Jackson: It's OK to Sleep With Children



By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - Michael Jackson (news) told CBS' "60 Minutes" that he still believes it's acceptable to sleep with children and that he would "slit my wrists" before he would hurt a child.

Jackson, arrested Nov. 20 on suspicion of child molestation, denied the charges against him during an interview with Ed Bradley conducted Christmas night and set to air Sunday. CBS released a portion of the interview on Friday.

Jackson, 45, is charged with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. He remains free on $3 million bail.

Asked by Bradley if it was still OK to sleep with children given the charges against him, Jackson answered, "Of course."

"Why not?" he said. "If you're going to be a pedophile, if you're going to be Jack the Ripper, if you're going to be a murderer, it's not a good idea. That I am not."

"Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists," Jackson also said.

The pop singer, interviewed in a Los Angeles hotel room, said the police search of his Neverland Ranch in California had been overdone and so violated his privacy that it will never be the same for him.

"I won't live there ever again," he said. "It's a house now. It's not a home anymore. I'll only visit."

Meanwhile on Friday, CBS also announced that it had rescheduled a Jackson music special that had been abruptly postponed last month after the molestation charges surfaced. The special will air on Friday, Jan. 2.

The interview was a coup for "60 Minutes," which has been enjoying a ratings renaissance the past few months in its final year under the direction of founding executive producer Don Hewitt.

Bradley had been pursuing an interview with Jackson even before the molestation charges. The CBS newsman traveled to Neverland last February for an interview, but Jackson got cold feet and canceled it at the last minute.

The existence of the musical special, which had been scheduled for the day before Thanksgiving and was largely complete before being postponed, was an unusual factor in landing a widely sought interview.

CBS would not have rescheduled the entertainment special if Jackson hadn't addressed the molestation charges with the network's news division, CBS entertainment spokesman Chris Ender said.

The criminal case won't be discussed during the special, "Michael Jackson Number Ones." The special was to include Jackson performance footage, but that filming wasn't completed before November's postponement. The special was also to include interviews with Dick Clark, Beyonce Knowles (news), Mary J. Blige (news) and others about Jackson's impact on pop culture.

Bob Steele, an expert on newsroom ethics, said news organizations should maintain independence and conduct interviews on their news value alone.

"If CBS was creating a deal in any way for a news interview with Jackson that is dependent on the entertainment special or vice versa, that certainly seems to compromise journalistic independence," said Steele, a scholar for journalist values at the Poynter Institute.

Kevin Tedesco, "60 Minutes" spokesman, said he couldn't imagine any news organization that would not pursue an interview with Jackson.

"It's a big story," he said.

His musical career may have faded, but Jackson is still a big television draw, if only because of the curiosity factor. His last television interview, with British journalist Martin Bashir, was seen by 27 million people on ABC last February.



This should be interesting. I'll be watching.

Why do people always go on about his music career being faded? Sure, he ain't guaranteed 20 million sales for each album anymore but he still tops the charts. At almost 9 million Invincible was hardly a flop. And considering that was on the back of just two singles then that's still fuckin' impressive.

Im taping this mutha

I personally didn't buy Invincible. For a guy who releases albums every 5 years, it sets the expectations higher than if he cranked them out more often, and that goes for any artist. (ie. Gangstarr's followup to 1998's classic Moment of Truth was underwhelming too).

But his career ain't faded. He couldn't pull in a television audience if that was true.

Can't wait for Sunday night! or January 2nd.. I think I saw Beyonce's interview taped for that delayed special already.

Thanx for the reminder!
I gotta go buy VHS tapes now

"Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists."

I can't wait for this new exclusive!

CBS News' 60 Minutes, Sunday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m./ET, 6 p.m./Central.


Michael Jackson Speaks Out

CinisterCee said:

a couple million wateched all the other interview things he had i dont c y this wouldnt again.

and Invincible is a very great album.

CinisterCee said:

Nice hair

Just like I said HERE on the Org a few weeks ago. MJ is really trying to promote a "gray zone" for his JACKO FOREPLAY.

http://www.prince.org/msg/8/72290

This guy has really lost his mind!

by the way Invincible sold 5 million worldwide..THEN it went in the Dollar Section because no one wanted it. I wouldn't put it past his wacked out fans to buy 3 or 4 copies each after it was 3 bucks.

go on Half.com it has been there and all over the net for about $3 Bucks (factory sealed) http://half.ebay.com/cat/...&meta_id=2

Mariah Carey did the samething when Glitter album BOMBED! They put a Single for about $1 sooo they can phoney up some sales to get atleast one of her songs #1 so they can "spin" that. (it didn't work she could only get to #2..then it dropped)

locoarts said:

Michael's infamous boundaries of adult-child interaction notwithstanding, it's going to be interesting to watch an interview that the network practically blackmailed him into giving. Holding an interviewee's project hostage probably sets a new record for coercion.

