Okay, so we watched “The Micheal Jackson Interview: The Footage You Weren’t Meant to See” last night. The tone of the show was set early when the host walked out and I groaned. “Who’s he?” asked the Snook. “Maury friggin’ Povich,” I answered. “He was Jerry Springer before Jerry Springer was Jerry Springer.” In other words, journalistic integrity did not seem to be a priority. (What, Geraldo wasn’t available?) Anyhoo, over the next two hours Povich proceeded to show us questions and bits of the interviews that were left out. I have to admit, Micheal did seem to have a point. Bashir gave every impression that he (like the rest of Jackson’s entourage) thought Jackson was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Bashir praised Jackson for his parenting abilities and sympathised with him about unscrupulous tabloid journalists. I can see where Jackson would’ve been shocked at the tone of the final edit.
The show also included a number of interviews with people around Micheal Jackson: his parents, his make-up artist, etc. I was most interested in Debbie Rowe (his former wife and the mother of his children). I kinda wanted to see how she’d justify the whole “giving my babies to Micheal Jackson” thing. Turns out that I actually kinda understand her reasoning. He was her friend and he wanted kids, so she had them for him. I’ve jokingly made similar offers to gay friends in the past. So I can kinda see that. Overall Rowe came off a lot less weird than I expected.
As I summarized below, the overall impression I had after the show was, yeah, Martin Bashir is sort of a jerk, but that doesn’t mean Micheal is any less weird. In fact, some of the extra material they showed made him sound even more wacky. (“The chimps help you clean the house? Sure, Snow White.”) I also liked the bit at the very very end, where Povich read some statement from Bashir that he really liked Micheal and he’d never seen him do anything illegal. It was so obviously such a “See? It’s not libel!” moment. Way to cover your ass, Povich.
(You know how you’re supposed to add “… in bed!” to the end of your fortune cookie fortunes? Well, I inadvertantly invented a new version of that game for use with this show. It was during an interview with Jackson’s makeup artist and she was all, “Bashirs will come and go, but Micheal… He will live forever.” And I snorted, “Yeah… in his hyperbaric chamber!” It was really funny at the time. You can tack it on just about every soundbite in this stupid show for added amusement. I recommend it.)
Claire
February 26, 2003 — 3:36 pm
I watched that show last night too, and I thought it was the cheesiest, most pathetic Hollywood-style corn I’d ever seen. And it was sooo unconvincing: even though Bashir may have put a negative spin on the first documentary, it was ultimately Michael himself who dug his own grave, openly admitting to all that weird stuff. There wasn’t a single moment in last night’s show that made me even slightly think, ‘oh, so that’s what really happened!’. Bashir didn’t lie about anything – MJ is just a crazy old (wo)man…. in his hyperbaric chamber!
By the way, I’m becoming really disturbed at how hooked I am on this whole Michael Jackson thing. It’s kind of funny to think how millions of people around the world, even credible newspapers, are debating the sanity of some washed-up loony popstar 🙂
Kris
February 26, 2003 — 4:08 pm
You didn’t think Bashir came out looking slightly bad? Sure, he didn’t deliberately lie about anything, but he just looked kinda smarmy kissing Micheal’s ass and all while knowing that he was gonna play up the “psycho” angle in the final cut. I just thought the whole thing was really trashy. Or maybe you’re just hearing the vestiges of my second grade crush on Micheal Jackson… *embarrassed*
tracey
February 26, 2003 — 4:31 pm
I hope this is the last ‘show’ that we’ll see on all this – though i know it won’t be. Even if i didn’t watch the program last night, my thoughts on MJ are the same. He’s still a legendary performer in my mind – and he has his own problems just like everyone else. His are just broadcasted out to everyone in the world and distorted in ways he can’t control. If anything, the show last night just showed how munipulating Bashir (and his editors i guess?) is and that there were explanations for most of the things that seemed dodgy to us. Who are we to say what’s normal or weird for him though? We’ll never get to live the life he does and i don’t think we’d want too.
oi vey, the whole thing is like a circus troupe on crack. out of control!
Claire
February 26, 2003 — 8:47 pm
Don’t worry, I had a crush on ‘Slater’ from Saved By The Bell.
rdh
February 27, 2003 — 12:04 am
Im waiting for Amy’s review, knowing her it should be worth the wait. 🙂
aim
February 27, 2003 — 12:21 am
nope, i didn’t even see it. but maury povich USED to be alright. you all remember when he did those *serious* topics and everybody cried on his show. re: mj, kris – it’s michAel, dude. and i agree with tracey. jackson’s brilliant – who of us can honestly look back to their childhood and say they DIDN’T like him or his music? i haven’t met anyone yet. he’s still a weirdo.
Kris
February 27, 2003 — 12:56 pm
Rodd was helping me look through albums to make album cover purses at the Glebe Markets last weekend, and he found a copy of “Thriller”. He offered it to me and I was like, “Okay, first, that’s SACRILEGE.” (to cut it up) “And second, if I were going to do that, I’d use my copy from home that has ‘He’s the greatest!’ scrawled on the inside cover in my second grade handwriting.” He thought that was pretty funny.
saaji
March 6, 2003 — 11:41 am
Michael is great guy, a good performer in my eyes who thrilled other people through his perfomance. But now just because he is different from other people does not make him a freak. He just wants to be normal but he cant be so when he does stuff people name him weirdo.Even though Jackson is like my mun’s generation i still like this guy, anf not that Bashir guy who is a wacko himself who over exaggerate on stuff like the part when MJ said he like to share his bed with kids, thats just luv not sex! I LUV YA MJ!
renuka
March 6, 2003 — 11:55 am
i agree with saaji! michael rox no matter wateva any1 sayz. i still lov him. he’s so innocent, juz like a kid himself. how can ya’ll blame him 4 dumb stuff like that. thus is sickening! that interviewer-wateva-his-name-is- was like making me mad. yeah it’s his job, soooo? does dat make him innocent?y do ppl tink sex wen the word bed is mentioned???i juz dun understand!!! i wanted 2 give him a huge chunk of my mind, unfortunately i dun noe him dat well OR ELSE>>>> o well i hope michael was’nt hurt or anythin’!wen he said he was gonna adopt 2 kids from each continent, i was like o my god!! pick me……..!!!!!!!!!!! but i ;lIluv MJ!>>>>>
Kristen
March 6, 2003 — 12:12 pm
renuka – people will take your arguments more seriously if you learn to spell and write properly.
Erma
March 6, 2003 — 1:02 pm
I agree with Kristen, otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here chuckling.
Kris
March 6, 2003 — 3:14 pm
Heh. Normally this would fall under my “delete comments from people who use multiple exclamation points” rule, but you guys’ smackdown is too funny. 🙂
Kris
March 6, 2003 — 3:27 pm
Also note – both of those comments came from the exact same IP address. Perhaps Jackson’s fans all have multiple personalities?