Remembering Michael Jackson: Jackson’s Interview with Oprah Winfrey
It’s been quite a few years since “King of Pop” Michael Jackson was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey - it was 1993 to be exact – and footage of the landmark meeting is hard to find. But the interview speaks volumes about the pop singer’s impact on the world and how, 16 years ago, he was still a musical force.
Michael Jackson died June 25, 2009, of an apparent cardiac arrest.
The interview was conducted at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch and a tour of the 2,700-acre facility was part of the 90 minute Oprah special. Furthermore, the interview as live and broadcast around the world.
Oprah mentions early in the interview that the singer was open to talking about “everything.” And Oprah never shies away from anything. The two talk about his early life, which he describes as “lonely, sad, having to face popularity and all that.”
Jackson even mentions a time when he was at a record study recording and was able to see a playground full of children his age. “I would cry because it would make me sad that I would have to work instead.”
Jackson talks about the rumor he owned the bones of John Merrick, the Elephant Man. He discusses the Pepsi commercials, a moment during which pyrotechnics caught his hair on fire. Plastic surgery, Elizabeth Taylor, Neverland Ranch.
Perhaps most revealing is his discussion about the children he once entertained at Neverland Ranch and how he considered that an attempt to recapture his own lost childhood. This is at a time before allegations about improprieties surfaced.
You can read the full interview at AllMichaelJackson.com.
Comments
It was with a growing sense of astonishment that I watched the Oprah Winfrey show on Michael Jackson – her sole public comment on his death so far. Whilst replaying her seminal 1993 interview, Oprah proceeded to tell her viewers how she had felt at various points during it. Topics included her hair, her feelings of nervousness, what she was wearing and other similar reflections. Strangely, no airtime was given over to discussing the ambivalence of the legacy Michael’s children have been left with, and it had apparently been deemed unnecessary by Oprah to probe into the allegations Michael faced during his life. Throughout the interview Oprah displayed such a palpable air of disinterest in her subject, it was unclear as to precisely what her reasons for airing the show in the first place actually were. It’s difficult to believe that a woman whose personal wealth was built on a reputation for journalistic truth and justice can really be unaware of the profoundly substantial questions hanging over the authenticity of the molestation allegations made by Evan Chandler on behalf of his son Jordan. Unbelieveable, because Oprah has the same access to information that everyone else has. There is an enormous amount of evidence out there to support the view that Michael Jackson was completely innocent of the charges alleged against him in 1993, and again in 2005, and that he was in fact the victim of an elaborate and bold extortion attempt that proved – in the end, to be very successful. The award winning 1994 article written by Mary A. Fischer -’Was Michael Jackson Framed’ – details not only the lack of evidence behind the Chandler’s claims, but also the full extent of the non-credibilty of Evan Chandler. Jordan only accused Michael after a hypnotic drug was administered – Evan authorized its use after Jordan was allegedly reluctant to go on record to state he had been abused. What is perhaps less well known, but again is well documented by authors such as Aphrodite Jones in her book ‘The Michael Jackson Conspiracy’ and numerous other authors and witnesses to the events of 1993 and 2005, including Thomas Mesereau and Brian Oxman – is the level of complicit involvement between Chandler’s lawyer, Tom Sneddon’s department and key players in the media like Maureen Orth, Diane Dimond and the online tabloid site ‘The Smoking Gun.’ This complicitness would keep a ratings-driven media motivated to supply grossly inflated horror stories about Michael to a baying and eager public. In a gesture of compliance with the police investigation, Michael agreed to a humiliating, physical examination of his body to clear his name. Jordan had asserted Michael had been circumcised – he had not, he also claimed Michael had discolourations on his genitalia – there were none. It is perhaps the level of media viciousness directed towartds Michael for over 15 years however, that remains in most people’s minds. The sheer amount of stories, comedy shows, talks shows, television programmes, newspaper articles and panels of ’so-called’ experts that would become devoted to negatively reporting on the allegations, would reach unprecedented levels of coverage and hostility. It