept that or face it or understand it. His talent on stage, why I call him the King of pop, rock, soul, music, entertainment, whatever,

Oprah: Yes.

Elizabeth: there's nobody that can come near him. Nobody can dance like that, write the lyrics like that, the music, uh, cause the kind of excitement that he does.

Oprah: And why do you think you all are such good friends? What has brought about this kind of bond? Because people try to make this weird.

Elizabeth: Well, it's not. I mean, our childhoods are very similar, and we have that from the very beginning in common. Um, I was a child star at nine, had an abusive father, um, and that kind of brought us close together in the very beginning.

Oprah: And what is it, I am going to ask Michael this question later on, but, what is it you most want the world to know about him?

Elizabeth: What a wonderful, giving, caring, generous man he is and how good he is.

Oprah: And he's funny, too.

Elizabeth: Oh, he's wildly funny.

Oprah: He can crack some jokes, I tell you.

Elizabeth: Yes, but he is a good man.

Oprah: When we come back - Thank you for joining us too -

Elizabeth: That's fine.

Oprah: ...cause I know you did not want to be on camera at first, but thank you. Coming up next, Michael is going to give us not only a tour of his incredible amusement park and movie theater, but also a very special dance performance. For all of you who say he is faking the Moonwalk with mirrors, we've got some proof coming up in a minute.

Cut to dance clips for intermission