In The Closet debuted at #20 this week in the UK singles chart.

Source: BBC Radio 1

Hawaii’s premier promoter & DJ Tom Moffat (known to the locals as “Uncle”
Tom), who presented Michael Jackson in concert in 1997, has written a
autobiography with the assistance of author Jerry Hopkins.

The book details Uncle Tom’s life and experiences from being a DJ at various
Hawaii radio stations and from promoting and bringing the most legendary
entertainers in the world to Hawaii. The entertainers include Michael
Jackson, Janet Jackson, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Liza
Minelli, Sammy Davis, Jr, ‘Nsync, and more.

The book entitled ‘The Showman of the Pacific: 50 Years of Radio and Rock
Stars’ includes numerous black/white and color photos. However, only a few
legendary entertainers have the honor of gracing an entire page with a
picture. Michael Jackson is one of them (page 194). Michael is also the
first picture on the cover of the book at the top left corner right next to
a picture of Uncle Tom and Elvis. The picture is from his arrival at the
Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel on January 2, 1997.

“Michael played to a total audience of over 65,000, a Hawaii record that
even the Rolling Stones couldn’t match.” (page 196)

In the book Uncle Tom states the following about his experience in getting
Michael Jackson to perform in concert in Hawaii:

“Hawaii’s biggest concert to date has to be Michael Jackson’s in 1997.
There’d been a lot of shows in the stadium by then, but nobody had a
sell-out. I did this deal on a handshake with Paul Gongaware, who
represented Michael’s World Tour, and I asked him what we should do if we
sold out the first morning of sales, because I thought we would. Michael was
in Southeast Asia, and by mid-morning, Hawaii time, we knew we had a
sell-out. We called Southeast Asia in the wee hours of the morning there and
got an okay for a second concert. But they didn’t know if Michael wanted to
do two shows in two days or would want a break in between. He was sleeping,
and they couldn’t wake him up and get a final decision. We didn’t want to
lose the momentum, so we put the tickets on sale at noon, time and date of
the concert to be announced. And we sold that one, too, before the day was
over. That was probably a world’s first, selling out a major concert without
a time or date printed on the ticket.

The next week, we got a call that Michael wanted a local act to open his
show. After thinking about it, I felt a surprise act would make this even
better. So we decided to leave the act’s name out of the promotion and just
make the introduction on the day of the show. I felt the element of surprise
was important. I wanted sweet-voiced Israel Kamakawiwoole, the hugely
popular -and huge-Hawaiian entertainer, but I didn’t even want to sell
“Bruddah Iz” himself that he was an opening act. The secret would’ve gotten
out.”

Source: Bookshawaii.net, MJFC

Here are the current standings for Visionary in Spain, with ‘Leave Me Alone’ coming in at number one (April 24-30, 2006; Top 20 singles and maxisingles):

* #1 Leave Me Alone (new entry)
* #2 Smooth Criminal
* #3 Dirty Diana
* #5 The Way You Make Me Feel
* #7 Bad
* #8 Thriller
* #9 Billie Jean
* #12 Beat It
* #13 Rock With You
* #14 Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough

Source: promusicae.org, MJFC

The Beatfreakz dance cover version of Michael Jackson’s “Somebody Watching Me” has climbed rapidly into the official top 10 UK Singles Chart climbing to No.3.

Source: Gallup

By Roger Friedman

Michael Jackson’s German logo hits the auction block tomorrow for the second
and last time. The auction takes place in Frankfurt at 1:30pm their time.
You can read the details at http://www.mjone.com

The logo was created in 1995 for the “HIStory” tour and merchandise in
Germany. It can currently be found on a Jackson box set issued by Sony BMG
in Deutschland, and other merchandise.

Rath tried to auction off the logo a couple of weeks ago, and a bidder came
in with $100,000 USD. But he turned out to be a fan, and had no money, I am
told. He is currently being investigated.

And here are the quick answers to questions I keep getting asked: Right now,
Jackson is in Bahrain, court jester to Prince Abdullah. Neverland is all but
completely shut down, and Jackson has no plans to come home. A June 2 date
is set in Los Angeles for his civil trail with former partner Marc Schaffel.
Jackson doesn’t have to show up. They can use video deposition which he gave
in November-and it’s just great, as you can imagine.

The financial picture is about the same, although his loans have been
refinanced. But essentially, unless Jackson goes on tour or does something
to earn money, he is still, in real terms, broke. In the UK, a Michael
Jackson photobook with poems and lyrics has been a bust, hovering around
number 5,000 on amazon’s British site.

And here’s a footnote: a new single by Janet Jackson called “Weekend” has
been leaked to the internet. It was not met with much approval, hastening
Janet to announce that this was just a “gift” to the fans a “real” single
will be released on June 19th. That song, “Call on Me,” is a sampled remake
of Sheila E.’s “The Glorious Life.” In the old days, this was called
“covering” someone else’s hit-only now you get a royalty.

Source: FOX News

Remember The Time debuted at #22 this week in the UK singles chart.

Source: MJ.INF

PHOTOGRAPHS OF MICHAEL JACKSON ARE A HOAX

Washington, D.C. ..In response to numerous inquiries, photographs which
appear to be images of Michael Jackson in the May 2006 issue of GQ Magazine
are not authentic.

Mr. Jackson has neither posed for, or provided photographs of himself to GQ
Magazine. The person in these photographs is an imposter.

Mr. Jackson is furious that his image has been used in such a misleading
way, and is demanding an apology from the editors of GQ, and it’s publisher,
Conde Nast. Mr. Jackson is also demanding that the magazines be pulled from
newsstands.

Source: Raymone Bain

Here are the current standings for Visionary in Spain, with Smooth Criminal
predictably coming in at number one. For the week April 17 - April 23, Top
20 singles and maxisingles

* #1 Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson - Visionary (new entry)
* #2 Dirty Diana - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #3 The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #5 Bad - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #6 Thriller - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #7 Billie Jean - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #8 Beat It - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #10 Rock With You - Michael Jackson - Visionary
* #12 Don’t Stop ‘Till You Get Enough - Michael Jackson - Visionary

Source: promusicae.org, MJFC

The UK Dance group “Beatfreaks” has entered the UK singles charts at No.21 with there dance cover version of “Somebody’s Watching Me”.

Michael Jackson’s likeness joined other famous figures at the opening of
Madame Tussads newest waxworks museum in Shanghai, China. Madame Tussads
Shanghai is the sixth museum and opened on May 1, 2006.

Source: Associated Press, MJFC