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CNN Larry King Live
Interview With Hulk Hogan; Jackson Family Talks About 'This Is It'
Aired October 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, Hulk Hogan is a prime-time exclusive. He was on the verge of suicide, despair over a nasty divorce, and anguished by a son who's in prison. And how a famous friend stepped in and saved his life.
And then, Michael Jackson lives in the film the world's been waiting to see. We're live at the global premiere. "This is It," next on "Larry King Live."
Later in the program tonight, we'll be taking you to the opening tonight of "This is It." It's opening worldwide, London last night, tonight here at the Nokia Theater here in Los Angeles. The two-hour rehearsal of Michael Jackson were planning performances in London that, of course, never happened.
We begin things, however, in New York with Hulk Hogan. Always good to have Hulk with us. The 12-time professional world wrestling champion, TV personality and actor, author of the new memoir, "My Life outside the Ring." His attorney, David Houston is with him as well, as some legal questions may come up tonight.
Hey, Hulk, this new memoir pulls no punches. Steroid use, infidelity, your son's in jail, the ugly unraveling of a marriage, depression. Why -- why write, why spill all the guts now?
HULK HOGAN: Well, brother, you know, it's been a crazy couple of years, and you know I pulled the nose up on this thing, and I realized that life is great and you know, it's just a great time to, you know, be positive and move forward. And with everything that I'm seeing going on in the world today with people that can't pay for their homes and families being torn apart, after the two years that I've had, if I had the opportunity to pull the nose up on this thing and be happier and get a fresh start for the second half of the game, I really felt there were so many people that didn't know what to do, if they read my story.
I - I felt in my heart that it would give them hope and a chance to make them realize that it's worth fighting and moving forward and being happy.
KING: Was it hard to put down, to write it?
HOGAN: Brother, you know, I had a tough time. I crashed and burned, you know. When I walked into my home and I realized, you know, everybody disappeared. My life as I knew it, after 23 years, had changed.
My kids were gone, my -- my wife was gone, all that we were -- we had animals everywhere, all the closets were empty and I went through a couple days where I just hit rock bottom. And I got a call from Laila Ali. You know, she had no agenda, she just was worried about me.
And from that point on, all I did was pray to be happy and things changed instantly. As soon as I changed my thinking, my life turned around.
KING: So you're talking about Muhammad Ali's wife?
HOGAN: No, sir. His daughter.
KING: All right. You write that in December of 2007, you came, "damn close to suicide." How close?
HOGAN: I really don't know. You know, I always thought that suicide was for cowards or it was an easy way out, but it was a situation where -- when everything was gone and I lost everything and I couldn't get a hold of the people the closest to me -- my family. I sat in this chair with my back hurting, my knees hurting. It was a situation I couldn't even brush my teeth without sitting down.
And all of a sudden, I hit rock bottom. And I found myself in a place, I started to hypnotize myself. I got -- I was so low, I just sat in this chair and I stared for day after day and I got to this point that I thought it would be easier, just to - to walk away from this whole situation, this whole world and I don't know how close I got, but if it hadn't had been for that phone call, you know -- out of nowhere, someone that's just called to check up on me, you know -- this whole situation could have been different.
KING: You had a gun in your hand, right?
HOGAN: Yes, sir. Yes, I did.
KING: All right. Ms. Ali, who's a great girl, by the way, your co-host on "American Gladiators" said she had no idea until recently of the impact of her phone call. She said it was divine intervention when she called you at that minute. What do you think it was?
HOGAN: Well, you know, I had several friends calling me. I had Bubba, a good friend calling me. I had my next door neighbor, Steve Chapman calling me. I had Eric Bishop calling me.
I thought I was doing a great job fooling them and I had no idea behind my back, they were all really worried about me. But I thought I was being a pretty good bluffer as I sat there and just didn't know how to get it together. And then when Laila called me, it was someone that had -- she really didn't even really know me.
