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CNN Larry King Live
Remembering Michael Jackson
Aired June 27, 2009 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, Michael Jackson's death. The world is in shock. What will the autopsy reveal? Does the 911 recording hold any key?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir. We have a gentleman here that needs help and he stopped breathing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Authorities and grieving friends want answers. Miko Brando, Marlon's son, was with Jackson the day before he died. The man who may have known him best is here with us exclusively with inside details.
Plus, Liza Minnelli, Usher, Quincy Jones, Deepak Chopra will tell us, did Michael know he was going to die?
It's a special edition of LARRY KING LIVE.
We begin tonight with Miko Brando. He was a close friend, longtime employee of Michael Jackson. Michael was his best man, godfather to his daughter. And Miko is the son of the late Marlon Brando. And he was with Michael the day before he died. We're going to talk to Miko and he'll be with us throughout the show with a lot of guests.
But we'll start with the latest from CNN's Ted Rowlands. Ted, what do we have?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, a busy day here. The L.A. County Coroner's Office released some details about the autopsy which was performed on Michael Jackson.
The headline was that Michael Jackson was using prescription drugs at the time of his death and there was no major other underlying condition that they reported at this time. Toxicology reports they say will make all the difference in this case. And they will take about four weeks.
Also, the 911 tape was released. On that tape, you can hear that Michael Jackson was with his personal physician at the time that he was dying. The physician was applying CPR. It's a graphic tape that gives more clues as to what was happening inside that house.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has tried to get a hold of that doctor. Dr. Conrad Murray. And today, detectives say they have established contact with him and they say they are going to interview him. Obviously, what he says could go a long way to providing more details if and when there's a further investigation.
And that would, of course, come after the coroner's report is finalized. They don't expect that, though, for another four weeks. Larry?
KING: We now welcome Miko Brando, this is an exclusive, to LARRY KING LIVE. Let's listen to a bit of the 911 call made Thursday shortly before half past noon local time from the Jackson house in Holmby Hills, Miko. Let's listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, what's your address?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 100 North Cara Wood Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90077.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Cara Wood?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cara Wood Drive, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, sir, what's the phone number you're calling from? (INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. We have a gentleman here that needs help. And he's not breathing. We need -- we're trying to pump him but he's not...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. How old is he?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's 50 years old, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 50. OK. He's unconscious, he's not breathing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's not breathing, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. He's not conscious either.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not conscious, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. All right. Do -- is he on the floor? Where is he at right now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on the bed, sir. He's on the bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him on the floor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him down to the floor. I'll help you with CPR right now. OK?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need him to get...
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way there. I'm going to do as much as I can to help you over the phone. Did anybody see him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We have a personal doctor here with him, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a doctor there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But he's not responding to anything, no -- he's not responding to the CPR or anything, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guy is doing a CPR, as instructed by a doctor, he has a higher authority than me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anybody witness what happened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor's been the only one here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So did the doctor see what happened?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, did you see what happened, sir?
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. He just -- if you could please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way. We're on our way. I'm just passing these questions on to our paramedics but they're on their way there, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. He's pumping his chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. We're on our way. (INAUDIBLE) We'll be there shortly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, sir. (INAUDIBLE) the CPR. Thanks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
KING: Miko, what do you think happened?
MIKO BRANDO, MICHAEL JACKSON'S LONGTIME FRIEND: I wish I knew. I mean, they say heart attack, so I have to go with that right now.
KING: We're not going to know. Now you were with him Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday. He died on Thursday. You were with him on the early hours of Thursday as he was rehearsing. How was he?
BRANDO: We were -- yes, we were at Staples Center rehearsing and -- until about midnight or 12:30 that night. And he was fine. He was dancing. He was singing. He was looking over some technical stuff, some videos that he was preparing to do for the flat screen and behind the stage.
I saw him eating. He was eating. He was drinking some orange juice. He had some hot tea. He looked fine. We said hi to each other.
