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"Steve Harvey Morning Show" / "Electronic Urban Report" Interview
Dates confirmed in Raymone Bain press release (“October 12, 2004”) and MJJSource (“Tuesday [October 12, 2004]”, respectively.
"Steve Harvey Morning Show":
Michael Jackson, “MJJSource” (October 12, 2004) (archived)
On Tuesday, October 12, 2004, at 8:00AM, P.D.T., Michael Jackson appeared on “The Steve Harvey Morning Show,” 100.3 / The Beat, a Radio One station, regarding Eminem’s video. In an exclusive interview with Steve Harvey, Michael Jackson made the following statement:
“I would like to thank you, Steve, Radio One, the African-American community, my fans from around the world, and some of the members of the media, for the support that you have given to me. I would also like to thank Mr. Robert Johnson, Chairman and Founder of BET for pulling the Eminem video from BET’s airplay. I appreciate very much the love and support that you all have shown me.
“I am very angry at Eminem’s depiction of me in his video. I feel that it is outrageous and disrespectful. It is one thing to spoof, but it is another to be demeaning and insensitive.
“I’ve admired Eminem as a artist, and was shocked by this. The video was inappropriate and disrespectful to me, my children, my family, and the community at large. It is my hope that the other networks will take BET’s lead and pull it.”
Mr. Robert Johnson, Chairman/Founder of BET, MTV News
“BET has pulled the video about Michael Jackson by Eminem. BET pulled
the video because we feel it is inappropriate to use our network to air a
video disparaging Michael’s character, or that of any other celebrity.
“Michael Jackson is a long-time supporter of BET, and a former ‘BET Walk
of Fame’ honoree.”
"Electronic Urban Report" Interview:
MJJSource (October 14, 2004) (mirror) (archived mirror)
Late Tuesday evening, Michael Jackson called EUR's Lee Bailey to discuss the day's drama surrounding Eminem's new video “Just Lose It.”
Since its premiere on MTV, our Web site has been flooded with e-mails expressing outrage over the depiction of the King of Pop in the video. As previously reported, the clip features Slim Shady dressed as Jackson in scenes showing the star's nose falling off, being thrown up on, his hair catching fire and sitting at the foot of a bed while little kids jump behind him.
The footage prompted Jackson to send a letter to all networks Monday requesting the video be pulled from rotation. So far, only BET has agreed to stop running the clip.
Early Tuesday, Jackson called Steve Harvey's morning radio show on KKBT Los Angeles to vent. Tuesday evening, the entertainer (and his rep, Raymone Bain) spoke to Lee Bailey about the video, as well as Jackson's new album – due Nov 16.
Michael Jackson: I wanted to call and say thank you for your support and your loyalty, your caring, everything you're doing pertaining to this situation. Thank you so, so much.
Lee Bailey: Well we're just reporting what we're seeing, and we'd gotten a whole bunch of letters from people who were speaking out against the video, so we just reported that. How are you holding up?
MJ: Oh, I'm holding up pretty well, day by day. I'm holding up pretty well.
LB: I always wonder how you deal with everything?
MJ: I don't know. I don't know. You just pray and keep going. Persevere.
LB: Now are you able to work (on music) while you're going through all of this?
MJ: Yes, I do.
(BAIN STEPS IN)
Raymone Bain: We have a new CD coming out. “Michael Jackson the Ultimate Collection,” due Nov 16, 9with0 57 tracks, 13 new songs, a 64-page booklet, and never-before-released concert footage. And he'll be out promoting that.
LB: Really…..(laughs). You're not afraid, literally, of going out and promoting it?
MJ: Noooo, are you kidding. No, no, never.
LB: And you have 13 new songs, you said?
MJ: Yes, these are some of the songs from previous albums. When I do an album, I usually write like 60 to 70 songs, sometimes more. These are some of the songs that didn't make the album, but they're very good ones. And there are a couple of brand new ones, too.
LB: Now getting back to this Eminem thing…
(BAIN STEPS IN)
RB: Have you heard the latest? Eminem released a statement, he and Interscope, saying they stand by the video and they're disappointed that BET pulled it. And MTV came out saying they were going to continue to air it on MTV, MTV 2 and MTV Europe.
LB: So Michael, how do you feel about that?
MJ: Well, I think it's the wrong thing to do. It should be pulled, it shouldn't be played. It's incorrect. [TO BAIN] Did you tell him about VH1?
(BAIN STEPS IN)
RB: VH1 sent out a release this evening saying they were meeting on whether or not they're going to air it. So for them to release something like that must mean they're more than likely to pull it. I can't see them releasing a statement saying they're in the process of meeting on it. So there's a lot of activity out there, but he's getting enormous support from the African American community – Radio One, Steve Harvey, and a number of entertainers who have called to offer their support because they feel that it is demeaning and disrespectful.
LB: Do you get the sense that Eminem's not doing this against you personally, but against your public persona?
MJ: That's incorrect. I would never do that to anyone, no other fellow artist. It's no respect. It's demeaning. It's appalling, really. It's not entertainment.
LB: Well I totally agree, but would it make a difference in your mind if he said he wasn't doing this as a personal attack – because I don't think he even knows you.
(BAIN STEPS IN)
RB: Well it is personal, Lee. He might not know Michael Jackson, but when you look at the video, it is personal. He's taken every aspect of this man's life and he's put it in his video. It's one thing to have a spoof, but it's another for it to be demeaning and embarrassing. And that's what he's done.
LB: What I'm getting at is you've never done anything to him for him to even remotely want to treat you like that for some personal reason, right?
MJ: I don't know him. I've never met him.
LB: Well, Mr. Jackson, it just seems like everyday, they're coming up with more stuff, but I gotta give it to you, you're holding up. Keep on, keeping on.
MJ: Thank you very, very much. I appreciate everything you're doing.