Tuesday, May 3, 2011

What's Wrong with This World

I recently came across an intriguing documentary that is now showing in various parts of the United States called, I AM. It was directed by Tom Shadyac, a Hollywood director whose previous work includes some very successful comedy blockbuster films such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Nutty Professor and Bruce Almighty.

In this film however, he sets out to explore the answers to two very important questions: What’s wrong with our world, and what can we do about it? I believe the answers to those questions can be found by looking at the way Michael Jackson was treated during his lifetime.

He was one of the most successful and influential recording artists of all time with estimates of 750 million records sold worldwide. His achievements are too many to name, but the records he holds in the Guinness Book of World Records give a small glimpse into the success he achieved:

Guinness Book of World Records

Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the biggest selling album of all time, with over 100 million copies sold worldwide.
A record 504,000 people saw Michael perform for seven nights at Wembley Stadium in London in 1988, achieving the distinction of most successful concert series.
Michael won a record-breaking eight Grammy Awards in 1984, more than any other artist in one year.
Michael secured the largest recording contract ever, a reported $890 million with Sony, with prospective earnings of $1 billion.
He achieved the highest-ever viewing audience during a Super Bowl performance; 133.4 million viewers watched the NBC transmission of Super Bowl XXVII on January 31, 1993. According to this NY Times article, “Jackson produced a stunning first: raising NBC’s halftime rating higher than the Super Bowl action before it.”
Pepsi Cola made Michael Jackson the highest paid commercial spokesman by paying him $12 million to do four television commercials.
Michael’s Jacksons Bad tour brought in record-breaking gross revenue of over $124 million during September 1987-December 1988.

In addition, Michael released thirteen number one singles, more than any other male artist and he was the first black artist to have a video aired on MTV.

Source: World Amazing Records

He obviously had an amazing ability to achieve extraordinary success which very few people are able to accomplish. Whenever someone is able to achieve that level of success people take note, and the ones who want to ride their coattails aren’t far behind.

Although his accomplishments are amazing, what they did is made some people view him as a product instead of a human being, allowing their hearts to close off to him, creating a lack of empathy that permitted them to feel justified in lying, criticizing, condemning and using him for their own monetary gain.

“I am bewildered at the length to which people will go to portray me so negatively.” -Michael Jackson

His extraordinary success also caused him to become the target of extortion attempts. In an interview with Deborah Kunesh, creator of Reflections On The Dance, David Nordhal, Michael’s personal painter and friend of 20 years said, “Michael would get between 50 and 60 extortion attempts per year. Most of them were paternity. Women claiming that Michael was the father of their child and a whole bunch of other ones were over music. Somebody had written a song or something and they claimed that Michael had stolen their music or their words. All of those things got thrown out of court because once they got to court they couldn’t back it up.” The worst of the extortion attempts were the ones who used his love of children against him to accuse him of horrific acts.

“The more I spoke with him about the alleged molestation charges, the more firm I became in my belief that they were part of a universe of money-making opportunities created by charlatans.” -Thomas Mesereau

In the May issue of the MJTP magazine, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive, Valmai Owens, Editor-In-Chief, interviews Thomas Mesereau about the upcoming trial of Conrad Murray for the death of Michael Jackson. Mr. Mesereau is the trial lawyer who successfully defended Michael as his lead counsel in the 2005 child molestation trial.

When asked what he would consider his greatest achievement in his career to date, Mesereau said, “Well, first of all you have to understand that every life is valuable. I don’t value one life as more important than another life so whether the case is high profile or low profile, a life is a life. So when I save a life, it’s just as important to me whether the person is rich or poor or known or unknown, valued or not.”

That comment made me realize why he was brought into Michael’s life to defend him, because he was able to see him as a human being. Michael Jackson wasn’t a product that was going to make Tom money; he was a father, a son, a brother and a man who just happened to need Mr. Mesereau’s help in that moment. I can’t help but wish the same insight would have been present in the professionals caring for him during the final weeks of his life.

“I’ve followed too many celebrity cases... Elvis Presley, Anna Nicole Smith, and you find these physicians become enablers.They’re afraid to deny the celebrity what they want for fear that they’ll be out of the fold and it’s something that I think law enforcement has to take very seriously.” – Thomas Mesereau

Enabling is a subject I have become intimately familiar with. On June 26th, while I was in California for the one-year anniversary of Michael’s death, I found out my 19-year-old son had developed a problem with addiction. I was devastated. I never, ever thought this would happen.

As a result, I was thrust into a world I never knew existed and boy, did I learn a lot. People from all walks of life, all cultures and all educational types of backgrounds become addicted to all types of substances.
I was introduced to the concept of enabling while he was in treatment. Enabling is defined as “to make possible or easy.” In the case of someone who has an unhealthy dependency, if you’re making it possible or easy for them to remain dependent on that substance, then you are taking away their power and ability to heal.

My son’s counselor helped me understand the power an enabler holds and the devastation they can cause when he started to identify enabling actions. Realizing I had done some of them I said, “I do those things out of love.” His reply? “You’re loving him to death.” In that instant I got it. I stopped being an enabler that day thus giving my son back his power to heal, which he did.

If Michael Jackson had a problem with addiction or a dependency of any kind, and since I didn't know him personally I am in no position to know or say, then what he needed in that moment of his life was to be treated responsibly and given back his power to heal. If he developed a dependency on medication in order to sleep and Murray continued to allegedly provide and administer it to him under those circumstances, especially in the reckless way he did, then he was an enabler whose actions resulted in disastrous consequences and he should be held accountable. .

In response to Valmai’s question about his greatest accomplishment, Mesereau went on to say, “My greatest accomplishment has been my ability to blend the practice of law with charitable work.” He does things that are good for the soul. He believes that lawyers should give back to the community and he believes that he can make a difference in the world by doing so. He sees every human being as valuable, no one more special than the other, regardless of what they have accomplished.

I haven’t seen the film I AM yet because it hasn’t come to my hometown, but my response to the question What’s wrong with our world? is that a lack of empathy has created a lack of regard for our fellow human beings. We haven’t come to recognize the importance of making people feel like they matter. A lack of heart has created a lack of compassion. If you’re living with a closed heart it makes you feel justified in tearing others down. It becomes easy to participate in man’s inhumanity to man, lying, criticizing and condemning those who seem different.

A letter Michael wrote to his critics in 1987

The message that is being sent through the lies, the deceit, the criticism, the condemning, the using and the enabling of another, is that you don’t matter. You’re feelings don’t matter; your integrity, your dignity, your reputation, your health, your well-being and your happiness don’t matter.