KING: Was he in a good mood?
BRANDO: Yes, absolutely.
KING: And no apparent difficulty? No lack of color in the face? At times it's hard to (INAUDIBLE) gray or something like that.
BRANDO: No. No.
KING: Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at his home yesterday, do you how him?
BRANDO: No.
KING: So you never heard of him?
BRANDO: I know of him, yes.
KING: You were with the family last night, too, right?
BRANDO: Yes.
KING: Like you were with the children. How are they coping?
BRANDO: I don't even know if they're -- they're devastated. I mean...
KING: Do the kids have an understanding of what happened?
BRANDO: I don't think so. I don't think it's hit them yet.
KING: How did you meet Michael?
BRANDO: Met Michael through Quincy Jones.
KING: Tell me.
BRANDO: Back in '83? No, yes, '83. Yes. He was -- Michael -- CBS Records at the time was giving Michael all his "Thriller" awards. And I met him down there at a CBS function in San Diego. And he introduced me to him. And we exchanged phone numbers and we were friends ever since.
KING: Hit it off right away?
BRANDO: Hit it off right away.
KING: This was before your father knew him?
BRANDO: Right after, yes.
KING: Your father got along with him real well?
BRANDO: Best friends.
KING: Explain that friendship.
BRANDO: I wish I could. I wish I could. They were so opposite. You know, one -- yes, they were so opposite of each other but they love each other. They were fond of each other. They loved each other. Michael really looked after my father really well the last few years of his life. And there's nothing that neither one would do for each other.
KING: I know your father told me that he just flipped for Michael Jackson.
BRANDO: Anything Michael wanted, you know, acting lessons, this and that.
KING: You were with -- you were there when Michael's hair caught on fire, right, during that Pepsi commercial?
BRANDO: Yes, I put it out. Yes.
KING: You put the fire out.
BRANDO: I put the fire out.
KING: How close were you?
BRANDO: Right on him. I was right on him. I smothered his hair and we both went down to the floor. And we both got the extinguisher on us. The fire extinguisher on us. And that was the -- yes, that was the Pepsi commercial.
KING: And Michael said to the very end he was always in debt to you, that you saved his life.
BRANDO: Nothing I wouldn't do for him.
KING: I spoke about you with Michael with my -- last time I was with him in 2007. The Jesse Jackson dinner. And he held you in nothing but the highest regard.
BRANDO: Yes.
KING: Stay with us, Miko. Michael's good friend, Miko, is going to stay with us for the hour. Liza Minnelli is going to be here next. Don't go away.
ANNOUNCER: LARRY KING LIVE brought to you by...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Do you think Michael is going to be the super, superstar? Because it's hard when you know him as just a brother.
(LAUGHTER)
JANET JACKSON, MICHAEL'S SISTER: I never thought about -- I remember him playing me his "Thriller" album in his car when he had it completed. And I thought it was the most incredible thing I've ever heard. But I never thought, God, this is going to take him over the top and he's going to be the biggest star in the world. I didn't think of it like that. He was still my brother.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're back with Liza Minnelli, the Tony. Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy winner entertainer, close friend of Michael Jackson. She joins us from Paris.
What was your -- how did you hear about it, Liza?
LIZA MINNELLI, AWARD-WINNING ENTERTAINER, MICHAEL'S FRIEND: Oh, Larry, I couldn't believe it, honey. I -- I got a call at 2:00 in the morning telling me that -- from a lawyer telling me some that some -- a lawyer, telling me that he's gone into cardiac arrest -- they said what had happened was that he had been complaining of chest pains, you know?
This was not on purpose. He was complaining saying there's really something wrong. And the doctor was with him and he went into cardiac arrest. You know? And all I remember is what a -- he was such a good friend. He was such a good man. You know, he was a lovely, lovely man and a genius. He changed show business history.
