1 00:00:07,133 --> 00:00:09,925 [indistinct chatter] 2 00:00:09,926 --> 00:00:11,635 [Michael] Ah, it's in my pocket. 3 00:00:11,636 --> 00:00:13,680 Huh? 4 00:00:15,309 --> 00:00:18,017 [indistinct chatter] 5 00:00:18,018 --> 00:00:20,437 [Michael] I think every child is born... 6 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,064 to do a certain thing. 7 00:00:23,189 --> 00:00:24,869 [dramatic music playing] 8 00:00:26,318 --> 00:00:28,570 [Michael] I knew I wanted to be a... 9 00:00:28,653 --> 00:00:31,031 a star. [chuckles] 10 00:00:33,742 --> 00:00:35,368 It was being on the stage. 11 00:00:39,122 --> 00:00:41,791 Just looking out over a sea of faces. 12 00:00:41,875 --> 00:00:43,710 [crowd cheering] 13 00:00:43,793 --> 00:00:47,043 [Michael] When they're chanting and they're screaming. 14 00:00:50,425 --> 00:00:52,225 [Michael] And I've wanted it... 15 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,139 because I wanted to be loved. 16 00:00:56,140 --> 00:00:58,432 That's the real truth. 17 00:00:58,433 --> 00:01:00,602 I wanted people to truly love me. 18 00:01:00,727 --> 00:01:03,813 [somber music playing] 19 00:01:03,814 --> 00:01:05,439 [reporter] A lot of people ask, 20 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:08,401 "Who was Michael Jackson, really?" 21 00:01:10,904 --> 00:01:12,656 I mean, he was a child star... 22 00:01:13,573 --> 00:01:17,160 who became the most famous man on the planet. 23 00:01:17,702 --> 00:01:20,747 [crowd cheering] 24 00:01:22,665 --> 00:01:26,336 This is a man who changed the music industry. 25 00:01:26,836 --> 00:01:29,756 I mean, he is a musical genius. 26 00:01:32,425 --> 00:01:35,675 [reporter 2] But he was also accused of abusing children... 27 00:01:37,222 --> 00:01:40,100 and died without a cent to his name. 28 00:01:43,144 --> 00:01:46,147 I mean, this is the ultimate story... 29 00:01:46,272 --> 00:01:49,609 of power, celebrity, and money. 30 00:01:49,734 --> 00:01:51,778 [crowd cheering] 31 00:01:53,571 --> 00:01:57,075 [reporter 2] And now the battle is raging for the truth... 32 00:01:58,034 --> 00:01:59,894 and Michael Jackson's legacy. 33 00:01:59,911 --> 00:02:02,789 [dramatic music playing] 34 00:02:12,924 --> 00:02:16,761 [announcer] The number one artist in the world! 35 00:02:25,854 --> 00:02:28,864 [Shmuley] That level of mega stardom is not healthy. 36 00:02:29,983 --> 00:02:31,484 People are not gods. 37 00:02:36,585 --> 00:02:41,493 [reporter 3] Tonight, Jackson is wanted by police 38 00:02:41,494 --> 00:02:47,876 of multiple felony counts of child molestation. 39 00:02:48,001 --> 00:02:51,755 [reporter 3] The Jackson machine just keeps right on rolling. 40 00:03:16,988 --> 00:03:19,866 [indistinct chatter] 41 00:03:21,659 --> 00:03:23,829 [La Toya] Are you guys ready for me? 42 00:03:23,912 --> 00:03:27,499 [soft music playing] 43 00:03:28,708 --> 00:03:30,210 Whenever you're ready. 44 00:03:33,254 --> 00:03:35,882 People don't know my brother. They never did. 45 00:03:36,007 --> 00:03:37,592 They thought they did. 46 00:03:37,717 --> 00:03:43,348 And I think it's important for the public, the world to see... 47 00:03:43,431 --> 00:03:45,934 I don't want to say the truth, 48 00:03:46,059 --> 00:03:48,853 but from a family member's perspective. 49 00:03:49,479 --> 00:03:52,065 And that's important to me. 50 00:03:52,066 --> 00:03:53,565 So you get it right and you understand, 51 00:03:53,566 --> 00:03:58,321 as opposed to reading nonsensical things in the media. 52 00:03:59,030 --> 00:04:00,657 [somber music playing] 53 00:04:00,658 --> 00:04:03,450 [interviewer] What do you do mostly? 54 00:04:03,451 --> 00:04:06,579 I mean, you know, in your spare time? 55 00:04:07,372 --> 00:04:09,624 Sports. Messing around. 56 00:04:09,749 --> 00:04:13,378 I go swimming all the time. I like swimming. 57 00:04:14,045 --> 00:04:15,422 Play basketball. 58 00:04:15,547 --> 00:04:19,509 Catching lizards and things. Just messing around. 59 00:04:19,707 --> 00:04:22,636 [La Toya] My memory of Mike... 60 00:04:22,637 --> 00:04:24,681 is... 61 00:04:25,181 --> 00:04:26,307 basically... 62 00:04:26,766 --> 00:04:30,311 a child that was far older than his age. 63 00:04:30,395 --> 00:04:32,731 [soft music playing] 64 00:04:32,814 --> 00:04:35,567 [La Toya] Mike was always just feisty. 65 00:04:35,650 --> 00:04:39,279 - [indistinct chatter] - No, sit down. 66 00:04:41,406 --> 00:04:43,199 Now I would like to show you... 67 00:04:43,283 --> 00:04:46,233 [La Toya] As young kids, we would have a photo shoot. 68 00:04:46,234 --> 00:04:49,204 He would stand there and then he would get out 69 00:04:49,205 --> 00:04:51,332 the picture and say, "No, put Jermaine here, 70 00:04:51,333 --> 00:04:52,499 Jackie here, and I will be in the middle." 71 00:04:52,500 --> 00:04:56,713 And this is a little kid talking to his siblings. 72 00:04:57,362 --> 00:05:01,383 [reporter 4] Northwestern Indiana 73 00:05:01,384 --> 00:05:03,594 is not like any other part of the state, 74 00:05:03,595 --> 00:05:05,637 because it is solely industrial. 75 00:05:05,638 --> 00:05:07,639 One factory next to another for miles. 76 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:12,228 The Negro population of Gary, Indiana, is 45.8%, 77 00:05:12,229 --> 00:05:14,063 the highest percentage in any city 78 00:05:14,064 --> 00:05:15,924 north of the Mason-Dixon line. 79 00:05:18,026 --> 00:05:22,280 [La Toya] Growing up in Indiana, it was humble beginnings. 80 00:05:23,281 --> 00:05:26,242 My father, Joseph, worked in the steel mills. 81 00:05:27,285 --> 00:05:30,997 And we were a large family from a small home. 82 00:05:31,539 --> 00:05:32,859 It was two bedrooms. 83 00:05:32,860 --> 00:05:35,709 In one of the rooms, the brothers slept, 84 00:05:35,710 --> 00:05:37,670 and there were six bunk beds. 85 00:05:37,796 --> 00:05:42,175 And my sisters and I, we slept on a let-out sofa 86 00:05:42,300 --> 00:05:43,677 in the living room. 87 00:05:46,054 --> 00:05:49,808 We were a family that loved music. 88 00:05:51,685 --> 00:05:55,021 And when Mike was around eight or nine... 89 00:05:55,105 --> 00:05:58,191 he would do riffs constantly. 90 00:05:58,316 --> 00:06:00,902 And no matter what you would sing to him, 91 00:06:00,903 --> 00:06:01,568 he would do it even better. 92 00:06:01,569 --> 00:06:05,240 [dramatic music playing] 93 00:06:05,323 --> 00:06:08,368 My father, he saw them performing together... 94 00:06:08,493 --> 00:06:12,330 and he says, "Jeez." 95 00:06:12,414 --> 00:06:13,974 He became their manager... 96 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,545 because he saw a bigger and brighter future. 97 00:06:20,502 --> 00:06:23,048 They used to do shows. 98 00:06:23,049 --> 00:06:26,845 What they called back then was the Chitlin' Circuit. 99 00:06:26,846 --> 00:06:27,928 It was famous Black artists, 100 00:06:27,929 --> 00:06:31,558 but they were performing for Black audience. 101 00:06:32,517 --> 00:06:34,060 Don't be afraid. 102 00:06:34,061 --> 00:06:36,186 Don't be ashamed. We want Black power. 103 00:06:36,187 --> 00:06:37,447 [crowd cheering] 104 00:06:37,448 --> 00:06:39,565 We want Black power. We want Black power. 105 00:06:39,566 --> 00:06:42,402 [dramatic music playing] 106 00:06:42,485 --> 00:06:45,238 [indistinct chatter] 107 00:06:45,239 --> 00:06:47,698 [Dionne] To perform during that period of time 108 00:06:47,699 --> 00:06:49,492 was very challenging... 109 00:06:49,493 --> 00:06:53,162 based on the fact that we were kind of relegated 110 00:06:53,163 --> 00:06:55,083 to certain areas of our country 111 00:06:55,165 --> 00:06:58,376 and not very welcome in some parts. 112 00:07:01,212 --> 00:07:03,631 But we learned how to deal with it... 113 00:07:03,632 --> 00:07:05,591 and how to break down the barrier 114 00:07:05,592 --> 00:07:07,426 that they thought they put in front of us. 115 00:07:07,427 --> 00:07:10,096 [reel clattering] 116 00:07:20,357 --> 00:07:22,317 ["Tobacco Road" playing] 117 00:07:22,442 --> 00:07:24,569 ? I know ? 118 00:07:25,570 --> 00:07:31,660 ? Bring it back To Tobacco Road ? 119 00:07:31,785 --> 00:07:35,038 I met Michael when they were coming into audition 120 00:07:35,163 --> 00:07:36,790 to be on Motown. 121 00:07:36,915 --> 00:07:41,127 I had to kind of just look at him and shake my head. 122 00:07:41,252 --> 00:07:44,506 I said, "My God, this kid is amazing." 123 00:07:44,631 --> 00:07:46,383 It was an exciting time. 124 00:07:46,466 --> 00:07:49,010 They wanted it so badly. 125 00:07:49,135 --> 00:07:52,085 And then finally, there they are, signed to Motown. 126 00:07:52,138 --> 00:07:56,518 ? When I had you to myself I didn't want you around ? 127 00:07:56,601 --> 00:07:59,521 ? Those pretty faces Always made you ? 128 00:07:59,522 --> 00:08:00,813 ? Stand out in a crowd ? 129 00:08:00,814 --> 00:08:04,109 ? But someone picked you From the bunch ? 