13 Feb. In History

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In The News - On This Day... 18 Years Ago --- Michael Mania Runs Wild Among Pensacola Faithful Orlando Sentinel February 13, 1988 ... This is Jackson's only weekend in Pensacola. He is expected to leave by the end of next week after rehearsing at the Pensacola Civic Center for a 13-city tour beginning Feb. 23 in Kansas City, Mo. He arrived in Pensacola on Monday. Pensacola is not on the concert list, so about 8,700 fans in this Panhandle city of 60,000 have signed a petition urging Jackson to perform. The die-hard devotees just want to see their Thriller, and what they got at last was Mr. Bad himself. On Friday about 200 people -- from infants to the elderly -- gathered in freezing temperatures for a pep rally outside the downtown civic center. "We want Michael, We want Michael," the crowd chanted for more than three hours. Finally, Jackson appeared for three seconds on a civic center balcony. For most, that fleeting glimpse was enough. "I'm speechless," said Tammi Robnett, 17. "I'm freezing. I'd catch a cold over Michael Jackson any day." Mayor Vince Whibbs, known for being stingy with public proclamations, broke down and announced that Friday was "Michael Jackson Appreciation Day." Officials estimated Jackson's entourage has pumped tens of thousands of dollars into the city's economy since the 150 members of the band and crew began arriving last month. Even the civic center, which normally co-sponsors events with Coke, allowed rallygoers to down free cups of Pepsi, Jackson's trademark soft drink and only known junk-food vice. The Jackson entourage has had cases of Pepsi shipped in for rehearsals, which ended Friday. Why all the commotion and devotion over one person? "I love him a lot, and I just wish he'd take the time and understand it instead of just hiding himself," said Mariella D'Ercole, 18, who rode a bus from Toronto, Canada, to see Jackson. Others, like Leon Rankins, want to be discovered. The 16-year-old musician and songwriter from Pensacola has a fantasy: He's singing at a nightclub, giving it all he has, and Jackson walks in. The audience freezes. Jackson points a gloved finger at Rankins and says, "That's him, he's the next great artist." Then they sing together. You don't have to convince J.D. North that Jackson has been a boon to Pensacola. "He's one of the hottest acts out there," said North, program director for WJLQ-FM. The rally and petition drive were North's idea. So was the two- week hunger strike by two of his disc jockeys to focus attention on world hunger, an issue Jackson has championed. The disc jockeys lost about 20 pounds each, but that hasn't coaxed Jackson to show his face. It has heaped a lot of attention on WJLQ, Pensacola's only Top 40 station. North's petition drive has been featured on Cable News Network and in USA Today, not to mention coverage from the local newspaper, television and competing radio stations. One competitor even delivered biscuits to the starving disc jockeys last week to tempt them into breaking their fast, which ended Monday. North persuaded the mayor to issue the "Jackson Day" proclamation and approve Friday's pep rally, although North had to leave his station's broadcast van at the office. It's covered with the red-and- white Coke logo, the van's sponsor. "They told me, 'No. Until they Jackson and his crew leave, this is Pepsi land,' " North said. Forget Pepsi. For the fans, this is Michael Jackson land. Dozens of teen-agers skipped school to wait for hours outside the 10,000- seat civic center hoping to see Jackson before and after rehearsals. "I didn't skip school, I just checked out," corrected Rankins, an Escambia High School student. "I'm sure Michael would understand." For Rankins and a few lucky others, their persistence paid off. "Oh God! I saw him," screamed Bobby Cheatum, 17, as Jackson's tinted red van swept by the civic center late Thursday to the Pensacola Hilton next door." But so far, most fans have only tales of rumored sightings -- dozens of them. About 30 callers a day report the latest gossip to the 24-hour "Michael Jackson hot line" North has set up at his station. Jackson has been spotted in a Burger King wolfing down a Whopper Junior. He's been seen walking down the street with his monkey and girlfriend. He has appeared at a high school party. Dozens reported he was in the emergency room of West Regional Medical Center for treatment for a leg injured during rehearsal. "I've heard that one so many times it's got to be true, although the hospital denied it," North said. Besides, he has personal proof: A friend of a friend of a friend saw Jackson in the emergency room and got his autograph. At least, that's what he heard. --- 16 Years Ago --- $5 Million For Joe In L.A. Gear Deal San Francisco Chronicle February 13, 1990 Just months after landing America's best-known singer, L.A. Gear scored again yesterday by landing the hottest player in football. Joe Montana, coming off back-to-back Super Bowl victories and a Most Valuable Player award in the second, signed a three-year contract estimated at $3 million to $5 million to become a spokesman for L.A. Gear, a Marina del Rey company. Joining a growing list of celebrities, Montana finds himself keeping company with pop star Michael Jackson, who became an