You know that. You celebrate it all time. And I'm going to miss him. I don't know. It hasn't hit me. You know what I mean?
KING: Yes, Liza...
MINNELLI: I have to perform tomorrow night in Paris.
KING: How did you first meet him? How did you first meet him?
MINNELLI: I met him when he was about 5.
(LAUGHTER)
MINNELLI: And we met -- we met through a friend of his and his family was a mutual friend of mine. And I loved him right away. You know? He had no childhood. You know, he was pushed on stage by that father every second. They all were. And he was never allowed to be a kid. You know...
KING: Did you...
MINNELLI: He was always in front of the camera or rehearsing.
KING: Liza, did you draw the similarity between Michael Jackson and your mother? Fame early?
MINNELLI: Yes, except she had more -- she had more of a personal life. You know, I mean, she came home and we'd talk and dance and carry-on and laugh and she was there for me. She was there for me. I don't know what Michael had. But I don't think it was swell.
KING: Yes. Well, it didn't have a happily ever after wedding. Your marriage to David Gest, that ended but more important than that, Michael was involved in that, wasn't he?
MINNELLI: Oh, he was the best man. But, you know, I saw him right after, you know, (INAUDIBLE), and I said, Michael, why didn't you tell me something? Why didn't you tell me? And he said, because I thought you knew. I said, did you think I was crazy? I don't know anything.
And we started to laugh. You know, that was our relationship. We talked all the time. All the time. In fact...
KING: Well, you're...
MINNELLI: I thought maybe that he would come to the -- see me, you know, and -- but this thing is just a stunner and a lot of people are going to say a lot of things, but nobody knows for sure yet. There's no real...
KING: You are, Liza, you are a great performer in your own right. What, from a show business standpoint...
MINNELLI: Thank you, Larry.
KING: From a show business standpoint, what was his greatness?
MINNELLI: He changed show business. He changed show business. He suddenly -- he hit with a force that was spectacular as he started to grow up. And then he grew and grew and grew. All the time. He grew all the time.
You know, like I said, he had dinner with all these people all the time and he learned -- you can see from one song where his feet are kind of flat. Then you look at "Thriller" and you look at the arch in his dance foot. It was spectacular.
He was constantly learning and growing. He just loved it. And he did change history. Nothing was the same after Michael and I'm afraid nothing is going to be the same ever really again. It won't be for me.
KING: Stay right with us, Liza. You're not going away. Miko, what kind -- hold it right there, Liza. What kind of friend was Michael?
BRANDO: He was the best friend. Always there for me. Caring, loving, he was just a good person, always there for you if you needed him.
KING: Godfather to your...
BRANDO: Godfather to my daughter. Always there for her.
KING: How old is she now?
BRANDO: She'll be 14.
KING: How's she taking it?
BRANDO: It was hard to tell her because we were going on this tour, and I told them that she was going with me. For the summer. He goes, that would be great. Maybe we can find something for her to do on the tour. And he was...
KING: Yes. You were going to go with him.
BRANDO: Yes.
KING: Liza will remain. Plus Miko will remain. Dame Elizabeth Taylor is overcome with grief today. We'll hear what she says about her dear friend Michael Jackson in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We now have a statement from Michael's good friend Dame Elizabeth Taylor.
"My heart, my mind are broken. I love Michael with all my soul. I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common. We had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news and I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so.
"He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone ever knew how much we loved each other. The purest, most giving love I've ever known.
"Oh, God, I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself which says, "To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And I will love him forever."
Our thoughts are with you, Dame Elizabeth, during this very difficult time.
We'll be right back and we'll be joined by Michael's musical partner Quincy Jones next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Miko Brando and Liza Minnelli, both great friends of Michael Jackson. And now the man who made incredible music with him, Quincy Jones is here. He's with us by phone. He's the legendary musical conductor, record producer.
He produced three of Michael's solo albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller," and "Bad." They also collaborated on the "We Are the World" charity project. He comes to us from Luxembourg.
