XII DANGEROUS Michael Jackson, Entertainment Industry, Death – Who Is It?

Michael Jackson released his short film WHO IS IT in 1993, the accompanying song is from the album DANGEROUS. Once again Michael Jackson presented a story of fame, corruption but also of betrayal and loneliness. Once again, he told the story of being crushed in a merciless, inhumane industry. Michael Jackson’s WHO IS IT is about work, work, work and the pressures in a business where humanity and feelings are left behind. WHO IS IT features a star at the center of desire and shows countless times the „making of“ of this star behind the less than glamorous scenes. Michael Jackson’s story is set in an industry where anonymous workers are busy creating the illusion around the star. But Jackson also shows in WHO IS IT the exploitation of this main character, who is so passionately desired by the customer. And he shows the pale, unflamboyant managers who make sinful amounts of money off the performance of the star they have under contract. In WHO IS IT, Jackson shows us the protagonist as a box office magnet who prostitutes herself. To death. And this time, too, the star is endowed with all the signs of a prostitute.

Michael Jackson and the biblical „Whore Babylon“ not only in the short film WHO IS IT

A Bible text pretty much describes the appearance of the woman, the star in Michael Jacksons WHO IS IT:

„And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls …“

A quote from the bible source

Maybe what is symbolically depicted here is the biblical „Whore of Babylon“, which is quoted again and again by artists over the decade. Especially in the 1927 film „Metropolis“ by Fritz Lang.
The theme of the biblical „Whore of Babylon“ was popularly portrayed in the 1927 film „Metropolis“ by Fritz Lang. This biblical „Whore of Babylon“ can be found in „Metropolis“ in the character of the „False Mary“ or „Machine Mary“. This character from „Metropolis“ has been quoted again and again by many artists, including Madonna in „Express Yourself“ in 1987, Whitney Houston in „Queen of the Night“ from 1992, Freddie Mercury and the Band „Queen“ in the video „Radio Gaga“.
Michael Jackson’s short film WHO IS IT reflects the theme of „Metropolis“: there is the big city, the industry, there are corrupt businessmen and the „creation“ of the „Machine Mary“ which reflects false desires and in turn symbolizes the theme of the „Whore of Babylon“. And then there is finally Michael Jackson who, like Mary’s lover in 1927 in the movie „Metropolis“ is in constant search for the truth.

Wrong goals in life in WHO IS IT by Michael Jackson?

In WHO IS IT 1993, Michael Jackson told of false temptations and of intoxicating amounts of money for the star’s accomplished performance. Jackson told of doubts, of loneliness. And about his search for the truth.

Michael Jackson made not only in WHO IS IT the „making of“ of the star as art. Especially evident displayed Jackson the machinery and the many people necessary to bring the production around the show „Michael Jackson“ on stage. Michael Jackson’s HIStory Teaser from 1995 seems like a tribute to his employees and collaborators.

The Managers of the prostitutes in WHO IS IT push their star from one performance to the next. Again, they are man and woman in managerial roles and maybe they are the symbolic parental figures. Michael Jackson, who in his childhood had his own father as manager and had to train under his mother’s supervision. Jackson showed the constellation of symbolic parental figures/managers who earn their money with the star not only in WHO IS IT, but already in 1983 in the short film SAY, SAY, SAY. In this film as well, the theme of the story is betrayal and deception in order to make money with illusions and desires. In 1983, managers in SAY SAY SAY are, of all people, Paul McCartney and his wife Linda. It looks like the veteran Paul McCartney is teaching the young Michael Jackson the tricks around illusions and scams in show business.

The performance by Michael Jackson in 1996 and the machine Mary in „Metropolis“ in 1927

In 1996, it looked like Michael Jackson was concluding his career as the „King of Pop“ with his last world tour, which he called HIStory. When he appeared on stage at the beginning of his concerts, everything about his appearance was reminiscent of the dance by „Machine Mary“ in the 1927 movie „Metropolis“: „with scarlet … and adorned with gold„.

„It is the most perfect and obedient tool that man has ever possessed. Tonight you shall see how she performs before the eyes of the upper hundred. You shall see her dance […]“

from „Metropolis“ 1927 about the „Machine-Maria“.

