1978 - Lisa Robinson interviewed Michael by phone from California.

L.R. So after filming The Wiz here, you told me you wanted to come back to New York and spend more time.

M.J. I love it—it’s the perfect spot for me, for the things I’m interested in in life. When I’m in New York, I get up early and I’m ready to start the day. You have a whole schedule: I’m going to see this play at this time, and I’m going to have lunch, I’m going to see a movie—that’s what I like about it, so much … energy. Whenever I come back home, I look forward to going back to New York. I love the big stores—I love everything.

L.R. You’ve been seen out with Janelle Penny Commissiong, the former Miss Universe. Is it a romance?

M.J. [Laughter, giggling.] That’s a hard question to answer. Like most of the people you may see me out with, like Tatum [O’Neal] and Janelle, they’re kind of on and off, they’re friends, and [hysterical laughter]... I talk to them. I don’t know how to describe it, really [more laughter]. I don’t know what to say.

L.R. O.K., change the subject. What was it like to work with Diana on The Wiz?

M.J. It was incredible, wonderful. I learned so much from her. We’re like brother and sister, really. She was such a help—she made sure I was O.K. on the set; every morning she’d come to my room and ask if I needed anything. She was very protective. I just loved the world of moviemaking; I love it more than reality. Sometimes I just wish I could wake up in the morning to a big production dance number.

L.R. As for reality, do you still like meeting your fans?

M.J. I enjoy all that sometimes, seeing people who love me, or buy my records. I think it’s fun, and I enjoy meeting my fans and I think it’s important. But sometimes people think you owe your life to them; they have a bad attitude—like “I made you who you are.” That may be true—but not that one person. Sometimes you have to say to them, If the music wasn’t good, you wouldn’t have bought it. Because some of them think they actually own you. Someone will say, “Sit down,” “Sign this,” or “Can I have your autograph?” and I’ll say, “Yes, do you have a pen?” And they say, “No, go get one.” Honestly. I’m not exaggerating. But I just try to deal with it.

L.R. Are you having fun with your new car [a recently purchased blue Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce]?

M.J. Yes, it’s my favorite car. I know how to drive it, but I hate to take pictures in it. You know, you see so many people with their new cars, and it’s a little show-offy. I’m really not like that.

Source: The Boy Who Would Be King

1997 - Michael performs HIStory world tour at Festwiese stadium, Leipzig, Germany

1994 - Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley announced that they had been married May 26th in the Dominican Republic. Astonishingly, Michael somehow kept secret for six weeks one of the stories of the decade: his marriage to the daughter of the late King of Rock‘n’Roll: Lisa Marie Presley.
The couple emphatically denied the rumors until the judge Hugo Francisco Alvarez Pérez of the Dominican Republic, produced a marriage license for all to see, dated May 26 and bearing the couple's signatures.
Lee Solters, Michael’s publicist, initially denied press reports that Michael and Lisa Marie were husband and wife. The story first broke on 11th July in the UK, but it wasn’t until 1st August that Lisa Marie – via MJJ Productions – confirmed the marriage, in a statement issued in her name only confirming the whispers that had been swirling for 11 weeks that she had indeed wed the pop genius in the Dominican Republic on May 26.

The bride officially introduced herself, releasing a statement through MJJ Productions: "My married name is Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson. My marriage to Michael Jackson... was not formally announced until now for several reasons; Foremost being we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media. We both wanted a private marriage ceremony without the distraction of the media circus. I am very much in love with Michael. I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him. We both look forward to raising a family and living happy, healthy lives together. We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy."

With this marriage, the 2 biggest names in show business were united: Jackson & Presley. In the media, the marriage of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, to the daughter of the King of Rock 'N' Roll, Lisa Marie Presley, was entitled as "THE Marriage of the Century"!

1997 - Michael perform HIStory world tour at Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany.

2001 - Michael launched his official website with own domain, www.michaeljackson.com.

1992 - Before performing on his second concert at the Wembley Stadium, he financially reacknowledges the "Prince’s Trust" with a 200,000-pound check. The very year, the first "Heal The World European Children’s Congress" is established in England, the occasion of which 84 children, aged between 8 and 16, have gathered to discuss global issues of imminent interest and their possible solutions. In spite of being down with laryngitis, the artist also participates at "Regent’s College" for several hours.

