Michael Jackson’s documentary, “This Is It,” had a special, secret screening the other night at Sony. None other than Elizabeth Taylor got her own private viewing. And the word is, she loved it.
Taylor brought with her several family members. Also in the audience, acccording to sources, were Michael’s longtime insiders Miko Brando and Evvy Tavasci. Also there was famed international hairdresser Jose Eber. Michael and his kids spent last Easter with the Taylor clan and Eber. That’s who he considered family.
Taylor, who knows from having to go on when you’re sick, apparently told everyone involved that Jackson looked great, and that the film was “brilliant.” She did not express any concern over his appearance during rehearsals. The others in the screening room, an insider relayed to me, “were very pleased.”
“This Is It” is causing quite a rift in the various sections of Jackson’s camp. So far no one from his family has asked for a ticket or shown up to see the film at invitation from Sony. The only member of the family to be at all interested is Joe Jackson, who’s charging $3,000 a ticket on opening night for fans to meet him and see the film.
Liz Taylor’s imprimatur will certainly carry a lot of weight among Jackson’s rabid fans. It will be interesting to see who else Sony allows in before the big opening night in Los Angeles on October 27th.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:00 am
Of course, they’re going to say he looked “fine” to the public, but in private they’re probably saying otherwise. The footage that we the public have seen it appears he’s emaciated. Very thin and I’m not going to comment on his face and the makeup.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:03 am
I look forward to seeing the movie on the 27th & the 28th. My whole family is looking forward to seeing Michael.
We are praying for his kids.
God bless those wonderful children.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:25 am
I admire Liz Taylor like hell – when MJ died she probably wanted to hide in a closet and never come out, but she didn’t. My own very first impression from one of the bits of film released is that he did not look well at all, but I’m going to see the movie no matter what since it’s the last chance to see him, sick or not. Everyone around him, from Murray to Phillips to Ortega thought he was too thin and did not eat properly, so that was surely the case.
Taylor sees him through eyes of love. I’ve done the same with a cancer patient – everyone told me he was hardly recognizable, but I didn’t see any difference at all. It was just him.
October 19th, 2009 at 4:54 am
Glad Liz liked it but she’s not being honest about his appearance, if she actually made that statement. Since she’s not on tape to verify it, I am not going to condemn her alleged observation. Not believing the tabloid junk abut family riff. They have to sell their rag papers.
I am so tired of these people who are obsessed with the Jackson’s personal business and beleive anything that is written. I won’t believe anything unless I see a Jackson member on TV conducting an interview. With Katherine that’s not going to happen,so the tabloids and even some legitimate news media will have to create lies.
Off topic, does Liz have a relationship with her own children or are they estranged? I recall her spending a Christmas with Michael and her kids were nowhere around.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:03 am
The footage so far has been heartbreaking. Unlike so many of his other issues this was one which could have been prevented because it was so obvious. Those who chose to turn a blind eye to keep the ’show on the road’ should be ashamed of themselves.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:27 am
There must be lots of stuff about MJ we don’t know, but as far as I’ve seen nothing was really down (throughout his life) about the eating disorder and sleeping disorder MJ had. Both those issues could have been addressed. Murray told the chef to make sure MJ ate (and she saw him eat), Ortega cut his chicken at some point, and Phillips sounded amused in one interview at MJ being “like an old professor; he forgot to eat”. Seems he hired someone to “remind” his star of meals. But nobody really did anything substantial, like actually look into the sleeping problem or refusing to go on with rehearsals until MJ had eaten.
“You finish this plate or we won’t go on.” Three hours later: “You finish a smoothie and fruit salad or we won’t go on.”
October 19th, 2009 at 5:32 am
Since we’ve discussed Joe Jackson and I’ve been a harsh critic, in all fairness I’d like to publish a link to an interview made with him May 31, 2005 (during the trial). It’s the second entry on the page.
http://www.mjfanclub.net/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=89:news-archive&id=295:2005-may&Itemid=75
October 19th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Mr. Friedman
The reason that MJ probably spent holidays such as easter and christmas with people not part of his family is b/c they all grew up not celebrating these holidays.
His mother and oldest sister still do not celebrate as they are Jehova´s witnesses.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Oh … wow..Im a rabid fan…very nice, thank you Mr. Tabloid Junkie Friedmann.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:33 am
Why must you continually disrespect the Jacksons with your snide comments, Mr. Friedman. That swipe about “that’s who he considered family” is uncalled for. So what if he spent Easter with Taylor? His family is either Jehovah’s Witness or Muslim! They wouldn’t have had Easter celebrations. Now I know why Taryll was happy you go fired from FOX. He tweeted Hip Hip Hoorays the day it happened!
October 19th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
Roger — You reported way back when that Liz Taylor never came to Michael’s defense when he was under seige by the powers that be up in Santa Maria in 2005. You ranted abou that, as I recall.
So now she is ‘family’?? I am completely confused. I thought (based on what I read in your column) that their friendship was ‘fake’. Didn’t MJ have to buy her a 675K necklace to get her to appear in his rebuttal video following the Bashir fiasco? What kind of ‘friend’ is that? Please clarify!
October 19th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Elizabeth Taylor gave Michael all the support she was ALLOWED to give him. Very early in the trial the “judge” disallowed the defense to present ANY character witnesses – none at all. He knew that people like Taylor and many other famous people would stand in line to speak to Michael’s character and he believed it would sway the jury.
