On Tuesday (May 30, 2006), Elizabeth Taylor appeared on the CNN talk show
‘Larry King Live’. During the interview she also talked about Michael:

KING: Michael Jackson. The story of your friendship with him, how did that
begin?

TAYLOR: I went to a concert, and I couldn’t see a thing. I was way up in the
– well, it was a stadium. And I couldn’t see a thing. And I brought 30
people, and we couldn’t even hear. So we went home to watch it on television
by disc. And Michael heard that I had left halfway through, and called me
the next day, and was like in tears because he had heard that I’d walked
out. I hadn’t walked out. I just couldn’t see anything.

And then we talked on the phone for about three hours, and from there on in,
we talked more and more on the phone. Then we met, and spent more and more
time with each other, and just became really good friends. Told each other
everything.

KING: Why did you like him so much?

TAYLOR: We’re very much alike.

KING: Are you?

TAYLOR: Yes. We both had horrible childhoods. Well, working at the age of 9
is not a childhood. He started at 3, and that certainly isn’t a childhood.

KING: Have you spoken to him recently?

TAYLOR: Yes, I have.

KING: How’s he doing? He’s in where?

TAYLOR: He sounds very happy.

KING: Where is he?

TAYLOR: At the moment, I think he was in London.

KING: But he was in Tokyo recently, and then London.

TAYLOR: Yes.

KING: But he lives in Bahrain?

TAYLOR: Right.

KING: What did you think of the charges against him?

TAYLOR: I’ve never been so angry in my life.

KING: But didn’t you think, Elizabeth, Dame Elizabeth, I’m sorry, that it
would look strange to people to have someone who is in his 40s spending a
night with children? I mean, just on the face of it.

TAYLOR: All right. I’ll answer that, because I’ve been there, when his
nephews were there, and we all were in the bed, watching television. There
was nothing abnormal about it. There was no touchy-feely going on. We
laughed like children, and we watched a lot of Walt Disney. There was
nothing odd about it.

KING: So you think they were out after him?

TAYLOR: I do.

KING: The authorities and the like?

TAYLOR: I think the paparazzi started — not the paparazzi, the press.
Excuse me. May I blow my nose?

KING: You may.

TAYLOR: Thank you.

KING: It’s called human.

(CROSSTALK).

KING: Even Elizabeth Taylor blows her nose.

Is he going to come back to working?

TAYLOR: I don’t think so. Except maybe in Europe.

KING: You don’t think he’ll ever live in the United States again?

TAYLOR: Well, really, why should he? He’s been treated like dirt here.

Source: CNN

Michael Jackson visited a Tokyo children’s home on Sunday and told a group of 140 excited children “I love you” in Japanese.

The 47-year-old entertainer, who appeared in public on Saturday for the first time since his acquittal on sex-abuse charges last year to receive a music award, was greeted by about 100 fans as he arrived in a black van.

Inside the Seibi Gakuen children’s home, Jackson watched a 15-minute performance of traditional music and dance by children in kimonos before speaking briefly on stage.

“I’m very happy to be here,” said Jackson, wearing sunglasses and a white T-shirt under a black double-breasted suit with gold buttons and a single red armband.

“I’m happy to be with you lovely people,” he told an auditorium of 140 children, ages 2-18.

In Japanese, he said “Aishiteru,” meaning I love you.

Smiling, he later shook hands and signed autographs for the children, who called out “Michael, Michael” and tugged at his sleeve.

“He is very tall and very cool-looking. I don’t know his songs but I’ve seen him dance on television,” Eiho Omori, 13, said.

Teachers at the children’s home said they were surprised when they had heard Jackson would be visiting.

“Everyone couldn’t believe such a big international star was visiting us,” said Kiyoko Mito, headmistress of the Christian-run school.

“The children only believed me after seeing the news yesterday that Michael Jackson was actually in Japan,” she said.

Jackson’s trip to Japan is the first in a series of planned visits to Asia. The star moved to Bahrain shortly after a jury cleared him last June of charges that he had sexually abused a young boy at his Neverland Valley Ranch in central California.

