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Michael Jackson on 20/20
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Posted by: NJChris

I have to say I'm completely disgusted... with 20/20 and the reporter who stayed with Jackson.

In all honesty, I was one of those people who would just make fun of him and his lifestyle and everything.

Watching the constant beratement, sarcastic, condescending comments by the reporter, I began to realize it doesn't matter. It's his life to do with what he wants. SO WHAT if he has tons of money... it's HIS TO DO WITH AS HE PLEASES!!!!! Then Barbara Walters making her comments inbetween. Her, of all people, should know what it's like to be picked on... remember Babawawa?

Most of the things the guy was asking Jackson were rude. He kept questioning his every move.. he bought tons of stuff.. and he kept saying in a condescending tone "why would you want that?"

WHO CARES.. it's his money to buy stuff.. it's his money to make an amusement park.

He kept stating that he is 44 and should grow up. Who the hell is anyone to tell someone else how to live? How does it affect anyone if he wants to be a kid? WHO CARES?

All the guy did was judge and try to make something out of EVERYTHING he did. The reporter just wants his name in lights.

The guy saw no evidence of anything wrong with the kids there.. but he still says how wrong it is.

I know people might not agree about that part, and that's fine. But for everything ELSE.. WHO THE HECK CARES?? it's his money.. it's his life.. even if he did stuff to his face... what skin off my back is it? Why do we feel a need to put down and find cracks in people and try to tear them down?

This was not an objective interview.. it was biased from the get-go.

Oh.. and ABC ran it long .. the Tivo didn't catch the last few minutes. I'm tired of the broadcasters doing this.

Posted by: justapixel

I have a lot to comment on with this show too, but my number one comment is:

WHY CAN'T THEY START AND END SHOWS ON TIME!!!!!!!!!!

I recorded it, watched it an hour after, and got cut off right when Jackson was describing his relationship with the children.

There is more, so much more, to discuss with Jackson, but right now I'm furious about not getting the end, at it seems to be some minutes I missed.

Posted by: AmadeuS

Im also shocked the guy totally made him sound like crap at the end of the show. I do agree its nobody's business how he spends his money. which most of it is to help kids. i just think its awesome that a "person" is willing to spend and most importantly devote his time to help kids and the causes he believes in. there are millions of people who do the same in their communities to help kids. are they perverts too? jackson has done the same though a little more extravagant thanks to his wealth.

though i have to say that admitting to having children sleep over in his bed while hes on the floor does make his image bad.

one last thing that scandal that was made on him with that boy seems too outlandish. Im sure that anyone here with a child, found out their child was molested if they loved them would not accept any kind of MONEY to settle a case. they would rather see the man be punished. sure as h3ll i would!

Posted by: Dignan

quote:
Originally posted by justapixel
I have a lot to comment on with this show too, but my number one comment is:

WHY CAN'T THEY START AND END SHOWS ON TIME!!!!!!!!!!

I recorded it, watched it an hour after, and got cut off right when Jackson was describing his relationship with the children.

There is more, so much more, to discuss with Jackson, but right now I'm furious about not getting the end, at it seems to be some minutes I missed.

Ann, I just watched the last few minutes so I'll recap. It ran over by around 4-5 minutes.

The interviewer continued to ask him about his habit of sleeping with children, adding that he would never let his own children sleep with other adults. Michael said he had no problem with letting his children sleep at Barry Gibb's house. The interviewer then said that people were probably concerned because of the charges from the boy he settled with. Michael said he was not allowed to talk about it, interviewer pushed some more, Michael said he settled because he didn't want to be like O.J., cut. Apparently they couldn't show the footage because it upset Michael and he came back teary (Tito, can I have a tissue). His final statement was that if there were no more children in the world he would jump off a cliff.....

I'm sorry but he is strange, and sad.

Posted by: jones07

I blame PaPa Joe

Posted by: Turtleboy

I'm with Ann.

Look, if they wanted to end it 5 minutes late, why not send out guide data so saying. I would have recorded it. Or at least give me a hint that I'm supposed to pad it.

And it would have ended on time too, if Barbara Walters would have shut her yap...

Posted by: brettatk

I'm sorry, but I cant see how anyone can support Michael Jackson. Come on, he is 44 years old and likes to sleep with children. I dont care if it is just sleeping and nothing else, thats just sick. So please stop trying to defend such a sick, perverted individual.