I hope Ed Bradley asks MJ why a guy who would lie so blatantly about something as obvious as his many plastic surgeries can be believed about anything he says.
I don't know if it's the way he looks now, but there's this underlying evilness (sorry for the Bushism) oozing from Michael Jackson now. I never believed the child-like persona he's put forth to the public, but now there is something sinister about him.
Don't know if he's a pedophile or not (probably), but MJ is clearly f**ked up in the head.

shygirl said:

rdhull said:

mmmhmm

TIVO'in' like a muuuhhh...

JSUT A REMINDER!!!

Starts shortly on channel CBS!

KREM in Spokane is airing it after the news here in about 28 minutes.

Man, I thought you guys would be on here cacklin' about it NOT! Not that I'm glad he may have been abused in the clink but I fell out laughing when he talked about the "doo doo feces" on the wall of the bathroom when they locked him in

CalhounSq said:

Yeah, what a moron. That was so unintentionally funny, primarily since it's so goddamn unrealistic. Wouldn't be surprised if the bruises were makeup, considering his history with Max Factor.
[This message was edited Sun Dec 28 22:15:06 PST 2003 by VoicesCarry]

VoicesCarry said:

I just like hearing his delicate ass say "doo doo"

I didnt hear him say doo doo--I just heard feces..damn I should have taped it like I was going to

rdhull said:

Oh yea, in his whispery voice my boy said "doo doo"

CalhounSq said:

lol..."thats beee esss"

My favorite part is when he said and shows how he could only move his arms to a certain point because of his "dislocated" shoulder and then five minutes later he proceeds to touch his wig/hair with no problem at all. Not to mention when he left the police station back in November he was waving with both his hands high above his head to the crowd.

Actually to rouch your hair it requires little movement of your shoulder, just your elbow. And such injuries and the pain they cause can develop over days, not immediately. Come peoplelive with sucj dislocations for months without even realising.

shygirl said:

That is such a weak argument. I lied about my weight on my driver's license - does that mean that I'm not to be believed about anything I say? It's the same principle. It amazes me whenever reasonably intelligent people use the most fucked up logic when it comes to MJ, simply because they have disdain for him.

man o man.. I never thought Michael Jackson would really fall to this level! If you asked me my thoughts of MJ's Future in 1986 I would never think he would totally loose his mind like he has!

Jackson is sooo clearly the most delusional human on his planet! He is such a compulsive lier!!

wow... never thought he would be sooo completely lost in his own false,phoney hype of a career at the core is a man that hasn't or can't sing live anywhere for over 20+ years! The guy hasn't sang live ((IN KEY)) for over 20 years! The guy lip syncs everywhere? how is that amazing??? ..and when at the end of his "lip synced performance" he turns on the mic for the last few seconds and BAM he is never in key! *That should tell everyone why he never performs live! ie: turn his mic on!

BUT last night was pathetic!

1) Who has Lamps & Lights a Foot & a Half away from your Shoulders, Head & Waist??? WOW is his face that messed up that you need 7 Lamps all around your face.. to make you look Presentable??? damn that messed up because the "presentable" look was terrible! (my brother who is a fan of his thought he look like a Wooden Puppet that was Painted)

2) He clearly is a DRUG ADDICT! He needs someone close to hism to STOP listening to him because he is nuts! The guy was clearly wasted on Perscription Drugs last night!! His Eye were slits! He looked sooo stoned! That was the worst he ever looked! He looked like a complete drug addict!

