Michael Jackson interviewer Martin Bashir - BUSTED! (1 Viewer)

[Malcolm R]

If 5 million Americans bought "Invincible" ....

And they haven't. "Invincible" has only been certified for shipments of 2 million copies. Notice that's just "shipments" (i.e. copies shipped to stores), not actual sales of those copies to living, breathing customers.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

I can't understand for the life of me why more people aren't suspicious of the parents who basically extorted millions of dollars from MJ - people do that quite often you know. Everyone automatically assumes that since he paid out millions of dollars, it must be true. I would not be surprised that once the alleged victim becomes a mature adult that he admits that alot of his response was "coached" from his "gold digging", opportunistic parents who seized a perfect opportunity to make the great "cash-in" of a lifetime. It is obvious from some of the posts here that some of you probably have always, and will always hate MJ no matter what, but where's the evidence that he molested the child? Where are the other children w/ concrete evidence of molestation? Where are the witnesses? This guy is being judged negatively out of sheer conjecture and speculation.

Is MJ a weirdo? Yes. But I also know alot of other celebrity weirdos...and guess what?...So do you. But we like to pick on MJ because he's an easy target, and he makes us feel better about the other weirdos that we know and love, but really shouldn't.

Yes, I am defending MJ, and there's nothing wrong w/ that. I do not believe that MJ is or was a child molester. I am more suspicious of the alleged victim's parents. Why do people belive media hype w/ MJ, but comdemn it when it comes to other celebrities. If you have damning evidence of MJ's guilt outside of the clowns that have been paraded on the recent TV exclusives, I'd like to hear it. And just in case some of you are wondering, yes O.J. did it.:p)

 

[Kevin Alexander]

And they haven't. "Invincible" has only been certified for shipments of 2 million copies. Notice that's just "shipments" (i.e. copies shipped to stores), not actual sales of those copies to living, breathing customers.

MJ outdid himself w/ the "Thriller" Album - it has gone Platinum something like 26 times over. After a recording of that magnitude, there is always going to be pressure w/ every other recording after that to produce something along the calibur of "Thriller". MJ probably knows that will never happen w/ him again - unless he dies soon. If that happens, there probably won't be a MJ recording on the shelf for a while anywhere due to the sell-out.

MJ's music doesn't sell as well as expected now because popular music has changed over the years. The irony w/ MJ is that he was the catalyst that fueled the change starting w/ "Thriller" in the early 80's - not only in music, but in music videos as well. Like it or not, MJ is a living legend in his own time. And sad to say, today's generation won't really appreciate the impact he had on music, as a producer and entertainer extraordinaire, until he's dead.

 

[Christopher P]

Just in case anyone cares, I started a thread in the Music Area where we could discuss Jackson as a musician without getting bogged down in all this other crap. Sometimes it is hard to separate the 2, but I'd like peoples opinions on him solely as a musical artist.

Chris

 

[JasonRH]

But we like to pick on MJ because he's an easy target

He's an easy target because he admits to having children "share his bed". You can defend his career all you want but please don't suggest that it isn't warranted for people to question his motives in his personal life. I, frankly, am disturbed that anyone would defend someone who does something so inappropriate. I'm not saying he molested anyone for sure, but even if he hasn't, you have to admit that his behaviour is vastly inappropriate and should be scrutinized.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Christopher P, now you wouldn't happen to be hi-jacking my thread and refering to the responses here as crap would you?

 

[Kevin Alexander]

he admits to having children "share his bed".

Honestly Jason, would a child molester admit to "sharing his bed" w/ a youngster - if that's indeed what he said? And yes it is inappropriate. But the fact that he would admit something like that (if he did) would suggest to a reasonable person that while that is inappropriate behavior, there was nothing sexual about it - just a weirdo who by his own admission is reliving his childhood who has had young people to sleep w/ him in his bed. Granted that should never happen and no young person should sleep w/ MJ, but considering his admitted state of mind (which I believe to not be of a sexually agressive nature towards kids), I personally don't feel that he's a child molester, even though I could see why people would conclude that.

 

[JasonRH]

Kevin,
I have no idea what a child molestor admits to. Clearly Jackson has to admit to "sharing his bed" because the children that he has there no doubt tell their parents or someone where they stay. As I said, I don't know if he has molested anyone or not (yet) but I think his behaviour is inappropriate enough that he should be scrutinized for it, don't you?

 

[Morgan Jolley]

...has had young people to sleep w/ him in his bed

In the original interview with Bashir, Michael said that he shares his bed by letting kids sleep in it while he sleeps on the floor. He sits in bed with them, gives them warm milk and cookies, reads them a bedtime story, and then the child sleeps in the bed while he sleeps on the floor.

And even so, you have to wonder if he would be molesting children with all the people who work there being around all the time. Someone would see him doing it, and then they'd tell someone or sell their story for money. Considering the negative history Jackson has, the person would be looked at as saving children from him, not as being a narc.

