Yeah, some of the stuff Michael said was kind of disturbing. I'm more disturbed though by the hatchet job the interviewer did on him. He seems to have made it his agenda to launch some personal crusade against Jackson. So, Princess Di, Michael Jackson... he's 2 for 2 in throwing people who invite him in under the bus. Think he'll ever get a celebrity interview again?

also... this guy is acting in the interview afterward on Primetime like there are matters of life and death, affairs of state, or assured mass destruction at stake with this interview. it's an interview with Micheal Jackson for fucks sake.

Nah, Princess Diana came out of her interview as the nation's favourite and smelling of roses. Hence MJ wanted the same treatment his friend/idol got from the same man.

I really don't see how this documentary is a hatchet job? There's no selective editing of short clips out of context, its free running and real stuff that was said and happened, can't make it up.

Hell they even edited out the bit where he had a temper tantrum during final interview on Michael's own say so, saying he didn't want it broadcast.

I totally concur. The guy is wierd, but isn't everyone? The interviewer looks like MJ just licked a dog's ass or something. I think their effort to defame him will backfire.

I think what he's trying to say is that this guy came in and went out with an agenda. Michael opened up his home and his life to him. And they got to a certain level of trust and understanding. In the first half of the interview, MJ was very open and agreeable, answering even the painful questions. But it seemed like everything turned when they got to Germany. And then the rest of the special seemed to be about picking MJ apart. A hatchet job on Michael, not the footage itself.

TRON said:

Well Michael agreed to the whole deal, questions will be asked and like I said he had some portions removed on his own insistence.

Many are saying that Martin Bashir was far too soft in his questioning and let blatant lies like the facial surgery answers pass without any real comeback. A hatchet job would have gone straight for the jugular pushing MJ to his fragile limits...

Essence said:

It's not the editing or anything. It's the way the guy is framing the piece in interviews he's doing OUTSIDE of the piece. And his own narration starting about halfway through. His overt agenda shines through and reveals that he basically was taken into Michael's trust with the full intention of throwing him under the bus after he had enough footage.

I hate the guy thqat interviewed him

I never cared too much for Micheal I not a huge fan hes alright I like some of his music

but after this interview I feel real bad for him he isnt so disturbed evryone else is trying to make him lok fuck nuts his isnt that much of a wack job and the dumb ass interviewer asking his questions purpose fully makig Micheal falter and sound like he wasnt telling the truth

asking fucking off the wall questions shit the stuff he asked would make ANYONE fuckin stumble and think how to ask those fucked up questions like sleeping in the bed I felt bad for micheal at least he got in that the guy was making "the bed" sound like sex he was an ass


they made the whole thing seem wierd by cutting and editing and all that6 shit guess it would get good ratings if it was a wierd tabloid phenomenon

Essence said:

He actually did press him fairly hard on the plastic surgery issue, to the point where Michael was obviously pissed. But he has no medical records to back it up, so he can only push so hard on it.

AaronUnlimited said:


It's not the editing or anything. It's the way the guy is framing the piece in interviews he's doing OUTSIDE of the piece. And his own narration starting about halfway through. His overt agenda shines through and reveals that he basically was taken into Michael's trust with the full intention of throwing him under the bus after he had enough footage.[/quote]



totally agree what an ass hope if the guy interviewing gets anything out of this he gets no more interviews and his career takes a turn for the bad ASS!! fuckin JACKASS!!!
[This message was edited Thu Feb 6 20:24:33 PST 2003 by GIOVANNI]

This interview only reminded me of why I hate shows of this type.

I agree with you, Aaron...it's messed up that he did this special for 20/20, only to have them put on a pathetic display of accusations towards someone who basically opened up his world to him - that's one hell of an exclusive interview that guy had.

Frankly I was shocked at the questions that Michael allowed to be asked!

If anything...I have more respect for Michael Jackson than I ever did before.

And don't EVEN get me started on that Primetime BS...

LaVisHh said:

Plus, they made a bunch of money off of him. The companies that wanted their thirty second commercials shown, had to pay a lot. I heard that ABC was to make ten million dollars. That's a five million profit, since they paid five million to show it.

DIDNT ANYONE NOTICE MJ'S blatant LIE!!!

Early when he was asked about "blanket's"
"mother" MJ said they had a "relationship".

At the end he said she was only a surrogate and never met her!!!

I wasnt shocked by the questions I was just couldnt believe the manner and tone and suggestiveness of the questions

origmnd said:

Yeah, I noticed it. But... so? Prince once told the world that his baby was alive.

LaVisHh said:

So, what did you think of the Primetime coverage?

What would you expect from an interview of any public profile like MJ. Don't you think if Diane Sawyer or Barbara Walters were invited into the home of OJ, they would ask "Did you kill Nicole, or not" On the 10 year anniversary of the incident that started the downward spiral of his career, Michael thought he was going to get special treatment? Because this guy spent eight months with him with cameras and tape recorders could he truly not expect to get asked "Isn't is inappropiate to sleep with little children, especially if their not your own"? I think not.

