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Showbiz Tonight
Showbiz Tonight for June 13, 2005, CNNHN
Aired June 13, 2005 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KARYN BRYANT, CO-HOST: Michael Jackson is acquitted on all counts. I`m Karyn Bryant.
A.J. HAMMER, CO-HOST: I`m A.J. Hammer. You`re watching TV`s only live nightly entertainment news program, and tonight a special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the Michael Jackson verdict.
BRYANT: Tonight, the verdict the world has been waiting for is finally here, and Michael Jackson is sitting at home, a free man.
Just hours ago, the pop star was found not guilty on all of the charges against him, a complete victory for Jackson.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT is the place for the latest on this historic day. Jackson just arrived at his Neverland Ranch just a short time ago. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson is live there right now.
Brooke, we haven`t had protesters out there. We`ve only had fans all along, so I imagine there`s quite a bit of jubilation.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A.J., Karyn, it is a scene of triumph and jubilation here. Michael Jackson arrived home a short while ago, as you just said, triumphant from being acquitted of all 10 charges. And he was greeted by a hoard of fans, and even chefs, even housekeepers, some of his staff even came to the gate and waved and cheered along.
Everyone here seems extremely, happy. It`s an incredible day for him. I was talking to some of the fans a little bit earlier, about 10 minutes ago. One woman told me this was the happiest day of her entire life.
Also, defense attorney Tom Mesereau did arrive home here to see Michael Jackson a short time ago. The fans surrounded his car, cheered for him, chanted his name, chanted thank you to him. So everyone here extremely excited that Michael Jackson was acquitted.
This after he did learn his fate in court. Charged with 10 specific counts. One by one, each count was read by the court clerk. We heard an audio feed of that -- of those verdicts, because no cameras were allowed in the courtroom. But we did hear that audio feed. And one by one, it was the Same story with each count.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Count two, verdict: we the jury in the above entitled case find the defendant not guilty of a lewd act upon a minor child as charged in count two of the indictment, dated June 13, 2005.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Huge crowds outside the courthouse today, as well. All along, they maintained that Michael Jackson was -- innocent. They feel that he has been found innocent for good reason.
They`ve been here from all over the country, all over the world. They`ve left their jobs for days, weeks at a time. And as each not guilty verdict was read, there were loud cheers that erupted throughout the crowd.
Now, when Jackson exited the courtroom, he seeped a bit shaken, not very expressive. He waved to the crowd, but that was really about it. He was surrounded by his family, his parents, his brothers and sisters, including Janet and latoya.
And again, here at Neverland, the party just keeps getting bigger and bigger. People are coming by the droves. Every minute, more and more people coming here to Neverland to show their support -- A.J., Karyn.
HAMMER: OK. Brooke, thank you very much. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`S Brooke Anderson live at the Neverland Ranch.
Now, just a short time ago, members of the Jackson jury talked about what led them to today`s verdict.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After deliberating for as long as we did, and emotions everybody goes through, and, you know, just everything, it just -- you just realize that it`s done. And it`s over. And that we all can now go on with our lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt like we were really left in the dark about some things, and questions weren`t answered. But we had to make do with what we had, and the evidence that was given to us. And we did it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To think that we would have been finished today, that hadn`t entered my mind this morning. There just -- there was still a lot of ground to cover. But I think once we understood all the evidence, and we talked it out, that it was clear what we had to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had 98 pages of instructions, and we referred to them quite diligently. And -- and we kept going back to it. You know, it has to be beyond a reasonable doubt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the closet of evidence really said it all. Every time that we came up to a stopping point, we all had to remind ourselves that we have a closet full of evidence that really made us always come back to the same thing. It was just not enough.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The mother, when she looked at me and snapped her fingers a few times, and she says, "You know how our culture is" and winks at me, and I thought, "No, that`s not the way our culture is."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The only thing I have to say about the Ardiso (ph) family is, you know, I felt that there was enough reasonable doubt there.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A lot of people said the timeline was one of the biggest problems with this case, that the conspiracy had some problems, that the allegations of molestation began 19 days after the cover-up began. What are your thoughts on the timeline, how the prosecution presented that, and some of the things that happened in the interim of that timeline?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really don`t want to comment on that right now. We discussed that, and maybe No. 3 would like to take that one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go for it, No. 3.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We spent a lot of time, and personally that was very confusing in the beginning, but I wrote to the point where I can hardly use my thumb.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Speak up, we can`t hear you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`m very proud of everyone here. We took notes so well that we could develop the timeline on the boards and really analyze it. So it was a question. The timeline was a concern.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BRYANT: Well, now that we have heard what the jury was thinking during the case, we`ll go to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. He`s been getting reaction from the streets of New York. He joins us live from Times Square -- David.
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Karyn, it felt very much like a movie set here today. The normally very busy Times Square grinding almost to a complete standstill as citizens and tourists alike all paused for a moment to look at the very large television screens here in Times Square. The hustle and bustle coming to a near complete standstill as they awaited to see what the verdicts would be from the Michael Jackson case.
