Leno Jumps On Jacko Jokes After ’60 Minutes’ Interview

Jay Leno joked during his Tonight Show monologue on Monday night, “His big interview last night, Michael Jackson on ’60 Minutes’. How many watched that? Did you see that thing? Michael jackson said he still believes it’s okay to sleep with children, but not until at least the third date… So I think that’s okay. I think that’s okay. No. Michael jackson said — ‘The boy slept in the bed, and Michael slept on the floor.’ That’s what he said. It’s the same arrangement Michael had with his wives, Deborah Rowe and Lisa Marie… ‘He would sleep on the floor –‘ you know what I’m thinking of, if Michael really wanted to talk about all the boys he had in his bedroom, is ’60 Minutes’ enough? Shouldn’t he be on ’48 Hours’? … Michael also said last night — ‘I would slit my wrists before I hurt a child.’ I hope he’s not one of these guys that cuts off his nose to spite his face, you know what I’m saying?”

Michael Jackson’s ’60 Minutes’ Interview Tops Nielsen Ratings

December 30, 2003 – The New York Daily News reports Michael’s interview with ’60 Minutes’ on Sunday will top the Nielsen charts. The show drew 18.2 million viewers to see the King of Pop speak with Ed Bradley about his child molestation charges and claims of police abuse while in custody. The Jackson interview also helped ’60 Minutes’ by bringing many young viewers, giving the network its highest 18 to 49 year old demographic in nearly two years.

Michael Jackson Fires Spokesman… Or Did He Quit?

December 30, 2003 – The New York Daily News reports Michael Jackson fired his spokesman Stuart Backerman, according to family lawyer Brian Oxman. “Michael runs his own organization and, for whatever reason, he’s chosen to do this. He does as he sees fit,” he said. Geragos said he delivered the pink slip. “He was terminated by me personally for talking when I told him not to,” he said. But Backerman insisted, “I was not fired. I resigned today over strategic differences with the way things are going.” Backerman did not elaborate.