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Article that discusses the idea that Michael didn't build Neverland with the good intentions that the public thought, but to groom children into being intimate with him. This constructs a extremely negative image to someone who's previously been seen as positive.

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Michael Jackson's vast former home had a petting zoo, fairground rides, and plenty of places to hide. And now it can be yours for $31 million

There was Thriller, and there was Bad, and then there was Neverland. Michael Jackson was a pop star, but it was a fantastical playground that he became known for creating. Throughout the Nineties, Neverland, the enormous 2,700-acre retreat nestled in the wilds of California's Santa Ynez valley, became an integral part of Jackson's image as an extraordinarily talented lost boy, a showbiz titan without a childhood who grew up to share his absent youth with the more needy.

In the wake of Leaving Neverland, a startling new documentary on the alleged victims...

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'A perfect situation for a paedophile': how Michael Jackson built Neverland

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Michael Jackson's vast former home had a petting zoo, fairground rides, and plenty of places to hide. And now it can be yours for $31 million There was Thriller, and there was Bad, and then there was Neverland. Michael Jackson was a pop star, but it was a fantastical playground that he became known for creating.

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Personal experience of one man's trip to Michael's property, "Neverland". He is described as "magical" and his resort was something that no-one had seen anything like before. This supports the image of out of the ordinary.

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In the wider part of the valley, the empty fairground rides were active - twinkling, musical - but empty: Sea Dragon, the Neverland Dodgem cars, the Neverland carrousel playing Michael's own song, Childhood ("Has anyone seen my childhood?..."). Even the lawns and flower beds were playing music; loudspeakers disguised as big, grey rocks buzzed with showtunes, filling the valley with unstoppable Muzak that drowned the chirping of wild birds. In the middle of it, a Jumbotron, its screen the size of a drive-in movie, showed a cartoon, two crazy-faced creatures quacking miserably at each other - all of this very bright in the cloudless California dusk, not a soul watching.

Later that day, I boarded a helicopter with Elizabeth Taylor - I was at Neverland interviewing her - and flew over the valley. It says something for Miss Taylor's much-criticised voice that I could hear her clearly over the helicopter noise. Girlish, imploring, piercing, the loud yack-yack-yack of the titanium rotor blades, she clutched her dog, a Maltese named Sugar, and screamed: "Paul, tell the pilot to go around in a circle, so we can see the whole ranch!"

Even without my relaying the message - even with his ears muffled by headphones - her voice knifed through to the pilot. He lifted us high enough into the peach-coloured sunset so that Neverland seemed even more toy-like.

"That's the gazebo, where Larry [Fortensky, her seventh husband] and I tied the knot," Elizabeth said, moving her head in an ironising wobble. Sugar blinked through prettily-combed white bangs which somewhat resembled Elizabeth's own white hair. "Isn't the railway station darling? Over there is where Michael and I have picnics," and she indicated a clump of woods on a cliff. "Can we go around one more time?"

Neverland Valley revolved slowly beneath us, the shadows lengthening from the pinky-gold glow slipping from the sky.

Even though no rain had fallen for months, the acres of lawns watered by underground sprinklers were deep green. Here and there, like toy soldiers, uniformed security people patrolled on foot, or on golf carts; some stood sentry duty - for Neverland was also a fortress.

"What's that railway station for?" I asked.

"The sick children."

"And all those rides?"

"The sick children."

"Look at all those tents..." Hidden in the woods, it was my first glimpse at the collection of tall teepees.

"The Indian village. The sick children love that place."

From this height, I could see that this valley of laboriously recaptured childhood pleasure was crammed with more statuary than I'd seen from ground level. Lining the gravel roads and the golf-cart paths were little winsome bronzes of flute players, rows of grateful, grinning kiddies, clusters of hand-holding tots, some with banjos, some with fishing rods; and large bronze statues, too, like the centrepiece of the circular drive in front of Michael's house, a statue of Mercury (god of merchandise and merchants), rising 30 feet, with winged helmet and caduceus, and all balanced on one tippy-toe, the last of the syrupy sunset lingering on his big bronze buttocks, making his bum look like a buttered muffin.

The house at Neverland was filled with images, many of them depicting Michael life-sized, elaborately costumed, in heroic poses with cape, sword, ruffed collar, crown. The rest were an example of a sort of obsessive iconography: images of Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross, Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin - and for that matter of Mickey Mouse and Peter Pan, all of whom, over the years, in what is less a life than a metamorphosis, he had come physically to resemble.

"So you're Wendy and Michael is Peter?" I had asked Elizabeth Taylor afterwards.

"Yeah. Yeah. There's a kind of magic between us."

The friendship started when, out of the blue, Michael offered her tickets for one of his Thriller Tour concerts - indeed, she asked for 14 tickets. But the seats were in a glass-enclosed VIP box, so far from the stage "you might as well have been watching it on TV". Instead of staying, she led her large party home.

Hearing that she'd left the concert early, Michael called the next day in tears apologising for the bad seats. He stayed on the line, they talked for two hours. And then they talked every day. Weeks passed, the calls continued. Months went by. "Really, we got to know each other on the telephone, over three months."

One day Michael suggested that he might drop by. Elizabeth said fine. He said: "May I bring my chimpanzee?" Elizabeth said, "Sure. I love animals." Michael showed up holding hands with the chimp, Bubbles.

"We have been steadfast ever since," Elizabeth said.

"Do you see much of Michael?"

"More of him than people realise - more than I realise," she said. They went in disguise to movies in Los Angeles cinemas, sitting in the back, holding hands. Before I could frame a more particular question, she said: "I love him. There's a vulnerability inside him which makes him the more dear. We have such fun together. Just playing."

Or role-playing - her Wendy to his Peter. In the hallway of her house, a large Michael Jackson portrait was inscribed "To my True Love Elizabeth. I'll love you Forever, Michael".

She gave him a live elephant. Dr Arnie Klein, his dermatologist, showed me a birthday snapshot taken in Las Vegas, Michael looking distinctly chalky as he presented Elizabeth with a birthday present, an elephant-shaped bauble, football-sized, covered in jewels.

What began as a friendship with Michael Jackson developed into a kind of cause in which Elizabeth Taylor became almost his only defender.

"What about his" - and I fished for a word - "eccentricity? Does that bother you?"

"He is magic. And I think all truly magical people have to have that genuine eccentricity." There is not an atom in her consciousness that allows her the slightest negativity on the subject of Jacko. "He is one of the most loving, sweet, true people I have ever loved. He is part of my heart. And we would do anything for each other."

This Wendy with a vengeance, who was a wealthy and world-famous pre-adolescent, supporting her parents from the age of nine, said she easily related to Michael, who was also a child star, and denied a childhood, as well as viciously abused by his father. There was a "Katherine" steam engine, and a "Katherine Street" at Neverland; there was no "Joseph Street", nor anything bearing his father's name.

'He'll talk to you if I ask him to," Elizabeth had told me. And at a prearranged signal, Michael called me, at four one morning. There was no secretarial intervention of "Mr Jackson on the line". The week's supermarket tabloids' headlines were "Jacko on suicide watch" and "Jacko in loony bin", and one with a South Africa dateline, "Wacko Jacko King of Pop Parasails with 13-year-old". In fact, he was in New York City, where he was recording a new album. This was 10 years ago.

My phone rang and I heard: "This is Michael Jackson." The voice was breathy, unbroken, boyish - tentative, yet tremulously eager and helpful, not the voice of a 40-year-old. In contrast to this lilting sound, its substance was denser, like a blind child giving you explicit directions in darkness.

"How would you describe Elizabeth?" I asked.

"She's a warm cuddly blanket that I love to snuggle up to and cover myself with. I can confide in her and trust her. In my business, you can't trust anyone."

"Why is that?"

"Because you don't know who's your friend. Because you're so popular, and there's so many people around you. You're isolated, too. Becoming successful means that you become a prisoner. You can't go out and do normal things. People are always looking at what you're doing."

"Have you had that experience?"

"Oh, lots of times. They try to see what you're reading, and all the things you're buying. They want to know everything. There are always paparazzi downstairs. They invade my privacy. They twist reality. They're my nightmare. Elizabeth is someone who loves me - really loves me."

"I suggested to her that she was Wendy and you're Peter."

"But Elizabeth is also like a mother - and more than that. She's a friend. She's Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, the Queen of England and Wendy. We have great picnics. It's so wonderful to be with her. I can really relax with her, because we've lived the same life and experienced the same thing."

"Which is?"

"The great tragedy of childhood stars. We like the same things. Circuses. Amusement parks. Animals."

And there was their shared fame and isolation.

"It makes people do strange things. A lot of our famous luminaries become intoxicated because of it - they can't handle it. And your adrenaline is at the zenith of the universe after a concert - you can't sleep. It's maybe two in the morning and you're wide awake. After coming off stage, you're floating."

"How do you handle that?"

"I watch cartoons. I love cartoons. I play video games. Sometimes I read."

"You mean you read books?"

"Yeah. I love to read short stories and everything."

"Any in particular?"

"Somerset Maugham," he said quickly, and then, pausing at each name: "Whitman. Hemingway. Twain."

"What about those video games?"

"I love X-Man. Pinball. Jurassic Park. The martial arts ones - Mortal Kombat."

"I played some of the video games at Neverland," I said. "There was an amazing one called Beast Buster."

"Oh, yeah, that's great. I pick each game. That one's maybe too violent, though. I usually take some with me on tour."

"How do you manage that? The video game machines are pretty big, aren't they?"

"Oh, we travel with two cargo planes."

"Have you written any songs with Elizabeth in mind?"

" Childhood."

"Is that the one with the line, 'Has anyone seen my childhood?'"

"Yes. It goes...", and he liltingly recited "Before you judge me, try to...", and then sang the rest.

"Didn't I hear that playing on your merry-go-round at Neverland?"

Delightedly, he said, "Yes! Yes!"

He went on about childhood, how, like Elizabeth, as a child star he used to support his family.

"I was a child supporting my family. My father took the money. Some of the money was put aside for me, but a lot of the money was put back into the entire family. I was just working the whole time."

"So you didn't have a childhood, then - you lost it. If you had it to do again how would you change things?"

"Even though I missed out on a lot, I wouldn't change anything."

"I can hear your little kids in the background." The gurgling had become insistent, like a plug-hole in a flood. "If they wanted to be performers and lead the life you led, what would you say?"

"They can do whatever they want to do. If they want to do that, it's okay."

"How will you raise them differently from the way you were raised?"

"With more fun. More love. Not so isolated."

"Elizabeth says she finds it painful to look back on her life. Do you find it hard to do that?"

"No, not when it's pertaining to an overview of your life rather than any particular moment."

This oblique and somewhat bookish form of expression was a surprise to me - another Michael Jackson surprise. He had made me pause with "intoxicated" and "zenith of the universe", too. I said: "I'm not too sure what you mean by 'overview'."

"Like childhood. I can look at that. The arc of my childhood."

"But there's some moment in childhood when you feel particularly vulnerable. Did you feel that? Elizabeth said that she felt she was owned by the studio."

"Sometimes really late at night we'd have to go out - it might be three in the morning - to do a show. My father forced us. He would get us up. I was seven or eight. Some of these were clubs or private parties at people's houses. We'd have to perform." This was in Chicago, New York, Indiana, Philadelphia, he added - all over the country. "I'd be sleeping and I'd hear my father. 'Get up! There's a show!' "

"But when you were on stage, didn't you get a kind of thrill?"

"Yes. I loved being on stage. I loved doing the shows."

"What about the other side of the business - if someone came up after the show, did you feel awkward?"

"I didn't like it. I've never liked people-contact. Even to this day, after a show, I hate it, meeting people. It makes me shy. I don't know what to say."

"But you did that Oprah interview, right?

"With Oprah it was tough. Because it was on TV - on TV, it's out of my realm. I know that everyone is looking and judging. It's so hard."

"Is this a recent feeling - that you're under scrutiny?"

"No," he said firmly, "I have always felt that way."

"Even when you were seven or eight?"

"I'm not happy doing it."

"Which I suppose is why talking to Elizabeth over a period of two or three months on the phone would be the perfect way to get acquainted. Or doing what we're doing right now."

"Yes."

At some point Michael's use of the phrase "lost childhood" prompted me to quote the line from George William Russell, "In the lost boyhood of Judas / Christ was betrayed", and I heard "Wow" at the other end of the line. He asked me to explain what that meant, and when I did, he urged me to elaborate. What sort of a childhood did Judas have? What had happened to him? Where had he lived? Who had he known?

I told him that Judas had red hair, that he was the treasurer of the Apostles, that he might have been Sicarii - a member of a radical Jewish group, that he might not have died by hanging himself but somehow exploded, all his guts flying.

Twenty more minutes of Biblical apocrypha with Michael Jackson, on the lost childhood of Judas, and then the whisper again.

"Wow."

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My trip to Neverland, and the call from Michael Jackson I'll never forget, by Paul Theroux

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After the eminent American writer was given a rare tour of Michael Jackson's fabled ranch, the singer telephoned him in the early hours for a chat. Here, Paul Theroux recalls an unguarded conversation that touched on fame, childhood and Biblical betrayal.

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Interview with Jackson about his plastic surgery, to which he states he has "only had plastic surgery on his nose." This constructs a dishonest image of him, as it is obvious that this is not the case.

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Michael Jackson Talks on plastic surgery

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Describes the ways in which Jackson's legacy still lives on, through "setting the bar that every subsequent pop album measures itself against." Ultimately describing his influence of being one of the biggest pop stars of all time.

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13 Ways Michael Jackson's Legacy Lives On After His Death

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The Guardian explains how Michael was one of the first black artists to break-through the music industry. Regardless of the controversial scandals of his changing skin colour, it celebrates that his musical influence was a starting point for the introduction of black musicians on mediated platforms. This constructs star image as it reveals how much social and cultural power was held by him.

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Michael Jackson was the first black superstar of the post civil-rights era

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Michael Jackson was the first black superstar of the post civil-rights era, writes Gary Younge

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Fan forum celebrating the legacy of Michael Jackson. This proves that his legacy has stood the test of time as there includsposts from 2017 therefore was clearly iconic.

