#realking

11-Michael and Lisa Fly to Hungary- August 4 1994:

UPI:

AUG. 5, 1994

Lovebird Jacksons fly to Hungary

NEW YORK, Aug. 5 -- Michael Jackson and his bride, Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson, flew to Budapest Friday for a video shoot and visits to children's hospitals in their first public appearances together since their secret marriage in May. Jackson's press spokesman, Lee Solters, said the rock star's video work is expected to take two days and involves trailers for his upcoming album, 'History.'

Solters said the couple will visit two children's hospitals in Budapest on behalf of Jackson's Heal the World Foundation and will distribute truckloads of toys to patients. 'They may visit other countries in Europe, but nothing is definite yet,' said Solters. It was the first time the Jacksons were known to have left their Trump Tower penthouse apartment together, although they were reported to have attended a concert by Jackson's sister, Janet, at Radio City Music Hall last week. The couple confirmed earlier this week reports of their marriage in the Dominican Republic. On Thursday it was reported they would perform on stage together at a musical tribute to the bride's father, Elvis Presley, in Memphis Oct. 8, but Solters would not comment. Proceeds from the show featuring Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, Willie Nelson, and The Judds and a subsequent video and album to be released on PolyGram's Island Records will be donated to two charities, the T.J. Martell Foundation and the Memphis-based St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. It will be Jackson's first public performance since the 'Jackson Family Honors' concert last February in Las Vegas while he was under investigation by California authorities for alleged child molestation.

The Washington Post:

JACKSON, BRIDE DRAW A CROWD IN HUNGARY

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY, AUG. 5 -- Pop superstar Michael Jackson, accompanied by his bride, Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson, arrived in Budapest late today by private airplane to shoot a new video clip that portrays him as a freedom fighter liberating Eastern Europe.

Hundreds of ecstatic fans screamed and shouted in front of the luxurious Hotel Kempinski as the couple rolled in through the garage entrance in a minibus bringing them from the airport.

"Dear Michael, we don't need a dream when we are by your side," an English-language poster said. The people holding it chanted rhythmically: "Michael, Michael, we love you."

The crowd kept chanting for an hour after the star arrived, hoping in vain that he would wave to them from the hotel's windows.

Hungarian newspapers said the hotel's entire top floor was rented for the couple and their entourage, and there were rumors that an oxygen tent was also set up for the star.

The trip is the Jacksons' first abroad since Presley-Jackson revealed Monday they had been wed secretly in the Dominican Republic in May.

Presley-Jackson, who has two children from her first marriage, is the daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley.

"We admire him for his generous donations, for his gentleness with children," a young girl called Virag said.

"It's absolutely not true what they say about him, that he performed perverse acts with children," she added. "But my mommy did not like the idea of his video."

Jackson will be filmed in Budapest arriving in an unspecified East European capital, where he chases away Soviet troops. The city's grateful populace then raises a monument to the freedom fighter.

On Saturday, the couple will visit two children's hospitals, where they will distribute toys on behalf of Jackson's Heal the Children foundation.

The song featured in the video will be part of Jackson's "History" album, which is scheduled for release later this year, said Lee Solters, Jackson's publicist.

Original plans called for a crew to make the video in Budapest without Jackson, whose image was to be copied later in a process called blue-boxing. But last Friday Jackson decided to make the trip. Solters said Jackson had read widely about Hungary and wanted to see it for himself.

Time Magazine:

Michael Jackson and his new bride, Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson, arrived this afternoon in Budapest, Hungary — the first time since their secret wedding in May that the pop star and Elvis’s daughter have appeared in public. Why Budapest, of all places? According to a Hungarian newspaper, Jackson is shooting a music video that features him as a freedom fighter who chases Soviet troops away from an east European capital. The grateful populace, the story goes, then raises a monument to him.

On February 5, 1992, Michael Jackson was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters.

Rev. Jesse Jackson and NABOB Chairman Pierre Sutton presented him the Award at the 8th Annual Communications Awards Dinner held at the Sheraton Washington Hotel in Washington D.C. Stevie Wonder, boxing heavyweights Muhammad Ali and Leon Spinks, Spike Lee, and Al Jarreau were among the 900 guests, who turn out to see the man who revolutionized and dominated contemporary music, dance, video and fashion.