In 1993, in Michael Jackson’s short film WHO IS IT, at the end of the film it seem the world also is coming to an end. The woman, the „star“ of the film, who created false temptations and was desired by all men, stands in front of those gates, which could be the gates of heaven. The woman is dressed in „purple“. Perhaps symbolically a kind of „Judgement Night“ is implied. This Christian point in time when everyone has to take responsibility for their lives before God. In Jackson’s WHO IS IT, this seems to be the time when the woman who betrayed people with false promises is rejected. For her, the gate remains closed. She is denied access. She, the „sin in person“, has no place in this house. The last image of the scene in Michael Jackson’s WHO IS IT shows a hand that could also be the „Righteous Hand of God“. The prostitute dressed in „purple“ stands with her sinful life before the gates that could be those of heaven. The last scene shows her business cards with her false identities. It seems as if her sins are being held up to her. Held up by a hand that could be the „Righteous Hand of God“.

Beatings for the star in WHO IS IT – and for Michael Jackson

At one point, the woman and „star“ in WHO IS IT refused to follow the orders of her managers. In response, her manager slapped her. The question remains: How much autobiographical history is hidden in Michael Jackson’s WHO IS IT from 1993?
In 1988, Jackson took us behind the scenes of the entertainment industry. In MOONWALKER he showed us how he was beaten by „Mr. BIG,“ the boss of an industry. Right in the middle of the concert arena. Under the eyes of the audience. This reminds of Michael’s story about the beatings by his father, who was also the manager of the child star Michael:

„He slapped me so hard in the face, as hard as he could, and then he’d thrust me out into the big room, where they are, tears running down my face …“

Michael Jackson looking back at his performances under the control of his father, manager Joseph Walter Jackson. ¹

Michael Jackson was eleven years old when his manager, who was his father, slapped him and forced him to perform. Michael Jackson was 50 years old when he was slapped again by a manager, a „Mr. Big“ in the entertainment industry. That was in 2009 and this time it was the AEG concert promoter Randy Phillips. Concert Promoter Randy Phillips slapped Michael Jackson backstage so that the King of Pop would announce a concert series at a press conference that Jackson had not wanted to announce. This was right before a press conference on March 5, 2009. Michael Jackson was pressured by concert promoter Randy Phillips to announce the concert series THIS IS IT, which Jackson did not want to announce. It made Phillips lose his nerve in a hotel room. Phillips‘ later testimony in court and the news of the day’s events became the subject of the June 2013 oral argument in the civil case Katherine Jackson v. AEG LIVE. Trial observers reported Randy Phillips‘ testimony as follows:

„Phillips had doubts a week before whether Jackson would show up for the press conference. Jackson apparently was not going to make the concert series. Phillips was unable to reach him a week before the announced date. …Phillips began to worry that Jackson would break his contract with AEG Live for his „This Is It“ concerts.
„If there had ever been a time to stop the process, it would have been in February,“ he testified. „That’s when we had the least amount of risk and the most amount of security.“
„I yelled at him so loud the walls shook,“ Phillips wrote in an email to (his boss) Leiweke. „Thome and I got him dressed and they do his hair. Then we race to the O2. This is the worst thing I’ve ever seen. He’s an emotional paralyzed mess, filled with self-pity and full of doubt that it’s showtime now. He’s scared to death. Right now, I just want to get through the press conference.“
Phillips vented his frustration with more than words. „I just hit him and yelled at him louder than I yelled at Arthur Cassel.“ Michael Jackson didn’t want to appear at the March 5, 2009, press conference to announce the concerts. Phillips, financially and personally responsible for the event, ‚freaks out‘ after seeking out Jackson in his hotel room.

²

Prostitution. Manager. And a career

1997. Prostitution. Manager. BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR (WHO IS IT?)

Also, in 1997 in his short film BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR Michael Jackson presented prostitution and mass orgies. This time the red clothing – usually reserved for the seductive women in his films – is red leather and is worn by Jackson himself. The bracelets on his wrist look like the chains of imprisonment. Again, in BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR, a woman appears to seduce him. Again, he desires her, dances with her and unites with her in the darkness. Again, this is his death. „Seven Inches In.“ Stabbed this time. And the audience was watching.
In 1998 the King of Pop had successfully completed his world tour which he had called HIStory, his last concert series. Perhaps Jackson had already announced the completion of his career many years earlier with the use of the number „1998“ in his art, in his autographs and in his autobiography? In 1998, Michael Jackson was 40 years old and he made it clear in several interviews that he no longer wanted to permanently pursue his physically demanding career as a “ Moonwalker „. Maybe Jackson had already announced many years before, with the quotation of the number „1998“ in his aRt, in his autographs and in his autobiography, that this part of his career should be completed in 1998?