L.A. Gear spokesman last fall. The company, America's No. 3 athletic shoemaker, said it will introduce a ""Montana" line of cross-training shoes later this year, and a ""Montana" line of jeans... --- 14 Years Ago --- Heeeeerrre's Michael Los Angeles Times February 13, 1992 "Jacksonmania" is running rampant in South Africa, as pop idol Michael Jackson continues his visit there. Crowds of young fans are greeting him at every stop, and the Ivory Coast's biggest hotel in Abidjan is feverishly gearing up for the superstar and his entourage of at least 40 people. "He's as big as any president so he'll get the same treatment," a hotel manager said. As for Jackson, aides said he was wilting slightly in the tropical heat and humidity. Jackson is due to visit a hunting park today before leaving for the Ivory Coast. --- --- People Newsday February 13, 1992 It hasn't been bad, but it has been something of a thriller. Michael Jackson will settle for getting around without a major disruption on his trip to Africa. Jackson was in Gabon yesterday shooting scenes in a tropical forest for his "Return to Africa" video, and huge crowds have been pressing up against the singer and his entourage. On the second day of the tour, he flew to Woleu-Ntem where young fans and traditional dancers greeted him. Gabon's President Omar Bongo also received Jackson. Their meeting Tuesday night was private. But the mayor of Libreville, the capital of Gabon, was unable to give the singer the keys to the city. The ceremony was canceled after a wild display of "Jacksonmania" there. And how was Jackson bearing up? His aides told Reuter that he was wilting slightly in the tropical heat and humidity. Among other ceremonial chores, Jackson was to be crowned a king of the Agni tribe before flying to Tanzania on Monday. One thing Jackson won't do in Africa is sing. No concerts are planned. "We wouldn't be able to control the crowds," an official said. --- 13 Years Ago --- Jackson's Disorder Common Denver Post February 13, 1993 Michael Jackson's description of loss of pigmentation in his skin fits a common disorder known as vitiligo, a Denver dermatologist said. Jackson revealed but didn't identify by name his skin ailment Wednesday night during a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. The superstar said he uses cosmetic makeup to compensate for loss of pigmentation. Dr. Joseph Yohn, an assistant dermatology professor at Denver's University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, said the ailment Jackson described could be vitiligo. "It (vitiligo) is very common," said Yohn. "It affects one in every 100 individuals." The dermatology department where Yohn works is one of six major U.S. research centers seeking answers to questions about vitiligo. "Our goal is to learn safe and effective ways to repigment," explained Yohn. --- --- King of Pop Keeps Throne In Kids' Eyes Times Picayune February 13, 1993 Seven students rapped, moon-walked and lip-synched at a Michael Jackson look-alike contest at C. J. Schoen Middle School in Covington LA. --- 12 Years Ago --- See Tabs Go Whacko Over Jackson State Journal Register February 13, 1994 Few television shows this season will evoke the kind of deliciousambivalence as Tuesday's "Frontline" episode on tabloid coverage of the Michael Jackson scandal. One one hand, viewers can shake their heads in disgust as the top players of the print and broadcast tabs openly and proudly discuss how checkbook journalism kept them afloat in covering the Jackson story. On the other hand, those same viewers can gorge themselves on tasty, behind-the-scenes tidbits from the brutal world of tabloid news, which has set the pace for more-established news organizations on the Jackson story and many others. The point of this "Frontline," which airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday on WILL Channel 12, is not to dissect coverage of the six-month-old case. Instead, the focus is on the methods used by the tabloids to propel news tips into huge stories and to stay ahead of the very large, very industrious and very rich pack, once the story is rolling. Had the Michael Jackson story not broken in August, this "Frontline" piece most likely would have been about the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding fiasco. Producer Thomas Lennon had suggested the idea of examining the world of tabloid journalism by following the people following the story before the Jackson case made screaming headlines. When the story broke, Lennon's crew was ready to follow. Through interviews with reporters, editors and sources involved, plus footage from press conferences that shows the extent of the media herd on the story, "Frontline" provides some of the juiciest viewing of the season without stirring up dirt on Jackson. There are two main themes to the report. One is the size of the stakes in tabloid stories. As the story gets bigger, the going rate for tips and exclusive interviews rises from five figures to six. Diane Dimond, correspondent for the tabloid TV show "Hard Copy," proudly says her show had avoided sullying its coverage by paying sources. After her interviews with "Frontline," however, "Hard Copy" paid $100,000 for an interview with Jackson's former bodyguards and $25,000 to speak with his former maid. "Anybody who doesn't pay money, it's