The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation
The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation
In 2000–2001, Michael Jackson sat down with his close friend and spiritual guide, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, to record what turned out to be the most intimate and revealing conversations of his life. It was Michael’s wish to bare his soul and unburden himself to a public that he knew was deeply suspicious of him. The resulting thirty hours are the basis of The Michael Jackson Tapes. There has never been, and never will be, anything like them.In these searingly honest conversations, Michael exposes his emotional pain and profound loneliness, his longing to be loved, and the emptiness of his fame. You discover why he was suspicious of women and how only children provided the innocence for which he so desperately longed.In his own words, he ta
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30 pieces of silver,
I read this book because I wanted to know Michael Jackson the person, although it didn’t feel right to pry this much into someone’s private life. I wish I hadn’t.
I had read Shmuley’s thoughts about MJ on his blog and knew what was coming, and indeed he didn’t disappoint. Shmuley’s writing is not so much a reflection of who Michael Jackson was, but more a reflection of how judgemental he himself can be. Instead of letting Michael speak for himself, he has to tack on his own interpretation to everything that Michael said and did. An interpretation that is judgemental, biased and sanctimonious to the extreme. He’s so holier-than-thou, he even puts himself above the court of law!
He delights in pointing out Michael’s ‘faults’, and sees faults where there are none. I find it ironic that someone who always tried to see the good in others would seek help from a counsellor who always tries to find bad even in the good. This speaks more of Michael as one who always believed that there is good to be found in EVERYone. This is not megalomania, as Shmuley would put it. It is love. Something that Shmuley is sorely lacking.
Michael said that people do evil because they had not known love as a child. If their hearts were filled with love, they would not feel the need to hurt others. Clearly, nobody loves Shmuley.
He openly flogs Michael and uses Michael’s ‘failings’ (at least in his mind) to illustrate his preachy “morality tales” of just what is wrong with society. (I wonder why he never writes about the morality of discussing other people’s personal failings in public?) He even does this to some who are still living. If he gets a lawsuit out of this, he richly deserves it. Certainly there is a way to make a point without demeaning people like this. Crassness has achieved a new level. Extremely unbecoming, especially for one who calls himself a man of God.
Above all, it disgusted me how he could make public something which was shared with him in confidence. He has not only ended his own career as a confessor, he has damaged the trust that people hold for the clergy and the counselling profession as a whole. Who knows if something you told your confessor might one day be blared out for the entire world to hear? Stripped naked and held up for the world to judge and ridicule? Leave a legacy to remind your children how you failed in life? Oh wait, it’s not for the world to judge, because Shmuley has ALREADY judged and is asking you to part with your money to hear HIS judgement. Nice… Aren’t counsellors supposed to listen without judging? And keep your discussions confidential? What’s that sound? Oh, it’s 30 pieces of silver tinkling.
One could easily write another book using Shmuley’s life to illustrate what is wrong with society.
At the time of their conversations, Shmuley was working on writing Michael’s speech at Oxford and a book for their child prioritisation initiative – a project to encourage parents to make time for their children. Michael mostly talked about children, childlike qualities and how adults can break their conditioning and become more childlike, to return to innocence. Shmuley used these conversations and some offhand comments for a whole other purpose instead.
In their conversations, Shmuley does the bulk of the talking and puts many words into Michael’s mouth. For example, he uses 80-100 words to ask one question, then Michael responds with just one: “Uh-huh.” Shmuley does not interview – he gives his own views. This happens far more often than I can stand. If there is something good said by Michael, it is quickly obliterated by Shmuley’s judgement and hubris. When discussing spiritual matters, it is quite pitiful to witness Shmuley’s complete inability to grasp Michael’s far more mature understanding. Naturally, he overcomes this with more hubris.
In this book, you will learn more about Shmuley than Michael Jackson. There is nothing new at all in here for MJ fans. If you want to look into Michael’s soul, read Dancing the Dream: Poems and Reflections and forget about this dreck.
Shmuley’s intent is clear to see. He is making a quick buck off his “dear friend”. If you liked Bashir, you’ll like Shmuley. If anything, this book gives an intimate view into the minds of hangers-on that Michael had suffer with his whole life – those who praise him to his face, then stab him in his back. Preferably while earning some money in the process. Don’t buy this book and give this bloodsucker another penny!! (Read it for free – see comment #1.)
If this really was Michael’s idea from the start, why didn’t Shmuley list Michael as co-author so that Michael’s children can get half the proceeds? ‘Nuff said!
I truly…
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|The Michael Jackson Tapes,
It is indeed sad that this brilliant artist’s life ended so soon. It is also indeed sad that as respectful and humble as he was, no one thought life worthy enough to help Michael Jackson fight his addiction and heal his troubled soul. No one would put aside their hurt egos and busy lifestyles long enough to help a brother, friend, patient, child of God.
I, like the few who purchased this book to date, after having enough of reading the incredible news stories wanted to “hear it from the horse’s mouth” some hint in his own words that would prove to me at what point Michael’s life was spiraling out of control. What was the true cause of all this sadness in such a beautiful brother. When did we fail this extremely talented and giving soul. After reading this book…I guess we’ll never know…
To be fair, I don’t believe (as some say) what was quoted as Michael’s responses during the conversations was not true because Michael had addressed many of the topics in past interviews. But I confess, as I turned the pages, my mind became suspicious about how quickly this 300-page book was produced in the two months following Michael’s death. I could almost picture Dictaphone tapes from 2003 sitting in a safe or closet being dusted off and pages upon pages being churned out to meet some sort of deadline.
I find disturbing that the author writes that Michael was “…perhaps guilty of serious, terrible sins for which there might not be any redemption…” It is unclear whether he is inferring that the molestation charges were true; and if he is, he contradicts this thought when on earlier pages he defends Michael since having been at the very stage where it all began.
