Jacko, His Rise and Fall: The Social and Sexual History of Michael Jackson (13 page)

Along the way, and at an unexpected moment, came some hope. When
"Get It Together" was released following "Skywriter," sales picked up. There
was talk of a comeback for The Jackson 5. Michael himself liked "Get It
Together," and it became the group's biggest success in the past two years.
Discos throughout the land played the song. "It had a good, tough, low har mony," Michael wrote, "a sharper wah-wah guitar, strings that buzzed like
fireplaces." Released in time for Michael's fifteenth birthday in 1973, "Get It
Together" sold more than 750,000 copies, but reached only number 28 on
Billboard's charts. Even so, The Jackson 5 were back-sort of thanks partly
to the promotional efforts of producer Hal Davis.

At one point, Gordy may have dreamed of creating black versions of Paul
McCartney and John Lennon out of Michael and Jermaine. But that dream, of
course, was never to be realized. From the beginning, Jermaine was called the
sexiest of the Jackson brothers. That seemed especially accurate when
Jermaine's charms were compared to the boyish appeal of the androgynous
Michael.

As critic Dave Marsh wrote: "Jermaine was cute, but his voice lacked the
expressiveness of Michael's, and since he was not much of an instrumentalist
and the group wrote none of its own music, it was difficult to present him and
Michael as black analogues of Lennon and McCartney."

In spite of this, Jermaine later claimed "I had everything that Michael had
and more," perhaps a reference to his sex appeal. That claim was an idle boast.
His first album, Jermaine, was not as successful as Motown had hoped.
Writing in Rolling Stone, Vince Aletti said: "Jermaine simply doesn't have the
range and assurance of Michael-he's just right on the upbeat, bright number.
But he's out of his depth, sometimes desperately, on other types of songs."

In 1973 the press was still writing about the Jackson brothers and their
parents as "the ideal American family, a role model for other black families to
emulate." But this fantasy was about to come to an end.

Scandal was brewing when Tito was arrested on April 17, 1973 by the Los
Angeles Police Department. The charge was the purchasing of stolen TVs and
stereos. Johnny Jackson, the group's drummer, was also arrested. Freed on
$2,000 bail, along with Johnny, Tito was arraigned on October 12.

He refused to talk to the press that day. There were rumors that Joe had
severely beaten him for destroying "the image of The Jackson 5."

By February, 1974, charges against Tito were dropped when Johnny
pleaded guilty. There was speculation-pure heresay-that the drummer took
the rap for Tito. Michael was horrified that one of his brothers "would even
get messed up in something like this," and he vowed to Joe and Katherine that
his own good name would never be attached to any scandal.

Joe might have worried about the reputation of The Jackson 5, but he had
marital problems of his own. Michael was horrified when on March 9, 1973
Katherine filed for divorce in the Los Angeles Superior Court. She had been
willing to overlook her husband's one-night stands, but not his ongoing affair
with Cheryl Terrell, a fan of The Jackson 5 who reportedly had had a crush on
Jackie, before Joe, then 46, grabbed her instead. Gordy warned Katherine that a nasty divorce would "kill your sons' careers." Katherine held firm in her
insistence on divorce, even though she'd agreed to tour Japan with her family, including Joe, that summer. Later that year she would hear reports that
Terrell was pregnant with Joe's kid.

In spite of threatened parental divorce, and sagging sales of their records,
the Jackson brothers still remained a world phenomenon. They played to
record audiences in Japan, China, and Australia, and traveled during a break
in their schedule into Africa.

Japan and its people made a deep impression on Michael, who claimed
that the country put him more in touch with his spiritual side. He discovered
Buddhist temples, serene and beautiful "Teahouse of the August Moon" gardens, and Japanese art.

His brothers discovered Japanese girls, to whom they quickly became
addicted. In their suites at the Takanawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, the brothers
reportedly stayed up late watching Japanese porn flicks on closed circuit TV.
A picture was taken of the brothers at the Tokyo airport when they were leaving. The photo editor for Soul magazine later claimed that "Jackie still had a
hard-on in the picture. Before I could feature it on the cover, I had to do a little air-brushing."

