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"16" Magazine Interview

Date range assessed by the fact that Jackie’s Datsun is mentioned in this article, which is also mentioned in the August 30, 1971 article covering the Jackson 5’s meeting with the Osmonds.

“J5--Go Thru Their Pockets! What’re they Hiding?--WOW!” (“16” Magazine)

POCKETS ARE for pokin‘ thru and peekin‘ into--and that's just what you're about to do with the groovy Jackson 5! Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Tito, and Jackie have agreed to let you--and only you--know what they carry around with them in their regular and in their innermost hideaway pockets!!

Do you believe in the saying, “You can always judge a person by what he carries with him"? In the case of the J5, what they carry is very revealing of their real personalities and what they're truly like!!

The contents of a boy's pockets evolve and change according to his age, of course, as well as his interests. Small boys are known to have dirt collections, old lolly-pop sticks, skate keys, and often a tadpole or a pet snake or two stashed away in their jeans! (Michael Jackson sometimes carries his pet rat around with him! Imagine what you'd do if you were to meet Michael and suddenly hear a loud squeak from one of his pockets!)

As they get older, boys often replace their bubble gum cards with credit cards--and skate keys with car keys--and so on. Also, with age, it becomes more important to maintain the sleek "together" look the J5 always manage to have a well-dressed, well-groomed look, in place of baggy jeans and old sweatshirts. You'll never see a Jackson brother look sloppy!!

The very newest way for a young men to carry his possessions is in a masculine-looking shoulder bag, very much like the one you carry to school every day. Jackie and Jermaine sometimes carry those bags--and they look super-neat!!

Some of the J5 also occasionally tie a pouch onto their belts to carry small change and other miscellany. But the real story is what lies inside their pockets-can you guess?!!

A pad of white paper and a thick black crayon-type pencil--cos sketching's his mad passion! This drawing of ”Mr. Magoo" was done by mitey-Mike in a spare moment--exclusively for “16”!

Clippings of his favorite cartoon characters--and there are many--so that he can practice his drawing.

A button--it popped off his shirt and it says, “Billy The Kid" on it.

Bubble gum--Michael chews gum almost as fast as he talks! He collects the cards that come with the gum.

Candy--this little man gets hungry mighty often, and he always likes to keep some refreshment handy!

Keys--including one to his mini-bike, his proudest possession!

Notes--containing song lyrics, ideas, concert dates, anything to keep his busy life straight. And, of course, love letters from you!