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In 1993, after being accused of child

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molestation and becoming the subject of

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a criminal investigation, Michael

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Jackson publicly declared his innocence

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with a pain that was impossible to hide.

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Don't treat me like a criminal cuz I am

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innocent. I have been forced to submit

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to a dehumanizing

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and humiliating examination by the Santa

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Barbara County Sheriff Department and

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the Los Angeles Police Department

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earlier this week. They served a search

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warrant on me which allowed them to view

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and photograph my body including my

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penis, my buttocks, my lower torso,

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thighs, and any other error that they

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wanted. They were supposedly looking for

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any discoloration, spotting blotches, or

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other evidence of a skin color disorder

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called vitiligo, which I have previously

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spoken about. The warrant also directed

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me to cooperate in any examination of my

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body by their physician to determine the

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condition of my skin, including whether

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I have vitiligo or any other skin

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disorder. The warrant further stated

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that I had no right to refuse the

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examination or photographs, and if I

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failed to cooperate with them, they

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would introduce that refusal at any

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trial as an indication of my guilt.

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It was the most humiliating ordeal of my

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life.

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one that no person should ever have to

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suffer.

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>> Throughout his career, Michael Jackson

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faced constant criticism and

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humiliation, which led to deep

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insecurities that had been instilled in

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him since childhood. Although in

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reality, he never truly had a childhood

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at all.

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>> And I remember uh going to the recording

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studio, there was a park across the

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street and I'd see all the children

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playing and they'd be rooting and making

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noise and I would cry. It make me sad

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that I would have to go and work

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instead.

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>> As a child, Michael had no time for fun.

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He spent most of his days in the studio

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under the strict supervision of his

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father, Joseph Jackson, who was

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determined to push his children toward

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success in the music industry. Joseph's

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methods were extremely harsh, and it

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left a lasting impact, one that Michael

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was never able to fully forgive.

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>> How often would he beat you?

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M too much.

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>> Would he only use a belt?

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>> Why do you do this to me?

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>> Michael Jackson was born on August 29th,

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1958 into a working-class family. His

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mother, Catherine, was a homemaker who

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occasionally worked as a sales clerk,

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while his father, Joseph, a former

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boxer, worked at a steel plant. There

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were 10 children in the family and

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Michael was the eighth. At some point,

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his father noticed the musical talent of

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his children and decided to form a group

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with them. Joseph was driven by an

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intense desire for success. And in his

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children, he saw a way to fulfill his

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own unrealized dreams of becoming a

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great musician. At first, only the older

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brothers perform, but young Michael

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Jackson joined them at around the age of

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five. The group was initially called

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Jackson Brothers and later became known

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as the Jackson 5. They performed in

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small clubs, cheap venues, and sometimes

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even strip clubs. Soon the group began

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winning vocal talent shows one after

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another, largely thanks to Michael.

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Interestingly, at one of these

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competitions, their rivals seriously

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discussed that the Jacksons should be

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feared because they supposedly had a

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dwarf lead singer whom they were passing

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off as a child.

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and bring it back.

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>> Their popularity began to go rapidly by

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the late 1960s. Michael, who was around

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10 years old at the time, firmly

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established himself as the lead vocalist

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and the main star.

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But behind the curtain of success, there

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was a heavy price that young Michael had

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to pay. During the first half of the

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day, he attended school, then spent

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hours rehearsing, leaving him no time

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for anything else.

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>> Dear Michael from Long Beach, Diana

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Carol, who 16, what school do you go to?

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Do you go to a school?

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>> Yeah, I go to private school in the

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valley.

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>> Do the kids stare at you because you're

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so rich and famous?

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Do they

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>> do they stare at you? Not because of it.

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>> It's kind of a school like um the kids

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already in the business like

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>> there are other singers, dancers, and

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aerialists and jugglers and tumblers and

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so

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>> and these rehearsals were often brutal,

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causing Michael to hate his father more

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and more each time. And if you miss a

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step,

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expect to be uh

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>> just let me go back. You just said that

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you would practice the dance steps and

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your father would be holding a belt in

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his hand. Is that what you just said?

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>> Yes. And he would tear you up if you

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missed.

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>> How often would he beat you?

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>> Too much.

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Would he only use a belt?

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>> Why do you do this to me?

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No more than a belt.

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>> What else would he use to hit you with?

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>> Ernie courts,

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whatever is around.

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Throw you up against the wall hard as he

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could. When he was beating you, did you

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hate him?

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>> Yeah.

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Strong hate.

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That's why to this day I don't lay a

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finger on my children. I don't want them

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to ever feel that way about me

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ever. And he didn't allow us to call him

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daddy. And I wanted to call him daddy so

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bad.

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He said, "I'm not daddy. I'm Joseph to

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you." You know,

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>> Michael didn't want to be like his

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father. He wanted to be like James

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Brown.

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There would be many parallels between

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Jackson's life and career and that of

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the legendary artist. Brown's music

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broke all the traditional rules of

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popular music in the 1950s and60s.

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Melody and softness were replaced by

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rhythm and groove. James Brown was the

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second most famous performer of his

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time, second only to Elvis Presley. His

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stage presence, performance style, and

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musical approach became major

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inspirations for Michael.

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>> I couldn't I couldn't refuse to give

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this award tonight because nobody has

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influenced me more than this man right

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here.

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>> 1968 became a breakthrough year for the

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Jackson 5. They were discovered by

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Mottown Records. And after years of hard

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work, the boys, who had barely

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experienced childhood, finally began to

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see what they had been working toward.

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However, the contract was far from

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ideal. The label had full control over

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the group's repertoire, and they were

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only paid for music that was officially

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released. They could spend months in the

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studio without releasing anything and

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earn nothing in return. But this was the

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reality for young artists at the time.

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So, the Jacksons didn't complain. For

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them, it was a chance to become stars.

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After long struggles and disagreements,

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they finally released their first single

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a year later.

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>> Then they released their first album,

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Diana Ross presents the Jackson 5. The

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label created a promotional narrative

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claiming that Diana Ross had discovered

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them, which is why the album carried her

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name. In the years that followed, they

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released several more successful albums

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with some songs climbing high on the

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charts.

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tonight.

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>> I'll be there.

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>> However, just as quickly as the Jacksons

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rose to fame, they began to lose it.

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Around the same time in 1971, Joseph

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Jackson learned that their main

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competitors, the family group, The

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Osman's had released a solo single by

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one of their members, which

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significantly boosted the popularity of

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Donnie Osman. Joseph decided they needed

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to do the same with their own lead

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singer, Michael. In 1972, the single Got

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to Be There was released. That marked

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the beginning of the solo career of The

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Man at the Center of Our Story.

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Over the next few years, several solo

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albums followed. One song in particular

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stood out and became a major hit.

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>> As the Jacksons began earning more from

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both group and solo projects, Joseph

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decided to take a closer look at where

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the money was going. Despite their

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success, it was clear they were earning

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very little compared to what they were

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generating for the label. Eventually,

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Joseph quietly negotiated a more

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profitable deal with CBS Records.

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Mottown Records was not happy about

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this, seeing it as a betrayal. After

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all, they had made the Jackson's famous.

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But regardless, for the Jackson family,

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it was a much better opportunity.

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By this time, Michael Jackson was

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already widely known. He could no longer

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walk down the street like a normal child

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and simply enjoy life. At just 9 years

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old, he was already performing in strip

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clubs. And by 15, he had been

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deliberately introduced to sex with a

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prostitute, an experience Michael later

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described as traumatic.

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There was money, but CBS Records was

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dissatisfied with their next two albums,

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which underperformed commercially. The

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Jacksons asked the label to give them

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full creative control over their next

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record. Reluctantly, the label agreed

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and it paid off. The album Destiny,

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released in 1978, became a success. The

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biggest hit was Blame It on the Boogie.

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Its

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blame on the Boogie.

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>> Around the same time, Michael suffered a

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fall on stage and broke his nose. He

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required surgery, but the initial

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procedure was unsuccessful, leaving him

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with breathing problems. This led to a

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second rhinoplasty. The surgeon was

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Steven Heftlin, who would later become

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Jackson's personal plastic surgeon and

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performed several more procedures. As

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you know, this became one of the most

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discussed topics in the media, although

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in reality, the number of surgeries was

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often exaggerated.

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One of Michael Jackson's biggest

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insecurities was his nose. His brothers

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teased him with the nickname Big Nose,

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even though he had inherited it from his

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father. Ironically, Joseph Jackson

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himself denied that the nose came from

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him, which Michael clearly understood

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was absurd.

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>> Is it true that your father used to say

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you had a fat nose?

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>> Yeah.

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>> What did he say? What did he actually

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say?