In response to the question What can we do about it? I believe the solution lies in developing our ability to have empathy for others. The President of the United States, Barack Obama, said, "Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world." If Michael Jackson would have been given more empathy maybe he would still be here with us today.

We have to be conscious of how our actions affect another person, taking care to treat them as a human being that matters. We have to be able to stand in their shoes so we can see what they see, hear what they hear and feel what they feel, which will give us the capacity to act compassionately and responsibly toward them.

We also have to treat ourselves as though we matter by doing things that are good for the soul, making a difference in the life of someone else, giving back to our own communities and maintaining our own sense of dignity by respecting ourselves and others.

We have to put the heart back into humanity so humanity will live with heart. When that happens, I believe we will all begin to understand what Tom Mesereau already knows: that every life is valuable.

by Linda Higgins

© 2011. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without permission from author.

This article appears in the publication Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive,

http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/
and its content is the property of the authors and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Articles and exclusive interviews are copyrighted; therefore there should be no republication without permission. You may email edito@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com with any requests for republication. If permission is given, credit must be given to the author, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.

Lasting Impressions

Lasting impressions. We have all experienced those moments in time when someone or something has left an indelible mark upon us, an effect that causes a feeling both permanent and enduring. These impressions are imprinted upon our minds and hearts forever to dwell within our life memories.

Michael impacted our lives in ways we are still discovering; ways in which some of us are trying to understand. Slight of frame, huge of heart, empathetic to all creatures, a musical genius breaking barriers across time while carrying a love so great and unselfishly given, Michael left a powerful mark on the face of generations past, present and future.

We, his fans and supporters, each have our own memories and different impressions placed upon us from time spent walking a shared, and spiritual space with Michael during his time on this planet. All of us will remember the good that was this man without doubt or uncertainty, without question or blame. But how will the media and public remember him?

Far from embracing the light that shone from this man, there are those who choose to remember Michael in quite a different way. A means to an end. A commodity of endless scandal. Efforts concentrate on negativity and controversy, and the public soak up this information in what for some is seen as the final episode in his life, a life to us that was given to humanity, a life to us that was cruelly taken before its time.

Michael’s last trial looms before us. He stands accused once again, not of the heinous charges and allegations of the past, but of the mismanagement of wealth, and relief sought through means that at the end would see him take his last breath. A life once more open to speculation, ridicule and blame, dissected before the world in an attempt to shift culpability from the taker of life, to the giver of love.

Is this how the ‘Moonwalker’ will be remembered? Will he become another of our bright stars that lit the sky with blazing light, burnt out and drained of life and spirit by those who feed off their energy; by those afraid of the words change, justice, equality, peace and….love? Will Michael’s final portrait be painted in the colors of laughter and mockery, shame and guilt? His face staring out from yellowed posters and magazines? His song encased in plastic covers and buried in discounted bins?

As extreme as this may be, it has happened to others. Michael, one of our brightest and most beautiful stars cannot be allowed to rest still surrounded by controversy, allegations, cruel mockery and the pointing of fingers. This should not be the last testament of a life lived in service to his craft and humanity.

The characterization of Michael’s name by those who seek nothing else but pleasure and profit through its exploitation, obscures the world’s view of the ‘real’ man. It is up to us to show the musical genius, humanitarian, messenger and gift that Michael truly was, and reveal his legacy as a lasting impression that should be remembered by all. One that is deserving of recognition by all, rather than one overshadowed by a few who seek not truth, but notoriety through deceit and falsehood.

Video by Bonnie Lamroc- http://www.mj-upbeat.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwry-3KE8Vs

This article appears in the publication Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael’s Legacy Alive, and its content is the property of the authors and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait. Articles and exclusive interviews are copyrighted; therefore there should be no republication without permission. You may email edito@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com with any requests for republication. If permission is given, credit must be given to the author, Dot to Dot: Keeping Michael's Legacy Alive and the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.

The Man I Really Am

Michael once asked, “Is it Scary for you?” In his powerful lyrics,he was expressing his knowledge that he was indeed a mirror; the mirror for every one of us. He asked if he was the ‘beast ‘we visualized and if so, that’s exactly what he would be. The darkness or light that lives in a soul sees itself clearly in Michael; he becomes who we are inside. The darkness interprets Michael as strange, grotesque, that ghost under the bed, haunting and different. But is he, or is it us?

Recent events and the approaching trial has opened floodgates of negativity…we all feel it…it’s a living thing palpable in the air; inescapable. We are reluctantly standing on the cusp of a terribly difficult time, one that Rev. Jackson once referred to as a ‘season’ of life. In the warm glow of summer, joy and contentment thrive. Spring is anticipation and promises of personal growth with hope. Autumn’s face is beauty and peace, but winter’s season is cold, hard days…. days when one wishes to pull the covers up and resist greeting a new day. I wonder sometimes how Michael survived his winters of life. As human as each of us, his challenges and tribulations were so difficult and soul searing that we suffer for him even now, with tears of loss and desire for a second chance.

The storm is coming just beyond tomorrow and winds are blowing. One pulls that collar up on a favorite coat and a choice is made. Put the gale at your back and leave this place or turn and face the onslaught, because it’s gathering strength in confusion and lies. Cycles of anger, indignation, disbelief and tears are your fate; it hurts to see love trampled. A life opened to examination once again and we ask, “Does it ever end?” Michael knew the strange, evil ones reflected in his mirror and we know also. We know the faces, words and intentions of the old, familiar ones who return in glee to harm our lost one. And we’ve met the new ones with pressed suits and cutting words; protectors of guilt and deception. We see through fancy titles and dishonest statements of caring. And words lash at us also, as crazies and worshipers with a dab of obsession.

We also know the brave and the bright ones; the ones with voices and a platform who speak our thoughts and pain. We love them, and call them vanguards and heroes because they are. Men and women who knew and know who Michael is… what he and now we stand for. Writers with elegant words and insight who heal the wounds or show us how to place a band aid and move on. Men who fought old battles and men who know what the Hippocratic Oath really means. Those who put truth on paper with lovely photos on hardcover copy. And the many of us with normal lives and busy days who share a vision with Michael, of a better world and healthy, happy children.