And so people gathered around and all got very quiet at one point as the first verdict was being read itself. And soon the crowd erupted into a bit of applause and cheering after verdict No. 1 came up and was pronounced "not guilty," of course, and subsequently, those nine other verdicts were read, as well. All "not guilty," as well.
The final, of course, the final verdict being read, everybody just went into a massive amount of applause. And we caught up with a bunch of the passersby shortly after to get their thoughts.
(Begin videotape)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it`s terrific that Michael got off. I didn`t believe that he did none of it anyway.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I`m glad he`s free. He`s finally -- he`s done it. And I knew all along that he was an innocent man.
HAFFENREFFER: He was found innocent on all 10 counts. Was that a surprise?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Disgusting. Disgusted. It`s very sad to see how America is today. I think that an unfamous person, it would be a very different outcome.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not a surprise at all. I don`t think the prosecution really had enough evidence. And you know how it goes with the media today. Sometimes it`s a funny thing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was a surprise, yes, it was. I mean, I thought there was a lot of bias, especially because there was so much coverage in the media and everything like that. And the jury admitting to being his fan.
HAFFENREFFER: What about his music career? Can he ever get it back?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, he`s still the King of Pop. He`s still the King of Pop. He`s still the King of Pop, no doubt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Intelligence, man. I mean, the guy went on TV and admitted to giving drinks and admitted to sleeping with the kid because they`re friends. So your son comes over to my house and plays with my son. I sleep with your son in underwears, and I come and tell you the next day it`s because we`re friends, are you going to let me get away with that?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAFFENREFFER: This is New York City, so the crowd dispersed almost as quickly as it had gathered.
For the most part the people that we spoke with said that they didn`t think Michael Jackson`s music career would be hurt one bit. Karyn, back to you.
BRYANT: All right. Thanks, David Haffenreffer in Times Square, New York.
HAMMER: Well, joining us now live now from Burbank, California, Pat Lalama of "Celebrity Justice." She`s got the latest on District Attorney Tom Sneddon`s reaction to his defeat today -- Pat.
PAT LALAMA, "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": We already know that for the defense it was a clean sweep. Well, as for Mr. Sneddon, quite a different story. You have to admit it must have been a bitter reality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM SNEDDON, SANTA BARBARA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Obviously, we`re disappointed in the verdict. But we work every day in a system of justice. We believe in the system of justice. And I`ve been a prosecutor for 37 years. And for 37 years I`ve never quarreled with a jury`s verdict, and I`m not going to start today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LALAMA: Now, you know, from the very beginning, Mr. Sneddon has been haunted with questions. That this was all a vendetta, that he was simply out to get Michael Jackson because he didn`t get him in 1993. He still insists this was no witch hunt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SNEDDON: My past history with Mr. Jackson had absolutely, unequivocally nothing to do with our evaluation of this particular case. That`s been a nice little 30-second sound byte that the media has used to try to justify this thing. But it never had anything to do with either the sheriff`s investigation or our decision to file.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LALAMA: Well, unless there are some new charges coming down the pike, he will never, ever come face to face with Michael Jackson again. A bitter pill for him to swallow? Probably. Will he ever jump back into the fire again on a high profile case? It remains to be seen.
Back to you.
HAMMER: OK, Pat Lalama from "Celebrity Justice" joining us live from Burbank. Thanks very much.
Well, from the youngest member of the Jackson 5 to the most famous.
BRYANT: When we come back, we`ll have a look at Michael Jackson`s career.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BRYANT: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing live coverage of the acquittal of Michael Jackson on all charges. Tonight is a stunning new chapter in the already extraordinary life of Michael Jackson.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s Brooke Anderson joins us live once again from the Neverland Ranch with a look back at the career of the man who became known as the King of Pop -- Brooke.
ANDERSON: A.J., Karyn, he is known around the world as the King of Pop. And although his popularity has waned considerably in the US over the past decade, he still remains a superstar all over the world.
Can he make a career comeback everywhere in the music business? Let`s take a look back at his career and his prospects for the future.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Michael Jackson became a sensation before he reached his teens, the show-stopper in a musical group made up of his brothers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson was basically the front boy of a boy band. So he was very much a child in the public`s eyes. So when he debuted with -- as a solo artist with "Off the Wall" he was telling the world he`s a man now.
ANDERSON: His album "Off the Wall" went platinum in 1979.
Then came "Thriller," which would redefine the standard of pop success. It went on to sell more than 26 million copies in the United States alone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "Thriller" made Michael Jackson a deity, a musical deity. I mean, he was like a one-man Beatles.
ANDERSON: The album "Bad" was another giant hit. But his musical fortunes had begun to decline around the time child molestation allegations first surfaced against him in 1993. Jackson denied the accusations, and a civil suit was settled out of court.