She was just worried about me. She saw me an on the set of "American Gladiators" when I got hit with the divorce papers, she saw how lost I was and she saw how I was acting when I left the set and she called and she was worried about me. And she invited me to her church. She invited me to come to the Agape Church and just out of nowhere, it snapped me out of it.
It was almost like I was scrambling to pack my bags and just get out of the house and get back to L.A.
KING: Wow. You knew - you know her father, don't you? Know Muhammad Ali pretty well?
HOGAN: Yes, sir. I mean, that's one of the great things I love to talk about because he was the greatest of all time and every time he'd see me, he would give me a big hug and he would go, Hulk Hogan, you're the greatest of all time and he refereed Wrestlemania, I -- and I just admire him so much.
KING: You and your then wife Linda and your two kids who were on this show four years ago in 2005, you were touting a reality show called "Hogan Knows Best." And I asked your wife, Linda, about being Mrs. Hulk Hogan. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What's the toughest part about being married to him?
LINDA HOGAN: Well, it used to be - you know, traveling and just trying to figure out where home base was, because my family and I'm from Los Angeles and we had a house in Tampa and after we had kids, it was just difficult, because I wanted to tend to want to be home with the kids and yet our house was in Florida. And just really kind of being clogged in...
KING: Well, all right.
HOGAN: ...The wrestling business takes you -- you know, you're just on the road.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: All right, Hulk, we see a smile in united Hogan family back then. Was that the truth back then, or were you all hiding things?
HOGAN: Well, you know, we weren't hiding anything. The truth was, my marriage was already in serious trouble. You know, there were major problems in my marriage.
You know, my kids, you know, my -- my ex-wife and I had a difference of opinion about the kids, if they should be in school or be home-schooled and it was a situation where I was hoping and praying that if we did the reality show and if my kids and my wife wanted to do the reality show, because we had this offer, I was hoping in some crazy, weird way that it would be the glue that might bind us back together and keep my family together, but it just got crazier and crazier, because in front of the cameras, that's how we were. That's how the Hogan family operated, but it put even more tension than ever.
And when the cameras were off, it was almost like we couldn't stand to be in the same room together. My -- my ex-wife and myself.
KING: Wow. Hulk Hogan, his new book, "My Life outside the Ring" guaranteed to be bestseller. We'll be back with more of Hulk and his incredible story after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just feel bad because I know you're strong and everything, but I know it gets to you sometimes. I know the whole divorce and everything, I know it's tough. It's hard to let go.
HULK HOGAN: I'm just, you know -- it's been a crazy year and just to have the chance to start over again. It's really cool.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: The book "My Life outside the Ring," the author is Hulk Hogan. You write in the book that Linda, your ex-wife, drank, overspent, was abusive to you and the kids. You also write that you love her and forgive her.
Pretty tough on her there. We asked your ex-wife, Linda, for a statement about this interview tonight and here's what she gave us: "I sure hope my ex-husband retracts these false statements coming from his recent book. To date, we have proven all of his previous negative allegations to be untrue. He knows that our kids and family mean the world to me and I would never do anything to put them in harm's way." Want to comment, Hulk?
HOGAN: Well, you know, I definitely agree with the last part of that statement -- you know. Her kids and her family mean the world to her. And I really believe that she would never do a thing to hurt her -- her family.
It was a tough marriage. You know, things started to unravel. There was constant verbal and - and mental abuse, which I really didn't realize, you know, was going on. You know, and it got to the point that, you know, the first time I heard the "f" word, I was in shock and then to the point when I started hearing it every day, I get used to it - you know.
When I heard it being said to my kids, I was really shocked and it got to the point that I was used to that. I was used to living that way. Not until I switched gears and changed my thinking did I realize that the world's beautiful, that people are nice and, you know, when I -- I met the lady that I'm with now, Jennifer, you know -- she made me realize how beautiful life really is and that's not normal to be in a situation where there's all this negativity and this chaos and this craziness all the time.