130 00:08:04,234 --> 00:08:08,571 [Dionne] Michael, he had something that nobody else had. 131 00:08:09,364 --> 00:08:13,785 And his performances were meticulously done. 132 00:08:13,868 --> 00:08:19,624 Watching their growth over the years was sensational. 133 00:08:19,708 --> 00:08:23,545 We've got some great guests, the incredible Jackson Five. 134 00:08:23,628 --> 00:08:25,672 [crowd cheering, applauding] 135 00:08:25,673 --> 00:08:29,508 [Robert] One of the hottest recording groups 136 00:08:29,509 --> 00:08:31,678 today is the Jackson Five, 137 00:08:31,679 --> 00:08:33,595 the only American group to have 138 00:08:33,596 --> 00:08:35,886 four consecutive number one records. 139 00:08:37,225 --> 00:08:40,775 [Steve] Kids nowadays don't know how big the Jackson Five were. 140 00:08:42,689 --> 00:08:46,151 They were our Beatles, our Black royalty. 141 00:08:46,152 --> 00:08:49,653 You had Beatlemania, we had Jackson mania. 142 00:08:49,654 --> 00:08:51,489 [crowd cheering] 143 00:08:51,490 --> 00:08:53,991 [reporter 5] Not since the heyday of The Beatles, 144 00:08:53,992 --> 00:08:56,994 has the music world seen anything like the Jackson Five, 145 00:08:56,995 --> 00:08:59,956 about to receive yet another platinum record? 146 00:08:59,957 --> 00:09:02,124 [interviewer 2] But you have to give a lot of the credit 147 00:09:02,125 --> 00:09:05,211 to the original Jackson Two, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Jackson. 148 00:09:05,295 --> 00:09:09,674 I decided to deal with the boys as much as I possibly can, 149 00:09:09,675 --> 00:09:11,550 getting them prepared to be in show business. 150 00:09:11,551 --> 00:09:16,681 They come to us originally from Gary, Indiana, the Jackson Five. 151 00:09:16,765 --> 00:09:20,393 - [crowd applauding] - [soft music playing] 152 00:09:20,518 --> 00:09:22,896 [Steve] It was just amazing... 153 00:09:23,813 --> 00:09:25,523 to see this Black family... 154 00:09:25,607 --> 00:09:28,151 post-segregation... 155 00:09:28,735 --> 00:09:30,570 who were so famous... 156 00:09:32,405 --> 00:09:34,455 and that you could identify with... 157 00:09:35,116 --> 00:09:38,495 showed Black people that we can make it in America. 158 00:09:44,584 --> 00:09:49,422 [upbeat music playing] 159 00:09:49,423 --> 00:09:51,423 [reporter 6] It's called Los Angeles, 160 00:09:51,424 --> 00:09:53,093 the city of the angels. 161 00:09:54,761 --> 00:09:56,763 People from all over the world, 162 00:09:56,846 --> 00:09:59,256 drawn by a city of limitless boundaries... 163 00:09:59,974 --> 00:10:02,686 one that offers unlimited opportunity. 164 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:07,691 [dramatic music playing] 165 00:10:08,692 --> 00:10:11,403 Growing up in Indiana, Mike would have 166 00:10:11,404 --> 00:10:13,529 this little projector thing that you put over your eyes 167 00:10:13,530 --> 00:10:15,949 and you would click it 168 00:10:16,032 --> 00:10:18,994 and it would show a different slide of LA. 169 00:10:19,119 --> 00:10:21,746 He would say, "Oh, this is so beautiful, 170 00:10:21,830 --> 00:10:24,040 I would love to live there one day." 171 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:30,130 So moving to Los Angeles was simply amazing. 172 00:10:30,922 --> 00:10:33,425 We were so elated and excited 173 00:10:33,508 --> 00:10:35,927 just to see the beauty of the city. 174 00:10:37,637 --> 00:10:40,598 And it was such a different life. 175 00:10:42,851 --> 00:10:45,478 We moved to this huge mansion... 176 00:10:45,562 --> 00:10:47,981 and my father just said, 177 00:10:48,106 --> 00:10:50,567 "I think this will be a perfect place." 178 00:10:52,485 --> 00:10:55,113 And, you know, what my father said goes. 179 00:10:55,864 --> 00:11:00,744 Let's introduce Mr. Joe Jackson, the father of this fine group. 180 00:11:00,827 --> 00:11:04,956 - [crowd applauding] - [indistinct chatter] 181 00:11:07,036 --> 00:11:13,047 Okay, we're going to find out who's boss around here. 182 00:11:13,048 --> 00:11:15,884 Dad, do you have to ever discipline 183 00:11:16,009 --> 00:11:18,303 this lively group you've got here? 184 00:11:18,386 --> 00:11:21,456 I have a way, you know, like when Randy don't do right, 185 00:11:21,457 --> 00:11:23,515 we make him take out all the garbage or something. 186 00:11:23,516 --> 00:11:24,726 [all laugh] 187 00:11:24,727 --> 00:11:26,602 - No, that's fair. - [Joseph] Yeah. 188 00:11:26,603 --> 00:11:28,020 Yeah, but what about Michael? 189 00:11:28,021 --> 00:11:29,980 If Michael, Michael always does right? 190 00:11:29,981 --> 00:11:31,983 [Joseph] No, not all the time. 191 00:11:32,067 --> 00:11:35,028 The way we discipline Michael is sort of like, 192 00:11:35,111 --> 00:11:38,239 yeah, we don't give him as much money to spend. 193 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:39,573 - [all laughing] - That's it. 194 00:11:39,574 --> 00:11:40,909 Right. 195 00:11:40,910 --> 00:11:42,701 You think it's a good profession for them? 196 00:11:42,702 --> 00:11:44,579 Yes, I like for them to... 197 00:11:44,704 --> 00:11:48,041 [Joyce] I moved to Los Angeles... 198 00:11:49,376 --> 00:11:51,669 to work for the family... 199 00:11:52,379 --> 00:11:55,048 out of Joseph's office. 200 00:11:55,173 --> 00:11:58,426 When Joseph spoke to me about coming to work for the boys, 201 00:11:58,510 --> 00:12:04,349 he presented himself as a really concerned, loving father. 202 00:12:05,642 --> 00:12:08,186 Joseph grew up dirt poor... 203 00:12:08,770 --> 00:12:10,814 before civil rights. 204 00:12:11,815 --> 00:12:15,402 And to take from nothing and build that act... 205 00:12:16,361 --> 00:12:17,529 was huge. 206 00:12:17,612 --> 00:12:19,072 And all of a sudden, 207 00:12:19,155 --> 00:12:22,283 now he's living in a wealthy house in Encino. 208 00:12:22,409 --> 00:12:24,202 He's got a Rolls Royce. 209 00:12:24,285 --> 00:12:28,415 He really was chasing the American Dream. 210 00:12:28,498 --> 00:12:30,417 [dramatic music playing] 211 00:12:30,418 --> 00:12:32,960 [Michelle] At that point, they were portrayed 212 00:12:32,961 --> 00:12:34,921 as this happy, loving family. 213 00:12:36,047 --> 00:12:39,551 But my experience, can't speak for anybody else's, 214 00:12:39,552 --> 00:12:41,385 but my experience of what I saw, that was... 215 00:12:41,386 --> 00:12:45,056 that was the farthest thing from the truth. 216 00:12:46,141 --> 00:12:50,520 I went to high school with Michael's baby sister, Janet. 217 00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:53,013 And Michael was also a very close friend. 218 00:12:54,232 --> 00:12:56,943 When I would be there and Joseph would pull in... 219 00:12:56,944 --> 00:12:59,862 you know, the speaker or the phone would ring 220 00:12:59,863 --> 00:13:01,363 and it would be like, "Joseph's here." 221 00:13:01,364 --> 00:13:02,948 And everyone's like, "Oh, God, Joseph's here." 222 00:13:02,949 --> 00:13:04,659 We weren't that, you know, 223 00:13:04,784 --> 00:13:07,287 savvy back then about this stuff but... 224 00:13:07,954 --> 00:13:10,457 knowing that there was just weirdness. 225 00:13:13,418 --> 00:13:16,046 [Michael] 226 00:13:53,917 --> 00:13:57,337 I found out later, Joseph... 227 00:13:57,962 --> 00:14:00,840 had done some really awful stuff. 228 00:14:00,924 --> 00:14:03,885 Joseph would put Michael in the closet... 229 00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:08,306 in the dressing room, in the dark and lock it... 230 00:14:08,390 --> 00:14:09,724 so that he was, 231 00:14:09,849 --> 00:14:13,978 he would do what Joseph would tell him to do. 232 00:14:14,980 --> 00:14:19,442 And nobody figured out what was going on. 233 00:14:24,864 --> 00:14:27,742 [La Toya] He wasn't as cruel as people think. 234 00:14:27,826 --> 00:14:29,911 But Mike had a fear of my father, 235 00:14:29,995 --> 00:14:33,540 we all did, because we felt, okay... 236 00:14:33,665 --> 00:14:35,667 what did we do wrong? 237 00:14:35,750 --> 00:14:38,169 He's going to discipline us. 238 00:14:38,170 --> 00:14:40,003 And you were kind of afraid of that. 239 00:14:40,004 --> 00:14:43,008 It just put something in your belly. 240 00:14:43,091 --> 00:14:46,219 And you would say to yourself... 241 00:14:46,302 --> 00:14:47,429 "Oh, no." 242 00:14:47,430 --> 00:14:48,721 His eyebrows would go up 243 00:14:48,722 --> 00:14:52,225 and his eyes would turn... 244 00:14:53,393 --> 00:14:55,019 a deeper green... 245 00:14:55,103 --> 00:14:57,522 a deeper green than they were. 246 00:14:57,523 --> 00:14:59,106 And you knew he was angry. 247 00:14:59,107 --> 00:15:01,316 Everybody would say, "I don't want to get in trouble 248 00:15:01,317 --> 00:15:03,727 because Joseph's going to strangle us." 249 00:15:07,407 --> 00:15:09,075 [reel clattering] 250 00:15:09,659 --> 00:15:12,829 [dramatic music playing] 251 00:15:12,830 --> 00:15:15,664 We're right almost in the middle of a recording session 252 00:15:15,665 --> 00:15:17,917 with the Jacksons. 