Brett

Posted by: Family

This was horrible. The reporter conned Michael Jackson convincing him that this was a positive piece when he obviously never intended it to be. He buddied Jackson early to get his guard down and then turned on him. And the accusations were unfair from what I saw. Michael Jackson seems to have some mental problems where for whatever reason he longs to still be a kid. He climbs trees, has an amusement park for his front yard, and seems like an innocent innocent person...... similar to a kid. My take is that he has zero interest in any type of sex... like an eight year old and that these "sleepovers" are like children at camp. He likes sleepovers similar to how my daughter does with her friends and is completely innocent to what people would think. Otherwise he's never say what he did once he trusted this evil reporter.

And Barbara......... why don't you tell us how many times you've had your face redone? This piece was beyond awful..... No wonder Michael wants to be around kids after seeing what this adult reporter did to him.

Posted by: mdupont_2000

I went for two days listening on the radio and TV how this man is a monster and charges should be filed. I finally see this interview and its a total hack job. Is Michael weird? Yes, absolutely but we already knew that. I don't think he needs to be arrested though. I think the problem is most people have already decided that Michael is a pervert and a nut job and anything that can be used to reinforce that will be twisted to make their point. For example, Barbara Walters mentions that Joe Jackson's abuse has been denied by Joe and one of the brothers. She fails to mention that it has been confirmed by Kathrine and most of the other siblings. I just couldn't believe I was watching the same interview that everyone on TV and radio saw.

Posted by: TiVoLance

I support what the reporter said. I mean SOMEONE needs to say it to Michael and more than once. Noone on his staff would ever tell him something is wrong. Sleeping with children, luring them to your house, having prior shady court settlements about child abuse, someone the FBI or police can't put on survalance very well, and presenting yourself as mentally unstable is NOT someone who should be alone with children in their bedroom. I mean come on how big of a stretch (and a shock) would it be to find out Michael is guitly of child abuse. In Child Protective services there is a word for luring non related children to your home and having them sleep with you in your bed---- Grooming. Grooming is a term for slowing geting children ready for abuse. Enough is enough Michael!

Posted by: Todd

It's sad. At one time, many moons ago, this guy was a talented performer. Now he's just a freek.....

Posted by: Chris Gerhard

I found the interview difficult to watch. Michael just looks and sounds so incredibly weird. It was clear Michael was trying so hard to show he is just a misunderstood wonderful person. Michael is certainly hurt because this reporter he trusted and opened himself up to, didn't make him appear that way at all. It is difficult to believe that Michael has only had two nose surgeries and no other plastic surgery. That face has sure changed a lot for unexplained reasons if that is true.

If he has abused any children, he should be prosecuted in court. Emanuel Lewis and the Culkin brothers spent time with him and said on the record that nothing happened. Others have said the same thing. His actions are certainly suspect and maybe should be investigated. As far as the child that settled without bringing criminal charges against Michael, if a child of mine was abused by Michael, I would cooperate with law enforcement and would not agree for any amount of money to not press charges.

Michael is a really weird person in an industry that consists of many weird people. That may be the last extended interview we ever see from Michael Jackson, it just isn't possible for him to change the public perception. He still has a loyal base of fans that will pay to see him perform and that is what he should do if he is still able to perform. I am not sure he can sing or dance now.

Chris

Posted by: ybrew

Watching the interview, he most certainly can still sing and dance. He's still very talented.

I went into the interview expecting to see a perverted freak that likes to sleep with children.

I've only seen a bit more than half so far, but for now, my impression is he's a sad lonely man with the mind of a 8-12 year old.

I certainly don't think he's a pervert. Strange? Absolutely. But I think he loves kids in a very NON-SEXUAL way.

My wife made a remark - "seems like he'd be alot of fun to hang out with". My take - he'd be alot of fun to hang out with if you were a 10 year old boy.

Posted by: jones07

PaPa Joe must have put MJ and the some of his kids though Hell to get them to be "stars" PaPa Joe is the real pervert here. MJ and one or two of his sisters will never be right in the head/

Posted by: harvscar

Keeping the fact in mind that the kid's dad (and the kid, for that matter) may have an agenda, it's hard to read the affidavit at Smoking Gun without thinking the freak's guilty. Very sad and sick sh**.