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MJJCommunity - Michael Jackson Community Official Fan Club Forum

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Here we will as a community honour Michael's legacy, allowing us to put the message out that Michael was a legendary Icon for all, whether that be in Music and dance or his beyond doubt extra ordinary efforts to those that suffered in our world especially the children.

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Article describing the titles that Jackson was given due to his various charity work. He had a large amount of respect from people of all backgrounds, and constantly doing things to keep up his generous good-guy public image.

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JACKSONVILLE, Alabama - When it comes to music, one should automatically be accustomed to the four-syllable term: Michael Jackson. Philanthropically, no one has been more deserving than the undisputable King of Pop, whose legendary singles have left an eternal impact on pop music and whose donations have showcased his dedication to the betterment of people's lives.

The "Thriller" megastar first attained national recognition as a philanthropist by the release of the 1984 collaborative recording, "We Are the World."

The 7.3 million-seller featured an array of musicians that collectively branded themselves the United Support of Artists (USA) for Africa. Proceeds collected from the chart-topping hit estimated at $60 million, where all funds were donated in alleviation of hunger crises in the developing world.

Although the artistic pact would soon subside, representatives for the now defunct USA for Africa launched and supported several spin-off projects to surge further awareness of accompanying world crises. Among the designated projects included the 1986 campaign Hands across America, which managed to raise over $30 million and feature a benefit concert headlined by Michael Jackson.

Later in 1984, Jackson reportedly donated a share of his proceeds from another musical project, specifically his touring venues from fellow Jackson brothers' "Victory Tour." Michael "the Gloved One" reportedly donated his proceeds (estimated at more than $5 million according to People magazine) to organizations like Camp Good Times, the T.J. Martell Foundation and United Negro College Fund (UNCF).

UNCF would go on to receive over 97 sponsored-scholarship funds and a separate $1.1 million donation from "the Gloved One" throughout the mid- to late-1980s. Among the scholarship funds included the esteemed Michael Jackson Scholarship, which caters to selected candidates majoring in performing arts or communications.

The remaining aforementioned recipients, T.J. Martell Foundation and Camp Good Times, would donate their services to leukemia research and juvenile cancer sufferers, respectively. The latter would also become a heavy recipient of proceeds garnered from Jackson's humanitarian anthem "Man in the Mirror," which exposed the extreme poverty horrors occurring in international regions.

In 1992, the "Beat It" musician collaborated with soda Pepsi-Co to launch the decade-lasting charitable foundation Heal the World, which worked to aid disadvantaged children and AIDS sufferers across the globe.

One of Heal the World Foundation's notable attainments is the $100 million in proceeds from Jackson's "Dangerous World Tour" being donated to Heal the World among other respective organizations dedicated in healing those suffering from diabetes and AIDS. Another major accomplishment yielded by the foundation included the $1.25 million launched offspring project Heal L.A., which serviced inner-city Los Angeles youths with prevention programs specializing in vaccinations, mentorship and drug prevention.

The sincere work Michael Jackson put into become a step closer in his goal of bettering all disadvantaged lives earned him several accolades and recognitions.

In 1984, during the wake of global success with "Thriller, Jackson was awarded the Presidential Public Safety Communication Award by former United States President Reagan, for allowing use of his crossover smash "Beat It" in campaigns combating teen drinking and driving.

In 1990, the "HIStory" phenomenon was granted a Boy Scout Award in his name titled "Michael Jackson Good Scout Humanitarian Award" for his stride to integrate lower-income children into the Boy Scouting program.

Two years later, Jackson was awarded the Medal of Honor and the "King of Sani" title in western African villages for his role in visiting countless hospitals and orphanages filled with disabled children.

Among further accolades, the "Billie Jean" entertainer was bestowed with the "Points of Light Ambassador" award by former United States President Bush, in honor of Jackson assisting disabled children at his Neverland home.

In 1993 and 1995, Jackson was recognized for his charitable establishment Heal the World Foundation by the Soul Train Awards and Vh1, as celebration of his humanitarian activities.

But perhaps the most honorable achievement came in 2000 when Michael Jackson was credited as the world record holder for "Most Charities Supported by a Pop Star," by the Guinness Book of World Records.

With the honors rolling in, Michael Jackson went back to the recording booth in 2001 to assemble another charitable anthem; a project known as "What More Can I Give," in memory of those killed in the 9/11 attacks.

Though the release went physically unavailable by conflict of business terms, the early 2000s cut managed to produce a benefit concert that reeled in musical performances from Jackson himself alongside fellow entertainers such as Mariah Carey, *NSYNC, Mya, Train, Pink, Diddy and Rod Stewart, among others. Proceeds from the performances would go on to support organizations like the American Red Cross Liberty Relief Fund and the Salvation Army Relief Fund to apprehend individuals planning terrorist attacks.

Among other recordings, the redefining pop juggernaut readied "From the Bottom of My Heart (I Have This Dream)" as a potential aid single to Hurricane Katrina victims. Due to unknown reasons, the record, which was slated to be due out in 2006 with vocal assistance from the likes of Ciara, Babyface and a tentative Missy Elliott, never saw the light of day.

As the years passed, there was no prediction of what Jackson's next generous contribution would be, when in June 25, 2009, the reigning pop icon died of complications related to cardiac arrest.

Following news of the star's devastating death, honorable recognition would immediately flourish into the donative department with several awards and different organizations being commemorated in both his name and memory.

Most recently, on May 19, 2015, the Michael Jackson Scholarship Fund was revamped by UNCF to support those majoring in social sciences and performing arts with a $5,000 financial award.

Whether he was voicing awareness for world hunger and environmental preservation in timeless tunes like "Man in the Mirror" and "Earth Song," or combating street violence and racism with the ear-catching numbers "Beat It" and "They Don't Care about Us," the unduplicated Michael Jackson managed to make global audiences aware of social issues through recordings, visuals, dances and most undoubtedly his philanthropic actions.

A trendsetting figure who held the world's very attention in the palm of his hand, the unmatched King of Pop's dream for a better place will hopefully inspire forthcoming generations of admirers to take on the moonwalking journey he first started and planned to finish in "healing the world."

- Jeff Varner

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JACKSONVILLE, Alabama - When it comes to music, one should automatically be accustomed to the four-syllable term: Michael Jackson. Philanthropically, no one has been more deserving than the undisputable King of Pop, whose legendary singles have left an eternal impact on pop music and whose donations have showcased his dedication to the betterment of people's lives.

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'Heal the World' foundation was a charity (now defunct) that Jackson set up in order to help disadvantaged children. This maintains his good guy image as he was always wanting to use his fortune to help those in need.

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Our 2013 global project was helping the youth of Cambodia. Throughout the year we raised approximately $4,000 and used every penny of that fund to fulfill the needs of some very deserving Cambodians at the Savong Orphan Center and Student Center. We had a party for about 100 kids and teens. They prepared a ceremony for us which included singing Heal The World. Dinner was served followed by hours of dancing and lots of fun. Some of the girls at the Savong Student Center are currently living in... Read More

Put on your roller skates and help heal the world! 100% of proceeds from this night will go towards our Cambodia project! HTWFC is teaming up with Savong Foundation to visit their students and orphans in Siem Reap Cambodia. We will visit 38 underprivileged kids that live at the Savong Home and Education Center, and 11 older students at the Savong Student Center. 100% of donations we receive for Cambodia will be spent on fulfilling needs for these children/teens. (Travel costs and other expenses... Read More

We've recently had new people discover and inquire about our organization, so we thought we give you a quick summary! We are a registered international charity operating in several locations around the world. We have local events annually such as the Children's Festival, Hospital Visits and tree planting events. Recently we implemented global projects such as aiding Africa and Cambodia. In 2012 we shipped hospital supplies and other necessary items to Sierra Leone. In 2013 we'll be... Read More

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Our 2013 global project was helping the youth of Cambodia. Throughout the year we raised approximately $4,000 and used every penny of that fund to fulfill the needs of some very deserving Cambodians at the Savong Orphan Center and Student Center. We had a party for about 100 kids and teens.

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'Wacko Jacko" was a name that Jackson was called numerous times in the press. His mediated persona, whilst still popular, was seen as unusual and abstract.

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Jackson constructed his star image through the controversial press. The media, bad or good, was making him more famous. This fact still supports the image of success that he distributed throughout his whole life.

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*Updated 2018

The magnetism of Michael Jackson's music is undeniable. With a career spanning four decades, Michael sold over 750 million albums worldwide, scored 13 number one singles and won 13 Grammy Awards to match. But statistics alone are not enough to establish a legacy.

Jackson was dogged by controversy - the artist's eccentricities, questionable relationships and accusations of sexual abuse were a constant source of spectacle and public comment. The fact that Jackson's Wikipedia page is the world's third most edited (he places just after Jesus) demonstrates the fervor with which the global public still debates Jackson's legacy.

So, should Jackson be remembered as an artistic and philanthropic giant, or did Jackson earn the shadow cast upon him? Here are three arguments for each side.
Jackson's larger than life take on performance chiseled the path of modern artistry.
Jackson revolutionized music videos and live performance. He pioneered a new era in music video, enchanting audiences with cinematic and special effects marvels like "Thriller," "Black or White" and "Scream." He even to dazzle audiences on his multi-million dollar tours. Jackson once said: "An artist's imagination is his greatest tool. It can... transport you to a different place altogether." To be sure, Jackson was a master of transporting his audiences to places they'd never imagined. This feat has been globally recognized; in fact, London's National Portrait Gallery recently opened an exhibit dedicated to the King of Pop's artistry, displaying his legacy alongside the likes of other iconic artists like Andy Warhol and Frida Kahlo.
He set the tone of modern celebrity philanthropy.
Jackson gave millions in charity and was one of the first celebrities to establish his own charitable foundation. He used his star power to rally other performers to charity anthems like "Heal the World" and "We are the World." His commitment to social justice was a recurring theme in his music. By setting an example of giving and arousing social consciousness with songs like "Man in the Mirror" and "They Don't Really Care About Us," Jackson popularized an ethos of harmony and shared responsibility.
Controversy had cash value when it came to MJ.
Jackson controversies were (and still are) a multi-million dollar industry. Tabloids buzzed with "Wacko Jacko's" sale-boosting antics. One tell-all author, the artist's former publicist, admitted to writing an unofficial Jackson biography because he was broke. Then, there were the claims of sexual abuse that Jackson settled out of court to the tune of $24 million. Other accusers followed, perhaps looking for a payout. Actor Macaulay Culkin, who was befriended by Jackson as a child, noted the family that had accused Jackson of molestation was quick to "take the money and run" (a reference, no doubt, to the family's refusal to testify in criminal proceedings once a financial settlement had been reached).

Smooth Criminal
Jackson used controversy to generate buzz and celebrity.
Michael Jackson's exploits are well documented and bizarre, even by Hollywood's standards. In the 80's, his chimpanzee, Bubbles, was his constant companion. He built an amusement park in his backyard, had two spur-of-the moment marriages, and frequent changes in his appearance were ever-present in tabloid news. A former Jackson publicist alleged that Jackson's antics were his version of wagging the dog - that Jackson leaked rumors about himself and behaved strangely to build celebrity through spectacle. Later, he tried to create marketing stunts like seeking knighthood from the Queen of England to deflect bad press - namely, accusations of sexual abuse against children.
Jackson's relationships with children who were not his relatives crossed important social boundaries.
A 2002 New York Times article traces Jackson's fading star against the backdrop of his bizarre behavior and accusations of child molestation, correctly noting that while the public is tolerant of artists with addictions, they are intolerant of any form of child abuse. Although Jackson settled the 1993 accusations of sexual abuse out of court and was acquitted of the accusations laid against him in 2003, Michael's bizarre behavior, namely, his unusual relationships with children, underpinned the public's suspicions. After of Michael holding hands with the young boy who would later accuse him of abuse was released o the press, a Gallup pole reported that most Americans believed that the charges leveled against Jackson were true.
Charges of abuse continue to be filed against the singer's estate years after his death.
Even with the allure of a large settlement, the sheer volume of former acquaintances alleging abuse is unsettling. It stands to reason that if money were the only basis for filing frivolous lawsuits against celebrities, as Jackson so frequently claimed, there would be far more suits against far more celebrities. Indeed, when accusations of a particular crime appear in large number against one individual, as with the dozens of assault accusations brought against entertainer Bill Cosby, it is imperative to investigate.

Bottom Line: Michael Jackson's impact on popular culture is immeasurable and enduring. "Thriller" remains the world's most sold album, and Jackson's signature move, the Moonwalk, is as iconic as ever. However, fans must be wary of conflating talent with perfection - even in the presence of a showman as masterful as Jackson. What kind of impact did Jackson have on you?

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Michael Jackson's legacy : Invincible or a Smooth Criminal?

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Michael Jackson was dogged by controversy - the artist's eccentricities, questionable relationships and accusations of sexual abuse were a constant source of spectacle and public comment. Should he be remembered as an artistic and philanthropic giant, or did Jackson earn the shadow cast upon him?

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The Guardian discusses how modern dance is still centered around his moves even after his death. This level of influence after a star dies ultimately proves them to have an iconic image as he has left behind a lasting legacy.

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Michael Jackson: Five years after his death, how his influence lives on

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It's five years since Michael Jackson passed away, and his stardom remains unlikely to ever be eclipsed. Here's how he continues to leave his mark on global culture

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Article discussing how Jackson had lasting impact on dancing. He bridged the gap between 'West Coast street dance and East Coast break dancers' therefore strengthens the point that he was influential and a mediator between cultures.

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When the world saw Michael Jackson do the moonwalk for the first time, it was in a live solo performance of "Billie Jean," following NBC's celebration of 25 years of Motown. The move, though, was already popular among West Coast street dancers who were using a precise, mechanized style of movement called popping. The style included sequences of pulsing or stop-and-start movements.

One of the most widely known dance troupes using the style were the Electric Booglaoos and among their moves were stylized, almost cartoonish walks, including what was called at the time the "backslide," according to performer Toni Basil, who is widely known for the song "Mickey" but was also part of a dance troupe The Lockers.

"In the street, it was old news. The Electric Booglaoos were doing it on Soul Train in the 1970s," said Basil.

Jackson said in his memoir that he learned the move from some friends, and he worked on it in the studio. Because Jackson was such a meticulous dancer - with a capacity for extreme control but also quickness - he gave the moonwalk a slick perfection.

