Ok, so lets stop the general talk, lets turn to more specific issues! I will start with something I have already mentioned in my first blog, something most fans will remember. The point here is: I know most of you will already be acquainted with the facts BUT I feel like I have to refresh some memories before I continue: the WMAs! There was a lot of discussion during that time but nowadays it seems as though a lot of fans have forgotten about it and are back to the “everything’s sunshine”-attitude! And I would like to ask one question: Has anything really changed since then? Can we be sure now that this won’t happen again, that Michael’s future (whatever he wants his future to be like – as I said before, I’m not here to force him to release an album or do anything regarding showbiz at all!) is in safe hands?
So, let me revise some facts:
There were two different events planned for Michael for that trip to London: No 1 of course the WMAs, No 2 a fanparty organized by MJJF and MJNO.
Lets see, the WMAs:
I’ll leave aside the chaotic sale of the tickets, starting from false announcements that standing tickets were already sold out to raffles that had to be cancelled and more. Lets lay all the blame for this on the organizers and tickets sellers – but there is more!
Rumours about Michael performing at the award show were all over the news days before the performance and nobody seemed to bother to correct these news and let people know that he was “only” accepting an award – it was left to Michael himself to tell waiting journalists at the red carpet a few minutes before the show was about to start that it was a misunderstanding and that he would not perform! The disappointment, the negative press, this all could have been avoided. Indeed it was a duty to avoid that and any functioning PR team would have!
The award show itself was a disaster from beginning to end: Michael’s microphone was cut off, the choir and him had to sing over the full version of “We are the world” – not the instrumental or anything especially produced for this occasion, it all looked rather improvised than rehearsed and reports that appeared in the newspapers later confirmed that indeed it was improvised – from the fact that Beyoncé handed Michael the award to him being on stage during “We are the world”. Oh, and not to forget the celebration of Thriller 25 when it was only 23 years old back then (THAT’s why we still celebrate Thriller 25 – what a loooong year! Oh, and before I forget: The whole show was another add-on to the “has-been”-image). Of course the organizers have a huge part in this! Still I feel that if there had been clear agreements, if things had been rehearsed, if the time had been taken to go over the schedule, this embarrassment for Michael could have been avoided or at least minimized as well! He was very well aware that the show was a mess because he later told fans who met him, so don’t say it was all fine for him! And the media had a field day, for the first time being able to attack something that has always been invincible: Michael’s musicianship!
Robin Meltzer, former writer of MJNI’s KING! Magazine, wrote an interesting article and I don’t think I have anything to add to his last passage:
“So why on earth did everyone else connected to this poorly-produced production allow the myth to perpetuate that he did want it (perform)? Why was it left to Michael himself to correct that myth? Why don’t the people who care about Michael as a person take the actions that are necessary to protect him as an artist?
Until those questions can be answered, we should be gravely concerned about the ability of Michael to overcome the hurdles necessary to take to the stage properly – when he really does want it.”
As if this wasn’t enough, there was another disaster: the fanparty. Organized by the two biggest MJ communities at that time, MJNO & MJJForum, this party was supposed to be a highlight for the fans, a way to celebrate that Michael is back! After Michael’s team had confirmed he’d attend and after everything was agreed upon during a first meeting in London, communication broke down, nobody from Michael’s team could be reached or returned calls. The party had to be cancelled; the organizers lost hundreds of pounds as well as their reputation. Efforts to contact MJ’s team after the awards were in vain as well. Ms. Bain had no time to conference on the phone and did not respond to emails. If I remember correctly, it took about a month and a lot of pressure from the fan community for her to try and sort things out – then also Michael reacted and called both, Trish and Paul. BTW: Some fans who had met Michael in London explained that Michael knew nothing of the party when they asked him about it! On the basis of this, some fans even wondered whether Michael was intentionally separated from the fans! So what had happened? I don’t know! Fact is: Something went badly wrong! Oh, not to forget, the fanclubs were promised to get a refund from Michael’s side for their loss – I could be wrong (and please correct me if I am!) but I never heard anything about that happening!
Paul and Trish stepped down – not ONLY because of this situation and they made it very clear (“When I stepped down from MJJForum, I cited personal reasons, which are true. My business is taking off and my personal life takes precedent over MJJForum.” (Trish) and refrained from being too angry about it out of respect to Michael. But Trish added: “But I did not go into the details of this party and how it was a catalyst for me to resign. (…) I’ve lost a LOT of respect for Michael’s team and to a certain degree, Michael himself. Because blaming everyone is the easy thing to do. But in the end, it is up to MICHAEL JACKSON to rectify things. If something is amiss, DO SOMETHING about it. Don’t sit there with a blind eye and allow your legacy to be destroyed by ANYONE.”
And Paul wrote: “I’ll just say that I have never before felt what I did on that day. It is to the effect that I can no longer continue as fanclub president of MJNO. “Now… you decide whether you want to put lipstick on a pig and say the shut-down of MJJForum und MJNO nearly at the same time was only due to personal reasons…
A lot of fans – at least at that time – felt that the frustration over the party and the team played a huge part. This is a quote from Thijs, who did the radio on MJJForum and also organized some MJ parties in Europe: “It’s ashame that Michael is loosing his fans…. but specialy fans who worked their ass of for Michael due the lack of appreciation from him and his people.