On December 9, 1992, The Third Annual Billboard Music Awards are held in Universal Amphitheater, Universal City, Los Angeles, California. Michael Jackson scoops No1 in four categories, including Hot 100 Singles Artist (Male) and R&B Singles Artist (Male). Michael Jackson receives 1992 Billboard Awards for #1 worldwide single and #1 worldwide album, the first time an artist has ever achieved both in the same year. Michael accepts two awards through a video presentation filmed earlier with Phil Collins at Neverland.

On January 26, 1984, Michael Jackson's hair caught on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial.

UPI:

JAN. 28, 1984

Michael Jackson hospitalized after fireworks mishap on set of Pepsi commercial

ByJEFF HASEN

LOS ANGELES -- Superstar Michael Jackson, hospitalized with burns from fireworks that ignited his hair during filming of a commercial, was quietly discharged from a hospital Saturday against his doctor's recommendation.

Dr. Steve Hoefflin said he believed it was best for Jackson to stay at Brotman Memorial Hospital, but reluctantly agreed to his release at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST). Hours earlier, he had told reporters Jackson would be hospitalized 'for several days.'

'We recommended that Michael stay, but we determined this could be done as well out of the hospital as in the hospital,' Hoefflin said. 'Despite our recommendation, he felt he did want to be treated as an outpatient.

'He was quite happy. He felt better after a good night's sleep. He's in excellent health and was showing very rapid signs of recovery. He's very pleased it was not more of a severe burn.'

Hoefflin said he did not know where Jackson planned to go.

Jackson, 25, was dancing down a stairway at the Shrine Auditorium Friday night in a scene for a multi-million dollar Pepsi commercial when a special effects smoke bomb apparently misfired and set his pomade-slicked hair ablaze.

Nurse Pat Lavalas, the burn unit supervisor, said Jackson was in good spirits Saturday morning and he received many telephone calls, including get-well wishes from singers Teddy Pendergrass and Stephanie Mills.

'He left in good spirits and his condition is good,' she said. 'He didn't speak about the accident to us. He watched 'American Bandstand' this morning and people were getting his autograph.

He sang a Stephanie Mills song in the bathroom. He stayed in bed and opened telegrams, and he got a big kick out of one from a fan that said, 'I know you're hot, but this is ridiculous,'' the nurse said.

Just hours before Jackson's secretive departure, Hoefflin told reporters the singer was in satisfactory condition with second-degree burns and a small third-degree burn on the back of his head.

'He's in moderate pain, he's much more tired than we anticipated. He needs sleep at this time,' Hoefflin told reporters at a hospital news conference.

He said Jackson may require reconstructive surgery.

Jackson, the country's top singer, won seven American Music Awards earlier this month and picked up a record 12 Grammy nominations. Hoefflin said Jackson will be able to attend the Feb. 28 Grammy presentations at the Shrine 'if he feels up to it.'

A spokesman for Jackson said the singer requested that a tape of the accident be made public as soon as the film can be processed.

'Michael wants to make certain that his fans know exactly what happened,' Larry Larson told reporters at the hospital.

Asked if Jackson was contemplating a lawsuit, he said, 'There's no indication at this point.'

Hospital officials said the medical center had been inundated with thousands of phone calls since Jackson arrived and a spokesman pleaded with the public to stop calling, saying emergency calls could not get through.

The singer's 'Thriller' album topped the music charts last year, placing an unprecedented six singles -- including 'Billie Jean' and 'Beat It' -- in the top 10 and spawning several popular videos.

The accident Friday night occurred before a horrified audience of about 3,000 people who won tickets to the taping from a local radio station.

One witness told United Press International that Jackson removed his jacket without breaking stride and tried to put out the fire.

'There was supposed to be an explosion for his big entrance,' Daryoush Maze, 25, an extra in the cast, said. 'As he went off, an explosion went off and there was blue smoke all around his head and neck. There were no flames, just blue smoke from the stuff he had in his hair.

'It seemed like it was part of the show. He was doing it very professionally, still dancing. He's a good trouper.'

About a block from Jackson's boyhood home, nearly 1,000 people clad in their Sunday best jammed into a small, stuffy basketball gym to hear the candidate speak.

After a church choir sang a few hymns, Jackson's mother, wearing a deep blue dress and a 'Jackson in '84' button, triumphantly introduced her son to the throng.

