Last night, NBC ran a cut-down version of the 2003 TV special that did more than any other piece of media “reporting” to turn Michael Jackson into a punchline and worse. Living with Michael Jackson is a documentary overseen by the British journalist Martin Bashir, who now co-anchors ABC’s Nightline. In 2003, however, Bashir’s biggest claim to fame was interviewing Princess Diana in 1995 about her failed marriage.
Grinning at Jackson in their face-to-face encounters, sitting cozily next to Jackson on a Ferris wheel on the singer’s Neverland estate, or holding the hand of one of Jackson’s children, Bashir was the very picture of fawning unctuousness. But when he got into his editing room, he started playing the concerned tough-guy: “Jackson’s behavior was beginning to alarm me,” he says in a voiceover Jackson would hear only after the documentary aired. “Confronting him wouldn’t be easy, but now it had to happen,” Bashir describes himself with heroic determination.
Yeah, right: But only after making sure he had footage of Jackson spending gobs of money buying garish home furnishings in a Las Vegas store. “That’s only $275,000 each,” he says loudly, smilingly, as Jackson chose two items, among many others. Bashir wanted to make sure we thought the singer was a no-taste spendthrift.
Having secured scenes that would make for maximum salaciousness — “What else would he beat you with?” Bashir prodded, after reducing Jackson to tears amid tales of father Joe Jackson’s cruel punishments — Bashir went in for the money-quotes. He brought up the 1993 allegations of child molestation and let Jackson talk about how his relationships with minors were “not sexual.” Bashir made sure we heard that Jackson had made a “financial settlement” with his accusors.
Jackson was so upset with how Bashir portrayed him in the original, two-hour version of Living that he produced his own special, The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant To See, which aired on Fox and showed some of Bashir’s wheedling and manipulations. The harm had been done, however.
It’s safe to say Living with Michael Jackson was, at the least, one reason Jackson withdrew from the media, and the world, even further in his remaining years. And you can watch it six more times on MSNBC over the next two weeks. What a way to honor the dead.
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I watched this last night and I think I was more terrified than the first time it aired back in 03′. There were so many times he just gave the most bizarre answers and explanations. It was really sad.
Don’t believe the hype!
I actually think it’s a well-done documentary…I mean, imagine if we didn’t have it…It at least gave us a glimpse into the the most mysterious, odd pop cultural figure…I hate how some are acting like Michael Jackson was never weird…He’s dead, and journalists are afraid to bring this up again…
Ken Tucker, isn’t it EW that had a cover of Michael Jackson saying “Jacko the Wacko”?…
It’s amazing how all the opportunitists are coming out to slam a dead man. How brave of them. Bashir is still trying to ride MJs coat tails since he is just another hack journalist. All of these “experts” and “friends” are pond scum.
Martin Bashir is a joke and an opportunitist. All these folks saying all these ugly things about a dead man are pond scum. It is obvious these so called “experts” and friends” making all the rounds on the TV shows were part of MJs problem and are still trying to make a buck off of him and his grieving family. What a bunch of jerks!
I will grant you that Bashir’s ‘concern’ was highly suspect, as I think he produced exactly what he was going to from the beginning. That doesn’t change the fact that for the last 15 – 20 years, Michael Jackson was off the rails weird. And while everyone wants to see him in the best light now, his relationships with kids was highly questionable at best. It may have been totally innocent, but there were enough questions and clues that had it been anyone else, he would have been suspect years prior. And watching it last night, knowing what we know now, there were times that Michael was outright lying. There were two MIchaels – the highly creative and talented performer that should be celebrated, but there was also the messed up Michael who seemed to live in a world not based in reality. You can’t just pretend that the messed up Michael – on full display the last 1/3 or his life, never happened.
