Highlights From Harry and Meghan's Interview With Oprah . But their victory tour reviews were mixed. LEMON: It would take a year before a jury was seated and the trial began. He's a 12-year-old superstar with thousands of people shrieking and screaming. Even from the beginning, when they're nervously holding hands at MTV and he says, "Nobody thought this would last," and then he goes to kiss her. This is a case of abuse of medications. Meantime, the Reverend Jesse Jackson tells CNN the Jackson family wants answers. And Michael was God to me.". LEMON: And with Neverland came the children. In fact, you know, there were nights where you looked up there and it was like he was timeless, ageless. And the record company said, no, Quincy's too jazzy. LEMON: Just a year later, Jackson was catapulted back into the limelight when he was featured in the Martin Bashir documentary "Living with Michael Jackson." "It certainly was going to be the most watched interview I had ever done. He pleaded not guilty. During the interview, Oprah got a private lesson in the signature move. HIATT: I was looking in an old "Rolling Stone" article from a few years ago and someone said, you'll really know that Michael Jackson is broke when he announces a big European tour. It remains to be seen how the recently announced film about Michael Jacksons life (which will star his nephew Jaafar and will be directed by Antoine Fuqua) will reflect this transformation. 90 million people tuned in for the sit-down chat at the King of Pop's Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, California. Leaving Neverland and Oprah's interview helped me come to terms with the fact that by continuing to defend Michael Jackson in the name of his talent, I was contributing to our society's habit of victim shaming. He suffered from bad acne and was self- conscious of his appearance. THOMAS MESEREAU, LAWYER FOR MICHAEL JACKSON: It took a terrible toll. He hadn't shaved that morning. In the most awkward part of the interview, Oprah took up the topic of the singers love life and asked him a strange, nave question that seemed more suited for a child than a 34-year-old man. CRAIG HARVEY, CORONER'S SPOKESMAN: We know he was taking some prescription medications. On the day after his death, Presley wrote on her blog that Jackson always thought he'd die early like her father. For him it was a world of betrayal. Why can't we create the next instrument?" OPRAH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF HARPO, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2023 HARPO PRODUCTIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. DE PASSE: I went back one more time, mustered up all my courage. It cost him around 10 million dollars to keep that up at its peak. It could not be stopped. It was just very difficult to imagine this is a guy who's ready to come back and do an amazing series of 50 concerts, and then more across the world, which was the plan. In fact, in the documentary, Safechuck reveals that he only finally came to terms with his own abuseand opened up to his wife about itafter seeing an interview Robson did about his experience with Jackson on The Today Show in 2013. Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Jacksons 2005 trial lasted 18 months; the trial lasted 14 weeks. Around 62 million viewers in the United States and 90 million worldwide watched the interview live, although some estimates, such as the one offered by Winfreys biographer, Kitty Kelley, claim it was higher at 100 million. LIONEL RICHIE, MUSICIAN: That soul was huge. He was very placid. 1993 Michael Jackson interview (Oprah) Bhawgwild 5.23K subscribers 928K views 4 years ago I do not own any copyrights. And Jackson showed up in court in his pajamas. Plastic surgery was another much-talked about issue surrounding Michael Jackson in the early 1990s. Michael Jackson was about to go from child pop star to the biggest star on the planet. "I had no understanding of it being abuseI loved Michael," he told Oprah. LEMON: Rowe gave birth to their son, Prince Michael Jackson, in 1997. Of course, the idea that Michael Jackson may have been not just an abuser, but a pedophile, was not new to me or the rest of the world before news broke about the upcoming Leaving Neverland, which documentary filmmaker Reed began production on last year. Have you ever had suicidal tendencies? Whats a 36-year-old man doing sleeping with a 12-year-old boy? Have you ever had sexual intercourse with a child? The rest of the story is familiar: Bashirs 2003 interview, in which Jackson again claimed to share his bed with children, prompted an investigation and then a trial for the sexual abuse of a young boy who appeared with him on the show (Jackson was found not guilty). He's unconscious? (SINGING) (END VIDEOTAPE). LIONEL RICHIE, MUSICIAN: Now, one great thing that happened that we both had to realize, I can't read or write music, and Michael cannot read or write music. "After the attention is no longer on this film, this is something I will be dealing with for the rest of my life," Safechuck told Oprah. BROCKMAN: We were alone in a room. At the heart of this film are the stories of Robson and