Jackson took the stage and led the audience in his familiar 'I am somebody' chant.

'Our mission is justice at home and peace abroad,' he told the townspeople. 'I've watched the growth of this city and this state and I see the need for more growth.

'We have the need this day to have a spirit of redemption and reconciliation -- to rise above historic divisions that have stunted our growth. This is a period for us to beat our swords into plowshares.'

Jackson spoke of Greenville as once being the textile capital of the world, and noted the slump in the industry today that has put thousands out of work.

He called for an end to the 'dislocation of the textile industry.'

'This generation must realize when a plant closes, it closes without notice. Men cannot feed their families; mothers cannot nourish their children. That kind of reckless economic conduct must challenge us to open a new economic order.'

Jackson also visited a small bar that sponsors a softball team Jackson played on during the 1960s.

The presidential hopeful was the team's starting first baseman.

'He's a long-ball hitter,' said Charles Chiles, a patron of the establishment who remembers Jackson's days on the softball field.

Jackson also climbed onto the fender of a brown Cadillac parked near the bar during the afternoon and urged about 200 onlookers to register to vote.

'You can help me and you can help yourself,' he said. 'If we register to vote our children will not have to grow up as we did. They can get jobs. They can develop and grow.

'We can not only hang around on the corner, we can own the corner.'

Moonwalk book page 235-238:

Later one of the doctors told me that it was a miracle I was alive. One of the firemen had mentioned that in most cases your clothes catch on fire in which case the whole face can be disfigured or you can die. That’s it. I third-degree burns On the back of my head that’s Almost went through to my skull, so we had a lot of the problems with it, But I was very lucky.

What we now know is that the incident created a lot of publicity for the commercial. They sold more Pepsi than ever before. And they came back to me later and offered me the biggest commercial endorsement Fee in history. It was so unprecedented But it went into The Guinness Book of World Records. Pepsi and I worked together on another Commercial called” The Kid”, And I gave them problems by limiting the shots of me because I felt the shots they were asking for didn’t work well. Later, when the commercial was a success, he told me I had been right.

I still remember how scared those Pepsi excuses looked the night of the fire. They thought that my getting burned would leave a bad taste in the mouth every kid in America who drank Pepsi. They knew I could have sued him and I could have. But I was real nice about it. Real nice. They gave me $1,500,000 Which I immediately donated to the Michael Jackson Burn Center. I wanted to do something because I was so moved By the other burn patient I met while I was in the hospital.

“ I have a plan to spend most of 1984 working on some movie ideas we had, But those plans got sidetracked. First, in January, I Was burned On the set of a Pepsi commercial I was shooting with my brothers.

The reason for the fire stupidity, pure and simple. We were shooting tonight and I Wassupposed To come down a staircase yes magnesium flash bombs Going off on either side of me and just behind me. It seemed so simple. I wanted to walk down the stairs and these bombs Would blow up. We did several takes that were wonderfully timed. The lighting effects from the bombs were great. Only later did I find out that these bombs Were only two feet away from either side of my head, which was a total Disregard of the safety regulations. I was supposed to stand in the middle of a magnesium explosion, two feet on either side.

Then Bob Giraldi, the director, Came to me and said, “ Michael, you are going down too early. We want To see you up there, up on the stairs. When the lights come on, we want to reveal that you’re there, so wait”

So I waited, the bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set My hair on fire. I was dancing down the ramp and turning around, spinning not knowing I was on fire. Suddenly I filled my hands reflexively going to my head In an attempt to smother the flames. Are you feeling down and just tried to shake the Flames out. Jermaine Turned around and saw me on the ground, Just after the explosions had gone off, and he thought I was shot be someone In the crowd — ‏because we were shooting In front of a big audience. That what I looked like to him.

Miko Brando , Who works for me, was the first person to reach me. After that, it was clhaos. It was crazy. No for me could probably capture The drama of what went on That night. The crowd was screaming. Someone shouted, “ Get some ice! “ There were fantic running sounds. People were yelling,” Oh no!”. The emergency truck came up And before they Put me in Isow the Pepsi excutives huddled together in a corner, looking terrified. I remember the medical people putting me on a cot And the guys from Pepsi were so scared They couldn’t

even bring themselves to check on me.