2001 YOU ROCK MY WORLD: Manager, seduction, a performance under pressure and some kind of last judgement.

In 2001, Michael Jackson showed his audience his short film YOU ROCK MY World ³ It is his last film and somehow in YOU ROCK MY WORLD he announces the professional turning point of the King of Pop. In YOU ROCK MY WORLD, Michael Jackson is quoting all his career highlights: literally, in images or symbolically. In his last prober film, Jackson once again performed in a milieu of organized crime and is pressured by a manager, by a executive figures who wanted him to perform.

„Show me what you got!“

A criminal manager figure 2001 towards Michael Jackson in this establishment in YOU ROCK MY WORLD.

2001. Prostitution. Manager and Michael Jackson moves out of the spotlight: YOU ROCK MY WORLD

In 2001 in YOU ROCK MY WOLD Michael Jackson enters this symbolic underworld. That same world he already had entered in 1988 in SMOOTH CRIMINAL or in his Pepsi commercial DREAMS in 1992. Again in 2001 – as in all those years before – a woman tries to seduce Michael Jackson. But this time, which will be his last, he resists this seduction. This last time in his career, the King of Pop doesn’t let himself be seduced. In 2001, Michael Jackson walks away from this woman.
Michael Jackson always danced in the decades of his career when the spotlight was on him. But in 2001, the King of Pop does not dance. Michael Jackson leaves the woman alone for the first time. Michael Jackson is leaving the building. THIS IS IT. That’s it.

Michael Jackson’s announcement that the King of Pop would virtually retire in 1998 and no longer provide his services to the industry, not only ended in a disaster with some of those „Mr. BIG’s“ in the music industry in YOU ROCK MY WORLD in 2001 but also in reality: Michael Jackson’s feud with Tommy Mottola, at the time head of Jackson’s record company SONY, was fought out publicly and made headlines. Those conflicts that in reality led to Jackson’s protests in 2002 and to Tommy Mottola’s resignation had already been made a subject of discussion on a quasi-artistic level in YOU ROCK MY WORLD.
At the turn of the millennium, Michael Jacksons had been in show business for over three decades. He always maintained his position as the „King“ but Jackson had always made the dangers and difficulties in this business as a subject of his music and his films. At the end of the 1980s – Jackson had just made history with his album BAD, his world tour, his short films – he told in his songs CHEATER and PRICE OF FAME about being cheated, deceived and ripped off in this business. He told about others who thought they owned him

„I own you …“

Michael Jackson in CHEATER. ⁴

Jacksons sings, they had threatened him. He also sings:

„working too hard for this kind of game.“

Michael Jackson in CHEATER. ⁵

Jackson sings about physical injuries, about anger and about „wanting to give up“. Someone had told him that all he needed was „a knock on the head.“.

„Just sign your name on the dotted line, you´ll be fine“.

Michael Jackson in PRICE OF FAME. ⁶

This also sounds like cheating. For decades, Michael Jackson painted a picture of crime, corruption, money, drugs, mafia, sex and fraud in the entertainment industry. In MOONWALKER he interfered in these schemes and paid for it with his life.

„But it´s only a movie!“

Michael Jackson in 1983 in THRILLER, his short film to the biggest selling album of all time. ⁷

Isn´t it?

„I’m done.“ Michael Jackson, 2003.

Michael Jackson was born in the entertainment. His knowledge of the industry and his impact on the world’s attention made him a very special business partner. „Michael … he knew!“, his brother Jermaine later explained, and that those who worked behind the scenes‘ felt that Michael was interfering too much in their business. They „thought he was a thread„. ⁸
In 2003, Michael Jackson gave one of his last interviews. He looked exhausted: ⁹

„It´s a conspiracy. I don´t want to say too much. I´m done!“

Michael Jackson, Interview 2003. ¹⁰

Maybe Michael Jackson just ended the interview with these words, and yet he sounded like he was capitulating in front of running cameras. 70 police officers had just raided his home; pictures about Jackson’s arrest in handcuffs went around the world. We didn’t know it then, how literally we should have taken his words.

„I’m done.“

Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson had surrendered.

In 1988, in the movie MOONWALKER, Jackson had told a story about the corrupt Mr. BIG, who, with political ambitions and mafia methods, had done everything to destroy him. One „Mr. BIG“ alias Frankie LiDeo alias Frank DiLeo, was in fact Michael Jackson’s manager from the 1980s. He was the behind-the-scenes operator who handled the business, while Michael, King of Pop, was the focus of the desire. The reported connections Frank DiLeo’s with the Mafia are perhaps only rumors. Similarities with the criminal film character LiDeo in MOONWALKER are, of course, freely invented. Purely symbolic. Probably. In MOONWALKER, Mr. BIG, who represented the „system“ behind the scenes was taken down by Michael Jackson. Michael himself survived the massacre and returned to us, the audience, in the end of the film.