While in Tokyo, Michael had a reunion with Sammy Davis, Jr., who was
appearing in a sold-out engagement there. Apparently, Joe had informed Davis
that he was negotiating to book his sons into Las Vegas. Davis told Michael
that, unlike his pal, Frank Sinatra, who was fascinated with Mafia dons, he,
Davis, didn't like them at all. "But don't cross them," Davis warned Michael,
"or else you might end up with cement shoes."

The entertainer warned Michael never to borrow money from club owners against future appearances. "I do that all the time to meet current expenses," Davis said. "I'm a big spender. Then when it comes time for me to appear,
I've collected all the green ones and end up with nothing. I have to borrow
against future earnings. That way, they always have me."

Michael promised him he'd never live beyond his means and go into debt.
Obviously, in the future, Michael would not take "Mr. Wonderful"'s advice.

In spite of some jealousy, Michael and Davis would remain friends until
the end. When Davis was fighting cancer in 1989, a tribute was hosted by
Eddie Murphy. Michael encountered Davis who weighed only 92 pounds at
the time. Both men knew that death was near for the entertainer. Michael sang
"You Were There," a song that paid homage to Davis's role in helping to carve
out a niche for black entertainers.

Backstage, Michael met some of the best-known African-Americans in
the country, including Jesse Jackson, Mike Tyson, Richard Pryor, Magic
Johnson, and Ella Fitzgerald.

Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder were also on the bill, which included Sinatra as well. At the end of the tribute, Sinatra knocked on the door to
Michael's dressing room and was ushered inside. Michael had heard some of
the singer's more sarcastic remarks about him, and didn't look forward to a
face-to-face confrontation.

Sinatra was full of compliments for Michael's music. Perhaps Sinatra didn't mean what he said. But when he wasn't mad or feuding, as was often the
case, he had a great deal of personal charm, which won over Michael, at least
temporarily.

"Kid," Sinatra was overheard telling Michael, "The press will build you
up today, because they like to tear you down tomorrow. In show business,
you're hot and then oblivion. Very few entertainers can make a successful
comeback. I'm the comeback kid. Frankly, I thought you were washed up in
the 70s. But who would have predicted Thriller? I'll tell you the truth. I didn't get off on that album. Not my kind of music. But I'm impressed by sales,
and you are mighty impressive in that department."

"I think you're the greatest singer in America, Mr. Sinatra," Michael said.

"Thanks, but let's face it: The world doesn't want a voice anymore. They
want loud songs. If there's enough noise in the background, anybody can
make it today as a singer."

If Michael took that as an insult, he didn't let on. He smiled politely and
gave Sinatra a wet, soft handshake, before heading for the next encounter.

Mike Tyson, one of the most frightening human beings ever to step into
the boxing ring, was standing next to Goldie Hawn. They were watching a
taped tribute from President George Bush (primero). As Michael came into
their presence, Tyson extended his hand.

At last the two Michaels had met-one the supreme gladiator, the other a
slightly effeminate singer with a soprano voice. Each was a king of pop culture.

When Tyson and Michael
met that day, their big troubles
and super disgraces were just
months ahead of them. Tyson
would lose his world championship to James (Buster)
Douglas in Tokyo in February of
1990, and he'd be jailed for rape
in 1992. Like Michael, in his
future, Tyson too would face
bankruptcy.

Mike Tyson

A hardened ghetto kid, born in Brooklyn in 1966, Tyson was actually eight years younger than Michael,
although Michael looked more the kid. Michael and Tyson bonded at least for
that day. "At twelve you were a big-time star," Tyson told Michael. "At twelve
I was arrested for purse snatching." After chatting for fifteen minutes, Tyson
offered Michael a chance to teach him to box.

"I'm a lover-not a fighter," Michael said. "You should know that."

"Lover of what?" Tyson asked.

