Michael Jackson (44 page)

King was best known for his huge boxing promotions of Muhammad Ali's ‘Thrilla in Manila’ and Sugar Ray Leonard/Roberto Duran
rights. When the Jackson sons met with him, though, they were not impressed. During the meeting, King wore a white fur coat,
diamond rings and a gold necklace on which hung a charm: a crown with the name
DON
on top of it. His grey hair stuck straight up, as if he'd just been electrocuted. The brothers decided that he was too ostentatious,
not the type of man they wanted representing them in the public arena. However, their negative judgement about Don King shifted
when he came up with three million dollars to give them as a show of good faith, against concert earnings – $500,000 to each
member of the group. The brothers were ecstatic, Joseph was happy, and Katherine content. Michael was not impressed.

‘I think he's creepy,’ Michael told one friend. ‘I don't trust the guy. He just wants a piece of the action, that's all.’
It wouldn't be a small ‘piece’, that much was certain. Forty shows were planned, with a projected gross revenue of thirty
million dollars. Deducting six million dollars for expenses would leave twenty-four million dollars net profit – 85 per cent
of which would go to the group, 7.5 per cent to Don King, and 7.5 per cent to Joseph and Katherine. That amounted to $3.4
million for each Jackson member – enough to get the brothers back on their feet, for a while anyway – as well as $900,000 each
for Joseph and Katherine, and a $1.8-million pay-day for Don King.

Once aboard, Don King contacted Jay Coleman, an enterprising promoter who specialized in obtaining tour sponsorships from
major corporations. Don told Jay about the Jacksons' tour and their need for a big-money sponsor. ‘And you, my man, are just
the white boy who can walk into a corporation and tap them for the change,’ he said. He was right about that: Jay recruited
the Pepsi-Cola Company to pony up another five million dollars to sponsor the tour.

Jackie, Tito, Randy, Marlon and Jermaine all voted to work with Don King as promoter. After all, an extra five million dollars
was
impressive. However, for Michael, five million dollars was, as they used to say back in Gary, ‘chump change’, especially
after it was split six ways and 15 per cent was taken off the top for Don, Joseph, and Katherine – leaving Michael with $700,000
and not much incentive. Michael reluctantly agreed to allow Don King to promote the tour, but he wanted Pepsi out of the picture.
‘Forget it,’ Michael said. ‘I don't drink Pepsi. I don't
believe
in Pepsi.’

The family then worked on Michael to accept the Pepsi endorsement; there was too much money involved to let it go, and it
was
a viable and impressive sponsorship whether Michael drank the soft drink or not. The Rolling Stones had only received a half
million for their endorsement. In fact, up until that time, the biggest deal in Madison Avenue history had been actor Alan
Alda's for Atari, and that was only a million. The brothers thought Michael was crazy. ‘I just don't want to do it,’ Michael
insisted. ‘I have a bad feeling about it.’

Finally, after a weekend of intense pressure, Michael signed the contract at four o'clock one Monday morning. A rider made
it clear that he would not have to hold a can of Pepsi, or drink from one, in any commercial or publicity photo.

‘You know something? I don't know what that boy has against making money,’ Joseph said later, in regard to Michael's reluctance
about the Pepsi endorsement. ‘You can always have more money. You never get to a point, I don't care how much money you have,
where you don't need more money. And at that time everybody in the family, except Michael, I guess, needed it.’

On 30 November 1983, a press conference was organized at the Tavern on the Green restaurant in New York City to announce the
Jacksons' reunion tour, and the fact that Don King would be promoting it. By this time, Michael had had two more major hit
singles, ‘Human Nature’ and ‘PYT’, so it was expected that the site would be mobbed with fans, which it was; there were over
a hundred police officers guarding the Tavern.