"History, Past, Present and Future," which came out in the mid-`90s sold millions but well below the record levels of his earlier work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The `80s was really his decade as a solo singer. By the `90s, like the climate of the culture had shifted.
ANDERSON: And "Invincible," released in 2001, sold under three million copies domestically, anemic for the man dubbed the King of Pop.
His most recent CD, "Number Ones," was released the day authorities raided his Neverland Ranch in the investigation that would lead to criminal molestation charges. That album has yet to reach a million in sales, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Still, some see a potential for a Jackson comeback, including record company executive L.A. Reid.
ANTONIO "L.A." REID, CHAIRMAN, ISLAND DEF JAM MUSIC: I would honestly start with him touring and getting out and performing for people, and really reminding people that he`s one of the greats. He`s one of the true icons of our time.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Michael Jackson has won 13 Grammy awards during his career, but he hasn`t won one since 1995. Many believe his image may be too tainted now to make a career comeback.
But we just heard there from record producer L.A. Reid. He says he would tone everything down if he were producing for Michael Jackson: the image, the hair, the clothes; tell Jackson to sing more emotional songs going forward.
And he says, "You know what? Michael Jackson is a superstar known around the world, but at the Same time he still is the guy from Gary, Indiana.
Karyn, A.J., back to you.
Hammer: ok. Brooke Anderson once again live from the Neverland Ranch.
Well, after looking back at Michael`s career, what`s next for the King of Pop. Joining us live in New York to take a look at his future, Lola Ogunnaike from "The New York Times" and Tamara Conniff, the executive editor of "People" magazine.
Nice to see you both. Let`s talk about it. Let`s get right to it.
Tamara, I want to start with you. Brooke just raised a question that everybody has been talking about. Is he too tainted now? Is his career too tainted? Can it possibly survive this trial?
TAMARA CONNIFF, EXECUTIVE EDITOR, "BILLBOARD" MAGAZINE: You know, honestly, Michael Jackson is one of the most talented entertainers out there. And I really think that if he comes back with a really great record, if he goes back out on tour, the fans believe in him, and I really think that he can have a comeback.
HAMMER: Lola, what`s your take?
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": I think that if he had been convicted then definitely there would have been a nail in the coffin. But because he was acquitted there`s definitely a glimmer of hope.
And now more than ever, I think people are rallying on his side. People want to see him succeed now, and I think people would go out and buy a good Michael Jackson album.
But that`s going to require him getting back in the studio, hooking up with the right producers. And really just three words, tone it down, Michael Jackson. Just tone it down. Take it back to the basics. That`s what the people loved you for in the beginning and that`s what they want to see from him again.
HAMMER: It`s interesting, because I talked to a couple of people after the verdict was handed down earlier this afternoon. And there was that sense, as much as you thought, "Oh, his career is over," going into it, as soon as it came through as a clean sweep of acquittal, you know, that maybe things are going to be all right.
I don`t know if that`s just a temporary thing. But Lola mentioned a couple of suggestions: tone it down among them. L.A. Reid suggested maybe he needs to go out on tour immediately. Tamara, what do you think he has to do right now to save and salvage his career?
CONNIFF: Well, first he needs to just lay low for a little while. I think he needs to recover his health. I think he needs to just breathe and kind of pull himself together.
I`ve always thought he should do an unplugged album, that he just rally strip it down and show the world, without all the fancy production stuff, "This is who I am. I`m Michael Jackson. I`m a fantastic musician." And really kind of be naked to everybody.
He`s become such a strange figure, and people think he`s so weird. If he really just showed himself, I think he would really gain a lot of momentum.
HAMMER: Interesting choice of words there, but I`ll just move on from that.
OGUNNAIKE: I think he should keep away from being naked. But, just kidding.
Conniff: yes. True.
HAMMER: What else can he do, though. We`ve talked about it before, the idea of a Vegas show. Everybody would go to see him in Vegas.
Conniff: definitely.
HAMMER: The idea of doing duets, collaborations with people?
OGUNNAIKE: I think Michael Jackson, everyone is buying his style anyway. Justin Timberlake sounds like Michael Jackson. Usher sounds like Michael Jackson.
Michael Jackson, just sound like vintage Michael Jackson, and you will sell records. It`s that simple. Go back to the stuff that people loved you for in the beginning.
We want to hear something that`s reminiscent of "Billy Jean." We want to hear old hits, real Michael Jackson stuff. None of this experimental weird stuff. You know, drop the monkeys, get out of the hyperbolic chamber, tone down the makeup, too much lipstick. I mean, just keep it simple and clean. And I think it will work out for him.
HAMMER: Do you think he`ll face, though, as some people have suggested, the O.J. Simpson syndrome, where his brand is just too tainted, the Michael Jackson brand is just not recoverable at this point, Tamara?