Safechuck, whowith appearances from their mothers, wives and siblingsdiscuss how they were discovered and mentored by Jackson from the ages of 6 and 9, respectively. He filled the property with an amusement park, a private zoo, and dubbed the oasis Neverland. Get updates on your favorite shows, the latest from Oprah's world and more! In the second block of the interview, the tone changed completely. Not that the trial was going to end badly, but that something would happen to Michael. Presley filed for divorce in 1996. But Reed cleared up one important thing: Neither Robson nor Safechuck were paid to be a part of Leaving Neverland. At the age of 10 he was told to say that he was eight. So off he went to the island nation of Bahrain. The Watch OWN app is free and available to you as part of your OWN subscription through a participating TV provider. Then in 1996, Jackson sent shock waves around the world when it was announced he had married Debbie Rowe, his dermatologist nurse. That's a lot of dates. Is it true that you sleep in an oxygen chamber to stay eternally young? Did you buy the Elephant Mans remains? Is it true that you wanted a white actor to play Michael Jackson as a child in a Pepsi commercial? Winfrey went through a litany of crazy headlines, all of which Jackson denied. She explained: "Here's the reason why I'm here. Michael told Oprah that he was in a relationship with Brooke Shields. And, worst of all, a potentially terrible father. Fun fact: I got my start in journalism as an intern at _O, The Oprah Magazine, so my role overseeing Oprah Daily's website is a major full-circle moment! UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people of the state of California, plaintiff versus Michael Joe Jackson, defendant, not guilty of a lewd act upon a minor child. LEMON: Jackson and his brothers would become preteen idols, appearing in commercials and on magazine covers. Long-awaited, the buzz was big. DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): From child prodigy to cultural icon. Which when he first did it nationally, it was like, wait, is gravity being, like, messed with here? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson doesn't just come along once in a century or a lifetime. It's happening in familieswe know it's happening in churches, and in schools, and sports teams everywhere. He's not going to be able to get any weirder than this. Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future. LEMON: It was a triumph for Jackson as a musician and as a humanitarian. Robson and his mother moved from Australia to work with Jackson, and as a child, he starred in music videos like "Black or White" and "Jam," gigs that he says led to spending more and more time with Jackson, including sleepovers at Jackson's Neverland ranch. JOHN NORRIS, FORMER CORRESPONDENT, MTV NEWS: They are songs that still hold up today. Success at such a cost left Jackson with conflicted feelings for his father. Uploaded by You know? (COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: In November 1982, 24-year-old Michael Jackson released "Thriller." He was very, very controlled. "All the times that I testified and the many, many times that I gushed over him publicly in interviewsthat was from a real place. In a March 4 special, Oprah Winfrey interviewed the two men that detailed allegations of childhood sexual abuse by Michael Jackson in an HBO documentary. Would you trade it in for a normal childhood with the celebrity? JACKSON: Yes. Since the mid-1980s, people had speculated that Jackson wanted to become white, that he wanted to become a woman, that he had bought the Elephant Mans remains, that he slept in an oxygen chamber, that he had married Elizabeth Taylor, that he suffered from anorexia, that his best friend was a monkey, that the monkey was telepathic, that Michael was a homosexual and that he was a virgin. Im going to ask you something and its embarrassing for me, but Im going to ask it anyway. It would make me sad that I would have to go and work instead. Just nine months after the show aired, the 13-year-old cancer patient featured in the documentary accused Jackson of sexual abuse. He's not breathing? To me, she's perfection. There are also accusations that Reed created this film and Robson, and Safechuck participated because they're after money and fame. This is really it. Jackson Interview Transcript By Ellen Crean December 28, 2003 / 12:38 PM / CBS For most of his life, Michael Jackson has been in the spotlight, most recently because of what has been. And there's kinda buttery smell and a fragrance. "Thriller" broke records, with seven top ten singles. So, how do you write a song called "We are the World"? LEMON: Family members came to Jackson's defense. And Michael Jackson was ready to spread his wings. The marriage lasted only two years, but when Michael talked with Oprah a year before his nuptials, everyone was wondering ifand whohe dated. Media mogul Suzanne de Passe was there at the beginning. QUINCY JONES, MUSIC PRODUCER: I said, you know what? And then there are all the gatherings, from weddings to birthdays, where the only songs that would get everyone in my mixed, multicultural