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>> God, your nose is big. You didn't get it

278
00:11:32,079 --> 00:11:37,440
from me.

279
00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:40,160
>> Joseph also consistently denied ever

280
00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:41,920
abusing or mistreating him.

281
00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:45,760
>> You never physically harmed him?

282
00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:47,680
>> Never. Never have. And and I I raised

283
00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:50,560
him just like you would raise your kids,

284
00:11:47,680 --> 00:11:52,079
you know. But harm Michael for what? I

285
00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:55,040
have no reason. That's my son. I loved

286
00:11:52,079 --> 00:11:57,279
him. Say, uh, let's get into this

287
00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:59,600
beating thing. There's no such thing as

288
00:11:57,279 --> 00:12:01,839
beating a kid. You whipped them and

289
00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,760
punished them for something they did and

290
00:12:01,839 --> 00:12:05,040
they will remember that. So they

291
00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,600
remembered in such a way they wouldn't

292
00:12:05,040 --> 00:12:09,600
do it again. That's the way I was.

293
00:12:07,600 --> 00:12:12,560
>> I wouldn't want to look in the mirror.

294
00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:14,800
And my father teased me and I just hated

295
00:12:12,560 --> 00:12:15,040
it. I cried every day because of it. It

296
00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:16,560
made me

297
00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,160
>> Your father would tease you about your

298
00:12:16,560 --> 00:12:18,959
>> He would tell me I'm ugly.

299
00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,440
>> Your father would say.

300
00:12:18,959 --> 00:12:23,200
>> Yes, he would. Sorry, Joseph.

301
00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:25,839
>> Yeah.

302
00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:28,320
>> However, despite all of this, one event

303
00:12:25,839 --> 00:12:30,560
would change Michael Jackson's life. He

304
00:12:28,320 --> 00:12:32,480
starred in the film The Whiz. The

305
00:12:30,560 --> 00:12:34,800
leading role was played by Diana Ross,

306
00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:37,120
while Michael played the scarecrow. The

307
00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:39,600
film was a box office failure, but for

308
00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:42,079
Michael that didn't matter because it

309
00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,720
was there that he met Quincy Jones, a

310
00:12:42,079 --> 00:12:47,360
musician, composer, and producer who

311
00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:49,760
would soon have a massive impact on his

312
00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:52,000
career. Quincy saw something in the

313
00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:54,800
young artist that went beyond just a

314
00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,560
talented vocalist. After the film,

315
00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,959
Michael returned to performing with his

316
00:12:56,560 --> 00:13:01,600
brothers, but he no longer felt the same

317
00:12:58,959 --> 00:13:04,160
connection. He began to realize that his

318
00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:06,160
brothers, his father, and even the label

319
00:13:04,160 --> 00:13:09,040
were holding him back rather than

320
00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:11,120
helping him. Secretly, he reached out to

321
00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:13,600
Quincy Jones and asked him to help

322
00:13:11,120 --> 00:13:15,519
produce a solo album. Although this

323
00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:18,240
didn't mean he was leaving the group,

324
00:13:15,519 --> 00:13:20,480
his brothers reacted coldly. After all,

325
00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:23,440
the group's popularity largely depended

326
00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:25,600
on Michael. The industry also doubted

327
00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,920
the collaboration. Quincy Jones was

328
00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:30,079
respected but seen as more traditional

329
00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:33,360
and few believed he could produce a

330
00:13:30,079 --> 00:13:35,200
modern RandB album. Soon enough, however,

331
00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:38,399
he and Jackson would go on to win

332
00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,760
multiple Grammy awards. Together, they

333
00:13:38,399 --> 00:13:42,160
created the breakthrough album

334
00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:45,639
Offthe-Wall, which achieved massive

335
00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:45,639
commercial success.

336
00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:52,720
>> On the surface, everything looked

337
00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:55,040
perfect. A young, energetic performer

338
00:13:52,720 --> 00:13:57,519
dominating the charts. But behind the

339
00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,839
scenes, Michael Jackson was deeply

340
00:13:57,519 --> 00:14:02,000
lonely, struggling with agony,

341
00:13:59,839 --> 00:14:04,560
insecurities about his appearance, and

342
00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:07,519
constantly avoiding journalists, afraid

343
00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:09,279
of uncomfortable questions. And he still

344
00:14:07,519 --> 00:14:11,440
wanted to break free from the control of

345
00:14:09,279 --> 00:14:13,680
his father, who continued to demand

346
00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:16,880
complete obedience and refused to accept

347
00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:19,360
any resistance. Once again, in secret,

348
00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:21,680
Jackson met with attorney John Brana. He

349
00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:23,760
told him he had only two goals. To

350
00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:26,720
become the biggest star in show business

351
00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:30,639
and the richest one. Brana's job was to

352
00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:32,399
make that happen. And he did. Brana also

353
00:14:30,639 --> 00:14:34,160
secured a deal allowing Michael to leave

354
00:14:32,399 --> 00:14:36,560
the family group at any time without

355
00:14:34,160 --> 00:14:38,160
penalties and legally ensured that he

356
00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:41,199
would never have to record with his

357
00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:42,800
brothers again if he didn't want to.

358
00:14:41,199 --> 00:14:44,959
What Michael truly wanted was something

359
00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,519
much simpler, to walk through a park

360
00:14:44,959 --> 00:14:49,920
like a normal person. The lack of

361
00:14:47,519 --> 00:14:52,000
freedom weighed on him so heavily that

362
00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:55,040
in the early 1980s he developed a

363
00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:57,760
strange routine. He would glue on a fake

364
00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:59,360
beard, wear an old hat, dress like a

365
00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,000
homeless man, and wander around Los

366
00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:04,720
Angeles unnoticed. But it didn't last

367
00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:06,639
long. One day, he entered an antique

368
00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:09,680
shop, and the owner assumed he was a

369
00:15:06,639 --> 00:15:11,760
thief and called the police. Jackson was

370
00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,680
terrified. He tried to explain to the

371
00:15:11,760 --> 00:15:15,440
officers that he was Michael Jackson.

372
00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:18,079
They didn't believe him and took him to

373
00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:21,120
the station. After that, he never

374
00:15:18,079 --> 00:15:23,519
attempted anything like it again.

375
00:15:21,120 --> 00:15:25,600
In 1981, Michael once again reached out

376
00:15:23,519 --> 00:15:28,560
to Quincy Jones to begin work on a new

377
00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:30,720
album, one that would surpass everything

378
00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,880
he had done before.

379
00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,279
This decision created tension within the

380
00:15:32,880 --> 00:15:37,199
family. His brothers continued releasing

381
00:15:35,279 --> 00:15:39,279
music as the Jacksons, but their

382
00:15:37,199 --> 00:15:41,279
commercial success was nowhere near the

383
00:15:39,279 --> 00:15:44,079
level Michael was already achieving as a

384
00:15:41,279 --> 00:15:45,920
solo artist. Quincy assembled a team of

385
00:15:44,079 --> 00:15:48,160
top musicians and songwriters around

386
00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:50,480
Michael. But unlike the rigid studio

387
00:15:48,160 --> 00:15:52,720
system he had experienced at Mottown,

388
00:15:50,480 --> 00:15:55,360
here he was given far more creative

389
00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:57,920
freedom. Quincy didn't see Jackson as

390
00:15:55,360 --> 00:16:00,880
just a performer. He treated him as a

391
00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:03,360
collaborator and partner. Michael could

392
00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:06,160
spend hours debating harmonies, tempos,

393
00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,839
and vocal delivery. And his opinion

394
00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:10,639
mattered.

395
00:16:07,839 --> 00:16:12,639
A new vision began to take shape to

396
00:16:10,639 --> 00:16:15,360
expand the danced-driven sound of

397
00:16:12,639 --> 00:16:17,759
Off-the-Wall, adding a harder edge,

398
00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:20,399
elements of rock, and a broader sonic

399
00:16:17,759 --> 00:16:22,639
pallet. Some songs Michael created from

400
00:16:20,399 --> 00:16:25,279
scratch, while others he selected from

401
00:16:22,639 --> 00:16:27,360
dozens of demos sent by songwriters.

402
00:16:25,279 --> 00:16:31,279
Hundreds of ideas were reviewed and

403
00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:33,600
rejected. He had one goal, to create a

404
00:16:31,279 --> 00:16:35,680
great album.

405
00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:38,079
Michael Jackson wanted his music to be

406
00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:40,639
universal, to resonate with children,

407
00:16:38,079 --> 00:16:44,959
teenagers, and adults regardless of race

408
00:16:40,639 --> 00:16:47,600
or gender. That vision became Thriller.