CONNIFF: You know, I really don`t think so. I think that there`s something about Michael Jackson. There`s something about the tragicness of him. And there`s something about how much I think people were rooting for him to not be guilty, that there`s more of a sympathy there for Michael, that I think is a lot different than O.J.
HAMMER: And the talent is there. He certainly has that.
So Lola, what do you think, can he make it back to the top? You`re always only one hit away from being back on top.
OGUNNAIKE: He will never be the "Thriller" Michael Jackson. He`ll probably never sell, you know, that amazing, astounding amount of albums. But yes, he can have a hit record. No doubt.
HAMMER: All right. Well, thanks for talking about the future of Michael Jackson`s career. Tamara Conniff and Lola Ogunnaike from "The New York Times," appreciate you stopping by.
BRYANT: Coming up next, reaction from a former Jackson spokesperson.
HAMMER: And still ahead, we`re live outside a movie premier here in New York City that`s going on right now with celebrity reaction to the Jackson verdict. We`re coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and our continuing live coverage of the Michael Jackson acquittal. Eight women and four men found Jackson not guilty. His family, naturally, was ecstatic. CNN`s Rusty Dornin was there in the courtroom to witness it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I was sitting just behind the family, behind Katherine and Joe Jackson and Tito, and then in front of him, latoya, his sister, and Randy, his brother.
Now, just as the clerk is about to read the verdicts, all the kids reached around. Tito had his arm around his mother. Latoya reached her hand around. They all were touching Katherine Jackson, Michael`s mother. She started to break -- as soon as they heard the first not guilty, she broke down and started to cry. They all kept sort of grabbing her and holding her.
And from that point on, really, there was no other sound in the courtroom other than that clerk reading those not guilty verdicts.
Now Michael Jackson, you could not see his expression. He appeared very somber. But at the end he did turn. He hugged his attorney, Robert Sanger, then of course, also hugged Thomas Mesereau. But still appeared very somber.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: Reports say that Jackson did dab his eyes with a tissue as he listened to the verdict.
Outside, fans cheered and threw confetti as they heard the news.
BRYANT: Joining us live on the phone, former Michael Jackson spokesperson, Michael Levine.
Michael, first and foremost, what kind of reaction is coming from the Jackson family to this verdict?
MICHAEL LEVINE, FORMER MICHAEL JACKSON SPOKESPERSON: Well, it`s a stunning verdict for Michael Jackson, and devastating, devastating career-
ending loss for District Attorney Thomas Sneddon. But it`s a -- it`s a remarkable victory, that even some of the most optimistic insiders thought was unlikely.
BRYANT: Well, you were his spokesperson back in 1993 in another case. How has this one been different for Michael?
LEVINE: Well, the second time around was a lot worse. You know, here there was this extraordinary trial. And in the first molestation, for the year I represented him, there was not a trial. There was an enormous amount of media attention in both cases, but this was much, more serious.
BRYANT: Do you think in this instance that Michael has learned his lesson?
LEVINE: Well, that`s -- you know, I would hope so. And I hope that -
- you can`t put yourself in situations of even perceived impropriety in the world in which we live.
But, you know, I have to say that, even while the fans are celebrating, in front of the courthouse, I think there are very few that, if asked whether they would like Michael Jackson to baby sit their children, would probably volunteer.
I think that this is a very staining incident for his legacy, and some of the people that have expressed -- optimism may be a little intoxicated with the stunning victory today.
BRYANT: What would you recommend for him? Because certainly, you know, if he does want to stage a comeback, I think he should probably take some time. Are you recommending -- would you recommend that he lay low for awhile? What would you say he should do?
LEVINE: Well, I`ll tell you what`s more important than what you should do, more importantly is what you should not do. And I think act precipitously is what you don`t do.
Time is your friend; haste is your enemy. You`ve got to really sit down and reflect about where you`ve been, where you are, and where you want to be. And I think that`s something that`s got to go through a great period of reflection. And certainly got to be open to a support system that is a little more vocal in it`s telling Michael Jackson the brutal facts.
BRYANT: All right. Well, Michael Levine, former Michael Jackson spokesman, thank you for joining us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Now we would like to know your reaction to all of us. It`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson verdict: do you agree? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight. Got more to say? Our e- mail address is showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`re going to run down some of what you had to say later on in the show.
Well, when we come back, we`re going to have a live update from right outside the courthouse in California. And we`ll go back to Times Square live with reaction from the stars.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. I`m Thomas Roberts, and here`s your "Headline Prime Newsbreak."
It`s a slam dunk for Michael Jackson and his defense team. The pop star was found not guilty on all ten counts against him. He had been charged with molesting a 13-year-old cancer survivor. Jackson insisted he was the victim of a family of con artists and a prosecutor with a vendetta.
The tribunal that will try Saddam Hussein has released new video of the former dictator. It`s the first time Saddam has been seen since his arraignment last July when he appeared combative.