KING: Would you -- would you retract anything you wrote about her, though?
HOGAN: No, brother, I wrote the truth.
KING: All right. Your son, Nick, has been out of jail for a little over a year now and he talked about what it was like on your daughter's reality show spin-off, "Brooke Knows Best." Let's take a look at Nick.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like they didn't want to put me in population, so they put me in the confinement cell.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thinking that would be good for you?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Safe.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because it was safe, because you weren't around all the rowdy jail people, but...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes but it's not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...you were going crazy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I can honestly say I've been to the deepest, darkest depths of the human mind and mental insanity but.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So those phone calls we actually heard when you were just...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: freaking [bleep] out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know we heard all that on TV. We just heard it on your voice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Uh hmm. There's nothing worse than a confinement cell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Hulk, do you think his time in jail, his reality TV celebrity, his sometimes kind of spoiled image on that show might have worked against him in the legal system?
HOGAN: Well, you know, I'm of that same opinion. You know, Nick is a great kid, just like my daughter. There's not a bad bone in his body and he's - he's a kid that, you know -- is very focused and a lot of times, we were -- the kids were over the top in trying to create good TV, but at the end of the day, you know -- Nick walks in the spirit of Christ.
Nick is positive. Nick is back on track. Nick is - is a great man. I'm very proud of my son and it's the same with my daughter.
These are good kids, good people and what happened to nick was an accident. You know, John - John is and was his best friend.
(CROSSTALK)
KING: And that young man, the Iraqi war veteran, John Graziano, was released from the hospital last month. Are you in touch with him?
HOGAN: Oh I wish I could be, Larry. I mean, that was a great day for us when John left the hospital and his Mom was with him. I mean, it was one of the greatest days we've had in a long time. We pray to God every day and thank Jesus for healing John Graziano and I'm totally - I'm totally of a different mindset than his attorneys.
You know -- I'm positive. I know John's going to be back 100% and be back part of team Hogan. You know, I know John is going to be with us full-time again.
KING: All right. David, John's guardian is suing Hulk. Can you comment on that lawsuit, David Houston?
DAVID HOUSTON, ATTORNEY: Yes, Larry. The guardian is suing Hulk. It's never been Hulk's desire, other than to do anything other than taking care of John Graziano. Unfortunately, we think there are some people involved in that lawsuit on the plaintiff's side in our opinion, that have a different role or a different purpose here.
The consequence of this accident is this terrible tragedy that John does need help and Hulk has never shied away. He has tried to help. He was at the hospital every day until he was told by the family he could no longer visit, which may or may not have been engineered by the lawyers that represented the family.
But specifically, he has done more than anyone I've ever known in a personal injury setting to try to benefit John Graziano...
KING: Why?
HOUSTON: ...and we continue to be interested in John Graziano.
KING: Why is Hulk being sued? He didn't perform -- he wasn't involved in the accident.
HOUSTON: The theory they're using is because Hulk co-owned the vehicle and in fact owned one of the other vehicles that have being driven by the young men that night, that somehow he's responsible because allegedly he's negligently entrusted or he allowed them to drive these vehicles when truth in fact, it will be pointed out, he did not even know that these young men were going to take those vehicles that night...
KING: Yes.
HOUSTON: ...so it's really an unfair position to place him in. And once people are aware of what this whole thing is based upon, I'm sure they're going to have an opportunity to change their mind as to whether or not he really has any responsibility for this at all.
KING: We'll look at more of the Hogan family turmoil and how Hulk made it through all of this, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOGAN: What's wrong with you?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Nick's been trying to facilitate me and mom seeing each other, you know...
HOGAN: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...and making up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I'm just upset. I can't deal with this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She loves you. She loves you just like you love her.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Call her, please? I just want things to be back like the way they were.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll call her and I'll beg her and do everything I can to get her to come up here and spend a weekend with us.