family on the dance floor to attempt their best moonwalks were "Billie Jean" and "Thriller.". It was in the same league as David Frosts interview with Richard Nixon in 1977, Barbara Walters interview with Monica Lewinsky in 1999 and, outside the United States, Martin Bashirs interview with Princess Diana in 1995. Oprahs 1993 interview closed with one of the last candid images we would see of Michael Jackson: Oprah and he walking toward the Neverland amusement park, as the camera pans up and music plays. She arranges the interviews in advance, and they are very prefabricated, but then she has the [gift] of naturalness, of making herself seem like one more member of the audience, even though she is not. In the Michael Jackson interview, this is quite noticeable: she describes the artists disturbing environment with a naivet that makes Michael himself not feel attacked. I can't even begin to summarize here everything that happens in those four hours, but if there is one message I can share: It is a must-watchespecially if you are a Michael Jackson fan. In 1993, Oprah Winfrey made history by conducting the most-watched interview in television history. In 1994, Michael married Lisa Marie Presley. LEMON: It was March 10, 2005, the second day of testimony by Jackson's teenaged accuser. And part of my concern about Michael was the fact that he always seemed to be suffering from some form of ailment or infirmity. NORRIS: There's a reason it's called "Neverland Valley." Michael Jackson was being interviewed by Oprah Winfrey in 1993 when he stunned the interviewer by showcasing his incredible beatboxing skills as he sang acapella. LEMON: The marriage collapsed less than two years after the wedding. And it also broke barriers. There he continued to surround himself with children in a make-believe paradise where he could relive his childhood. Its a magnetic, phantasmagoric ending. No barrier stood before this man that he didn't challenge, that he didn't break down, that he didn't tear down. They performed as if they had been performing for years. SUZANNE DE PASSE, CEO, DE PASSE ENTERTAINMENT: He had the charisma, the talent, the voice, the -- everything it takes. The production was very skillful because the images told of all [Jacksons] eccentricities. However, Jackson's teenage years were awkward. JACKSON: My friends and doctors advise me to seek professional guidance in order to eliminate what has become an addiction. In 1993, Ms. Winfrey's prime-time interview of Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch, . .css-ssumvd{display:block;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.0625rem;font-weight:bold;line-height:1.25;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-ssumvd:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-ssumvd{letter-spacing:0rem;margin-top:0.9375rem;}}Gayle King Interviews Angela Bassett, Gayle Says March Is a Good Month for TV Lovers, Sheryl Lee Ralphs Definition of True Love, What We Know About The Little Mermaid Remake, Oprah Congratulates Kimmel on 20 Years of His Show, Nikole Hannah-Jones on "The 1619 Project", Ta-Nehisi Coates on the Wakanda Forever Podcast, Oprah Is Acting in Tyler Perrys Next Netflix Film. I'm going to miss him. I was always crying from loneliness. With that, live in front of 62 million viewers, Jackson established the first great myth that would surround him from that moment on (and which his most diehard fans would use to justify his most outlandish behaviors): the kid whose childhood was stolen from him. They talked about James Brown, Jackie Wilson, the Bee Gees and Motown. USHER: He is everything to music. LEMON: But in 1993, disturbing allegations surfaced concerning Jackson's association with children. Michael Jackson, Oprah, Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Rowe and many other people watching MJ talking to Oprah on TV in a bedroom: Link: The Mexico Deposition in 1993 and "Dangerous . Were you as happy offstage as you were onstage?, Offstage I was very sad. The interview had the intended effect (many considered it a promotional ploy by the two, rather than a real interview). As the trial progressed, he got weaker and weaker, including that one bizarre day when he called in sick and the judge said, come in anyway. Did he ever hit you? Yes. Why? He was very strict; just his look alone terrified me. I'd like to take a shot at producing your record. BRIAN HIATT, "ROLLING STONE": Michael Jackson all but disappeared. There wouldn't even be the MTV that is now without Michael Jackson's influence. From his sequin glove, to a life-size replica of Darth Vader made of Legos; things ultimately Michael would not give up. "My mother's wonderful. And I would record for hours and hours until it was time to go to sleep. Also, two moving vans showed up today at the rented L.A. home where Jackson apparently collapsed. Later, he added: "Michael told me it was love, that God brought us together. I guess what none of us could have anticipated was the album they would then produce after "Off the Wall." he looks soo mad wen the alarm goes offits soo cute. Meantime, members of Iran's government-linked militia are reportedly raiding