More than 1 million Americans are living with HIV. According to health officials, that`s the highest number since the peak of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s. A new report shows, while medicines allow HIV and AIDS patients to live longer, the disease is still spreading. Of all Americans living with HIV, African-Americans remain the hardest hit by the epidemic.
That is the news for now. Thanks for joining us. I`m Thomas Roberts, and we take you back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
HAMMER: Welcome back to this special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Tonight, Michael Jackson acquitted.
BRYANT: Just a short time ago, a California jury cleared the pop star of all ten counts against him, finding him not guilty of child molestation, conspiracy and alcohol charges. We`ve got you covered here at SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with coast-to-coast reaction from fans and stars.
HAMMER: But first, CNN`s Ted Rowlands joins us live outside the courthouse in Santa Maria, California.
BRYANT: Hey, Ted. Fill us in.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, A.J. and Karyn.
Well, inside and outside, the courtroom, as you might imagine, very dramatic when the verdicts were read, not guilty on all ten counts. Michael Jackson at one point dabbed his eyes with Kleenex, his family at his side, behind him, latoya Jackson, brothers Randy and Jermaine, along with his parents. All hugged afterwards. Michael Jackson got up and hugged his defense attorneys afterwards, as well.
Outside the courtroom, it was bedlam. After the first not guilty verdict was read, fans cheered. And then they quieted down to hear the next one. It went through all ten. And then the party began in earnest.
Most of the fans have now left the courthouse and have headed to Neverland Ranch where they continue to stand outside the Gates, hoping those Gates will open so they can go celebrate with their pop star idol, Michael Jackson, who arrived back at Neverland Ranch about 45 minutes after the verdict was read -- Karen?
BRYANT: OK. Thank you very much, Ted.
And now that Michael Jackson has been acquitted, what is next for him? Well, joining us to discuss his future live here in New York, our Craig Marks from music magazine "Blender" and Julia Boorstin who covers the entertainment industry for "Fortune" magazine. Joining us live from Los Angeles is Allison Samuels from "Newsweek" magazine.
And Allison, I want to start with you. Do you think Michael can ever recover and become the star he once was?
ALLISON SAMUELS, "NEWSWEEK" MAGAZINE: I think that he probably will not become the star he once was, because I don`t think that kind of star exists anymore, selling those many albums and having that type of fame. That doesn`t happen in these days and times.
But I do think Michael Jackson can come back because he is talented. He does have fans all over the world. And I think if he comes back with a solid album and actually can sort of resume some type of normal sort of look, I think fans will go for it. I think he can come back and have a decent career.
BRYANT: Craig, you look -- I can`t tell if that`s a look of agreement or...
CRAIG MARKS, "BLENDER" MAGAZINE: Yes, I basically agree. You know, I think he needs to listen to some people who might know a little bit more about music at this point or musical terrain than he does. I think he needs to realize he`s about to be 47 and so can`t make a record that`s supposed to appeal to 12-year-olds.
But I think, you know, he`s a great singer, as Allison said. He`s one of the greatest of the 20th century. And sure, you know, you`re always one hit away, one hit song away from a comeback.
BRYANT: All right. Julia, yes, no, he can come back?
JULIA BOORSTIN, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Well, financially he still has to change his ways. I mean, he still has a serious cash flow problem. He`s spending $20 to $30 million a year more than he`s making. So he really has to make an album or go on a tour, probably in Europe where he`s sort of bound to be more successful, in order to be able to fix his financial problems.
BRYANT: Well, there was talk while the trial was going on that perhaps he should sell part of the Beatles catalog or perhaps he should sell Neverland Ranch. Exactly what is his financial situation?
And now that he`s been acquitted and has the potential to make more money again, does he still need to take those measures?
BOORSTIN: Well, he is about $270 million in debt. But now because he has been acquitted, he probably does not have to sell the Beatles catalog, which is good, because it continues to bring in revenues. Between the Beatles catalog and also the catalog of his own songs, he probably gets $10 million a year, which is nice revenue stream, especially when he hasn`t put out a new album in a while.
BRYANT: So, Craig, do you think that if Michael Jackson were to do a Vegas show, this would be one way for him to make some money? Do you think people would go and check that out?
MARKS: Oh, yes. Oh, yes, I think that`s a great and probably, you know, likely route for him. I mean, Celine Dion -- there`s no taint right now to playing Vegas. Celine Dion does it. Elton John does it.
Someone would give him multimillions to play 18 months, three nights a week in Vegas, play for tourists, play your hits, you know, part freak show, part musical revue.
You know, it would be a draw. It would give him a chance to recharge his batteries to get back out in front of people in a way that, you know, would be sort of amenable to him. I think that could work.
BRYANT: Allison, do you agree that that could work for Michael?
SAMUELS: I think that could work for Michael. But I also think he has so many fans within the industry, people like Usher who love him, who have sort of modeled their careers after him on so many levels that, I think, if he were able to get some of those guys involved, and getting on an album, you know, going on tour with some of those guys, I think there are many options for Michael to come back.
