The King of Pop even followed us to Ireland, where we discussed my book with the drunkest man in the world at a tiny pub in the town of Moate, down the road from the place Jackson stayed for a few months in 2006. When “Billie Jean” erupted from the speakers twice in a row, I became convinced the only explanation was supernatural. As it turned out, a mischievous bartender had overheard our conversation and decided to mess with us. Had it not been for Danielle, I would never have figured this out. I was so impressed, I proposed to her the next day.
BOOKS FOR FOOD
Every time someone buys a copy of this book, a person in need will receive a free meal through the United Nations’ World Food Programme.
Why? Michael Jackson donated tens of millions of dollars to various charities over the course of his life and left 20 percent of his financial legacy to good causes. I figured it would only be fitting to make a contribution from my author royalties.
I chose the WFP because hunger affects one in seven people on the planet and kills more people per year than AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. When you’re hungry, your body compensates for the lack of nutrition by slowing down. That makes studying or working difficult and weakens the immune system, particularly for children, who can become more vulnerable to common ailments. This isn’t an expensive problem to solve: the WFP provides nutritious meals for just $0.25 apiece.
I was also inspired by 50 Cent, who took a similar approach in 2011 when he released his SK Energy beverage (which retails for $3, roughly the same as the standard author’s cut per book). “This is the most important project I’ve participated in,” he told me shortly after the launch. Since then, he’s donated over 4 million meals; his goal is 1 billion. Perhaps more significantly, he believes his actions will convince beverage giants like Coca-Cola and Pepsi to include a unit-based donation for all their products.
So I’ll contribute a meal for every copy of my book sold, as measured by Nielsen BookScan at the end of each year, and I’ll cross my fingers that other creative types—and the companies who publish their works—will do the same.
To learn more, or to donate directly to the World Food Programme, visit www.wfp.org.
Appendix
* * *
MICHAEL JACKSON’S CAREER EARNINGS
From the moment Michael Jackson’s adult solo career began in earnest in 1979 through his death in 2009, he earned a whopping $1.1 billion dollars. In the five years since then, his estate has collected over $700 million more. Adjusted for inflation, his lifetime earnings stand at $1.9 billion; add in his postmortem paychecks in today’s dollars, and the total rises to $2.6 billion. Here’s the year-by-year breakdown.
YEAR
ANNUAL EARNINGS
ANNUAL EARNINGS ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION*
1979
$4 million
$13 million
1980
$9 million
$26 million
1981
$5 million
$13 million
1982
$6 million
$15 million
1983
$43 million
$101 million
1984
$91 million
$205 million
1985
$37 million
$80 million
1986
$20 million
$43 million
1987
$67 million
$138 million
1988
$125 million
$247 million
1989
$37 million
$70 million
1990
$34 million
$61 million
1991
$35 million
$60 million
1992
$64 million
$107 million
1993
$34 million
$55 million
1994
$19 million
$30 million
1995
$118 million
$181 million
1996
$71 million
$106 million
1997
$42 million
$61 million
1998
$18 million
$26 million
1999
$17 million
$24 million
2000
$18 million
$24 million
2001
$34 million
$45 million
2002
$19 million
$25 million
2003
$21 million
$27 million
2004
$20 million
$25 million
2005
$23 million
$28 million
2006
$19 million
$22 million
2007
$18 million
$20 million
2008
$13 million
$14 million
2009
$10 million/$75 million
$93 million
2010
$245 million
$262 million
2011
$145 million
$151 million
2012
$115 million
$117 million
2013
$130 million
$130 million
* * *
Lifetime earnings estimates generated by the author throughout the process of researching Michael Jackson, Inc. These figures represent pretax earnings before paying out managers, agents, and lawyers, as well as housing, travel, staff, and other expenditures. Estimates do not reflect Sony/ATV profits automatically reinvested into the company. (These are included in the slightly higher figures the author helped develop for Forbes after Jackson’s death.) The figures above do include Jackson’s annual eight-figure guaranteed share of Sony/ATV profits that weren’t reinvested. Figures in boldface represent postmortem income.
MICHAEL JACKSON’S ATV MEMO
The soon-to-be King of Pop passed this note to his lawyer, John Branca, during a meeting in 1985. Jackson eventually acquired the company in question—and his stake is worth about $1 billion today. (Courtesy of the Michael Jackson Estate)
ABOUT THE COVER
To capture Michael Jackson as he’d never been captured before, Simon & Schuster commissioned contemporary pop artist Borbay. He used his signature medium—acrylic paint over a collage of New York Post headlines—to interpret the author’s words and the King of Pop’s career in a single, arresting image. Borbay, dubbed the Big Apple’s most creative resident by Time Out New York, has been recognized by publications from BBC World to Wall Street Journal Japan. His subjects range from Kanye West to the Guggenheim Museum, earning him comparisons to Andy Warhol for his deft manipulation of pop imagery. He lives in Manhattan with his gorgeous wife, Erin, and their daughter, Coraline. For more on Borbay, visit his website (www.borbay.com). For more on the cover, head over to www.michaeljacksoninc.com/cover.