Posted by: mdupont_2000

Jackson's attorneys at the time produced a tape (which was broadcast in a PBS documentary) of the father saying he wanted a movie production deal to make this all go away. Of course this was never widely reported. Not to mention the fact that over 100 other children were interviewed at the time along with over 50 adults and none had anything damning to say about their relationships with MJ. Other than the original accusation there was never any evidence against him.

Posted by: vertigo235

I think his problem (mentaly) is that he never really had a mentor or idol. He mentioned once in the interview that his father was very mean to him when he was young.

I just think thats what happens when you dont have anything to strive for (having all the money in the world, what do you need?).

Posted by: brahamt

Personally, I don't think that Michael did nothing immoral, illegal, or anything like that based on what I saw. Nobody should call the cops, attorneys, etc, because, there seems to be nothing there.

I think what I had a problem with is this is a man excercising poor judgement. The baby off the balcony, the sleeping with children after the whole lawsuit thing, etc. There is a difference between being child-like and childish. I like talking cartoons with my nephew, but I don't live my life around it.

He can do what he likes and I am OK with that. I reserve the right to think its weird.

Posted by: TreborPugly

I didn't see this show, but I'm surprised to see people complaining about a reporter going to hard on a celebrity. The complaint is almost always the other way. The networks will bend over backwards being nice to celebrities, just so they can get them on the show.

Someone with that much money, who likes to have "sleep overs" with children should be scrutinized. Money has a way of making things that would normally be completely out of line acceptable. He should be scrutinized not just by the media, but by law enforcement.

It is perfectly normal for an adult to let their own children sleep in their bed. It is even possible to become such close friends with another family that their kids are comfortable sleeping in your bed.

However, there is no way that one man can become that close with over 100 children and their parents. He might have innocent intentions, but it is still inappropriate. Even if he is not being abusive, bringing children who aren't his family into his bed is wrong. He does this because it makes him happy and he thinks children are "the best thing in the world." It might not be sexual, but it is still exploitive. Children do not exist to make Michael Jackson feel good.

If you look at any single relationship with a family and their children, you can say he did nothing wrong. But the fact that he does this with dozens of children makes it exploitive and wrong. We are talking about children who cannot protect themselves or give consent. How are we going to know if he does go over the line?

Treb.

Posted by: DLiquid

After watching the documentary, I definitely came away thinking Jackson is a freakish and rather disturbed individual, but of course I already thought that. I too was bothered by the biased and "witch hunt" style of the reporting. Toward the end, I was thinking: wow, this guy is a freak but there's nothing here that shows any misconduct with children. But then the reporter ended it as though he was convinced Jackson was a child molester. It just seemed odd to me. I'm not convinced Jackson has never done anything wrong with children, but from the documentary it's certainly plausible that he just loves children and has led such a sheltered life that he fails to see the how disturbing the sleepover thing is.

One thing is for sure, that guy is in his own world. Seeing how wrecked his face is, I just felt sorry for him. In like 1984, that guy was on top of the world. That cute little kid with SO much talent somehow turned into this circus freak who even built his own circus to live in.

What was up with that Photoshop simulation about what he'd look like now without all the plastic surgery (might have been the show after 20/20)? That was a joke! The guys on fark.com could have done better than that.

Posted by: Dafaso

Michael Jackson is releasing his own five minute video showing footage of journalist Martin Bashir praising Jackson for his treatment of children.

Posted by: njchris65

quote:
Originally posted by TiVoLance
I support what the reporter said. I mean SOMEONE needs to say it to Michael and more than once. Noone on his staff would ever tell him something is wrong. Sleeping with children, luring them to your house, having prior shady court settlements about child abuse, someone the FBI or police can't put on survalance very well, and presenting yourself as mentally unstable is NOT someone who should be alone with children in their bedroom. I mean come on how big of a stretch (and a shock) would it be to find out Michael is guitly of child abuse. In Child Protective services there is a word for luring non related children to your home and having them sleep with you in your bed---- Grooming. Grooming is a term for slowing geting children ready for abuse. Enough is enough Michael!

You see, the reporter and editing can make anything good look bad.

Where does he "LURE" kids there? They have parents, right? or at least guardians. They are allowed there. Your comment makes it seem like it's the kid's decision to go!!