(CROSSTALK)
BRYANT: So, Allison, you`re then saying basically the people who have ripped off Michael Jackson, you`re saying he should go and sort of complete the circle...
SAMUELS: Yes, basically.
BRYANT: ... And have them work together again, and sort of help him jumpstart his career?
SAMUELS: Because they`ve ripped off him because they admire him. I mean, Usher, certainly in the past, has worshipped him. And many of the younger singers have worshipped Michael Jackson, everything about his dancing, everything about his singing, the whole Michael Jackson image.
I think those guys would be interested, you know, after some time, you know, getting back in the studio with Michael, working with him, and just sort of, you know, helping him, you know, regain some of that fame again.
BOORSTIN: That can also be a key for Michael Jackson, because at this point, his image and the kind of music he makes just isn`t big anymore. And he defined the 1980s. And to a certain extent, things really shifted in the 1990s to more of a rap, R&B, hip-hop. And I think to integrate some of those people would show that he`s modernizing in that way.
BRYANT: Well, certainly, too, though, we talk about Michael Jackson in terms of being an international superstar. Julie, is he making more money in other countries? Is he more of a, you know, a viable artist in other places, still financially...
(Crosstalk)
BOORSTIN: He probably is more of a viable artist in other countries for a couple reasons. One is that all of his accusations of pedophilia and these lawsuits have not touched him as much internationally as they have in the US
And also, the music tastes are not as fickle and they don`t change as much internationally. So "Thriller" and those songs, they`re are not considered retro there. They`re just cool there. Where as here they`re kind of, you know, old hat.
So I think that he has more of a chance internationally. And I think an international concert tour, where he doesn`t necessarily have to be performing every night, but have, you know, a couple of really big concerts in each of the big cities, you know, people don`t think of him in the Same light internationally as they do here in the US
BRYANT: Now, Craig, what do you think? Not too long ago, Tamara Conniff from Billboard recommended that Michael maybe do an album, a stripped-down, acoustic raw sound. What...
MARKS: Well, that`s the Elvis Presley route. You know, Elvis Presley came back in 1968 with a network television special that went back to his roots after all those horrible, fluffy, Hollywood films, where the Beatles were dominant and he seemed very passe. And it worked for him.
That`s one route, sure. I think it`s hard to get that through to him, though. For him to reconnect with his base would be, I think, a difficult move. He`s 47, and as pointed out, most 47-year-old artists don`t sell new records. They go on concert tours. You know, Madonna, Springsteen, Prince, those were his peers. They don`t sell that many new albums anymore.
So I think, you know, he needs to make an adult, sophisticated, mature record that shows people that he`s learned a little bit, that, you know, he can express the Same emotional tenor that he did when he was 24. So, you know, a song like "My Way," which Elvis Presley came back with in the late-
`60s, that`s the kind of song he needs in order to resume a career, I think.
BRYANT: OK, Allison, what`s the one thing Michael should or should not do now?
SAMUELS: I think the one thing he should do right now is take a minute. I mean, he seemed to be incredibly emotionally drained from, you know, this whole ordeal. And I think everybody would understand and respect him if he just -- you know, if we didn`t see him for the next six months, I think we would all be OK with that.
And I think that`s what he needs right now. I really don`t want to see him on, you know, the big primetime "20/20" or whatever, you know, next week talking about this situation. I think everybody would appreciate if he took a moment and collected himself. And I think that`s the main thing that he needs to do for himself and for his future.
BRYANT: Julia, the one thing he should or shouldn`t do next?
BOORSTIN: Well, financially, he really has to stop the spending. He has to stop the $10,000-a-night hotel rooms. He has to stop buying his friends and family houses as presents. You know, he really has to just stop spending, because he can`t dig himself into a deeper financial hole than he already is in now.
BRYANT: OK, well, thank you very much, Julia and Craig right here, and Allison joining us as well. Thank you very much -- A.J.?
HAMMER: All right, Karyn. Well, coming up, we`re going to have a live interview with Michael Jackson`s friend and spiritual adviser, Deepak Chopra. And we`ll also check back in with SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer. He`s live in New York`s Times Square getting celebrity reaction to the verdict tonight.
You`re watching a very special edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, live on Headline Prime.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s continuing live coverage of Michael Jackson`s acquittal.
BRYANT: Now, with both fan and celebrity reaction to the verdict, we turn again to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s David Haffenreffer who is live in New York Times Square, which is often called the crossroads of the world.
David, what is the world saying tonight?
DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, crossroads indeed, Karyn and A.J.
You know, if you weren`t in the California courtroom listening to the verdicts come down yourself today, Times Square might have been the place to be. There are two very giant jumbo television screens here in New York City. One just above the "Good Morning America" studio; the other just to the south of our position here, where people from all over the world stopped and simply watched and listened to the verdicts coming down, erupting in applause and cheers after each not guilty verdict was announced. It was quite a sight to see.