I'm not a MJ fan but I did watch the special.
If he wants to get plastic surgery and lie about it...so what.
Who should care who his babies Mothers are.
I think the interviewer betrayed him. It seems he had plans to be MJ's friend for 7 months and 3 and a half weeks then BAM!!!

Rumpofsteelskin said:

actually maybe not. when Walters interviewed one of the Menendez boys this past fall, there was barely a mention of what he was in jail for. total fluff piece about he and his new bride.

Over the past year, I admit that my level of fandom for Michael Jackson has been steadliy dropping. His music no longer thrills me as it had in the past; each album just seems to get weaker. I tired of all of the publicity stunts, I tired of his excessively militant and psychotic fan base who flips out everytime you even suggest that he is less than perfect. I'd actually say that the mega fans of MJ have probably turned me more off the man than he has himself, but that's all immaterial, I guess...


Anyway, after watching the interview, I am completely saddened. I felt so much sadness coming from Mike that I couldn't help but feel terrible myself. Here is this man (who, granted I find terribly annoying) that really doesn't deserve to have anything of this calibre happen to him. Yes, the man was an incessent media-whore; he did spread rumors about himself around; he played an important role in the "bizarre" image that he now has.

However, when people say that he "deserves" the treatment he gets because of it, I think that is just horribly off the mark. MJ is a human being, and in his heart, I do think that he's a good human being. Yes, he probably is conniving and did put a little spin on his interview, but he opened up his F'ing home to the interview and was made to look like a complete incompetent idiot. Not only that, but the interviewer gave another interview talking about the most assenine things. Honestly, does anyone really believe that MJ is a pedophlie?

This interview has not inspired me to put on my MJ albums (I haven't played them since July), but it did bring a new layer of sympathy towards the man. I think I actually realized that some of my hostility towards him was actually towards his rabid-hostile fan base. I haven't ever, and will never consider him the greatest artist of all time, I will still debate how "excellent" he was musically; however, I think I will be careful in the future when I make a nasty remark about MJ's personality.

I honestly can not believe that a "credible" program like Primetime devoted that amount of time to MJ's plastic surgeries. Yes, EVERYONE knows he's had them, EVERYONE knows he's lying. At the same time, it's NOBODY'S business; so he lied - the question should not have been asked. Or, even if the question should've been asked, he has the right to answer it however he pleases.

Do you honestly believe that MJ abuses his children? I don't think that they are growing up in an extremely healthy environment, and I do wish that MJ would get some help; but I guarantee that the things being said about his children are said simply out of spite. It's honestly heartbreaking to me to watch this HUMAN BEING be torn apart on national television.

I truly did not expect to go into the interview and emerge with a sympathetic view of Mike. As I had said before, my appreciation of everything MJ had been waning for quite some time. I still think that he has "lost it" musically, and I think that that is a fair criticism. However, his lifestyle and his career are two different things, and I hope that people finally begin to realize that MJ is a person too...



Sorry this thread turned into a rant, I just had some things to get off my chest.

Axchi696 said:

the Janet fans ruined Janet for me in the same way.

AaronUnlimited said:

But the Menedez boys weren't public figures. They were just some kids who made national headlines for killing their folks. Michael has been in the spotlight for almost 40 years. Anytime he farts the media will be there to critique the smell. That's the business. He ain't too far gone to see that.

AaronUnlimited said:

Yeah that happened to me too; I've only recently gotten back into Janet. Why do some fans feel that the only way to respect their favorite artist is to degrade others? It's disgusting!

AaronUnlimited said:

Could it be that MJ "controlled" the questioning beforehand...?

How come interviewers never do appropriate follow up questions when they are trying to back someone up against the wall?

Comparing OJ to MJ?? Are you kidding??
One may be odd, the other "may have" killed his kids Mother and a Man.
[This message was edited Fri Feb 7 14:23:19 PST 2003 by Friend]

TRON said:

It was like, ok...so now that we've made money off of our pathetic, in-his-face questioning...let's rip him a new asshole! No, wait! Let's make him look like a moron!

Sure! Why not? We can, you know...

Pathetic.

No wonder Prince is so controlling in interviews, the kinds of questions they asked MJ, then the Primetime: Rip MJ A New Asshole...is more than enough reason for me.

I am apalled.

Friend said:

One MAY have molested a thirteen year old for his perverted pleasures. Neither one of us were there to KNOW the truth. But MJ put himself in that situation as a public figure. Despite what he believes, it ISN'T common for a grown ass man to sleep with children to spead happiness for the good of the world.

Rumpofsteelskin said:

which is exactly my point. the only thing to ask a Menendez brother about is him killing his parents. but it was barely mentioned. fortunately, the usually-irritating Starr Jones pretty much laid into Walters the next morning on the View for it.

origmnd said:

you obviously didn't watch the interview then