409
00:16:44,959 --> 00:16:50,880
And it wasn't just another breakthrough.

410
00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:52,959
It was a cultural explosion.

411
00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:57,320
This album made Michael Jackson the

412
00:16:52,959 --> 00:16:57,320
biggest artist in the world.

413
00:17:00,079 --> 00:17:04,720
Then came the legendary music video

414
00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:07,439
thriller. In it, Michael walks his

415
00:17:04,720 --> 00:17:09,760
girlfriend home only to transform into a

416
00:17:07,439 --> 00:17:12,720
zombie and dance alongside creatures

417
00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:15,839
rising from the grave. The production

418
00:17:12,720 --> 00:17:18,880
cost a record-breaking $500,000.

419
00:17:15,839 --> 00:17:20,880
And the impact was enormous.

420
00:17:18,880 --> 00:17:26,120
The video essentially created a new

421
00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:26,120
format, the cinematic music short film.

422
00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:34,400
Michael broke down a barrier that had

423
00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:37,520
long divided audience by race. The idea

424
00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:40,480
of black music versus white music began

425
00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:43,360
to fade. There was just music that

426
00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:45,440
everyone could enjoy. And one of the key

427
00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:49,120
songs that helped shatter that divide

428
00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:49,120
was Billy Jean.

429
00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:56,000
Billy Jean became the most important

430
00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,520
song of Michael's career. The

431
00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:00,000
inspiration came from letters he

432
00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:02,640
received in 1981 from a woman claiming

433
00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:04,880
he was the father of one of her twins.

434
00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:07,520
Jackson received many such letters and

435
00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:09,760
had never even met her. So he ignored

436
00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:11,440
the claims. But she kept writing,

437
00:18:09,760 --> 00:18:13,840
expressing her love for him and

438
00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,679
questioning how he could ignore his own

439
00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,600
flesh and blood.

440
00:18:15,679 --> 00:18:20,160
The situation disturbed him so deeply

441
00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:22,080
that he began having nightmares.

442
00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:24,320
Eventually, Jackson received a package

443
00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,559
containing a photograph of the woman, a

444
00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:29,280
gun, and a letter demanding that he take

445
00:18:26,559 --> 00:18:31,200
his own life at a specific time. She

446
00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:33,200
claimed she would do the same after

447
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,760
killing their child so they could be

448
00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,440
together in the afterlife. Later, the

449
00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:39,039
Jackson family learned that the woman

450
00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,720
had been admitted to a psychiatric

451
00:18:39,039 --> 00:18:42,880
hospital.

452
00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:45,440
The creation of the song itself is just

453
00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:47,360
as striking. Michael would often hear

454
00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:50,480
melodies in his head and become

455
00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:52,400
completely absorbed in them. Once he was

456
00:18:50,480 --> 00:18:54,160
so focused on a musical idea that he

457
00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,320
didn't notice his car had caught fire

458
00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:58,960
until a passing motorcyclist alerted

459
00:18:56,320 --> 00:19:03,080
him. He would also sometimes build

460
00:18:58,960 --> 00:19:03,080
melodies using beatboxing.

461
00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:14,880
Jackson had disagreements with Quincy

462
00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:16,880
Jones over this song, even though

463
00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:19,679
Michael was convinced it would be a

464
00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:21,600
major hit. According to some sources,

465
00:19:19,679 --> 00:19:23,520
Jones considered it too weak for the

466
00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:26,160
album, although he later denied this

467
00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:27,520
himself. Jones didn't like the demo

468
00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:29,760
version of the track and wasn't

469
00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,919
impressed with the baseline. He also

470
00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:34,720
wanted to cut the 29-second intro that

471
00:19:31,919 --> 00:19:37,039
Jackson had created. However, Michael

472
00:19:34,720 --> 00:19:39,039
insisted that the intro remain.

473
00:19:37,039 --> 00:19:40,799
According to Jones, he gave in when

474
00:19:39,039 --> 00:19:43,280
Michael said that the music made him

475
00:19:40,799 --> 00:19:44,720
want to dance. And when Michael Jackson

476
00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,200
tells you, "This is what makes me

477
00:19:44,720 --> 00:19:50,200
dance." Well, there's nothing left to

478
00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,200
say.

479
00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:57,919
>> His signature move became the moonwalk,

480
00:19:56,160 --> 00:20:00,480
which had originally been invented back

481
00:19:57,919 --> 00:20:03,200
in the 1930s and later performed by

482
00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:08,320
several dancers. Michael even paid one

483
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:11,320
of them $1,000 to teach him the move.

484
00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:11,320
>> Wait,

485
00:20:11,919 --> 00:20:16,840
it's like it's pushing. And

486
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:22,960
his concerts reached a whole new level.

487
00:20:20,559 --> 00:20:25,120
The crowd would go completely crazy when

488
00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:27,520
Michael appeared on stage. It was during

489
00:20:25,120 --> 00:20:29,200
the Mottown 25th anniversary special

490
00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:31,520
that the image of Michael Jackson we

491
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:34,320
know today was born. the glittering

492
00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:35,600
jacket, the sparkling glove, and the

493
00:20:34,320 --> 00:20:38,159
moonwalk.

494
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:40,240
>> When I did Mottown 25 and I did the

495
00:20:38,159 --> 00:20:42,400
moonwalk for the first time, I was

496
00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:43,280
backstage crying afterwards cuz I was

497
00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:46,559
unhappy.

498
00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:48,400
>> You cried after Mottown 25? But then as

499
00:20:46,559 --> 00:20:50,400
I was walking to the car, there was this

500
00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:53,039
little boy. He was like 12, was a little

501
00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:55,440
Jewish kid. And he said, "You're

502
00:20:53,039 --> 00:20:57,440
amazing. Who taught you to ever dance

503
00:20:55,440 --> 00:20:59,120
like that?" And for the first time, I

504
00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,960
felt I did a good job because I know

505
00:20:59,120 --> 00:21:03,520
children don't lie. And I just felt so

506
00:21:00,960 --> 00:21:04,799
good about it. Ben, you wanted to You

507
00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:07,760
felt so good. You probably wanted to

508
00:21:04,799 --> 00:21:10,559
say, "Hey, hey."

509
00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:13,120
>> In 1984, Pepsi offered a massive

510
00:21:10,559 --> 00:21:14,799
contract. Michael and his brothers were

511
00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:16,799
supposed to appear in a commercial and

512
00:21:14,799 --> 00:21:18,400
receive a huge amount of money. Although

513
00:21:16,799 --> 00:21:21,120
the singer himself wasn't very

514
00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:22,960
enthusiastic about the offer, he didn't

515
00:21:21,120 --> 00:21:25,120
like Pepsi and he already had enough

516
00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,799
money. But his managers, including his

517
00:21:25,120 --> 00:21:28,559
father and representatives from the

518
00:21:26,799 --> 00:21:30,799
label, insisted that it would bring in

519
00:21:28,559 --> 00:21:34,400
millions and further strengthen his

520
00:21:30,799 --> 00:21:36,000
image. In the end, Michael gave into the

521
00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:38,400
pressure and signed the deal, even

522
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:41,280
though he felt like he shouldn't. It was

523
00:21:38,400 --> 00:21:43,280
as if his intuition was warning him not

524
00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:44,720
to do it.

525
00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,720
During the filming of the commercial, a

526
00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:49,200
pyrochnic effect malfunctioned, and

527
00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,880
Michael's hair caught fire. He was

528
00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,360
rushed to the hospital with second and

529
00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:55,280
third degree burns to his scalp. The

530
00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:58,240
incident instantly made headlines around

531
00:21:55,280 --> 00:22:00,320
the world. Pepsi issued an apology,

532
00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:02,159
promised to cover all medical expenses,

533
00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:04,400
and offered Jackson substantial

534
00:22:02,159 --> 00:22:07,200
compensation. At first, there were

535
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:08,799
rumors that he would sue Pepsi, but the

536
00:22:07,200 --> 00:22:11,120
situation was ultimately resolved

537
00:22:08,799 --> 00:22:13,840
peacefully. Michael publicly announced

538
00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:16,320
that he donated the entire $ 1.5 million

539
00:22:13,840 --> 00:22:18,080
settlement to Burn Centers.

540
00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:20,000
At the same time, the media claimed that

541
00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:22,880
Michael wanted to become white in order

542
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:25,440
to achieve greater success, that he was

543
00:22:22,880 --> 00:22:28,000
undergoing skin treatments, bleaching

544
00:22:25,440 --> 00:22:31,039
his skin, and so on. And

545
00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,960
>> I have a skin disorder that destroys the

546
00:22:31,039 --> 00:22:36,159
pigmentation of the skin is something

547
00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:37,760
that I cannot help. Okay? But when

548
00:22:36,159 --> 00:22:40,320
people make up stories that I don't want

549
00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:43,039
to be who I am, it hurts me.

