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Michael Jackson Death: Documentarian Martin Bashir Reflects
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by Blaine Metzgar | June 26, 2009 at 10:21 am
8742 views | 15 Recommendations | 172 comments
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Following the tragic death of Michael Jackson, documentarian Martin Bashir took to the news desk on Nightline and reflected on the life and legacy of the King of Pop. Bashir is infamous for the controversial 2003 documentary Living with Michael Jackson. The documentary spent eight months with Jackson profiling the troubled icon; Bashir's proposal to Jackson was to expose the true Michael Jackson and make "nothing off limits."
Following the airing of the documentary Jackson stated that he felt betrayed and slighted by Bashir, complaining that the footage gave a distorted image of his behavior and role as a father. The documentary was decidedly called a "public relations disaster" by Jackson's former public relations consultant, Ann Kite.
Bashir took to the Nightline news desk on June 25, 2009, only hours after news broke of Jackson's death, and relfected on the star's life and his own experiences with Jackson.
Mr Bashir said: "Certainly when I made the documentary there was a small part of that which contained a controversy concerning his relationship with other young people, but the truth is he was never convicted of any crime. I never saw any wrong-doing myself."
He added: "I think the world has now lost the greatest entertainer it's probably ever known."
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Blaine Metzgar
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at 13:14 on June 26th, 2009
I was appalled that Martin Bashir reported nationwide about Michael's death. Michael was not pleased with how Mr. Bashir previously misrepresented him. There didn't seem any reason to believe that Mr. Bashir would not do the same thing again. Mr. Bashir was a poor choice.
at 11:39 on July 2nd, 2009
Martin gave the definitive interveiw of Jackson's life, going to places where most journalists fear to tread. He was not afaid to expose the disgraced singer for what he was and counter the dangerous nonsense that Michael was just a harmless freak. I applaud martin for his honesty and integrity as a journalist. What a farce the "rebuttal" was, which only confirmed the shocking facts that had been brought to light.
at 08:51 on July 9th, 2009
Honestly?! Please! The man doesn't have an honest bone in his body! Martin Bashir is a two faced jerk who would applaud Michael as a father off camera and then tarnished his name at the new station.
at 19:23 on July 10th, 2009
have u watched that? im no micheal jackson fan, but its quite plain even to a half wit that the interview was full of lies, u could see bashir blatantly coverting statements and putting his spin on things.....im not sayin anyone is guilty or innocent, but i just saw that interview and it is clear bashir wad a man on a mission with preconcieved ideas
at 14:38 on July 24th, 2009
Were you molested by him? So how would you know he was not harmles. Grow up.
at 12:23 on July 25th, 2009
How can people say Martin's interview was HONEST? Obviously they have not seen MJ's rebuttal video hosted by Maury Povich in which Martin Bashir clearly says one thing and presented something else on TV!
MJ agreed to that interview because he thought Martin was a respectable journalist - not a tabloid or a devil from court TV (yes, Diane Diamond, I am referring to you!).
Living with Michael Jackson was supposed to be an honest portrayal of the interview and it turned out to be anything but! THAT BASTARD sat there in-front of Michael listening to how fed up Michael was of adults betraying him and then goes and sells MJ's souls to his producers who make satan proud!
Martin Bashir, Diane Diamond, Ian Halperin and all the people who betrayed MJ are responsbile for his death. And yes, that includes Joe Jackson! But, Martin Bashir should take a huge responsibility because it was his lies that portrayed MJ as something he never was! And, for you ignorant people who think Martin's documentary was HONEST then you need to look up the definition of honesty because clearly, you are from the same pool of people who would rip a person's soul if it is better than yours!
Michael Jackson was a saint and an angel - he is in a better place right now GUARANTEED! As for the likes of Bashir and Diamond - they WILL burn in hell - because these people have no conscious - they would sell their loved one for money!
