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"WAVY-TV Channel 10" Interview/Statement

Date confirmed in “The Daily Press” (archived) (“Wednesday [April 11, 2001]”)

“The Daily Press” (April 12, 2001) (archived)

News broke Wednesday that Michael Jackson, King of Pop, had been bebopping around Hampton Roads for days, recording music at a studio in Virginia Beach, shopping for books at a nearby Barnes & Noble, and expressing his love for Norfolk.

But could it be true?

Two newsmen from WAVY-TV Channel 10 managed to finagle what appeared to be a pair of brief encounters with the 42-year-old megastar, one in person and one over the telephone.

"Oh, jeez, I'm sorry. You've been very kind, but I'm not prepared to answer any questions. I'm very sorry," a very Michael-sounding voice told reporter Carter Evans over the phone.

"Tell Norfolk I love them, OK?"

Of course, details about what Jackson might be doing here were hard to come by. But sources within the area's music community said that Jackson, who in the 1980s made wearing one glove fashionable, has been in town doing some recording for a new album.

That's not as far-fetched as it sounds.

First off, Jackson has visited Virginia Beach at least once before. Teddy Riley, who leads the group BLACKstreet and operates the studio Future in Virginia Beach, produced tracks for Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous."

And Riley has said that Jackson has visited his studio, although the star then had better luck keeping his movements under wraps.

Secondly, Hampton Roads has hip cachet in the world of R&B music because local hip-hop stars Missy Elliott and Timbaland are still putting songs on the charts.

How did WAVY reporter Evans manage to get his apparent scoop? It was surprisingly easy. Hearing wild rumors about Jackson being spotted at Barnes & Noble near Pembroke Mall in Virginia Beach on Monday, radio station WNVZ-FM (104.5) asked listeners to call in with Michael Jackson sightings.

Incredibly, someone called up offering the name of the hotel where the star was staying, even the specific room number.

WAVY and the radio station teamed up. At first, Evans didn't take the story all that seriously. But once he started reporting, he couldn't believe his good luck.

"At the station, we were talking, and we said, 'You know, this is the water cooler story of the day.' So I started digging. And everywhere I dug I was striking gold."