3) Pretending to be beating by the cops is just pathetic!! Isane and a complete lie!!! WHY would you throw this out there when you have a "decent" case on your side to get off in the courts?? I think he knows those cops found some sick insane thing/evidence and he is laying rhe ground work to a "racial case" (sick bastard).. IF IF IF Jackson was abbused by the cops.. WHY didn't his Lawyer say something when he made his Statement AFTER Jackson was booked and it was over??? WHY Hasn't Jackson FIRED Marc Geragos NOW or seconds after he got out after being booked??? Would you assume that MJ would say " hey I was in the bathroom for 45 minutes and you were no where around! You didn't look out for my best interests!!!" **WHY hasn't MJ fired him NOW?? Geragos made a statement for MJ after the booking (seconds after the booking) and DIDN'T Bring up anything about "The Bathroom & The Cops roughin him up"

* Also MJ wasn't even in the Police Station for 45 minutes! I have it on tape and he wasn't even in there for that long. (such a stupid move! ALL these stupid Jacko Moves he is doing right now will be in court for his Credibility! The Cop will nail him on all these stupid statements he is making right now!) THe Cops TAPED the whole thing!!! HOW is he going to get out fo these stupid "Cops beating me up" Statements when it is on tape??

4) The American Conspiracy?? This might be the stupidest thing MJ has been slowly putting out there that "White America"/"They"/ The Record Industry doesn't want Jackson to be bigger then The Beatles & Elvis??? That is sooo disgusting for this RACIST (Micheal Jackson) to blame his failing career of everyone else but himself! HOW is there a Conspiracy when "They" gave you $65 Million to Record & Promote 1 Album, Close down Times Square in NYC for all your fans to gather..so you can give autographs, Give you another $10 Million to make a Music Video & Promote that Video on all the Music Stations for the first few days of your Invincible Album's Release.. They played that video on the Hour EVERY Hour!

* Yes there is a Conspiracy! BUT on your side! Clearly NO one wanted to hear a New Micheal Jackson Record.. but "They" tried to get The Public to! By spending sooo much money & stopping what the REAL Public wanted to hear. They gave you $65 Million to make it!! They Gave you $10 Million for a Music Video (Short Film ) *** IN a nutshell THEY stopped real music and peoples tastes in 2001 ..to TRY to "Conspire" to wish/believe they liked a Music Talent that was happening on the cutting edge 20 years ago.. IS & WAS stilling Relevant now in 2001!

5) Of Course Jackson is still making my statement of creating a "Gray Zone" between Petophile & his "non-sexual" Jacko Foreplay lifestyle... That is clearly his life's cause now.

WHO 20 years ago would think this guy Michael Jackson would be a complete delusional.. lieing.. mess! ALL done by his own doing!

Hey Jackson as much as you want to blame everyone for your problems.. ie: The Media.. YOU were the one that started using "risky" promotional hype for Captain EO (by saying you slept in a Oxygen Chamber!! Insisting The Equirer write that you were "Bizarre" & week or so before your BAD Album was released YOU released you wanted to Buy The Elephant Man's Bones)

ALL those "risky" PR Stunts in your mind and did on some level work back when the Music was decent in the Mid 1980's.. BUT now the music sucks (invincible is aweful) All that is left is the STUPID PR Stunts! PR Stunts YOU can't stop because you are addicted to putting your name in the paper ever 1 1/2 Weeks for that last 20 Years ( and The Media enjoys putting out because you opened that Pandora's Box) with all the stupid "Bizarre" stories you released after Thriller.. The Elephant Bones & Oxygen Chamber.

It is something YOU wont & can't stop ... and The Media isn't going to stop.. SOOO Look in the Mirror you freak! You did all this to yourself!

Everything Jackson releases has the tone of:

1) Pitty Me
2) I am the Victim


This dude is a complete mess!

locoarts said:

Fucking hell, you're obsessed. I think you need help, never mind MJ.

Have 5 's you complete loony!
[This message was edited Mon Dec 29 13:12:37 PST 2003 by Marrk]

Actuallly i think there is a serious conspiracy in America against MJ and i have no idea why! The only thing i can think of is the racism card! Strange that all of the top selling artists in America are white yet it is one of the most diverse countries in the world! Strange that there still arent any black people in any prominent positions in America and why oh why has there not been a Black President!

Lets face it the rest of the world likes MJ and supports him, of course, there are people who dislike him but on the whole, most of the rest of the world are supporting him just the same as when he was black or at the top of his career!

This has not happened in America!

In America, what has happened to Prince and Madonna, they are seen as being over/has beens. In Europe and the Rest of the World, they are respected as being talented individuals!

Lets face it America is a sick society and to be honest im glad mj is sticking up for himself in a world where we all yearn to fit in with what everyone else is doing!

The people who attack mj are truly weak minded idiots who fail to see past their own pathetic existence!

FunkyBrotha said:

You make some good points.

American pop culture is really transitory - you're golden one minute, worthless the next. Europeans really RESPECT their artists and they're willing to support them over long periods of time. I wish we were more like Europe in many aspects.