BLOODY MANIPULATORS - that's what they are!
at 10:31 on July 31st, 2009
phoebekap, I love your reply. I couldn't agree with you more. In my opinion Bashir has Michael's blood on his hands - & perhaps Diana's (there is some evidence that he conned her into the interview that consequently led to the Queen insisting the Wales's divorce etc). Yes, Bashir is an odious little man with no integrity. Michael on the other hand was an innocent. It sickens me that we live in a world which is so preoccupied with sex, (smut everyone, with the most lewd pictures on the front of the tabloids each day) that it can twist Michael's beautiful and innocent actions and bring them down to their own level. (The same people that slaver over images of page three girls 'dressed' as school girls and think that's fine then point the finger at Michael). What a sad world. I think back to when I was a little girl & I considered it a huge treat/honour/great excitement/an ADVENTURE to get into bed with an adult I loved - and all totally innocent of course except to those with the warped minds who have lost all sense of beauty and innocence in this sad, corrupt world. Michael must have suffered hell. When I think of everything he did for children's charities, when I think of how he just wanted to create his own little world to compensate for the pain in his life, & then people like Bashir took it from him, it makes me weep. I despise Bashir for what he did. By the way, I am not a Michael Jackson fan as such - although I can appreciate his musical talents, there is many other types of music I prefer (although I think Billy Jean is genious). But I am a fan of Michael's because of the gentle, kind human being he was and the humanatarian he was.
at 16:14 on September 5th, 2009
Thank you. Being a Michael fan I appreciate your words.He truly was a kind, gentle man that gave to everyone and never asked for anything in return except for people to love him.RIP Michael
at 17:16 on June 26th, 2009
I really don't think it was appropriate to let Mr Bashir report about Michael's death, it was partly because of him that Michael had to defend himself in court against child molestation charges. He was partly the reason Michael had such a hard time making a comeback. Now that he is dead bashir is saying "he was the greatest entertainer the world has ever known". Not a good move to let bashir do the report on this particular story.
at 10:13 on July 4th, 2009
how can you defend and applaude martin. he is the reason michael was arrested and taken to trial. marting only showed bits which he wantd the public to react to and he twisted what micehal said. martin should die and many will agree to that. he is the worst of the kind the drgracful bastard!
at 00:50 on June 27th, 2009
I was revolted to see Mr Bashir making comment about Michael Jacksons death especially as he bertrayed him in with his documentary. Bashir did however reveal that he posesses a sordid mind during the intervew with MJ specifically in that he could not grasp or recognise innocence. Bashir assisted greatly in the demise and now this untimely death of MJ. As much as Michael was loved worldwide is equivalent to how much Bashir is despised. No amount of journalistic so called interity can cover up the truth of your betrayal
at 17:36 on June 27th, 2009
Michael was clearly not innocent - he admitted sleeping with young boys. Shame on you for standing up for child abusers!
at 21:21 on June 27th, 2009
You are amongst the carnival of idiots that actually believed that shit! If you saw the rebuttle vid that was put out and also saw the court transcripts, you would probably know a little more things that rather see salacious jaournalist like Bashir in a different damn light. Off that note, It seems to be that Bashir is truly the brown noser and oppurtunist that he really is! As far as I am concerned, the media and the slow people in society who are aimless as they can be are the true murderers of MJ.
at 19:14 on July 4th, 2009
and you choose to believe this martin bullshit said? well you will also be a child abuser under his camera, wiseman!
at 19:19 on July 4th, 2009
Hey Mary, whoever is on your bed have sex with you? shame on you with such a dirty mind
at 06:49 on July 5th, 2009
Of course. Why else would someone be in your bed?
at 17:11 on July 10th, 2009
So if a dog is in bed with you means... ???
at 08:51 on July 6th, 2009
Micheal said in his documentary that children wanted to sleep in the same room as him to be close to him but not on the same bed, he slept on the floor while children slept on the bed. If you kept up with other documentaries you would understand this. Michael was a loving person who had a big heart and was betrayed by many people because he had money and fame.
at 12:06 on July 31st, 2009
Don't be so utterly RIDICULOUS Mary W. What IS wrong with your mindset? If Michael admitted to SLEEPING with young boys, then why is it that YOU put such a nasty slant on this? He admitted to SLEEPING with them!! Perhaps it is YOU with the questionable outlook on life. A sad world indeed if one cannot sleep with a child without someone automatically thinking it must mean sex. So, on the contrary, 'shame on YOU' because clearly sleeping with young boys does not automatically make someone a child abuser or paedophile and it is absurd to automatically asume it does. Furthermore most child abusers don't need or even use a bed - & ironically the 'sleeping' is not typical of their behaviour patterns! Perhaps those standing up for Michael have read the court transcripts & the dubious testimony of the accusers rather than jumping to conclusions or being small-minded - or dirty-minded! But then the likes of you would never understand the innocence and beauty of Michael's actions; and don't seem able to see an act of kindness and genuine affection as just that, but would always have to jump on this hysterical band wagon which has been created where the most innocent of contact with a child is viewed as some level of paedophilia. Utterly ridiculous. I wonder if you also belond to the ilk that considers children's nativity plays should not be filmed/photographed because there may just be a paedophile among the audience of parents! Really, the world has gone MAD! How very sad your outlook is.