Truth be told, NOONE except friends and family, knew the REAL Michael. He had many medical ailments that he had no control of, and to say he was a weirdo and a child molestor, is totally unjustified. Except for a few youtube videos and biased interviews, all you people who assume the worst are the real IDIOTS. These are the same people who dont realize Michael had a skin condition and believe he was bleaching his skin to look white. YES these morons are still out there. Let the King rest in peace!!
DOnt you people realize this from watch the reality TV crap. Editing can make the most “normal” person seem weird or outrageous. People are sooo gullible and quick to assume the worst. Sadly,its beginning to become human nature for most Americans to have this quality
Yes, you TMZ Americans..the same ones who want nothing good to say about anyone they dont understand. All they do is wait for someone to screw up and then pounce on them. A nation who used to be all about helping others has turned into a NATION OF FOOLS
TMZ and other American paparazzi derived much of their ideas and methodology regarding “journalism” from the British tabloids.
Ken – your article is spot on. Martin Bashir has no journalistic integrity and is a world class louse!
Shame on NBC. Shame on ABC for turning a once respectable late night news magazine into a tabloid show by putting that sleeze on it. Remember the Nightline that Ted Koppel created during the Iranian hostage crisis and turned it into a forum for respectable TV journalism and then see what it’s become and mourn.
“When innocence is standing by
Watching people loosing lives
It seems as if we have no voice
It’s time for us to make a choice
There’s nothing that can’t be done
If we raise our voice as one
They’ve gotta hear it from me?
They’ve gotta hear it from you?
They’ve gotta hear it from us?
We can’t take it
We’ve already had enough
They’ve gotta hear it from me?
They’ve gotta hear it from you?
They’ve gotta hear it from us?
We can’t take it
We’ve already had enough
They’ve gotta hear it from me?
They’ve gotta hear it from you?
They’ve gotta hear it from you baby?
We can’t take it
We’ve already had enough
Deep in my soul baby
Deep in your soul and by your side
Deep in my soul
It’s so big and i’m still alive
They’ve gotta hear it from us?
We can’t take it
We’ve already had enough
It’s going down baby
Just let God decide”
Ladies and Gentlemen…I believe you have all boarded the crazy chain and become dillusional. What’s up with all this revisionist history mess? So the guy dies and now we are to forget how strange he was? That makes no sense. When this first aired, everyone was like “Michael is messed up!” Now that he’s dead, its “poor Michael”….makes not sense to me.
I think Michael Jackson’s only down fall was that he was always a kid at heart and maybe a little naive with things but I don’t think he did anything wrong. People always took advantage of him and made him into a monster but even though I don’t know him but I know he was a wonderful father and loved children. The problem is people took advantage of him and never appreaciated him. What kind of parent accepts dirty money if they’er child was really molested. It makes no sense to me. I have always been a huge Michael fan but it’s funny to me that everyone is so sad now when if the topic of Michael Jackson came up 2 weeks ago people would put him down. I have to agree with the poster about American, you guys love to see someone down and when you do you kick him harder. It’s so sad.
Journalists pointing their finger at other journalists when they probably would or have done the same thing. EW isn’t known for painting Michael in a glorious light either.
I agree with Ken here. He’s not saying that MJ wasn’t a world-class freakshow. He’s condemning Bashir’s journalistic integrity — befriend your subject, then rip him to shreds with what may be questionable editing and melodramatic voiceover. Bashir is no better now than he was then – his job on “Nightline” has been horrible, and his anchoring of MJ Deathnight 2009 was amateurish.
All the reality contestants who complain about “how they’re portrayed”, one question- Who is portraying You? Yes, those shows are heavily edited, but If you didn’t say it on camera there would be no way to make it look like you did. If Michael Jackson was so worried about how was portrayed he would have chosen his words more carefully. If the public is so outraged, no one would watch it. If no one was interested there would not be so much coverage! What hypocricy!
