Rick Dee Interview (September 10, 2003)

On Wednesday, September 10, 2003 at 8:45 am, Michael Jackson granted KIIS FM personality Rick Dees an exclusive on-air interview. He phoned in to the Los Angeles based radio station from Toronto, Canada to discuss his charity event and after party, both being held at his Neverland Valley Ranch on September 13, 2003.

The after party, which is being hosted and broadcast live by Klub Kiss (KIIS FM 102.7), will follow Michael’s charity event and run from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am. KISS FM awarded 12 lucky winners free tickets to the party. Other party-goers paid $2500 for a ticket for four guests, or $725 per individual ticket. A portion of the proceeds from this event will go to the 'Make a Wish Foundation.'

Rick: Michael, it's Rick Dees!

Michael: Rick, how are you?

Rick: How are you?

Michael: How you been doin'?

Rick: Couldn't be better, sir. And you're in Toronto now?

Michael: Yes, I'm in Toronto. I just decided to come up here and write music.

Rick: You know who else is living in Toronto now? Prince. Prince decided to move from Minneapolis to Toronto.

Michael: The singer?

Rick: Yes, Prince the singer.

Michael: You're kidding!

Rick: And he and his wife...in fact, Jimmy Jam told me they're living there now.

Michael: Jimmy Jam is so nice.

Rick: Isn't he the best?

Michael: Yeah...

Rick: I wanna thank you for what you're doing on Saturday. Everybody is so incredibly jazzed. Now I have seen your wonderful, beautiful ranch. But most people just fantasize about what it would be like to just walk the grounds...and now we're going to get a chance. Now will you be there?

Michael: Uh...yes, I will be there.

Rick: Alright!

Girl in background: That's what we wanted to hear.

Michael: Yep, I will be there.

Rick: Commander Chuck Street said that he really enjoyed taking you up in the helicopter.

Michael: Aww, that guy is so nice. He’s wonderful.

Rick: He had 20,000 hours and he said that it was just a wonderful experience and that you had wanted to see the ranch from a mountain, like in the back where the forest is.

Michael: Right, Mount Katherine.

Rick: He said that Mount Katherine is almost 29,000 feet...No, no, I'm just saying...but uh, how tall is she?

Michael: Personally, I don't know...really tall...

Rick: It’s quiet...you know when I was there, Sophia Loren's sons were there that afternoon...

Michael: They were riding quads.

Rick: Yes, we were riding quads and that was the first time anybody ever saw an ATV. And it was wonderful but um, at the same time I didn't want to leave...that's probably how you feel when you leave, isn't it?

Michael: Aaw, God Bless you. Thank you. Well, you know you're always welcome. You know that.

Rick: What a nice thing to say Michael. And you know Saturday is very special too because I don't think that people understand that there are different ways to raise money for great causes, but for you to open your home for Make A Wish and other foundations is really special to us.

Michael: Aw, God Bless you. Thank you so much.

Rick: Can you catch us up to speed, now, over the last few months. First of all, how are the kids, are they doing alright?

Michael: All the children are fine.

Rick: They were... um... in the helicopter the other night and Chuck Street said that they were just absolutely so well behaved and the nicest...but at the same time of the last 6 or 7 months or so, how busy have you been?

Michael: I'm always busy. I never stop. I'm a workaholic. I love working.

Rick: You really do love it, don't you?

Michael: Yes, I love it.

Rick: So you've been in Toronto...have you written any songs?

Michael: Yes, very much.

Rick: I'd like you to meet Ellen Kaye who just walked in...

Ellen Kaye: I was waiting for my formal introduction.

Rick: Michael, this is Ellen Kaye...

Michael: Hello, Ellen, how are you?

Ellen Kaye: Hi, Michael, it's nice to meet you, finally.

Michael: You too.

Ellen Kaye: I hope one day you can come in the studio cuz we'd love to just...be around you. And bring the kids.

Michael: Oh, I'd love that, that'll be cool, I love this station...it's wonderful.

Rick: The last we talked, you said you keep in shape solely by dancing. And when I saw the shot of you...I think it was about 2 or 3 weeks ago...you're still in really good shape. It's still just dance that keeps you in shape?

Michael: I just like to dance around to music that I like.

Rick: Hmm.

Ellen Kaye: And chasing two kids, that'll keep you in shape.