The press conference began on an odd note…and went downhill from there. In his introductory remarks, Don King spoke of God,
then love and ‘enrapturement’, and the fact that ‘Michael has soared the heights to the unknown’. Then, said the master promoter,
‘It is so fortunate for all of us and so symbolic that we have such a beautiful family to use for all the world to see. They
are humble. They are warm. They exude charming magnetism. The love that emits from these guys is so contagious,’ he enthused.
‘It's so captivating and infectious and it got me into this whirlwind of a musical spell that I can't seem to get out of…’
On and on he went, for almost a half-hour. Then, he showed a fifteen-minute documentary – about himself. Katherine, Joseph,
LaToya and Janet watched with confused looks on their faces as Don King then paraphrased Malvolio's speech from Shakespeare's
Twelfth Night,
‘Be not afraid of greatness,’ he said, his chest puffed with pride. ‘Some men are born great. Some achieve greatness. And
others have greatness thrust upon them.’

Joseph leaned over to Katherine and was overheard asking, ‘Is he talking about us or himself?’ She shrugged.

‘Does anything he's saying make any sense at all?’ she asked, bewildered.

Don King then spoke of the upcoming forty-city tour, a concert film and a live satellite broadcast. He also announced that
Pepsi-Cola had ponied up five million dollars for the privilege of sponsoring the event. The Jacksons would star in two commercials
for Pepsi as part of the deal. ‘It is going to be fabulous. The highest-grossing tour, the most amazing tour ever in history
by these extraordinary men…’

Finally, Michael, Marlon, Tito, Jermaine, Randy and Jackie walked out to great applause from the press corps; they sat on
the dais with glum faces, their eyes hidden behind sunglasses. None of them looked amused by the manner Don King continued
to grandstand for the media. Finally, Don urged Michael to speak. ‘I really don't have anything to say,’ Michael began. ‘I
guess I would like to introduce the rest of my family. First my mother, Katherine – ’

‘Yes, that's the mother, Katherine,’ Don King butted in. ‘The backbone, the strength, the heart and soul – ’

‘And this is my father, Joseph.’

‘Hmm-hmm, that's him. Joseph Jackson. I love that man. That man has truly mesmerized me.’

‘And that's LaToya and Janet,’ Michael said, now frowning at Don.

‘Yes, aren't they truly lovely? The Jackson sisters, LaToya and…’ Don's voice trailed off when he noticed Michael's expression.

‘And my brothers' beautiful wives are here,’ Michael continued. ‘Hazel, Carol, Enid and Dee Dee. My sister Maureen is not
here because she is doing an album for CBS. Thank you very much.’

Michael then refused to answer questions.

‘Thank you, Michael, the golden voice of song,’ Don said, quickly.

‘So, what's this tour going to be called?’ a reporter asked.

‘They haven't named it yet,’ King answered.

‘Excuse me, but yes, we have,’ Marlon cut in. ‘We're calling it the Victory tour.’

‘So there you have it, ladies and gentleman,’ Don proclaimed. ‘That is the name of the tour. The Victory tour. And what a
heck of a name that is, too.’

‘And what's the point of this tour?’ someone else asked.

‘The tour will mean that the brothers are getting together once again,’ Jermaine said, ‘to unite and work close with each
other, to show the world that we can make everybody happy. And everybody in the whole world will unite as one, because we
want to bring this together in peace for everyone,’ he concluded, making about as much sense as Don King.

‘Why can't Michael say more?’ asked another reporter.

‘Uh, well…’ Don shot a look at Michael. Michael shook his head emphatically, no. ‘He, uh, his voice is a problem because he
has been working so hard singing those songs and makin' all those hit records,’ said Don. ‘He will not be able to continue
talking now. Isn't that right, Michael?’

Michael seemed to glare at the promoter behind his shades.

Later, Washington reporters Maxwell Glen and Cody Shearer would dub the event ‘one of media history's most abominable press
conferences, ever.’ Another observer called The Jacksons' tour ‘The Nitro Tour’, explaining that ‘at any minute the whole
thing is gonna blow sky-high.’

Michael had arranged to have the press conference video-taped. A few hours after it was mercifully over, he, John Branca and
a few other trusted associates watched the tape in Michael's suite at the Helmsley Palace. ‘It's a mess, isn't it?’ was Michael's
verdict.

John observed that Don King was actually the star of the show, and that The Jacksons had been ‘some kind of sideshow’.

‘Well, that really stinks, doesn't it?’ Michael said, angrily. ‘We gotta show this tape to the brothers.’