253 00:15:17,918 --> 00:15:19,626 And we're going to bring the boys in right now... 254 00:15:19,627 --> 00:15:22,088 all five of them. 255 00:15:22,964 --> 00:15:26,051 - Here they are. - [all chuckling] 256 00:15:29,076 --> 00:15:34,475 [presenter] Now, I don't have to give any introduction 257 00:15:34,476 --> 00:15:36,096 to these gentlemen, do I? 258 00:15:36,102 --> 00:15:38,980 You knew them originally as the Jackson Five. 259 00:15:39,064 --> 00:15:42,442 They're the Jacksons now. They record on Epic. 260 00:15:45,028 --> 00:15:47,738 [Susan] This is really a special picture to me. 261 00:15:47,781 --> 00:15:50,325 Both of our hair was kind of big. 262 00:15:50,326 --> 00:15:52,576 See, his face looks completely different. 263 00:15:52,577 --> 00:15:53,661 So this was earlier, I guess. 264 00:15:53,662 --> 00:15:57,624 He still looks like a great looking kid, you know. 265 00:15:57,625 --> 00:16:00,751 When the Jackson Five came to Epic... 266 00:16:00,752 --> 00:16:02,545 they were a good pop group. 267 00:16:04,464 --> 00:16:10,220 But Michael was so much the center of it, the star. 268 00:16:12,180 --> 00:16:14,391 He just wanted to be perfect in a way. 269 00:16:14,474 --> 00:16:17,644 He wanted to be the best dancer ever... 270 00:16:17,769 --> 00:16:20,814 and best singer, best entertainer. 271 00:16:20,897 --> 00:16:23,108 He wanted to be a great. 272 00:16:23,109 --> 00:16:25,234 [reporter 7] You guys are really riding a big high now 273 00:16:25,235 --> 00:16:26,652 as far as producing records and so on. 274 00:16:26,653 --> 00:16:29,656 Do you think this is the peak of your career now? 275 00:16:29,657 --> 00:16:31,448 Or have you gone down a little bit? 276 00:16:31,449 --> 00:16:33,325 Are you expecting bigger and better things? 277 00:16:33,326 --> 00:16:36,161 We're looking forward to doing other things like producing 278 00:16:36,162 --> 00:16:39,874 other people and producing ourselves in the future 279 00:16:39,958 --> 00:16:42,548 and going into acting and that type of thing. 280 00:16:44,921 --> 00:16:47,674 [car horns honking] 281 00:16:50,254 --> 00:16:53,721 [reporter 8] New York is the most 282 00:16:53,722 --> 00:16:55,222 exciting city in the world. 283 00:16:55,223 --> 00:16:57,558 But New York has never seen anything like The Wiz, 284 00:16:57,559 --> 00:17:00,854 a new musical motion picture being made here 285 00:17:00,979 --> 00:17:03,106 that stars Diana Ross. 286 00:17:03,690 --> 00:17:06,067 [Susan] The Wiz was 287 00:17:06,151 --> 00:17:08,611 the Black version of The Wizard of Oz. 288 00:17:09,696 --> 00:17:13,158 And Michael really wanted to be in that movie. 289 00:17:14,742 --> 00:17:18,996 [La Toya] My father didn't want him 290 00:17:18,997 --> 00:17:21,124 to venture off into movies... 291 00:17:21,125 --> 00:17:24,335 because he felt it would break up the group 292 00:17:24,336 --> 00:17:26,670 and he would go in a different direction. 293 00:17:26,671 --> 00:17:29,382 And he wanted to keep the brothers together. 294 00:17:29,507 --> 00:17:32,344 As he always said, I want to keep my boys together. 295 00:17:32,427 --> 00:17:34,597 But this is something that Mike saw. 296 00:17:34,679 --> 00:17:38,558 He loved opportunity and he went for it. 297 00:17:38,641 --> 00:17:40,727 [dramatic music playing] 298 00:17:46,383 --> 00:17:50,069 [interviewer 3] How did you feel when you heard 299 00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:52,030 you got the part in The Wiz , 300 00:17:52,031 --> 00:17:53,781 and especially playing with Diana Ross? 301 00:17:53,782 --> 00:17:55,533 I was very happy. 302 00:17:55,617 --> 00:17:58,244 I would talk to Diana on the phone. 303 00:17:58,245 --> 00:17:59,578 I say, you're going to film The Wiz next week, huh? 304 00:17:59,579 --> 00:18:01,873 Or next month. 305 00:18:01,956 --> 00:18:04,966 She would say, yeah, next thing I noticed, I was in it. 306 00:18:07,587 --> 00:18:10,673 [La Toya] Mike and I were extremely close. 307 00:18:12,175 --> 00:18:15,053 So we moved to New York together. 308 00:18:18,139 --> 00:18:20,934 And going to the set every day... 309 00:18:21,059 --> 00:18:24,437 he just embraced it with great joy. 310 00:18:24,562 --> 00:18:27,190 But most of all, what he would always say, 311 00:18:27,191 --> 00:18:30,025 "I'm learning so much, La Toya, you have no idea." 312 00:18:30,026 --> 00:18:31,987 Hey fellas, is today the day 313 00:18:31,988 --> 00:18:32,778 you're going to help me get down from here? 314 00:18:32,779 --> 00:18:34,489 [crows] Help you down? 315 00:18:34,572 --> 00:18:40,453 Man, what is going down in that hayloft you call a head? 316 00:18:41,788 --> 00:18:44,624 [La Toya] Living in New York... 317 00:18:45,333 --> 00:18:48,962 we were so used to being with family, 318 00:18:49,087 --> 00:18:52,966 being controlled by my father. 319 00:18:53,091 --> 00:18:55,381 But yeah, you could do what you wanted. 320 00:18:56,928 --> 00:18:59,681 It was so wonderful. 321 00:18:59,806 --> 00:19:04,394 [upbeat music playing] 322 00:19:12,248 --> 00:19:15,654 [Rubell] Is Michael there? 323 00:19:15,655 --> 00:19:17,155 Hi Michael, come on in, 324 00:19:17,198 --> 00:19:19,428 you can come right in. Hi, how are you? 325 00:19:19,429 --> 00:19:21,160 You just walked in. How are you? 326 00:19:21,161 --> 00:19:24,789 Michael, this is Jane Pauley. Come sit over here. 327 00:19:24,790 --> 00:19:26,874 [Jane] It's been a long day for you 328 00:19:26,875 --> 00:19:28,334 and you're unwinding here? 329 00:19:28,335 --> 00:19:29,919 You mean today? 330 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,046 No, we're all finished with the movie. 331 00:19:32,047 --> 00:19:34,382 But I'm just relaxing now. 332 00:19:34,507 --> 00:19:37,927 - Just hanging out in New York? - Yes, Studio 54. [chuckles] 333 00:19:38,053 --> 00:19:41,363 [Jane] When you hear the name Studio 54, what does that do? 334 00:19:41,364 --> 00:19:43,724 Does your pulse quicken and your feet start moving? 335 00:19:43,725 --> 00:19:45,726 Yeah, I'm ready to have a good time. 336 00:19:45,727 --> 00:19:48,563 It's where you come when you want to escape. 337 00:19:48,688 --> 00:19:50,440 It's really escapism. 338 00:19:50,441 --> 00:19:52,024 [Jane] But you're Michael Jackson, 339 00:19:52,025 --> 00:19:53,108 you don't have it so bad. 340 00:19:53,109 --> 00:19:54,526 What are you escaping from? 341 00:19:54,527 --> 00:19:56,236 - You know? - I'm not escaping from anything. 342 00:19:56,237 --> 00:19:58,031 It's just a change of pace. 343 00:19:58,032 --> 00:19:59,573 - Right, it is. - It's a change of pace. 344 00:19:59,574 --> 00:20:01,325 He doesn't escape from anything. 345 00:20:01,326 --> 00:20:02,076 If anything, he's one of those people 346 00:20:02,077 --> 00:20:03,619 who's very recognizable... 347 00:20:03,620 --> 00:20:05,120 [La Toya] Doing The Wiz ... 348 00:20:05,163 --> 00:20:08,375 and all the work that he had done... 349 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,672 and the growth that came with it... 350 00:20:14,798 --> 00:20:17,675 took him mentally... 351 00:20:18,510 --> 00:20:20,220 in a different direction, 352 00:20:20,345 --> 00:20:22,722 saying, "I want to do a solo album." 353 00:20:23,807 --> 00:20:27,894 [dramatic music playing] 354 00:20:29,813 --> 00:20:31,923 [Steve] By Michael doing The Wiz, 355 00:20:31,924 --> 00:20:33,399 he had a chance to meet... 356 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,653 great composer, arranger, Quincy Jones. 357 00:20:40,699 --> 00:20:44,077 And Quincy had worked with Sinatra. 358 00:20:44,202 --> 00:20:47,163 I mean, the greatest music people ever. 359 00:20:47,497 --> 00:20:49,749 [telephone ringing] 360 00:20:49,750 --> 00:20:53,043 [Michael] I called Quincy up one day. 361 00:20:53,044 --> 00:20:53,919 I said, Quincy, "I'm ready 362 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:56,423 to do an album, a solo album." 363 00:20:56,506 --> 00:20:58,758 "But I want a real good producer 364 00:20:58,883 --> 00:21:00,593 to work with me." 365 00:21:00,677 --> 00:21:03,027 I said, "Can you recommend somebody?" 366 00:21:03,972 --> 00:21:06,766 And he said, "Why don't you let me do it?" 367 00:21:11,271 --> 00:21:14,941 ["Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" playing] 368 00:21:20,447 --> 00:21:23,517 [Steve] I remember getting a cassette of Off The Wall . 369 00:21:23,575 --> 00:21:27,787 And when I heard "Don't Stop 'Til you Get Enough" 370 00:21:27,912 --> 00:21:31,624 I was just astonished to hear. 371 00:21:31,625 --> 00:21:32,708 Oh, my gosh. 372 00:21:32,709 --> 00:21:34,961 I said, Michael, this is going to be... 373 00:21:36,463 --> 00:21:38,381 it's gonna be phenomenal. 374 00:21:38,382 --> 00:21:41,091 [reporter 9] This is the album that's caused the storm 375 00:21:41,092 --> 00:21:42,509 right around the world. 376 00:21:42,510 --> 00:21:44,094 It's Michael's Off The Wall album. 377 00:21:44,095 --> 00:21:47,640 And hopefully, we've got Michael in LA on the phone now. 378 00:21:47,766 --> 00:21:51,227 Let's have it so, oh here we go. Hello, Michael. 