is interesting to note just how many people – now that Michael is dead, have said it was the homogenity of the media’s stance that made them think Michael was guilty. I believe Tom Sneddon, Diane Dimond, Maureen Orth, Evan Chandler (I do not include Jordan as he was a child) and his lawyers – Rothman and Feldman, to be the key protagonists of the sustained media and legal attacks Michael faced from 1993 onwards. These attacks would erode and degrade Michael’s spirit and profoundly damage his once stratospheric career. It is against this background of a lack of answers and the grief of millions of people, that Oprah’s choice not to explore the possibilty that the truth about Michael has for 15 years been distorted and manipulated into something vastly different from what we have been led to believe, can be seen as truly extraordinary. There is no room here to cover the scandalous claims of the mother of the alleged victim in 2005, who admitted on oath that she had made her son lie to support her claim that she had been sexually abused by staff in a J.C Penny’s store. What I will say is this: So many are grieving not only for a life tragically ended, but also for the damage done to Michael’s name and legacy, yet Oprah decided we would rather hear about how excited she felt when she first saw the fun rides at Neverland. No-one said her show had to be a Disney tribute, but it didn’t have to amount to little more than a glorified slideshow either. For a woman famed for asking the difficult questions, the uncomfortable questions, Oprah’s show came across as an afterthought. Michael Jackson, perhaps the greatest entertainer of all time, who gave a black woman in the early 1990’s the career break of a lifetime – deserved better.
It was with a growing sense of astonishment that I watched the Oprah Winfrey show on Michael Jackson – her sole public comment on his death so far. Whilst replaying her seminal 1993 interview, Oprah proceeded to tell her viewers how she had felt at various points during it. Topics included her hair, her feelings of nervousness, what she was wearing and other similar reflections. Strangely, no airtime was given to discussing the ambivalent nature of the legacy Michael’s children have been left with, and it had apparently been deemed unnecessary by Oprah to probe into the allegations Michael faced during his life. Throughout the interview Oprah displayed such a palpable air of disinterest in her subject, it was unclear as to precisely what her reasons for airing the show in the first place actually were. It’s difficult to believe that a woman whose personal wealth was built on a reputation for journalistic truth and justice, can really be unaware of the profoundly substantial questions hanging over the authenticity of the molestation allegations made by Evan Chandler on behalf of his son Jordan. Unbelieveable, because Oprah has the same access to information that everyone else has. There is an enormous amount of evidence out there to support the view that Michael Jackson was completely innocent of the charges alleged against him in 1993, and again in 2005; and that he was in fact the victim of an elaborate and bold extortion attempt that proved – in the end, to be very successful. The award winning 1994 article written by Mary A. Fischer -’Was Michael Jackson Framed’ – details not only the lack of evidence behind the Chandler’s claims, but also the full extent of the non-credibilty of Evan Chandler. Jordan only accused Michael after a hypnotic drug was administered – Evan authorized its use after Jordan was allegedly reluctant to go on record to state he had been abused. What is perhaps less well known, but again is well documented by authors such as Aphrodite Jones in her book ‘The Michael Jackson Conspiracy’ and numerous other authors and witnesses to the events of 1993 and 2005, including Thomas Mesereau and Brian Oxman – is the level of complicit involvement between Chandler’s lawyer, Tom Sneddon’s department and key players in the media like Maureen Orth, Diane Dimond and the the online tabloid site ‘ The Smoking Gun.’ This complicitness would keep a ratings-driven media motivated to supply more and more grossly inflated horror stories about Michael to a baying and eager public, and would convince Michael’s legal team that going to trial to refute the claims would be too risky. In a gesture of compliance with the police investigation, Michael agreed to a humiliating, physical examination of his body to clear his name. Jordan had asserted Michael had been circumcised – he had not, he also claimed Michael had discolourations on his genitalia – there were none. It is perhaps the level of media viciousness that was directed towards Michael however, that remains in most people’s minds. The sheer amount of stories, comedy shows, talks shows, television programmes, newspaper articles