like cavalry riding into machine gun fire," says a correspondent for the London tabloid News of the World, one of the pioneers of checkbook journalism. We learn from insiders as they cover the Jackson story how various sources are ferreted out, and how prices for their stories are negotiated in a "delicate striptease." A source must reveal a small piece of his or her story as bait for the news organizations' bids, but must be careful not to reveal too much before the deal is inked. The second theme is how the broadcast and print tabloids -- considered the scum of news organizations just a few years ago -- have coaxed the "established" media into following them into stories like this. When both CBS news and Jackson security agent Anthony Pellicano were getting clubbed by the tabs, for example, they turned to each other. Pellicano released tape recordings from the father of Jackson's alleged victim that Pellicano said amounted to threats of extortion. CBS got the exclusive, but failed to mention that the tape had come from Pellicano. As the tabloids served up more and more gossip on "Jackson," the three major networks moved the story into their top slots. And, "Frontline" points out, some of the top producers of major TV news shows are products of "Hard Copy" and the National Enquirer. Along with those two themes, we learn many of the methods the tabs use to get their stories and pictures. Some are sleazy, others -- like the Enquirer's search of property records to find the family of Jackson's alleged victim -- are just smart reporting... --- 10 Years Ago --- Slum Families Back Jackson's Video South China Morning Post February 13, 1996 Thousands of elated slum-dwellers played host to Michael Jackson and film director Spike Lee, praising the pair for including scenes of Rio's poverty in their music video. "Thanks to Michael Jackson, our slum is now on the map," said Jose Luis de Oliveira, 30, president of the Dona Marta Residents Association. "His visit here makes a world of difference." The area, home to about 13,000 people, is tucked away in Rio's fashionable south side and does not appear on official maps despite its proximity to the mayor's palace. "This clip has forced public officials to recognise our hellish existence. They should take Jackson's lead and come up to have a look," Olivera said. The video, scheduled for a March release, is to include two or three scenes from Dona Marta. Jackson's song, They Don't Care About Us, deals with violence and police brutality and is to include scenes from other countries, including the United States. Dona Marta residents spent Friday and Saturday cleaning and preparing for the moment when Jackson landed on Sunday in a helicopter atop the hill's soccer field. Lee directed cameramen to get the best angles of the maze-like jumble of shacks and steep, twisting alleys. They focused on raw sewage streams in open ditches running down the hillside and toddlers bathing in the dirty water. Producers had selected 50 Dona Marta residents - paid US$70 (HK$540) each - to join 80 official law enforcement agents in protecting Jackson and Lee during the visit. Producers rented eight shacks for Jackson's dressing room, offices and a storage bin. Oliveira said the association planned to erect a museum of souvenirs from Jackson's visit. Residents also decided to open the hill to visiting tourists. Jackson was "reportedly" to give a contribution to the residents' association, but Oliveira refused to discuss how much. "That's between Jackson and us," he said. --- --- Jackson Camp Fights Reports It Worked With Drug Dealers Seattle Times February 13, 1996 Spike Lee, who is directing a Michael Jackson music video, yesterday denied Brazilian news reports that the pop superstar's production team had knowingly negotiated with drug dealers for permission to film in a Rio shantytown. Lee told Globo television he knew the production team had to ask someone's permission to film "They Don't Care About Us" in the Dona Marta slum. "But whether they were drug dealers or not, I don't know," said the movie director. Jackson's spokesman, Lee Solters, also said he had not been involved in any negotiations. "I know nothing about it. I recommend you speak to Spike Lee's production team," Solters told Reuters. The video filming was watched by thousands of cheering Dona Marta residents Sunday, with the star visibly moved by the warmth of the welcome. But headlines in the country's newspapers yesterday concentrated on claims the welcome had to be negotiated with slum's drug traffickers. The city's shantytowns are normally out of bounds to outsiders because of drug trafficking and general violence. During the filming, some 1,500 policemen were deployed to keep out strangers, effectively sealing off the shantytown, and 50 burly residents were chosen to act as security guards. This is the second time Jackson's visit to Brazil has run into controversy, following official fears that the video's images of poverty would affect tourism and Rio's bid to host the 2004 Olympics. Last week, a Rio judge suspended any filming but that ruling was later overturned by an injunction. Jackson was scheduled to return to the United States last night. The star spent his last day in Rio enjoying a bird's-eye view of the city on a helicopter trip. Then, wearing a black surgical