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Debbie Rowe Marriage / "Ghosts" Australian Premiere
Christine Holevas, MJJ Productions publicist, public statement (November 14, 1996), “Hard Copy” tabloid television news show
Michael Jackson to Wed Longtime Friend, Debbie Rowe
Michael Jackson will marry Debbie Rowe in a private ceremony shortly after midnight Australia time (Friday, November 15). The couple, who are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of their child in early 1997, have been close friends for more than 15 years.
Jackson repeated his request for restraint, "Please respect our privacy and let us enjoy this wonderful and exciting time."
Jackson is currently performing in Australia as part of the first leg of his HIStory World Tour.
"Sydney Morning Herald" (1996)
After Elton John married Renate Blauel in Sydney on St. Valentine's Day, 1984, a telegram arrived from Michael Jackson.
"I had to set my hair on fire to make the front page, but you only had to get married", read the congratulatory message.
At 12:30 yesterday morning, it was Jackson's turn to make the front pages by getting married in Sydney.
Just eight members of his touring staff, including Charles Bobbit, his personal adviser, and Marcel Avram, his world promoter, and an unnamed marriage celebrant were there when the 38-year-old married for the second time, this time to his 37-year-old pregnant former nurse, Debbie Rowe.
Rowe had sneaked into Sydney on Wednesday afternoon to join Jackson in the $3,500-a-night Presidential Suite on the 21st floor of the Sheraton on the Park Hotel.
News on the wedding was circling the globe even before the music died at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where 40,000 fans had paid up to $363 to attend.
After taking one brief encore minutes before the concert closed at 11pm, Jackson was rushed back to the hotel where his bride was waiting. One source said she spent "an hour putting on her make-up and wedding dress."
His Los Angeles publicist, Christine Holevas, put advance word out on the Internet about 10pm. It was dutifully picked up by Jackson fan club members who alerted the international media.
Many of Jackson's surprised entourage arrived back at the hotel to learn a wedding was on.
"I heard rumors out at the venue, after a journalist read about it on the Internet", a breathless Di Rolle, a publicist for the Paul Dainty Company, said yesterday. "When I got back to my hotel room, there were 25 phone messages from all over the world."
What did the bride wear? Did Michael wear his mask? Was there a wedding photographer? Did Michael ask Debbie to sign a prenuptial agreement just in case the unthinkable happened? The questions remained unanswered last night.
"It was only a very small ceremony", said [illegible] Walsh, who heads a public relations company recruited by Jackson. "I hate to be boring, but that's the only information I have."
According to one source, official notification of Jackson's divorce from Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis, became available just a day before the wedding.
The Daily Telegraph (November 16, 1996)
The new Mrs. Jackson, Debbie Rowe, looks out from the balcony of the $3,500-a-night presidential suite where she married the singer...
...Ms. Rowe married Michael Jackson yesterday morning, soon after his first Australian concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
As Jackson, 38, performed his two-hour show, Ms. Rowe, 37, stayed at their suite at the Sheraton on the Park hotel, getting dressed and preparing for the wedding.
Knowing nothing about Jackson's wedding plans, the singer's senior-level staff were ordered back to his hotel as soon as Jackson walked off stage at 11:10pm.
Jackson casually strolled into the Sheraton at 11:30pm, giving no sign that in 30 minutes, he would marry for the second time.
The wedding party was confined to an "extremely small group" of Jackson's confidantes. No family members of the bride or groom were present.
Jackson's best man was Charles Bobbit, the singer's long-time personal assistant and close friend.
Jackson played the [article cut off]
Sydney Morning Herald (November 17, 1996)
Animal loving singer Michael Jackson tried to buy a koala from Taronga Park Zoo after being allowed to stroke the creature, it was revealed last night.
The masked singer, who has his own private animal collection at his American Neverland ranch, offered cash for the tiny koala and said he wanted to keep it at his own zoo.
Herald Sun (November 16, 1996)
...Loretta Tolnay, 23, was one fan who achieved what thousands can only dream of--she was plucked from the audience at Thursday's concert to receive a hug and a kiss from Jackson.
"I'm the luckiest girl on Earth", she said.
The teenagers finally saw Jackson at 5:30pm when he left the hotel for a private tour of Tarunga Zoo [yesterday] with his entourage of friends, filmmakers, and minders.
Wearing his trademark mask, military-type uniform with red embroidery and holding an umbrella [article cut off]
the highlight for Jackson.
...He loved the antics of the zoo's chimps.
At 7:30pm, his minders said it was time to go, and Jackson seemed upset.
As he filed out, his entourage grabbed the zoo's animal sponsorship forms…
"Sydney Morning Herald" (November 15, 1996)
"I'm not sure when it happened, but he did sneak out with Debbie at 5am in the morning yesterday and drove around Sydney."
...The couple were said to be resting in their luxury suite today and were not due to appear in public until tonight's premiere of Jackson's movie, "Ghosts", at the Hoyts George St. cinemas at 9pm.
When Jackson returned to the hotel early today after the concert, he was mobbed by fans.
He made no response to questions about his marriage, but paused to pose for a photograph with some female Japanese fans on the staircase.
Surrounded by hefty bodyguards who held back the shrieking onlookers, Jackson walked up the staircase.
He appeared on two balconies on the second floor, and each time waved to fans, before disappearing into the hotel.
More than 100 fans, many dressed as Michael Jackson lookalikes, missed at the hotel entrance.
Several held up a sign reading, "We love you, Michael. You are not alone."
The group intermittently chanted, "Michael" and "We want Michael".
"Sydney Morning Herald" (November 16, 1996)
Michael Jackson was caught in a crush of fans in Sydney last night after a barricade collapsed as he was leaving the Australian premiere of his short film, "Ghosts".
The barricade holding the media inside the Hoyts Cinema complex in George Street collapsed, sending security guards into a frenzy as they tried to stop the paparazzi from closing in on the elusive star.
Thousands of screaming fans, eight rows deep, were kept behind barricades by 20 police, six mounted police and 45 security guards.
But as guards kept reporters and cameramen back, hundreds of fans jumped their own security barrier to mob their hero.
Jackson, partnered to the premiere not by his new bride, but by a young boy, was preparing to leave the complex when the incident occurred.
Mr. Brian Walsh, Michael Jackson's Australian publicist, described the fracas as a "crush", saying it was "the sort of excitement you expect with a person like Michael Jackson."
Jackson as he was leaving the theatre, spilling out into George Street as the star attempted to depart.
"He wasn't pushed over," Mr Walsh said. "He left signing autographs.
"His concern was for a lot of the young people."
As the film ended, Jackson's entourage sent young children down the stairs to the foyer before the star descended. To clear his path, about 20 security guards then pushed the young children out onto George Street.
Bystanders and media have described security as abysmal.
Mr Walsh said it was the first time Jackson had seen Ghost on the big screen. "He thought it was fantastic," he said.
Mr. Walsh said he had taken Jackson back to the Sheraton On The Park to be with his new wife, Debbie Rowe, who who did not attend the screening.
Chris Cadman, author, “Michael Jackson the Maestro”
On 15th November, 1996 the day after his opening show in Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Michael married Debbie in a civil ceremony in his presidential suite at the Sheraton-on-the-Park Hotel. The announcement came through Brian Walsh, the Sheraton-on-the-Park Hotel’s publicist.
“The ceremony was attended by a few friends and people from the tour entourage. Debbie has known Michael for a long time and has been with the entourage for a while and they have a lot of friends in common.”