Michael then called a meeting in his room. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy showed up within minutes. After the press
conference, even they had their doubts about Don King. ‘Look at this terrible thing,’ Michael said, putting in the video tape.

‘What's wrong with you guys?’ Michael wanted to know after the tape finished. ‘Can't you see that this man is using us? This
is the Don King show, and The Jacksons are an opening act. Can't you see how bad this looks?’

‘You're right, Michael,’ Jackie said, shaking his head in despair. ‘The guy is a complete jerk.’

‘Unbelievable,’ Jermaine agreed. ‘Mike is right. I've never been so embarrassed. That was bad, real bad.’

The rest of the brothers agreed. Participating in the press conference had been a bleak enough proposition, but seeing how
it looked from the other side of the dais was more than the brothers' pride could bear. ‘Well, look, you guys chose this creep,’
Michael said. ‘Now, Branca and I are going to choose someone else, a tour coordinator who's going to really handle the business,
someone like Bill Graham or Irvin Azoff, someone big in the business,’ Michael said, referring to two giants in the concert
promotion world. ‘Do we agree?’ he asked, taking charge. ‘Is it time to take back some power?’

The brothers nodded their heads in agreement.

By 1984, despite his tremendous fame and great fortune, Michael Jackson still continued door-to-door proselytizing for the
Jehovah's Witness faith, ‘twice a week, maybe for an hour or two,’ according to Katherine. He also attended meetings at Kingdom
Hall with his mother four times a week, when he was in town.

An example of a typical day of spreading The Word: wearing a disguise – a moustache, hat and glasses – and a tie and sweater,
and holding a copy of
Watchtower,
Michael stood at the door of an apartment in suburban Thousand Oaks, California, one morning in early 1984. ‘I'm here to
talk to you about God's word,’ he told the young girl who answered the bell.

She slammed the door in his face.

He went to the next apartment.

‘Today, I'm here to talk to you about God's word,’ he said when the door opened. He was invited into the apartment, and the
door closed behind him. Louise Gilmore recalled the day Michael came to visit: ‘It was very odd. At first I thought it was
some kind of a trick-or-treat gag. A young black man came to my door wearing what was obviously a phony moustache and beard,
and a big hat. His face was too smooth for all that facial hair. He looked like a little boy playing grown-up. He had this
soft little voice and looked harmless enough. ‘Can I talk to you for just a moment?’ he said politely. I decided to let him
in.

‘He sat down and pulled out all of these books and pamphlets from a bag. “You should read these,” he said. He gave me a little
speech about the Jehovah's Witnesses, which I paid no attention to, so I can't tell you what he said. He then had a glass
of water, thanked me, and went on his way. I didn't think anything of it, except, My, what a polite little boy.

‘The next day my neighbour said to me, “Did Michael Jackson come to your house too?” I said, “What are you talking about?”
When I put two and two together, I almost fainted. I've kept the material he gave me as souvenirs. No, I didn't join the religion.’

More than ever before, Michael considered himself a strict Jehovah's Witness. He didn't believe in blood transfusions, Easter
and Christmas (which he viewed as ‘pagan holidays’), or the celebration of his own birthday. He also did not believe in pledging
allegiance to the flag. (In April 1984 he would attend the T. J. Martell Foundation's dinner honouring Walter Yetnikoff, president
of CBS Records. Michael refused to be seated at the dais until after Monsignor Vincent Puma delivered the invocation and the
crowd pledged allegiance to the flag and then sang the national anthem.)

Despite the fact that Michael was devout – and no doubt had donated quite a bit of money to the religion – the church's elders
were upset with him in 1984, mostly because of the ‘Thriller’ video.

Michael had been so impressed with the horror-fantasy film
An American Werewolf in London
that he employed the services of John Landis to repeat his directorial duties and then he hired Rick Baker to create special
effects on the ‘Thriller’ video. The fourteen-minute video was budgeted at $600,000. At this time, an artist could make a
decent video for about $25,000. John Branca felt that Michael was overextending himself and advised him that they should find
another way to pay for the ‘Thriller’ video.