Just a few blocks from here is where the New York premiere of the new film "Bewitched" is being played out tonight at New York Ziegfeld Theater, starring Nicole Kidman, and Will Farrell, and Michael Caine, and Shirley Maclaine, as well.
We caught up with some of the celebrities going to that event tonight, asked them their thoughts on the verdict today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL FARRELL, ACTOR: Yes, it`s kind of amazing the amount of attention this whole thing has gotten here, and probably around the world. So I`m sure he`s relieved, yes.
MICKY DOLENZ, ACTOR: Well, I`m sure he`s very relieved. I was not in the courtroom. And I refused to watch all the crap on TV about it, because I don`t believe in that.
I would have loved to have been there and heard the evidence and been able to make an educated, you know, opinion, educated judgment. But I wasn`t able to do that, so I`d like to think that the justice system works and that it`s a just verdict.
JAI RODRIGUEZ, "QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY": I mean, I didn`t follow most of it, but I mean it`s crazy. It`s crazy. It`s like one out of ten? No. Nothing. He`s a free man.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you disappointed?
RODRIGUEZ: I don`t know. I just -- I`m shocked. I thought he was going to be guilty of one of them. I don`t know, I haven`t really been following too much. But you thought for sure, years and years of speculation (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all came to a head. You figured one of them, just one count he`d be guilty of. I don`t know.
Good for him, though. I mean, if he`s innocent, then let him be innocent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAFFENREFFER: In a note, we also spoke to Penny Marshall, one of the executive producers of the film "Bewitched." She said that in the wake of this Michael Jackson verdict, all these not guilty verdicts in this particular case, maybe people will stop going after celebrities for their money.
Karyn, back to you.
BRYANT: All right. Thank you very much, David Haffenreffer, live in New York`s Times Square.
Well, we have been asking you at home to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson verdict: Do you agree? You can keep voting at CNN.com/showbiztonight. You can also send e-mails our way to showbiztonight@CNN.com.
HAMMER: And now we`re going to take an inside look at the man who knew Jackson intimately and made the documentary that sent shockwaves through the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN BASHIR, DOCUMENTARY REPORTER: Eight months ago, I put a proposal to Michael Jackson. Show me the real man, but show me everything. Make nothing off-limits. He thought about it, and then he said, yes, come to Neverland.
HAMMER (voice-over): Martin Bashir, the British journalist best known for interviewing the late Princess Diana until he turned his camera on the King of Pop. The result, "Living with Michael Jackson."
BASHIR: You don`t want to grow up?
MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: No, I am Peter Pan.
BASHIR: No, you`re not. You`re Michael Jackson.
JACKSON: I`m Peter Pan in my heart.
HAMMER: When it aired on ABC in February 2003, 27 million people in the United States tuned in and saw this.
JACKSON: But I have slept with them. There were many children. I sleep in the bed with all of them. When Macaulay Culkin was 11, Kieran Culkin would sleep this, Macaulay Culkin`s on this side. His sister`s in there. We`re all just jamming in the bed. And we would wake up at like dawn and go out in the hot air balloon.
HAMMER: They also heard from the boy who would later accuse Jackson of molestation.
UNIDENTIFIED ACCUSER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: There was one night I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I asked him if I could stay in his bedroom, if I could sleep in the bedroom. And I was like, "Michael, you could sleep on the bed." And he was like, "No, no, no, no, you sleep on the bed, sleep on it." And we were like no, no, no. You know, you sleep on the bed. And then he finally said, "OK. If you love me, you`ll sleep on the bed." I was like, "Oh, man." And so I finally slept on the bed. But it was fun that night.
HAMMER: Jackson said he slept on the floor that night, but the images sparked a controversy and the investigation that would result in this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No comment.
HAMMER: But how did Martin Bashir convince the reclusive Jackson to let him into his world? The defense claims it was letters, fawning, flattering letters calling Jackson underappreciated and Neverland an extraordinary, a breathtaking, a stupendous, and exhilarating and amazing place, and a beautiful landscape encouraging all of us to become little children again.
BASHIR: Do you want to climb it now?
Jackson: yes.
BASHIR: Give me hold of the umbrella.
JACKSON: Yes.
BASHIR: You go and climb it.
HAMMER: The defense says Bashir made promises to Jackson, to talk about his efforts to help children with AIDS in Africa. But they were empty promises, according to the defense, to facilitate a project designed to humiliate, degrade and deceive.
As for Martin Bashir, he, like Jackson, rarely gives interviews and had little to say about his documentary in the days following his broadcast and even less to say during his time on the witness stand where he refused to answer questions citing California`s shield law for journalists.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Deepak Chopra is Michael Jackson`s friend and spiritual adviser. He joins us now live from San Diego, California.
Thanks for being with us, Deepak.
DEEPAK CHOPRA, AUTHOR: You`re welcome.