Dame Taylor was ready and willing to speak for Michael, but the SB kangaroo court system would not allow this to happen.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:22 pm
BNS — Not referring specifically to court appearances, rather, there were AMPLE other media opportunities to speak out, and she did not (as was reported in this entertainment journalist’s column). Further, it was reported that she refused to appear in MJ’s rebuttal video until after MJ complied with her request for a $675,000 necklace.
October 19th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
[...] [...]
October 19th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
[...] Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment; Source: Showbiz411 [...]
October 19th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
[...] Image: Sony Pictures Entertainment; Source: Showbiz411 [...]
October 19th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
MJFan – no, the fake notion is a total misconception. MJ and Liz Taylor loved each other dearly. She did stand up for him in public, I remember it clearly, because I was wondering a it at the time. She did NOT need anything from MJ, except him, and they were very close indeed – so close that Oprah asked him back in 1993 if he had proposed to her. They stood by each other, she was at Neverland (she married one of her husbands there) and they were constantly on the phone. When MJ died, Liz Taylor was devastated. She said “Nobody knows how much we loved each other. My life is so empty. He will always live in my heart, but that is not enough.”
I have commented so much here I was going to stop now, but I had to say this.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Have to add: God, I am so sick and tired of the mocking tone in gossip columns and papers. They often lie right out. At other times there is some kernel of truth in the stories, but totally distorted.
The reality behind the necklace story – if there were indeed a necklace – we don’t know at all. Maybe MJ had done or said something wrong – according to Mallika Chopra, who actually was a friend and did know him, he could hurt his friends, usually by withdrawing from them at intervals. Lisa Marie Presley told the same story, he disappeared from her for six weeks. I’m NOT saying that’s what happened between Taylor and him, because you can rest assured I know absolutely nothing about Michael Jackson, I am just pointing out that it could be anything – we don’t know. Bottom line, though: They were very close friends.
October 19th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Where has Miko been lately? Have not seen him on LKL for a while… or anywhere, for that matter.
October 20th, 2009 at 6:38 am
I read somewhere that Michael had to pay his own mother to talk on his behalf after the allegations, is this true? the jacksons have a price for everything.
October 20th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Pat, I doubt that’s true about Michael paying his mom, after all, he was already supporting her anyway.
I wish people who say they support MJ’s kids would stop with the diparaging remarks about the Jacksons, the Jacksons are their family and who they are living with, so those comments are hurting those kids now too.
CaliMJ, I saw Miko in the pictures of the group of Jackson cousins who went to the amusement park with Liz Taylor.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
axon: you are free to your illusions. the request for the necklace was documented in court testimony during marc shaffel’s lawsuit against mj. from a friedman 2006 column:
“Taylor in fact was silent as the five-month court proceeding dragged on at this time last year in Santa Maria, Calif. More importantly: King [Larry King] could have asked Dame Elizabeth about the $637,000 piece of jewelry that she received from Jackson as payment for appearing in his “rebuttal video” on FOX in 2003.
The necklace in question was demanded, er, requested by Taylor as compensation for assisting Jackson in trying to rehabilitate his reputation after the famously oily documentary made by Martin Bashir, now an unlikely anchor for “Nightline.”
At the time, Jackson didn’t even have the cash to buy the piece of jewelry. According to court testimony last year and the current civil lawsuit filed by Marc Schaffel, Jackson’s former business associate, Jackson borrowed the money from Schaffel to buy Liz her “gift.” When Schaffel vs. Jackson commences soon in Los Angeles, the entire episode will be entered into evidence….”
the full story here:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197585,00.html
October 20th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Also, I believe a copy of the necklace contract is online. Forget where I saw it.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
OK, I wasn’t coming back, but since you’re addressing me, MJFan – I said “if” there was indeed a necklace, I don’t hang on to illusions if there are facts – but another column by Friedman putting his angle on the necklace incident is proof? We still don’t know the reasons behind the whole affair. Like I also said, in spite of what Friedman wrote I do remember Taylor defending Jackson declaring him innocent of child molestation, but I don’t remember if it was 1993 or 2005.
Anyway, obviously whatever happened they were still friends after 2005 – now Friedman calls Taylor “family”.
October 20th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
I just reread my comment. There’s a typo. I meant disparaging.
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Ingrid, to clear up your question. Dame Elizabeth and all four of her children are very close. They are not real big on the spotlight but they truly love their mother, as do the grandkids!
October 23rd, 2009 at 4:44 pm
oh …. and great-grandkids.
October 27th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
I HAVE BEEN TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF MICHEAL JACKSON CONCERT I HAVE ALSO BEEN TO THE THING THAT HE DID IN LONDON AND HE CAME TO MY HOUSE ONCE FOR DINNER WE WENT OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT WE BROCK UP I WENT TO HIS MUMRIAL AND FUNIAL AND I GOT TO MEET HIS KIDS THEY ARE VERY SWEET THEY ALL GAVE ME A HUG WHEN I LEFT IN THE LEMO AND MJ GAVE MY A SIGN IPOD TOUCH AND TWO OF HIS CD AND I GOT TO KISS HIM ON THE FORHEAD THAT NIGHT..
November 24th, 2009 at 5:24 am
I was lucky enough to see “This Is It,” twice in fact. It’s a great tribute. He’s brilliant & intense as ever, and certainly was not at all emaciated, though he was thin. Remember, he’d been working out strenuously & daily with a personal trainer
November 27th, 2009 at 11:46 pm
Asia needs spellcheck, oh and to live in reality!