14 DAY TRIAL // British tabloid News of the World got a hold of a video that was never made public, in which Michael Jackson defends himself against allegations of improper behavior around young boys. In the same video, shot in 1996 at the Four Seasons Hotel as Michael was grilled by an army of attorneys as part of a civil case brought against him, the star also denies rumors of bleaching his skin and his personal preferences.
As all fans must know, for the most part of the ‘90s, starting with 1993, the late singer was constantly plagued by allegations and rumors of child abuse, as well as regarding the procedures he was reportedly undergoing to become white and the many tricks he was playing on the media to hide that, in the end, he was not even remotely interested in women. In the recently unearthed video, Michael addresses all these issues – to the extent that his legal advisor allows him to – but even when he does, his gestures and expressions clearly show that he was innocent, the tab points out.
“The bombshell tape – never before made public – shows the King of Pop nervously laughing, covering his face with his hands in dismay and groaning irritably as a team of lawyers grilled him in 1996 as part of a lawsuit brought against him by Neverland staff.” News of the World writes. Towards the end of the video, which has not been made public in its entirety, the tabloid says that Michael becomes visibly bored with the many questions coming his way, some of which related to things that had happened many years before and of which he had little to no recollection. The final moments of the video show Michael looking at the doodles his own attorneys draw on paper, laughing and praising them.
However, during the same interview, Michael also personally addresses some of the questions that have often been asked of him. “When I get angry enough I write down what I want to say and what I want to talk about, to set the record straight.” Michael says when shown a piece of paper with his own writing on it. “‘Cos you get to a point where you get tired of people lying. I get tired of situations like this, where people completely lie on me, and I’m sick of it... I want to set the record straight. I’m a black American and I’m proud of it. And I’m honored of it. The bleached skin rumor, which is a rumor. I don’t bleach my skin. They say – they once said – I wanted a white kid to play me as a child, which was a rumor.” Michael says into the camera.
At the same time, the singer denies he is gay, as many rumors had it at one point, and dismisses earlier abuse allegations saying he had been raised to love children and be constantly surrounded by them. “Don’t judge a person unless you have spoken to them one-on-one, which, which is true. ‘Cos what you hear is a lie. He [Jesus] was talking to his apostles, and they were fighting over who’s the greatest among themselves. And he said, ‘Whoever humble yourself like this child is the greatest among me’.” Michael Jackson tells the attorneys.
For the video, as well as for more excerpts from the same interview, please see here.