HAMMER: What is your reaction to the events of the day, free and acquitted on all ten counts?
CHOPRA: I`m relieved. You know, several months ago, just before the trial started, I looked Michael Jackson in the eye. I said, "Michael, is there any truth to any of this?" And he looked me straight in the eye and he said, "No."
I called him nanny, who I know very well, because she used to work for me. And I asked her the Same question. And she looked me straight in the eye and she said, "No." So then I told Michael, I said, "Stay with yourself, have faith in yourself, meditate, pray, and be strong." And you know, even during the trial, he would leave messages for me on my voicemail saying he was fine, and he wondered if I was fine.
HAMMER: OK, so you received voicemail messages from him. You sent some to him. And you spoke with him before the trial. When`s the actual last time you spoke directly with Michael?
CHOPRA: Well, I actually spoke to the nanny as he was leaving the house. And then I spoke to the nanny again as he came back. And he sent a message to me through her saying he would talk later tonight or tomorrow, and that he thanked me for our friendship and so on. But I haven`t spoken to him directly in the last few days.
HAMMER: So judging by the phone conversations that you had with him, or the direct conversations, and those voicemail messages that you received from him, what was his state of mind while the trial was going on? Obviously, we know he was under an awful lot of stress and that had certain medical manifestations, but what was your perception of his state of mind?
CHOPRA: I`m sure he was troubled and he was anxious. But, you know, Michael`s an interesting person. The day he got arrested, my son called him. And he was in handcuffs. And he told my son, "Are you all right?" You know, "Don`t worry about me. Take care of yourself." And he was actually asking about his welfare.
And every time I spoke to Michael, he would do that. He would be more concerned about how everything was going on with me. And even though I knew he was anxious, he was always maintaining that appearance of strength, and he tried to be as strong as he could.
HAMMER: And what is your sense, knowing him as you do, of what he`s going through right now, and exactly how he`s doing? Because it`s been quite a ride for him, obviously.
CHOPRA: Yes. You know, I`ve known Michael for 20 years. And I think he`s, more than anything else, he`s relieved.
He`s a very good father. I know his children, and they`re very healthy, and they love him. They never watched anything that was happening on TV, so they never knew what was going on. And they were quite taken up by the emotional, you know, outburst of joy in the house when the verdict was announced.
They didn`t know what was happening. So, you know, Michael is relieved that he can be with his children. He was very worried what would happen to his children if there was a verdict against him.
HAMMER: So needless to say, he`s very happy on that occasion.
Now, you mention that, at the beginning of the trial, you suggested that he stay with himself and be with his feelings. Can you give us a little glimpse into what other ways you advised him through the course of this trial?
CHOPRA: Well, you know, I told you, I`ve known Michael for 20 years. And we`ve had some periods where we spent a lot of time together and then long periods where we haven`t spoken.
But every once in a while when I speak to him, I ask him if he`s practicing his meditation, which I taught him 20 years ago, and he reassures me that he is, and that he`s always taking 20 minutes of silence in the morning and frequently also in the evening, and that he is always sure that if he was innocent, he would be proved innocent.
And, you know, he never expressed any doubt to me ever that he was going to -- that the verdict was going to go any other way.
HAMMER: Well, I`m sure he`s very thankful for all the help you gave him along the way. And we`re thankful that you joined us here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT,, Deepak Chopra, live in San Diego.
CHOPRA: Thank you.
BRYANT: There`s time for you to sound off on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson verdict: Do you agree? You can vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight, or write to us at showbiztonight@CNN.com. We`ll read some of your e-mails live next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT and our continuing live coverage of the Michael Jackson verdict, acquitted on all ten counts. There was a lot of surprise today that he didn`t receive anything.
BRYANT: Well, definitely, and especially for the last four counts that had to deal with the giving of the alcohol to the minor. Some people thought, you know what, this is going to be the one element where he is going to be found guilty, and he was cleared of everything.
And throughout the show, we have been asking you to vote online on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Michael Jackson verdict: Do you agree? Let`s take a look at how the vote is going so far: 33 percent of you agree, 67 disagree.
You have also been sending e-mails on this question.
Joe (ph) from Michigan says, "They say that money can`t buy you happiness. That may be, but it sure can buy you a not guilty verdict."
And Sandra (ph) from ArKansas adds, "Yes, I think he is innocent. We are too quick to judge people we think are different."
Finally, Diane (ph) from Oklahoma writes, "Every pedophile in the country will be moving to Santa Barbara. If this creep couldn`t be convicted, no one can."
Well, remember, you can continue to vote at CNN.com/showbiztonight.
HAMMER: And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer.
BRYANT: And I`m Karyn Bryant. Live coverage of the Jackson verdict continues on Headline Prime throughout the evening.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT will be back with a live special tonight at 11:00 Eastern, 8:00 Pacific. Stay tuned for the latest from CNN Headline News.
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