Ken, you say, “Bashir wanted to make sure we thought the singer was a no-taste spendthrift.” We don’t “think”, we know. Michael was broke when he died. And say what you want about Martin’s intentions, but it was Michael, not fancy editing or tricky questions, that said it was normal to share your bed with children. And did you see how uncomfortable Michael was feeding his baby? Regardless of what we think about Martin, it still showed Michael as a bit out of touch with reality.
LEAVE MICHAEL THE HELL ALONE LET HIM REST IN PEACE NOW!
Bashir’s “concerned” act was at best highly suspect. That being said, it probably didn’t take much editing at all to make Michael seem like a freak of nature, surely less than most of us would need.
I agree that Bashir gave up all journalistic integrity with all the off-camera comments and “asides”. We probably didn’t realize it and took him seriously at the time because of his British accent.
That all being said, it’s hard to argue that in the last 20 years or so that Michael has gone out of his way to portray himself as someone “different” & not as a normal everyday guy. I don’t think that documentary hurts his legacy at all, even at this time.
The words unctuousness and salaciousness in an EW blog? Someone got a thesaraus for their birthday. Are you submitting this article on your resume for the NY Times?
I had seen the episodes of ‘Living with Michael Jackson’ edited by Martin Bashir. I think, Bashir is an INSENSITIVE and RUTHLESS soul, a wolf in sheep-skin, who shrewdly turned an personal up-close interview into a controversy. It’s absolutely sad that Bashir stayed with him for 9 months and payed him back with a such a documentary. This interview, I suppose caused the biggest injury to the soul of MJ. I think, Bashir should be black listed from any media. Sad what a pathetic story he had to make of an interview just for trp’s and some $$$. I hope he can live with a conscious as ugly as his!! Bashir you are pathetic and sick – the world would have a far better place if it weren’t for people like U!!!! MJ will live in the heart and spirits of each of his fans. Bashir YOU can’t destroy that … you continue to live with your stupid tale.
Love you MJ.. May you RIP.. God Bless!!
I watched that special and saw a more human side of MJ. The last 15 minutes were the worst. And if his father did treat him so badly what the hell is the court thinking of granting custody to his mother and fathe. Surely to God, someone out there can give these kids a chance at a normal life. As far as I’m concerned Joe Jackson was the demise of MJ. Beating a child with whatever was available! In this day and age, that man would not be allowed anywhere close to a child. I thank God everyday for the wonderful childhood I had and the fact my parents always put all the kids first in their lives. Shame on you Joe Jackson for being such a tryant and terrible father. Find someone far away from that man to take care of those kids. Let them live normal lives. And, btw, who cares whether he was the biological father. He was the one raising them. Tons of kids in this world were adopted! Don’t forget that!
Good transference of blame. Let’s blame the messenger. Who me? I would never be a fan of someone so weird, so it must be someone elses fault. There, I feel better about myself.
You know what, this should serve as an example as to why the human condition remains messed up….here it is, this man is DEAD. Yet, people continue to bash this man in his DEATH. Regardless of how anyone felt about this man, good or bad, he was undoubtedly talented and might I say again DEAD. If he did anything wrong while on this earth, “THE MAN” upstairs will deal with him.
In the meantime, leave Michael alone and let him rest in PEACE!
Bashir is nothing more than an opportunist and a hypocrite. It was revolting (but not surprising) to see him on ABC the other night with his fake concern and sadness.
How was this documentary unfair?? Did Bashir force Jackson to say the things he said?? Did he force him to reveal the things he revealed?? Did he make him the deeply disturbed person he was?? Of course not. If the documentary was “creepy”, gee just maybe it was because of the subject of the documentary himself.
And perhaps YOU need to get a dictionary. The correct spelling is ‘thesaurus’.
please. did bashir force michael jackson to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on crap at a mall? did bashir force michael jackson to admit he held slumber parties with little boys and even slept in the same bed as them?
just because a man dies does not absolve him from the way he lived his life. the man was a drug addicted debtor who had totally inapporopriate relationships with children. oh but because he sang billie jean it’s all good. please.