Source: Reuters

The latest Michael Jackson single taken from the Visionary box set, has charted the lowest so far of all the re-releases to date.

Heal The World entered the UK Singles Charts at a very dissapointing No.27.

Sunday 28th May:
New Entry - No.27 - Heal The World

Heal The World debuted at #27 this week in the UK singles chart.

Source: Radio 1

The following was recently reported by Reuters:

Pop star Michael Jackson appeared in public in Tokyo on Saturday for the first time since his acquittal on sex-abuse charges last year, accepting a music award and thanking “all the people who believed in me.”

Introduced to an adoring crowd at a Tokyo stadium as “the king of pop, the king of rock and the king of soul,” Jackson flashed a quick “peace” sign as he walked onstage to the sound of one of his biggest hits, “Thriller”.

“I’d like to say to the Japanese people from the bottom of my heart, ‘I love you very, very much’,” the 47-year-old entertainer said.

Receiving a “Legend Award” at MTV’s Japan Video Music Awards ceremony, Jackson said, “I thank the fans around the world and I thank the fans in Japan.

“I promised myself I wouldn’t be emotional when I got up here,” he continued, as his voice cracked and trailed off. Then he added, “I think you are very sweet, generous and kind people.

“I thank all the people who believed in me. I believe in you.

“I thank my children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, who have been there for me,” he added. “I love them very much.”

In a brief appearance backstage with reporters after the ceremony, Jackson was asked if he had a message for his fans.

I love you and thank you for your loyalty,” he said, making a light bow and putting his hand to his heart.

A steady rain pelted Tokyo on Saturday, but neither the weather nor scandal could prevent several hundred fans from flocking to catch a glimpse of Jackson as he arrived to receive the award.

“WE LOVE YOU, MICHAEL”

The crowd held up signs that read “We love you, Michael” and “Welcome to Japan” and some sported his trademark glitter glove as Jackson stepped out of a black limousine, surrounded by several bodyguards.

Wearing sunglasses, a jewellery-embroidered black blazer and tight black trousers with a simple white T-shirt, Jackson did not speak but waved and raised a forefinger to acknowledge a group of reporters before he was whisked inside along a red carpet.

Jackson has remained largely in seclusion since his trial on child molestation charges.

He will also spend time in Tokyo touring the city, visiting orphanages and meeting with Asian business leaders, spokeswoman Raymone Bain said, adding that his trip kicks off the first in a series of planned visits to Asia.

“I look forward to my visit to Japan because I have so many fond memories of my visits there,” Jackson said in a statement.

Source: MJNO

Michael Jackson choked up as he thanked his cheering Japanese fans who gathered to see him accept the Japan MTV Legend Award on Saturday, marking the pop icon’s first public appearance since his acquittal last June on child molestation charges in the United States.

“I’m honoured to be in Japan again and I’m very happy to be among the Japanese people because I love them very much,” Jackson said in his brief appearance at the video music awards ceremony Saturday at Tokyo’s Yoyogi Olympic Stadium. “Thank you for your loyalty.”

Jackson arrived Friday night with his three children on the first leg of a swing through Asia that will also take him to Singapore, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

“I’d like to say to the Japanese people from the bottom of my heart, I love you very much,” said Jackson in an emotional message. Responding to fans screaming “I love you,” Jackson replied: “I love you more.” Then he raised his hands with a V-sign.

The pop star planned to visit orphanages, tour Tokyo and meet with members of the Asian business community during his stay through Wednesday.

Jackson, 47, has been living in the Middle Eastern kingdom of Bahrain since his acquittal last June on child molestation charges in California.

Source: Associated Press

The ‘MJ’ logo has finally been auctioned in Frankfurt (Germany) on May 9,
2006 and went for the final bid of ?15,100. The first auction of the logo at
the end of April had to be repeated since the person making the final bid
couldn’t pay the money.

For Germany, the company MJ Entertainment, which is not connected with
Michael Jackson himself, owned the usage rights for the ‘MJ’ logo. Due to
insolvency of the company, creditors initiated the ‘MJ’ logo to be
distrained and requested it to be auctioned.