By doing the walk on the national television stage in 1983, Jackson was able to popularize the move in a way that groups like The Electric Booglaoos could not. As inventive and talented as dance groups at the time were, they lacked Jackson's crossover appeal to a mainstream audience.

Photo: Phil Dent/Redferns

Jackson's fame cut across all demographics with the 1982 album Thriller, and "Billie Jean" was one of the top hits from it.

In his first outing with the move, he adapted the moonwalk into his choreography at carefully selected moments within a sequence of moves: There's the moonwalk, followed by a spin and then his trademark toe-stand with its freeze-frame pose that makes the crowd go wild.

"Michael Jackson was really good at doing the robot style and isolations. So he incorporated that into the moonwalk," said Jared Grimes, an entertainer and Broadway dancer.

Jackson made the move a national phenomenon - kids everywhere were imitating him. But the moment is a particular part of dance history because Jackson bridged the gap between West Coast street dance and the East Coast break dancers, who were part of the early days of hip-hop. The moonwalk fit perfectly into the physically demanding, almost gymnastic genre known for floor spins, fast footwork and named steps like the worm.

Even before the moonwalk, though, Jackson had changed the way that Americans interacted with dance. And the change came with the help of MTV, which launched in 1981.

With MTV came videos that gave performers a second, visual platform with which to represent their songs and themselves. Prior to Jackson's "Thriller," videos in which singers danced were rare.

Photo: Steve Granitz/WireImage

Dancing onstage within live performance was one thing, but a video with the high production values of "Billie Jean," "Beat It" or "Thriller" were well-rehearsed, highly choreographed artistic statements.

With the video for "Billie Jean," Jackson established himself as a dancer-singer with his smooth, graceful walks, spins and poses as he moves through a desolate cityscape in a tuxedo.

"Beat It" and "Thriller," though, feature him at the front of a triangular formation of backup dancers. The viewer sees Jackson's perfection first, but it is buttressed by the eye-pleasing site of unison behind him. Whether they are gang members or zombies, the dancers behind him are just as important as Jackson, adding character and depth to the video.

Jackson is said to have insisted that his videos were called short films, and both "Beat It" and "Thriller" are absolutely that. But by the time the song "Smooth Criminal" came along in 1988, Jackson's ability to tell a story in dance hit a high mark. Gangsters roam a nefarious underworld, and Jackson is the hero-kingpin whom the camera follows as smoothly as if he were Fred Astaire gliding through a ballroom.

Photo: Dave Hogan/Getty Images

The video also introduced a dance trick in which Jackson keeps his body straight but leans forward at about 45 degrees. The move was aided by patented shoes with bolts that lodged the heel into the floor.

In his dance videos, Jackson set the foundations for singers with strong dance abilities to follow for years. His style deeply influenced his sister Janet Jackson, as well as much later stars who relied on dance, from Britney Spears to Beyonce. His impact on dance history is just another reason why Jackson so richly deserves the title the King of Pop.

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How Michael Jackson Changed Dance History

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When the world saw Michael Jackson do the moonwalk for the first time, it was in a live solo performance of "Billie Jean," following NBC's celebration of 25 years of Motown. The move, though, was already popular among West Coast street dancers who were using a precise, mechanized style of movement called popping.

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CNN reported that Michael Jackson 'broke down racial barriers' through uniting people through music. This power to change society supports the image of an 'influencer' as he was arguably able to do the what was thought to be impossible in terms of normalizing those of different skin colour.

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(CNN) -- Michael Jackson was an international superstar, and many in the black community herald him for breaking down racial barriers in the music industry.

"Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama," said the Rev. Al Sharpton. "Michael did with music what they later did in sports and in politics and in television. And no controversy will erase the historic impact."

As the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson and his brothers "became a cutting-edge example of black crossover artists," said Mark Anthony Neal, a professor of black popular culture at Duke University's Department of African and African American Studies.

"You basically had five working-class black boys with Afros and bell bottoms, and they really didn't have to trade any of that stuff in order to become mainstream stars," Neal said.

Young Michael Jackson was the first black "bubblegum teen star" in the vein of Monkees singer Davy Jones, Neal said.

Jackson continued as a pioneer in the black culture when he broke barriers by appearing on MTV, and by breaking sales records with the 1982 album, "Thriller." Timeline: The life of a "King" "

"At the time that he releases 'Thriller,' I always argue that MTV was arguably the best example of cultural apartheid in the United States," Neal said.

The former president of CBS Records, Walter Yetnikoff, remembered with scorn that MTV would not play "Billie Jean" or "Beat It" because it billed itself as a rock station.

Looking back on that era, a 1991 Los Angeles Times article quoted MTV founder and then-CEO Robert Pittman as saying the channel's format didn't lend itself to other musical styles, including R&B and country. And Pittman accused his critics of attempting to impose their musical pluralism on the channel's die-hard rock fans.

But Yetnikoff said he threatened to pull videos of his other artists unless MTV played Jackson's videos. Watch Yetnikoff talk about getting Jackson's videos played "

Soon Jackson's videos were heavily in rotation on MTV. Showcasing a black artist paved the way for the popular show, "Yo! MTV Raps," and other black artists, Neal said.

In turn, Jackson became one of the first African-Americans to be a global icon.

He also influenced a new generation of black musicians, including Usher, Ne-Yo and Kanye West, according to Joycelyn Wilson, a professor of African-American studies at Morehouse College, who specializes in popular culture and hip-hop studies. Slideshow: Michael Jackson and his music "

Changing appearance

Jackson's changing physical appearance in the past two decades led to criticism he was trying to be less black.

"Here's a man who started off looking very typically African-American and ended up looking like something few people would have recognized early in his career. His nose was trimmed, his lips were different ... his skin was different," said Cheryl Contee, who writes as Jill Tubman on Jack & Jill Politics, a blog centered on African-American issues.

"The only thing that seemed to almost stay the same were his eyes," said Contee, who also called Jackson "a genius and more than a trailblazer."

"I think [it] troubled a lot of people that he left his skin color behind and seemed somehow to be ashamed of who he was [when] he was born," Contee said.

But during a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Jackson shot down rumors that he was dying his skin to make it lighter. He told the talk show host that he had vitiligo, a disorder that destroyed his skin pigmentation.

Black popular culture professor Neal said Jackson's physical changes did not reflect his life on the whole.

"I think if you solely pay attention to Michael Jackson's physicality, you actually miss something that's much more complex. ... Michael Jackson artistically and aesthetically never turned his back on blackness. His work was always in conversation with black culture both in the United States and more globally," said Neal.

Neal said Jackson's changes were not to deny blackness, nor to become more white. "This was somebody who most of his career we read as being asexual. And I think that many of the changes to his face, particularly his skin tone, he was almost trying to achieve an a-raciality," said Neal.

Contee upset some commenters on her blog when she highlighted both the positive and negative aspects of Jackson's life, or what she termed his "mixed legacy."

"Some people were very offended that I would dare to mention some of the unfortunate aspects of his later years," she said. "But others [acknowledged] that they had mixed feelings about his legacy and what that meant to African-Americans."

All About Michael Jackson * The Jackson 5

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Michael Jackson broke down racial barriers

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(CNN) -- Michael Jackson was an international superstar, and many in the black community herald him for breaking down racial barriers in the music industry. "Michael Jackson made culture accept a person of color way before Tiger Woods, way before Oprah Winfrey, way before Barack Obama," said the Rev. Al Sharpton.

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Referring to Michael as the idea of "crossover" music. Bringing races and cultures together through a style of music that suits all, further emphasizing the idea of a revolutionary individual.

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Black or White? Michael Jackson and the Idea of Crossover: Popular Music and Society: Vol 35, No 2

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Michael Jackson has been referred to as a crossover artist for more than forty years, but what does this mean? The term "crossover" usually describes how an artist's appeal transcends an audience associated with one type of music to include another, with some reference often made to the role of musical and visual factors in this process.

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Article discussing how the Jackson Five influenced Motown and how this contributed to race. They were seen as "refreshing" and Michael's mediated image was much to do with normalizing black performers - something that would be classed as "iconic."

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Music 345: Race, Identity, and Representation in American Music

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The Jackson 5 were a staple of the Motown era, and brought with them performance and musical styles from black spirituals and popular music to propel them into the spotlight. Time magazine describes the Motown Sound as containing "great melodies, lots of tambourines and hand clapping, blaring horns, interplay between the lead singer and his or her backup vocalists, driving bass lines and foot-slapping drum parts". The parallels between these musical sounds and black spirituals and ring shouts are quite evident. The "interplay between the lead singer and his or her backup vocalists" is representative of the interaction seen in many ring shouts. "Foot-slapping drum parts"were played on percussive instruments, but emulate the liveliness and excitement of pattin' juba.

The Jackson 5 experienced incredible success, and one article published in the Chicago Defender reports on the group's wildly popular performance in Chicago in 1971. "[T]he teenage idols of the entertainment world took their places on stage beneath roving spotlights while the frantic screams of young girls, waving and stomping their feet at the mere sight of the Jackson 5, spill; lit the air with feignish delight."

Performance had certainly come a long way since the singing of songs in slave fields. I also would argue that Motown musicians, and The Jackson 5 in particular, broke past performance practices of viewing black performers as "exotic" or "other". Indeed, the article in the Chicago Defender comments on their performance ability rather than their racial identity. "The young entertainers swept through the evening ordeal with tremendous poise and with the assurance of old-timers. Their performance was [characterized] with a crisp sense and refreshing sense of buoyancy."

One of the songs performed that night in Chicago was their number one hit single "I Want You Back". This song showcases many of the Motown characteristics. Listen to the "driving bass line" in the opening of the song, and the "interplay between the lead singer and his or her backup vocalists" throughout the song.

As you've heard, The Jackson 5's music is infectious, and it is no surprise that they reached international success. One critic writes on the successful aging of The Jackson 5 in the music -focused newspaper Zoo World. "Each new album releases keeps getting better and better...The musicianship is of course of the highest quality".

Again, commentary is focused on the music of the group. This represents a huge shift in cultural perception. While Motown groups contained predominately black musicians, it was the music that sold and topped popular music charts of the day. Musical elements dominated the conversation surrounding Motown and The Jackson 5, and such discussions highlight the past musical influences of spirituals and ring shouts on the Motown sound.

Works Cited:

Calloway, Earl. "Jackson 5 Thrills Fans, Set for TV show." Chicago Daily Defender (Chicago IL) , Sep. 9, 1971. https://search.proquest.com/docview/494356816?accountid=351 .

Cruz, Gilbert. "Motown." Time, Jan. 12, 2009. http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1870975,00.html

Stein, Dave. "Skywriter." Zoo World, May 24, 1973. http://www.rockandroll.amdigital.co.uk/Contents/ImageViewer.aspx?imageid=990610&searchmode=true&hit=first&pi=1&vpath=searchresults&prevPos=905648

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The Jackson 5 were a staple of the Motown era, and brought with them performance and musical styles from black spirituals and popular music to propel them into the spotlight. Time magazine describes the Motown Sound as containing "great melodies, lots of tambourines and hand clapping, blaring horns, interplay between the lead singer and his or her backup vocalists, driving bass lines and foot-slapping drum parts".

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Discussing how Jackson was crowned "the most successful entertainer of all time." His huge amount of success within the music industry was the primary reason that he was seen as legendary by many.

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The King of Pop has broken eight world records, including being named the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by the organization. Jackson stopped by the Guinness World Records headquarters in London Wednesday to pick up his certificates ahead of an appearance at the World Music Awards.

Jackson holds records for the Youngest Vocalist to top the U.S. Singles Chart (he was 11 fronting The Jackson Five); First Vocalist To Enter The U.S. Single Chart at No. 1 (You Are Not Alone); First Entertainer to Sell More Than 100 Million Albums outside the US; Most weeks at the top of the US album charts (non-soundtrack) (37 weeks for Thriller); Most successful music video (Thriller sold over 1 million units); First entertainer to earn more than $100 million in a year; and the Highest paid entertainer of all time ($125 million in 1989 Forbes list).

After spending time in seclusion after his acquittal on child molestation charges, the moonwalker is inching his way back into the spotlight.

Earlier this year he travelled to Tokyo to accept MTV Japan's Legend Award and he's currently in England for his first performance in the UK in nine years. He's set to receive the Diamond Award at the World Music Awards Wednesday night where he's also expected to sing some of the hits off his Thriller album.

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Michael Jackson Named Most Successful Entertainer Of All Time

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The King of Pop has broken eight world records, including being named the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by the organization. Jackson stopped by the Guinness World Records headquarters in London Wednesday to pick up his certificates ahead of an appearance at the World Music Awards.

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Interview with Oprah discussing the controversial topic of Michael's changing skin colour. He was asked many times if this was done because he "didn't want to be white", however he denies the claims. This supports the controversial image of Michael, as he was accused many times of purposefully abandoning his original skin colour.

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Michael Jackson Said It Would Be "Horrifying" If a White Actor Played Him | Where Are They Now | OWN

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Article discussing the concept of 'enfreakment' and the medias desire to know about those who don't fit into the 'norm.' It explains how the more famous Jackson got, the more the media were interested in printing controversy about him to make headlines. This contributes to an image of being 'the Other' that Jackson often portrayed.

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Giants. Midgets. Tribal non-Westerners. The very fat. The very thin. Hermaphrodites. Conjoined twins. The disabled. The very hirsute. In American history, all have shared the platform equally, as freaks, human oddities, their only commonality their assigned role of anomalous other to the gathered throngs.

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Article discussing the creativity of Jackson. His individuality and style is described as "creative genius." His image here is clearly very highly thought of, and contributes to his legendary persona.

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The King of Pop as we all know him, Michael Jackson has had a huge influence on the world of music; he has revolutionized performances. Michael Jackson was an iconic artist who touched the lives of many through his creative genius.

Michael Jackson was a prodigy; from a very young age he was composing songs in his head using

only his voice.This showed his great ability for mental imagery from an early age.As a child he wrote the song "Beat It" that became one of his biggest hits. His childhood and family were factors that contributed greatly to his creativity because his family was a family of musicians, and he was propelled to enter the music industry.His father was a passionate orchestrator of the Jackson 5.He is however blamed for physically and psychologically abusing his children and forcing them into a fame filled life.When Michael described his childhood he says "I had great times with my brothers, pillow fights and things, but I was, used to always cry from loneliness...I didn't have friends when I was little. My brothers were my friends."Michael's childhood was filled only with music and recordings, he recounts that "I would go to the recording studio and record, and I'd record for hours and hours until it's time to go to sleep."Although his childhood was filled with the ability to do what he was most passionate about, it was also lacking a real childhood of friendship and fun, which impacted his later life as an adult.

