Michael Talks To EUR (October 14, 2004)

On Tuesday evening, Michael Jackson and his spokesperson Raymone Bain called EUR's Lee Bailey to talk about Eminem's new video 'Just Lose It' and the upcoming album.

Since the video premiered on MTV, the EUR (The Electronic Urban Rport) web site has been flooded with e-mails expressing outrage over the depiction of Michael Jackson in the video.

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?

Michael Jackson: Oh, I'm holding up pretty well, day by day. I'm holding up pretty well.

Lee Bailey: I always wonder how you deal with everything?

Michael Jackson: I don't know. I don't know. You just pray and keep going. Persevere.

Lee Bailey: Now are you able to work [on music] while you're going through all of this?

Michael Jackson: Yes, I do.

[BAIN STEPS IN]

Raymone Bain: We have a new CD coming out. 'Michael Jackson the Ultimate Collection,' due Nov 16, [with] 57 tracks, 13 new songs, a 64-page booklet, and never-before-released concert footage. And he'll be out promoting that.

Lee Bailey: Really..[laughs]. You're not afraid, literally, of going out and promoting it?

Michael Jackson: Noooo, are you kidding. No, no, never.

Lee Bailey: And you have 13 new songs, you said?

Michael Jackson: 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.

Lee Bailey: Now getting back to this Eminem thing

[BAIN STEPS IN]

Raymone Bain: 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.

Lee Bailey: So Michael, how do you feel about that?

Michael Jackson: 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]

Raymone Bain: 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.

Lee Bailey: Do you get the sense that Eminem's not doing this against you personally, but against your public persona?

Michael Jackson: 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.

Lee Bailey: 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]

Raymone Bain: 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.

Lee Bailey: 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?

Michael Jackson: I don't know him. I've never met him.

Lee Bailey: 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.

Michael Jackson: Thank you very, very much. I appreciate everything you're doing.