379 00:21:51,311 --> 00:21:53,301 - [Michael] Hello. - How are you? 380 00:21:53,313 --> 00:21:54,573 [crowd cheering] 381 00:21:54,689 --> 00:21:59,110 He is the first artist to have four top ten singles 382 00:21:59,111 --> 00:22:00,652 with his Off The Wall album. 383 00:22:00,653 --> 00:22:02,196 He keeps breaking records. 384 00:22:02,197 --> 00:22:03,906 - It's just amazing. - [Michael] Ow! 385 00:22:03,907 --> 00:22:07,619 [dramatic music playing] 386 00:22:10,622 --> 00:22:12,624 [Dionne] It had to happen. 387 00:22:14,042 --> 00:22:16,152 [Michael] I feel like I wanna rock. 388 00:22:16,461 --> 00:22:21,341 He had earned the right to be Michael. 389 00:22:21,466 --> 00:22:24,344 [crowd cheering] 390 00:22:25,220 --> 00:22:27,639 [Dionne] He felt that it's now my time. 391 00:22:29,599 --> 00:22:33,812 [dramatic music playing] 392 00:22:35,397 --> 00:22:37,857 [reel clattering] 393 00:22:42,445 --> 00:22:45,532 [indistinct chatter] 394 00:22:46,449 --> 00:22:47,826 Mayor? Okay. 395 00:22:48,493 --> 00:22:50,912 - Let's get the mayor back here. - Yeah. 396 00:22:50,913 --> 00:22:52,454 [cameraman] I'm rolling. 397 00:22:52,455 --> 00:22:54,456 [interviewer 4] Hey, guys, what did you think of this? 398 00:22:54,457 --> 00:22:57,126 Were you ever afraid when you saw that big crowd? 399 00:22:57,127 --> 00:22:59,045 - Never afraid. - Never afraid. 400 00:22:59,046 --> 00:23:00,587 It's a lot of excitement. 401 00:23:00,588 --> 00:23:03,091 And it's nice to see the fans all come out 402 00:23:03,216 --> 00:23:06,046 to greet us at the airport. I think it's wonderful. 403 00:23:06,047 --> 00:23:10,347 [interviewer 4] What do you have to say for Atlanta? 404 00:23:10,348 --> 00:23:11,558 I'll start here. 405 00:23:11,559 --> 00:23:13,851 [Randy] Love it. I can't wait. Tomorrow night. 406 00:23:13,852 --> 00:23:16,104 I love it. 407 00:23:16,105 --> 00:23:18,522 - [Jackie] We love you, Atlanta. - Love you very much. 408 00:23:18,523 --> 00:23:20,107 Tomorrow night, everybody be out there. 409 00:23:20,108 --> 00:23:22,998 Because we're going to do our best. Have a good time. 410 00:23:28,537 --> 00:23:34,788 [interviewer 5] At this point, Michael really is kind of 411 00:23:34,789 --> 00:23:36,206 the mainstay of the Jacksons. 412 00:23:36,207 --> 00:23:38,001 Has it always been that way? 413 00:23:39,878 --> 00:23:41,129 Yes, yes. 414 00:23:41,130 --> 00:23:43,464 [interviewer 5] Michael has always been sort of the star. 415 00:23:43,465 --> 00:23:45,132 Yeah, he's been highlighted the most 416 00:23:45,133 --> 00:23:47,718 because he's the lead singer and he's up front, you know. 417 00:23:47,719 --> 00:23:49,678 As a little kid, we put him up front 418 00:23:49,679 --> 00:23:51,972 because he danced so much and had so much energy. 419 00:23:51,973 --> 00:23:54,851 [soft music playing] 420 00:23:57,562 --> 00:23:59,362 [La Toya] I think my brothers... 421 00:24:00,065 --> 00:24:02,692 some of them felt that once he do this... 422 00:24:04,110 --> 00:24:05,612 he's never coming back. 423 00:24:06,571 --> 00:24:08,131 He's going to abandon us. 424 00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:14,245 And that was kind of disturbing to some of them. 425 00:24:14,329 --> 00:24:16,623 And then the others were just, 426 00:24:16,624 --> 00:24:18,082 well, let's see where it goes. 427 00:24:18,083 --> 00:24:19,793 Let's see where it leads. 428 00:24:24,839 --> 00:24:28,093 [Michelle] I remember the boys being in the office 429 00:24:28,176 --> 00:24:31,805 and one of them distinctly said, if it wasn't for them, 430 00:24:31,888 --> 00:24:35,725 Michael wouldn't be who he was because they were the ones. 431 00:24:35,809 --> 00:24:39,979 And Joseph was the one who made Michael who he is. 432 00:24:40,063 --> 00:24:43,149 And he basically wouldn't be shit without them. 433 00:24:43,233 --> 00:24:45,485 And it was them that built him. 434 00:24:45,568 --> 00:24:48,578 And Michael's just sitting there listening to this. 435 00:24:49,406 --> 00:24:53,827 And he sat there and he took it. I just remember thinking... 436 00:24:53,910 --> 00:24:56,788 how mean, why are you guys being so mean to him? 437 00:24:56,871 --> 00:24:59,541 I just, I wanted to go in and like... 438 00:24:59,666 --> 00:25:02,376 hurt them because they were being mean to Mike. 439 00:25:02,460 --> 00:25:04,587 [crowd cheering] 440 00:25:05,797 --> 00:25:09,384 [Michelle] I think Michael had grown up feeling 441 00:25:09,509 --> 00:25:13,138 under Joseph that he wasn't anything more than a commodity. 442 00:25:14,139 --> 00:25:17,642 And I think in that moment, it crystallized for Michael 443 00:25:17,643 --> 00:25:19,685 that he was nothing more than a commodity to his brothers. 444 00:25:19,686 --> 00:25:23,106 And I think it broke his heart. 445 00:25:26,985 --> 00:25:30,780 [indistinct chatter] 446 00:25:32,824 --> 00:25:35,201 Oh hi, Steve! Good to see you. 447 00:25:36,327 --> 00:25:37,954 Fine, how are you? 448 00:25:48,006 --> 00:25:51,301 [La Toya] If things got difficult for Mike... 449 00:25:51,384 --> 00:25:54,054 he always had a very loving relationship 450 00:25:54,179 --> 00:25:57,390 with my mother, it was a very... 451 00:25:57,682 --> 00:26:00,852 trusted relationship. 452 00:26:01,728 --> 00:26:04,189 If something upset him, 453 00:26:04,190 --> 00:26:06,774 she would always make sense out of everything. 454 00:26:06,775 --> 00:26:10,278 ["Lovingly" playing] 455 00:26:10,403 --> 00:26:12,822 ? Don't look so sad ? 456 00:26:12,947 --> 00:26:14,937 It's one of your favorite songs. 457 00:26:15,742 --> 00:26:18,828 ? I know it's over ? 458 00:26:20,489 --> 00:26:22,748 ? Don't say a word... ? 459 00:26:22,749 --> 00:26:25,251 [La Toya] My mother 460 00:26:25,377 --> 00:26:29,130 was a very religious person. 461 00:26:29,214 --> 00:26:31,174 She was a Jehovah Witness. 462 00:26:32,884 --> 00:26:34,969 And she always thought 463 00:26:35,095 --> 00:26:38,264 if you had a personal relationship with God... 464 00:26:38,390 --> 00:26:40,433 then he would show you the way. 465 00:26:40,558 --> 00:26:45,605 [soft music playing] 466 00:26:48,874 --> 00:26:53,404 [Christian] It's strange being back here. 467 00:26:53,405 --> 00:26:55,575 I haven't lived here for many years. 468 00:26:55,576 --> 00:26:58,867 Yeah, it was such a strange time, you know, 469 00:26:58,868 --> 00:27:01,621 with Michael being suddenly so famous. 470 00:27:01,705 --> 00:27:06,418 And we're just going door to door trying to save souls. 471 00:27:06,501 --> 00:27:08,461 Michael would say... 472 00:27:08,462 --> 00:27:09,753 "Hi, my name is Joe." 473 00:27:09,754 --> 00:27:12,224 It was his middle name, so he wasn't lying. 474 00:27:12,225 --> 00:27:14,133 "This is my friend Christian." "We're here to talk to you 475 00:27:14,134 --> 00:27:16,803 about the wonderful hope of God's kingdom." 476 00:27:16,886 --> 00:27:19,305 And the people would kind of stare. 477 00:27:19,306 --> 00:27:20,597 They would think... 478 00:27:20,598 --> 00:27:23,188 that guy really looks like Michael Jackson. 479 00:27:23,309 --> 00:27:25,599 And you can kind of see it in their eyes. 480 00:27:27,897 --> 00:27:31,026 The Jehovah's Witnesses are millennialists. 481 00:27:31,027 --> 00:27:34,111 So they believe that Armageddon is coming any day now, 482 00:27:34,112 --> 00:27:35,488 and God's going to 483 00:27:35,489 --> 00:27:37,072 cleanse the earth of all the evil people. 484 00:27:37,073 --> 00:27:41,327 And so our job as Jehovah's Witnesses was to go door to door 485 00:27:41,328 --> 00:27:43,620 and try to recruit people to save them 486 00:27:43,621 --> 00:27:46,081 so that they could join our religion and then... 487 00:27:46,082 --> 00:27:47,666 you know, hopefully make it into the paradise 488 00:27:47,667 --> 00:27:49,294 that was going to come. 489 00:27:50,837 --> 00:27:54,299 Michael had a tough upbringing, and I think that he had a, 490 00:27:54,382 --> 00:27:58,970 you know, fantastical view of what he wanted the world to be. 491 00:27:59,054 --> 00:28:03,683 And I think this idea of God bringing a paradise 492 00:28:03,684 --> 00:28:05,351 just was very appealing. 493 00:28:05,352 --> 00:28:07,644 And I think that was a big part of his enthusiasm 494 00:28:07,645 --> 00:28:08,729 for going door to door. 495 00:28:08,730 --> 00:28:10,856 He genuinely wanted to tell people. 496 00:28:10,857 --> 00:28:14,861 [Michael] We did missionary work, door to door. 497 00:28:15,695 --> 00:28:18,448 We do 90 hours a month. 498 00:28:18,449 --> 00:28:20,449 It was just a wonderful time for me, 499 00:28:20,450 --> 00:28:22,660 because it allowed me to get out into society 500 00:28:22,661 --> 00:28:24,120 and to see people. 501 00:28:24,121 --> 00:28:26,580 I was totally deprived of seeing people 502 00:28:26,581 --> 00:28:27,791 open their doors. 503 00:28:27,792 --> 00:28:29,500 I don't go to other people's houses. 