Michael Jackson was definitely a Big C creative; known all around the world for his work. His product was culture changing; one can argue a new development of pop culture by the King of Pop himself. His uses of mental imagery lead him to create many iconic dance moves. He would use problem solving to figure out new ways of achieving a certain move he envisioned. His legendary moon walk and hip thrust are a few among the many moves that he created. He choreographed the dances for his songs and spent hours teaching his dancers. In his interview with MTV News he says, "I want to create, you know do something that's totally different and unusual." His goal was to surprise people and to make people enjoy his art; the music, dancing, and overall performance working together.

Michael Jackson was asked many times how he comes up with his songs and dance moves. He says, "it just, kinda falls into your lap." This shows his creative insight; ideas just come to him and he allowed himself to get pulled by these ideas. Using his creative ability, his ideas just sprang into his conscious awareness as described by J. Jason van Steenburgh, Jessica I. Fleck, Mark Beeman, and John Kounios in their Chapter on Insight. Michael Jackson sometimes just let ideas hit him on the head. He used productive thought process that allowed him to use ideas he already learned and put them together in new and innovative ways.

He talked about how much he enjoyed creating with the people he worked with and that he never knew what to expect. He did however have his rituals; in an interview he says, "It's a ritual, after we run a video I throw stuff at everybody." He didn't know why, but he said it just made his life interesting. When talking about recording the music video for "Thriller" he said, "My idea was to make a short film...I never thought I'd be involved in making that sort of thing, but I am." This shows that he doesn't do much planning; he just gets ideas and runs with them.

Along with all his fame and creativity, there was also problematic parts of his life. His hectic life style led him to fall into substance abuse. He blamed it on his loneliness and sadness throughout his life. His life was spend in the public eye, constantly getting criticism from the whole world. This pulled him down in many ways; however, he continued to create legendary music and dances through his life until his death in June of 2009. His fame however continues to grow and spread even after his death. His creative genius will be everliving in his songs and performances.

Other useful sources:

http://www.mtv.com/videos/michael-jackson/26726

http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jackson-38211#solo-career

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The King of Pop as we all know him, Michael Jackson has had a huge influence on the world of music; he has revolutionized performances. Michael Jackson was an iconic artist who touched the lives of many through his creative genius.

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'Connected flashpoint' death - Jackson's death considered "the second biggest news story of the 21st century." Dominated media platforms all around the world, supporting that he was one of the biggest icons that the world had seen.

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Celebrity and the Media introduces the reader to the key terms, concepts, dilemmas and issues that are central to the study and critical understanding of celebrity. In this insightful text Redmond explores the impacts of celebrity culture on the modern media and everyday life, drawing attention to the ways in which people experience celebrity culture and how celebrities are able to communicate through spectacle, ritual, the confession and the close-up.

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Article discussing the many distinguishable fashion choices made by Jackson. He almost created his own "brand" by always wearing outfits that audiences will remember. Having such a memorable style, like his physical appearance, kept Jackson constantly in the press.

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Marking what would have been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday on August 29th, Vogue fashion critic and lifelong super-fan Anders Christian Madsen speaks to his stylist, Rushka Bergman, and reflects on an otherworldly style icon.

Michael Jackson once recalled that whenever he'd watch James Brown dancing on TV during his childhood, he'd shout at the screen in frustration when they didn't film his feet. He wanted to learn the moves. "If I had the chance to talk to [Michelangelo]," he told Oprah Winfrey in 1993, "I would want to know about what inspired him to become who he is. Not about who he went out with last night, or why he decided to sit out in the sun so long."
Read more: A New Exhibition Celebrates The Legacy Of Michael Jackson
In my eyes, growing up a Michael Jackson disciple, the art always went hand-in-hand with the artist, this mythical creature seemingly of another world. From his fantastical face to his fairy-dusted wardrobe, Michael had to look as superhuman as he did to match his incomprehensible talents and the enigmatic phenomenon he was. Watching his interviews, I had similar childhood experiences, only I'd be shouting, "Ask him about his wardrobe!" Hung up on scrutinising his eccentricities, they never did. On August 29th he would have turned 60.

"If fashion says it's forbidden, I'm going to do it," Michael wrote in Moonwalk from 1988. Rather than drape himself in the latest runway fashions, he largely commissioned his wardrobe from personal dressmakers, inspired by history and art. And yet, what few people know is how well Michael knew his fashion. "Not long before he passed, Michael personally called John Galliano to request a bespoke Napoleon jacket," Rushka Bergman tells me. A fine art scholar turned creative director, she styled Jackson for a Bruce Weber cover story for L'Uomo Vogue in 2007 and the two hit it off.

For the last years of his life, she served as his full-time stylist, the only one he ever had. It was Bergman who dressed Michael in the pagoda-shouldered Balmain jackets by Christophe Decarnin - inspired by the star's own fashion legacy - which became his wardrobe during the filming of This Is It, the rehearsal documentary shot for the tour that never was. She put him in Tom Ford tailoring, schoolboy Dior Homme looks, and gold embellished Givenchy.

"Michael was an innovator so he wanted something new. He challenged me to bring something fresh that no one had done before. My goal was to bring back his status as a fashion icon," Bergman recalls. She was as familiar with his 1980s trademarks as anyone: "The beautiful sequined glove, white socks, the military jackets, the red "Thriller" leather jacket, sequined tuxedo pants, the penny loafers. His style was so remarkable through his choices on stage," she reflects.

"There was something very revolutionary in styling Michael Jackson in clothes by haute couture designers. I moved him forward with new avant-garde looks from the best designers in the world. His favourites were Hedi Slimane, Tom Ford, Christophe Decarnin for Balmain, Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy, and Kris Van Assche for Dior Homme, and he especially loved John Galliano," Bergman tells me, adding: "When I first started to work for him, he saw my Balenciaga gladiator flat studded sandals by Nicolas Ghesquière and begged me for two years to find them in his size!"

Through the 1990s, Jackson had occasionally worked with stylists from the fashion world on one-off music videos. British Vogue's fashion director Venetia Scott styled 1993's "Give Into Me" in slick rock'n'roll, stylist David Bradshaw got him into Dexter Wong and Ann Demeulemeester for "Scream" in 1994, and in 1992 Jackson danced with Naomi Campbell in little more than a white tank top and black jeans for the Herb Ritts-directed "In the Closet".

But it was the never-ending supply of encrusted military jackets and regalia that defined his signature look. "Michael was infatuated with British hereditary and military history," Michael Bush writes in his book The King of Style: Dressing Michael Jackson. From 1985 onwards, he and partner Dennis Tompkins served as personal dressmakers to the King of Pop. "Liberace goes to war," they mischievously coined his look: magnificent military jackets covered in soutache and bullion embroideries, topaz and rhinestone. Michael, who proudly owned his Peter Pan syndrome, referred to surface decoration as "dust": pure magic, the Tinker Bell way.

"One of Michael's favourite quotes came from an unexpected source: 'It is with such baubles that men are led.' Napoleon had said these words to indicate the significance of the medals with which he regaled his soldiers," Bush writes. "When we toured in Europe, Michael made it his business to visit castles and ancient cities, where he was mesmerised by museum portraits of kings and queens." In 2009, Bush and Tompkins buried their boss in a replica of his favourite-ever garment, the Pearl Jacket he wore to the Grammys in 1993.

"For Michael's costumes, Dennis and I studied monarchs and European military history, taking particular notice of one of the most notorious kings, King Henry VIII of England. And there they were," Bush writes. "Pearls. Sewn on the king's clothes, bedazzling his collars, vests, and bibs." After another Bush, President George H. W., presented him with the Entertainer of the Decade honour in 1990, Michael thought he'd treat himself. He showed his dressmakers a picture of the Queen 's Imperial State Crown, and off they went to the Tower of London to study the real deal.

Tompkins taught himself how to solder and sandblast metal and, over six weeks, created a sterling silver crown encrusted with costume stones and pearls. In place of the Second Star of Africa - which sits at the centre of the Imperial State Crown - Tompkins sandblasted an imitation diamond with the iconic image of Michael's dancing feet. He never wore the crown out, but years later his children asked Bush and Tompkins to make a regal robe for their dad to wear on Father's Day, and so - alongside the throne that stood in his en suite bedroom at Neverland - the King of Pop's ceremonial dress was complete. Bergman recalls how Jackson related his sense of dress to history and music.

"One of the first questions he asked me was what period of art I liked best. I told him I loved the 16th century Renaissance. He said, 'That's why we have so much in common.' He loved Baroque, and you could see the inspiration in his clothes. He was noble," she reflects. "That day, Michael taught me about baroque music and then the styles of European classical music by composers such as Bach, Vivaldi, Monteverdi and Händel. He absolutely loved Tchaikovsky."

In the hall of Neverland stood a miniature castle similar to Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, the neo-gothic Wagner dream built by the reclusive and escapist King Ludwig II with whom Michael had so much in common. Around it hung portraits of Michael painted as kings and arch angels, and the last he commissioned was to be his masterpiece: Michael painted as Philip III on horseback after Rubens' fairy-tale depiction, interpreted through the eye of Kehinde Wiley.

You could put Jackson's desire for grandeur down to aspiration or even megalomania, but while he fashioned himself in the images of great rulers - and sometimes even religious icons - he reminded us, "I am just like anyone. I cut and bleed." More than anything, his wardrobe and the portraits he commissioned of himself reveal a search for answers to the question: why me? Why was he gifted with such an extraordinary existence? Speaking at Oxford University in 2001, he quipped, with some solemnity, "I've always felt a kinship with Kermit's message that it's not easy being green."

He would cry at the true story of the Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, a highly sophisticated individual masked with the Proteus syndrome that turned him into a sideshow for public ridicule in the late 19th century. Before Michael developed vitiligo - his own otherworldly condition, which, with the aid of makeup, would eventually invert the colour of his skin - he went through adolescence at the height of childhood fame, his changing looks scrutinised by media.

The physical changes and procedures he went through turned him into an immaculate conception: to the eye he was ageless, almost genderless and racially ambiguous. In turn, he became universally relatable: a genius dancer and musician, yes, but a man whose physical presence encompassed every age, gender, race and sexuality. Our current zeitgeist considered, he was lightyears ahead of his time. Somehow, the grandeur with which he staged himself must have helped him to understand his exceptional and no doubt lonely place on Earth.

"Michael was a perfectionist. He knew exactly what he liked and didn't like," Bergman tells me. "Since he was the King of Pop, he needed the best people in the world working for him and he was very specific as to whom. He was always the conductor. At the same time, he was a great father and a true humanitarian. His heart was bigger than the planet; even bigger than the galaxy. His gentle and spiritual nature made him one of the greatest people to ever walk the Earth."

Today, Bergman is creative director for Michael's daughter Paris Jackson, serving the princess the way she did the king. "As much I know him, as much as I love him, it was magic. He was so beautiful. The power of love," she reflects. "I miss him very much and I will never forget him." Whether you remember Michael Jackson for his music, his performances, his sense of style or the full package that encompassed his art, the unbelievable thing isn't that we lost him nine years ago, but that we ever had him in the first place.
Read more: Six Super Bowl Performances We're Still Talking About

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60 Years Of Michael Jackson, The Fashion Icon

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Marking what would have been Michael Jackson's 60th birthday on August 29th, Vogue fashion critic and lifelong super-fan Anders Christian Madsen speaks to his stylist, Rushka Bergman, and reflects on an otherworldly style icon. Michael Jackson once recalled that whenever he'd watch James Brown dancing on TV during his childhood, he'd shout at the screen in frustration when they didn't film his feet.

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A controversial and personal documentary about sexual abuse allegations towards
Jackson produced nearly 10 years after his death. This effects his star image as it gives the audience a completely different outlook on the image of an 'icon' that many desired to be like, he now doesn't seem quite so desirable and is in danger of having his legacy damaged.

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Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson and Me: Leaving Neverland: Michael Jackson and Me - On Demand

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The stories of two young boys who were befriended by singer Michael Jackson

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Headlines released due to Jackson's death. Ranging from sensitive to insensitive, portraying a mixed star image towards the end of his life.

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Michael Jackson death: Newspaper front pages in pictures

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How papers from the UK and US covered the news of Michael Jackson’s death on their front pages

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Working with large brands such as Pepsi indicates that Jackson was a large enough influence to encourage people to buy the product.

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Classic Michael Jackson Pepsi Commercial (1984) (High Quality)

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Interview with Jackson and his friend Gavin at his famous Neverland ranch. The interviewer is questioning Jackson about the relationship that he has with Gavin, and asks if he's ever considered it to be inappropriate. This shifts the star image of Jackson as people are now starting to doubt that he is the 'good-guy' that he came across as.

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This article discusses through the influence that Jackson had on pop music through songs, performances and visual styles. It contributes to his 'iconic' star image as it stresses how he was one of the most important cultures figures of the century.

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Sound and Vision is the first significant collection of new and classic texts on video and brings together some of the leading international cultural and music critics writing today.

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After a burn incident on the set of Jackson's partnership with Pepsi, he maintained his "good-guy" image by donating a substantial amount of money to set up the 'Michael Jackson burn charity.'

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The past 24 hours have not been kind to Pepsi, nor Kendall Jenner. On Wednesday morning the soft drinks giant released the latest in a long line of high-budget celebrity advertisements. Starring the darling of 2017 fame, supermodel and Keeping up with the Kardashians star Kendall Jenner, the advertisement created a fake protest and suggested that a can of Pepsi could ease tensions between the police - whose race-related brutality has been well-documented - and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Scorn and outrage proliferated online. People were astonished and incensed that a global brand would use the suffering of people to sell their product - and a white supermodel could be painted as the solution to deep societal problems. By the end of the day, the advertisement had been taken down and Pepsi had issued an apology.