550
00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:45,440
>> In reality, Jackson had a rare genetic

551
00:22:43,039 --> 00:22:47,200
condition called vitiligo. As the

552
00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,440
disease progresses, the skin loses

553
00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:52,640
melanin, causing white patches to

554
00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:55,200
appear. Over time, these patches grow,

555
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:58,640
merge, and eventually the skin becomes

556
00:22:55,200 --> 00:23:00,960
extremely pale, almost translucent.

557
00:22:58,640 --> 00:23:03,120
Vitiligo can worsen due to stress and

558
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,799
certain medications, which is why the

559
00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:07,679
condition became more noticeable after

560
00:23:04,799 --> 00:23:09,440
the burn incident. Unfortunately,

561
00:23:07,679 --> 00:23:11,360
Michael struggled to look at himself in

562
00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:15,039
the mirror.

563
00:23:11,360 --> 00:23:17,600
And so when you look in the mirror now

564
00:23:15,039 --> 00:23:19,600
and the image that looks back at you, do

565
00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:21,120
you are there days when you say, "Wow, I

566
00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:22,080
kind of like this or I like my hair

567
00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:23,679
today."

568
00:23:22,080 --> 00:23:27,039
>> I think I'm pretty cute today.

569
00:23:23,679 --> 00:23:29,039
>> No, I'm No, I'm pretty cute today.

570
00:23:27,039 --> 00:23:30,880
>> Um,

571
00:23:29,039 --> 00:23:32,400
>> no. I try not to look in the mirror. I

572
00:23:30,880 --> 00:23:34,159
really do because I'm never happy with

573
00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,400
what I see. So, I go in with my work and

574
00:23:34,159 --> 00:23:38,480
get it done. His brothers didn't want to

575
00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,880
leave Michael on his own and pushed for

576
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:43,200
joint performances even though he was no

577
00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,720
longer interested in them, especially

578
00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:46,880
because it meant close involvement with

579
00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:50,640
his father again who would be organizing

580
00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:52,320
the shows. In the end, Michael agreed.

581
00:23:50,640 --> 00:23:54,400
And it turned out to be a mistake

582
00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:58,240
because his father came up with a scheme

583
00:23:54,400 --> 00:24:00,640
that even today, 40 years later, sounds

584
00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:03,120
unbelievable.

585
00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:05,760
Joseph proposed turning ticket sales for

586
00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:07,919
the victory tour into a lottery. Months

587
00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:10,640
in advance, anyone who wanted a ticket

588
00:24:07,919 --> 00:24:12,720
had to send a check by mail. One ticket

589
00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:14,880
cost $30, and the more tickets you

590
00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:18,640
bought, the higher your chances with a

591
00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:21,919
limit of four. So, you could pay $120

592
00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:25,279
and simply wait for the results. Only

593
00:24:21,919 --> 00:24:28,720
about 25% would win while the rest would

594
00:24:25,279 --> 00:24:31,279
be left watching from home. At best,

595
00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,960
Joseph planned to put all the money into

596
00:24:31,279 --> 00:24:35,360
the bank and earn a substantial amount

597
00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:37,440
of interest from it. Michael was against

598
00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:39,760
this scheme, but he couldn't stand up to

599
00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:42,159
the family on his own. When the scheme

600
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:44,960
became public, all the accusations were

601
00:24:42,159 --> 00:24:48,320
directed at Michael Jackson, not at his

602
00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:50,400
father or his brothers. In response, he

603
00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:52,480
stated that he had opposed this model

604
00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:54,480
from the very beginning. That starting

605
00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,400
from the third concert, they would

606
00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,919
change the system and that he personally

607
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,720
would donate all his earnings to

608
00:24:57,919 --> 00:25:02,799
charity. At that moment, he promised

609
00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:05,840
himself that he would never perform with

610
00:25:02,799 --> 00:25:08,880
his brothers again. A few years later,

611
00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:10,880
the situation would repeat itself. At

612
00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:13,279
the same time, there were numerous legal

613
00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,720
battles. Different people filed lawsuits

614
00:25:13,279 --> 00:25:17,279
claiming that Jackson owed them

615
00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:19,520
percentages from previous contracts or

616
00:25:17,279 --> 00:25:22,720
that they had been producers of certain

617
00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:25,440
concerts. It was a constant and chaotic

618
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:27,440
flow of money everywhere. Michael

619
00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:29,600
increasingly realized that he needed a

620
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:31,279
strong lawyer and manager, someone who

621
00:25:29,600 --> 00:25:34,400
could filter out accusations and

622
00:25:31,279 --> 00:25:36,720
demands. That's when Frank Deo joined

623
00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:38,320
his team, an experienced manager who

624
00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:40,720
would take control of Jackson's affairs

625
00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,240
for several years. Together, they

626
00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:45,279
developed a PR strategy for the

627
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:47,600
tabloids. One day, Michael heard about a

628
00:25:45,279 --> 00:25:50,000
hyperbaric chamber, supposedly very

629
00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:51,679
beneficial for health. He briefly

630
00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:54,000
mentioned it in an interview. The

631
00:25:51,679 --> 00:25:55,520
tabloids immediately picked it up and

632
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,760
reported that Jackson had already bought

633
00:25:55,520 --> 00:26:00,320
one for $200,000.

634
00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:02,320
Jackson and Deo decided to use it and

635
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:04,080
created an entire story that he was

636
00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,960
planning to sleep in the chamber and

637
00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:08,880
lived to 150 years old. He was even

638
00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:11,279
photographed inside it and through

639
00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:14,640
various indirect channels, the story was

640
00:26:11,279 --> 00:26:17,840
fed to the press. The effect was

641
00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:19,760
enormous. In the late 1980s, exactly

642
00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:21,919
when the wildest rumors about Jackson

643
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:24,080
began to spread. Countless plastic

644
00:26:21,919 --> 00:26:26,080
surgeries, skin bleaching, and even

645
00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:28,640
stories that he wanted to buy the

646
00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:30,799
skeleton of the elephant man. At first,

647
00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,960
he enjoyed these rumors, but soon he

648
00:26:30,799 --> 00:26:35,039
grew tired of them because Jackson had

649
00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:37,039
become an easy target for the tabloids.

650
00:26:35,039 --> 00:26:39,600
People could make up absolutely anything

651
00:26:37,039 --> 00:26:42,320
about him, publish it, and someone would

652
00:26:39,600 --> 00:26:44,240
believe it simply because it was Michael

653
00:26:42,320 --> 00:26:46,799
Jackson.

654
00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:50,000
By the time Bad was released, Michael

655
00:26:46,799 --> 00:26:52,240
had slightly changed his image. He began

656
00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,960
wearing black outfits, belts with

657
00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:57,760
buckles, and metal details, creating a

658
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:59,840
more aggressive and edgy style. This

659
00:26:57,760 --> 00:27:03,400
also became the last album he worked on

660
00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:03,400
with Quincy Jones.

661
00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:06,600
man.

662
00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:16,799
>> In 1991, Dangerous was released. By that

663
00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:19,600
time, his dominance in music had started

664
00:27:16,799 --> 00:27:21,760
to decline as rock was rising in the

665
00:27:19,600 --> 00:27:24,640
industry and new youth idols were

666
00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:26,320
emerging. Never mind overtook Dangerous

667
00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,559
on the charts, which was of course

668
00:27:26,320 --> 00:27:32,240
unpleasant for Michael even though the

669
00:27:28,559 --> 00:27:34,480
album still produced major hits.

670
00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:36,559
It don't matter if you're black or

671
00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:41,600
white.

672
00:27:36,559 --> 00:27:43,440
I remember the time I fell in love. At

673
00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:46,799
the time, Michael Jackson was not

674
00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:49,039
focused on music at all. The early 1990s

675
00:27:46,799 --> 00:27:51,520
were extremely difficult for him. In

676
00:27:49,039 --> 00:27:53,200
June 1990, he was hospitalized due to

677
00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,960
severe chest pain during one of his

678
00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:57,679
intense dance rehearsals, which were

679
00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:59,520
part of his weekly routine. When he was

680
00:27:57,679 --> 00:28:02,240
brought to the hospital, he was holding

681
00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:05,039
his chest and looked pale, weak, and

682
00:28:02,240 --> 00:28:06,799
seriously ill. Numerous tests were

683
00:28:05,039 --> 00:28:09,760
immediately conducted, but everything

684
00:28:06,799 --> 00:28:11,679
came back normal. However, experienced

685
00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:14,080
doctors understood that it wasn't a

686
00:28:11,679 --> 00:28:15,600
physical condition. It was a panic

687
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:17,440
attack.