 

[JasonRH]

Kevin,
As I said, I don't know that he did anything to those children or not so I am not going to condemn him yet. I will say that, I think, his behaviour (along with past allegations, whether you believe them or not) is enough to warrant concern. There is also the possibilty that something could happen that hasn't yet and that is what worries me. I hope you're right and that he does not have sexual tendencies toward children, but I don't think it's worth taking the chance that he does. Anyway, I can agree to disagree with you on this but I can say that his actions genuinely disturb me. I think Bashir may have been trying to choose only the most damning things to include in the original special but, even taken with the rest of the more positive comments, they remain disturbing.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Jason, you're absolutely right. And yes this is unacceptable behavior, I'm not arguing w/ that. No child - not my child, your child, or any other should be in the bed w/ anyone but loving, caring, well-intentioned parents. But there is no evidence to suggest that MJ continues to "share his bed" w/ children. I would like to think that he learned a hard lesson 10 years ago that he has to protect himslf from allegations such as these. I think damaging and slanderous info (partly of his own doing) was made availiable in the early 90's that cost him a fortune and his good name, and he would be stupid if he were continuing to do the same thing today. I would assume the sleep-overs ended a long time ago, but people carry on like he still continues to share his bed w/ kids today.

 

[JasonRH]

Kevin, how recent was the special made? I assumed it was current enough that what he was saying was current? He had a boy on the special that mentioned staying over so I thought it was still going on.

 

[Kevin Alexander]

Jason, The child you heard about was in full view of the parent who stayed there over several days as well.

 

[JasonRH]

ok

 

[Eric F]

You have to feel sorry for Michael in one sesne because his father was very much responsible for making him what he is- His father fed him growth stunting drugs for much of his childhood. Along with the constant beatings the Jackson family had more than enough issues.

On the otherhand, there's no excuse for abhorrant behavior regardless of your past- part being human is being civilized- rising above your nature- if he can't do this he deserves to be thrown in jail, institutionalized, whatever it takes to remove him from society.

Michael has grown up abused and sheltered and is now paying for it. If Michael is a sexual predator as many make him out to be, his father should be as much responsible for his crimes as he is.

 

[florence franks]

You know if this was woman i really wonder how much of these assumptions that it has to be sexual would exist.

Anyway, sales side:


According to a press release by Epic Records the album 'Invincible' has meanwhile reached sales in excess of 5.2 million units worldwide.

USA

The album 'Invincible' shot to #1 in the USA with 366.272 units sold in the first week.
In the second week 'Invincible' reached #3 with 202.341 units sold.

On December 3, 2001 the 'Recording Industry Association of America' (RIAA) certified the album 'Invincible' Platinum for 1.000.000+ units sold. On January 25, 2002 'Invincible' went Multi Platinum in the USA with sales of over 2.0 million units.

Australia

In Australia 'Invincible' reached not only #1 but also Platinum in the first week with 70.000+ units sold.

In the charts beginning with the 3rd of December 'Invincible' is listed as #15 and with 2x Platinum, so 140.000+ units sold. The single 'You Rock My World' has reached 'Gold' status with 35.000+ units sold.

Europe

According to ifpi until November 2001, the album 'Invincible' has been awarded five gold and eight platinum awards across europe. 'Invincible' has sold 2.000.000+ copies and is claiming a double Platinum Europe Award.

Note: ifpi is the organisation representing the international recording industry, with 1400 member record companies and affiliated national groups in 46 countries.

Germany

'Invincible' went straight to the top of the charts and sold 300.000+ units in the first week, reaching Platinum.

Spain

'Invincible' reached #2 in the first week, selling 100.000+ units.

Turkey

'Invincible' topped the charts in the first week. The album has reached Platinum in the meantime and has been sold more than 100.000 units until the end of March 2002.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

And McDonalds sells more hamburgers than anybody...doesn't say anything about quality. I thought this thread was about the interview. :rolleyes

 

[Christopher P]

Yeah, and my thread in the Music Area should be about the music.....dorks :p)

Chris

 

[Malcolm R]

On December 3, 2001 the 'Recording Industry Association of America' (RIAA) certified the album 'Invincible' Platinum for 1.000.000+ units sold. On January 25, 2002 'Invincible' went Multi Platinum in the USA with sales of over 2.0 million units.

RIAA doesn't certify sales, only wholesale shipments. Many thousands of those copies are likely still sitting in stores.

 

[RobertW]

if he wasn't michael jackson, do you think he could admit that he shares his bed with children, and not have authorities get involved? if your 44 year old neighbor told you he has sleepovers with 13 year old boys, what would you think? would you call the cops? would you let your kid stay there?

and why is it only young boys? how come no pictures of michael jackson with young girls? if it's truly about his love and caring for children, he should care for both sexes equally, no?