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"UPI" Newspaper Interview

Date confirmed on “UPI” (Image 001) (“June 27, 1976”)

“UPI” (June 27, 1976) (Image 001)

Michael Jackson, the lead singer of the new "Jackson Family" television series, is one 17-year-old who is too busy working to bother with pretty girls.Michael and his seven brothers and sisters an expansion of the original Jackson Five are replacing Sonny and Cher on CBS-TV for the summer. A performer since he was six years old, Michael is geared to show business and doesn't mind in the slightest missing a summer vacation for an opportunity to star in prime-time television. He lives at home with his mother and father, younger brother, Randy, and sisters La Toya and Janet in a plush area of the San Fernando valley. Three other Jackson offspring, Tito, Marlon and Maunne, are married and live nearby Family headquarters is a huge estate complete with swimming pool, beautifully tended gardens and a separate studio where the family singing group rehearses and cuts its own recordings. Sweeping expanses of greensward are set off by peach, apricot and citrus trees. Michael loves exotic birds, accounting for three peacocks named Spring, Summer and Winter which strut freely around the grounds. There is also a macaw named Pete and a parrot which answers to Rickey. The Jacksons needn't fret about prowlers, with two German shepherds, named Heavy and Black Girl, and a Doberman pinscher named Duke. There is always some activity going on at the house, with Jacksons coming and going, enjoying song fests, family dinners and swimming parties. Michael's retreat is his bedroom where he has his own television set and sophisticated stereo complex. Young Michael has few friends and doesn't go out on dates. The family is so closely knit and spends so many weeks on the road including several Las Vegas gigs a year there is little opportunity for the younger members of the clan to take time off for friendships.

"I'm really too busy to think about girls," Michael says, "Besides, girls want to take up all your time”

When the Jacksons are in town, Michael attends a private school. When he's at work, a tutor is brought to keep Michael abreast of his classmates. On occasion he lends a helping homework hand to Janet, 10, and Randy, 14. Michael graduates from school this year. Instead of attending college, he is planning to return to high school to take some writing courses. He thinks he is getting a better education traveling around the world with his family than most young people receive at a university. He especially enjoys visiting Africa and the Philippine Islands.

Michael is a quiet, essentially shy young man, not at all like the outgoing entertainer one sees on the tube. He spends hours reading the Bible. Despite his wealth and fame, Michael's taste in foods is the same as most teenagers. He is addicted to hamburgers, french fries and malteds. His mother, Katherine, does all the cooking. The family likes her special chili dishes best of all. Although Michael is old enough, and certainly sufficiently solvent to have his own automobile, he doesn't even have a driver's license. There's always a chauffeur to take him to and from the airport for the endless road trips which, along with recordings, are the backbone of the family's success. Michael is altogether different from his peers in at least one respect. He never wears denims, T-shirts and other sloppy clothes favored by teenagers.

"We all stay neat and presentable every day," he explains. "We're always in the public eye and try to set a good example”