688
00:28:15,600 --> 00:28:19,279
After leaving the hospital, Jackson once

689
00:28:17,440 --> 00:28:22,159
again decided to completely restructure

690
00:28:19,279 --> 00:28:23,679
his affairs, firing his main manager. He

691
00:28:22,159 --> 00:28:26,159
did the same with his lawyer, John

692
00:28:23,679 --> 00:28:29,200
Brana, who had spent years securing

693
00:28:26,159 --> 00:28:30,880
highly profitable deals for Jackson

694
00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:32,159
began producing films about himself

695
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,080
where his friends and acquaintances

696
00:28:32,159 --> 00:28:36,399
would talk at length about what an

697
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:38,240
amazing person he was. He also

698
00:28:36,399 --> 00:28:41,279
criticized other musicians, claiming

699
00:28:38,240 --> 00:28:42,960
they couldn't sing, including Madonna.

700
00:28:41,279 --> 00:28:44,640
The only bright moment during that

701
00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,960
period was his performance at the Super

702
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:49,760
Bowl, which became one of the most

703
00:28:46,960 --> 00:28:52,000
iconic in history. It is especially

704
00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:54,080
remembered for its powerful finale where

705
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:58,520
he stood surrounded by children and

706
00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:58,520
performed Heal the World.

707
00:29:02,799 --> 00:29:06,000
>> In one of his interviews, Michael said

708
00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,480
there was something more important to

709
00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:11,520
him than music, helping sick and

710
00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:13,039
underprivileged children. Every 3 weeks,

711
00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,799
groups of children with serious

712
00:29:13,039 --> 00:29:17,840
illnesses or from difficult backgrounds

713
00:29:14,799 --> 00:29:19,760
would come to Neverland Ranch. because I

714
00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,559
didn't have it thin. I compensate for

715
00:29:19,760 --> 00:29:22,720
that really.

716
00:29:20,559 --> 00:29:26,080
>> I mean, people wonder why I always have

717
00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:28,559
children around because I I find the

718
00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:31,520
thing that I never had through them, you

719
00:29:28,559 --> 00:29:33,600
know, Disneyland, amusement parks, uh,

720
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:36,159
arcade games.

721
00:29:33,600 --> 00:29:38,799
>> In the 1980s, Michael met a 12-year-old

722
00:29:36,159 --> 00:29:40,320
actor, Emanuel Lewis. At Michael's

723
00:29:38,799 --> 00:29:42,399
mansion, they would play games,

724
00:29:40,320 --> 00:29:44,080
pretending to be animals or cowboys,

725
00:29:42,399 --> 00:29:46,960
rolling around in the grass like little

726
00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:48,640
kids. The story reached its peak when

727
00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,960
Michael and Emanuel checked into a

728
00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:54,080
luxury hotel registered as father and

729
00:29:50,960 --> 00:29:56,480
son. What exactly happened there is

730
00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:59,120
unknown, but shortly after that, they

731
00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:01,120
stopped seeing each other. Notably,

732
00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:03,039
Emanuel never made any accusations

733
00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:05,520
against Michael Jackson and defended him

734
00:30:03,039 --> 00:30:07,760
during all future scandals, even after

735
00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:11,120
the artist's death.

736
00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:13,279
A major scandal erupted in 1993.

737
00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:14,799
Dentist and screenwriter Evan Chandler

738
00:30:13,279 --> 00:30:16,880
filed a police report claiming that

739
00:30:14,799 --> 00:30:19,520
Michael Jackson had mole his 13-year-old

740
00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:21,760
son, Jordan Chandler. At the time,

741
00:30:19,520 --> 00:30:24,480
Chandler was at the peak of his career

742
00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:27,440
and had written a screenplay for a 1993

743
00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:29,039
Robin Hood project. At the same time, a

744
00:30:27,440 --> 00:30:31,360
former Jackson employee told a

745
00:30:29,039 --> 00:30:32,880
sensational story to newspapers claiming

746
00:30:31,360 --> 00:30:35,360
that Jackson had reached into the

747
00:30:32,880 --> 00:30:38,240
underwear of McCauley Kulkin, star of

748
00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:40,159
Home Alone. Kulkin himself had visited

749
00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:41,919
Neverland multiple times and always

750
00:30:40,159 --> 00:30:43,600
denied that Jackson had ever touched him

751
00:30:41,919 --> 00:30:45,679
inappropriately.

752
00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,120
Jackson owned his own estate, Neverland

753
00:30:45,679 --> 00:30:49,600
Ranch, where he spent time with

754
00:30:47,120 --> 00:30:52,080
children. It featured an amusement park,

755
00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:54,480
a zoo, and a movie theater inspired by

756
00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:56,159
Peter Pan, a character Michael deeply

757
00:30:54,480 --> 00:31:00,240
loved.

758
00:30:56,159 --> 00:31:03,840
>> Childhood, never growing up, magic,

759
00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:08,080
flying, everything. I think that

760
00:31:03,840 --> 00:31:10,960
children and wonderment and magic what

761
00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:13,360
it's all about and to me I just have

762
00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,360
never ever grown out of loving that or

763
00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,880
thinking that is very special.

764
00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:17,840
>> Do you identify with him?

765
00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,120
>> Totally.

766
00:31:17,840 --> 00:31:21,840
>> You don't want to grow up.

767
00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,279
>> No, I am Peter Pan.

768
00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:26,559
>> Are you not your Michael Jackson?

769
00:31:23,279 --> 00:31:28,880
>> I'm Peter Pan by heart.

770
00:31:26,559 --> 00:31:32,640
Soon tabloids began publishing headlines

771
00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:34,399
like Peter Pan ped similar accusations.

772
00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,640
A police search was conducted at the

773
00:31:34,399 --> 00:31:38,720
ranch. Detectives interviewed around 30

774
00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:41,360
children, all of whom stated nothing of

775
00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:43,519
a sexual nature had occurred.

776
00:31:41,360 --> 00:31:45,600
Meanwhile, others continued to spread

777
00:31:43,519 --> 00:31:48,000
rumors and damage Jackson's reputation

778
00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:49,840
for money. A former security guard

779
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:52,640
claimed that Jackson had asked him to

780
00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:54,399
dispose of a photograph of a naked boy.

781
00:31:52,640 --> 00:31:57,279
However, he told this story to

782
00:31:54,399 --> 00:31:59,519
newspapers, not the police, and was paid

783
00:31:57,279 --> 00:32:01,919
$150,000.

784
00:31:59,519 --> 00:32:03,440
A former housekeeper, Francia Blanca,

785
00:32:01,919 --> 00:32:05,840
claimed that she had to quit out of

786
00:32:03,440 --> 00:32:08,080
disgust for allegedly seeing Jackson in

787
00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:10,799
the shower with a child. She received

788
00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:12,960
$20,000 for this statement. However,

789
00:32:10,799 --> 00:32:14,960
another maid later testified that Blanca

790
00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:17,440
had not quit, but had actually been

791
00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:20,159
fired for poor performance 2 years

792
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:22,720
before the alleged incident. When

793
00:32:20,159 --> 00:32:24,320
Michael received a Grammy in 1993, he

794
00:32:22,720 --> 00:32:27,760
delivered a very emotional speech

795
00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:29,600
addressing the accusations. A bold move.

796
00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:32,240
>> I wasn't aware that the world thought I

797
00:32:29,600 --> 00:32:34,000
was so weird and bizarre.

798
00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:36,159
>> The following year, details of the

799
00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:39,440
accusations began to emerge, giving

800
00:32:36,159 --> 00:32:41,360
Jackson's lawyers significant arguments.

801
00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:43,760
First, it's important to note that

802
00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:45,919
Jordan Chandler's parents were divorced.

803
00:32:43,760 --> 00:32:48,080
Evan lived separately and was unhappy

804
00:32:45,919 --> 00:32:51,440
that his son was spending far more time

805
00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:53,440
with Jackson than with him. The breaking

806
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:55,840
point came when Evan once saw his son

807
00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:58,960
and Jackson lying in the same bed fully

808
00:32:55,840 --> 00:33:00,960
clothed. After that, he took action.

809
00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:03,440
First, he cut off all contact between

810
00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:04,799
his son and Jackson. Second, he

811
00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,720
attempted to demand financial

812
00:33:04,799 --> 00:33:09,200
compensation from the celebrity even

813
00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:10,960
before going to the police.