What's your reaction to all of this, Quincy?
QUINCY JONES, RECORD PRODUCER (via phone): It's almost surrealistic, Larry. I, you know, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett and Michael in a day and a half, it's almost -- I just couldn't believe it. And I heard about Michael. I mean, I almost collapsed, I'm telling you because it's just -- I was on the way to London to see him.
All my friends had arrived. All of us were getting together. We are going to be together tomorrow. And I just -- I just can't believe it, you know?
KING: What was he like to work with?
JONES: The most professional person I've ever worked with in my life. I saw that when we started "The Wiz," he asked me to help him find a producer for his solo album on Epic. I said, Michael, we have to get a song for you in "The Wiz" first. Listen and pre-record. We'll talk about that later.
And I watched him and saw how aware and focused he was. He knew everybody's lyrics, everybody's dance steps, everybody's dialogue. And I saw something in him I'd never seen before because I had worked with him. And he went out -- when he was rehearsing with the group, he -- he announced -- I was shocked. He said so crazies.
I said Michael, Socrates. And he said really? And he looked at me like a deer in the head lights. I said, I'd like to take a shot at producing your album.
KING: Why he was...
JONES: He says you're too jazzy, Quincy can't do it. You know? And Michael came back crying. And he (INAUDIBLE) and we went back and we did it. I said, Michael, don't you worry about a thing.
KING: You know Miko pretty well, too, don't you, Quincy?
(CROSSTALK)
KING: You know Miko well, too?
JONES: Miko is my baby brother. And his father was my brother, too. Since 1951.
KING: Was Michael a perfectionist?
JONES: Absolutely. And so was I. So together we were dangerous, man.
(LAUGHTER)
He was -- because, you know, the relationship between an artist, Larry, and a producer, is the most intimate relationship you can imagine. It takes love first, you know, to understand the limits and all -- when it's too pushing it too hard or when it's time to cool it or you go for another take.
You had to be very sensitive. And it takes love to have that kind of observation. But Michael was one of the hardest workers and focused and professional. You know, we were doing the "ET" album the same time we were doing "Thriller" for Steven Spielberg.
And we did it all real quick. You know I'm telling you. We had three studios going on. (INAUDIBLE) Michael on another with long tubes singing. It's just amazing memories. And my mind has been cascading memories down all night long.
KING: Liza, are you able to hear all this?
JONES: Pardon?
MINNELLI: Yes. I'm hearing it.
KING: I'm asking Liza Minnelli.
JONES: Well, Liza, how are you, my love?
MINNELLI: Well, I'm stunned.
JONES: Liza, weren't you at the Madison Square Garden when we -- just before 9/11 when we were there?
MINNELLI: Of course.
JONES: I'm not losing you...
MINNELLI: I was everywhere, you know that. Yes.
JONES: Pardon?
MINNELLI: I know, I was -- I performed with him, I know. I was in there -- but Quincy...
JONES: I know. That's right, honey. Remember Brando came out and Marlon came out and sat in the chair?
KING: Marlon did what?
MINNELLI: Yes, it was great. He was great. JONES: Incredible numbers for him.
(CROSSTALK)
MINNELLI: He came out and sat in the chair. He adored Michael.
BRANDO: Loved him.
JONES: Yes, he did.
MINNELLI: Everybody adored Michael. Everyone adored Michael.
(CROSSTALK)
KING: One at a time, guys.
JONES: I remember -- he helped carry a photo in that I had made up of Michael and his family. Michael and Marlon helped the guy bring in it.
KING: Hold on, guys.
JONES: It was in my house (INAUDIBLE)
KING: We're balancing phone calls here. We got Miko in studio, we got Liza in Paris, we got Quincy in Luxembourg. We've got this from Diana Ross.
"Can't stop crying. This is too sudden and shocking. I'm unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I'm in prayer for his kids and the family."