But while this can roundly be considered a major mistake on Pepsi's behalf, it's not the first time things have gone badly wrong with a celebrity endorsement. In 1984 the shooting of a Pepsi advert became such a nightmare that its star - none other than Michael Jackson - ended up on a stretcher, with second- and third-degree burns, injuries so severe it is thought that they sparked a painkiller addiction that would eventually result in his death. Here's how it happened.

'Coke saw anything they would do with Michael as a more targeted, ethnic campaign'

Jay Coleman spotted this. The marketing mogul founded his company Entertainment Marketing and Communications International in 1976, and twigged that Jackson would be a savvy investment for a major brand - especially if he brokered a multi-million dollar deal in the process.

Coleman's business may have been new, but he had experience after linking up Jovan with the Rolling Stones ' Tattoo tour in 1981 - a deal that cost the fragrance company $4 million, but wound up with a gross of $50 million, not to mention the attention of a coveted teenage market.

Coleman cooked up a marketing plan with Jackson at the helm and took it to Coca-Cola. But the fizzy drink giant were ambivalent - if anything, they feared that attaching Jackson to their brand would only lure in one audience. "They gave it serious consideration yet couldn't make that leap of faith," Coleman told Billboard in 2009. "They saw anything they would do with Michael as a more targeted, ethnic campaign". Coke offered a $1 million to Jackson, and it was turned down. The next target? Coca-Cola's nearest rival: PepsiCo.

'Roger, I'm going to make Coke wish they were Pepsi'

Jackson signed on to Pepsi for $5 million, before anything had even been shot. It instantly became the most expensive marketing campaign ever, recalls Tristan Donovan in his book, Fizz: How Soda Shook Up the World. Enrico, he writes, "initially balked at the price tag but relented because, as Jackson's promoter Don King told him, "This is Michael Jackson. He is bigger than God".

'The last thing a production would do following an accident like this would be to announce it to thousands of extras'

After the release of Pepsi's first Jackson advert in 1983, that certainly seemed the case. In 1984, Pepsi had sales of $7.7 billion and an increase in market share, while financial reports at the time showed that Coca-Cola's had dropped. The goal, Coleman later said, "was to make Pepsi look young and Coke look old", and by choosing Michael Jackson - the youth's choice - Pepsi had achieved it.

In January 1984, a second advert followed. This time, Jackson would be taken out of the streets and onto the stage, along with the rest of his brothers. There was a cast of hundreds - 1,000 to comprise the screaming arena crowd alone, among a further 3,000 fans - and, as then-extra Kathy Griffin remembered to The Hollywood Reporter, "a glitzy rock 'n' roll-like set". Still juggling dance and acting lessons with receptionist work on her way to becoming a star, Griffin recalls being "fascinated just to be in that audience watching how a really big commercial is made with one of the biggest stars in history".

For five of the takes, things went to the plan: as the advert shows, Jackson appears at a short flight of steps at the back of the stage, and fireworks spark behind him as he dances down the steps. For the sixth, however, Jackson was still at the top of the steps when the explosion took place. Sparks landed in his heavily gelled hair and caught fire. Through a combination of professionalism and, possibly, ignorance, Jackson kept dancing, until he reached the bottom of the steps, when stagehands flocked around him, desperately trying to put out the flames.

Jackson suffered severe burns to his scalp, face and body. He was quietly bandaged up and wheeled out of the arena to hospital. The extras weren't told anything more than filming had stopped, Griffin recalls. "The last thing a production would do following an accident like this would be to announce to hundreds, if not thousands, of extras something like, 'There's been a horrible accident. Everybody go home!'" she wrote in The Hollywood Reporter. "I just remember we were all abruptly excused for the day. By the time I'd driven my parents' Toyota Corolla back to our Santa Monica apartment, it was all over the news."

The reports vary with regards to how this happened. But, according to Jackson's memoir, Moon Dance, director Bob Giraldi wasn't happy. Jackson was too far down the steps by the time the explosion went off, he needed to wait longer.

Jackson's friend Miko Brando spoke at a press conference after the accident: "The explosion was much larger [than earlier takes]. The explosion was set off sooner than ever before. [Jackson] told me yesterday he was directed by Bob Giraldi in the final take to remain alongside the fireworks until after the explosion".

Pepsi and the Jacksons managed to hush the event up. In the end, Jackson decided not to sue: Pepsi paid him a $1.5 million settlement, money that he donated to a Californian medical centre, who used it to fund a Burns Clinic named after him.

"Michael realised it was an accident and had no ill will towards anyone including Pepsi," Coleman told Access Hollywood decades later. "Pepsi and the family talked and they all came to the conclusion that it would be better not to [release footage of the accident] because when you watch it, it's frightening."

'He had dropped his white glove into the toilet, and was screaming for someone to please get it out of there'

But in 2009, in the wake of Jackson's shockingly premature death, the video footage emerged. US Weekly released it online and, as Coleman said, it makes for unsettling viewing.

After 25 years, and cast in the light of Jackson's apparent overdose on the painkillers he was reported to be addicted to, the mysterious circumstances around the accident became fresh ground to be clawed over. Donald Donester, a former Los Angeles firefighter who witnessed the event, made allegations to Access Hollywood that Giraldi had not only changed the plans, but hadn't told the health and safety departments of them, for fear of being told no, he claimed:

"What happened is that the talent, Michael, was told by [Giraldi] to stand there and look more majestic, so subsequently he stood under the sparks instead of being half way down the ramp when the pyrotechnics went off. He was actually under the pyrotechnics when they went off. Subsequently, you know, catching his hair on fire."

Giraldi denied the claims, telling gossip website TMZ at the time, "That's not true. Whatever."

"It's not a moment that I like to remember. I've put it out of my repertoire when I think of working and being around Michael in his genius", Giraldi remembered five years later.

The director maintains that he and Jackson stayed amicable despite the incident, and that they would "greet each other with hugs."

Furthermore, Giraldi remembers more humdrum dramas from that shoot: "The brothers were downstairs in the dressing room. We all heard a blood-curdling scream and we thought, 'Oh my God, someone has gotten to Michael, or got at him.' [It transpired that] he had dropped his white glove into the toilet, and was screaming for someone to please get it out of there. We all looked at each other like, 'Who's going to be the schmuck to go down and pick out his glove in a bowl?' And it was a prop guy who was smart enough to come in with a wire and pick it up. I'll never forget that moment, which shows you how even the biggest of superstars have to use the bathroom."

'This was someone I knew and he was on fire'

Pepsi never took measures to try and contain the footage of the accident because they simply didn't know where it had come from. "We don't know what that footage is," spokeswoman Nicole Bradley said in 2009. "It's 25 years ago. We don't know who owns it, so we have no recourse as far as I know. I can only tell you what I know. We didn't put it up and we don't know where it came from."

The internet era has ensured that it is far easier to see the accident than the advertisement itself. In comparison to the 2.5-minute epics Pepsi release now, the commercial seems quaint, the fateful explosion far more insignificant than the impact it had on Jackson's well-being.

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How Pepsi nearly killed Michael Jackson: the story behind the other controversial cola ad

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The past 24 hours have not been kind to Pepsi, nor Kendall Jenner. On Wednesday morning the soft drinks giant released the latest in a long line of high-budget celebrity advertisements.

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Step by step guides on how to moonwalk supports the idea that Jackson was one of the most influential figures of the 21st century as people are willing to learn to copy his style.

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Breaking News, Analysis, Politics, Blogs, News Photos, Video, Tech Reviews - TIME.com

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On March 25, 1983, Michael Jackson took one small step onto a television stage that turned out to be a giant leap for dance choreography. But how exactly do you moonwalk? TIME finds out

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Jackson's physical image changed dramatically over his lifetime. His ever-changing look is what made him stand out and contributed to the idea of "freakery" that people often linked him to.

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changing face of michael jackson - Bing images

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Michael Jackson Changing Faces Mad Michael Jackson Statement Face Changing Dance Michael Jackson Face Burn Thriller Michael Jackson Ghost Michael Jackson Changing Faces Sick Michael Jackson in the Back Michael Jackson's Changing Looks Michael Jackson Burned Pepsi Commerical Memorial Michael Jackson Ghost Michael Jackson Neverland Statement Michael Jackson Ghost DVD

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Jackson gained his nickname of 'The King of Pop' shortly after his 1982 album 'Thriller' became the biggest selling album of all time.

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Top Ten Best Selling Albums Worldwide (All-Time) - Rankings.com

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Top Ten Best Selling Albums Worldwide (All-Time) - Rankings.com

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Jackson achieved his character of "good-guy" through extreme amounts of charity work. He prided himself on a love of helping others, and was keen to share his fortune with those who were less privileged.

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The 1990's:

On January 6, 1990, he organizes a festivity for 82 deprived children at his residence via " Childhelp USA", who are offered a tour of the ranch, games to play, a barbeque for meal and a film representation to watch: "The Little Mermaid" and "Back To The Future II".

On April 4, 1990, while in Washington to receive a humanitarian award on behalf of President Bush, he visits the capitol Children's Museum there; he plays with exhibits and enjoys being surrounded by children. On April 5, following his award reception, he is a guest of honor at the Children's Museum fund-raising reception at the historic Merrywood Estate, McLean.

In July, 1990, he invites 45 critically ill children from the Project "Dream Street", from Los Angeles to Neverland, where they are treated to a tour of his ranch, a meal and a film.The Dream Street program is an organization for children with life-threatening illnesses.

On September 12, 1990, Michael Jackson attends a 'City Of Hope' Gala honoring CBS' Record Division President at the time, Tommy Mottola.

In 1991, he organizes and hosts a "Chimpanzee Tea Party", in benefit of Jane Goodall's ape research institute. On May 6, 1991, he also attends Mrs. Goodall's "International Tribute Benefit".

On June 1, 1991, The Temptations' group member, David Ruffin, dies of a drug overdose. Because it has been found that Ruffin was peniniless, Jackson contacts Swanson Funeral Home in Detroit and makes arrangements to cover a large portion of the funeral costs. He also sends a heart-shaped arrangement of carnations to the New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit with the note, "With Love, from Michael Jackson". Jackson was a big admirer of The Temptations. He would not attend the funeral ceremony to not divert attention from it.

Before heading for a two-week venture in Africa, the singer pays a visit to a storage facility in Oxnard, California, where a sequined glove of his will sell for 1,000 dollars. Before the auction, he meets with four children, to whom he sings "Man In The Mirror" since one child didn't believe it was truly Jackson singing.

Between February 11 and February 18, 1992 - and on occasion of Black History Month - the artist tours 30,000 miles of the African continent in 11 days (covering Gabon, The Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Kenya and Libreville), where he visits medical centers, schools, churches, children's housings and educational NGO's for disabled children. He phones his ranch daily, however, to make sure his property and animals are unaffected by the storms and floods in California at the time. He is reportedly interested in making a film, "Return To Africa", for his own video library. While in Gabon, President El Hadj Omar BongoOndimba, declares that "the return of Michael Jackson (to Africa) fits into the tradition of the abolition of time and the integration of space. His music made us feel that he's never really been away". In return for the honors received by the entertainer in Gabon, he presents President Bongo with the album Jackson was awarded when he was named 'Artist of the Decade for the Eighties'. The President's grandchildren, Christopher, Neata and Malika join some one thousand children, including the singer's friend, Brett Barnes at a party given by Jackson back at the Intercontinental Hotel. He also gives an interview while in London regarding his visit and more for May's issue of "Ebony" magazine, confessing towards the end, "You know, that's the most I've said in eight years... You know I don't give interviews. That's because I know you and I trust you. You're the only one I trust to give interviews to."

On May 1, 1992, after being rewarded with another " Point of Light" award by President George Bush Sr., the singer visits 7-year old Raynal Pope - other sources at the time, such as Associated Press, reporting that the girl's name was actually Raynelle Tucker, severely injured by four dogs March 21 in District Heights, Maryland. He spends forty five minutes with the young girl, her younger sister, Myjan, and two of their cousins; they play hide-and-seek, wrestle and dance, after which Jackson poses for pictures and autographs a Beat It jacket.

On May 6, 1992, he pays expenses for young Ramon Sanchez' funeral, mortuary and cemetery costs and a headstone, illustrating how he is a " point of light" and that each person can help a dispriviliged someone. 9-year old Sanchez was killed during the Rodney King violent riots in California, while in his kitchen having a glass of milk. His parents couldn't afford to bury him, hence Jackson's aid. The Sanchez family later have the opportunity to thank the singer in the flesh, being arranged for them to visit a studio in Culver City, where he was filming a Pepsi ad. Through a translator, the mother of Ramon tells Jackson that "Ramon was one of your biggest fans. You have helped to make a very tragic time for us more bearable. Your involvement was a pleasant surprise, and we are eternally grateful."

On June 26, 1992, a day before the first leg of his Dangerous Tour, Michael Jackson donates 40,000 DM (20,000 pounds) to then Mayor of Munich, Mr. Georg Kronawitter, as a relief for the needy children residing in the urban areas. On June 29, he visits the "Sophia Children's Hospital" in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, publicly signing a check for 100,000 pounds for the institution's "Michael Jackson Playroom"; the singer is also presented with a check for the Heal The World Foundation.

In July, 1992, the performer finances "La Partita del Cuore" ("The Heart Match") in Rome, Italy with L. 821,477,296, and children's foundations in Estonia and Latvia with 120,000 DM.

On July 25, 1992, while on tour in Dublin, Ireland, he announces a donation of 400,000 pounds, out of his concert earnings, to various charities there - some reports solely mentioning the ' British Children Charity'. A delay provoked by a malfunction before his Dangerous Tour concert in Leeds, UK, leads to the singer being fined by a national council with 60,000 pounds, that are paid by Jackson to a music charity fund.

On July 29, 1992, via his helicopter, the entertainer fetches characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse from Euro-Disney, Paris, to the "Queen Eli zabeth Hospital for Children" in Haggerston Park, London, and distributes toys to the ill children there. While in London, he visits again one of his favorite comedy actors, Benny Hiil, at a hospital where he was interred for cardiac problems. Hill dies, however, a few weeks after, and Jackson releases a statement to the press on the set of his video for "Jam": "The world is suffering the great loss of a great talent".

