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"The Jackson Family Honors"
Date confirmed in “Los Angeles Times” (“Saturday [February 19, 1994]”)
Michael Jackson, Presenting “Jackson Family Honors Award” to Berry Gordy, speech transcript
I love you. Thank you. Thank you to the fans. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for your love and your friendship. Mr. Gordy has been an important part of our lives both personally and professionally from the very beginning. He believed in our talent. Like all the other members of the Motown family, we owe our lives and our careers to Berry Gordy, a great human being. We too were very fortunate to benefit of his wisdom, Berry Gordy’s commitment and Berry Gordy’s creativity. Because of Mr. Gordy and his tireless efforts to get the very best for his artists, to present the very best to the record buying public, the face of popular music has changed forever because of Mr. Gordy. For a lifetime of achievement which includes inspiring so many people with your discipline, philosophy and hard work and the pursuit of a dream, Berry Gordy, I’m proud to present you with the symbol of our love and respect, the “Jackson Family Honours”. Ladies and gentlemen, a great and incredible human being, Mr. Berry Gordy!
Presenting “Jackson Family Honors Award” to Elizabeth Taylor, speech transcript
Today we honor Elizabeth Taylor for who she is as much as what she does. For me, Elizabeth Taylor is the ultimate humanitarian because she is the embodiment of love, compassion, faith, and integrity and she has been that ideal for hundreds and millions of fans over the five decades of her illustrious career. Elizabeth began her career when she was nine years old and since then, has starred in some of the greatest of all American films. She has been, and she continues to be, one of the most celebrated women of the twentieth century. I know, from having the honour of being a friend of Elizabeth Taylor’s, that she’s in no need of another trophy or plaque to recognize her humanitarian work on behalf of the fight against AIDS. And I also know Elizabeth is here tonight not for any ego gratification but because this gives her another chance to get the all important message out to the public. The message of AIDS awareness and the need for compassion and the efforts to find a cure. To the formation of AMFAR in 1986 and her own Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, no one has done more to fight this dreaded disease. But in knowing Elizabeth, I know her reward comes from the work itself, from the small battles won in the all out war, from the gains she’s been responsible for by eliminating the problem for the world to see and from the unspoken things of the victims who’s lives she has enhanced during their times on earth.
In the midst of my recent trials and tribulations, Elizabeth stood by my side with unwavering strength and support. Elizabeth stands for truth. She’s immune to criticism and unfearful to any challenge and places the highest truth in the wisdom of her own heart and the direct knowledge of her own intuition. She is not swayed by public opinion because she knows in the end truth always triumphs. Elizabeth, I love you and we honour you not only for what you stand for, but also for the magnificence of who you are. The world is a better place because of your existence. Because Elizabeth is so unselfish in her devotions to humanity it is doubly fitting that she be the recipient of the “Jackson Family Honors Award”. Ladies and gentlemen, Elizabeth Taylor.
“Los Angeles Times” (February 20, 1994) (archived)
Billed as a humanitarian event, the "Jackson Family Honors" taping here Saturday had more of the feel of a TV melodrama.
The family's most famous member, beleaguered pop star Michael Jackson, appeared to be a reluctant participant in the more than two-hour production, and the family's most mercurial member, LaToya Jackson, contended that she was barred from the program.
Instead of performing a solo number—as did sister Janet Jackson, who received a standing ovation early in the evening—Michael Jackson only agreed to present awards to close friend Elizabeth Taylor and Motown Records founder Berry Gordy.
His only scheduled musical contribution to the show was joining the family in a finale written for the event, which is to be broadcast Tuesday by NBC-TV.
Because the 35-year-old singer's photo had been featured prominently in ads for the reunion show, many in the near-capacity crowd at the 13,000-seat MGM Grand Garden arena had hoped for more music from him.
"The whole reason I paid $100 for a ticket was to see Michael perform, " Julie Marlowe, 24, said. "I thought this was supposed to be a concert."