If you really listened to him talk, you'd see he just wants to be a kid and likes to help them out. Maybe because he was abused as a kid, he wants kids to be happy.

Grooming might apply if those kids lived with him or he was around them ALL THE TIME.

The reporter even said he saw NO SIGNS of any abuse and that he treated the kids GREAT!

As for him being odd or does things differently (hangs out in a tree).. WHO CARES? Why should any of that bother ANYONE???? Why should him being 44 and wanting to be a kid even matter? What has he done that's wrong? Where is *ANY* proof of any abuse to any of those kids? With so many kids going there, (with permission!!!) why isn't there any other reported problems? Think about it. Someone that visible and well-known couldn't possibly get away with it for this long.

Besides that, he hasn't done anything wrong by hanging in a tree. or buying tons of stuff.

The reporter only wanted to make him look bad, for whatever reason.

He's strange? So what? At the end of the day.. what did he do wrong?

If he wants to look green.. WHO CARES?!?!?!?

Posted by: Turtleboy

quote:
Originally posted by njchris65
At the end of the day.. what did he do wrong?

Adult men should not share a bed with children that are not related to them.

Period.

Posted by: DLiquid

quote:
Originally posted by Turtleboy
Adult men should not share a bed with children that are not related to them.

Period.

I agree with you, but as I said MJ is living in his own world. The reason adult men should not share a bed with an unrelated child is that we live in a world with sick individuals. In an ideal world, one without pedophiles, such a restriction would be pointless. You could see MJ's frustration as he tried to explain himself, because in his make believe world, where pedophiles don't exist, his actions are harmless, "sweet," and "charming." In his world, he's doing nothing wrong. It's really quite fascinating in a circus freak sort of way. I have no idea what he's done with children, my main issue with the 20/20 thing is that they presented no evidence that he's ever done anything wrong (okay, anything illegal) and yet they still wanted the audience to believe he's a child molester. Barbara Walters had that "shame on you" look on her face throughout the whole program.

Posted by: mdupont_2000

quote:
Originally posted by Turtleboy
Adult men should not share a bed with children that are not related to them.

Period.

I only saw the documentary once but I don't recall him ever saying he sleeps in the bed with the children. Thats an assumption we are all making. The 12 year old cancer victim slept in the bed while MJ was on the floor.

Posted by: nataylor

Here are some allegations that he did more than just share a bed with at least one kid.

Posted by: TreborPugly

quote:
Originally posted by nataylor
Here are some allegations that he did more than just share a bed with at least one kid.

And now we can see why Barbara Walters looked at him with her "shame on you" face. I'm sure she's read this complaint.

By coming to a monetary settlement that doesn't involve the child stating that he lied in the complaint, I don't see how Jackson can proclaim his innocence. And I don't see how we can rule out the possibility that he molested this boy and others.

Treb.

Posted by: JFriday

He did say he shared the bed with the Culkin kids. I didn't beleive a word he said after he stated he'd only had 2 plastic surgeries. And those were so he could breath better and be able to hit the high notes. Yea and that
dimple in your chin suddenly appeared. He's a sick man!!

Posted by: justapixel

My opinion, minus the ending, was that it was so tragically sad.

I thought the most telling thing was when he was describing the birth of
one of his children, and they thought there might be a problem - the cord was wrapped around the neck. He said he was thinking "Oh no, I can't have a sick child."

It's all about him. "I can't have a sick child," not " Please let my baby be okay." Most people would be praying for their baby to be healthy, not worried about the effect on themselves.

When he was bouncing that baby on his knee, the baby looked scared to death. Even through the veil, you could see the wild eyes. And, in the zoo, with the crowds surrounding and grabbing them - not once did he worry about his children. Or, even notice them. He had to be told later they were mobbed.

Those mannequins creeped me out, big time. I'd heard about them before, but I was thinking store mannequins, not the wax, realistic looking kind he has. Why were they all of old, white people in weird poses? Do you suppose he talks to them when nobody is around? And, having stuff like that around - is that a healthy environment in which to raise a child?

The first time he danced on the show - I could see breasts. Along with all that plastic surgery that's turned his face into a freakish mask (and that he unrealistically said was due to adolescence, which for him was over 25 years ago) - is he now trying to become a woman?