Eric Herminie, a fan of Jackson's, threatens to jump off the roof opposite the Dorchester Hotel, where the entertainer is staying on his Dangerous Tour concert in London, Britain. "It was worth it.", Herminie says. "He was fabulous on the phone. I talked for quite a while with him. He sounded a very warm person. He told me not to do it again - to stay together. Of course, I am going to. He basically saved my life. If he hadn't come out, I obviously would have jumped."

Michael Jackson, along with other celebrities of color, contributes to the financing of director Spike Lee's film, "Malcolm X", a biographical film (released on November 18) about the African-American minister, human rights activist and black nationalist, Malcolm X. The public speaker was shot dead by three men hired by Nation of Islam, while speaking to a meeting of Afro-American Unity, on 'grounds' of the activist's leaving the Nation in favor of Sunni Islam, but particularly of race equality and human rights. The story of the film is based on " The Autobiography of Malcolm X" as told to African-American writer, Alex Haley. Actor Denzel Washington will be nominated for an Academy Award For Best Actor for his role as Malcolm X.

On November 24, 1992, inside a hangar at "John F. Kennedy Airport" in New York, Michael Jackson monitors the loading of 43 tons of medical supplies, blankets, shoes and winter clothing onto a cargo jet bound for the children of Sarajevo, a war-torn zone in the former Yugoslavia. The Heal The World Foundation teams up with "AmeriCares" to fly the 2.1 million-dollar worth of aid to Sarajevo for distribution by the United Nations. The aid is reported to have been also addressed to the Serbians, Croatians and Muslims in need.

On November 25, 1992, Michael Jackson grants the wish of young David Sonnet, whom he meets via the Make A Wish Foundation, the boy being invited to go along with other children from the foundation to Jack son's Neverland Ranch. Sonnet suffered a brain aneurysm at the tender age of 8, leaving him only able to function through a communication device, it helping him convey his thoughts through a specialized computer. Young David had received a 'Beat It' jacket from a local charity in a West Palm Beach, Florida, which he wore for his special encounter. Jackson notices it and says "I see you have my jacket on'.Among the activities David did together with his mother at Neverland, he held Bubbles, Jackson's monkey, rode the Octopus, the merry-go-round and other activities suchlike. Because Sonnet was unable to talk or walk, the two shared an "I Love You" in sign language. A visibly emotional Jackson receives a stuffed lion and a picture of himself from the youngster and tells the boy he would keep his photo in his room. Before this encounter, David Sonnet had written to Jackson on various occasions as a show of support, and the entertainer would write back and include photos and other personal mementos. A hat of his featured in this auction from West Palm Beach was gifted from Jackson to Sonnet, while Sonnet sent a thank you card to the singer, inclusing a wedding card when he married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994. Both times Jackson responded with a signed letter and salutation. According to Debbie Sonnet, David's mother, Jackson's music did help him recover of a coma his recovery room was decorated with numerous Jackson photos and his music was played at all times. Sonnet passed away on July 26, 2004.

On January 18, 1993, he joins Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Michael Bolton, Dionne Warwick, Kenny Rogers and various other artists, including a choir of children, all conducted by Quincy Jones, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to sing "We Are The World" for a preinaugural celebration of then incoming President Bill Clinton. The new first family, including daughter Chelsea Clinton, later joins Jackson and the other stars on stage. His appearance at the event was unscheduled. Jackson stays at the Madison Hotel and his only requests are for clothes pressing service and strawberry ice cream. "An American Reunion: The 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala" takes place a day later - at the US Air Arena in Landover, Maryland. Jackson first addresses President elect Clinton on the need for and importance of increased funding for AIDS cure research, then sings "Gone Too Soon" - in memory of his friend, late activist, Ryan White, and "Heal The World", accompanied by a large group of children. He dedicates the song to "all the children of the world". He then joins the other performers at the event, including Barbra Streisand, Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Elton John and Barry Manilow, for a finale led by reunited music group, Fleetwood Mac, singing one of their songs, the optimistic "Don't Stop (Thinking About Tomorrow)", a song about living daily life in positivity, discarding past negativity.

On January 31, 1993, Michael Jackson performs at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for Superbowl XXVII's halftime of Dallas' 52-17 trouncing of Buffalo, this raising NBC's halftime rating higher than the Super Bowl action before it. Unlike many previous years, he was the only performer in the entire halftime show and his set included message-oriented songs such as"Jam" (with the beginning of "Why You Wanna Trip On Me"), "Billie Jean" and "Black or White". The finale featured a video montage showing Jackson participating in various humanitarian efforts around the world, and a choir of 3,500 local Los Angeles area children singing "We Are The World", later joining Jackson as he sings his single, "Heal the World". A giant inflatable Globe also rises on the center of the stage, as is the case with each Dangerous and later HIStory concert. The foundation's initiative, "Heal L.A." is launched in conjuction with his appearance at Superbowl XXVII. The NFL pays performers only for their expenses, but it donated 100,000 dollars to Jackson's 'Heal the World Foundation', named for one of the songs he sang at halftime. Radio City's Music Hall marketing and special events expert, Arlen Kantarian, declares shortly after the singer's demise that he recalls Jackson pushing to sing newer songs from his then newly released "Dangerous" album, as opposed to older songs like "Billie Jean" and "Black or White." According to Kantarian, Jackson said, "'Billie Jean's' just a tune; it doesn't mean anything,'" and "It's a new world; this has to be about 'Heal the World.'"

In February, 1993, the entertainer sends his condolences to the parents of two-year-old James Bulger, then murdered in Liverpool, Merseyside by 2 older minors.

In February, 1993, in association with " Sega", "HTW" distributes over 108,000 dollars of computer games and equipment to children's hospitals, housings and charities in the U.K.

In March, 1993, it is announced that Michael Jackson has formed an independent film company dedicated to producing uplifting movies. Michael Jackson Productions, Inc., will donate a share of its profits to the singer's Heal The World Foundation. Another project Jackson is reported to be involved in, also dedicated to children, is a plan to form an entertainment and educational cable television network. Jackson was partners in the venture with former junk bond king, Michael Milken.

In 1993, Michael Jackson tops a list of the music industry's Who's Who participating on comedy actor and occasional singer Eddie Murphy's third musical album, 'Love's Alright', "JET"'s April 23 issue reveals. A variety of charities will benefit from proceeds from the sales of the Murphy-written single, 'Yeah', and it features voices as Michael and Janet Jackson, Paul McCartney, Julio Iglesias, Luther Vandross or Garth Brooks. The single's proceeds would be funneled through Murphy's "Yeah Foundation", which he founded soon after the single had been recorded. Eddie Murphy's album, 'Love's Alright', also features a duet between himself and Michael Jackson, titled "Whatzupwitu", the video for this song being released that year. The song, featuring the Boys Choir of Harlem, bears the message that man and the world are God's creations and He is the overseer of all, both good and evil, and the video is a light-hearted look at Murphy and Jackson singing and dancing against a backdrop of blue skies, clouds, hearts, birds and flowers. Jackson, who featured Murphy in his "Remember The Time" short film, agreed to be a part of the two mentioned projects.

On April 26, 1993, as part of his "Heal L.A." tour, Jackson pays an unannounced visit to the " Watta Health Foundation" and two school centers from "Los Angeles South Central", where he engages in discussions with the children and the service staff providers of the immunization, mentoring and drug-abuse prevention programs. He also poses for pictures with the children in need of the mentioned programs, and embraces them. Jackson's " Heal L.A." and "Heal The World Foundation" will provide much needed funding to many inner-city organizations, including to the " El Santo Nino Center" on East 23rd Street, where the singer meets with the children later in the afternoon. His final stop that day is the " Horusman Middle School", where he listens to children boasting of a special mentoring program.

On May 5, 1993, former American President, Mr. Jimmy Carter, and Michael Jackson, then chairmen of the " Heal Our Children/Heal The World" initiative, visit Atlanta, Georgia to promote their "Atlanta Project Immunization Drive", sponsored by"Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.", "Ronald McDonald Children's Charities" etc., and commissioned to increase the number of children benefiting from local immunization services to over 17,000, by means of a family health care system.

In June, 1993, he announces that "HTW"s total earnings of 1,25 million dollars, along with his entire " Super Bowl XXVII"proceeds from that year will be funneled to "Heal L.A." to the children having suffered from the Los Angeles' riots at the time. In the same month, he invites 100 children at his home from "Challengers Boys" and "Girls Clubs" in Los Angeles. The Big Brothers of Los Angeles give Jackson a rocking chair made by a woman who made them for President Kennedy and the Pope. Another group of children visiting the ranch get a sneak peak preview of "Tom & Jerry: The Movie". The film wasn't scheduled to begin running in theaters until July 30, but the artist received an advance copy from Joseph Barbera.

"Together For Our Children", a syndicated special, begins airing in June, 1993. The special was put together to help raise funds for children immunization. Jackson lends a performance of "Jam" from London's Wembley Stadium to be included in the special.

In August, 1993, "HTW" partners with "Pepsi-Cola Thailand" to endow 40,000 dollars to the " Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn's" foundation and to the Rural School Children and Youth Development Fund, as a sponsorship for school meal programs in the villages of Thailand. In the same month, new ambulances reach " Contacts One Independent Living Center for Children" in Moscow, Russia and the "Hospital de Niños Dr. Ricardo Gutierrez" in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The Dangerous tour's next stop was Fukoka, Japan. Jackson arrives in Fukoka on September 7 and performs 2 concerts there.He also visits a school affiliated to a U.S. naval base there. At his September 10th concert in Japan, there is also one special fan who got to see Jackson perform. The artist has flown a terminally ill Dutch boy, 15 year old Martijn Hendricsen, and his two brothers to Japan via "Make A Wish Foundation". They were driven in a twenty three foot gold limousine to Amsterdam airport to meet with the entertainer and see the concert.

On September 13, 1993, while on his Dangerous tour in Moscow, Russia, for his concert there, he goes shopping in Moscowand tours the Kremlin Museum and armoury. he postpones his flight out of Moscow, instead goes to visit a hospital for mentally challenged children there, who rejoice at seeing him and fight for his attention. One of his aides says that the singer has asked for one of the children to be flown to America for care and treatment which Jackson will pay for. The singer holds a few children in his arms and on his lap, comforts and plays with them and wishes to entertain them: "I'd like to sing with them. We all know a song together", he says, visibly emotional. He also visits children in a nearby orphanage, who will sing a song to him in Russian, turning him - the ultimate performer, into an attentive spectator.

homeless ones from the On October 28, 1993, Michael Jackson enables 5000 deprived children in Mexico to visit "Tere Alarcon" orphanage. "El Nuevo Reino Aventura Park", home of whale Keiko. In the same month, Jackson passes thousands of concert tickets to the necessitous children of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and provides thousands of such children with another set of tickets in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

On November 5, 1993, he attends a children's festivity at "Hard Rock Cafe" in Mexico City, dedicated to the

On January 7, 1994, the pop star organizes, on occasion of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, a gala for 100 needy children at his Neverland residence. Meanwhile, " HTWF", with partners "Unihealth" and "Los Angeles Immunization Coalition", disseminate vaccines to the homeless children in Los Angeles, beggared by a damaging earthquake in the area. Moreover, the singer's"HTWF", along with "Discovery Playthings", hands hundreds of toys to children attending an immunization drive. "Heal L.A.",additionally, donates more than 85,000 dollars to the " Al Wooten Jr. Heritage Center", "Casa Rutilio Grande", "Clinica Para Las Americas", "Families in New Directions", "Meeting Each Need With Dignity", "Proyecto Esperanza", "Pueblo Nuevo", and "Vaughn Street Family Center" sheltering the victims of the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley earthquake. Associated with " General Electric", "Lever Brothers" and "Surf Wash", "HTWF" deliver washers, dryers and soap to 25 NGO's, as well as free laundry services, all for the earthquake-stricken people, in addition, along with "Heal L.A." and "Salvation Army", 400 homeless people and their children are invited to spend a day at "Universal Studios". Michael Jackson and his residence are also hosts to 100 children from the " Community Youth Sports and Arts Foundation" in Los Angeles, whom he speaks and plays with, poses for pictures and signs autographs; the children, moreover, watch film "Beethoven's 2nd" with him in his amusement park, and visit his private zoo.

In 1994, 500, 000 dollars in earnings derived from "The Jackson Family Honors" event held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada are pledged to several charities not controlled by the Jacksons, such as an entertainment industry earthquake relief fund, Friends of Conservation, and the Library of Congress - American Popular Music Program. Television broadcast fees and ticket revenues of the gala were estimated at 6 million dollars. The remaining 5.5 million dollars are said to be funneled to "Family Caring for Families", a then recent Jackson family NGO. At the mentioned gala fundraiser and tribute to actress, Elizabeth Taylor and music mogul, Berry Gordy, Michael Jackson joins members of his family and other artists, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Celine Dion, Bruce Hornsby, Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick to perform " If You Only Believe", a relief anthem speaking about the blessings of life, regardless of its inevitable perils. The entertainer originally has not wished to be present at the event, only a couple of months before being discharged from a facility where he recuperated following the 1993 false allegations that took a hold on him, but relents to his family's wishes. He takes the stage to present Gordy and Taylor with their honors, after which the two of them each say their speech of support towards Jackson, Gordy stressing, "Michael, I believed in you when you were 9, and I'll never stop believing in you!", after which he embraces a gracious Jackson. The Honors were broadcasted on NBC three days after the taping, on February 22, 1994.

On June 23, 1994, the singer visits Cab Calloway in a New York Hospital.Cabell "Cab" Calloway III (December 25, 1907 - November 18, 1994) was an American jazz singer and bandleader, and suffered a stroke leading to his passing six months later.

On August 21, 1994, the Jacksons, minus Randy, perform at a U.K. Scientology fund-raiser, "For The Children Of The World." It remains unclear whether Michael J. attended the event, although his then wife was and still is a devout member of the controversial Church of Scientology.

* At a children's hospital (name not specified, possibly the Bethesda Children's Hospital...?), accompanied by then wife, Lisa Marie Presley, he donates 60,000 dollars for financing the surgery a little dying boy, according to the first issue of "Michael Jackson - Music Fans Special".