Still, this was the most high-profile U.S. stage appearance by Jackson since he was accused of sexual molestation by a 13-year-old boy in August, and most of the enthusiastic crowd was eager to show its support.
"I've always loved his music, and I wanted to show him we still care about him," said Maria Lopez, 26, after buying a $100 ticket Saturday afternoon.
Jackson reportedly paid more than $10 million last month to settle the lawsuit. No criminal charges have been lodged against him.
During the playing of one of his videos to open the 8 p.m. show, the crowd shrieked in approval. The video showed Jackson performing the tune "Leave Me Alone," which was meant to mock his treatment by the tabloid press.
Backstage before presenting his first award, Jackson expressed gratitude for his fans' loyalty.
"Some friends are like shadows, you only see them when the sun shines," he said. "But my fans sustained me even in the dark days. I owe them everything."
On a less harmonious note, LaToya Jackson maintained earlier in the week that the family would not let her join the show unless she signed a gag order agreeing not to criticize Michael Jackson or the family any further.
At a morning news conference, Jermaine Jackson, the guiding force behind the TV special, and mother, Katherine, denied that a gag order had been demanded.
Although there had been rumors that LaToya Jackson might try to sneak into the concert in disguise, her husband, Jack Gordon, said Saturday that his wife had rejected the idea after he suggested it.
Despite all the focus on the Jackson family, Saturday's event was not designed as a Jackson reunion, Jermaine Jackson said. Instead, it was planned as an annual event to salute outstanding humanitarians and to raise money for charities.
About $500,000 is earmarked for charity, mostly for earthquake relief in California, said Jackson family representatives.
New York Times (February 24, 1994)
On NBC Tuesday night, "Jackson Family Honors" certainly scored a 10 on the bizarre meter. Not since Bill and Hillary, battered by pre-election stories of his marital indiscretions, took their case directly to a television news magazine, has the craft of image repair been used so, well, craftily.
Let's not even get into the motives of the Jackson family in its decision to bestow honors. Certainly the last thing the universe needs is another awards show. And let's not question NBC's decision to devote two hours to a ceremony that involved only two recipients: Michael Jackson's dear friend Elizabeth Taylor, and Motown's founder, Berry Gordy, the man most responsible for the fame and fortune of the Jacksons.
In fact, the NBC project, arranged at astronomical cost, became a network executive's nightmare when Michael Jackson became ensnared in what he termed on the broadcast "my trials and tribulations." Charges of child molestation are not compatible with prime-time television. Just ask the ad agencies.
Still, here was one of the most phenomenal entertainers of the age, and NBC cleverly used the furor surrounding him to drum up publicity. Would he show up in Las Vegas, where the show was taped last weekend? Would he perform? Would he say anything? With local NBC newscasts beating the promotional drums, viewers would have to wait until the last half-hour of the broadcast to get the answers.
Meanwhile, the rest of the program maneuvered steadily at counterattacking rumors, articles, books and television movies about other problems in the Jackson family, most notably allegations of long-ago child abuse by its ambitious patriarch. Michael's sister La Toya, the most outspoken and certainly the flakiest of the brood, was simply made invisible, not even mentioned.
The family father sat benignly with his pleasant wife in the audience, his smile fading only during the humble yet self-serving acceptance speech of Mr. Gordy, the man who became the true father figure in Michael Jackson's life. Janet Jackson got on early with an elaborate production number in a zoot suit, which startlingly demonstrated not only how much she looks like Michael but also sounds and dances like him. She made a point of exiting quickly.
Later, her siblings, excluding Michael, gathered for a sentimental family portrait about growing up in Indiana and how even today "we're all united and standing strong." (La Toya was reported to be across the street in another hotel, listening to Tony Bennett.)