ps I suppose that the charming film 'Pollyanna' was really corrupt with that disgusting Mr Pendergast befriending Pollyanna and Jimmy Bean. I mean an elderly man being friendly with children - disgusting! Quite obvioulsy the man was a paedophile and had ulterior motives for adopting Jimmy Bean! And then of course there is Fagin in Oliver - of course he could only be doing one thing with all those young boys?! Do excuse my sarcasm! Yes, how the world has changed with suspicion and poison everywhere and a complete loss of innocence. If someone dares to be different or see innocence and beauty in this world, then someone like Bahir and his cronies have to tarnish it with your own impure thoughts. Poor Michael. What happened to him was nothing short of a modern day witch-hunt. Shame on you all.
Oh, and pps: Acquaint yourself with the facts - and get them straight!
at 19:53 on August 1st, 2009
for the TRUTH BEHIND THE DOCUMENTARY, Pl search for the Youtube videos:
'The Footage You Were Never Meant to See' parts 1-9
I've also just learned about the "MICHAEL JACKSON CONSPIRACY" book by Aphrodite Jones which published all court documents. For anyone interested in finding out the truth this is the book! Enough of the media confusions!
The book was out in 2007 but makes you wonder why it didn't receive as much media attention as the unauthorized bios & Bashir's sensational documentary did. Something is gravely sinister about the media, isn't there? Follow the MOB, the MONEY, the RATINGS! REGARDLESS of THE TRUTH?
at 16:18 on September 5th, 2009
Mary try reading (if you can read) Aphrodite Jones' book - Michael Jackson Conspiracy.
at 03:08 on June 27th, 2009
Martin Bashir is such a hypocrite!!
at 15:27 on June 27th, 2009
Martin Bashir drew the first blood on MJ. To have music you should have a peaceful mind. Mr. Bashir took it away from M.J and we lost a genius. Apart from his music, he was a good man at heart and wanted the world to love everyone. Please beware of people like Martin Bashir who did the character assassination of MJ.
at 15:53 on June 27th, 2009
He exposed the truth (or at least some of it). The fans would rather not have known about the boys in the bed, the porn and alcohol etc.
at 16:11 on June 27th, 2009
They should thank Bashir. I just don't understand why people would want to ignore the facts and pretend Michael was a good person. Why? Why? It makes no sense.
at 01:36 on June 29th, 2009
How can you be serious... i man has just died and you are making this comment and it get center stage on top of article..... there are darkforces after michael for over 10years.... michael grew up in a home like alot of people that were poor.... that only had one bedroom. He was used to sleeping in a room with loads of people and sharing his bed... he was a house hold name at the age of five...he never had a childhood so this is all he knew. It society that has frowned apon this because there is no innocent anymore, people can not understand a loving nature.
at 15:36 on July 1st, 2009
A persons background is no excuse. Many people have difficult beginnings, it's no excuse for becoming such a monster. He had the choice how to live his life. he didn't have to take drugs, alcohol, spend all his money on porn and making himself look like an alien and molest children. He could have done something useful with his money. It was obscene how he kept a zoo in his house. I could go on but you can read it all for yourself in any book about him...
at 12:22 on July 31st, 2009
You idiot! Michael gave millions to charity, including children's charities, as well as money and gifts and proceeds of some concerts to disadvantaged and sick children. So pray, tell me, what is the useful thing you think he could have done with his money? (Emphasis on HIS money; money that HE earned and worked hard for).
at 07:01 on July 5th, 2009
It's because most people agree that Martin helped show people the truth about Michael - not from any dark forces. Praise God for people like Martin!
at 14:44 on July 5th, 2009
Amen brother. God bless the mighty Bashir who was not afraid to speak the truth. I pray for all those taken in my Michael's lies.