504 00:28:29,501 --> 00:28:30,959 I don't know what they live like. 505 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:32,461 So when they would open the door and say... 506 00:28:32,462 --> 00:28:34,214 "Come in." I would come in. 507 00:28:36,883 --> 00:28:40,887 [Christian] I was 15 when we started hanging out together. 508 00:28:41,888 --> 00:28:43,848 I think he felt safe with us... 509 00:28:43,849 --> 00:28:46,892 because he had no other space where he didn't have something, 510 00:28:46,893 --> 00:28:50,188 some place where people wanted something from him 511 00:28:50,271 --> 00:28:51,606 because of his fame. 512 00:28:51,607 --> 00:28:53,649 We just liked him because of who he was, 513 00:28:53,650 --> 00:28:56,026 and that he was part of this joint community 514 00:28:56,027 --> 00:28:58,497 where we were all working to do God's will. 515 00:28:59,024 --> 00:29:04,702 But at the same time, I think he was conflicted about 516 00:29:04,703 --> 00:29:05,753 who he was... 517 00:29:05,870 --> 00:29:10,125 because even though he was very devout, 518 00:29:10,250 --> 00:29:12,544 I think Michael had a lot of ambition 519 00:29:12,627 --> 00:29:19,384 around being perceived as very successful, very talented. 520 00:29:19,385 --> 00:29:21,051 He was raised in this paradigm 521 00:29:21,052 --> 00:29:23,637 where success is how you get validation, right? 522 00:29:23,638 --> 00:29:25,597 And from the time he was a little kid. 523 00:29:25,598 --> 00:29:27,391 So I don't think he ever lost that. 524 00:29:27,392 --> 00:29:28,726 Michael sometimes would stand in front of a mirror and say, 525 00:29:28,727 --> 00:29:32,063 "100 million, 100 million." 526 00:29:32,147 --> 00:29:35,400 Because he wanted to sell 100 million albums. 527 00:29:35,401 --> 00:29:36,150 On his next album. 528 00:29:36,151 --> 00:29:40,780 And I think that really fed him. 529 00:29:40,864 --> 00:29:45,452 [somber music playing] 530 00:30:01,343 --> 00:30:04,012 [Steve] Michael's ambition, I believe, 531 00:30:04,137 --> 00:30:08,058 was to make the greatest album ever heard. 532 00:30:09,267 --> 00:30:15,315 But he also knew the power of motion pictures. 533 00:30:16,816 --> 00:30:20,236 He wanted to use video to drive sales. 534 00:30:20,237 --> 00:30:23,030 I mean, rock bands have been doing that for years. 535 00:30:23,031 --> 00:30:25,659 [indistinct chatter] 536 00:30:25,742 --> 00:30:28,328 I'm not like other guys. 537 00:30:29,746 --> 00:30:31,186 I mean, I'm different. 538 00:30:36,670 --> 00:30:38,213 I'm a monster. 539 00:30:39,923 --> 00:30:42,175 [dramatic music playing] 540 00:30:42,544 --> 00:30:47,554 Michael, I think this is going to be the Citizen Kane 541 00:30:47,555 --> 00:30:50,475 of the videos. I really do. It's going to be the most 542 00:30:50,558 --> 00:30:54,187 revolutionary thing in the history of, in videos, you know. 543 00:30:55,122 --> 00:30:57,940 I mean, it's a new art form now, 544 00:30:57,941 --> 00:31:00,068 but I think this is leading the way. 545 00:31:00,193 --> 00:31:02,603 "Beat It" and this one is leading the way. 546 00:31:04,906 --> 00:31:08,034 God, what a great looking kid. 547 00:31:10,328 --> 00:31:13,665 Filmmakers, they usually know when they have something. 548 00:31:13,790 --> 00:31:16,292 And I knew we had something. 549 00:31:17,669 --> 00:31:20,547 Music video was new at that time. 550 00:31:20,672 --> 00:31:22,549 And this is pre-internet. 551 00:31:24,426 --> 00:31:28,221 And Michael's videos were special. You could tell. 552 00:31:30,212 --> 00:31:35,310 Some prominent Black musicians are complaining 553 00:31:35,311 --> 00:31:37,563 that they are being left out of the video market, 554 00:31:37,564 --> 00:31:39,857 specifically the music television cable operation. 555 00:31:39,858 --> 00:31:42,068 We are looking for a certain sound 556 00:31:42,069 --> 00:31:43,777 and a certain point of view. 557 00:31:43,778 --> 00:31:45,821 [reporter 10] Bob Pitman is the 29-year-old whiz kid 558 00:31:45,822 --> 00:31:49,200 who created MTV after a successful career 559 00:31:49,201 --> 00:31:51,452 as a radio station program director. 560 00:31:51,453 --> 00:31:53,120 We are not all things to all people. 561 00:31:53,121 --> 00:31:54,371 We are cable television. 562 00:31:54,372 --> 00:31:57,249 And what cable television does best is specialize. 563 00:31:57,250 --> 00:32:00,086 One thing per channel. So you know exactly 564 00:32:00,087 --> 00:32:02,921 what you're getting when you turn on the channel. 565 00:32:02,922 --> 00:32:04,423 It was almost impossible for a Black artist 566 00:32:04,424 --> 00:32:10,472 to get on the cover of any of the major magazines or TV shows. 567 00:32:10,473 --> 00:32:13,057 [interviewer 6] Over Christmas, I watched MTV. 568 00:32:13,058 --> 00:32:16,311 - I saw no Black star. - Plenty of Black stars, 569 00:32:16,436 --> 00:32:19,522 but only Black stars who do rock and roll. 570 00:32:19,647 --> 00:32:22,734 [Susan] And MTV refused to play Michael's video. 571 00:32:22,817 --> 00:32:24,903 You don't see RandB. You see... 572 00:32:25,028 --> 00:32:28,406 He was outraged. It was pure blatant racism, 573 00:32:28,490 --> 00:32:30,617 plain and simple. 574 00:32:30,742 --> 00:32:32,744 Prejudice is ignorance. 575 00:32:32,869 --> 00:32:36,373 Music has no color. I don't believe in that. 576 00:32:36,456 --> 00:32:39,226 What I do, I don't want it labeled Black or white. 577 00:32:39,227 --> 00:32:40,918 I want it labeled it's music. 578 00:32:40,919 --> 00:32:43,630 [Susan] A few of us at Epic 579 00:32:43,755 --> 00:32:46,007 and the president of CBS Records, 580 00:32:46,008 --> 00:32:48,050 we all went up there and explained 581 00:32:48,051 --> 00:32:50,010 why they had to play those videos. 582 00:32:50,011 --> 00:32:54,808 They said, you can't continue with a program like this 583 00:32:54,891 --> 00:32:57,602 without honoring some of the best music... 584 00:32:57,603 --> 00:32:59,019 that America has to offer. 585 00:32:59,020 --> 00:33:00,854 And some of the best music America has to offer 586 00:33:00,855 --> 00:33:04,943 is made and performed by Black artists. 587 00:33:04,944 --> 00:33:06,610 Period. End of discussion. 588 00:33:06,611 --> 00:33:09,279 They only could look at the bottom line and say, 589 00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:11,140 you can't ignore these tracks. 590 00:33:11,199 --> 00:33:13,368 And once they played Michael. 591 00:33:14,911 --> 00:33:16,621 It took off. 592 00:33:16,746 --> 00:33:18,540 [reel clattering] 593 00:33:20,875 --> 00:33:24,605 [reporter 11] Michael Jackson's album Thriller has been topping 594 00:33:24,606 --> 00:33:25,963 various record charts, 595 00:33:25,964 --> 00:33:27,297 so it should come as no surprise 596 00:33:27,298 --> 00:33:30,188 that Thriller is number one on Billboard's chart 597 00:33:30,189 --> 00:33:31,719 of most successful pop albums. 598 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,848 Well, the title song from that blockbuster album, 599 00:33:34,849 --> 00:33:36,473 now the subject of the most talked about 600 00:33:36,474 --> 00:33:39,064 music video to come along. Take a look at this. 601 00:33:39,102 --> 00:33:40,937 [dramatic music playing] 602 00:33:42,314 --> 00:33:45,525 [Michelle] Thriller was an amazing piece of work. 603 00:33:46,192 --> 00:33:47,752 Like everybody loved it. 604 00:33:48,278 --> 00:33:51,072 And it just got bigger and bigger. 605 00:33:51,197 --> 00:33:54,451 We love you! We love you Michael! 606 00:33:54,452 --> 00:33:57,619 [reporter 12] Michael Jackson was partying in New York. 607 00:33:57,620 --> 00:34:00,749 The occasion, for selling 23 million albums. 608 00:34:00,874 --> 00:34:02,959 [La Toya] He exploded. 609 00:34:03,918 --> 00:34:07,672 Everybody wanted a piece of him. Everyone wanted to see him. 610 00:34:07,756 --> 00:34:09,424 [indistinct chatter] 611 00:34:09,425 --> 00:34:12,593 Michael Jackson's Thriller is now the highest selling 612 00:34:12,594 --> 00:34:16,181 solo album in the history of recorded music. 613 00:34:16,264 --> 00:34:19,893 The number one artist in the world! 614 00:34:19,894 --> 00:34:23,604 [reporter 13] He is simply put, probably the most exciting 615 00:34:23,605 --> 00:34:26,149 and intense performer of the decade. 616 00:34:26,150 --> 00:34:31,070 [interviewer 7] You have something within your records 617 00:34:31,071 --> 00:34:33,448 that everybody just loves. 618 00:34:33,990 --> 00:34:37,577 Boy I couldn't say. I just created it. 619 00:34:37,578 --> 00:34:40,204 [interviewer 7] Where do you think the gift came from? 620 00:34:40,205 --> 00:34:44,584 - God. - [dramatic music playing] 621 00:34:45,710 --> 00:34:49,089 [indistinct chatter] 622 00:35:09,442 --> 00:35:13,780 Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention? 623 00:35:13,905 --> 00:35:17,701 I need your attention right now. 624 00:35:19,077 --> 00:35:22,080 I am saying for the last time, 625 00:35:22,205 --> 00:35:25,834 as chairman of the Walk of Fame, if you do not back up, 626 00:35:25,959 --> 00:35:29,629 this ceremony will be canceled. 