Usher performed with Michael Jackson and he's here next on this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Was Michael always -- once you got into this groove, and Gladys Knight discovers you and now you're on television. Was he always like the centerpiece, that cute little boy with all that talent?
JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Michael was unique from day one because his whole thing was just wanting to absorb one's mind and to sort of learn, he studies a lot. And he -- during the time it was, I guess, James Brown, Joe Tex, and a lot of the artists who moved a lot. And Jackie Wilson.
And just watching him from a young age, I remember we went to a school PTA meeting. He sung "Climb Every Mountain." And that was the first time we saw that Michael had this ability to sing these notes that were just so high and...
KING: Yes. That's a tough song to sing. J. JACKSON: It was just amazing.
KING: The dancing, was that trained or was that natural?
J. JACKSON: Natural.
KING: He never took lessons?
J. JACKSON: Never took lessons.
KING: Vocal or dancing?
J. JACKSON: Vocal or dancing. It's natural, man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're talking to Michael Jackson's friends. Miko Brando, Liza Minnelli, Quincy Jones, and we are joined now by Usher, also in Paris. The multiple Grammy-winning recording artist. He performed with Michael at Michael's 30th anniversary special in 2001. Usher, how does this news affect you?
USHER: It was almost surreal, unbelievable. You know, I was heavily in denial. Of course, you hear things like this and you probably associate it with, you know, the media, just when it comes to Michael, because they're always in his business. And they never really gave him any privacy. So, when I heard it, of course, I felt like, this couldn't be real. You know?
And that unfortunate reality became a -- it became very evident. And now I'm very sad. I say with a very heavy heart that -- and I wish well for his family, I mean, his mother, specifically his children, and all of his fans.
You know, Michael he made such a incredible contribution for all of us as entertainers. I can particularly say that I wouldn't be who I am today, as a philanthropist, as a humanitarian, as an artist, without the influence of Michael Jackson. He honestly transcended music, and broke down barriers that honestly were unbreakable.
But he, through God's will, was able to do incredible work while here. And he was truly a vessel. And I feel like he's gone on to a better place.
KING: In 1983, Michael performed "Billy Jean" on Motown's 25 anniversary special. First time he did the Moon Walk on television, and it had every kid and some adults forever trying to imitate the move. It lives up to what we're calling a great performance. Watch.
(BEGIN MUSIC CLIP)
(MICHAEL JACKSON PERFORMS "BILLY JEAN")
(END MUSIC VIDEO)
KING: Quincy Jones is with us, as is Liza Minnelli, Usher, and Miko Brando.
Quincy, before you leave us, when working with him -- we've heard so many stories, mixed, pro and con. Was he difficult to work with, Quincy?
JONES: Michael difficult? Michael's the most professional person I ever worked with in my life, ever, in every way. In fact, we used to set up a stand when he sang. He'd do his dances and just have a spotlight on the stand, a pin spot on the stand and he'd do his dances and do his twists and everything else while he was singing.
He was absolutely amazing and I just send my heart out to his children and his mother and father and his family.
KING: Thank you, Quincy.
JONES: He's my blue brother, and our souls were attached for a long time, very deeply. And it was love and trust and passion and I'll treasure that as long as I live.
KING: We'll see you State side soon.
(CROSS TALK)
KING: Thanks, Quince. We'll see you state-side soon.
Liza Minnelli and Usher will remain with us, as of course, Miko Brando will, too.
This from Tina Turner: "I'm shocked and saddened by Michael's passing. I, along with his millions of fans, looked forward to seeing him tour one more time. Now, may he rest in peace."
Deepak Chopra will join us, revealing conversations he had with Michael about living and dying, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Have you been protective of Michael?
JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I have always been protective of him. You know, when we did the video and the song "Scream," that is what it really is about. I've been the little sister, and always will be, that has his back. I'm there to back my brother up with whatever he decides to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Liza Minnelli and Usher remain with us, in Paris. Miko Brando is here. And we're now joined by Deepak Chopra, medical doctor, spiritual adviser, best-selling author, knew Michael Jackson for a very long time.
How did that come about, that you and he would be friends?
DEEPAK CHOPRA, SPIRITUAL ADVISER, AUTHOR: In 1988, he called me out of the blue and asked me to teach him meditation. I went to Neverland and we had a weekend together and became friends since that.
KING: What was he like?
CHOPRA: Magical. First time I met him, he was magic. He had a jukebox in his studio, with the traditional coins. So, we threw in a few coins and said, choose the music. And I choose "Saturday Night Fever" and he started to dance. And he went into --
KING: How did you deal with it all when there were accusations made against him.
CHOPRA: I speak regularly to him. I used to actually check on him regularly. And --
KING: Did you not believe all the --
CHOPRA: I never saw that behavior. And my children spent a lot of time with him. And they never saw that behavior. My son traveled with him on his "Dangerous" tour. Michael did spend a lot of time with children. And when I asked him why he did that, he said, he never had a childhood. That's what he enjoys.
KING: Understandable. You complained, though, today about people around him. You've been very open and been critical of what?
CHOPRA: Well, in 2005, after the trial, Michael came and spent a week with me. And out of the blue he asked me for a prescription, knowing that I'm a doctor and I have a license, too. It was a prescription for a narcotic. I said, wait, why would you want a prescription for a narcotic? It suddenly dawned on me that he was getting a lot of prescriptions from a lot of people.
KING: Was he an addict?
CHOPRA: Yes, he was.
KING: Did people around him encourage that addiction?
CHOPRA: Yes, more so his doctors.
KING: Didn't he have migraine headaches, though? Wasn't he in a lot of pain?
CHOPRA: He was in pain. But there are many ways to manage pain. Even if you're on narcotics, there's a way to manage narcotics.
KING: Miko, what do you make of these?
BRANDO: It's hard to say right now.
KING: Did he take a lot of pills and stuff? BRANDO: Not more than anyone else. If he had a headache, he took something. It wasn't anything that he was on a daily --
KING: Deepak, do you not agree?
CHOPRA: No. I know for a fact that he did. I saw bottles of OxyContin. I knew he was getting shots. I knew his doctors were enablers. What can I say?
I confronted him many times with it. When I did, he would stop returning my calls until we changed the topic.
KING: Lisa Marie Presley, his ex-wife, writes on her MySpace blog that Michael once told her he was afraid he would end up like her father. Did he talk about that?
CHOPRA: He did. Miko's father was also my friend. I used to go to their house all the time and have Indian food. Marlon would bring in Indian food. Michael would often say, particularly to my son, I'd rather go out like Elvis than Marlon Brando.
KING: Usher, did you ever sense that about Michael, that he didn't think he'd be around long?
USHER: Absolutely not. I know Michael Jackson much different. That Michael is unfortunately the one that the media wants to continue to portray. You know, they want to continue to talk about that they want to see that. We don't want to hear that. It's a reality to someone. Of course, this is your exchange. But I just think it's very unfortunate that even on the eve of Michael's death, I mean, we're still discussing addictions.
This is a time right now to speak of the strength of his family. Be there -- to be there for his family, to recognize Michael Jackson for his contributions, for his kids, for his mother who's just lost her son.
KING: Usher, we're going to have you back this week. We're doing some special shows. We hope you come back. We would like to elaborate on this more.
USHER: I look forward to some kind of tribute for Michael. I'm happy you want to have me back again. I look forward --
KING: We are going to have that. You have a special guy. What was Michael Jackson's biggest contribution to pop culture? Share your thoughts at CNN.com and black in America. You can leave your good wishes for Michael's friends and families and CNN.com/LarryKing. We'll be back in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're now joined by Mark Geragos, the former defense attorney for Michael Jackson, who represented him during that early stages of that controversial child molestation case. How are you reacting to all of this, Mark? MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think like anybody else. Everybody who knows Michael is shocked. There's dismay. I guess the good part of it is that finally people are starting to recognize, I think, and focusing on all his genius, as opposed to all the supposed peccadilloes.