mask, he went on a short shopping trip near his hotel, buying among other things a Mickey Mouse toy and CDs. --- 9 Years Ago --- The Kid Is His Son Columbian February 13, 1997 A healthy boy was born about 1 a.m. today to Michael Jackson and his wife, Debbie Rowe Jackson, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, a hospital source said. It was a natural childbirth without complications, said the source. The Jacksons, with their newborn, left Cedars-Sinai about 8 a.m., destination unknown, the source said. The name and weight weren't immediately available. Reporters, photographers and fans waited outside the hospital, while six uniformed guards stood watch in the lobby to keep the media out. Other guards were posted in the third-floor maternity unit. "We're just here to support Michael and defend him against all the nasty people in the press," said one fan outside the building Wednesday, Helen Brown. --- --- Michael Jackson's Son 'doing Fine,' Mom Says USA Today February 13, 1997 ...Michael Jackson's wife confirmed a TV report that she gave birth to a boy Wednesday. "Debbie Rowe called us... this afternoon (4 p.m. PT) to tell us 'yes indeed' she had a little baby, a baby boy," KNBC anchor Chuck Henry said on the air. "I asked her how the child was doing and she said 'he's doing fine' and she's doing fine." The baby watch began Wednesday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after reports that Rowe was having labor induced. Paparazzi swarmed the hospital. Inside, guards patrolled the lobby and maternity ward. The hospital would not confirm that Rowe, 37, was inside. Jackson spokesman Bob Jones would not discuss plans for the baby's delivery, saying only that the star, 38, wants to be "very private" about the birth. The baby's godmother is Elizabeth Taylor, who faces surgery next week for a brain tumor. The birth coincides with preparations for a Sunday Taylor birthday tribute, where Jackson will sing a song he wrote for Taylor. Gary Pudney, executive producer of the tribute, said Jackson is due to rehearse Saturday. --- 8 Years Ago --- 'The Wedding Singer' Has Fun Playing Tribute To The'80s Daily Herald February 13, 1998 "The Wedding Singer" takes place in 1985, a fact constantly re- enforced by the music ("99 Luftballoons," "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?"), the TV-show references ("Dallas," "Miami Vice"), the toys (Rubik's cubes!), and the Madonna-esque fashions for women and Michael Jackson's single funky glove for men. "Wedding Singer" tries so hard to cram in every possible reference to the mid-'80s that it nearly busts a blood vessel... --- 6 Years Ago --- Snoop Dogg Influenced By Michael Jackson? Orlando Sentinel February 13, 2000 In It's Black Entertainment - a wonderful history of the dancers, divas, musicians and actors at the heart of so much American popular culture - the gangsta-rapper says Jackson's short film of Thriller fueled his ambition to make extended music videos. Similarly, Ice-T talks about Sammy Davis Jr. as a role model for black performers because "he did it with major opposition." The obstacles faced by black artists, as well as the unlikely connections between past and present, are the threads running through It's Black Entertainment, premiering Sunday at 8 p.m. on Showtime. But it's the accomplishments of black entertainers that make the Black History Month presentation so much fun to watch... --- 4 Years Ago --- They Write The Songs The Vancouver Sun February 13, 2002 Barry Manilow, Sting, Michael Jackson, Randy Newman and Ashford & Simpson will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fameon June 13... Michael Jackson is in talks with Andrew Lloyd Webber about starring in the film version of the composer's hit stage musical Starlight Express. Apparently Jackson identifies with the character of Rusty, the little engine that triumphs over all kinds of setbacks... --- 2 Years Ago --- A Live Second Album? It Was a Natural Choice For Floetry Oakland Tribune February 13, 2004 By summer of 2000, Stewart and Ambrosius had also been introduced to Jeffrey "Jazzy Jeff" Townes (of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince fame). Townes was ready to pair Floetry with his A Touch Of Jazz production team. But before a Floetry CD could be recorded, Townes received a call from Michael Jackson, who had heard a demo of the Floetry song "Butterflies" and wanted to record it for his CD "Invincible." The duo jumped at the chance to work with Jackson as he recorded the song, which was written by Ambrosius. "Of course, I was impressed (with Jackson)," Ambrosius says. "Apart from anything else, that man can sing, he can write. He's a genius. And the wisdom that he passed down to Nat and myself was very influential." Jackson wasn't the only artist to discover the growing Stewart/ Ambrosius songbook. Jill Scott and Jazz (Dru Hill) recorded "Love Again" for the "Rush Hour 2" soundtrack and Bilal included "You Are" on his "1st Born Second" CD... --- 1 Years Ago --- Jackson's Shadow - The Story Of Diane Dimond's Career The Atlanta Journal February 13, 2005 Diane Dimond, 52, laughs as she recalls spying the hat and three companion prints of the dancing icon while covering a celebrity memorabilia auction in Hollywood a few years ago and forked over a then-whopping $1200 for it... ---