627 00:35:29,754 --> 00:35:31,464 [crowd cheering] 628 00:35:33,091 --> 00:35:36,553 Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson. 629 00:35:36,678 --> 00:35:39,806 We now welcome him to the Walk of Fame. 630 00:35:44,728 --> 00:35:48,273 [Christian] The Thriller album was fantastic. 631 00:35:48,274 --> 00:35:50,232 It was far exceeding anyone's expectations 632 00:35:50,233 --> 00:35:52,736 about how big it was going to be. 633 00:35:52,819 --> 00:35:56,322 And Michael was becoming sort of transcendent as a pop star. 634 00:35:59,075 --> 00:36:03,246 But he was still very idealistic, very devout. 635 00:36:05,373 --> 00:36:09,001 I mean, nobody had been that famous 636 00:36:09,002 --> 00:36:11,504 in the Jehovah's Witnesses yet. 637 00:36:11,700 --> 00:36:15,424 It was very much at odds for the church, 638 00:36:15,425 --> 00:36:19,179 for someone to be famous, because any kind of notoriety 639 00:36:19,180 --> 00:36:21,680 could be considered controversial, potentially. 640 00:36:21,681 --> 00:36:25,727 Even his deciding to do a Thriller video. 641 00:36:25,728 --> 00:36:28,896 The church was very paranoid about any demon influence 642 00:36:28,897 --> 00:36:30,314 and anything with demonology. 643 00:36:30,315 --> 00:36:32,274 And so zombies rising from the dead 644 00:36:32,275 --> 00:36:34,318 or anything related to the occult... 645 00:36:34,319 --> 00:36:36,196 suddenly the hammer came down 646 00:36:36,321 --> 00:36:38,782 from the headquarters of the church. 647 00:36:38,865 --> 00:36:40,742 And so when he realized 648 00:36:40,825 --> 00:36:44,287 that this was going to be a problem for him, he panicked. 649 00:36:44,288 --> 00:36:45,954 He wrote, "Due to my strong personal convictions, 650 00:36:45,955 --> 00:36:48,291 I wish to stress that this film 651 00:36:48,292 --> 00:36:50,834 in no way endorses a belief in the occult." 652 00:36:50,835 --> 00:36:53,462 And he had to put that at the beginning of the video 653 00:36:53,463 --> 00:36:55,339 in order to get the church to go, 654 00:36:55,340 --> 00:36:57,258 "Okay, you can release it." 655 00:36:57,259 --> 00:37:00,844 It really created some tension. 656 00:37:00,845 --> 00:37:05,433 On the one hand, fame brought him all this opportunity. 657 00:37:05,517 --> 00:37:07,811 And I think he liked the adulation. 658 00:37:07,894 --> 00:37:09,437 It was very validating. 659 00:37:09,438 --> 00:37:11,855 But I think he started to feel handicapped by the fact 660 00:37:11,856 --> 00:37:14,400 that he couldn't pursue all his creative stuff 661 00:37:14,401 --> 00:37:16,443 that the church was constantly tightening the screws 662 00:37:16,444 --> 00:37:19,694 and saying, "No, you can't do this, no, you can't do that." 663 00:37:20,198 --> 00:37:23,743 And later on, he just made a decision. 664 00:37:23,744 --> 00:37:25,953 He disassociated himself, which basically meant 665 00:37:25,954 --> 00:37:28,331 he was leaving the church. 666 00:37:30,041 --> 00:37:32,711 You know, I left the church in 1990. 667 00:37:32,794 --> 00:37:34,114 And when you leave, 668 00:37:34,115 --> 00:37:36,213 you know, the church completely cuts you off. 669 00:37:36,214 --> 00:37:37,631 You know, you lose your whole foundation. 670 00:37:37,632 --> 00:37:40,050 You lose your family, all of your friends. 671 00:37:40,051 --> 00:37:43,722 You're really adrift in so many ways. 672 00:37:43,847 --> 00:37:45,432 And when he left, 673 00:37:45,433 --> 00:37:47,975 he lost the thing that had grounded him for so long. 674 00:37:47,976 --> 00:37:51,187 [indistinct chatter] 675 00:37:51,220 --> 00:37:57,818 [interviewer 8] How long have you had this beautiful beast? 676 00:37:57,819 --> 00:38:00,196 Gosh, it was during the, 677 00:38:00,197 --> 00:38:01,530 a little bit before Thriller I had him. 678 00:38:01,531 --> 00:38:05,285 Probably about, almost a year, almost a year now. 679 00:38:05,286 --> 00:38:08,495 [interviewer 8] And this type of snake is not dangerous? 680 00:38:08,496 --> 00:38:09,663 Well, I don't think so. 681 00:38:09,664 --> 00:38:11,623 - Some people would. - Could it be dangerous? 682 00:38:11,624 --> 00:38:14,335 Yeah, they squeeze, they can really squeeze. 683 00:38:16,921 --> 00:38:18,506 I think he's great. 684 00:38:18,590 --> 00:38:21,420 [interviewer 8] What other animals do you have? 685 00:38:21,421 --> 00:38:23,427 [Howell] After Thriller, 686 00:38:23,428 --> 00:38:28,433 I saw a completely different Michael Jackson. 687 00:38:30,518 --> 00:38:33,772 I was his personal cinematographer 688 00:38:33,855 --> 00:38:37,734 from 1981 to 1987. 689 00:38:39,527 --> 00:38:44,240 And when I first met him, Michael was really humble. 690 00:38:46,159 --> 00:38:48,703 He was a true, cool dude. 691 00:38:49,746 --> 00:38:51,790 But after the Thriller album, 692 00:38:51,873 --> 00:38:56,252 his personality started to get a little bit different, 693 00:38:56,336 --> 00:38:59,130 more eccentric. 694 00:38:59,214 --> 00:39:02,884 [indistinct chatter] 695 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,648 [Howell] I could see he enjoyed being around kids. 696 00:39:19,985 --> 00:39:25,198 - Hello! - Wow! Wow! Woo! 697 00:39:25,199 --> 00:39:26,824 Tell us about where we recognize... 698 00:39:26,825 --> 00:39:28,033 [interviewer 9] We're going to do our own interview here. 699 00:39:28,034 --> 00:39:31,413 Okay this is the Michael Jackson Interview Show, okay? 700 00:39:31,414 --> 00:39:34,081 So, how old are you, young man? No, not how old are you. 701 00:39:34,082 --> 00:39:35,834 What show are you on? 702 00:39:35,917 --> 00:39:39,003 My show is Webster! 703 00:39:39,087 --> 00:39:40,947 And who do you play on the show? 704 00:39:40,948 --> 00:39:42,464 [Howell] Out of nowhere, 705 00:39:42,465 --> 00:39:44,995 Michael's good friend was Emmanuel Lewis. 706 00:39:47,345 --> 00:39:51,641 Emmanuel Lewis was a star of the TV show, Webster. 707 00:39:52,290 --> 00:39:55,853 And then one day, Michael calls me up. 708 00:39:55,854 --> 00:39:58,857 He goes, I need you to come over. 709 00:40:00,650 --> 00:40:03,820 So I get there, and he has Emanuel with him. 710 00:40:03,945 --> 00:40:09,451 They're dancing to one of his new songs that never, 711 00:40:09,452 --> 00:40:10,576 ever was released. 712 00:40:10,577 --> 00:40:12,871 And he's holding him like a baby. 713 00:40:20,879 --> 00:40:25,842 And I could see Michael had a connection with children. 714 00:40:25,967 --> 00:40:28,553 [somber music playing] 715 00:40:28,554 --> 00:40:30,804 [Michael] When a child steps in the room 716 00:40:30,805 --> 00:40:34,100 I'm totally changed. I feel their energy. 717 00:40:34,225 --> 00:40:35,685 I feel their spirit. 718 00:40:38,563 --> 00:40:42,400 When I look in their eyes, I feel healed. 719 00:40:50,742 --> 00:40:54,079 [Howell] What I saw, Michael liked... 720 00:40:55,705 --> 00:41:00,335 kids because of the fact that they weren't domineering. 721 00:41:00,418 --> 00:41:02,837 They weren't asking for something. 722 00:41:05,723 --> 00:41:08,592 You know, because you had 723 00:41:08,593 --> 00:41:11,596 too many of these producer bigwigs coming over. 724 00:41:12,347 --> 00:41:14,766 What I called, and what he called, suits. 725 00:41:14,767 --> 00:41:16,934 And when the suits would come over, 726 00:41:16,935 --> 00:41:21,773 it was a different atmosphere because they wanted something. 727 00:41:21,898 --> 00:41:27,987 By then, Michael got so big, now it's just a business. 728 00:41:28,071 --> 00:41:31,032 [dramatic music playing] 729 00:41:31,033 --> 00:41:32,908 [reporter 14] Jackson's image has been pressed into plastic. 730 00:41:32,909 --> 00:41:36,078 In a short six months since they first came on the market, 731 00:41:36,079 --> 00:41:38,748 Michael Jackson toys, dolls, 732 00:41:38,832 --> 00:41:41,710 and other products have been selling with a fury. 733 00:41:41,711 --> 00:41:44,336 [Mike] Jackson has become a mini-conglomerate. 734 00:41:44,337 --> 00:41:46,422 He is setting up five separate companies 735 00:41:46,423 --> 00:41:47,923 to handle his business interests. 736 00:41:47,924 --> 00:41:50,510 Albums, video cassettes, concert tours, 737 00:41:50,511 --> 00:41:52,136 merchandising tie-ins. 738 00:41:52,137 --> 00:41:55,014 This year, Michael Jackson is expected to earn 739 00:41:55,140 --> 00:41:56,975 more than $50 million. 740 00:41:56,976 --> 00:41:59,601 [reporter 15] Michael Jackson made recording business history 741 00:41:59,602 --> 00:42:02,522 today by closing the deal on The Beatles' catalog. 742 00:42:02,605 --> 00:42:05,817 From now on, all those royalties go to Jackson. 743 00:42:05,818 --> 00:42:08,277 [reporter 16] Michael Jackson has a new manager. 744 00:42:08,278 --> 00:42:09,987 Jackson has hired the vice president of promotion 745 00:42:09,988 --> 00:42:13,908 for Epic Records, Frank DiLeo, to manage his booming career. 