814
00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,960
Chandler called David Schwarz, the new

815
00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:14,880
husband of his ex-wife and Jordan's

816
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:17,760
stepfather, and said he was going to

817
00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:19,760
destroy Michael Jackson. Schwarz

818
00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:22,320
recorded the call in which Chandler

819
00:33:19,760 --> 00:33:24,480
claimed he would win big, get everything

820
00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:27,200
he wanted, and referred to Jackson as a

821
00:33:24,480 --> 00:33:28,799
son of a However, the person he

822
00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:30,720
later referred to in that way was

823
00:33:28,799 --> 00:33:33,679
actually private investigator Anthony

824
00:33:30,720 --> 00:33:35,679
Pelicano. Pelicano met with Jordan the

825
00:33:33,679 --> 00:33:38,240
next day and directly asked him about

826
00:33:35,679 --> 00:33:40,640
abuse. The boy initially said that

827
00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:42,960
nothing had happened. Chandler did not

828
00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:45,200
stop. He contacted a psychiatrist and

829
00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:46,720
described a hypothetical situation.

830
00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:48,399
Without ever speaking to the boy, the

831
00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:50,240
doctor wrote a two-page letter stating

832
00:33:48,399 --> 00:33:53,600
that there were grounds to suspect

833
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:55,200
abuse. The next day, Chandler finally

834
00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:56,799
obtained a statement from his son

835
00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:59,440
claiming that Jackson had touched him

836
00:33:56,799 --> 00:34:01,760
inappropriately. However, this statement

837
00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:03,840
came shortly after a dental procedure

838
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:06,799
while the boy was under the influence of

839
00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:08,480
medication, meaning he was not fully

840
00:34:06,799 --> 00:34:10,560
conscious.

841
00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:13,440
After that, Chandler approached lawyers

842
00:34:10,560 --> 00:34:17,040
and demanded 20 million. Negotiations

843
00:34:13,440 --> 00:34:19,280
failed and he then went to the police.

844
00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:21,040
In late August 1993, a group of

845
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:22,960
detectives arrived at Neverland and

846
00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:25,679
conducted a search while Jackson was on

847
00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:27,520
tour. No evidence was found. Children

848
00:34:25,679 --> 00:34:30,000
who stayed at the ranch stated that

849
00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:31,760
nothing inappropriate had occurred.

850
00:34:30,000 --> 00:34:33,760
Later, Jordan gave a detailed

851
00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:35,760
description of Michael's genitalia.

852
00:34:33,760 --> 00:34:38,320
Jackson was then subjected to a

853
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:40,320
humiliating procedure. He was forced to

854
00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:43,679
undress in front of prosecutors,

855
00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:46,320
lawyers, and doctors. Ultimately, the

856
00:34:43,679 --> 00:34:49,119
description did not match.

857
00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:51,520
>> It was a nightmare, a horrifying

858
00:34:49,119 --> 00:34:54,159
nightmare. But if this is what I have to

859
00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:56,320
endure to prove my innocence, my

860
00:34:54,159 --> 00:34:59,680
complete innocence,

861
00:34:56,320 --> 00:35:01,359
so be it. Throughout my life, I have

862
00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:03,680
only tried to help thousands upon

863
00:35:01,359 --> 00:35:06,800
thousands of children to live happy

864
00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:09,359
lives. It brings tears to my eyes when I

865
00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:12,000
see any child who suffers.

866
00:35:09,359 --> 00:35:15,680
I am not guilty of these allegations.

867
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:18,240
But if I am guilty of anything, it is of

868
00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:20,480
giving all that I have all that I have

869
00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:23,119
to give to help children all over the

870
00:35:20,480 --> 00:35:26,079
world. It is of loving children of all

871
00:35:23,119 --> 00:35:28,240
ages and races. It is of gaining sheer

872
00:35:26,079 --> 00:35:31,359
joy from seeing children with their

873
00:35:28,240 --> 00:35:33,359
innocent and smiling faces. It is of

874
00:35:31,359 --> 00:35:35,839
enjoying through them the childhood that

875
00:35:33,359 --> 00:35:38,000
I missed myself.

876
00:35:35,839 --> 00:35:41,359
>> All of this ended in a settlement with

877
00:35:38,000 --> 00:35:44,079
Michael paying $15 million. However, as

878
00:35:41,359 --> 00:35:46,160
one juror later said, he had not heard a

879
00:35:44,079 --> 00:35:49,359
single substantiated piece of evidence

880
00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:50,960
proving Jackson's guilt. Still, a large

881
00:35:49,359 --> 00:35:52,720
portion of the public believed he was

882
00:35:50,960 --> 00:35:54,880
guilty and trusted what was written in

883
00:35:52,720 --> 00:35:56,640
the tabloids. And yet, there were many

884
00:35:54,880 --> 00:35:59,520
other stories the media could have

885
00:35:56,640 --> 00:36:01,599
written about. For example, in 1994 at a

886
00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:03,680
hospital in Budapest, Michael Jackson

887
00:36:01,599 --> 00:36:05,760
met a young boy named Bella Farcus who

888
00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:08,480
had been born with a severe liver defect

889
00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:11,200
and abandoned by his parents. He

890
00:36:08,480 --> 00:36:14,079
urgently needed a transplant and Jackson

891
00:36:11,200 --> 00:36:16,560
paid not only for the surgery but also

892
00:36:14,079 --> 00:36:18,560
for the next 10 years of his treatment.

893
00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:22,079
The boy eventually recovered, was

894
00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:24,640
adopted and grew up healthy and happy.

895
00:36:22,079 --> 00:36:26,880
Or the story of Daniel Paresi, a boy who

896
00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:29,200
was infected with HIV due to a medical

897
00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:31,920
error during a blood transfusion. In

898
00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:34,000
1997, before a performance in Milan,

899
00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:36,240
Jackson invited the boy and his mother

900
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:38,480
to his dressing room and spent time

901
00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:40,000
talking with them. But the most touching

902
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:42,640
moment happened during the concert

903
00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:44,320
itself when during one of his songs,

904
00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:46,560
Jackson held the boy in his arms in

905
00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:48,240
front of tens of thousands of people.

906
00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:50,480
Later, the boy's mother wrote him a

907
00:36:48,240 --> 00:36:53,200
letter. I will never forget what you did

908
00:36:50,480 --> 00:36:55,040
for my son. After your meeting, doctors

909
00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,880
spoke of a miracle, and for several

910
00:36:55,040 --> 00:37:00,000
months, it felt as if he had never been

911
00:36:56,880 --> 00:37:02,320
ill. My child is no longer with us, but

912
00:37:00,000 --> 00:37:04,720
I know he is always watching over you

913
00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:07,839
from above. He never forgot what you did

914
00:37:04,720 --> 00:37:10,400
for him. God bless you.

915
00:37:07,839 --> 00:37:12,160
And there were dozens of such stories.

916
00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:14,480
Over his lifetime, Michael Jackson

917
00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:15,839
donated approximately $300 million to

918
00:37:14,480 --> 00:37:20,480
charity.

919
00:37:15,839 --> 00:37:23,760
>> I I love to do things for children and I

920
00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:25,599
try to imitate Jesus and not I'm not

921
00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:27,040
saying I am Jesus. I'm not saying

922
00:37:25,599 --> 00:37:28,960
>> Yeah, we're clear on that,

923
00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:30,160
>> right? trying to imitate Jesus in the

924
00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:32,560
fact that he said

925
00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:34,800
>> to be like children, to love children,

926
00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:36,960
to be as pure as children are

927
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:39,359
>> and to make yourselves as innocent and

928
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:42,320
see the world through eyes of wonderment

929
00:37:39,359 --> 00:37:44,400
and the whole magical quality of it all.

930
00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:46,400
And I love that. And we have the ch like

931
00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,400
we'll have like a hundred ballheaded

932
00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,839
children here who they all have cancer

933
00:37:48,400 --> 00:37:52,079
>> and they're running around and they're

934
00:37:49,839 --> 00:37:53,920
enjoying themselves and it just make me

935
00:37:52,079 --> 00:37:56,000
cry happy tears that I was able to do

936
00:37:53,920 --> 00:37:57,760
that for them. Most of these acts of

937
00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:59,599
kindness Jackson kept hidden from the

938
00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:02,400
public, not wanting to draw attention to

939
00:37:59,599 --> 00:38:05,680
himself. Because true, heartfelt

940
00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:07,839
compassion does not require recognition.

941
00:38:05,680 --> 00:38:10,000
This kind, selfless, and compassionate

942
00:38:07,839 --> 00:38:12,400
man, who helped thousands of children

943
00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:15,280
around the world for decades, ultimately

944
00:38:12,400 --> 00:38:17,680
received the label of a file.

945
00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:20,400
>> I want to set the record straight that

946
00:38:17,680 --> 00:38:22,720
if people hear a lie long enough, people

947
00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:25,359
believe it. The people have lied on me.