Michael lyrically protested against cruel, fabricated stories that he believed "got the people confused about the man I really am." Carnival sideshows chipped at his pride and humanity. And a wordsmith asked, "How did he stay vertical?" And how do we who love him, come to terms with Michael lying motionless as that new storm approaches? By individual strength and determination, a willingness to withstand barrages of sanctioned bullying on a daily basis and a love made of steely resolve…. all necessary to counter enough hurt to rattle the atoms in a body’s cells. Remember the grace that walked with Michael all those days in 2005? Few knew of the anguish he kept at home while living the faith he had in his Creator’s truth. Can we do less? As Michael’s family surrounded him with unwavering purpose and support during those dark days, we are now asked to do the same as we defend his memory.

As we continue to keep the faith in truth, some will find strength in spiritual connection and the knowledge that Michael’s hands are present here. Others will find solace in his music and words that continue to inspire and raise up souls. The positive, necessary energy of intention and belief in light overcoming swirling shadow clears minds and opens hearts. Many voices in unity and peaceful expression will bring honor to the man we are here for, and now speak for and about.

So raise your collars folks. Stormy weather is upon us. The man who is the mirror of souls once boldly sang…”So let the performance start.” It has.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2E6afRhUmE

by Lauren
© 2011. All Rights Reserved.
No reproduction without permission from author.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Rising From the Ashes

This last month we have seen uprisings in Egypt, Bahrain and Libya. We have seen the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in Japan that caused massive destruction and loss of life. We lost yet another of our brightest stars, and Michael’s dearest friend, Dame Elizabeth Taylor, and we certainly can’t dismiss all the changes, good and bad that perhaps have occurred in our own lives.

In our ever changing world, nothing is guaranteed to last forever. Even this planet on which we live, remains at the mercy of the forces of nature, the Universe and to the destructiveness of mankind. We, as humans, often cloak ourselves within an air of indifference and insulate our private, everyday lives against the tragedies of others, believing we are exempt from the same misfortunes and bad luck. We read about it in the papers, we watch it on TV and the internet; our minds absorbing the information and our eyes barely comprehending what we see. Often, our defense mechanism is to block it out, turn a blind eye or simply say quietly to ourselves, ‘Thank God this is not happening to me.’ But by burying our heads in the sand this way, we are effectively negating the humanity of those who are experiencing unfortunate events and circumstances.

Lulled into a false sense of security by the constancy of our lives, we believe that nothing can touch us; nothing can alter the things we hold with value. We begin to take for granted the things we have been blessed with; our jobs, families, friends; the way of life we have come to know and expect, and the sensory pleasures we experience from sight, sound, smell, taste, and the spiritual connection with the Higher Power.

We take for granted the legs we walk on, the eyes we see with, the arms we embrace with, the tongues we speak with, the ears we hear with, the brains we think with, the lungs we breathe with, and the heart that beats 55 to 80 times per minute pumping the life force through us, and in which gives us the capacity to love. In a blink of an eye any one of these things could be taken from us, leaving us standing with open hands asking the one question that can never be answered….why?

Change is inevitable. It is the one thing that man cannot control. It is the one thing that is guaranteed to happen to everyone at some point in their lives. It may creep up on us unawares. It may be barely noticeable. It may force us to re-evaluate our lives, or it may slam into us with such force that it brings us to our knees, leaving us struggling for breath. How we deal with the tragedies and sadness; how we rise above the trials and tribulations and adversities we may experience, and how we rebuild our own lives and help to rebuild those of others, determines the way we will walk into our future. We will carry the scars and memories with us, but we will also carry the knowledge of how precious the gift of life is; how important it is to make every day count.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPWo1vJ7hu0

Make-A-Wish Foundation, Wish Stories

Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation's mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish^® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation was founded in 1980 after a little boy named Chris Greicius realized his heartfelt wish to become a police officer. Since its humble beginnings, the organization has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon, reaching more than 200,000 children around the world.

Although it has become one of the world's most well-known charities, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has maintained the grassroots fulfillment of its mission.

A network of nearly 25,000 volunteers enable the Make-A-Wish Foundation to serve children with life-threatening medical conditions. Volunteers serve as wish granters, fundraisers, special events assistants and in numerous other capacities.

As the Foundation continues to mature, its mission will remain steadfast. Wish children of the past, present and future will have an opportunity to share the power of a wish^®.

http://wish.org/about/our_mission

Erik, 13, wished to be a superhero. When a dark cloud descended upon Western Washington on April 29, he sprang into action as Electron Boy. Electron Boy spent the day using his powers of good to defeat the evil mayhem created by Dr. Dark and Blackout Boy. More than 350 people from the community helped the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® make Erik's wish come true. Thank you, Electron Boy!

http://www.wish.org/stories/video/electron_boy_world_wish_day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLgTPd_LUns

Local Teen Debuts New Recording

By Jessica Denbo

Tyran at the recording studio

Make-A-Wish Foundation Grants Tyran’s Wish To Be A Recording Artist

CHICAGO – Tyran is an outgoing 17-year-old from Romeoville who has a passion for the music industry and loves to write his own hip hop music and lyrics. A student at Plainfield East High School, Tyran has written more than 50 of his own songs.

Diagnosed with a congenital heart condition, Tyran has endured four open heart surgeries. Although he suffers from the symptoms of this disorder, and requires treatment, Tyran has never given up on his dreams or his zest for life.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois gave Tyran the opportunity to have a wish granted and he jumped at the opportunity to become a star. With help from Chicago Recording Company and Slang Musicgroup, Make-A-Wish volunteers made Tyran’s dream come true. He was able to not only record his own music, but also celebrate with family and friends as he performed at his own CD release party.

Tyran and his friends traveled by limousine to the Debonair Social Club in Chicago where even more family and friends were waiting. Tyran went directly on stage to impress the crowd and in true celebrity fashion, he made time to greet all of his fans and mingle with guests after his performance. This special day was just what Tyran needed to take his mind off the challenges of having a life-threatening condition and keep motivated to reach for his dreams.

“It was great, I had an amazing time and everything went just the way I thought it would,” said Tyran. He continued, “I was a little nervous when I arrived and saw the red carpet, but when I was on stage I felt comfortable, excited and motivated.”

There are eight specific ways for people to become involved with this worthwhile charity. Please visit this link to find out how, and make a sick child's wish come true. http://wish.org/help/world_wish_day

Interview with Stewart Backerman

Stuart Backerman is an award winning theatrical producer, national television correspondent, professional city planner, media-relations expert and an honors graduate of the State University of New York School of Business Management.