KING: As a client, we discussed this; in the middle of the trial he was dancing on SUVs. Was that troublesome?
GERAGOS: I'll never forget that day. I remember Ben Brafman was on one side of me and Pat Harris was on the other. Whatever anybody says about Michael, it takes a heck of an athlete to make that jump from the ground up to the top of the SUV. And I was using a few choice words about getting him back down.
But he knew what he was doing, and after that I ran into the judge. He had a sense of humor about it. It was not --
KING: You were bugged and he was bugged when he was secretly taped on that plane?
GERAGOS: We were more than bugged. I probably -- professionally, I don't think I've been angrier than sitting on that plane with somebody. I don't care who you are. You're going to surrender. You have the whole world focused on you. To have some low life install a recording device when you're with your lawyer, going to turn yourself in on something that is completely unfounded, to listen to what you're talking to your lawyer about, and then trying to market it, and sell it for millions of dollars, I thought was unconscionable.
We did get the last laugh on that, though.
KING: Liza, you look unhappy. We don't want to make you unhappy. What are you feeling?
MINNELLI: No, no, no, sweetheart. I was just thinking how repulsive that reporter, man, whoever it was -- that's just -- that will come. All right? That will all come. Everybody's going to flip. That's the way it is now. That sells papers now.
KING: Yes, sadly.
MINNELLI: For ten minutes let's celebrate. Yes, please.
KING: Well said, Liza.
MINNELLI: Thank you for getting him released. Thank you for getting him off. He was not guilty, folks.
KING: Liza, thanks so much. We always love seeing you. We'll see you again this week. Liza Minnelli, good luck tomorrow night in Paris. As we go to break from the 19 --
MINNELLI: Thank you.
KING: Thank you, dear. As we break from the 1995 VMA awards, Michael, once again, made jaws drop with "Dangerous."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
KING: It's obvious that Usher and Liza were a little upset about discussing problems that Michael may have had. You think, maybe, Miko, we should wait on that?
BRANDO: I think so. Michael's not here to defend himself. We're talking about him. Maybe we should.
KING: You brought it up.
CHOPRA: I'm discussing Michael's problems. I'm discussing the problems in the medical profession which enables this kind of addiction. It's become a tradition in Hollywood.
KING: You're blaming the medical profession.
CHOPRA: Of course. There's a coterie of doctors right here in Hollywood that like to hang around celebrities. They perpetuate their habit. They make them drug addicts. We've got to really investigate this.
KING: Mark, you think it's OK to discuss it, wait? What do you think?
GERAGOS: I'm a big believer in the first amendment, but at this point, I think -- I'm in the camp where celebrate everything he's done and don't focus on the negative. Unfortunately, in our culture, that tends to be --
KING: Well, I don't think Deepak is trying to think --
GERAGOS: I don't think Deepak is at all. Deepak is absolutely correct. I can't tell you the number of clients I've had who have these doctors that kind of attach themselves to the entourage, and their entree is that they can write a prescription for a schedule III narcotic. And if they can do, that's their entry.
CHOPRA: The number one cause of drug addiction is not street drugs, but medical prescriptions prescribed legally by doctors. They're killing people, only --
KING: Miko, it's fair to ask, were you worried about Michael?
BRANDO: Yes, I was worried about him. But at the end, he was fine. He was eating properly. He was working out. Up there on stage, rehearsing. He was -- he hit those notes. He hit those steps. He didn't miss a step.
I mean, he looked good. He looked -- he was ready to go.
KING: What was he like as a client?