HOGAN: I think it will be all right in the long run. Everything's going to be good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: That was just some of the tears and turmoil TV viewers saw on the Hogan family reality spin-off "Brooke Knows Best." Hulk had a book signing earlier today in New York and the King cam team was there. We got this question about coping from one of his many fans. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to know how have you used your faith with -- with helping you out in current events that have been happening in your life?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: How do you answer that, Hulk? How have you handled all of this?
HOGAN: Well, you know, I had to go back to a place that was real. You know and I kind of got lost in the shuffle, I kind of got lost in -- in - in the craziness of this whole lifestyle and everything that was around me. And once I went back inside and I realized that everything I need was in here, you know -- the happiness, the faith, and my religion, the spirit of Christ was in me, I realized at that moment, I had everything that I needed. I needed to be a better self, if I need to step out and everything I said before the training, the prayers, the vitamins, the believing in yourself, that stuff really works. I had to go back to the base, and as soon as I stayed in faith and I moved forward, you know, I attracted all these positive things and my life now is going in a direction that's so positive and I've got so many good people around me.
There's no more yelling and screaming and cuss words and all this craziness and life is how it's supposed to be. You know -- we're moving forward in a great way.
KING: Happy for you. Hey, we'll be right back with more of Hulk Hogan. Did you know CNN's got a brand-new website and there's more news and information there than ever and it's very easy to navigate. Check it out, CNN.Com.
While you're there, hey click on the link to "LARRY KING LIVE." We've got daily blog exclusives for you. Tonight, read about Kiss's Peter Criss and his battle with breast cancer. More with Hulk and the difficult relationship with his children after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Hulk Hogan. The book is called "My Life outside the Ring." How is Brooke doing? I know that you've had some problems and some rough times with your daughter. How's that doing now?
HOGAN: Well, Brooke's doing great and thank you for asking. She's still working hard on her music. She's in Los Angeles now and she's trying to move forward in the entertainment business. And Brooke didn't understand for a long time that there's two sides to every story. And she was in a situation where she kind of had blinders on and when I had a chance to talk to her and explain to her, you know, that there are two sides to the story and I'm not, you know, saying everything I did was perfect and I'm not rationalizing it or condoning a lot of things that happened.
But I told Brooke, you know there are two sides to the story and there's a reason why a lot of this stuff went down. And I explained to her, you know, with your mother, you love your mother to death and it's a situation now where she's moving her own direction and she's happy with her situation and you need to realize that life keeps moving on and Brooke is in a great place right now.
KING: Does your ex-wife have a man in her life right now?
HOGAN: Yes, Linda is still with Charlie Hill, the young man that went to school with my children.
KING: OK. Now, you credit the secret and other laws of attraction to help turn your life around and you specifically cite the self-help guru James Arthur Ray. Have you spoken with James Ray since the Sweat Lodge tragedy in Sedona, and if you have, how is he doing? HOGAN: Yes, I did reach out to James. I told him he was in my thoughts and prayers. Basically, I totally have no idea about the situation there, but I wanted to thank James Ray for a lot of the powerful words that I read. There was a situation in the secret when he said when would now be the right time to move forward? And he made me realize that now is right now. That I didn't need to wait another 10 years or 15 years to get positive, reach inside and find the spirit of Christ. And I just reached out to James and said I was thinking about him and loved him and wished him the best.
KING: What do you make, though, of the Sweat Lodge thing? You know, what was the purpose of that? And I know you support the secret and you support James, but weren't you puzzled by it?
HOGAN: I don't understand it. I've never been in a Sweat Lodge. I, myself, personally don't even like sitting in a sauna, so I've never been to a spiritual retreat so I don't understand the whole process.
KING: But you did wish him well. And how was he doing? What did he say to you?
HOGAN: Well, I got through -- I went through his secretary and I just said, I wanted to hear your voice because I'm just praying for you and I just basically, you know, pray to god that everything turns out the way it should turn out. And the only bit of advice I said was, I learned, you know, through all the stuff I've been through, I remain -- I stayed within for a long time, but it gets to a point where I had to come on your show, I had to go to different magazines and tell, you know, the truth and my side of the story. And I learned that from James.