and panels of ’so-called’ experts that would become devoted to negatively reporting on the allegations, would reach unprecedented levels of coverage and hostility. It is interesting to note just how many people – now that Michael is dead, have said it was the homogenity of the media’s stance that made them think Michael was guilty. I believe Tom Sneddon, Diane Dimond, Maureen Orth, Evan Chandler (I do not include Jordan as he was a child) and his lawyers – Rothman and Feldman, to be the key protagonists of the sustained media and legal attacks Michael faced from 1993 onwards. These attacks would erode and degrade Michael’s spirit and profoundly damage his once stratospheric career. It is against this background of a lack of answers and the grief of millions of people, that Oprah’s choice not to explore the possibilty that the truth about Michael has for 15 years been distorted and manipulated into something vastly different from what we have been led to believe, can be seen as truly extraordinary. There is no room here to cover the scandalous claims of the mother of the alleged victim in 2005, who admitted on oath that she had made her son lie to support her claim that she had been sexually abused by staff in a J.C Penny’s store. What I will say is this: So many are grieving not only for a life tragically ended, but also for the damage done to Michael’s name and legacy, yet Oprah decided we would rather hear about how excited she felt when she first saw the fun rides at Neverland. No-one said her show had to be a Disney tribute, but it didn’t have to amount to little more than a glorified slideshow either. For a woman famed for asking the difficult questions, the uncomfortable questions, Oprah’s show came across as an afterthought. Michael Jackson, perhaps the greatest entertainer of all time, who gave a black woman in the early 1990’s the career break of a lifetime – deserved better.
May G-d rest his soul. He was truly a great entertainer.
I sooo..agree to Ms. Debroah’s comment. Thank you for saying exactly what is in my heart. I and the world not only lost a wonderful, giving, campassionate human being, as well as an artistic genius, we the ones who love him, who know his heart, are disgusted by all those who do not want to see the truth. For the past 6 years I say a change in Oprah. I think it was always there–but for me, it was made clear around that time..her self-serving ego started to emerge even more. I have always admired her intelligence, and her determination to have built such a massive billion dollar empire..yet, that is where it stops for me. I too, could not believe the shallowness of this woman, in regard to her observation of the 1993 interview..this wasn’t about Michael Jackson, this was about Oprah! Michael Jackson did give her the career break of a lifetime! and all she can talk about is –”he seemed lonely, and how nervous she was” Michael Jackson gave and gave and gave from his heart and soul–there will be nobody like him ever..never.In the years to come not only he be remembered and honored for his genius in music and dance, he will be honored through OUT the WORLD- for his giving heart, and also his couragous spirit in the mist of a massive media crucifition, the vampirism of the back-stabbing accusors and their mindless prosecution team who wanted not only his money, but his reputation to be soiled. Michael wanted peace and love for humanity–and it is always the jealous, greedy, and fearful- power hungery masses that will do what ever it takes to destroy such an extaordinary spirit.. I lost my respect for Oprah a long time ago–which I am sure in the whole picture of things –now it is totally gone. As for Michael Jackson he will out shine them all–for they did not destroy him–yes it was painful for him..yet , he stood up againest all of them…and towards the end of his life, he still loved and still found joy in life..he was GOD’s instrument–and he was going to show the world what he was put in this world to do..I am always in Awareness in others opinions about anybody..our opinions and how we talk about another human being says alot about who we are..There is another great humanitirian who stood up for justice and peace, who too indured and suffered for its cause, whom I too, I greatly admire. He said this..”When you are behind bars with no hope of release, you need to find strength whereever you can personally, I found strength in Michael Jackson.”…from NELSON MANDELA..so you see, truth sees truth and truth sees from the HEART..
I LOVE you MICHAEL JACKSON–King of Pop King of Hearts..You will live FOREVER…and I hope to see you in paradise.. and because of the love you have given, and your courage to such horrific slander to your character, yet through it all the Love of God, and God’s love for you beat it all! I too, then must forgive the ignorance and the greedy. RIP–