ZACK O’MALLEY GREENBURG is a senior editor at Forbes and author of the Jay Z biography Empire State of Mind (2011), which Bloomberg News called “one of the year’s best rock books.” A child star, Zack played the title role in the film Lorenzo’s Oil alongside Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon. He graduated from Yale with a degree in American Studies in 2007 and immediately joined the staff at Forbes, where he has since chronicled pension-fund scandals, investigated the tourism business in post-conflict Sierra Leone, and written cover stories on the business of Justin Bieber and Toby Keith. Zack’s work has also appeared in The Washington Post, Sports Illustrated, Vibe, and McSweeney’s, among others; he has served as a guest on television programs including Good Day New York, Entertainment Tonight, and 60 Minutes. He lives in New York with his soon-to-be wife, Danielle. For more, follow Zack on Twitter (@zogblog) and visit his website (www.zogreenb
urg.com).
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NOTES
INTRODUCTION
1. Walter Yetnikoff, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.
2. John Branca, interview by author, Beverly Hills, California, February 2013.
3. Michael Jackson, unpublished memo (circa 1985); see appendix.
4. Sheryl Crow, telephone conversation with author, September 2013.
5. Sandy Gallin, telephone conversation with author, August 2013.
6. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.
7. Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
8. Pharrell Williams, telephone conversation with author, November 2012.
9. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
10. Kevin Liles, interview by author, New York, New York, August 2012.
11. Josh Altman, telephone conversation with author, October 2013.
12. Tom Barrack, telephone conversation with author, August 2013.
13. Karen Langford, telephone conversation with author, October 2013.
14. Fred “Fab 5 Freddy” Brathwaite, interview by author, Brooklyn, New York, January 2013.
15. Neil Harris, Humbug: The Art of P.T. Barnum (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1973), 4.
16. Nic Kynaston, ed., Guinness World Records 2000 (London/New York: Guinness World Records Ltd, 1999), 88.
17. Walter Yetnikoff, interview by author, New York, New York, March 2013.
18. Joel Schumacher, telephone conversation with author, October 2012.
19. Liv Buli, electronic message to author, February 2013.
20. The Nielsen Company, “2009 Year-End Music Industry Report,” January 6, 2010. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100106007077/en/2009-U.S.-Music-Purchases-2.1-2008-Music.
21. Michael Jackson, interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael Jackson Talks to . . . Oprah Live, 1993, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN1dTHdckzg.
22. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
CHAPTER ONE: STEELTOWN DREAMING
1. Author’s observation, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
2. Greg Campbell, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
3. Keith Jackson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
4. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
5. Keith Jackson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
6. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
7. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk (New York: Harmony Books, 1988), 26.
8. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
9. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone (New York: Touchstone/Simon & Schuster, 2011), 22–23.
10. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
11. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 13.
12. Ibid, 33–34.
13. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
14. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 40.
15. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 28–29.
16. Greg Campbell, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
17. Keith Jackson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
18. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 32.
19. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
20. Author’s observation, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
21. Author’s note: Unfortunately, this website is about as well maintained as the building to which it’s dedicated. Around the time of my visit to Gary, the URL directed me to a page occupied by a blue-and-yellow cartoon alligator and the words “HostGator: Start a Website Today!”
22. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 61.
23. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
24. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 34.
25. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
26. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 50.
27. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 37.
28. Gordon Keith, telephone conversation with author, July 2012.
29. Catherine Sinclair, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
30. Greg Campbell, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
31. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 59.
32. Keith Jackson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
33. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 29.
34. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
35. Jake Austen, “The Jackson Find,” Chicago Reader, September 10, 2009, http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-jackson-find/Content?oid=1191672.
36. Gordon Keith, telephone conversation with author, July 2012.
37. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 77.
38. Gordon Keith, telephone conversation with author, July 2012.
39. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
40. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 68.
41. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 43.
42. Smokey Robinson, Smokey: Inside My Life (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1988), 175.
43. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 69–74.
44. Ibid.
45. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
46. Tito Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
47. Apollo Theater website, “Amateur Night History and Legacy,” Apollo Theater, http://www.apollotheater.org/amateur-night-history-legacy.
48. Jermaine Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
49. Marlon Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
50. Jermaine Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
51. Jackie Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
52. Jermaine Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
53. Tito Jackson, interview by author, New York, New York, June 2012.
CHAPTER TWO: MOTOWN UNIVERSITY
1. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
2. Smokey Robinson, Smokey: Inside My Life, 175.
3. Author’s note: Suzanne de Passe had numerous scheduling conflicts that prevented her from being interviewed for this book.
4. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
5. Author’s note: At least two Jackson biographers have said that Berry Gordy was not present for the Jackson 5’s initial Motown audition, but signed him after watching their audition tape. However, both Gordy and one of his representatives say he watched the performance in person; Jermaine Jackson also writes that the Jacksons performed in front of Gordy at their first audition (You Are Not Alone, 92).
6. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
7. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 63.
8. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
9. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 75.
10. J. Randy Taraborrelli, Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madn
ess (New York: Birch Lane Press, 1991), 47.
11. Bernie Resnick, electronic message to author, July 2013.
12. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
13. Gordon Keith, telephone conversation with author, July 2012.
14. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
15. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
16. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 67–69.
17. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
18. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
19. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
20. Jackson 5, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5, Motown, 1969.
21. Joe Jackson, interview by author, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 2012.
22. Berry Gordy and Nansci Neiman, electronic message to the author, March 2013.
23. Langdon Winner, “Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5,” Rolling Stone, March 7, 1970, http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/diana-ross-presents-the-jackson-5-19700307.
24. Keith Jackson, interview by author, Gary, Indiana, July 2012.
25. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
26. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 107.
27. Berry Gordy, interview by author, New York, New York, February 2013.
28. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 81.
29. Jermaine Jackson, You Are Not Alone, 153–155.
30. Michael Jackson, Moonwalk, 106.
Michael Jackson, Inc. Page 26
