Michael Jackson Plans Appearance in Tokyo



LOS ANGELES (AP) - Michael Jackson plans to make his first
public appearance since his trial acquittal last June at a ceremony
in Tokyo to accept MTV Japan's ``Legend Award,'' his spokesman
said.


Jackson's participation in the award ceremony Saturday at Yoyugi
Olympic Stadium will launch an Asian tour. Jackson also plans to
visit Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong, spokeswoman Raymone K.
Bain said in a telephone interview from her Washington, D.C.,
office Thursday.


Bain, who said she was en route to the airport to join Jackson
in Tokyo, said the star plans to visit orphanages, tour the city of
Tokyo and meet with members of the Asian business community during
his trip.


Jackson has been living in Bahrain since his acquittal on child
molestation charges in Santa Maria, Calif.


The Asian tour is being organized by Broderick D. Morris, chief
executive of Positive Productions Yokohama, an entertainment
promotions company, Bain said.


``Michael Jackson is a legend. ... He loves Japan and we love
him,'' Morris said in a press release. ``We look forward to
welcoming him.''


Jackson was quoted as saying, ``I look forward to my visit to
Japan because I have so many fond memories of my visits there. I
thank MTV Japan for this honor and Mr. Morris for spearheading this
visit.


``I look forward to seeing old friends and saying hello to my
huge fan base in Japan who, like my other fans around the world,
have for so many years consistently shown their love and support to
me and my family.''


Bain said that Jackson plans to return to recording and hopes to
release a new album in 2007. Meanwhile, she said work continues on
the song he has planned as a charity fundraiser for victims of
Hurricane Katrina.

My gosh. The King of Egos.

Always.

for.

an.

award.

When.

will.

it.

end?

ThreadBare said:

ThreadBare said:

Uh... maybe when people stop giving him awards? Just a thought.

Axchi696 said:

Very rich coming from someone who has Bono in their avatar.

MattyJam said:

I love the way he publicises these things as part of a "tour", even though he is playing no concerts!

He thinks he is fucking royalty!

WildStyle said:

Well, yeah.

MattyJam said:

SquirrelMeat said:

Maybe he's fucking Prince.

Cloudbuster said:

Now you don't mean his SON right?

MartyMcFly said:

Prince has a son?!

Cloudbuster said:

SquirrelMeat said:

WTF? That comment doesn't make sense. First of all, his publicist called it a tour, and secondly, why can't she call it a tour? A tour doesn't involve playing concerts. He's travelling around Japan, visiting important families, appearing in public, that's a tour. Some people are so judgemental just because it's Michael.

Prince fans' reaction if Prince announced a tour of Japan where he will also accept a legend award from the Japanese MTV awards:

"OMG! Prince is going to get an award! Aww how cool!! And he's doing a tour of the country where he'll visit orphanage. Awww, P is such a sweet person for visiting orphanages."
[Edited 5/26/06 5:44am]

ThreadBare said:

I got some more clips for you.

MattyJam said:

Cloudbuster said:

We all know how MJ likes to make his appearance somewhere contingent upon being honored. It's an expectation of his. Let's not forget his "birthday award." If memory serves, he thought he was being honored as "artist of the millenium."

Come to think of it: What was his last awards show appearance that didn't include his being awarded something?

His last run as a chart-topping artist was about 20 years ago...

ThreadBare said:

In America. There's a whole world out there, you know. All but two of his last ten singles have hit number one somewhere.

So he's winning an award..... I don't see the issue. It's not like her's being some media whore for the hell of it.

Cloudbuster said:

Yeah, MJ has sold over 100 million albums in Japan alone. He is a truely international star.

DarlingDiana said:

What doesn't make sense?

I'm sure MJ has a say in what is released to the press.

Its just the use of "tour" that made me laugh.

When Angelina Jolie visits various orphanages, its "visits".

When The Queen visits the commonwealth, it a "tour".

I just found it a funny choice of words!

Perhaps MJ needs his own phrase? Like "grooming"

ThreadBare said:

He was until Kurt Loder pulled the rug out under him for sheer embarrassment. Too bad they forgot to tell their web dept about the descision the next day!

SquirrelMeat said:

When I go to Mexico next year, I'll be "touring".

larryluvlife said:

I think Tanita Tikaram has received this award the previous year.

dreamfactory313 said:

But would you consider that you are going to Mexico as part of a tour?

SquirrelMeat said:

No. I wont be traveling from city to city performing, just traveling from city to city sightseeing.

I'm open to MJ winning awards. Honest, I am. But, what achievement is being honored here?

Acquittal?

dreamfactory313 said:

But if he's not getting success in America then I guess he's over.

ThreadBare said:

If Bono was running around the globe collecting awards that dated back to the Joshua Tree, then I'd roll my eyes too. As it is, U2 just won a bunch of awards for their last album, so I don't really understand the comparison. MJ has been riding a 1982 hit album for the past two decades.