IUC Reader Puts MJ Book/Film in Proper Perspective – Thank you TW
This letter from Tabitha Williams is a must read, especially to all the MJ fans who have repeatedly tried to discredit my book, most without ever reading a paragraph from it. Please read this:
Good afternoon, Ian. This is going to be a long one. 
I listened to the audiobook of Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson over the last few days and I have to say that this is a goooood book – well researched, well written; fair yet sympathetic at the human level.
I know that investigative journalism carries a certain stigma these days (thanks, “Geraldo” and his ilk) but you seem to me to be someone possessing actual journalistic integrity. I am skeptical when it comes to the media and it’s coverage of “news”, especially “celebrity news”, because it strikes me as nothing but sensationalism much of the time and only benefits those in a position to profit from it while the public is duped over and over. I’m not a tabloid reader, nor do I really care for magazines outside my own rather geeky interests, so I learned many years after the fact about how and why Michael Jackson earned his wacky reputation. I’m more of a reader than a tv watcher in any case.
The reason I purchased your book is that I am a semi-fan of Michael Jackson: I have a few albums, read a few books, and admire his talent and artistic sensibilities. Like much of the public, I thought him odd but, the way I see it, that was his perogative. I am an Air Force brat – I’ve been everywhere and met just about every kind of person; MJ could have been much worse than he was. Anyway, I was as struck by his early demise as just about everyone else, but my allergy to hype compelled me to avoid the inenvitable media circus and rehashing of his life, career, etc. I decided to do my own research into the man, his life, his career, and how they all tied into the legacy he wanted to leave. I also chose your book after observing how the more voracious among MJ’s fans reacted to it. It seems that anything that casts MJ in a human or less than divine light gets their hackles up, and leads me to a fascinating read. Actually reading the book doesn’t seem to occur to them; rumors of its contents are enough. Their lack of critical thinking skills often leads me to a goldmine or a good eye-roll and chuckle.
I understood completely why you started from the premise that MJ was guilty of the child sexual molestation charges brought against him in the early ’90s and again in 2005. Who wouldn’t have? It’s not as if the Jackson camp was doing much to dispell the rumors and innuendo surrounding the trials, nor was Michael exerting much effort to defend himself nor acting any differently because of them. To me, he alternated between treating the public like suckers (planting his own strange stories for publicity) and trusting that the same public would “know the truth” when he was actually telling it. How could that be possible? He indeed cried wolf so much that even those close to him had reasons to doubt ther veracity of what he said or his actions. Even what few voices of reason there are can’t be as loud as the majority that controls how stories are spun. However, I did what digging I could as an ordinary person without contacts close to the parties involved (as documents came available and reputable journals published what had been verified) and smelled a rat. A civil case filed in place of or before crimimal charges always makes me suspicious at first: civil cases are usually about monetary compensation and the object is settlement in place of costly litigation. Whenever there’s a criminal case in conjunction with the civil, I suspect that the plaintiff didn’t get what he wanted and is putting the screws to the defendant. Not always the case, but there is a high percentage rate where it is. I was in high school in the early ’90s, and even then something struck me as fishy about the whole affair -especially Evan Chandler. I wasn’t buyin’ what he was sellin’. I wanted MJ to fight the criminal charges at that time because I didn’t trust the defense, but I can see now why it probably would have sent him into an asylum for the rest of his life. Though the accusations would have remained afterward, the prosecution would have actually had to put together a case that would stand up in court (though prosecutors get away with flimsy cases all the time) and I believe MJ would have been adjudicated innocent.
When you brought up the involvement of MJ’s insurance company in the first case, I understood immediately that the settlement was not an admission of guilt and MJ as the insured would not have had control over how that was accomplished. Being a licensed claims adjuster, I am very familiar with how claims are settled under liability insurance. Even if that point was brought up in the press, there are too, too many out there who do not understand the difference between civil and criminal law and how they work. And it’s not as if the press was much help in that – the very idea that the “wholesome” King of Pop had an underbelly was too tempting to resist: a chance to knock ‘em off the pedestal had them (especially A Current Affair – somehow I’m not surprised that Maury Povich went on to host a “Springer clone” talk show – and Hard Copy) chomping at the bit.
The other topic that really struck me was the last few months of his life from when you predicted that MJ had 6 months to live (the fallout from that story sent me to my medical dictionary and asking my relatives in the health field about Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency – I felt awful for MJ) to when he did die. My research into Alpha-1 and other conditions (esp. his prescription drug addictions) he was said to have made me realize that there were valid reasons for the way he’d appeared in public over the years. Something more than his “eccentricity” had to be up, and you were right. Going by what I’d read about how his family (especially his father) used him as a cash cow throughout his life, I wasn’t surprised that those who stood to profit most from him if he started performing again (i.e. The Nation of Islam associating itself with him) pushed him without regard for his personal health. Yes, MJ was a hypochondriac; yes, he often faked sick to get out of obligations he did not want to fulfill. That doesn’t mean that he wasn’t ill. I read in J. Randy Tamborelli’s biography of MJ that he had become bleak early in his adulthood and I’m not surprised. I have an extensive trauma history myself and I empathized with that aspect – I could understand how and why MJ would have been suicidal and just gave up. I’ve looked into the same kind of pit that he must have during the last year of his life so I can see how he would have died of a combination of the effects of his disease (and other disorders undisclosed) and having lost the will to live. To someone so depressed, so bleak, so lonely, so heartbroken who felt betrayed by most everyone in his life, death would have been seen as the only way out. Quite simply, the pain would stop.