Meanwhile, I was kind of detached, despite the terrible pain, I was watching all the drama unfold. Later they told me, I was in shock, but I remember enjoying the ride to the hospital because I never thought I’d ride in an ambulance with the sirens wailing. It was one of those things I had always wanted to do when I was growing up. We got there, They told me there news crews Outside, so I asked for my glove. There’s a famous shot one waving from the stretcher with my glove on. hooting tonight and I Wassupposed To come down a staircase yes magnesium flash bombs Going off on either side of me and just behind me. It seemed so simple. I wanted to walk down the stairs and these bombs Would blow up. We did several takes that were wonderfully timed. The lighting effects from the bombs were great. Only later did I find out that these bombs Were only two feet away from either side of my head, which was a total Disregard of the safety regulations. I was supposed to stand in the middle of a magnesium explosion, two feet on either side.

Then Bob Giraldi, the director, Came to me and said, “ Michael, you are going down too early. We want To see you up there, up on the stairs. When the lights come on, we want to reveal that you’re there, so wait”

So I waited, the bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set My hair on fire. I was dancing down the ramp and turning around, spinning not knowing I was on fire. Suddenly I filled my hands reflexively going to my head In an attempt to smother the flames. Are you feeling down and just tried to shake the Flames out. Jermaine Turned around and saw me on the ground, Just after the explosions had gone off, and he thought I was shot be someone In the crowd — ‏because we were shooting In front of a big audience. That what I looked like to him.

Miko Brando , Who works for me, was the first person to reach me. After that, it was clhaos. It was crazy. No for me could probably capture The drama of what went on That night. The crowd was screaming. Someone shouted, “ Get some ice! “ There were fantic running sounds. People were yelling,” Oh no!”. The emergency truck came up And before they Put me in Isow the Pepsi excutives huddled together in a corner, looking terrified. I remember the medical people putting me on a cot And the guys from Pepsi were so scared They couldn’t

even bring themselves to check on me.

Meanwhile, I was kind of detached, despite the terrible pain, I was watching all the drama unfold. Later they told me, I was in shock, but I remember enjoying the ride to the hospital because I never thought I’d ride in an ambulance with the sirens wailing. It was one of those things I had always wanted to do when I was growing up. We got there, They told me there news crews Outside, so I asked for my glove. There’s a famous shot one waving from the stretcher with my glove on.

https://youtu.be/DkMNn7TA0pg

On March 6, 2001, Michael Jackson gives a speech at Oxford Union.

The singer who grew up a Motown star broke his foot just days before he was due to speak at the historic debating chamber.

But the Thriller superstar promised fans the injury would not stop him making his speech on child welfare at the union on Tuesday, March 6. About 500 people attended.

More than 20,000 Michael fans applied to see his speech at the Oxford Union and hundreds packed St Michael's Street outside and nearby Cornmarket during the afternoon before he arrived, filling the city centre with deafening chants of "King of Pop".

They waited around for hours before the legend arrived under an umbrella with his entourage, which included the illusionist Uri Geller and Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.

At the time the singer was chairman of the Heal The Kids foundation which aimed to "take action on child welfare issues at both global and local levels".

The 42-year-old, who was famed for his Moonwalk dance, had fractured a bone in his foot in a fall at his home, the Neverland Valley Ranch in California but he insisted on making the trip to Oxford to meet his commitments.

It is understood that following the talk he was driven to Blenheim Palace where he enjoyed a lavish meal.

On February 27, 1992, In London, Michael Jackson visited British comedian Benny Hill. Hill was recovering from a heart attack.

Michael brought Benny Hill flowers, embraced him and said: “Great to see you at long last”. He asked him about the way he made his comedy sketches and was so “mesmerized” by Benny that he kept repeating to him “You’re my hero”.

Michael wondered if he would be in a video with him and Benny agreed. Michael invited Benny to stay with him in Neverland next time he came to Los Angeles. Michael also told him that he watched his shows every day and had hundreds of his videos. And he asked for Benny’s photos which would have place of pride in his home.

When Michael left Benny said that Michael was “one of the most genuine people you could wish to meet”. His friend revealed: “Benny is much happier now. He’s had a great night’s sleep and is back to his joker self. Michael’s visit was the tonic he needed”.