746 00:42:13,992 --> 00:42:18,496 Formerly, Jackson was managed by his father, Joseph Jackson. 747 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:26,588 [La Toya] Mike decided to end the relationship with my father. 748 00:42:26,589 --> 00:42:29,006 And his thinking and his thoughts were, 749 00:42:29,007 --> 00:42:32,927 "I need a manager who's much bigger and better, 750 00:42:32,928 --> 00:42:35,679 and someone who really knows what they're doing 751 00:42:35,680 --> 00:42:37,515 in this big industry." 752 00:42:39,809 --> 00:42:43,521 But I think the part that became difficult was... 753 00:42:44,105 --> 00:42:47,734 the people that entered into his life. 754 00:42:47,859 --> 00:42:53,615 Because this business can be very overwhelming, cutthroat. 755 00:42:53,698 --> 00:42:58,119 And people will say and do anything to get into your circle 756 00:42:58,203 --> 00:43:00,330 and to manage you. 757 00:43:00,455 --> 00:43:02,207 And that part of it... 758 00:43:03,083 --> 00:43:05,126 destroyed him. 759 00:43:08,922 --> 00:43:12,172 [reporter 17] Michael Jackson has not a song on his lips, 760 00:43:12,175 --> 00:43:13,927 but a bottle of Pepsi-Cola. 761 00:43:14,052 --> 00:43:17,972 This week, he signed up for five million dollars or more 762 00:43:18,056 --> 00:43:20,766 to promote Pepsi in concerts and commercials. 763 00:43:20,809 --> 00:43:22,489 A lot of people are asking, 764 00:43:22,490 --> 00:43:24,937 why would Michael Jackson do commercials? 765 00:43:24,938 --> 00:43:27,022 Well, the reason is that these commercials 766 00:43:27,023 --> 00:43:29,191 are going to be just extraordinary. 767 00:43:29,192 --> 00:43:30,859 They're using state-of-the-art technology. 768 00:43:30,860 --> 00:43:32,736 They're going to be creative masterpieces. 769 00:43:32,737 --> 00:43:35,990 No expense is spared. 770 00:43:36,116 --> 00:43:41,788 They asked me to direct them because I had success 771 00:43:41,871 --> 00:43:44,624 and a relationship with Michael. 772 00:43:44,749 --> 00:43:49,129 We were going to shoot two promotional commercials, 773 00:43:49,254 --> 00:43:50,634 even though Michael... 774 00:43:50,635 --> 00:43:53,048 confessed to me that he never drank Pepsi in his life. 775 00:43:53,049 --> 00:43:58,722 We went down there and started shooting, and the plan was, 776 00:43:58,847 --> 00:44:03,018 there was an explosion, Michael would come down and dance. 777 00:44:03,101 --> 00:44:04,361 The pyrotechnics... 778 00:44:05,145 --> 00:44:07,313 added too much... 779 00:44:07,439 --> 00:44:09,399 and all hell broke loose. 780 00:44:09,524 --> 00:44:10,900 [explosion] 781 00:44:13,403 --> 00:44:16,906 [dramatic music playing] 782 00:44:17,824 --> 00:44:22,704 [crowd screaming] 783 00:44:40,889 --> 00:44:44,642 [indistinct chatter] 784 00:44:44,970 --> 00:44:49,980 [reporter 18] The scene was wild as hundreds of fans 785 00:44:49,981 --> 00:44:51,398 tried to see Michael Jackson 786 00:44:51,399 --> 00:44:53,942 as he was carried into a Los Angeles area hospital 787 00:44:53,943 --> 00:44:56,713 with second and third degree burns on his scalp. 788 00:44:57,781 --> 00:45:00,241 [indistinct chatter] 789 00:45:12,651 --> 00:45:18,759 I'll never forget the image of Michael being taken away 790 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:22,263 in a stretcher, but smart enough to take his glove, 791 00:45:22,347 --> 00:45:24,182 the famous glove, and wave it. 792 00:45:27,686 --> 00:45:30,939 But it was the beginning of a dark time. 793 00:45:45,203 --> 00:45:49,290 [soft music playing] 794 00:45:50,724 --> 00:45:55,629 [Michelle] I remember in the early years, 795 00:45:55,630 --> 00:45:57,339 Michael would just come out and hang out. 796 00:45:57,340 --> 00:45:59,718 It was just, it was casual. It was normal. 797 00:46:02,053 --> 00:46:06,891 But at that point, Michael started going out a lot less. 798 00:46:11,855 --> 00:46:14,065 Everybody was, like, worried. 799 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:17,235 He would call all the time. 800 00:46:17,236 --> 00:46:20,821 He would constantly reflect back on things 801 00:46:20,822 --> 00:46:22,782 from his childhood. 802 00:46:22,866 --> 00:46:25,410 [somber music playing] 803 00:46:27,746 --> 00:46:29,497 [Michael] 804 00:47:15,085 --> 00:47:17,587 [Howell] When I went to the house 805 00:47:17,670 --> 00:47:19,422 after the Pepsi burn... 806 00:47:19,423 --> 00:47:23,050 with Michael, there were some times where we would talk, 807 00:47:23,051 --> 00:47:26,304 and he would come a little close, 808 00:47:26,388 --> 00:47:31,518 and then I would say to myself, what is on his nose? 809 00:47:31,519 --> 00:47:33,102 And those were stitches. 810 00:47:33,103 --> 00:47:35,020 Physically or visually, you could see that... 811 00:47:35,021 --> 00:47:39,275 it had been, you know, worked on. 812 00:47:39,359 --> 00:47:41,861 I have a shot of Michael when he's leaving 813 00:47:41,945 --> 00:47:43,571 the Havenhurst house, 814 00:47:43,697 --> 00:47:45,990 and that was when I saw the change. 815 00:47:46,074 --> 00:47:50,078 You know, the transition from the negro look 816 00:47:50,161 --> 00:47:53,289 to like something different. 817 00:47:59,254 --> 00:48:01,294 [Michelle] It was heartbreaking. 818 00:48:02,257 --> 00:48:06,052 Michael was trying to erase something off of his face... 819 00:48:06,136 --> 00:48:08,847 and it was all the nastiness 820 00:48:08,848 --> 00:48:10,597 and all the things that Joseph said about him, 821 00:48:10,598 --> 00:48:13,600 but I think that set Michael on a very unhealthy pattern 822 00:48:13,601 --> 00:48:16,938 and path for the rest of his life when it came to... 823 00:48:17,063 --> 00:48:21,359 facial reconstruction and his skin color. 824 00:48:22,694 --> 00:48:25,044 But I don't think anybody was prepared 825 00:48:25,113 --> 00:48:28,408 for how extreme it would get. 826 00:48:29,367 --> 00:48:33,913 - [indistinct chatter] - [camera shutters clicking] 827 00:49:14,746 --> 00:49:16,856 Not since Thriller five years ago 828 00:49:16,873 --> 00:49:20,585 has the record industry been so focused on a single album. 829 00:49:20,668 --> 00:49:22,003 It's called Bad. 830 00:49:22,128 --> 00:49:25,924 It's Michael Jackson and Bad right here on Kiss FM. 831 00:49:26,007 --> 00:49:27,550 [reel clattering] 832 00:49:27,551 --> 00:49:32,179 [reporter 19] They were queuing all over America, 833 00:49:32,180 --> 00:49:33,889 snapping up the first copies 834 00:49:33,890 --> 00:49:36,141 of Michael Jackson's latest offering. 835 00:49:36,142 --> 00:49:38,972 But after five years of comparative seclusion, 836 00:49:38,978 --> 00:49:40,605 he's changed his image. 837 00:49:40,606 --> 00:49:43,440 It's a lot of talk. A lot of people are talking 838 00:49:43,441 --> 00:49:45,527 about it and how foolish he looks. 839 00:49:45,610 --> 00:49:47,195 The look? 840 00:49:47,196 --> 00:49:49,154 Well... [chuckles] the new look is not too hot, 841 00:49:49,155 --> 00:49:52,826 but the album is great and he's a great entertainer. 842 00:49:52,951 --> 00:49:55,328 [dramatic music playing] 843 00:49:55,329 --> 00:49:55,953 [Gregg] I was a fan of Michael Jackson 844 00:49:55,954 --> 00:49:58,540 since I was a kid. 845 00:49:58,665 --> 00:50:04,170 From you know, the Jacksons, I loved Off the Wall. 846 00:50:04,415 --> 00:50:08,048 I was a talent manager at the firm 847 00:50:08,049 --> 00:50:10,343 that managed Michael Jackson. 848 00:50:10,344 --> 00:50:14,096 And it was our job to manage his career and public image. 849 00:50:14,097 --> 00:50:17,642 I remember I met him like up close and personal 850 00:50:17,726 --> 00:50:20,979 and I was just surprised at like how white he was. 851 00:50:21,062 --> 00:50:24,983 I mean and just almost like almost like translucent. 852 00:50:25,066 --> 00:50:28,778 [man] Oh, this is beautiful. What happened? 853 00:50:28,779 --> 00:50:30,404 [Gregg] You know, we were wondering 854 00:50:30,405 --> 00:50:33,324 if he was bleaching his skin or maybe it was makeup. 855 00:50:34,242 --> 00:50:39,372 I can remember one instance and we had made this video. 856 00:50:39,373 --> 00:50:41,373 It was like multi-million dollar video. 857 00:50:41,374 --> 00:50:43,334 We had David Fincher, you know, directed. 858 00:50:43,335 --> 00:50:45,711 I remember at one point, he literally kind of broke down 859 00:50:45,712 --> 00:50:48,256 in tears and he was kind of ranting like, 860 00:50:48,340 --> 00:50:50,842 "I look like a monkey. I look like a monkey." 861 00:50:50,843 --> 00:50:52,551 And I was like thinking, what? 862 00:50:52,552 --> 00:50:55,012 I mean, he looked great in the video, but in his own mind, 863 00:50:55,013 --> 00:50:58,600 he hated the way that he looked. 864 00:50:58,601 --> 00:51:01,226 And some people mentioned, I think it's called baking, 865 00:51:01,227 --> 00:51:03,312 where they, you know, could lighten him up 866 00:51:03,313 --> 00:51:04,021 throughout the video. 