Stuart formed his own production company, B. E. L. Enterprises Ltd. in order to produce major arts and cultural projects on an international scale. He has promoted and produced a number of major international concerts, and his company was one of the producers for the Broadway musical I Love My Wife starring the Smothers Brothers on Broadway, the musical satire Six Women with Brain Death (which was awarded a coveted Sterling Award) and the national tour and Broadway production of Peter Pan, The Musical, which starred Cathy Rigby, and won a prestigious Tony Award in 1990 in New York, for the Broadway production. He also wrote and produced the King of Swing, a musical play on the life of Benny Goodman.
Stuart was introduced to Michael as a result of Peter Pan, The Musical, and became his worldwide official spokesperson, advisor and media relations representative during one of the most tumultuous periods of Michael’s life.

In this deeply personal and in-depth interview, Stuart shares with us his experiences of working with Michael.

Transcribed by Valmai Owens.

Valmai: Stuart, you have a very impressive resume and list of credits to your name, but probably one of the things you are most noted for is your professional relationship with Michael Jackson. How did you get hired on as Michael’s publicist and spokesperson?

Stuart: Well, when Michael hired Dieter Weisner, he also hired a fellow by the name of Ronald Konitzer, who lives in Vancouver, Canada. A colleague of mine told me that he would like me to have lunch with one of Michael Jackson’s new managers, which was Ronald.

So we had lunch in the spring of 2002, and we were talking about Michael and his new approach to his career which was reaching out and doing more business deals and less performing. He also wanted to perhaps; if he was going to perform again, do a Broadway Show. He had done The Whiz, and he had enjoyed that very much, but he hadn’t done anything theatrical on stage.

I happened to produce Peter Pan the Musical starring Cathy Rigby, in 1990. In fact, I introduced her as a professional performer to North America, and it was a very, very successful production that eventually went to Broadway, toured the United States and won a Tony award. Ronald Konitzer became very excited about that because Michael of course saw himself as Peter Pan, very much. Ronald asked my permission to talk to Michael about me coming onboard, and working with Michael to produce the musical with him in the lead role as Peter Pan. So that really started the ball rolling.

Ronald called me in due course after our brief lunch, from Neverland, and told me that Michael very much wanted to pursue the Broadway show with me being involved. Michael got on the phone and said that he was very excited about the possibility, and wanted me to come down to Neverland as quickly as I could to discuss the project and process. So, that’s what happened; that’s how we connected initially, with the thought that Michael would perform in a major Broadway production starring as Peter Pan.

Valmai: What was your first meeting like with Michael?

Stuart: You know, you meet a lot of people in your life, and when you are introduced to them for the first time you get an initial impression of them. In the case of meeting Michael Jackson for the first time, there was just something very, very different about it. Obviously you don’t meet a star or celebrity or performer as great as Michael Jackson for no reason, but what I’m saying is that there is a presence about Michael. When you meet him it strikes you very, very quickly, and I really in a sense, was taken-aback by him being such a regular person. He was so empathetic and natural, and that automatically put me at ease.

Of course, I’ve been very blessed and fortunate in my life to work with major politicians; the Premier of The Province of British Columbia, the Mayor of Vancouver and various other celebrities that I’ve worked with on theatrical projects, but like I said, Michael was natural and very accessible. I felt tremendously at ease; not-withstanding the fact I was meeting with another celebrity because I was a little nervous at first. I was brought down to Neverland and just that experience alone was very impactful. So I guess I entered the meeting with a little bit of trepidation, but Michael made me feel very much at ease. It was a very positive and open meeting.

Valmai: Stuart did you get to spend a lot of time at Neverland?

Stuart: I saw MJ a number of times at Neverland in different situations, but I’ll never forget a particular time in September of 2003. Michael convinced his team, including myself, that he wanted to make Neverland more accessible. So we devised a plan to have a major fund-raising charity event. It was a couple of weeks after his official birthday which was celebrated in Los Angeles. And that’s an interesting side story that I won’t get into other than to say, Michael never celebrated his birthday because he was brought up a Jehovah’s Witness.

We convinced him to celebrate his birthday in a very formidable way at the Orpheum Theater. Then, we also convinced him to carry that birthday feeling on at this charity event about two weeks later. This was done all on the basis that Michael wanted Neverland to be much more accessible to the public. He felt that Neverland was some sort of arcane place that very few people came to, except people he invited; his family and very close associates, but he wanted more people to be able to experience the beauty and peacefulness of Neverland.

So we had this incredible charity event; a lot of stars and celebrities showed up and Michael was so happy and so feeling the energy. That I remember very distinctly; that whole experience of seeing him at Neverland at that time kind of trumped all the other times I had seen him there, but all the other times had been mostly talking business. So, this time was different because Michael was the instigator of the event, and he really played the role of host very, very well. I will never forget the joy and happiness he exuded during that particular time at Neverland.

Valmai: So you weren’t specifically hired to be his spokesperson?

Stuart: I was originally hired to produce the Peter Pan musical on Broadway, with Michael as Peter Pan and maybe Alice Cooper as Captain Hook. That’s who we had talked about trying to get, but unfortunately, as things were starting to come together including a phone call to Alice Cooper and some other preparations, the baby dangling incident prior to the Bambi Awards in Berlin, occurred. Because of all the negative publicity and the world-wide screaming about Michael’s irresponsibility, which of course was foolish, we felt that to try and do Peter Pan with its theme about young children and lost boys, the timing wasn’t right. So, because Michael and I had gotten on so well up to that point, it was determined by Michael that I would be his spokesperson and publicist. He wanted to have one person that was able to speak for and represent him to the global media.

I think, to tell you the truth, and this is a heartfelt statement, Michael felt that I was the first person on his team that was reasonably normal. When I say normal, I’m as nutty as anyone else in this world, but normal in a sense that I’d been married for 33 years at that time, I have a family that is very important to me, I’m reasonably well educated and I was not from Hollywood. He felt that a family guy like me who had a normal career outside of show business; for example I started out as an Urban Planner, I have a Masters Degree and I did a lot of things before I got involved in entertainment in a very entrepreneurial way. Michael felt that was exactly who he needed, and so it was kind of serendipitous not only because he liked Peter Pan, but he liked me because of my family background. So he asked me to become his global spokesman and we would do Peter Pan at a later date. So of course I accepted, and that’s how that came about.

Valmai: I read somewhere that you were in the hotel room with Michael when he showed Blanket to the fans. Is this correct or just a rumor?

Stuart: No, I was in Vancouver, but Dieter called me from Michael’s hotel room in Berlin.

Valmai: Was part of your job was also to counteract the negative press Michael received? I’m referring to Bashir’s documentary, in which he deliberately and unethically attempted to cast Michael in the worst possible light. Did you take part in any of the counter measures?