KING: How are you doing in your personal life? Tell me about Jennifer.
HOGAN: Jennifer. She's a constant. She's very positive. You know, she's been through a lot of stuff and watched me mature and go through a lot of changes. And it's a situation now where, you know, she knows both of my children and at the divorce, when the divorce was final, my ex-wife came up and gave Jennifer a hug. And we're moving on with our life. Jennifer's a constant. You know, she's positive --
KING: Going to get married?
HOGAN: She'd be the one.
KING: All right. Hulk Hogan's getting in the ring again. Hey, how long can he keep on wrestling? We'll ask that, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, Hulk Hogan!
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Hogan!
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I can't hear you guys out there!
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Hi, Hogan, this is Vince McMahon telling you hello!
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Hogan!
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I am Hulk Hogan's biggest fan and I have one reason why more so than anyone. 20 hours of work right there. Wham!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: That is weird. Hulk has just joined TNA Wrestling that stands for Total Nonstop Action. You going back in the ring?
HOGAN: Well I'm heading over to Australia to wrestle at the end of the November. I'm going to check out the Hulk Hogan sea legs. It's been a great career and the fans have stuck behind me through thick and thin and they have been loyal and I just decided you know I had to get busy living or get busy dying, Larry. And I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do, but I'm going to contribute as much as I can. I'm going to try to take this business to a whole another level.
KING: You will wrestle in Australia?
HOGAN: Yes, I'm wrestling at the end of November in Australia.
KING: Lots of questions about wrestling being Tweeted in to our Kings Things. What's the biggest difference between your heyday and wrestling now?
HOGAN: I think probably the biggest difference is, nobody told me how to wrestle. Nobody told me how to talk or think. You know, a lot of things have changed. I know there's a lot of people behind the scenes that write scripts and basically tell the wrestlers how to walk and talk, and basically try to tell them what to do in the ring. I think that's the basic difference between when I did my thing.
KING: Another question. Hulk, why did you start using steroids. Assuming you have, why did you stop?
HOGAN: I mean, at the time, when I got into the professional wrestling business -- not trying to point fingers -- but everybody in all the sports industries were using them, baseball and football and hockey and wrestling. And at the time, when I got in the business, the guys were huge, larger than life, and the steroids were legal at the time.
But around 1988 or 1990, people got re-educated. They realized that it wasn't something that was necessary, especially for sports entertainment and exhibition like wrestling is. So people have been re-educated, thank god.
KING: There were reports your son, Nick, has taken up wrestling training. True?
HOGAN: Well, I heard my son Nick, in his spare time, is heading out to North Hollywood to a gentleman name's Rikishyt's (ph) Wrestling School and learning the ropes. So --
KING: What do you think of that?
HOGAN: Well, I think he's curious at what his dad was attracted to all those years. He could be wanting to get in shape. And he could be just having fun. But it is going to be kind of interesting to see where that ends up.
KING: Would you do another reality show?
HOGAN: Yes, sir, I would.
KING: With Jennifer and your life now, you would do it again?
HOGAN: Well, I don't know if it would be Jennifer in my life. But I would sure love to do a reality show where we try to find the next Hulk Hogan and see if that guy's out there.
KING: Oh. So it would be like a talent search?
HOGAN: Well, I could kind of see an "American Idol" --
KING: Yes.
HOGAN: "American Idol"-type show for wrestlers to find the next Hulk Hogan. I think that would be interesting.
KING: Whoa. Hey, best of luck, Hulk. I want to thank David Houston for assisting us on that key question. Very anxious that your book does well. Always good being with you.
HOGAN: Thank you, sir.
KING: Thank you, Hulk. Thank you, David. And Hulk's book is "My Life Outside The Ring."
