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“Star” Magazine Interview

Date of publication confirmed in Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro” (“2nd August 1972”)

Laurie Brannen, Star Magazine, “‘Heavy’: Lover or Killer?”

(As I drove up the long driveway to the gate of the J-5's Encino home. I can hear Black Girl, the J-5’s guard dog, barking from her kennel. As I get out of the car, open the gate, and enter the patio I see Heavy, Michael’s German Shepherd pup, dancing around on his hind legs! Michael comes walking toward me, wearing a yellow tank top and brown cord pants, smiling happily!)

MICHAEL: "Laurie, I see Heavy is as glad to see you as I am!"

ME: “I'm real happy to see you both, too! For a pup, Heavy has a pretty loud bark! I'll bet you'll never have any problem with prowlers with him around!"

MICHAEL: "No, Black Girl, our grown German Shepherd guard dog protects us fine. But, as a matter of fact, we do have a problem with Heavy. He loves people so much, and has such a sweet personality, that we can't decide if we should try to make a guard dog out of him or not."

ME: "Can't he be gentle and still he a good guard dog?"

MICHAEL: “It's not all that simple. A dog has to learn to be a guard dog by going to a special school for attack training. Actually, what they do is teach the dog to react in a mean way to strangers who may or may not be dangerous. For instance, if Heavy was trained as a guard dog, he would snarl, bark, and even try to bite someone he didn't know who came into our yard. That person might be just a harmless mailman!"

ME: “So you feel that the training Heavy would get at one of these schools would be bad for him?"

MICHAEL: "I think that it would be cruel to take a dog with Heavy's sweet personality. and turn him into something he wasn't meant to he. It's kind of the same thing as putting some guy into the army who is real sensitive and gentle, putting a gun into his hand and trying to make him a good soldier. In the first place, it's probably not going to work, 'cause you can't change someone into something completely different, and in the second place, you would be causing that person a lot of pain and heartache making him do things he doesn't want to do!

"It's the same way with Heavy. If I sent him to guard dog school, I'd be taking a dog who is loving and gentle, and trying to change him into a completely different dog. I just don't think it would he fair!" ME: “I can see what you mean, Michael! But why do you and your family think you have to have a guard dog?"

MICHAEL: “Well, Dad always goes on concert tour with Jermaine, Marlon, Tito, Jackie, Randy, and me, and that leaves Mom and Latoya alone in the house while we're gone. Dad got Heavy to help Black Girl. He didn't dream that Heavy would turn out to be the super friendliest dog in the whole world!"

ME: “Is your Dad planning on sending Heavy to school to be a guard dog than, for sure?" MICHAEL: "He’s leaving that decision up to me, since I spend more time with Heavy than anyone else in our family. He's kind of my dog. and my father wouldn't make any decision about Heavy without asking me first."

ME: “Well, Michael! I guess that leaves you with a hard decision, knowing that your family needs another guard dog for protection while you're on the road, and knowing that Heavy wasn't cut out to be that kind of dog!"

MICHAEL: "I just don't know what I'm going to do! I love Heavy very much, and I want him to he happy, to be the lover dog you see right here. But I also want to feel that my Mom and Latoya are safe, and that Heavy could be a killer if he ever had to be in an emergency. I sure could use some advice!"

ME: "STAR will ask your fans to write in and tell you what they think you should do, Michael!“

MICHAEL: "That would be right on! Heavy and I would really appreciate that!"

(After our goodbyes, and a "kiss" on my cheek from Heavy, I walk down the long shady driveway. way. I look back to see Michael throwing a ball and Heavy wagging his tail, running after it! It hurts me to think of that happy, loveable dog becoming a mean killer. I wonder what the future will hold for both of them!