GERAGOS: He was a good client, actually. I didn't have any problem with him at all. We represented him for about 18 months. The last, I don't know, four months I did it in conjunction with Ben. And he was worried, obviously. The first 12 or 13 months before anything was filed, he was, as hands off as one could be.
KING: But he was a good client.
GERAGOS: Absolutely never had any problems.
KING: Miko, I know this was very hard for you and I really appreciate you doing this tonight.
BRANDO: You're welcome. Thank you.
KING: Thank you, Deepak, and Mark. We're doing lots more on this, of course, in the days ahead. When we come back, what a way do close it off, the man who put Motown and the Jackson 5 on the map, Berry Gordy is here, when this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE continues.
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KING: When did the Jacksons break up?
JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: The Jacksons --the Jacksons never really broke up. We've held that thing together. So when Michael or --
KING: When Michael does a tour, is someone from the Jacksons always involved?
J. JACKSON: No, no. When Michael does the tour, Michael tours because he has had such great success with "Thriller" and things like that. But it's just that the chemistry of just the original Jackson 5 coming back together is like magic for all of us.
KING: Do you get back together?
J. JACKSON: Yes, not just on stage, off stage as well.
KING: You're still a very close group?
J. JACKSON: Very close.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: We're joined by the one and only Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, the man who signed the Jackson 5 to a recording contract. What is this like for you?
BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER OF MOTOWN: Well, it's numbing. Of course, it's been like that since it happened. And it's unbelievable. I can't figure it out. I can't understand it. But it happened and we're here.
KING: Did you know of any health problems he had?
GORDY: Oh, I did know of his basic condition, you know. I think most people did. That he was very weak and he was -- you know, and a lot of stress, you know. He's had a lot of stress.
KING: He had a tough life, didn't he?
GORDY: Yes, it turned out to be a tough life. It turned out to be a tough life. The last several years has been really tough.
KING: Take me back to that first time you saw him as a kid work.
GORDY: Well, sometime in the past, brought them in to audition for me, which I did not want to do, because I had other kid acts and, you know, Stevie Wonder with his entourage, his teachers, tutors, this and all that stuff. And I just said, no, but she insisted that I see them. And when they auditioned for me, I got so excited, I just ran for a video. I said, give me a video, my new video camera. This is great. These guys are going to be so great.
So, we just videotaped them and now, you see that he's doing the Moon Walk and all that.
KING: Did you know he would be this great?
GORDY: No, I knew they would be -- well, we figured everybody would be great. I mean, did I know Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, no, you don't know. You believe it. You say, yes, you could be great, you know. But we had a way of, you know, just trying to make everybody be themselves, you know. And so Marvin doesn't sound like Stevie. And Stevie -- and Michael, he went into orbit.
In fact, when we did the Motown 25, and they were doing a tribute to me, Michael was not with the label and he had been doing too much TV and his people said he couldn't do it and that sort of stuff. So I called Michael. I said, wait a minute, man. This is a tribute to me and this is not a TV show. This is Motown 25. So he said, I'll be there. I'll be there.
KING: What, Berry, was his greatness? What did he have?
GORDY: His command of everything he did, you know. He was great because, one, he was talented, so talented. And he was a person who studied. He did research. From that first audition, the other band members -- of course, they all had great precision. And I've always thought -- and they were disciplined.
KING: He's a perfectionist. GORDY: They were all disciplined. I give Joe and Katherine, his parents, all the credit, because when they came to us, we didn't have a disciplinary problem with them. They would be on time. They would do this. But Michael, sometimes doing a song, the other kids would be playing around with their, you know, instruments or having fun and Michael was always focusing, just looking, you know, listening and thinking and asking questions.
KING: Berry, you are a national institution. I thank you for coming by and paying tribute to your friend.
GORDY: Thanks for having me. It was great.
KING: We leave you tonight with the Jackson 5's first time on national TV. Here they are on Ed Sullivan singing, "I Want You Back."
(SINGING)
