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American Morning

Defending Jackson

Aired January 20, 2004 - 09:44   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson is getting support from an unusual corner, Uri Geller, who's psychic demonstrations have stirred up plenty of there own controversy, believe that Jackson is no child molester. He said the proof is in the pop star's subconscious. Uri Geller is in London this morning to give us a window into the mind of Michael Jackson.
Nice to see you, Mr. Geller. Thanks for being with us.

URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Thank you, Soledad, for inviting me on your show.

O'BRIEN: It's our pleasure.

Have you spoken to Michael Jackson since the most recent charges of child molestation have surfaced?

GELLER: No, I haven't. But I felt that it was my duty to come out with what I did to Michael three years ago, when I hypnotized him.

And of course, you must understand I have with self respect for his privacy, and I violated my own ethical code, because he did not give me permission to go that deep into asking about the allegations.

O'BRIEN: So let's back up and talk about this. You say that you asked him about those previous allegations of child molestation without his knowledge; while you were hypnotizing him for something else, you sort of went further, asked him questions. What were the questions? What did he say?

GELLER: OK, I asked him, after I gave him the usual information, to change certain behavior. I simply asked him to be very honest with me and tell me about those first allegations that were leveled against him. And he said they were all made up. These were his words. He wasn't even hesitating. And he said that they wanted my money.

Then I went further and I asked him further, I said, why did you pay up then? Why did you pay the boy? And he said, I couldn't take it any more. It was the easiest thing to do.

O'BRIEN: When did you tell Michael Jackson that you did this? When did you let him know that you had done this, as you call it, unethical extra hypnosis of him?

GELLER: I haven't. I absolutely have not. This is the first time that I talk about it. I went even further with my questioning, and I actually asked him -- because I knew the friendship was building. I invited him to my home. I'm a father of two children. I just wanted to know the truth. And I asked him, did you ever touch a child or a young kid inappropriately in a sexual manner? And he said it very, very strongly, clearly, that he would never do such a thing, and he added further that his friendship with children is very beautiful. And I was, you know, just stunned at his directness under hypnosis, because I am a good hypnotist. Years ago, I used to do a hypnotic show on the stages in Israel. I know who is faking and who's not. Michael was not faking.

O'BRIEN: At the same time, and pardon me for interrupting, as you say, you are a father of two small children. You've said, no way I would let my children sleep in Michael Jackson's bed, not a chance. That's what you said.

GELLER: Oh, absolutely, because it's just not acceptable, come on. I mean, the world out there is a very suspicious world, and it's just not accepted, it's just not right for any parent to send any child to anyone's home, to anyone's bed. I mean, even knowing that Michael would not touch my children, it's still not acceptable, and Michael does not understand that, because Michael has his own theories. He lives in his own world. He believes, and I truly know this, that he's giving unconditional love to children. And I'm so, so strong in my opinions and views. And God forbid if I'm wrong, then my own belief in human nature, in my own judgment of character would be shattered to the core.

And if anyone out there, if a mother can hear me now or (NAME OMITTED), the child, then I urge you to go forward and tell truth, because you are destroying someone out there.

O'BRIEN: Uri, two things, first, I say, as you well know, CNN joins many other news organizations in not naming this your boy, so I'm going to just sort of re-emphasize that for you.

Also a question about this arraignment on Friday. Michael Jackson plead not guilty to seven counts of child molestation, goes outside, climbs on the roof of the SUV, claps his hands, stamps his feet, waves and blows kisses to the crowd. There are certainly many people who say this is a guy who truly is not taking these very serious charges seriously.

GELLER: Well, look, Michael Jackson acts incredibly spontaneously. I've been with him many, many times. He didn't plan that event, to jump on his car and direct his camera man and so on. But he felt the outpouring of the love from his fans, and he just did it. Sure, it wasn't the right thing do, but this is Michael Jackson, and he just sometimes doesn't think. His heart talks rather than his mind.

O'BRIEN: You and Michael Jackson in the past have been very friendly. I know that there was a little bit of controversy over what the fallout of the Martin Brashear interview. Are you still friendly to this day? Are you friends? GELLER: I stayed Michael Jackson's friend all the way, and I'll back him up, because I believe he is innocent. His friendship toward me must have tarnished, because you must understand, Soledad, it was me -- I, in a way, in an indirect way, started all of this, because Martin Brashear convinced me, in my own home, that he's going to do a positive documentary, and that was enough verbal assurances, as I asked Martin Brashear to give me a letter, and he did brought me a letter, and nobody knows this. On the letterhead, on the stationary of the television station, promising me that this is positive, this is going to be great for Michael, and he then showed me a letter from Princess Diana that praised Martin Brashear. And I was convinced that, finally, there was a decent journalist here that will come out with something spectacular, and he betrayed us. He betrayed me, and he betrayed Michael.

But Michael indeed made devastating mistakes on the show itself. First of all, I am puzzled and amazed that when Michael was introduced to Martin Brashear by me, I stepped out of the picture. Why didn't Michael Jackson call his lawyer, or his image-maker or his PR people to look at the contract that Granada (ph) stuck under his face? I don't understand why he didn't do that. So -- and also during the documentary, there were major mistakes, like...

O'BRIEN: Does he contact you at all? I know you say you remain his friend, but obviously, the $64,000 question, is does he remain your friend?

GELLER: I don't think so. I think our friendship, his friendship toward me, is tarnished. But I think it's going to mend, and because he needs his friends now, and I think that Michael Jackson is an incredibly intelligent person, and he will understand that there are friends out there, and he shouldn't cut contact with him.

O'BRIEN: I'm sure he'll appreciate what you've come forward to say on his behalf today. Uri Geller, joining us this morning from London. Thank you very much for being with us.

