Celebrities & Friends Have a Response to the Charges: No Comment

Michael Jackson Forum

Many of Michael Jackson's close friends and acquaintances had little to say on Thursday when he surrendered to face charges of child molesting. In fact, the only people who seemed to have anything to utter were the army of celebrity publicists responding to calls from reporters with "no comment."

Elizabeth Taylor, a close friend who leapt to Mr. Jackson's defense in 1993 when he was accused of sexually abusing a minor, declined to discuss him. "She doesn't feel like talking," said Ms. Taylor's publicist, Sally Morrison. "She has no comment."

A spokeswoman for Lisa Marie Presley, who wed Mr. Jackson in 1994, remained married to him for 20 months and was also a staunch defender in that earlier episode, said, "She is not making any comments at this time, and it does not appear she will talk at all."

But while celebrity friends and others who have known Mr. Jackson over the years were not speaking publicly, many reacted privately with horror, morbid fascination or pity. Still others were willing to speak, though on the condition that they not be identified.

"It's so sad," said one official at an entertainment company who worked with Mr. Jackson a decade ago. "Nobody wants to go near this. Can you blame them?"

A music industry executive who knows Mr. Jackson said, "Everyone is waiting to see what will happen."

The charges are the latest bizarre turn in a series that has included Mr. Jackson's dangling his infant son, Prince Michael II, from the window of a German hotel and his acknowledgment that he has slept with children in his bed, though he has denied sexual contact with them.

His spokesman, Stuart Backerman, said Mr. Jackson had received hundreds of e-mail messages from distraught friends, family members and fans "who are slitting their wrists over this."

Mr. Backerman also said vigils for Mr. Jackson were being organized, but he conceded that he had not received calls from Mr. Jackson's celebrity friends willing to offer statements of support. He said it could well be that Mr. Jackson had gotten those calls himself, or that it was too soon for his friends to speak out.

"Most normal people understand he is freaked out," Mr. Backerman said. "They are not going to want to reach out."

In fact, the main people reaching out so far are members of Mr. Jackson's family, and there appears to be a scramble by television networks interested in booking them. Jermaine Jackson, the pop star's brother, told CNN on Thursday that the charges amounted to "a modern-day lynching" and that the family supported him. Jermaine Jackson is expected appear on the ABC News television program "20/20" on Friday night to be interviewed by Barbara Walters.

Source: NY Times

Reaction To Jackson Allegations
Music Business Showing Support
Reuters
November 21, 2003

The music business was front and center at the first ever Vibe Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday (November 20, 2003) night, but for all the wrong reasons.

The two-hour event sponsored by Vibe magazine and UPN is designed to celebrate those who constantly push the envelope and remain fearlessly on the cutting edge of tomorrow.

Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee, Queen Latifah hosted the event at the Santa Monica Civic Center in Santa Monica, Los Angeles, and top talent from the world of rap and hip hop were joined by a wide array of A-list celebrities from the film world as they sashayed down the red carpet.

But after Michael Jackson's dramatic surrender to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department earlier in the day, the self-proclaimed "king of pop" was at the top of the agenda on the arrivals line.

Much hailed Music Producer Pharrell Williams, refused to take sides in the Michael Jackson debacle, saying he preferred to leave judgment to those more qualified.

"I don't know what he did, I'm not God" said Pharrell "all I can do is, this is God's movie and I told you that before, all I can do is play my part, I don't know, I hope he ain't do that, I hope to God he ain't do that, but other than that I can't sling mud on this man and I wasn't there."

LL Cool J made his feeling absolutely clear, demanding that police find definitive proof before they start wading in on Michael's life and career.

"At the end of the day It's about evidence, where's the evidence? Yeah I know he got plastic surgery, I know he may not be what you consider to be the guy next door, but where's the evidence? I'm a fan I support him a hundred and zillion per cent, until I see evidence I'm not going to be convinced, I'm not going to be brainwashed, you know what I mean."

Others though prefer to stay firmly on the fence until they hear what both sides have to say. "I just say may God be with him" said Ludacris "I don't know all the facts, I hate to judge anybody with not enough information but all I can say is this is the trials and tribulations of life, hopefully he'll make it through this and stay strong."

Grammy winner Alicia Keys took the accusations against her childhood idol as an insult to Michael and what she consider to be an unparalleled career.

"I feel offended for him you know what I mean" said Alicia "I feel offended by the way that the media is handling a man who really has been a major force in American culture since the day he was born, virtually, you know what I mean and I really think that he deserves much more respect than he's getting right now, so I really hope that all this kind of settles over and I hope the truth comes to light, I believe the truth is going to come to light, you know what I mean."

The topic of what did and did not happen at the Neverland Ranch in California no doubt carried on throughout the night, but the outcome will depend on the evidence produced at the first arraignment on January 9, 2004.

let me let you all in on one of the most popular and ridiculous media ruses: when they say someone request that their name is not published, or they just identify the person by a title like 'man on the scene' or 'one office involved with the case' or something stupid like that, it means they're making the quotes up and, of course, can't give names of real or fake people, cause they'd be found out.

As for Michael Jackson's case... well, no comment from me either.

CHER'S JACKO ADVICE Nov 26 2003
By Rick Fulton

CHER says Michael Jackson should kill himself.

The singer counts herself as a friend of Jackson who is currently charged with multiple child abuse accusations.

And she can't believe what the singer is going through.

When asked what her opinion was of Jackson who paid off another boy in the Nineties for similar accusations. She said: ``You mean paying people off? Oh, I am all for it.

``I think it's horrible, and can't imagine anything worse. First thing if were him, I'll just blow my brains out.

``If I had to get EXCLUSIVEback there on that plane and have to face all that, my God. wouldn't have been strong enough, I think.''

Speaking in New York where she is promoting new film Stuck On You, Cher admitted she was nauseated by all the news coverage of Jackson.

She said: ``I am so sick of it. Last night I tried to get the news and that was all I could get. The animal planet.

``When we were younger, we used to be friendly, but really haven't seen him for the longest time and I haven't felt good about his behaviour for the longest time.

``His music is great, but I don't know how you can separate the music from the person.

``I just couldn't do it.''

PRESLEY: JACKSON THE MANIPULATOR

Lisa Marie Presley has accused her "very shrewd, very intelligent" ex-husband Michael Jackson of manipulating their relationship for the media.

Presley, who was married to Jackson between May 1994 and January 1996, claims the troubled pop star -- who is currently facing allegations of child molestation -- used their union for publicity purposes.

She says, "There was always an element of manipulation. It would be, 'Come meet me here,' and I'd turn up and there'd be press everywhere.

"That happened a lot, to the point where I'd think it was going to be a charming dinner, just the two of us, then bam! paparazzi all over us.

"There was a record coming out, but I just shut that out at the time. It didn't seem possible that a person would be so cynical."

However, Presley quickly realized that Jackson's rise to the top of the music industry had been aided by such shrewdness.

She adds, "What people forget is that he didn't get where he is without being very shrewd and very, very, very intelligent."