Jermaine Jackson is on the red carpet, anxious to see "This Is It." We're going to talk to him at the global premiere of his brother Michael's ultimate triumph, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, POP STAR: This is it. It's an adventure. It's a great adventure.
Let's do it one more time.
I love you, I really do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold for applause, fade out. (END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now at the opening of "This Is It," Jermaine Jackson, who's been with us so often following the tragedy. What are your feelings tonight, Jermaine?
JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: My feelings are very, very, very up. I'm very excited. This is a wonderful turnout. Michael would be proud. And I'm very proud. And I hear that the movie is unbelievable. I haven't seen it, only from what you showed me when you interviewed me at the ranch.
KING: Now, are there some -- Latoya has some expressed some doubts about it, as to whether Michael should be seen rehearsing, that Michael might have been disappointed. Do you have any doubts that Michael would have appreciated this?
JACKSON: I think he would have loved it, only because it shows that there is a person in him. Throughout all the rehearsals and everything, you see when he's focused and he's concentrating on the band, the dancers. You see that there's a humane side to him, as opposed to him being on stage all the time and the glitz and the glamour.
So I think he would be very proud, very, very proud.
KING: There were a lot of stories going around, Jermaine, that the brothers, the Jackson Brothers, are about to return to the stage in an act. Is that true?
JACKSON: Yes, there is all kinds of exciting things going on. This is called "This Is It", but this is really not it. There is going to be much, much more going on. But this is definitely it, but it's not the final curtain, no.
KING: A couple of other things. Has your mom seen the movie?
JACKSON: Excuse me? My -- can you repeat that? Has my mother --
KING: Has your mother seen -- yes.
JACKSON: I really don't think so. It's kind of tough for her.
KING: Yes, I would imagine. And how are the kids doing?
JACKSON: The kids are doing fine. They're with my kids, and playing. And it's really just a house full of kids and animals and rabbits and birds and gophers that -- all kinds of things.
KING: I hope you enjoy the movie, Jermaine. You know, they're expecting it to break all sorts of records for an opening night, all over the world. Do you think it's going to take in millions of dollars?
JACKSON: I think it would do very, very well, because Michael was loved all over the world. And I think they've done a great job, simultaneously, of getting this opening together for the world. So I think it's going to do very, very well.
KING: Are you anxious to see it, Jermaine? Is there anything bittersweet about seeing it? I mean, you're going to see your brother for two hours.
JACKSON: I know that I'm going to cry. And I'm going to be up. And it's just going to make me miss him more. But I'm happy that the people get a chance to see what he was going to do. And I know, knowing Michael, he was going through the motions. He wasn't giving 1,000 percent doing the rehearsals, because his concern was making sure that everybody else knew what they were going to do.
And once he hit that stage, he was going to wear them out, Larry. That was the whole plan.
KING: Well, let us know what you think. I'm anxious to see it. Have a good time, Jermaine.
JACKSON: Well, Larry, you should be here with me. Why are you in a studio somewhere?
KING: I have to work. I'll see it tomorrow.
JACKSON: All right. Thank you. Well, listen, make sure you invite me to another Dodger game, next year though.
KING: You got it. Catch another foul pop. I took Jermaine Jackson to a Dodger game this year. He says, do I catch a foul pop. He sits down, and catches a foul pop. The odds on that are 52,000 to one. Enjoy tonight, Jermaine.
JACKSON: I caught the ball.
KING: You did. Thank you. Enjoy the night.
We'll show you more of what everybody can't wait to see, a sneak peak at "This Is It." You're going to see it in 60 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Right now, audiences around the world are watching the premiere of the much-anticipated Michael Jackson documentary "This Is It." the film was produced from taped rehearsals for the comeback concerts planned in London. Michael died before being able to perform. Take a look at what it was and what might have been.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. JACKSON: Yes, that's a cool move. Cool move. Don't spread out too much at the end.
What is that?
