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CNN Live At Daybreak

Michael Jackson Performing Tonight in First of Two Concerts

Aired September 07, 2001 - 08:34   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Big surprise at the MTV Music Awards last night. A few people still working out there. The King of Pop, for example, took the stage at New York's Metropolitan Oprah House with the pop group 'N Sync. Check it out.

There he is, Michael Jackson.

That performance is just a preview of what folks will see from Jackson tonight at a special concert in New York. It's called "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, the Solo Years."

Our Bill Tush is live outside New York's Madison Square Garden with more, early, but I guess you got to hot ticket tonight.

BILL TUSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, if anything, we've got a good spot for tonight, because we are about 10 hours early. What's going on here now in front of Madison Square Garden is the same thing goes on here every day, people coming in and out of Penn Station. There is a line over there, people lining up, for taxicabs.

Anyway, Michael Jackson will be performing here tonight in the first of two concerts, and he'll be joined by a lot of big, big stars. The house will be filled with movie stars, record executives. On Monday night, when he does the second concert, that will be mostly filled with people, you know, just regular folks that bought tickets, but of course there will be a lot of those in there tonight.

But it's going to be one big show. One of the performers is a fellow by the name of Marc Anthony, very hot young singer. I traveled out to his house in Long Island yesterday. We talked about Michael Jackson, and this is what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARC ANTHONY, SINGER: That is another thing. That's almost like that boat ride down the down east river. It's one of those things where, you know, you're invited by Michael Jackson to sing personally. My favorite song is, she's out of my life. It is one of those things, you know. And -something that I truly don't take lightly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TUSH: He mentioned a boat ride down the east river. Let me tell you a little bit about that. He has his 72-foot yacht docked by his house in Long Island, and he and his family tonight will be on the yacht. They dock in a place called Chelsea Piers. He comes up here, performs and goes back on yacht and goes home, and he is truly an American success story, much like Michael Jackson, right.

Now I don't know "The New York Post" -- it's a tabloid; we'll get that out of the way -- has a front page story today that says Michael Jackson is doing this concert because he needs the money. His PR people are denying that. But they said that he is in something like $200 million in debt from a loan he made a few years ago. And if his new album invincible doesn't do well and these concerts don't do well, he will be in financial trouble. But again, I'm saying it is "The New York Post."

We will be here all day long. I feel like Jerry Lewis on the telethon. Let's go back to Atlanta.

LIN: And just as cute. All right, thanks, Bill.

So what are you expecting to see tonight?

TUSH: What are we going to see.

LIN: Yes, what are you expecting out of this concert?

TUSH: Well, I'm not going to be able go into concert, darn it, I have to be out here. But anyway, I'll tell you who is going to be up there with Ricky Martin, or not Ricky Martin. Actually Ricky Martin bowed out of the concert because of prior commitments. Britney Spears will be on stage tonight. Originally, she called in at the last minute and said she can't perform because of a contract dispute, but it came about that she will perform tonight, but she won't be part of the CBS TV special that will air in October. That's the contract problem.

Who's going to be here tonight? 98 Degrees, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston. That's on Monday. That's on Monday. I'm reading it wrong. Tonight, it's Whitney Houston, Ray Charles, Destiny's Child, Gloria Estefan, Quincy Jones, Liza Minelli, 'N Sync, Usher, Luther Vandross, the Jacksons, Eminem, and many, many others, and it's going to be one heck of a show, I can tell you that.

LIN: Sold. Thanks so much, Bill Tush, outside Madison Square Garden with a preview.

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