„But it´s only a movie!“

Michael. ¹²

Isn´t it?
On 25.06.2009 Michael Jackson was destroyed by that very system, he told about in his whole career. But those Mr. BIG’s had survived and made money off his death. And not only symbolically. „Bucks and Drugs.“ ¹³. But this time we are still waiting for Michael to comeback.

1988, 1991, 1993, 2009: And the industry in MOONWALKER 1988 Michael Jackson showed us again on DANGEROUS 1991

Michael Jackson’s view on corrupt secrets behind the scenes in the industry. Michael Jackson’s worldview on the corrupt darkness behind the scenes of the entertainment industry in MOONWALKER, 1988, source. Michael Jackson had an almost identical image painted on his DANGEROUS album cover, 1991.

THIS IS IT was the name they gave to the footage of Michael Jackson’s preparations for the 2009 concert series that finally killed him. That’s it. These „Mr. BIG’s“ behind the scenes of THIS IS IT in 2009 were AEG concert promoter Randy Philipps („I slapped him as hard as I could“), Jackson’s manager Frank DiLeo („Get him a bucket of chicken“) and choreographer Kenneth Ortega („It’s time to pull the plug“). They were on the red carpet at the premiere party of THIS IS IT, the documentary about Michael Jackson’s last rehearsals that eventually cost him his life. The star Michael Jackson was dead.

Incidentally, the last „making of“ of the star who prostituted himself in Michael Jackson’s WHO IS IT in 1993 also seems to be that of her funeral. And reality also, the last photo of Michael Jackson shows him on the autopsy table in 2009.
Similarities of both recordings we owe probably Michael Jacksons prophetic abilities. ¹⁴

In 2011, the criminal case against Michael Jackson’s personal physician from 2009 Conrad Murray, who killed his patient, was televised. At the beginning of this criminal trial, prosecutor David Walgren showed the public a photo of Michael Jackson. The photo shows Michael Jacksons naked. On the table in the autopsy. As a result, the artist and human being Michael Jackson has been denied his final dignity. For the evidence of the criminal case and for its development, the publication of the photo, which made headlines, was not necessary. (Walgren’s career took a step upwards after the conclusion of the trial.) The similarity of the last photo of the star, the woman in WHO IS IT with Michael Jackson’s last photo on the autopsy table can be compared on the Internet. Unfortunately, it can be found with no difficulties. Is it a coincidence or are the similarities between these two images due to Michael Jackson’s prophetic abilities?

WHO IS IT actually in the short film by Michael Jackson?

Michael Jackson’s DANGEROUS Cover. A (his) grave?

The fatal ending in the short film WHO IS IT 1993 by Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, seems to have found its beginning in the DANGEROUS album cover 1991: Four female figures create four pillars. The four pillars are similar to Caryatids. ¹⁵ Since ancient Greece Caryatids have had supporting functions on facades and temples. And on tombs. In 1515 Michelangelo decorated with caryatids the tomb of a leader of the church in Rome. The Julius Grave of pope Julius II. ¹⁶ In 1646, an artist decorated the tomb of a nobleman in France with caryatids. ¹⁷
Did Mark Ryden in 1991 also decorate with caryatids the tomb of the King of Pop, who lost his life exactly 18 years later in the system of the entertainment industry?

Related articles:

1. Boteach, Rabbi, Shmuley, „A tragic icon reveals his soul in intimate conversation – The Michael Jackson Tapes“, 25.09.2009, Kindle-Positions 1585-1594, „Michael Jackson: Well, um, no. He wouldn’t do it on the stage. Like, after a show, there’d be the room full of girls. He would love to bring the girls in the room, my father. And after the show we’d have something to eat, or whatever, and the room would be just lined with girls giggling, just loving us, like “oh my god!” and shaking. And if I was talking and something happened and he didn’t like it, he’d get this look in his eye like. . . he’d get this look in his eye that would just scare you to death. He slapped me so hard in the face, as hard as he could, and then he’d thrust me out into the big room, where they are, tears running down my face, and what are you supposed to do, you know? […], no more than like, twelve. . . eleven, something around there.“, Vanguard Press; Kindle-Version
2. Twitter messages from „Katherine Jackson v. AEG Live“ lawsuit. Oral arguments were held in June 2013,source: dailymichael.com/past-lawsuits/jackson-v-aeg/162-jacksons-vs-aeg-day-28-june-12-2013
3. Jackson, Michael, DVD: NUMBER ONES https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-7ABIM2qjU
4. Jackson, Michael, CHEATER – Demo, November 2004, Chris Cadman – Michael Jackson – The Maestro. The Definitive A-Z, Volume I: A-J/Volume II: K-Z; 2013/2015. The demo was recorded in 1987, Album THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION
5. Jackson, Michael, CHEATER – Demo, 11.2004, Chris Cadman – Michael Jackson – The Maestro. The Definitive A-Z, Volume I: A-J/Volume II: K-Z; 2013/2015. The demo was recorded in 1987, Album THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION
6. Jackson, Michael, PRICE OF FAME, published by Michael Jacksons Estate with the album BAD 25 in 2012, Sony Music. Jacksons original Demo is from 1986/1988. Michael Jackson himself did not release that song in his lifetime.
7. MICHAEL JACKSONS THRILLER, short film, 1983, Video Greatest Hits – HIStory „But it’s only a movie!“ Jackson tries to reassure his movie girlfriend with these words when he leaves the cinema together with her. She had been too scared about one of Michael Jackson’s movies, Sony Music Video Enterprises; published on DVD in 1995
8. Thomson, Charles, „Jermaine Jackson speaks to Charles Thomson about racism and the music industry„, 15.09.2011, „I’d like to say it was because he was a thread. Not to become a politician but he was … Michael knew. That’s why he spoke about governments. That’s why he spoke about THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT US. He knew! I watched an Interview he did on 20/20 … (Note.: Ed Bradley, 12.2003, Jackson home had just been searched from basement to roof by 70 armed police officers) and he said, „I have said too much. I can’t say no more.“ „He was a thread […] Michael knew. That´s why he spoke about governments. […] He knew!“ Jermaine Jackson, 2011. „When you reach the level of success that Michael had reached […] he was a thread […] „Michael knew! That´s why he spoke about governments […] he knew!“, https://www.charles-thomson.net/index.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ho0nVVMvRA
9. Michael Jackson, Interview „With Ed Bradley On ‚60 Minutes‘„, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jackson-proclaims-his-innocence/, Michael Jackson: „It’s a conspiracy. Yeah. I don’t want to say too much. I’m done! I don’t want to say much because I’m hurting. I’m really hurting.“, TV Sender CBS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAl5IDJ_jY
10. Michael Jackson, Interview „With Ed Bradley On ‚60 Minutes‘„, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jackson-proclaims-his-innocence/, Michael Jackson: „It’s a conspiracy. Yeah. I don’t want to say too much. I’m done! I don’t want to say much because I’m hurting. I’m really hurting.“, TV Sender CBS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAl5IDJ_jY
11. Michael Jackson, Interview “ With Ed Bradley On 60 Minutes‘“, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jackson-proclaims-his-innocence/, TV Sender CBS, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrAl5IDJ_jY
12. MICHAEL JACKSONS THRILLER – short film, 1983, Video Greatest Hits – HIStory „But it’s only a movie!“ Jackson tries to reassure his movie girlfriend with these words when he leaves the cinema together with her. She had been too scared about one of Michael Jackson’s movies, Sony Music Video Enterprises; published on DVD 1995
13. MICHAEL JACKSONS MOONWALKER – A Movie Like No Other, 1987.05.18., „Bucks and Drugs“. This is the target formulation of the (mafia?) boss MISTER BIG, DVD of February 18, 2005
14. 1_Note: MICHAEL JACKSON DANGEROUS – THE SHORTFILMS. short film: WHO IS IT, 1993, The similarity of the last photo of the in WHO IS IT with Jackson’s last photo on the autopsy table can may be compared. It is unfortunately effortless to find in the Internet.
15. See Isabelle Petijean, „Dangerous, from Mark Ryden to Michael Jackson. Pop Culture in the Pantheon of Fine Arts„, Delatour France, 2016, page 83 also here over this link on facebook
16. Michael Jackson 10.02.1993: „… I’m a great fan of art. I love Michelangelo! If I had the chance to talk to him or read about him I would want to know what inspired him to become who he is, the anatomy of his craftsmanship, not about who he went out with last night … what’ wrong with … I mean that’s what is important to me.“ MICHAEL JACKSON TALKS TO OPRAH – Live“, ABC Network; Harpo Productions.
17. Mausoleum of Henri II, Prinz de Condé in Vantilly, created in 1646 by Gilles Guérin, http://prettypoun.centerblog.net/6584377-eglise-de-vallery-yonne-visite-en-photos-persos.