"Don't believe the rumors," Michael said.

"Believe me, I don't judge anybody," Tyson said. "All holes are black at
night."

Before Michael bid adieu, Tyson grabbed him in a bone-crunching
embrace. "Your Thriller was the biggest-selling album in history. I was the
biggest draw in the history of boxing. But life isn't about what you acquire.
Life is about losing everything." "Iron Mike" could have been predicting both
his own future and that of Michael.

Throughout their careers, the names of Mike Tyson and Michael Jackson
were invariably linked in such stories as WHO'S THE BIGGEST NUT JOB
IN POP CULTURE? Columnist Gino Bona wrote: "While these two celebrities couldn't be further opposites on the exterior, their careers have shared a
common pattern over the past twenty years. Both Tyson and Jackson reached
the pinnacle of their popularity in the 80s, plummeted into dire times in the
90s, and have spent the first couple years of the new millennium as undeniable weirdos."

Bona mockingly suggested that Michael wants to share his bed with children, whereas Tyson "wants to eat `em." The columnist also suggested that
both men faced startling transformations, Michael going "from black man to
white hermaphrodite" and Tyson "from the youngest heavyweight champ to
America's second most beloved cannibal."

Writing for Knight Ridder News Tribune News Service, Sam Donnelton
said that, "One sleeps with little boys, dyes his skin and has shrunk his nostrils to the size of two straws. The other went to jail for rape, has offered to
make another man `my girlfriend,' had a big tattoo etched across his face, and
disappeared from training one week before his latest comeback fight."
Donnelton filed this column in May of 2006, and was referring to Tyson's
Showtime and pay-per-view fight with Clifford Etienne, in Memphis,
Tennessee. After disappearing, Tyson, at least according to a London tabloid,
was seen with an impressive erection at a wild orgy at his Las Vegas residence.

On September 13, 2003, Michael invited Tyson to Neverland for a charity event, although the press would not be allowed inside the gates. Tickets
sold for $5,000 each.

This was the first time Michael had ever opened Neverland to members of the public. Reportedly he staged the event to re-establish a positive view of
himself in the media.

Looking for but never finding Michael, Tyson showed up with a new girlfriend. He flashed a wide smile but warned photographers he didn't want his
picture taken. "The gold in my teeth might interest the bankruptcy creditors."

After touring the grounds of Neverland, Tyson told the press: "I love the
gorillas, and the camels in there are just amazing." To end the day, Tyson
watched a title fight broadcast from Las Vegas and shown on the super-wide
TV screens in Michael's den. As Tyson was leaving, one reporter called out to
him: "Did you see Jacko-Wacko?"

"Maybe next year," Tyson said.

Back at the Sammy Davis tribute, and after his encounter with Tyson,
Michael was greeting a star around every corner. When asked, however, he
said that he didn't want to meet yet another Michael that night.

Michael Jordan.

"Never heard of him," Michael said.

"I guess I'm not Jacko's type," Jordan laughingly remarked when he later
heard what Michael had said.

When Clint Eastwood, whom Michael had heard of, explained to him that
Jordan was the world's greatest basketball star, Michael went up to Jordan and
introduced himself.

By 1996 Michael had become more familiar with at least one aspect of
Jordan's career. At Neverland, Michael watched Space Jam six times. In the
film, Jordan appeared with some of Michael's favorite "actors": Bugs Bunny,
Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and Tweety Bird.

Michael had also been impressed by Jordan when he was chosen by
People magazine as "One of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World." In
1997 People also named Jordan one of "The Most Intriguing People of the
Century." Michael was further impressed-and perhaps jealous-when he
learned that at the peak of his career, Jordan was earning $80 million annually from Nike and another $35 million a year playing in the NBA.

Michael was astonished when Fortune cited Jordan as sitting on a vast
$400 million reserve of cash. "He's a virtual endorsement cash cow," Michael
reportedly said. "I should have made those millions. So many of my endorsement deals, unlike Jordan's, didn't work out-and I'm plenty mad."