I realy miss Karen Faye, Taunya and the rest of the MJJSource team. who would help anytime and appreciated what the fans were doing .
Last but not least I hope Michael realises what’s going on the the fan world and that he will do everything to keep that little fanbase wich is left after all the things which have happened.”
Back then we all said: Something’s wrong!
Now all is fine again! Why? Just because we don’t have another disaster like this to prove that there still is something wrong? Oh, and by the way: There ARE other disasters but – fortunately – they did not happen as publicly as this one! I will talk about those in my next posting, this posting is too long already!
Let me end this posting with a quote from Paul from MJNO, which he posted back then: “This has all been a terrible ride, the unprofessionalism, the lack of communication, and it continues to this very day, right now.” I agree…to this very day!!!
Note: All quotes are taken from public message boards.
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oh, i’m from maxjax…iwas surprised to read the story.its my first to\ime to hear those stories since i’m a new mjfan, since 2006.
i felt that mj is my father, thanks to you. I really feel that he loves his fans so dearly. i agree everything what you said
Ahaaa, NOW we´re at some straight talking, right?
Wow, I feel a LOT of rage and desperation in this posting. Fortunately, I don´t feel a lot of resignation …
Well, I think I do have a clear answer to your first question: “Can we be sure now that Michael’s future is in safe hands?”
Big Nooooooo! NOT AT ALL.
Although I know you don´t want to read this and I know that you´re trying to find other answers than this one, I still have to say: Man forges his own destiny! And who´s the man this is all about? It´s Michael himself.
For example, if I was a major pop star – a living legend – a shining light – even a GOD to some people, and I knew that I would travel to London to accept a World Music Award live on stage, I would make my plans on it. I would ask my management and my PR team about it, I would work out a choreography, I would ask the organizers about the event because I´d know that I had to save my public image.
We all know that in the “good old days” Michael was much more focus on those things. For example I remember Oprah who caught him during the preparation for Super Bowl. “He was up all night, dancing!”
Well, nowadays Mike seems to drive through his life with the handbrake on – the reasons for that have been listed up enough – and that´s the cause of so much distress and obviously your longing for being the saviour of Michael and his future.
Although this leaves a bitter taste to me because it involves the feeling of Michael being totally incapacitated, I do understand your longing.
And I do understand that your statements go out to another adress. You try to disentangle the bedevilment.
Last but not leat, I want to bow before Streetwalker. I love people who become fans despite of all of this! And look at his remark “i felt that mj is my father, thanks to you.” Although it´s a shame that he does not have this feeling thanks to MJ himself, it provides hope and it shows that this fight makes sense.
Yes! I was there! It was a crazy event from beginning to end! I looked forward to it so much but then all ended up in chaos! Is it just me or did Michael act differently all together. He wouldn’t even take presents, it made me sad
This is a very good brave and expedient step that reconnectmj took. Let it all out. Let all the questions and the resentments and the huge desperation be heard.
That´s a chance about 1:9999999999999 – well but it´s a chance … OR someone close to MJ reads all this, is heroic enough to not take advantage of this closeness and arranges some communication …. that chance is equally small – well but it´s a chance.
But this is just the first step. The reconnection can only take place if Michael Jackson comes back to life somehow, turns on his computer, reads all of this and thinks “Oops. I have to do something”
oooh wow…this took some time.I often sit here all alone in my room talking to michael on my own, asking all those questions that seem to never get an answer, all these whys and where are you, who are you…how often did I try to get through to him, but how, when theres noone to contact being close enough to michael, how when even the fanscene turns into a blind, fanatic and ignorant world that is about punishing people that where beside him for years real close, wondering where the person he used to be has gone and thats the point that hurts the most ,where is the michael we all looked up to, we went to concerts for, we travelled the world, we loved and adored ,that could enter a room and made it shine, where is the sensitive side for the needs of the humans around him, especially his fans.
sometimes I watch all the videos and ask myself if its still one and the same person Iam watching at, did this man we nowadays see all these great miles in music history, all that billie jean and history and heal the world -I can´t imagine it for myself right now, all there is is a big whole that seems to know no end this whole needs to be filled again but it seems like he has not enough material to fill it cause he is not complete inside I feel…I just can´t bear to see himself going down like this, is that all he wants to be remembered as?a falling reclusive superstar that disappears to an one hit wonder of the eighties, is that all he wants, wandering from place to place without a place to call home, with no friends around him, with no sense to live on ,how can he, wasn´t his music all his life, his sense to live on, where has this passion gone, did it die with that day of 13th june 2003? why didn´t he let us know, is he really afraid of the reaction of ours ,us, his base, his army of love, not for real, we would wish him nothing but happyness and if he´s done with music, so thats fine, but what he´s doing now doesn´t feel right, it can´t be, not even for him, where is the perfectionist, the lover and not the fighter, the sensitive and caring man, this genious, this instrument of nature and god ,like he called it…michael let us know, michael come back and give us the answers we desperately need!