Michael: Yes, running after the children.

Ellen Kaye: I have 2 toddlers myself and once they get those tennis shoes on, there's no slowing down.

Michael: I know....it's mainly that I enjoy dancing....and I walk around the lake at Neverland.

Rick: And I'd like to point out ...the lake at Neverland, is absolutely, it's right in the very front, at least one of them...and you just wanna dive in. It really is.

Michael: Thank you.

Rick: Now Prince and Paris, how are they different? What are their likes and dislikes? What can you tell, as a parent, you know, 'Prince likes this, Paris likes this'.

Michael: Well they like, in truth, they like the same things. Prince, he doesn't like girl toys. I always wanted a daughter, and through all the years I've toured, I bought all these dolls, and I filled the whole room up full of dolls for when I have a daughter....and that would be her bedroom. And the first time I brought her in there, when she was old enough to walk, she just walked right passed it. (laughs)...she likes boy! toys. ! She likes trucks, cars...whatever prince wants, she wants.

Rick: You're kidding! And there's a whole room of dolls and she just walks right through them?

Michael: Yeah...(laughs)

Rick: The first time I met Michael, Ellen, it was um, not in a, well first of all we we saw each other on a tv show, but the first time we got a chance to socialize it was at a place called "Robbies’ Hobbies" and we both got into little, uh, they’re radio controlled cars...

Ellen Kaye: I like those too.

Michael: Yeah....

Rick: And they were so much fun.

Michael: You have a great memory.

Rick: Well, thank you. So I had a jeep made up for Michael. And he would take it on tour. And he would hide behind like a curtain or something, and this car would just show up at someone's feet. And it would stop, and they would jump around, and he'd bring the car back to him. They never knew it was Mike behind the controls! (laughs)

Michael: (laughs)

Rick: Great. So it was fun!

Ellen Kaye: That’s cool.

Michael: Great fun.

Rick: So now Michael, we're gonna have a huge party, do you mind...obviously we're not gonna tear up the house or anything but what rules should we put down?

Michael: Just to be kind to one another, and have a great time. I'll be kinda watching from a distance and enjoying it. I hope I can get to say hi to you.

Rick: Oh, absolutely. When you go back to your bedroom, like really late?

Michael: Yes

Rick: I'll be in your closet. (laughter)

Michael: Okay. (laughs)

Ellen Kaye: Oh, stop it! You don't have to take that Michael! (laughs)

Rick: Again, on behalf of Make A Wish and all the people too, Michael thank you so much.

Michael: God bless you and say hi to your wonderful family.

Rick: Oh, I certainly will. Julie says 'Hi', too.

Michael: Aaww! Tell her I said 'Hi'!

Rick: She knows so many little stories about Mike...they're buddies.

Michael: Yeah...she's a sweet person.

Ellen Kaye: I can't wait to see your animals on the ranch, cuz I'm a huge animal lover so.

Michael: Oh, there are lots of animals.

Ellen Kaye: Yeah, cool.

Rick: You still have the trampoline?

Michael: Yes...we found the rattlesnake. (laughs)

Rick: Kevin Dees was asking about that.

Michael: We found that snake, remember?

Rick: Oh man! We went out in the woods, and this is way away from his home so don't be afraid, but Michael and I found a baby rattlesnake.

Ellen Kaye: Ooooh, now those are really potent, cuz their poison is even stronger cuz it's more concentrated.

Rick: So Mike is walking up to the snake and about four guys jump in front of him and say, "What? Are you crazy?? Not with your CD just released!"

Michael: (laughs)

Ellen Kaye: (laughs) Yeah, cause people will take a bite for him.

Rick: So a couple of guys took a hit lik! (punching noises)..."It didn't hurt Michael" (punching noises)

Michael: Yeah, that was something. It was fun!

Rick: That was something else. They called him "Rattlin' Rick". Hey Mike, we'll see ya on Saturday, okay?

Michael: Okay, Rick. God bless you.

Rick: God bless you.

Michael: And say "Hi" to everybody.

Rick: My best to Prince and Paris, too.

Michael: Oh, God bless you, thank you!

Rick: Michael Jackson. Rick Dees in the morning. That's what it's all about. The world exclusive interview - he'll only do one - and thank you for choosing us Michael.