GELLER: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired January 20, 2004 - 09:44   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson is getting support from an unusual corner, Uri Geller, who's psychic demonstrations have stirred up plenty of there own controversy, believe that Jackson is no child molester. He said the proof is in the pop star's subconscious. Uri Geller is in London this morning to give us a window into the mind of Michael Jackson.
Nice to see you, Mr. Geller. Thanks for being with us.

URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Thank you, Soledad, for inviting me on your show.

O'BRIEN: It's our pleasure.

Have you spoken to Michael Jackson since the most recent charges of child molestation have surfaced?

GELLER: No, I haven't. But I felt that it was my duty to come out with what I did to Michael three years ago, when I hypnotized him.

And of course, you must understand I have with self respect for his privacy, and I violated my own ethical code, because he did not give me permission to go that deep into asking about the allegations.

O'BRIEN: So let's back up and talk about this. You say that you asked him about those previous allegations of child molestation without his knowledge; while you were hypnotizing him for something else, you sort of went further, asked him questions. What were the questions? What did he say?

GELLER: OK, I asked him, after I gave him the usual information, to change certain behavior. I simply asked him to be very honest with me and tell me about those first allegations that were leveled against him. And he said they were all made up. These were his words. He wasn't even hesitating. And he said that they wanted my money.

Then I went further and I asked him further, I said, why did you pay up then? Why did you pay the boy? And he said, I couldn't take it any more. It was the easiest thing to do.

O'BRIEN: When did you tell Michael Jackson that you did this? When did you let him know that you had done this, as you call it, unethical extra hypnosis of him?

GELLER: I haven't. I absolutely have not. This is the first time that I talk about it. I went even further with my questioning, and I actually asked him -- because I knew the friendship was building. I invited him to my home. I'm a father of two children. I just wanted to know the truth. And I asked him, did you ever touch a child or a young kid inappropriately in a sexual manner? And he said it very, very strongly, clearly, that he would never do such a thing, and he added further that his friendship with children is very beautiful. And I was, you know, just stunned at his directness under hypnosis, because I am a good hypnotist. Years ago, I used to do a hypnotic show on the stages in Israel. I know who is faking and who's not. Michael was not faking.

O'BRIEN: At the same time, and pardon me for interrupting, as you say, you are a father of two small children. You've said, no way I would let my children sleep in Michael Jackson's bed, not a chance. That's what you said.

GELLER: Oh, absolutely, because it's just not acceptable, come on. I mean, the world out there is a very suspicious world, and it's just not accepted, it's just not right for any parent to send any child to anyone's home, to anyone's bed. I mean, even knowing that Michael would not touch my children, it's still not acceptable, and Michael does not understand that, because Michael has his own theories. He lives in his own world. He believes, and I truly know this, that he's giving unconditional love to children. And I'm so, so strong in my opinions and views. And God forbid if I'm wrong, then my own belief in human nature, in my own judgment of character would be shattered to the core.

And if anyone out there, if a mother can hear me now or (NAME OMITTED), the child, then I urge you to go forward and tell truth, because you are destroying someone out there.

O'BRIEN: Uri, two things, first, I say, as you well know, CNN joins many other news organizations in not naming this your boy, so I'm going to just sort of re-emphasize that for you.

Also a question about this arraignment on Friday. Michael Jackson plead not guilty to seven counts of child molestation, goes outside, climbs on the roof of the SUV, claps his hands, stamps his feet, waves and blows kisses to the crowd. There are certainly many people who say this is a guy who truly is not taking these very serious charges seriously.

GELLER: Well, look, Michael Jackson acts incredibly spontaneously. I've been with him many, many times. He didn't plan that event, to jump on his car and direct his camera man and so on. But he felt the outpouring of the love from his fans, and he just did it. Sure, it wasn't the right thing do, but this is Michael Jackson, and he just sometimes doesn't think. His heart talks rather than his mind.

O'BRIEN: You and Michael Jackson in the past have been very friendly. I know that there was a little bit of controversy over what the fallout of the Martin Brashear interview. Are you still friendly to this day? Are you friends? GELLER: I stayed Michael Jackson's friend all the way, and I'll back him up, because I believe he is innocent. His friendship toward me must have tarnished, because you must understand, Soledad, it was me -- I, in a way, in an indirect way, started all of this, because Martin Brashear convinced me, in my own home, that he's going to do a positive documentary, and that was enough verbal assurances, as I asked Martin Brashear to give me a letter, and he did brought me a letter, and nobody knows this. On the letterhead, on the stationary of the television station, promising me that this is positive, this is going to be great for Michael, and he then showed me a letter from Princess Diana that praised Martin Brashear. And I was convinced that, finally, there was a decent journalist here that will come out with something spectacular, and he betrayed us. He betrayed me, and he betrayed Michael.

But Michael indeed made devastating mistakes on the show itself. First of all, I am puzzled and amazed that when Michael was introduced to Martin Brashear by me, I stepped out of the picture. Why didn't Michael Jackson call his lawyer, or his image-maker or his PR people to look at the contract that Granada (ph) stuck under his face? I don't understand why he didn't do that. So -- and also during the documentary, there were major mistakes, like...

O'BRIEN: Does he contact you at all? I know you say you remain his friend, but obviously, the $64,000 question, is does he remain your friend?

GELLER: I don't think so. I think our friendship, his friendship toward me, is tarnished. But I think it's going to mend, and because he needs his friends now, and I think that Michael Jackson is an incredibly intelligent person, and he will understand that there are friends out there, and he shouldn't cut contact with him.

O'BRIEN: I'm sure he'll appreciate what you've come forward to say on his behalf today. Uri Geller, joining us this morning from London. Thank you very much for being with us.

GELLER: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com