On March 3, 1995, Michael Jackson attends two-year old (murdered) Craig Fleming's memorial service, pays his surviving brother's medical costs, establishes a trust fund in benefit of the latter, as well as dedicates song "Childhood" from his "HIStory"album in his memory. He also involves himself in founding the "Community School/Safety Havens Initiative", with the purpose of creating a secure environment for the L.A. students, families and residents, and consisting in after-school activities, namely computer instruction, languages, mathematics and sports. In the mentioned year, " HTWF" brings forth entertainment figures to support "Heal L.A."s initiatives, such as pop/rap singers Kriss Kross (who visit patients at the "George C. Page Children's Hospital Community Health Center", in support of Heal L.A. Immunization Initiative), Raven-Symone and Bryton McClure (who visit students at Bancroft Middle School, in support of Heal L.A. Mentoring Initiative).

In 1995, "HTWF" and "International Rescue Committee" ship two pallets of toys to children in war-torn Bosnia-Herzegovina. The singer further supports the rescue and release of caged dolphins by addressing a plea to authorities concerning proper legal approach on the dolphins' life standards from zoos and parks. In the meantime, "Heal L.A." continues to support the"Community School/Safety Havens Initiative" by including over 1200 more families to the curriculum and extending its timetable.

On April 18, 1995, "HTWF", "Permanent Charities" and "EC2000" finance transportation facilities for 46 children from 18 countries to attend the "World Congress of Children" ("WCC") held at Neverland, a 3-day seminar and leadership preparation tackling children's critical issues, such as reports on Switzerland's child rights, the solutions being submitted by " HTWF" and"WWC" for the "World Summit of Children", during the United Nations' Golden Jubilee in California. Jackson and his wife at the time, Lisa Presley, welcome the children to the residence. Additionally, " HTW" and "International Rescue Committee" channel 2 boxes of toys to the war regions of Bosnia-Herzegovina, while, along with "WCC" and "Children's Torch of Hope", convey " WCC" s mission and statement across the U.S. at over 30 events.

Travis Thomas, a 5-year old boy who suffers from cystic fibrosis, wished to meet the entertainer, the issue number 2 of History Magazine reveals in 1995; his wish comes true in June through Jackson and the Make A Wish Foundation, a non-profit group that fulfills the dreams of children suffering from fatal illnesses and which Jackson would support for many years. Travis and his family, along with 20 other seriously ill children, spent a weekend at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and were allowed to roam around the compound's private amusement park. "The love this man has on his face when he is with these special children is unbelievable. He is one of the kindest and most gentle men I have ever met', Travis' mother says. "One evening, we were watching TV and Travis hadn't eaten for a couple of days. He was on TV", Thomas recalls, "and we came across the American Music Awards and Michael Jackson... Travis sat up and wanted to eat... He said, 'I love Michael Jackson, Mama!".

Minister Louis Farrakhan reveals, for the first time, during a public lecture in Chicago, July 26, 2009,that the entertainer quietly donated 100,000 dollars to the historic 'Million Man March' from October 16, 1995. 'The Million Man March' was a gathering of social activists, en masse, held in Washington, D.C.. Under the leadership of Nation of Islam head, Louis Farrakhan, African American men from across the United States converged on Washington in an effort to "convey to the world a vastly different picture of the Black male" and to unite in self-help and self-defense against economic and social ills plaguing the African American minority/community.

In December, 1995, "HTWF" and the youth ambassadors of " WCC" address a statement to the " Guardians of the Future"monument in Mexico City, co-sponsored by "EC2000", "Terra Christa Communications", "UNICEF", the mayor's office in Mexico City and the "Coalition for Children of the Earth".

singer, dancer, and choreographer Michael Jackson rehearses for what would have been a concert with "just the man, just the moves, just the music", a special due for cable-network, HBO, and titled "Michael Jackson: One Night Only". On August 17, 1995, on occasion of a live-chat interview with his fans (Simulchat), he announces the existence of this project: "I'm doing an HBO special, and it's intimate. It's close-up. It will allow me to do things I've never done before." Jackson also rehearsed a special pantomime number for the show with internationally acclaimed French actor and mime, Marcel Marceau and planned to accompany this act with song, "Childhood", and had other 25 songs planned or performing, notably "Black Or White", "Dangerous", "Smile" and "You Are Not Alone". The concert was set to be aired on Sunday, December 10, 1995, 8 p.m.,at New York's historic Beacon Theater, but it was cancelled because Jackson had collapsed on December 6, while rehearsing for this special due to a severe case of gastro-enteritis, dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and was rushed to Beth Israel Medical Center in New York where he remained hospitalized until December 13. William Alleyne II, the artist's doctor for almost two weeks at the time, speaks for the first time since Jackson's life-threatening experience, a month after his untimely demise fourteen years after: "Mr. Jackson was in critical condition, Alleyne says. He was dehydrated. He had low blood pressure. He had a rapid heart rate. He was near death. [...] Michael Jackson was unconscious when he arrived. I had to make that clear." Alleyne adds that he found no immune system problems and no drugs while examining Jackson and, eventually, he was stabilized. "Michael Jackson was the most soft-spoken, least demanding guy you would ever want to meet, Alleyne says. Everything he said was a whisper. His biggest concern was could he perform." Alleyne advised the singer against it. Near the end of Jackson's hospital stay, he asked Alleyne if he could visit other patients in intensive care. Jackson met one lady, gave her an autographed picture after he prayed with her, and the lady told Alleyne, 'I can die now; I prayed with Michael Jackson'. "I told Mr. Jackson maybe visiting with people who had suffered heart attacks or other serious problems wasn't such a good idea." Before Alleyne left the hotel that day, Alleyne recalls Jackson telling him: "Thank you for saving my life". Then Jackson told Alleyne he understood how difficult it had been for a black man to get to such a distinguished position within the medical world, that Alleyne's accomplishments were inspiring to Jackson. "It was very touching, Alleyne says. I will never forget that. That to this day he is so loved comes as no surprise to me. He was very gracious and kind", Jackson's former doctor adds. The "One Night Only" show was put on hold and soon after Jackson's hospitalization, his then wife, Lisa Marie Presley, would file for divorce. Asked about a possible reschedule by a fan during a VH-1 interview in 1996, the artist said there were plans for the concert to still happen in South Africa. The show would, however, not be rescheduled indefinitely.

, all proceeds from the sales of two French perfumes, "Mystique de Michael Jackson" and "Legende de Michael Jackson", named after the singer, go to charity.

In February, 1996, "HTWF/WCC" youth ambassadors from Mexico exhibit a model for sustainability to the U.N. Habitat II Prep. Committee; later on, the 2 NGO's attend "Children First: A Global Forum" in Atlanta, Georgia, event hosted by former President, Mr. Jimmy Carter, Mrs. Rosalynn Carter, "Carter Center", and "Task Force for Child Survival", and co-financed by"Rockefeller Foundation", "Annie E. Casey Foundation", "World Bank" and "Heal the World", gathering 360 representatives from 100 countries to discuss strategies on the improvement and development of children's lives. " HTW" and "WCC" also assist the " Spectrum of Light Youth Conference" i n Washington , D.C., with the intention to create new collaborations benefiting a sustainable society in a thriving environment.

Prior to the starting off the HIStory World Tour, Michael Jackson performs a free-of-charge concert at the Disney-themed Jerudong Park Amphitheatre in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on July 16, 1996, attended by 60,000 people. The 2-hour show was in celebration of the 50th birthday of Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan of Brunei, and was attended by the Brunei royal family, excepting the Sultan himself.

Starting with July 18, 1996, Jackson visits South Africa for a few days, arrives in Johannesburg, where he attends a private birthday for then President Nelson Mandela on the mentioned date. Mandela invites an estimated 2000 children to the party and poses with the singer before cutting a birthday cake for his 78th birthday at Hilton College in Kwazulu-Natal. Jackson has taken time off from touring, to visit South Africa where he also reveals he is writing a song about him. Mandela, stepping out on to a patio to greet the media, turnes to Jackson and says, "I can see who is the world leader. I have never seen so many journalists!" While in South Africa, Jackson also visits the black township of Soweto, where he lays a wreath of flowers at the memorial to honor the youngsters who were shot dead by South Africa's security forces during the 1976 Apartheid riots, and renders a bouquet of white roses, carnations and lilies in remembrance of 11-year-old leukemia victim, Jaymee Bowen. Meanwhile, the highest bid for a Neverland visit on behalf of the star is obtained at the "Cities in School" celebrity auction and, with the aid of radio "KIIS-FM" in Los Angeles, 115,000 dollars are delivered to school pupils.

Michael Jackson returns to Budapest, Hungary in July 22, 23, 1996, to meet with now healthy Bela Farkas at the Bethesda Hospital, as well as other young patients in the hospital. Farkas was diagnosed with liver failure two years before and was in need of a transplant, the arrangements for which having been made by the entertainer a year before. He also visits the Hungarian Parliament, and attends a children's show in the Nep Stadium, where he interacts with children and holds some in his arms.

On September 6, 1996, in Prague, the Czech Republic, he visits the city, sorties to hospitals and orphanages to see ailing children and hand out presents, including a video recorder to one children's home. He also meets with President at the time, Vaclav Havel, in the capital's spectacular old castle and shows him around the presidential offices.

On September 13, in Bucharest, Romania, he gives away toys and sweets to and plays with children from the "Leaganul De Copii Sfanta Ecaterina" state home, which he also visited back in 1992, and which he also acknowledges with 35 million Lei (1 million dollars). Jackson visits a children's hospital as well, where he plays with the toddlers there. On arriving in Bucharest, September 12, he, alongside the Cascio family children, kneels before a monument - a cross in University Square dedicated to the victims of the 1989 Romanian revolution, and lays flowers. He also is a guest at the Parliament Palace where children are giving performances for him, including for "Heal the World", which Jackson sings along to. As during many of his tours' stops, Jackson takes time to tour the city and sightsee the famous architecture there.

On October 1, 1996, he donates earnings from one of his concerts in Tunisia to the "National Solidarity Fund", charity dedicated to fighting poverty. On October 3, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, he visits hospitals "Ronald McDonald House" and"AMC", interacts with the patients and distributes toys and other presents to them. A unit from one of the hospitals (for parents who want to be with their children) is named after Jackson. That month, Jackson also visits a facility for challenged children in Kaoshiung, Taiwan, and offers 2000 free concert tickets to them.

On November 1, 1996, Jackson donates most of the proceeds from the HIStory concert in Bombay, India to the poor and destitute. The superstar flew in to India in a private jet. Sabbas Joseph, director of Wizcraft, the event management agency that had the airport shut down on his arrival recalls 14 years later: "Michael met the CM and Raj Thackeray. This was followed by an aarti by Sonali Bendre. As he was walking out, a strange incident occurred. A child fell down and Jackson immediately glided over and picked him up. He held him and hugged him with such care like he was the child's mother.", recounts Sabbas. "The (1993) allegations seemed all wrong. Michael even shot with 100 children in India for a calendar that he was producing", he continues. On his way from the airport, he stopped the car several times to dance with the poor. Sabbas adds that Jackson was even willing to postpone his visit for a day or two in India to meet Mother Teresa. But that didn't work out. Viraf Sarkari, co-director at Wizcraft, recalls that all the celebrities and industrialists wanted to meet him. "We arranged meet-and-greet sessions with him. Michael kept all his commitments. He was a gentle person and met everyone respectfully." Sabbas echoes the sentiment that Jackson was the easiest international artiste to work with, as he was very humble and the staff very professional. Both directors acknowledge that Jackson had a great spiritual connect with India. Viraf says, "We first met him in Los Angeles to confirm the concert. We were told he is very keen on performing in India. We'd presented him with a Ganesha, a Nataraj and a sherwani. And without requiring any explanation, he said, "Yes, that's Ganesha, the god of luck." Even when Bal Thackeray presented a silver statue of Nataraj to Jackson, the star didn't need the politician's explanation and said, "Yes, I know, that's the god of dance and art." More recountings on the visit coming from Times of India are as follows: on his arrival in India on October 31, Sonali Bendre, clad in traditional Maharashtrian (Indian State - Maharashtra) nine yard saree, performs the aarti and tilak for the singer at the airport, him being taken up with the ceremony. When being driven out of the air port in his 20-car motorcade, he stops his Toyota, removes himself from his security guards and steps out to meet the urchins lined up along the highway to catch a glimpse of him. He picks up several children, whom he hugs and kisses. He then spends a few minutes with them before he proceeds to the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray's residence, Matushree, in Bandra East. Here, he is presented with a silver tabla and tanpura, which are musical instruments from India. Later that evening, at the special bash organized in his honour by the concert's organizer, Bharat Shah, at the Oberoi, he makes a brief appearance. Bharat Shah presents Jacksons with a silver replica of the Taj Mahal at the same party. At his request, a high tea is organized at the pool side where children from orphanages are invited to meet and play with him. He hands them gifts and chocolates that he has brought with him. Jackson also organizes a party for children in his hotel room on the day of the History show itself. About 50 children are invited, for whom he orders cakes and burgers. He also plays with the invited children. Jackson requests that he is provided with a few saris which he wants draped around the sofas during the photo session with the children, to give his pictures the ethnic effect. Burkhas are arranged for the singer due to him wishing to visit Aasha Daan, Mother Teresa's ashram in Byculla, South Mumbai. But due to an extremely tight schedule, he wasn't able to fulfill his wish.

He visits and endows a children's home and a school for visually-impaired ones in Bangkok, Thailand with 100,000 dollars, toys and the like November, 1996.

On November 7, 1996, 13-year old Emely Smith is granted the wish to encounter him backstage in Auckland, New Zealand, during a halt from his concert there, where he will also pay a visit on November 16 to children's hospital, "Starship", room to room, and hands out toys, autographs and C.D.'s, respectively, to each of the young patients. The visit lasts for hours, the singer conversing to all the ailing children. He signs autographs to the children, and one cancer-stricken young girl asks the entertainer what it is like being a superstar, to which he humbly replies: "Hmm... I don't know.. I really don't. 'Cause I don't remember not performing, so it's fun to make people happy... It really is." Another boy tells him his favorite song is the singer's 1972 "Ben". When asked by a reporter how the looks on the patients' faces make him feel, he replies, his hand on his chest: "It touches my heart. I love them very much.", after which he shakes hands with the boy asking him about "Ben", then adds, hand on chest again: "It's heart-touching." "The Smith Family", a fund-raising NGO for indigent people, receives a finance portion of the artist's Australian concerts.