Another query, was when he encouraged Michael to call his father on a cell phone to forgive him for the abuse before Michael was to give a speech (written by the Rabbi) about forgiving your parents – instead of arranging quality time for both men to engage in a normal exchange which could have provided the opportunity for both men to come to terms with that time in their lives. A cell phone call just to say “I forgive you” does not constitute reconciliation – it does not mean a problem solved. Having Michael call his father minutes before a talk was indeed about validating a speech and not about helping a man reconcile with the pain that probably was instrumental in causing him so much suffering.
The chapter, “The End of Our Relationship”, leaves this reader wondering why a spiritual advisor would believe any child of God was “beyond redemption”. This was his reason for severing ties with Michael. Especially at the point where Michael was sending a cry for help after their falling out. The Rabbi writes, “Was he not the friend who, after I had invested two years of my life into helping him rehabilitate his, treated me as if I were a nuisance…” To this reader, that comment screams, he betrayed me! He wasted my time. I had to dismiss him from my life. That does not tell me the Rabbi was committed to “spreading the Glory of God” nor does his actions make it apparent that he truly understood what reconciliation meant.
As Michael’s spiritual advisor, he should have acted as such…It is written in Matthew 18:12-14, “If a man has a 100 sheep, and one wanders away and is lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the 99 others and go out to search for the lost one? And if he finds it, he will rejoice over it more than over the 99 others safe at home? Just so, it is not my Father’s will that even one of these little ones should perish.” As a shepherd, you cannot rejoice – Michael is lost.
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|Another one cashes in.,
Though the tenets that Rabbi Shmuley preaches are honorable, it is deplorable that they are clouded by his own judgmental and hypocritical nature. In this book, he laments that the youth of today are directionless, as children aim to be directors, not doctors, and rock stars, not rabbis; that the entertainment industry’s stars have become false idols to the masses; that Elie Wiesel is literally pushed aside at a function when Michael Jackson shows up. But who put out a book on the tortured icon after his death (the dead cannot defend themselves)? Shmuley’s own website URL pointing to the page about his TLC reality show reads (truncated): “/rabbi_counselor_tv_star.” TV star? A reality show on TLC, the same network that airs “Jon & Kate Plus 8″? For Shmuley, it is clear that being an honorable rabbi known in his own community isn’t enough — he has to be a celebrity rabbi, and the price of that is the people’s loss of confidentiality and trust.
I have my doubts that Michael consented to these tapes being transcribed for a book. Where’s the recording of Michael agreeing to such an endeavor? Or the signed release? Or anything? Perhaps Michael viewed the rabbi as a counselor, thereby allowing the tape recording? The rabbi often interrupts the transcript to offer his own interpretation of Michael’s words, which is to be expected, as it is HIS book and his viewpoint will be included, but the egotistical, “I write this not to brag” bits are obnoxious and fool no one — he must remind the reader more than once that he wrote some of Michael’s speeches, that his books (he name checks them several times) were bestsellers, that Michael said that meeting Shmuley was more enlightening than meeting the Dalai Lama. Shmuley’s “Oh, no, I’m just an ordinary man! I’m flattered, but…” protestations are disingenuous and smack of false modesty. He professes he has no respect for Britney Spears and her sexualized image and its influence on today’s youth, but he still stays with Michael in the hotel to meet her and ‘N Sync. Smuley writes that he tells one of his kids later that Britney is nothing special at all. Judgmental much? Apparently, his disrespect was not strong enough to make him resist the lure of meeting them. His M.O. seems to be: meet the celebrities first, be congenial, then talk or write about them later.
Shmuley states in his book that he is friends with Uri Geller — the magician/psychic who was busted by Johnny Carson in 1973. Geller was the one who introduced Martin Bashir to Michael, which culminated in the infamous and disastrous “Living with Michael Jackson” documentary. This is the same Geller who cashed in on Michael with his own “My Friend Michael Jackson” documentary. Shmuley also brags in the book that he’s friends with Roseanne Barr, who recently came under a torrent of criticism for dressing up as Hitler while holding a sheet of burnt “Jew cookies.” No one is perfect, and some respectable people make mistakes and poor decisions, but if Shmuley is going to sit on his pedestal to denounce Michael’s actions and “tsk-tsk” after bits of the transcript in his book, then it is only fair that Shmuley himself and his own friends come under scrutiny.
Shmuley writes: “I had already noticed one of the biggest problems in Michael’s life was the gravy train of hangers-on. If I were to ever become one of them, my very morality would be compromised.” IF? The million dollar question is, what separates Shmuley from the other hangers-on? His bank account will be padded by the sales of this book. His name and face will be more recognizable given his appearances on “Dateline” and other programs to promote this book, further solidifying his celebrity rabbi status. There is, of course, no mention of his mismanagement of charity funds (the real reason Michael severed ties with him). He laments that Michael’s downfall was partially due to him not having a solid support system in place (family, friends, church). How could he have that support system if even his rabbi/counselor/friend sells him out by writing a book, looking down on the star from his high horse? So the unfortunate answer is, Rabbi Shmuley is no different from the other hangers-on. What is sad is that a lot of what the rabbi preaches is sound and intriguing advice. He comes across as an intelligent and affable man capable of compassion and truly helping others. It is too bad that he is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, seduced by the very industry and practices he denonces. He pats himself on the back by stating he declined Michael’s invitation to his thirtieth anniversary concert, thinking that the friendship was irreparable, but whatever points he might have scored in doing so are dashed by the publication of this book. He writes near the end: “In general there are only two kinds of people: stars and planets. Those who give off an autonomous, inner light, and those who are forced to reflect a borrowed, exterior light.” It is…
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