I got to cue that. I got to cue that. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That should be a special on --
M. JACKSON: That can't trigger on its own.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- on our girl.
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What a talent. That's all rehearsals. It's all in the movie "This Is It," opening wide, wide meaning the world, tonight. Michael's brothers, Tito, Marlon and Jackie, join us after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
KING: The boys are standing by. They're ready to go see "This Is It". We have Marlon, Tito, and Jackie standing by. Tito on the right, Marlon in the middle, Jackie on the left. Jackie, have you seen the film?
JACKIE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Yes, I saw it. It's electrifying. It's wonderful.
KING: Marlon, have you seen it?
MARLON JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Larry, I have not seen the movie. I wanted to wait for the premiere so I can just see it along with the fans and the rest of the world.
KING: Tito, have you seen it?
TITO JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Larry, I haven't seen the movie, and I don't know when I'm going to be able to see the movie. It's a very mourning period for me still. And I think I'm going to have to watch this movie on my own leisure time.
KING: So are you saying you're not going to go in and see it tonight?
T. JACKSON: No, I'm not going to be able to view this movie tonight, like other members of my family, who didn't attend today, because it is emotional and I think I will be better watching it at a time when I'm more comfortable with it.
KING: I understand. Jackie, do you have my problem looking at your brother?
J. JACKSON: Yes, it's kind of emotional at the same time. But I would like to support him and be here and just see what he does best. Michael's very electrifying on stage. And I like to see him do his thing.
And I would like to thank all the fans around the world for supporting Michael and also the family as well.
KING: Marlon, what do you think of the idea of this movie, the idea to show two hours of documentary-style of a rehearsal?
M. JACKSON: Well, I think it's a movie that actually is showing the fans his last performance, even though it wasn't the finished final product. As we prepare for concerts, we never give 100 percent. We go through the motion of the movements. But once we hit that stage and say with Michael, you give 2,000 percent.
T. JACKSON: We're trying to make sure everybody else has their part together.
M. JACKSON: Right. But the fans want to see whatever it was Michael was doing. It's a bittersweet moment for us, for obvious reasons, the passing of our brother. But we're here to support the film and support him as well.
KING: Tito, I know you're not ready to see it and I understand that. But do you support the idea of the film?
T. JACKSON: Yes, I think it's something that Michael would want to share, because that's all we have left for the world to see, that his work wasn't completed. But he was ready to shock the world. What we have here tonight is what he's left for the world to have fun with and experience and just enjoy it.
KING: Jackie, what do you think -- you've seen it. What do you think audiences are going to think of it?
J. JACKSON: Say it one more time, Larry.
KING: What do you think audiences who see it will think of it?
J. JACKSON: I think they're going to love Michael. They've always loved Michael. They like to see Michael perform. This is a film about him putting his band together, rehearsing for his big show. I think it's going to be very exciting to see how he works behind the stage, behind the scenes. And that's what this is all about.
KING: Marlon, Jermaine told us that the Jackson brothers are getting better -- getting ready to go back on stage. Tell me about it.
M. JACKSON: Well, right now we're in the middle of shooting a television show that we started shooting in January. And we've been talking about putting something together and going back and doing something. So it's coming.
KING: Tito, are you looking forward to that?
T. JACKSON: Very much so, Larry. For those who do not know, this year -- sadly, Michael lost his life this year. But it was also the 40th anniversary of the Jackson Five "I Want You Back." So I think our first challenge getting back to the stage will be something and a celebration of 40 years of show business. So to have that more, that title to it.
KING: Good luck to all of you. Tito, I know you're going home. The rest, enjoy it. "This is it" premiering tonight around the world, in London, of course, and tonight, right here in Los Angeles.
Marlon Brando's son Miko has seen the movie. He watched it with Elizabeth Taylor. His review right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: -- joins us from the opening at the Nokia Theater tonight in Los Angeles of "This Is It." How important is this film, Frank?