Again, I believe your book was fair in presenting MJ as the flawed human being that he was while also discussing the other side of the most significant events that surrounded him in recent years. It seemed to me that you didn’t shy away from the unpleasant and gave him the benefit of the doubt which is more than I can say for other authors content to merely stir up old rumors and stories and present information from disgruntled former employees as gospel truth.
I gladly anticipate your upcoming film based on the book. Since the “fans” seem more than content to shoot it down without even seeing it, I know I’ll be in for a treat.
Wishing you good luck and future success,
Tabitha Williams
Winter Haven, FL, USA
p.s. As you are Canadian, I feel compelled as a good sport to congratulate you on the Gold Medal earned by the Canadian Men’s Ice Hockey Team in the recent Winter Olympics. However, as a USA Hockey fan, I’m still a little sore about it! Oh well – go Lightning (I’ll wait for you to stop laughing)!
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- 26 Comments
- Tags: Michael Jackson
1…2…3 Awww! Now you’re posting fan letters Ian? Yeesh.
ReplyI think you got paid to say Jackson wasn’t a perv. That way America would go back to buying his crap. “Oh he was just misunderstood. ” Cue the child actors to say”Daddy was the best daddy in the world,” What B.S.! I’m gonna write you letter too Ian, full of happy emoticons. And by the way, you being Canadian explains everything. Just Kidding!
ReplyBy the way, the Blind Side was such a piece of shyt. It was soo RACIST. ” If you get that white girl pregnant out of wedlock, Imma cut your Big Black D-ck off !” WTF I could not believe this shyt !! Big dumb Negro learns to be a showdog for a rich white family. “Atta Boy.” Train that colored boy,train him. “He may look like King Kong, but he’s my son.” Ohh, I’m just scratching the surfacing. Man, F the Blind Side—Developing
ReplyI like your style of writing but self promoting is a jolie thing and gets tiring. I didn’t read your MK book because I always felt he was a very talented since childhood and whose father stole his childhood and made him a freak. His older brothers weren’t much without him. I didn’t believe the abuse cases i always felt he wanted to be their age so he could play as a child. I could be wrong if he did abuse them then their families knew what they were doing and sold him their children. I read your Jolie book and felt you were to kind to her and a fan, but would recommend it. It was nice to see Canada didn’t want to listen to Coulter but they should of just chased her away without the threat.
Reply@Kramer Vs. Kramer:
I will try to post again, my post have not shown up lately but in regards to what you are saying about Blind Side, the movie was based on a true story. How do you get the audience to feel and react if you do not follow what happened? Must we be so politically correct that we wipe out history?
Spielberg and Hanks have produced “The Pacific”, and beautifully so. I feel fairly certain that each time a child runs to a soldier or another young naive soldier ask one that has just come from the front, “Did you kill any Japs today?” as though they were returning from a turkey shoot, they cringe,if they are even watching this mini series. It took the U S a very long time to get past this part of history and to make restitution with the Japanese -American citizens who were thrown in camps during that war. Yet this film, as brutal as it is, and as racial as it sounds, is reflecting the story of three men, exactly how it happened. It also shows at times, after a brutal racial , “kill the japs, kill the japs!” , a very poignant reflect of the soul of one of the soldiers as he looks down at his adversary, notices a little Japanese doll that fell from his bag, takes out a picture of his very young and beautiful and Japanese wife, and realizes, that this man was as courageous for his country and he is for ours, that he bled and he would have, he died as he would have. It is that human element K&K that the filmmaker tries to bring to the viewer along side the horror of the racism and the violence. You think there was no racism in “Precious”, I could list many films that have been based on true facts of other ethnic groups where racism was alive and flourished to make that movie real.It is not possible to tell the story , to touch the human heart, if you do not tell it like it really was. Otherwise, what was the point of the movie? There are plenty movies that will revert to the slang, to name a few, Jap, spic, flip, there is a name for every race, including, Whitney, cracker, etc. Sometimes I think people get a little bit to wrapped up in this politically correct stuff and forget we do have freedom of speech, and try and remember the “intent” behind the comment.
No disrespect intended. Just my point of view.
ReplyIan don´t you dare give the movie up just because mad fans are trying boycott it. I read in the news that Jackson family are aware of the documentary so if they really know about it and showed no concern I think you should go ahead. Better, if they authorized you to make it, say it to these fans.