867 00:51:04,022 --> 00:51:07,400 [somber music playing] 868 00:51:07,525 --> 00:51:10,235 [Gregg] I mean, that word, I look like a monkey. 869 00:51:11,071 --> 00:51:13,421 First, it was kind of shocking from him. 870 00:51:15,367 --> 00:51:19,537 I'm thinking, here's this huge, amazing artist 871 00:51:19,621 --> 00:51:22,832 and his own issues with self-image... 872 00:51:22,916 --> 00:51:27,921 actually became a form of like self-sabotage with his career. 873 00:51:28,046 --> 00:51:31,091 [ominous music playing] 874 00:51:31,092 --> 00:51:35,052 [Shana] I remember a lot of the Black community 875 00:51:35,053 --> 00:51:40,183 felt like he had deserted them 876 00:51:40,266 --> 00:51:44,104 and thought that he didn't want to be Black. 877 00:51:45,021 --> 00:51:47,315 And it was really difficult 878 00:51:47,440 --> 00:51:50,527 because he was in the tabloids every week. 879 00:51:52,237 --> 00:51:54,072 He sort of became a joke. 880 00:51:55,240 --> 00:51:57,784 First problem is the sex problem. 881 00:51:57,867 --> 00:52:00,578 The problem being, we don't know what sex he is. 882 00:52:01,913 --> 00:52:04,457 [crowd cheering, applauding] 883 00:52:05,291 --> 00:52:07,761 The latest of the Michael Jackson rumors. 884 00:52:07,762 --> 00:52:10,004 Are Michael Jackson and his sister La Toya Jackson 885 00:52:10,005 --> 00:52:13,174 actually the same person? 886 00:52:13,258 --> 00:52:17,429 I'm here with Lars Bunquist of the IOFCIRA, 887 00:52:17,430 --> 00:52:20,514 the Institute of Facial Changes in Recording Artists. 888 00:52:20,515 --> 00:52:22,808 And I understand you had a grant for the last six years 889 00:52:22,809 --> 00:52:24,226 to study the facial changes in Michael Jackson. 890 00:52:24,227 --> 00:52:28,732 That's correct, Dave. It's been a full-time job. 891 00:52:28,733 --> 00:52:33,319 [reporter 20] For most of us, he's just Whacko-Jacko. 892 00:52:33,320 --> 00:52:35,112 And if some of the press are to be believed, 893 00:52:35,113 --> 00:52:37,615 he sleeps in an oxygen tank, 894 00:52:37,699 --> 00:52:40,285 often with a chimp, a snake, and an alien. 895 00:52:40,286 --> 00:52:43,662 [reporter 21] When you think of Michael Jackson, 896 00:52:43,663 --> 00:52:45,956 you don't first think what a great artist, 897 00:52:45,957 --> 00:52:47,458 what a definitive performer. 898 00:52:47,459 --> 00:52:49,711 You think, what a weird guy. 899 00:52:49,712 --> 00:52:51,503 [reporter 22] Record stores have been reporting 900 00:52:51,504 --> 00:52:53,630 disappointing sales for the new album. 901 00:52:53,631 --> 00:52:55,341 Some have already begun taking down 902 00:52:55,342 --> 00:52:57,302 the Bad promotional posters. 903 00:52:57,303 --> 00:53:01,305 [Gregg] The Bad album had been released in the late '80s, 904 00:53:01,306 --> 00:53:03,956 but it hadn't been as successful as Thriller. 905 00:53:03,957 --> 00:53:07,186 We had to get him back to basics as an artist, 906 00:53:07,187 --> 00:53:11,649 as a singer, and get away from the wacky personas 907 00:53:11,650 --> 00:53:13,692 and the trappings and everything else and stuff. 908 00:53:13,693 --> 00:53:16,823 - [somber music playing] - [camera shutter clicking] 909 00:53:22,202 --> 00:53:26,039 [Shana] We had to make him more relatable 910 00:53:26,122 --> 00:53:28,500 to the public, to answer the questions 911 00:53:28,583 --> 00:53:33,046 that people had about him, about his skin, about Bubbles, 912 00:53:33,171 --> 00:53:36,549 about everything, because up to that point, 913 00:53:36,633 --> 00:53:39,010 Michael hadn't done a major interview. 914 00:53:39,094 --> 00:53:41,429 People hadn't heard him talk. 915 00:53:41,554 --> 00:53:44,849 People didn't know anything about him. 916 00:53:46,601 --> 00:53:49,771 And then Michael's managers had this idea 917 00:53:49,896 --> 00:53:53,775 that he should do an Oprah Winfrey interview. 918 00:53:54,734 --> 00:53:58,488 - [suspenseful music playing] - [indistinct chatter] 919 00:54:04,744 --> 00:54:08,456 And the whole objective for that interview 920 00:54:08,540 --> 00:54:12,752 was to humanize him to the world. 921 00:54:12,877 --> 00:54:16,007 Oprah was calling every day like five or six times a day. 922 00:54:16,047 --> 00:54:22,220 Nothing was left to chance. His whole career, his reputation 923 00:54:22,303 --> 00:54:25,515 were dependent on this interview going well. 924 00:54:30,228 --> 00:54:33,440 Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson. 925 00:54:33,441 --> 00:54:34,523 Hey. 926 00:54:34,524 --> 00:54:36,484 - [Oprah] Hello. Hey. - Hey. 927 00:54:36,568 --> 00:54:38,862 Well, how nervous are you right now? 928 00:54:40,155 --> 00:54:42,866 - How what? - How nervous are you right now? 929 00:54:42,867 --> 00:54:45,492 I'm not nervous at all, actually. 930 00:54:45,493 --> 00:54:47,995 - [Oprah] You really aren't? - No, I never get nervous. 931 00:54:47,996 --> 00:54:49,580 - [Oprah] You don't? - No. 932 00:54:49,581 --> 00:54:51,540 [Oprah] Not even for your first interview 933 00:54:51,541 --> 00:54:53,626 and it's live around the world? 934 00:54:53,627 --> 00:54:54,960 I thought you'd be a little nervous, but that's great, 935 00:54:54,961 --> 00:54:57,851 because if you're not nervous, I won't be nervous. 936 00:54:57,852 --> 00:54:59,089 [Michael chuckles] 937 00:54:59,090 --> 00:55:01,634 I just wanted to let the world know... 938 00:55:01,635 --> 00:55:03,343 [Gregg] We were all watching it on TV 939 00:55:03,344 --> 00:55:05,347 and it was pretty eye-opening. 940 00:55:05,472 --> 00:55:08,683 I think it really was the first time that I can recall 941 00:55:08,767 --> 00:55:11,394 where he ever sat down for a length of time, 942 00:55:11,478 --> 00:55:15,106 answered the questions that we all wanted to know... 943 00:55:15,190 --> 00:55:17,150 and was really pretty candid. 944 00:55:17,275 --> 00:55:20,570 I was actually surprised how candid he was. 945 00:55:20,653 --> 00:55:24,491 The main thing in that Oprah interview that was talked about 946 00:55:24,574 --> 00:55:28,119 was his answer to his skin color changing. 947 00:55:28,203 --> 00:55:31,333 [Oprah] The color of your skin is obviously different 948 00:55:31,334 --> 00:55:32,581 than it was when you were younger. 949 00:55:32,582 --> 00:55:36,503 - [Michael] Yeah. - [Oprah] And so, I think... 950 00:55:36,504 --> 00:55:38,962 it has caused a great deal of speculation 951 00:55:38,963 --> 00:55:42,717 and controversy as to what you have done or are doing. 952 00:55:42,718 --> 00:55:45,135 Are you bleaching your skin? And, have, are- 953 00:55:45,136 --> 00:55:47,888 Is your skin lighter because you don't like being Black? 954 00:55:47,889 --> 00:55:51,601 Number one, this is a situation. I have a skin disorder 955 00:55:51,684 --> 00:55:54,396 that destroys the pigmentation of the skin. 956 00:55:54,479 --> 00:55:56,606 It's something that I cannot help. 957 00:55:56,690 --> 00:55:59,192 Okay, but... when people make up stories 958 00:55:59,317 --> 00:56:02,028 that I don't want to be who I am, it hurts me. 959 00:56:02,112 --> 00:56:04,489 [Oprah] So, it is. 960 00:56:05,573 --> 00:56:08,243 It's a problem for me. Okay, I can't control it. 961 00:56:08,244 --> 00:56:09,743 I'm a Black American. 962 00:56:09,744 --> 00:56:11,161 I'm proud to be a Black American. 963 00:56:11,162 --> 00:56:14,874 [indistinct chatter] 964 00:56:14,958 --> 00:56:18,028 The Black community was really relieved to hear that. 965 00:56:18,044 --> 00:56:22,465 You know, I remember people saying, "Oh, that's why it was." 966 00:56:22,466 --> 00:56:24,091 "Of course, Michael wouldn't desert us." 967 00:56:24,092 --> 00:56:26,928 "He has a disease." 968 00:56:26,929 --> 00:56:29,430 It makes me feel some of the pain that he's feeling 969 00:56:29,431 --> 00:56:31,231 because I can look in his eyes 970 00:56:31,232 --> 00:56:33,225 and I can see the hurt in his eyes. 971 00:56:33,226 --> 00:56:34,977 You know, he looks like he's so lonely and so hurt. 972 00:56:34,978 --> 00:56:38,898 You know, and it makes me want to just reach out to him. 973 00:56:40,150 --> 00:56:41,590 [Shana] And it worked. 974 00:56:42,819 --> 00:56:46,906 And it really changed a lot of people's perceptions of him. 975 00:56:47,032 --> 00:56:49,242 [indistinct chatter] 976 00:56:49,367 --> 00:56:52,871 [Shana] It felt like Michael was back on top. 977 00:57:08,470 --> 00:57:10,640 [Rosibel] My name is Rosibel Smith. 978 00:57:11,973 --> 00:57:16,519 In 1993, I was working the sexually exploited child unit. 979 00:57:16,603 --> 00:57:20,774 A case had come in involving a young boy 980 00:57:20,899 --> 00:57:24,235 who was 13 years of age and that the perpetrator 981 00:57:24,319 --> 00:57:26,154 was Michael Jackson. 982 00:57:26,237 --> 00:57:28,865 [suspenseful music playing] 983 00:57:33,912 --> 00:57:37,707 [Rosibel] We knew that it was going to be a huge case. 984 00:57:45,215 --> 00:57:49,969 [dramatic music playing] 985 00:57:50,019 --> 00:57:54,569 Repair and Synchronization by Easy Subtitles Synchronizer 1.0.0.0