948
00:38:22,720 --> 00:38:27,839
I'm a black American and I'm proud of it

949
00:38:25,359 --> 00:38:29,680
and I'm honored of it. The bleach skin

950
00:38:27,839 --> 00:38:32,400
rumor, which is a rumor, I don't bleach

951
00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:34,400
my skin. They they once said I wanted a

952
00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:36,240
white kid to play me as a child, which

953
00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,720
was a rumor.

954
00:38:36,240 --> 00:38:40,640
Uh inauguration rumor, saying I didn't

955
00:38:38,720 --> 00:38:45,640
want to do President Clinton's

956
00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:45,640
inauguration. I'm not gay.

957
00:38:45,760 --> 00:38:52,400
He says, "Don't judge a person unless

958
00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:54,960
you have spoken to them one on one,

959
00:38:52,400 --> 00:38:59,040
which which is true."

960
00:38:54,960 --> 00:39:00,720
Uh cuz what you hear is a lie. Uh

961
00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:01,200
untrue. I can't make out this part

962
00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:03,520
there.

963
00:39:01,200 --> 00:39:03,920
>> It is illegible in portions. That's

964
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:05,680
true.

965
00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:08,560
>> And Jesus said to love the children and

966
00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:12,160
be like children. Be youthful and be

967
00:39:08,560 --> 00:39:14,240
innocent and be pure and honorable. He

968
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,599
was talking to his apostles and they

969
00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:17,920
were fighting over who's the greatest

970
00:39:15,599 --> 00:39:19,839
among themselves. And he said, "Whoever

971
00:39:17,920 --> 00:39:21,839
humbled yourself like this child is the

972
00:39:19,839 --> 00:39:24,000
greatest among me." And he always

973
00:39:21,839 --> 00:39:25,680
surrounded himself like with children.

974
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:29,040
And that's how I was raised to believe

975
00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:30,560
and to be like that and to imitate that.

976
00:39:29,040 --> 00:39:32,320
>> During the scandal, he married Lisa

977
00:39:30,560 --> 00:39:34,320
Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis

978
00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:36,880
Presley, but they divorced a year and a

979
00:39:34,320 --> 00:39:38,640
half later. During their marriage, they

980
00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:41,680
were often asked inappropriate questions

981
00:39:38,640 --> 00:39:43,920
that clearly irritated Jackson. We want

982
00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:46,000
to know if you've done the thing.

983
00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:48,320
>> Michael, I know that this is an intimate

984
00:39:46,000 --> 00:39:51,359
question, but are you having sex

985
00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:52,960
together with Lisa Marie?

986
00:39:51,359 --> 00:39:54,720
>> Do you guys really love each other or

987
00:39:52,960 --> 00:39:55,599
you're just doing this to satisfy the

988
00:39:54,720 --> 00:39:58,240
media?

989
00:39:55,599 --> 00:39:58,800
>> Are you guys intimate?

990
00:39:58,240 --> 00:40:00,079
>> Again,

991
00:39:58,800 --> 00:40:02,640
>> I can't believe it.

992
00:40:00,079 --> 00:40:05,680
>> This is about the skepticism.

993
00:40:02,640 --> 00:40:07,920
>> Yes. Yes. Yes.

994
00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:10,000
>> Later, he married again. this time to

995
00:40:07,920 --> 00:40:12,320
nurse Debbie Row who had cared for him

996
00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:14,320
during his treatment for vitiligo. The

997
00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:17,200
couple had two children but divorced in

998
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:20,000
2000. Later he had a third child through

999
00:40:17,200 --> 00:40:21,920
a surrogate mother. Despite losing

1000
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:24,000
endorsement deals, his albums continued

1001
00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:26,000
to sell well. His songs topped the

1002
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:28,560
charts and thousands attended his

1003
00:40:26,000 --> 00:40:30,880
concerts. It began to seem as though the

1004
00:40:28,560 --> 00:40:32,320
scandal had been forgotten. He continued

1005
00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:35,119
living with his children at Neverland

1006
00:40:32,320 --> 00:40:37,280
Ranch and actively performing until 2003

1007
00:40:35,119 --> 00:40:40,240
when he once again faced allegations of

1008
00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:42,960
child molestation. This time even more

1009
00:40:40,240 --> 00:40:44,800
serious. It all began when he agreed to

1010
00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:47,119
let British journalist Martin Basher

1011
00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:49,280
film a documentary about his life.

1012
00:40:47,119 --> 00:40:51,520
Basher visited Neverland and openly

1013
00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:54,880
question Jackson's behavior, including

1014
00:40:51,520 --> 00:40:56,319
the idea of sharing a bed with children.

1015
00:40:54,880 --> 00:40:58,319
>> Is that right, Michael?

1016
00:40:56,319 --> 00:41:00,560
>> It's very right. It's very loving.

1017
00:40:58,319 --> 00:41:02,240
That's what the world needs now. More

1018
00:41:00,560 --> 00:41:04,240
love, more

1019
00:41:02,240 --> 00:41:07,680
>> The world needs the world needs a man

1020
00:41:04,240 --> 00:41:09,599
who's 44 sleeping in children. No, no,

1021
00:41:07,680 --> 00:41:12,160
you're making it all wrong.

1022
00:41:09,599 --> 00:41:14,960
>> After the documentary aired, a wave of

1023
00:41:12,160 --> 00:41:16,720
moral panic erupted. The media began

1024
00:41:14,960 --> 00:41:18,960
portraying him as a potential threat to

1025
00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:21,440
children. Once again, articles,

1026
00:41:18,960 --> 00:41:23,839
scandals, and heated debates flooded the

1027
00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:27,040
public space, quickly escalating into

1028
00:41:23,839 --> 00:41:29,839
chaos. Even Eminem decided to mock him

1029
00:41:27,040 --> 00:41:34,440
in his work. Jackson was deeply hurt by

1030
00:41:29,839 --> 00:41:34,440
the song and video just lose it.

1031
00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:41,760
>> I mean girl.

1032
00:41:38,319 --> 00:41:44,240
>> I've never met u Mr. Eminem and um I

1033
00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:47,440
I've always admired her and to have him

1034
00:41:44,240 --> 00:41:49,520
do something like that was was uh pretty

1035
00:41:47,440 --> 00:41:52,880
painful as as an artist to another

1036
00:41:49,520 --> 00:41:55,520
artist. And uh it it's sad because well

1037
00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:58,240
I think what Stevie Wonder said is true

1038
00:41:55,520 --> 00:42:00,240
and uh I just don't want to say too much

1039
00:41:58,240 --> 00:42:02,319
more than that but he he should be

1040
00:42:00,240 --> 00:42:04,800
ashamed of himself what he's doing.

1041
00:42:02,319 --> 00:42:06,960
>> Stevie said he's bull is what he said.

1042
00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:09,680
>> District Attorney Tom Snedden who had

1043
00:42:06,960 --> 00:42:12,160
been involved in the 1993 case reopened

1044
00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:14,720
the investigation. He interviewed Gavin

1045
00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:17,280
Arzo, one of the boys featured in the

1046
00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:19,599
documentary along with his parents.

1047
00:42:17,280 --> 00:42:21,280
Gavin was a cancer patient. His father

1048
00:42:19,599 --> 00:42:23,599
had approached Jackson asking for

1049
00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:25,200
financial help for treatment. Jackson

1050
00:42:23,599 --> 00:42:27,680
personally met the boy in the hospital

1051
00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:31,040
and later invited him to Neverland. This

1052
00:42:27,680 --> 00:42:33,280
was in 2000 when Gavin was 10 years old.

1053
00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:35,200
The cancer went into remission after

1054
00:42:33,280 --> 00:42:37,839
which Jackson stopped inviting him to

1055
00:42:35,200 --> 00:42:39,520
the ranch until reconnecting again

1056
00:42:37,839 --> 00:42:42,400
shortly before the documentary was

1057
00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:44,000
filmed. He invited him to his ranch to

1058
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:46,480
give an interview for British journalist

1059
00:42:44,000 --> 00:42:48,960
Martin Basher. Footage showed them

1060
00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:51,280
walking together, holding hands. Because

1061
00:42:48,960 --> 00:42:53,920
of this, the prosecutor focused on him

1062
00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:55,599
first. During questioning, Gavin claimed

1063
00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:57,839
that Michael Jackson had molested him

1064
00:42:55,599 --> 00:43:00,560
and his younger brother, offered them

1065
00:42:57,839 --> 00:43:03,839
wine disguised as soda, and publicly

1066
00:43:00,560 --> 00:43:05,520
masturbated. Moreover, all of this was

1067
00:43:03,839 --> 00:43:07,920
alleged to have happened after the

1068
00:43:05,520 --> 00:43:10,800
documentary was released.