Another thing that creeped me out was when the 12 year old was justifying sleeping in Michael's bed. Not only was he holding Michael's hand like a lover, he was talking about how Michael is 4 not 44 years old and how being an "adult" is a state of mind not a specific age. I don't remember his exact words but it sure sounded pretty close to the NAMBLA party line to me.

I don't know if he's a pedophile or not, although I suspect that he may be. But, I'll tell you what, he's doing exactly what a billionaire pedophile would do. A theme park and a zoo in his backyard is a pretty damn good way to attract kids. And, he picks poor ones who will keep quiet in order not to give up wonderful things they get with him.

That was an interesting session in abnormal psychology, that's for sure. I
think that Michael Jackson is an incredibly talented musician - and he's clearly insane.

And, having been a columnist and written articles on celebrities - I have to tell you that there is no obligation to make them come out looking good, or promise them anything. We interview, hopefully get a sense of the person, spur them on to talk and write (or film) what we see. That piece did not make up the words that Michael said.

If he thought he'd come out looking wonderful while his masked and veiled children are being mobbed by crowds and he doesn't notice; when he admits that as a 44 year old man he sleeps with children; when he bounces a baby so hard on his knee that it looks terrified; when he admits that he ran out of a hospital with a newborn covered in placenta; when he says he truly believes he is Peter Pan; and when he does this interview with weird, lifesize wax figures behind him in his house, etc., etc... that that is clearly part of his delusion. The reporter had no obligation other than to report what he saw and thought, and I believe he did a good job.

Michael Jackson is a very, very damaged individual, and I have sympathy for him. But, I have more sympathy for his children who can't possibly have a normal life, and for any others he may have preyed on. If he has done something to children, I certainly hope it's discovered and he's removed from society.

Posted by: Skittles

Fox has announced that they'll be airing Michael Jackson's version of the Bashir interview next week. In addition, VH1 will be reairing the 20/20 special over the weekend. More information can be found here:

http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/TV/...n.ap/index.html

Posted by: Turtleboy

quote:
Originally posted by mdupont_2000
I only saw the documentary once but I don't recall him ever saying he sleeps in the bed with the children. Thats an assumption we are all making. The 12 year old cancer victim slept in the bed while MJ was on the floor.

Sadly, the 12 year old cancer victim will be back in the news a lot very very soon.

Posted by: sieglinde

I once read an interview with a child who stayed with him and he Frenched the kid in the ear with his tongue. The guy needs help.

Posted by: randyf

Part of the problem, is we as a society are SO perverted in our thinking that it is absoloutley out of the question that a kid could "sleep" with an adult innocently.

but take a couple kids, or a group, Replace Michael with a Scout leader, replace the Bed and bedroom with a Tent and the mountains , and suddenly it's all good !

Even though, I'd be willing to bet there have been WAY more kids that have been inappropriately touched, etc by scout leaders.

IF the guy really did something, he should be punished, and / or counciled. The problem I have is that so many people are willing to automatically believe whatever allogations are made, prior to ANY actual evidence being provided.

Posted by: lordargent

quote:
Originally posted by mdupont_2000
I only saw the documentary once but I don't recall him ever saying he sleeps in the bed with the children. Thats an assumption we are all making. The 12 year old cancer victim slept in the bed while MJ was on the floor.

He has a bed!?!?!?

I thought he slept in an oxygen tank. :p

/ doesn't keep up with the gossip /

Posted by: timckelley

I was shocked to read the affidavit given by the first victim who was paid off. It mentions all sorts of graphic, sick, sexual molestation performed by MJ on his victims. Add to that the psychological tricks he used to coerce his victims to cooperate. It also contains hearsay evidence that MJ does this to many, many boys, either without consent, or with consent, but only after using psychological tactics on these impressionable boys to extract that consent. If that affidavit is true, MJ needs some jail time, big time. If I were the father of one of those boys, I'd want even stiffer punishment (like maybe a firing squad).

Posted by: timckelley

quote:
Originally posted by randyf
but take a couple kids, or a group, Replace Michael with a Scout leader, replace the Bed and bedroom with a Tent and the mountains , and suddenly it's all good !

But in a bed, you're under the same blanket. Is the scout leader in the same sleeping bag as the kid(s)? Furthermore, there are sexual allegations.

Posted by: NJChris

Wow - this is a first for me.. my thread revived after 9 months!!! Is that the gestation period for threads?