Stuart: Yes, and how we wanted to counteract negative publicity and negative image in some sections of the media, was to make him appear as he was. People unfortunately believe everything they read and see on television. Michael at that time, in 2002 and 2003, and before that of course, was portrayed almost as a lunatic.

I and his team certainly knew him to be very, very different because Michael was really on top of things. He knew where he wanted to go and he knew what he wanted to accomplish. What we were trying to accomplish as a team, really was segueing him from his performing years because he was approaching fifty at that time. He told me a number of times that he didn’t want to be an organ grinder’s monkey doing “Billie Jean” into his fifties. He wanted to elevate his game and be involved more at a professional and creative level; being involved in business at a managerial level and not necessarily having to do the stuff he did when he was in his twenties and thirties.

So we felt the best way to accomplish that was to really make him more accessible to the public. That sort of started off a chain of events where after we took care of the Bashir interview that got the world upset about Michael because of the scene with Gavin Arvizo, we were fortunate in locating footage that showed that Martin Bashir was duplicitous. Off-camera, what Martin Bashir was saying to Michael and to all of us, was that Michael was the greatest person in the world, children loved him so much, and he was impressed with how Michael conducted himself. Then of course with our camera, that interview was packaged in a very different way. We took steps very, very quickly to locate this footage that showed him being very duplicitous. Then we put together what it is now called the rebuttal documentary on Fox which Maury Povich hosted, and put to rest Martin Bashir’s insinuations about Michael.

From there, we were in a free position; a more open and flexible position to begin the strategy of segueing Michael from performing into business. That included him going back to Gary, Indiana, which was very successful in showing that he really cares about his roots; he cares about his family, he cares about where he came from, and we felt that that was a very important base point to show the public that he’s a sensitive, caring person. And he is, very, very much. Sometimes he cared too deeply about people and sacrificed himself; a lot of times got caught unawares by people he thought he could trust who in the end screwed him in a sense.

We felt it was important to bring him out to the public showing him to be the kind of person he really is. So, we went to Gary, Indiana; we had this charity event and we brought him to Las Vegas where he got the key to the city from Mayor Goodman, and a number of activities in the following months after the Bashir interview, as a way to show the world that Michael is not some kind of crazy hermit who is stranger or whatever. We wanted the public to really know him like we knew him, and that’s sort of the background.

Valmai: So, all these things you are talking about was part of planning Michael’s comeback in a way. He also wanted to move forward into Motion Pictures didn’t he?

Stuart: Yes, and he was particularly interested in animation. We connected with an animation company in Montreal, who had done an animated film called Pinocchio 5000. Michael met with the owner of the company called Cine Works. This company was very interested in helping Michael either purchase the firm and taking what was already in the works and pursuing them, or to work for them as sort of like a President of the company. He’d be involved in doing some of the voice-over work, some singing, some choreographic moves, be involved in some of the script writing, and have both a creative and managerial role in seeing major animated films come to Hollywood.

That’s an example of the kind of thing he was beginning to look at beyond straight performing. This was pursued very aggressively, and it would have happened if it wasn’t for, of course, the raid at Neverland by Tom Sneddon. That ended everything at that time. It’s very unfortunate, because we were all close to signing a major deal with City Works when the raid occurred. So that sort of ended that very quickly.

Like I said, that’s kind of an example of the things he wanted to get into as part of his comeback, but let me be clear, the comeback didn’t include a sort of O2 series of concerts. He only did that at the end because of a financial need, and most of us believe that never in a millions years would he have been able to do fifty concerts, even if they were spread out over a period of time. Honestly Valmai, he never really had his heart in performing again. He felt like that he was a father now; he had a responsibility to be with his family and that was a priority.

He wanted to package his life very differently where he would be in a more executive or managerial role, creative nonetheless, but not performing all over the place and touring and the kind of lifestyle that incurs. Michael didn’t think that would be a wholesome way to raise his family. So for anybody out there that doesn't believe Michael Jackson loved his family, and didn’t have them as his number one priority, even before his career; his family was more important than his so-called performing career, and he was willing to for emotional and family reasons, to change in his mid-forties from a performer to a business man. That’s what he really wanted.

Valmai: Right, right, but then he lost that opportunity when, like you said, Sneddon raided Neverland.

Stuart: That is the saddest thing in the world. He and his team had actually accomplished all that was set out before, during and after the Bashir debacle. That strategy I was talking about before really had come into play. The Gary, Indiana trip was tremendously successful and the charity event was unbelievable; everybody in North America was writing about Neverland and what was happening there, the Las Vegas Radio Music Award Show as a humanitarian, and his birthday at The Orpheum Theater which he had never done before, and where he allowed his adoring fans from all over the world to enjoy that with him. All those things were tremendously successful, and they were culminating right at the time when Tom Sneddon and the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office decided they wanted to get Michael again. And they really did in a sense, kybosh these tremendous plans and strategy that was just about ready to be put into play. Very sad, very, very sad.

Valmai: Yes, it was very sad for Michael. Now Dieter Weisner was the one who broke the news to Michael, and he spoke of Michael’s reaction and shock. Did you witness any reaction yourself in the days that followed after the raid?

Stuart: Not really. It was such an emotionally wrenching time. The day that the raid took place, I spoke to Dieter in Las Vegas. I was back in Vancouver and I had left Las Vegas a couple of nights before the raid. Michael, his family, myself and a few other aides, were going to go to Europe for about six or seven weeks, on to Africa to meet with Nelson Mandela, and then over to South America to do about a three month publicity tour for his Number Ones album, and to continue this process of making himself more accessible to his fans and the public. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.

When Michael woke up; Dieter let him sleep that morning, he told Michael the news and it was obviously very, very difficult for Michael. He felt that he had gotten passed the 1993 Jordy Chandler furor, and he was very, very, very upset. I happened to call Dieter, who was in Michael’s hotel suite at The Mirage, and he asked Michael whether or not he wanted me to do or say anything specific to the media. At that point, they were calling me from all over the world asking me for comments about the issue that had already been leaked about a child molestation situation. Obviously it turned out to be the whole Gavin Arvizo charge.

I heard Michael over the phone saying, “No, I trust Stuart to say the right things and represent me as positively as possible.” So I didn’t talk to Michael directly in those moments, but in a way I really did because he basically put his trust in me to act the spokesman, and give off the most positive reflection of who Michael Jackson really is.