1069
00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:13,280
On April 21st, 2004, Jackson was charged

1070
00:43:10,800 --> 00:43:15,760
with six counts, including conspiracy to

1071
00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:17,920
abduct children, extortion, false

1072
00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:21,680
imprisonment, and seven counts of child

1073
00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:23,200
molestation. He faced up to 18 years in

1074
00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:25,359
prison.

1075
00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:28,640
The situation almost perfectly mirrored

1076
00:43:25,359 --> 00:43:30,480
the events of 1993. The accusations were

1077
00:43:28,640 --> 00:43:32,640
largely supported by former Jackson

1078
00:43:30,480 --> 00:43:34,960
employees who first sold their stories

1079
00:43:32,640 --> 00:43:37,760
to tabloids and then appeared in court

1080
00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:39,680
along with the boy's family. While the

1081
00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:42,240
former employees motives were relatively

1082
00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:45,440
clear, the Gavin Arar Viso family was a

1083
00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:47,280
more complex case. During the trial, it

1084
00:43:45,440 --> 00:43:49,760
was revealed that years earlier, they

1085
00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:51,440
had already received $150,000 in

1086
00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:54,240
compensation from a supermarket chain

1087
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:56,480
through deception. Gavin's mother, Janet

1088
00:43:54,240 --> 00:43:58,800
Arzo, had claimed she was beaten by a

1089
00:43:56,480 --> 00:44:01,119
security guard, but it later turned out

1090
00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:04,079
that the guard was not involved. It was

1091
00:44:01,119 --> 00:44:05,520
her own husband who had assaulted her.

1092
00:44:04,079 --> 00:44:06,720
Gavin's younger brother star claimed

1093
00:44:05,520 --> 00:44:09,520
that Jackson had shown them a

1094
00:44:06,720 --> 00:44:11,280
pornographic magazine. In court, the

1095
00:44:09,520 --> 00:44:13,680
defense attorney presented the magazine

1096
00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:16,000
and asked if he had seen it before. The

1097
00:44:13,680 --> 00:44:19,040
boy confidently said yes, that it was

1098
00:44:16,000 --> 00:44:20,800
the exact same one. The attorney then

1099
00:44:19,040 --> 00:44:22,319
pointed out that this would mean Star

1100
00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:24,480
could travel through time because the

1101
00:44:22,319 --> 00:44:26,319
magazine had been published months after

1102
00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:27,839
the boys had stopped visiting Neverland

1103
00:44:26,319 --> 00:44:30,400
Ranch.

1104
00:44:27,839 --> 00:44:31,920
Next, defense witnesses were heard. It

1105
00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:33,920
was revealed that during Gavin's

1106
00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:36,240
illness, his father had contacted many

1107
00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:37,520
celebrities, mostly stand-up comedians,

1108
00:44:36,240 --> 00:44:40,240
telling them about the family's

1109
00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:42,880
situation and asking for money. For

1110
00:44:40,240 --> 00:44:44,720
example, George Lopez initially provided

1111
00:44:42,880 --> 00:44:46,480
financial support for treatment.

1112
00:44:44,720 --> 00:44:48,480
However, he later concluded that the

1113
00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:51,200
father was more interested in money than

1114
00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:53,839
in his son's health and stopped paying.

1115
00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:56,240
In response, the father accused Lopez of

1116
00:44:53,839 --> 00:44:59,200
stealing $300 from his sick child and

1117
00:44:56,240 --> 00:45:01,200
threatened to go to the police. Lopez

1118
00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:03,200
called him an extortionist and cut off

1119
00:45:01,200 --> 00:45:05,280
all contact.

1120
00:45:03,200 --> 00:45:06,880
Among the witnesses were also teenagers

1121
00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:09,839
who had lived at Neverland at different

1122
00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:12,400
times. They continued to insist that no

1123
00:45:09,839 --> 00:45:14,240
abuse had ever occurred. McCauley Kulkin

1124
00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:16,240
testified in court and denied claims

1125
00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:20,640
that Jackson had behaved inappropriately

1126
00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:23,440
toward him. On June 13th, 2005, Jackson

1127
00:45:20,640 --> 00:45:25,680
was acquitted on all charges. After his

1128
00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:28,000
death in 2009, FBI files were

1129
00:45:25,680 --> 00:45:29,680
declassified, stating that the bureau

1130
00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:32,960
had found no evidence of criminal

1131
00:45:29,680 --> 00:45:35,359
behavior by the singer. After the trial,

1132
00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:37,440
Jackson became reclusive. He closed

1133
00:45:35,359 --> 00:45:40,319
Neverland and left the United States for

1134
00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:42,240
Bahrain. It later became clear that the

1135
00:45:40,319 --> 00:45:44,720
once immensely successful artist had

1136
00:45:42,240 --> 00:45:47,040
spent most of his fortune and was on the

1137
00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:49,440
verge of bankruptcy.

1138
00:45:47,040 --> 00:45:51,839
Jackson released no studio albums, sold

1139
00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:55,200
off assets, and largely disappeared from

1140
00:45:51,839 --> 00:45:56,960
public life. In early 2009, he held a

1141
00:45:55,200 --> 00:45:59,680
press conference, though he appeared

1142
00:45:56,960 --> 00:46:02,560
visibly exhausted. He announced a new

1143
00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:05,119
show titled This Is It. It was planned

1144
00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:08,079
as a series of 40 concerts, and all

1145
00:46:05,119 --> 00:46:10,560
tickets sold out on the very first day.

1146
00:46:08,079 --> 00:46:12,640
After years of absence, fans hoped to

1147
00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:14,960
see the King of Pop return in full

1148
00:46:12,640 --> 00:46:17,119
glory. and he had to deliver something

1149
00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:20,560
extraordinary because this was Michael

1150
00:46:17,119 --> 00:46:22,400
Jackson. That's what he always did.

1151
00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:24,880
According to those who worked with him,

1152
00:46:22,400 --> 00:46:26,319
he wanted the show to be perfect. He

1153
00:46:24,880 --> 00:46:28,640
pushed himself through intense

1154
00:46:26,319 --> 00:46:31,839
rehearsals, even at the age of 50,

1155
00:46:28,640 --> 00:46:36,839
already a demanding age for a dancer.

1156
00:46:31,839 --> 00:46:36,839
>> This is it and see you in July.

1157
00:46:39,359 --> 00:46:45,359
>> But sadly in July, we never saw him.

1158
00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:48,480
Less than 3 weeks before the first

1159
00:46:45,359 --> 00:46:50,640
concert on June 25th, 2009, Michael

1160
00:46:48,480 --> 00:46:54,000
Jackson died at his home in Los Angeles

1161
00:46:50,640 --> 00:46:56,160
from cardiac arrest. The cause was acute

1162
00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:58,319
intoxication from seditive medications

1163
00:46:56,160 --> 00:47:01,359
administered by his personal physician,

1164
00:46:58,319 --> 00:47:03,599
Conrad Murray. If there were any true

1165
00:47:01,359 --> 00:47:06,079
rumors about him, they concerned his

1166
00:47:03,599 --> 00:47:08,240
dependence on painkillers. He first

1167
00:47:06,079 --> 00:47:10,720
began using them after suffering severe

1168
00:47:08,240 --> 00:47:12,960
burns to his scalp in his youth. He

1169
00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:15,599
later continued during the 1993

1170
00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:17,839
allegations to cope with stress. Over

1171
00:47:15,599 --> 00:47:20,160
time, Jackson developed a dependency

1172
00:47:17,839 --> 00:47:23,280
which he attempted to treat, but the

1173
00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:24,960
treatment did not have lasting results.

1174
00:47:23,280 --> 00:47:27,200
In the final years of his life, he

1175
00:47:24,960 --> 00:47:30,720
regularly relied on powerful medications

1176
00:47:27,200 --> 00:47:32,240
to deal with insomnia and stress. Murray

1177
00:47:30,720 --> 00:47:34,720
was found guilty of involuntary

1178
00:47:32,240 --> 00:47:36,160
manslaughter and sentenced to 4 years in

1179
00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:39,359
prison.

1180
00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:42,000
If this were a fairy tale, I would say

1181
00:47:39,359 --> 00:47:44,880
the king lived happily ever after. But

1182
00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:46,960
our world is far from a fairy tale, and

1183
00:47:44,880 --> 00:47:48,480
the king spent much of his life

1184
00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:51,839
misunderstood,

1185
00:47:48,480 --> 00:47:56,680
unhappy, and alone.

1186
00:47:51,839 --> 00:47:56,680
Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.