FRANK DILEO, MICHAEL JACKSON'S MANAGER: This film is brilliant, Larry. It's going to show what a genius Michael is. And everybody will get to see how he created a show. I wish you were here to see it. I can't wait for you to see it.
KING: I can't wait to see it either. What is the impact when we look back on the legacy of Michael? What's going to be the impact of "This Is It?"
DILEO: I think what the impact will be is that everybody will see what an iconic genius he is, how he created a show, much like Michelangelo, picked out colors, but we never got to see them. Michael was involved in every step of creating this show. And everybody will see this on film. You'll see his work ethic and they'll realize what a genius we lost.
We lost one of the greatest entertainers of our day, Larry. You know, you've met him. You've seen him perform.
KING: Frank, what is the most -- what struck you the most about the film? How well did they put it together?
DILEO: They put it together very well. It's very compelling. There's some sad moments, some funny moments. But when you walk out, you feel a little -- you feel bad because you know you lost a great entertainer. But what you get see is real genius in the creation of this whole movie and this whole stage.
KING: I'm going to see it, Frank.. There are some doubters would question whether, one, Michael was going to do the concert tour. And Joe Jackson has suggested that there were body doubles used in this movie. What's your reaction to both of those things?
DILEO: Well, first of all, Michael was going to do all of the concerts. We discussed that the first time with you. There's no doubt about that. There's no body doubles in here. Yes, in a blue screen moment, there may be a stunt man, you know, sliding down the railing. We're not going to let Michael do that. But there's no body doubles.
This is the actual footage. There's been no added footage. This is exactly what we shot and how we rehearsed.
KING: His sister Latoya wonders whether he would want to have people see him rehearsing rather than the real thing.
DILEO: Michael would have loved everybody to see the real thing. But he also would be very proud of this movie. And he would be very proud of the turnout that it's getting. This movie is sold out all over the world.
And, look, Latoya is grieving. Catherine is grieving. They're not ready to see this film. I understand that. I think the world understands that.
But Michael would have wanted everybody to see him in this film.
KING: Thank you, Frank. Always good talking to you, thanks, Frank. Frank Dileo, Michael Jackson's manager, at the premier tonight in Los Angeles of "This Is It."
And joining us from London, Miko Brando, Michael Jackson's long time friend, the son of the late Marlon Brando. It's very late in London. We thank him for spending a couple moments with us. What was it like there tonight, Miko?
MIKO BRANDO, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: It was great. A lot of fans here, everyone. The excitement, everyone went in and now they're all inside the theater behind me watching a great movie.
KING: You've already seen the film with a special screening, along with Elizabeth Taylor. You blogged about it on LARRY KING LIVE. Give us a review. How good is this movie?
BRANDO: I think it's good. I mean, you got to see it. You see him rehearsing, getting ready for this show that you're going to have here at the 02. And he's dancing great. He's performing great. He's funny in it. It's a great movie. You'll see another side of Michael Jackson that I think a lot of people haven't seen.
KING: And what did Elizabeth Taylor say to you about it?
BRANDO: No, I'm -- she didn't tell me anything. We just enjoyed the movie together. It was great. We all were numb afterwards. It was just a great performance by my best friend.
KING: And that -- Elizabeth said is the single most brilliant piece of film making she had ever seen, cementing Michael's genius in every aspect of creativity. I guess you'll agree.
BRANDO: I guess she took the words out of my mouth. That's pretty -- yes, I agree with her 100 percent. It's a good movie. I mean, you see him in a way you haven't seen him. You have to realize this is just rehearsals that would make it into a movie. You can imagine how it would have been if he would have performed all these shows on stage. It would have been that much better. But this is what we have.
KING: Thank you, Miko. We'll see you back home. By the way, go to CNN.com/LarryKing for more on the film and Miko's exclusive blog. We've got a great web extra there for you, too. We're going to give you a tour of Michael's memorabilia. It's now on display in London. You can see it by going on to CNN.com/LarryKing.
Right now, it's "AC 360" time. Sitting in, John King. John?