Valmai: Right, and now we have a new trial coming up. I have heard this said, and I have asked others their opinion on this, Dr. Murray maybe the one sitting in the courtroom accused of Involuntary Manslaughter, but in reality it will be Michael who will once again be put on trial. Do you agree with this?

Stuart: I do agree with that statement to a certain degree. Even though Dr. Murray is the one who has been charged and has to defend himself, it will be Michael to a certain degree that will be on trial. The defense will try and show or indicate that Michael hurt himself and that Dr. Murray was there to assist.
I’m afraid that the defense will try and make Michael look like a drug addict, and a sad person who had a natural need in a sense. That’s very troubling to me that Michael will be put on trial again, and I feel that’s very unfortunate.

Valmai: Well the defense has already started moving in that direction; on the premise that Michael was an addict, and that he injected himself. Stuart, what was your strategy during the 2005 trial?

Stuart: The strategy was to tell the truth, and let Janet Arvizo “hang herself” with her lies.

Valmai: What would you say was the most outrageous or challenging thing that came across your desk before or during the trial?

Stuart: The co-conspirator charges against Michael etc. were absolutely laughable. The Arvizo family was hucksters from the beginning, and Michael paid the price for his generosity and his foolishness. By that I mean, he shouldn’t have let Martin Bashir film Gavin…It was a bad mistake.

Valmai: Stuart, you resigned from Michael publically on CNN after working for him for 20 months. Are you able to share your reasons why?

Stuart: Yes, I NEVER would have left Michael’s employ if it wasn’t for the infiltration, and covert takeover by The Nation of Islam. The NOI had only one familiar agenda, and that was to soak Michael out of his monies because as soon as they gained control, they started making business deals on the side that were amateurish at best, and not in Michael’s interest. In fact, in my opinion Mark Geragos and the NOI hurt Michael’s legal defense strategy by their tasteless PR antics…That’s why Tom Messereau was appointed after Geragos/NOI were fired, and rightly so!

Valmai: Did you have any contact with Michael at all after you resigned?

Stuart: Yes, I had two brief conversations with Michael and his brother Randy, about me coming back to work for him, but it was too late. Raymone Bain was already screwing up any chance to represent Michael in a dignified way befitting an innocent man.

Valmai: Stuart, in 2008 you did an interview with the MJFC in which you spoke of Michael in a very positive and loving way, but in another interview you did immediately after Michael's death with The Vancouver Sun, you talk about him quite differently. There is just a huge difference between these two interviews and what you are saying. It begs the question, why?

Stuart: Could be a little more specific? What did I say that was different?

Valmai: Well, like I said, the 2008 interview with the MJFC was very positive toward Michael. In the 2009 interview however, you say Michael was a class contradiction; too much money; too much material focus, and too much of the prescription drug situation following the unfortunate scalding of his head. You mention that you saw him being disloyal to people, that he was not all there at times, that he wasn’t so swift on the business side, he wore wigs that made him look strange, that he was an idiot with the Bashir documentary, “That was the stupidest thing in the world, and he was warned about it, but Michael does what Michael wants.” And, “I’d like to think that Michael Jackson had innocent relationships with these boys, similar to what a lot of 12 and 11 and 13-year-old boys might experiment with, in a sense. Kind of innocently. ‘I’ll show you mine, you show me yours’ kind of situation, at the most.” Etc…

Stuart: I can’t compare what I said in that article to another time and place because I am not sure how they are set against each other. I will say this, the interview I did with The Vancouver Sun was the day after Michael passed away. Number one, I don’t know if you know this, but I had knee surgery the day Michael died and I did this interview the next day. I think I revealed some things that I wouldn’t normally reveal if it wasn’t for the fact that I was still a little “punchy” from the surgery.

Number two is, clearly I was feeling very upset. A lot of things sort of came up and I think it’s important to understand that. Like I said before, Michael and I were about to go on a huge trip that he very much wanted to do. When that didn’t happen because of the raid and the charges, I think I was still feeling a little upset about the disappointment that we weren’t still working together. That was a function of Michael allowing, being quite honest with you because he was in a very vulnerable state of mind, I’ll say that, but nonetheless, allowing the Nation of Islam and their followers so to speak, to basically take over his affairs was very upsetting to me.

So I think when I heard that he had passed away, and again, right after the surgery, I said some things that were probably more revealing that I normally would have said about him. I guess I was sort of ruminating about the whole sadness of the situation in that Michael had insomnia; he couldn’t sleep, he really couldn’t, and because of that situation he did take sleeping medication. That clearly had an impact on his life.
We didn’t see him during the day because he stayed up all night and slept in so to speak. Obviously that stuff affects you. It affected his ability to gain weight, it affected how he felt about himself, it affected how he acted in a general way, and normally I wouldn’t have went there at all. Because he died suddenly, and I was in surgery that day and did this interview, I wasn’t as guarded as what I normally would have been. I probably said way too much that I would normally say in an interview.

That’s the best I think I can explain. After I read the interview, I was a little upset about how I was quoted, but it’s not the reporters fault. I said those things, but my excuse so to speak, is that I was a little foggy and I was depressed about Michael’s death. It brought up a lot of old feelings about still being a bit resentful about the fact that our relationship ended so abruptly with the Nation of Islam; a group that is so anti-love, so anti-Michael Jackson philosophy that it always disturbed me.

I haven’t done all that many interviews frankly, after I left Michael’s employ, and I guess a lot of things kind of coalesced in my head the day after The Vancouver Sun called me, which was the day after he died. That I think is the best way I can explain it; why and what I said during that interview. I hope that explains it.

Valmai: It does explain some things. Stuart, you wrote a book titled, In the Court of the King. Has this book ever been published?

Stuart:  No. I decided that I didn’t want to publish the book in respect for Michael. By the way, the book was a very positive reflection of my experiences with Michael. Some fans thought that it might be negative, but I wrote this long before he died; a couple of years before he died and I was frankly in the process of publishing the book at the time. But I decided when Michael died that I just didn’t want to get involved with looking like a blood-sucker so to speak, or taking advantage of his death.

I just felt that I had talked to the media and said enough about Michael that it didn’t really require for me to publish a book about him. But let me be very clear, if I ever do publish this book, it’s a positive story about Michael Jackson. It is not a dig; it’s not a tell-all in sense that makes Michael look bad at all. I love Michael. My experience in working with him was one of the most dynamic, exciting and most loving experiences in my life.