The Jacksons weren't the only ones buffing images. Dionne Warwick, recently criticized by some groups for her charity benefit practices, pointedly prefaced her singing of "That's What Friends Are For" with a reminder that the recording "raised $2 million for AIDS." And even Mr. Gordy, now relying mostly on past ghosts, put an overly positive spin on the present, not helped much by the appearance of his latest would-be stars, Another Bad Creation.
But everything and everybody was overshadowed by Michael, gratefully drinking in wave after wave of standing ovations, merely for being there and telling his fans—the more vociferous neatly planted in the middle of the huge audience—"I love you." Mr. Gordy to Michael: "I believed in you when you were 9, and I believe in you now." Ms. Taylor to Michael: "You're the brightest star in the universe, and don't let them dim your light." (A brief booing incident by overexuberant fans was deleted from the broadcast by NBC.) Looking like a creature from another planet, gentle and ethereal, Michael seemed comforted.
But show business, and the world, can still be treacherous.
It was billed as the ultimate showbusiness reunion, the entire Jackson family together on stage for the first time in 20 years.
Fifteen-thousand faithful fans and friends who paid up to £660 for a ticket were expecting a feast of entertainment.
What they got was a two-hour fiasco...
Michael arrived 90 minutes late for Saturday's show at the MGM Grand Theatre in Las Vegas.
The extravaganza finally began with a video performance of Michael's old hit, "Leave Me Alone", then a string of celebrities stepped forward to perform and introduce members of the Jackson clan.
All appeared sweetness and light. But, behind the scenes, there was turmoil.
Janet Jackson had refused to perform a version of Thriller, which had taken three months to prepare...
Fans were furious that they had been shown only videos of Michael's performances rather than the real thing.
"I can't believe I've paid to watch this", said John Davies, 27. "It's watching one long video." [illegible] George, 35, said: "I could have stayed home and watched them there."
Backstage, giant egos were everywhere. "Will you come and beat a couple of the Jackson kids for me?", one exasperated security guy [said]. "They've been a real pain."
As three generations of Jacksons [illegible] formed the finale, patriarch Joe Jackson gave a sheepish grin and declared, "Just one big happy family."
There were many in Vegas this weekend who wouldn't agree.
"Daily Express" (1994)
...Fans travelled hundreds of miles to the charity concert in Las Vegas on Saturday night—and yesterday some were demanding their money back.
More than 3,000 of the 15,200 seats were unsold despite the organizers slashing prices 48 ours before the show, called The Jackson Family Honors.
...Jeramine Jackson, the show's co-producer, refused to apologize for his brother's limited participation.
"This is not a Michael Jackson show. This is The Jackson Family Honors", said Jermaine.
He said the event was intended to help the less fortunate and was intended to be an annual affair. Videos of Michael were shown. Then he joined his family on stage for a final song. If You Only Believe.
The family and guest stars, including Gladys Knight and Dionne Warwick, were given a five-minute standing ovation at the end. "Thank you for your prayers", an emotional Michael told the audience. "Thank you for your loyalty. Thank you for your love and friendship."
...Liz Taylor then walked unsteadily on stage. She is due to have hip replacement surgery next month and looked pudgy and agitated.
"Michael, we who know you better than others acknowledge the suffering you have endured because we have suffered with you", she told him.
Not all the fans were impressed [from the event].
Ted Browning, from Los Angeles, who paid £270 each for his wife and children, said: "I have been conned."
A woman clutching a poster saying Michael would sing fumed: "I bought a ticket for £675. I want my money back."
A young blonde said: "I drove hundreds of miles from Utah and it feels like I've been ripped off."
Robert Boyd, who bought a £338 ticket, said: "The show was trash. I could have watched the Jackson videos at home and had 500 beers for the money."
..."The show was trash", said Robert Boyd, who shelled out $500—around £350—to see his idol.
Angry
"It was a collection of videos and no live music. I could have watched the videos on MTV at home and had 500 beers."
Ted Browning, who paid the same for himself and his family, was just as angry.
"All he did was present a couple of awards and join in a chorus with his nobody family. We have been conned."