Actually the fans are supporting the three Michael´s bodyguards which revealed that Michael had at least two girlfriends. They said nice things, everything that fans like to hear. But Ian be careful, they have now a facebook page and they called you a idiot…
http://www.facebook.com/MJBodyguard?ref=ts
But I suspect they only say it just to please the fans. I think the story about the girlfriends somewhat strange, because Michael was a very private person and I believe he never be able to make out in the back seat of the limousine near the bodyguards, even if they were separated. And other stories are strange too. But they seem care about his kids and himself.
Reply…..geez – next we’ll be saying Schindler’s List was biased toward the Jews and racist toward the Nazi’s. Or maybe Roberto Begnini portrayed the Italians unfavorably in It’s a Beautiful Life – things that make you go hmmmm.
Reply…and while Im on a roll -perhaps they never should have made Gone With the Wind – ( I don’t know nothin’ ’bout birthin’ no babies!!!) or maybe The Color Purple – yes massah – hmmmmmm
ReplyI see the Jackson family is persuing a lawsuit against Dr. Conrad Murray who allegedly administered a potent cocktail of painkillers and anesthetics and delayed calling 911 until he had “cleaned up” the scene of Michael’s collapse. According to TMZ, doctors were able to restart Michael Jackson’s heart at the hospital after he suffered a massive cardiac arrest. Hopefully this will bring about interventions for others in HW who are abusing drugs. The columnists are screaming for help for Lindsay Lohan “before she dies” from drug and alcohol abuse. Maybe it’s not such a great life being a celebrity after all.
ReplyThe Color Purple never had a line that said “yes massah,” and was not about slavery. Other than that, carry on.
ReplyAh yes, well I meant that as an attitude actually but thank you for clarifying – this site has become one big politically correct Websters Dictionary and Grammar Police watchdog site – nothing against you Lauren, but for effs sake people does it really matter if someone writes it’s instead of its, theres instead of theirs – this nitpicking is just boring, and not just to me but to alot of us. I can hardly stand to read here anymore, let alone post because every time I do I have someone come back at me with a correction – I say give it a rest, but of course I don’t expect that to happen any time soon, so okay like Lauren said – Carry on!
ReplyThe atmosphere would improve if the administrator/moderator stopped neglecting the site and enforced some ground rules about civility and staying on topic. It’s appalling that there is an IUC discussion forum titled “How Gay Is Ian Halperin?” But look at the number of posts on it. Is IUC so desperate for traffic and attention that anything goes?
The atmosphere also would improve exponentially if a certain narcissistic regal poster knew when to leave well enough alone.
Reply@Tinkuy:
I know about that topic. But I believe Ian just desn´t give a damn about these childish things.
Reply@Tamara:
ReplyI just responded because that’s one of my fave movies and that time period (slavery) totally goes against the whole point of the movie. I understood what you were saying, though.
@Tamara:
ReplyAlso, if you were directing that towards me, don’t be afraid to say so.
@Lauren:
ReplyNo, only the first half of the first sentence and then it was just an ordinary rant for whoever wanted to read it lol
@Tamara:
ReplyActually – there was another point down the paragraph lol I stand corrected j/k
i think you did justice to MJ on that book. you proved that eventhough he was extremely talented, he was still a human being. we all make mistakes. i guess the only difference is he was this – as a source in your book put it – mega mega star. everything he did was subjected for public scrutiny. his life was laid out for everyone to see. no wonder he got so lonely and depressed, and have sunk so low that dying was the only resolution. his demise was sudden but perhaps, in the state he was in, it was also expected.
your book was unbiased and factual. it was a great read. im a fan of MJ but im just as curious to know what you unearthed on your book that i read it cover to cover. i just about finished reading the line about you predicting he had only six months to live, and, indeed, six months and a day later, he was gone, that i decided i wanted that book. i was hooked. anyway, thank you. as a fan of the King of Pop, you gave a very interesting peep into the life of this consummate performer. Can’t wait for the movie. Best of luck.
ReplyIan, can you tell what do you think about the alleged girlfriends Michael had in his last years? According to his bodyguards, they know it. Did they tell the truth or they just wanted to make it more juicy?
ReplyMy cousin recommended this blog and she was totally right keep up the fantastic work!
Replygreat post as usual!
Replygoogd thanks a lot,this is very useful!!
ReplyVery good message. I’m from Brazil and I read your book about 3 weeks ago. I read it in 7 hours… I simply could’nt stop reading it. I’m 28 year old and an MJ fan as far as I can remember. Your book shows important informations about his life and health, and I recomend it to everyone who wants to know the truth about the scandals.
Thank you.
ReplyYour blog is so informative ?keep up the good work!!!!
Reply@Kramer Vs. Kramer:
Shut up. You have no clue. Moron.
ReplyI read some more of the preview, and the conclusion, and I guess a minor apology is in order. I didn’t know about that drug that can be used to plant false memories. If that’s really true, that’s sick of his dad and whoever helped. Just sick.
The conclusion was alright, but it kinda proved that there was no reason to write the book in the first place.
Reply