I consider myself a reasonably honest and straightforward person, but this is very, very important to me; when you love somebody, whether it be a family member, a spouse, a close friend, even if they are in trouble so to speak, you support them and love them. That’s the way I always felt with Michael Jackson. Even though I saw some things in Michael that were troubling which he himself saw; his anxiousness, his lack of sleep, sometimes some very knee-jerk reactions and decisions because of the state of mind he was in etc, wasn’t important to me in terms of the way I judged Michael. I did not judge him, and so like a family member you love the person, but you’re honest enough to see some of their weaknesses and of course their strengths.

The book I wrote about Michael was a very positive, very loving story about my experiences with Michael. In terms of publishing it, to tell you the truth, I just didn’t feel that it was a good time to kind of pile on, in a sense, with everybody else publishing books about Michael. It just didn’t feel right and it wouldn’t have looked right. But even if I did publish the book, the fans shouldn’t have been concerned that it would have been a negative book or that I would have been another Ian Halperin or some of those other dirty dogs who wrote books that don’t make Michael look good. The book I wrote would have made Michael look the way he is; loving, beautiful, sensitive, caring, but also a little nutty and complicated just like me and you, you know?

Michael had his stuff too. He wasn’t a God, he wasn’t a Jesus incarnate, he wasn’t Buddha, he was Michael Jackson; a tremendous, incredible, dynamic performer, a loving father, generous and good to his friends, but he had his things, you know? He was eccentric, he did have sleeping problems, and he did try and address his sleeping problems in a kind of negative way in a sense, and that impacted his life. So, you are either honest about somebody or you put them on a pedestal, and look the other way about the things that maybe or should be addressed; that maybe or should be mitigated in some fashion. When you talk about someone, it doesn’t make sense to be anything else but totally honest, but in conclusion, while Michael had some weaknesses and stuff he desperately needed to work on, overall, he was one of the most amazing people that I ever, ever met in my entire life.

Valmai:  Do you think that this description for your book might have led the fans to believe it was negative and a tell-all?

“Backerman gives the reader Michael without his make-up in his riveting depiction of what happens when celebrity cracks up and damage control starts. Packed with anecdotes and fascinating inside information, In The Court Of The King is a unique and stylishly-written memoir, engaging and profound, a highly personal portrait of Jackson and his world that is unflinching in its honesty and disquieting in its implications.”

Stuart: Yes, but that’s just titillating headlines. The book itself was a positive reflection of my memories.

Valmai: How did working for Michael Jackson change your life and career?

Stuart: Working for Michael did change my life. I want to answer this question in a very focused way. Michael’s propensity to give of himself taught me that giving, not so much in monetary terms, but giving of yourself as a person, is the most important thing you can do in your life. The way he treated me and treated the people around me with such dignity and respect, and given that he was such a huge celebrity; many celebrities treat their friends, hired help, colleagues and even family, terribly, but Michael was just the opposite. Michael gave of himself and treated people with respect and dignity because that was who he really was as a person, even though he had his share of issues.

That helped me, because when you see a celebrity of such magnitude like him being a humble person with tremendous humility, and like I said, giving of himself and sometimes sacrificing himself to his own detriment, made me feel that if somebody like him could do that then I have to begin to really to look at my own life, and act that way more and more to the people that are around me. He had a tremendous influence on my life because of just who he was as a person, and that helped me to become a better person.

Valmai: I have heard so many people who worked with Michael say the exact same thing; how he affected their lives.

Stuart:  It’s true! I could tell you other things; how he affected my life. Obviously I got a much higher profile; people thought that if I was working with Michael Jackson I was the greatest, and that kind of stuff, but I’m telling you that that kind of stuff didn’t make a difference. The most important thing that changed my life from working with Michael was what I told you. ..The spiritual dimension...

Valmai:  Stuart, what do you think the public and fans still don’t know or understand about Michael?

Stuart:  He was very, very funny.

Valmai: What do you miss the most about your days with Michael?

Stuart: NEVERLAND!

Valmai: Stuart, can I ask what your opinion is of the MJTP; the whole concept of it and what we are trying do on the site?

Stuart: I think it’s brilliant! It’s the one opportunity for fans to really join in as one; to participate together in a project would be something that I think Michael would cherish. The Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait is the most accessible way for fans in general from all over the world, to have the opportunity to work together, basically. I think that is critically important because no matter what else you think of Michael Jackson, his mission in life was to create peaceful love in this world.

There were numerous examples of that including the song “Heal the World,” the Heal the World Foundation and various other things he did; quiet things he did in a charitable way. So, to have an opportunity for of all his fans to work together; to preserve his legacy and his image, would be something that he would be tremendously emotional about.

If you would like to ask your own questions of Stuart, please send them to editor@michaeljacksontributeportrait.com

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Interview With Joe Vogel, Author of "Man in the Music:The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson

In September 2011, Joe Vogel will release his new book, Man in the Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson. Joe painstakingly researched Michael’s artistry for over five years, speaking with many people who knew and worked with Michael during his life. We have had brief glimpses into this highly anticipated book, most recently through Joe’s review and discussion of "Hollywood Tonight", in the Huffington Post.

Many of Michael’s fans and advocates, are well aware of the kinds of publications and touted ‘tell all’ books and articles, written by purported experts on Michael’s life and person. As we stay the course in the marathon of truth, we are finally able to anticipate a book that will reveal who this man really was through his lyrics and music- his deep commitment and dedication to his art; the basic inner core of Michael that reached out to all of us as he spoke of injustice, bigotry and the need to make a real change in the world, his love for all children, young and older, and his vision for a better tomorrow.

Please join together and thank Joe for his efforts and for sharing his thoughts in this interview.

Lauren: Joe, can you tell us about your background and how you became a writer?

Joe: I have always written. Actually, getting published took some time and figuring out -- I had my first book published in 2006 (ironically, I first submitted a very early version of my MJ book that year, but no one would publish it).

Lauren: I know you have published two books prior to Man in the Music. Can you tell us a little about them?

Joe: The first one, Free Speech 101, narrates the firestorm that erupted when I invited filmmaker Michael Moore to speak at a very conservative university. It's an exploration of people's fears, polarization, intolerance, censorship, etc. I was 23 at the time, and received all kinds of attacks, bribes, death threats, etc. simply for inviting someone to speak with different views. The second book, The Obama Movement, is a collection of essays about the youth movement Barack Obama inspired in his run for president.

Lauren: When did you become interested in Michael's music?

Joe: I discovered Michael Jackson when I was about 7-8 years old. I wore out my VHS of The Legend Continues; I watched it so many times. The first time I saw the Motown 25 performance, I was absolutely floored. It had a huge impact on me. My musical interests evolved in all kinds of directions since then; Michael was about the only artist that stuck from childhood on because I could continue to appreciate his work on new levels.