2001 - Tickets went on sale for "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years" - and had virtually sold out the two concert dates set for Friday, September 7, 2001 and Monday, September 10, 2001 at Madison Square Garden in less than five hours, with ticket prices ranging from US$ 45.-- to US$ 2'500.--!!

1985 - Michael sprained his right hand during the filming of a dance sequence on the set of Captain EO, and was taken to Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, the same place he had been rushed to eighteen months earlier when he was burned on the set of the Pepsi commercial.


Accompanying him was young Jonathan Spence, a boy (ten or eleven years old) who had been friends with Michael since about the fall of 1984.

1988 - Michael had his own TV special. Michael Jackson: Around the World was a 90min special featuring concert footage of the Bad tour, with Michael, as usual, having final appoval of the footage to be included. While the concert footage of the Bad tour was impressive, it still only gives a small taste of the excitement of seeing MJ perform live. Clips of Michael with his band, singers & dancers performing "Working Day & Night" gives only a small sense of the song's elaborate production. Footage is shown of Michael's concert performances of "I Just Can't Stop Loving You", "Human Nature", "Beat It", & the Jackson 5ive classics, "I want You Back" & "The Love You Save".

Michael's band members speak of the excitement of playing London's Wembley Stadium. Frank Dileo adds, "Playing Wembley is one of the biggest honors any artist could have. It's a status symbol within artists themselves, whether or not they can sell out Wembley Stadium, and of course Michael set a new record. He sold it out 7 times. You can't get any bigger than that."

The program also featured the premiere of Michael's latest video, for "Another Part of Me". Filmed at London's Wembley Stadium on July 15, 1988, the video is of an actual performance of the song from the Bad tour. Too frequent cuts, however, detract from Michael's fancy footwork performed during the song.

MJ:Around the World was the highest rated summer special ever in its time slot, it aired at 11:30 p.m. It earned a 8.7 rating, which is equal to 27% of the tv audience. The program was later renamed MJ: Fans Around the World & rebroadcast on MTV several times. An edited, hour long, version was shown in April, 1989, on the BET network. BET presented Michael with an award in recognition of the tour's success while he was winding up the tour in LA.

1984 - The Jacksons perform Victory Tour in East Rutherford, New Jersey attending 44,282, including Katherine, Janet, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon & Bob Girladi among others.

1992 - Michael fetches characters Mickey and Minnie Mouse from Euro-Disney, returns from Disneyland Paris with his helicopter and lands on Haggerston park. Together they went to the "Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children" in London, and distributes toys to the ill children there.

1979 - Michael released the first single from the forthcoming album; “Don’t Stop Till You Get Enough”. The song was solely written by Michael and featured a spoken intro, a surprising falsetto voice and amazing percussion by Michael and his brother Randy. The song was released with a bright music video that featured Michael dancing in triplicate in the song’s bridge. It was his first “short film” and it was directed by Nick Saxon. The song went to number 1 in the US and Australia and was a top 10 hit in 6 countries.

1989 - Michael became the newest claymation member of the Raisin Family by appearing in their new TV commercial called "Michael Raisin". Michael's speaking voice is used in the ads, but his singing voice on the song "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" couldn't be used because of his exclusive contract with Pepsi. Michael agreed to lend his image to the commercial after working with the claymation creator on "Moonwalker".

1995 - Michael is seen in his newest video You Are Not Alone" with his wife Lisa Marie Presley-Jackson during its premier on ABC-TV.

The music video directed by Wayne Isham, begins with a large number of paparazzi taking photographs of Jackson. The plot then centers around two locations: a temple where Jackson appears in an affectionate semi-naked scene with Lisa Marie and a theater where Jackson performs the song to an empty hall. Jackson also appears alone in other locations such as deserts and mountain tops. The special effects were used to give Jackson white feathery wings.

1998 - Michael Jackson announced the creation of a new company, Michael Jackson Japan Co. Ltd. The company was intended to build theme parks and sell toys throughout the world.