homes and beating suspected protesters, who are believed to be taking part in nightly anti-government chants from Tehran roofs. Michael: Thank you. He said he urged the singer to keep children out of his bedroom. Sometimes I do get angry. LEMON: Even though Jackson couldn't replace his earlier success, he never stops innovating. We're going to sleep. WINFREY: And why would he beat you? Information from IMDB:Oprah interviews Michael Jackson, broadcast live around the world from his home at the Neverland Ranch. to Oprah had a 39.3 rating and a 56 share of the viewing audience, meaning 36.6 . There wouldn't be BET. When I saw that spectacle, I realized that my concerns about his frailty, about his physical issues, and emotional instability, were even more well-founded. And I was -- and I kept saying, I just hope he gets a physical trainer, someone to really work him out, to make sure he's healthy and prepared. I was previously the Digital Director of OprahMag.com, and before that, Senior Features Writer at Refinery29, where I also served as a video host and on-camera entertainment expert. GORDY: When she told me about another kids' group I said, wait a minute, I got all these other stars. He could hardly smile. At minute 24, Oprah posed the question that everyone was asking themselves in 1993: Did you bleach your skin because you dont like being Black?, Here, for the first time in public, Michael mentioned that he suffered from vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that destroys pigment-producing cells. (I should note that for the record, Leaving Neverland was in production long before Surviving R. Kelly aired.). TOURE: I don't think anybody, even like the Iowa housewives, were saying, you know they're not sleeping together. HARVEY: Those tests we anticipate will take approximately four to six additional weeks. When we continue, chimps, oxygen chambers, the elephant man's bones -- Michael Jackson's bizarre behavior. But I think it was about '85, '86, and I was like, wow. BRAFMAN: He went through a horrible accident filming a video. LEMON: Michael Jackson, dead at the age of 50. To understand the enormous buzz that an interview with Michael Jackson (Indiana, 1958-Los Angeles, 2009) generated in February 1993, one needs to understand the context. He didn't exchange words with his lawyers very often. Stay up to date with the latest trends that matter to you most. So it'd be nighttime. So for me, it's time to say goodbye to Michael Jacksonone last time. CRAIG MARKS, FORMER EDITOR, "BLENDER" MAGAZINE: Hysterical adulation does play tricks with your mind. "All I did was enhance the dance.". JACKSON: This one, this one -- CASTRO: Almost pathological in his spending ways. So we started listening to tracks, like De, de, de, de, de, de. I knew it wasn't appropriate. Robson told Oprah of his decision to speak out: "If anything that I say is going to help any other survivors, then I should be able to speak the truth.". The special featured an interview between musician Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey, filmed at his Neverland Ranch in California. Michael Jackson and Oprah Winfrey during the high-profile interview at Neverland Ranch on February 10, 1993; according to some estimates, the broadcast drew nearly 100 million viewers worldwide. Mere months later, his public image would be tarnished forever And then Oprah began her interview by saying: "This moment transcends Michael Jackson. CNN has unearthed a 1993 Oprah Winfrey interview with Michael Jackson in which he addresses Pepsi's then plan to cast a white actor to play him as a child in his ill-fated advertisement for the . BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER OF MOTOWN: He was exceptional, artistic, and original. LEMON: The shadow of drug abuse would follow him even into death. LEMON: Physician Deepak Chopra, a personal friend, said he knew Jackson was taking narcotic painkillers. It's a very complicated cultural dynamic with roots in slavery and beyond that would take me an entire separate article to unpack. Oprah's interview with Michael Jackson in February 1993 is the most-watched television interview in television history, with a staggering 90 million viewers. Months later, Jackson partnered with Lionel Richie on an effort that was more warmly received. Nuevo curso 'online', Maestra en Ciencias Ambientales presencial en Benito Jurez, Licenciatura en Administracin de Empresas presencial en Benito Jurez, Maestra a distancia en Lingstica Aplicada a la Enseanza del Espaol como Lengua Extranjera, Licenciatura Ejecutiva en Psicologa Semipresencial. I'm ashamed to admit it in writing, but, here goes: I was one of those critics. And in 1999, they divorced. After nearly a decade of being suspected of child molestation, the King of Pop was about to face the music. J. RANDY TARABORELLI, BIOGRAPHER: From the time that most kids were building tree houses, Michael Jackson was building an image. There is no song, album, or memory that is worth discrediting what happened to a seven year old little boy who was so young when he was being touched sexually, he worried that his abuser would turn into the werewolf from "Thriller."