Lauren: What prompted you to take on the challenges in writing this book and investing five years to research it?

Joe: Well, to be honest, I had no clue of the scope of what I was taking on when I started. I began in the midst of his trial because I was frustrated with the degree to which people had forgotten -- or just never really understood -- his artistic genius. The plan was just to provide interpretations of his songs, and it evolved from there.

Lauren: When you spoke with people who knew or worked with Michael, did you find common experiences and impressions that they had about him?

Joe: People loved working with Michael; they loved his passion and joy, his desire to innovate and just create great work. Starting around the time of the BAD album, his collaborators could sense a newfound confidence and autonomy in carrying out his creative vision.

Lauren: Do you have a particular favorite track, and why?

Joe: Growing up it was songs like "Billie Jean" and "Man in the Mirror." Now, I tend to enjoy more of his obscure tracks. My favorite album currently is HIStory. I think it's a masterpiece and will be recognized as such down the line.

Lauren: In the history of modern music, where would you place Michael in importance and cultural influence?

Joe: Culturally, I think Michael ranks alongside the Beatles. I believe he's ahead of Elvis. Michael and the Beatles were not only enormous in their respective eras, but their music has the kind of depth and diversity required to inspire generation after generation.

Lauren: How much of the man do you find in the music?  Did your impressions and beliefs in who he was change in any way?

Joe: Michael believed the best way people could understand him was through his art. I found that to be the case. Everything essential comes out in his work.

Lauren: Was there anything you learned while doing your research that surprised you? How did that affect you?

Joe: There were many surprises. What happens is when you really focus on an individual song and album, layer after layer after layer reveals itself. I could have written entire books on each album.

Lauren: I understand that you teach at the University of Rochester.  How do your students react to your insights into tracks like "Man in the Mirror" or "Black or White"? Do you find high interest and response from them to any one particular release or short film?

Joe: My students have really enjoyed learning about Michael. So many important issues/ideas come out of his work. We often compare "Black or White" to Blake's, Songs of Innocence and Experience. I think much of MJ's work can be interpreted fruitfully through that lens where there is a constant tension/interplay between these contrary states.

Lauren: Have you had any resistance from your faculty, students or the parents of your students to what you teach about Michael and his music?

Joe: Not at all.

Lauren: What do you feel is the importance of continuing Michael's legacy? What do you see as the primary things that ordinary people can learn, and take away from his body of work?

Joe: My more complete answer to that question is in my book, but in short, I believe Michael's work is about liberation. He refused to accept the world as it is; he wanted it to be more aware, in tune, connected, fair, loving, creative, and free.

Lauren: How has your lengthy research affected you personally?

Joe: I am inspired by great artists and great art, so exploring one of the great artists of our time in this kind of depth has had a profound impact on me. It's taken a lot of time and sacrifice, but I feel lucky to have done it. It's been very rewarding.

Lauren: Are you aware of the hunger that fans have for positive, in-depth studies about Michael, and his work and contributions?

Joe: Absolutely! Michael's fans are often depicted as mindless and crazy. And while there are certainly some live up to the stereotype, the vast majorities I have come in contact with are thoughtful, intelligent, and eager to get beyond the celebrity infatuation to the art and the human being.

Lauren: What are your thoughts of Michael as a social activist?

Joe: Well, he obviously did a great deal and in a variety of ways. For all of his supposed narcissism, I can't think of another pop star who more consistently looked outward and genuinely tried to change the world. Has anyone from the entertainment world been a fiercer media critic; a stronger advocate for children? "Earth Song" in my opinion, is the most significant anthem of our age. Think of how prescient and powerful that song was (and continues to be).

Lauren: Have you encountered negative responses to your endeavors or are you finding open minds and interest in your work?

Joe: There is always negativity, but I've been overwhelmed and humbled by how positive the reaction has been.

Lauren: How do you compare Michael with MJ's previous releases? Do you think his collaborators and friends got it right?

Joe: Posthumous albums will never compare to the albums MJ completed while alive. I would personally like to see all of his unfinished work released exactly as he left it, then, I don't mind what happens from there in terms of new mixes, remixes, etc. I like hearing different takes. Transparency is the key, especially when dealing with someone of Michael's historical import.

Lauren: Do you have an opinion on why the media have concentrated their efforts to report on all the perceived negative aspects of Michael's life, bypassing his artistic achievements, and all but ignoring his humanitarian efforts?

Joe: I talk about this a lot in the book. The reasons are complex, but essentially, Michael was so different and unique as both an artist and a person, that many people couldn't wrap their minds around him. He didn't fit into the boxes we like people to fit into. So instead they reduced him, caricatured him, exploited him, and denied him of his complexity, depth, humanity, and artistry.

Lauren: When you speak about how people and the media did not understand Michael, and how he was so unfairly treated and marginalized, what is your opinion on how the issue of racism may have been a factor?

Joe: I think there were certainly strains of racism. Even though he broke barriers on MTV and radio, there was still a double standard in terms of how predominantly white music critics assessed him and his work. He was often dismissed as a "commercial" entertainer rather than an artist, which is a stereotype with a long racial history. Same with the perception that he was a singer, but not a songwriter. Same with "dance music/R&B" vs. rock. The assumption from some critics is that black artists aren't as cerebral or creative. Some people, including executives, were also threatened by his enormous success and power, particularly after his acquisition of the Beatles/ATV catalog. Of course, it's more complicated than just race, but there is no question for me that race played a part.

Lauren: What do you think about the fans who have come together since Michael died, and their efforts to reinstate his character and name, and who are working hard to continue all aspects of his legacy?

Joe: Michael has a very impressive and effective fan base when they put their minds to something. For those who think of Michael as a mere celebrity or pop star, it speaks volumes that his fans continue to fight for all the causes that were important to him, from social justice to peace to media fairness to environmental issues to children's rights.

Lauren: And lastly, what do you hope your readers learn and appreciate about Michael, and his body of work as revealed through your book?

Joe: I want Michael to be recognized for what he was and is: one of the most significant artists of the past century. Hopefully the book gives people an in-depth window into why.
Joseph Vogel
Department of English
University of Rochester
Rush Rhees 324
Rochester, NY 14627

By Lauren Trainor

http://mjtpmagazine.presspublisher.us/

http://www.michaeljacksontributeportrait.com/

Michael Jackson:A Living Legacy