The logo went to the creditors who had inititated the auction, a company
situated close to Frankfurt. Whenever Michael Jackson comes out with a new
album or does another tour the company now has the rights to earn a lot of
money by putting the logo on for example t shirts or perfumes.

Source: MJFC

MARKS FIRST OFFICIAL PUBLIC APPEARANCE SINCE JUNE 2005 WILL RECEIVE MTV
JAPAN’S “LEGEND AWARD” AT THE MTV JAPAN VIDEO MUSIC AWARD’S CEREMONY -
SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2006

Washington, D.C. …….. Music Superstar Michael Jackson will visit Tokyo,
Japan, in what will mark his first official public appearance since June
2005.

On Saturday May 27, 2006, Mr. Jackson will receive MTV Japan’s “Legend
Award,” at the MTV Japan Video Music Award’s ceremony, for his extraordinary
and record-breaking career in the music industry. Mr. Jackson is a
trailblazer, who set an unprecedented standard with music videos like
“Thriller, “Bad,” and “Smooth Criminal.”

While in Japan, Mr. Jackson, whose recordings consistently topped charts,
with over 100,000,000 albums sold in Japan alone, will visit orphanages,
tour the city of Tokyo, and meet with members of the Asian business
community, spearheaded by Broderick D. Morris, CEO, Positive Productions
Yokohama, one of Asia’s most reputable and successful entertainment
promotions companies.

Mr. Jackson’s trip to Japan kicks off the first in a series of Asian visits.

Says Mr. Morris: “We are delighted that Mr. Jackson has accepted our
invitation to visit Tokyo. Michael Jackson is a legend. What he has
accomplished as a world renowned artist is unequaled. He loves Japan, and we
love him. We look forward to welcoming him.”

Says Michael Jackson: “I look forward to my visit to Japan because I have so
many fond memories of my visits there. I thank MTV Japan for this honor, and
Mr. Morris for spearheading this visit. I look forward to seeing old
friends, and saying hello to my huge fan base in Japan, who, like my other
fans around the world, have for so many years consistently shown their love
and support to me and my family.”

Source: Raymone Bain

Michael Jackson is in the U.K. on business and an interview with him has
appeared in today’s Daily Mirror newspaper.

The interviewer was Showbiz Reporter Fiona Cummins (pictured left meeting
Michael) and although it was short, it was revealed he is looking for a
place to live within the U.K.

Michael, who greeted Cummins like an old friend according to the reporter,
has arrived in London relatively quietly with only a few whispers and
rumours about his whereabouts. “I’m here in London on business for a couple
of days. I love it here,” he said.

“I’m looking for a place to live. I’ve always liked the U.K. and I just love
the fans here,” he continued. The interview took place in the famous Harrods
superstore, which is of course owned by Michael’s friend Mohamed Al Fayed.
“I’m also visiting my good friend Mohamed,” he said, “‘cos he’s the man.”

While attending business meetings, Michael is also said to be seeking out
places in Scotland and Ireland for a possible funfair-style ranch like his
Californian Neverland.

Cummins enquired about Michael’s health after already stating earlier in the
article that she noticed a vast improvement from last year. “I’m fine,”
Michael replied, “very well thanks. I’m feeling good.”

Source: The Mirror

A judge on Wednesday ordered lawyers representing pop star Michael Jackson
and his ex-wife to publicly file all documents from the couple’s divorce.

Jackson and Deborah Rowe had paid a judge to preside over their 1999
divorce, allowing them to avoid a public spectacle like his 2005 trial in
which he was acquitted of child molestation charges.

But the proceeding also kept from the public eye Rowe’s allegation that
Jackson abducted their two children by taking them to Bahrain without her
consent.

Rowe’s allegation was among documents not included in the public file of the
case when it was moved from a private judge to the family court. Lawyers had
been ordered to re-create the file with all documents that had been
submitted to the private judge.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert Schnider repeated the order
Wednesday, granting the attorneys 60 days to comply with the filing
requirement.

Under California law, if both parties agree, a sitting judge can transfer a
case out of the courthouse. The parties may then hire a jurist to resolve
civil disputes, but the cases technically remain in the public court system,
governed by the same rules as other lawsuits.

Source: LA Times