In November, Michael Jackson pays a visit to the "Prince of Wales Hospital" in Brisbane, Australia, a housing of children with cancer and heart conditions, asthma and various tumors, in which he delivers autographs and toys to over 75 children. He also visits a children's facility in Sydney, where he similarly acknowledges more patients, as well as 6-year old severely burned victim, Tjandamurra O'Shane - doused in petrol and set alight in the grounds of a primary school by an Adelaide man - at a hospital in Australia, on a halt from the HIStory tour.

On November 26, 1996, Jackson visits the " Royal Children's Hospital" in Melbourne, Australia, where he delivers toys to and signs autographs for the children.

On December 7, 1996, on occasion of the annual Orphans Christmas Party held at the Manila Hotel in Manila, Phillippines, he donates toys to 300 children from different orphanages around Metro Manila, signs autographs and speaks to the medically cared for children; additionally, he makes known that a portion of his concerts will be used for renewing a hospital's facilities which he has also visited. A young orphan boy present at the event says: "I got separated from my mom and siblings. That's how I ended up in an orphanage... [...] I became happier [after I had received the gifts from Michael]... It feels like... the sadness is gone. I'm not sad anymore." Then P.R. officer at Manila Hotel, Gwen J. Cariño , offers a detailed insight on her blog regarding the event and its preparations alongside Jackson himself, shortly after the susperstar's untimely passing in 2009: "Michael offered to fill up the 300 loot bags with goodies and toys, candies and chocolates. [...] It was at the Champagne Gardens on Dec. 7, 1996. I was surprised to see him walking towards us, guided by his aide. Michael came up to me as I had to brief him. "Hi, how are you? Thanks so much for letting me in, I know I'm early 'coz I didn't want to miss the program." I said, "Are you kidding? Thanks so much for volunteering! Here's what Michael, why don't you just sit here and watch the musical numbers before we get into the gift giving. I will have to tweak the program a bit." He replied, "Sure, anything you say... (pausing to look at my name tag) Gwen!" [...] Amazing how he patiently sat through the whole program. Carol Banawa, then an Ang TV mainstay couldn't believe MJ was watching her perform. She had her red blouse signed by him right after her number. Then followed Stefano Mori's dance number. Later, his back up singers and dancers came up on stage followed by select kids from different orphanages who danced to the beat of Billie Jean. Oh, the smile on Michael's face was just amazing. [...] He later showed me and [security] Wayne other stuff people would use or pick up on the ground when they couldn't find paper for him to sign on. One lady made him sign at the back of her elegant, designer Filipiniana gown. One teenager came up to him holding a dead leaf and another one, a popped balloon. [...]" That day, Jackson also makes a visit to the pediatric ward of the Paranaque Community Hospital, in Manila, bringing cheer to the children there, as well as to 3,000 admirers who waited for him several hours, reports The Philippine Star. Inside the hospital, Jackson interracts with the young patients and their mothers, shakes their hands and kisses them. He also meets with town officials.

Michael Jackson visits the Children's Hospital in Detroit, Michigan around 1996, signs autographs and hands over more than 200 toys to them.

On January 25, 1997, the musician waves 85% of the $5 to $6 million ticket receipts from a concert held o n November 1, 1996 in Bombay, India, and donates 1,1 million dollars to a local NGO educating children dwelling in slums - "Shiv Udyog Sena" - the sum also helping to create jobs for 270,000 young unemployed people in the state of Maharashtra, Bombay; on arriving in Bombay, the singer asks to stop in order to converse with children playing in the crowded slums for 20 minutes, according to Indian journalist, Hema Shukla.

On February 16, 1997, Michael Jackson performs at a tribute to Elizabeth Taylor for her AIDS benefit concert in Los Angeles, California, aired o n February 27, 1997, and titled "Happy Birthday, Elizabeth" by ABC - TV.

In early April, 1997, Michael Jackson is interviewed and photographed with his personal family by British OK! Magazine. OK! Has paid for the pictures and interview and Jackson has donated the entire 1-million-pound profit to his Heal The Worldfoundation. OK! has recently provided erroneous information on the birth of his first son, releasing selective photographs of the new-born son without the parents' consent.

Michael Jackson returns to Warsaw, Poland in an unofficial, but elaborate visit on May 28, 1997, to explore the possible venues for his new project. The local politicans are amazed, therefore decide to support the 500-million dollar investment. Rough estimates place Jackson's intended contribution at 100-300 million dollars. A June 1, 1999 date is scheduled for the opening. While in Warsaw, his first stop there was the President's Palace of Wilanow, which he tours alongside Professor Marek Kwiatkowski, and converses with the former President's wife, Jolanta Kwasniewska, who expresses hope that the singer's plans for Poland all materialize. The President of Poland at the time, Aleksander Kwasniewski, hands a plaque over to him on behalf of the city of Warsaw and they embrace. The singer shows interest in the interior decorative frieze of the Palace, as well as in the monument of King John III Sobieski. Then, Jackson visits the 'Bristol Hotel' and a high school, Batorego, which he tours for 15 minutes, without disturbing examinations taking place at that time. His third stop is the 'Warsaw's Kings Bathrooms", enjoys the peacock, a movie on Warsaw, and tours the 'Palace on Water'. He attends a piano concert - a Chopin recital at the Theatre of Stanislaw, after which the Major of Warsaw, Marcin Swiecicki, presents him the keys to the city and effigy of mermaid. Both Jackson and Swiecicki, furthermore, sign a letter of interest in which both parties agree to prepare for the contructions of a theme park of the first kind there. He even will set up a company in Delaware under "MJJ Poland Inc". He also attends a special dance show put together by patients from the Children's Hospital on Litewska Street and acknowledges, as he usually/always does, the ill young patients. That day, he will shop for children at the "Kidiland" toy store, reportedly in the amount of 670,000 dollars, then fly to Lubiaz by helicopter to visit the "Cistercian Order Palace" for 45 minutes; Jackson expresses will of having the two-story baroque building renovated and leased; he tours with same Professor Kwiatowski, very impressed by the singer's knowledge on Polish relics. The plans to build the amusement park on a nearby military airport have won approval from state officials in February, 1998, meantime the entertainer asks Landmark to draw up sketches for the proposed theme parks, however, following the project's approval and a huge hiatus, the army owning the airport does not agree to make it available for the park, and other two grounds pointed out by the government will also be denied due to local protests. The Polish government abandons this project altogether and nothing will come out of it.

On June 18, 1997, the singer attends the 30th anniversary of the Phantasialand theme-pa rk in Germany before flying to Milano, Italy to perform a HIStory concert. In Milan, a boy from Latin America, Daniel, suffering from AIDS, meets Jackson, the entertainer also inviting him on stage and carrying him in his arms. Antoinette Parisi, the adoptive mother of Daniel, writes after the ruling of the trial 2003/2005: "I'll never forget what you did for my son, Daniel. After meeting you, the doctors called it a miracle, because, for some months, it was like he never had AIDS. Now that justice has been served, I just wanted to express my gratitude and happiness. [...] My child is not here with us anymore, but I know that from up there he is always looking over you. [...]"

Russian daily newspaper, 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta' publishes the information that, on, Michael Jackson has donated 1,5 million dollars to the Jehova's Witnesses organization in Russland, Russia.

On July 16 1997, one of Michael Jackson's vans accidentally runs over an admirer's leg as a crowd of fans sprint after his limousine, pushing an admirer to the ground and causing him a broken foot. The fan, called Joe Jenish, a then 28-year old account supervisor, later receives a phone call to inform him that Jackson knew of the accident and arranged that he meet him. The following day, Jenish goes backstage at the Wembley stadium in London, where the entertainer apologizes profusely for the accident (albeit it was not his personal fault) and signs his cast twice. Since meeting Jackson, Jenish has become an even more devoted supporter, and is currently the U.S. correspondent for the international fanzine "King," a contributor to the MJ News Fan Club, and the head of "MJ Day," an annual Michael Jackson conference.

On July 18, 1997, Christine Dowling, a 31 Irish Michael Jackson admirer suffering from Morquio syndrome, is granted the wish to meet her famous hero. The opportunity arises during Jackson's HIStory Tour concert, when the entertainer's security people would be looking for fans to come up on stage for the song performance of "Heal The World". "The music for "Heal the World" came on and I was wheeled onto the stage. Michael held my hand", Dowling recounts 13 years later. "Normally, I wouldn't feel anything in my right hand, as I had lost feeling in it a few years before, but that night I could actually feel Michael's hand. He turned to me as we headed off of the stage. He told me that he loved me and I knew that he really meant it!" She goes on to say: "A few hours after the concert, I could feel a burning sensation up and down my right arm. The next day, I had feeling back in my right hand. I truly believe I got my feeling back from simply holding Michael's hand. My Ma said, "With 35,000 people singing such a positive song as "Heal the World," you were bound to get a miracle." [...] Even though I am in a wheelchair, that night I felt like I was walking on air. [...] I am so blessed and thankful that my dream came true." Following her hero's death, Dowling organized a tree planting in his memory, as well as a Michael Jackson Memorial 7 Fun Day on August 8, 2009, with full proceeds directed to a children's hospital she had attended in her childhood.

On September 13, 1997, Michael Jackson attends a public memorial for late Princess Diana at a church in Los Angeles, California. On 31 August 1997, the Princess died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris along with then boyfriend, Dodi Al-Fayed. Jackson also dedicates song "Gone Too Soon" to his late friend and reschedules a HIStory concert from Ostende, Belgium - that was supposed to take place precisely on August 31 - to September 3, which he dedicated in loving memory to Diana, especially his performance of "Heal The World". From the September 3 HIStory concert onward, Jackson's cover of Charlie Chaplin's song "i s played back before each concert, pictures of the late Princess being shown on the jumbotron for some parts of the concert.

* Jackson has invited underprivileged children on stage with him in each city included in his Europe " HIStory World Tour" during world-awareness songs such as "Heal The World", similarly doing so during his "Dangerous World Tour".

* Jackson has also acknowledged his admirers and supporters throughout the years while during his tours, on occasions of events such as fan gatherings, displaying his appreciation to them by means of paper notes he would cast down from windows including, greetings, pillows and blankets. Food (such as pizza or hot chocolate), candles and the like, were delivered at his request by trucks, to each individual, and he would occasionally be inviting a few of them for a visit inside his hotel rooms for pictures and autographs. He would, additionally pay the costs for hotel accomodations for some (i.e.: in New York, following the September 11 terrorist attacks). A variety of groups (varying from families in need to his own supporters) would also be allowed to visit his mansion and its vicinities in California, including in his absence over the years, where they would help themselves with food and other facilities, as reported and/or witnessed.

* At a non-accurate date, Michael Jackson visits, offers a computer to and pays for the medical costs of a 4-year-old girl and admirer of his at a hospital, the child being gravely injured by a dog in Washington, D.C.; in addition, he makes a discrete appearance at the funeral of two children in South Carolina, drowned in a car by their mother, for whom he speaks in their memory and pays for the last rites' expenses.

In January, 1998,Michael Jackson records a demo version of charity song, "What More Can I Give", with tenor Luciano Pavarotti.

On May 15, 1998, Jackson participates at the "Southern Africa Economic Summit" from Windhoek, Namibia, an annual event considering the formation of a newly competitive Africa, and meets with President Patrick Nandago. The singer is there to announces his plans to build a leisure complex and shopping centers in the impoverished country, investments he hopes to improve the lives of ill and impoverished children around the world.

06 July 1998: visits the Detroit Children's Hospital in Michigan, signs autographs and donates more than 200 toys.

In September, 1998, Michael Jackson befriends 5-year-old cancer-ailing Aza Woods at the "Hilton Hotel" in Las Vegas, displays the "Star Treck: The Experience" show to him and invites him to his ranch, helping with his healing stages.

In 1998, he writes and produces song "Children's Holiday" (translated in Japanese by "Yasushi Okimoto"), a charity anthem and number-one single in Japan performed by a Japanese group, J-Friends and a children's choir, all revenues of which being used in aid of the victims (and their families) of a devastating earthquake in Kobe City, Japan, in January, 1995. Jackson also gives world-relief song, "People Of The World", to J-Friends, which they will perform on various platforms.

In March, 1999, the entertainer negotiates with a consortium led by Malaysian entrepreneur, Abdul Rahman, to donate a certain amount of money to help create four African universities in Tunisia, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, which would be named after him.

In May, 1999, Jackson is involved in the "Pavarotti & Friends for War Child" charity concert in Modena, Italy, event ultimately earning 1 million dollars for "United Nations High Commission for Refugees", an NGO benefiting refugees from Kosovo, with the help of the "Safe Children" project. The singer could not be present at the event on health purposes of his first son, the late tenor performing Jackson's "We Are The World" instead with the event's artists for the finale in his absence. At an uncertain date, Jackson is said to have recorded a compact disc in honor of late Princess Diana, together with singer Paul McCartney and late Luciano Pavarotti.

On May 9, 1999, the pop star participates, alongside other artists, in the " No Boundaries" relief album, the proceeds of which being intended for providing food and shelter for the Kosovo victims.

In June, 1999, Michael Jackson performs at the " Michael Jackson & Friends - The Power of Humanity " two sell-out stadiums spellbound, to an audience capacity of 45,000 in Seoul, Korea () and 60,000 in Munich, Germany (). Among the star friends of Jackson invited to perform were: Mariah Carey, Vanessa Mae, Slash, All Saints, The Scorpions, Status Quo, Ringo Starr, Boyz II Men, Andrea Boccelli, Luther Vandross, Luciano Pavarotti, Kelly Family, A. R. Rahman, Prabhu Deva Sundaram and Shobana. The concerts raised approximately 3,3 million dollars for charities Red Cross, UNESCO and the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund. Both concerts were televised in Europe and Asia to a massive viewer response.

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The 1990's: On January 6, 1990 , he organizes a festivity for 82 deprived children at his residence via " Childhelp USA", who are offered a tour of the ranch, games to play, a barbeque for meal and a film representation to watch: "The Little Mermaid" and "Back To The Future II".

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Much of Jackson's star image is that of which he created himself. He constructed the 'Thriller' music video to create something that nobody had ever witnessed before. He gained such a widespread fan base through his individuality.

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Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official 4K Video)