2001
If you are born knowing that others love you, and you leave this world knowing the same, then you can cope with whatever happens to you between those two times.“
With a crowd of twenty thousand people who had requested to attend the speech, Michael Jackson proved that he had been the most popular guest at the University of Oxford throughout its one hundred and seventy-eight-year history.
And this was an extraordinary success for Michael, who had been named ”the King of Oxford“ by the attendees of the speech.
On March 7, 2001, Yuri Geller renewed his vows in a traditional Jewish ceremony with his wife, Hanne. The wedding celebration took place at the Majisin Mansion in the small town of Sonning-Berkshire, England. Michael attended the event and served as the best man.
A large tent had been set up in the garden to host the one hundred and thirty guests of this celebration.
Michael wore a white Jewish hat and, with the joyful smile on his lips, followed the ceremony with great interest and curiosity.
Michael’s duty as best man was to give Yuri the wedding ring. Immediately after the wedding ceremony ended, the music group began playing traditional Jewish songs. Michael enjoyed the music so much that he stood up and tried to dance along with it until, after a few seconds, because of his injured foot, he was suddenly in severe pain.
[Wedding ceremony]
At the end of the celebration, Yuri Geller’s close relatives and special guests went to pay their respects to Michael, thanking him for attending and hugging him.
That afternoon, Michael appeared onstage at the tenth annual ”Michael Jackson Day“ ceremony hosted by one of his fans, Adrienne Grant, and held at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.
Michael attended the end-of-night ceremony, which included performances by artists in his honor.
In front of three thousand eager fans, Michael was invited onstage by Rabbi Shmueli Batiche.
The King of Pop said: ”Thank you all for coming here. I’m extremely happy and honored by the incredible show I witnessed tonight. You are all so great and I love you... I’m still working on a new album. Two months remain until it’s finished. But I assure you it will be an amazing album. I love you all from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.“
The proceeds from this event were donated to the «Heal The Kids» charity. Before the start of the ceremony, in the lobby, Michael’s items—including a black hat, a birthday congratulatory phone message, and the booklet Michael had worn at the 2000 World Music Awards—were auctioned. The income from this auction was also presented to the «Heal The Kids» charity.
In the early hours of March 8, 2001, Michael expressed his deep gratitude for the astonishing support his fans in London had shown him. At eight o’clock at night, Michael had planned to go to the theatre Madame Tussaud starring Macaulay Culkin, but because of the pain he suddenly felt in his foot, he had to cancel his schedule.
At nine o’clock in the morning on March 9, 2001, Michael left London.
And that story came to an end.
Ten days after this very successful trip to London, Michael was given a great honor.
On March 19, Michael Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist.
Having just broken his foot at home in Neverland; after the praise the band Incink gave him, he limped onto the stage.
Michael said: ”As you can see, tonight we won’t have Monaco.“
[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
During a short speech, Michael thanked Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, and Diana Ross, whom he called ”his second mother”. He also expressed gratitude to his parents for giving him such talent.
Michael: ”Since I was a child, the gift of music has been a tremendous blessing for me.“
[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]
On April 16, 2001, it was announced in the news that Michael would perform live in New York. The King of Pop celebrated the thirtieth year of his career as a solo artist with a royal concert.
Michael’s spokesperson, Cherie Finn, said: ”Among the celebrities who are said to be attending this event are Jill Scott, Whitney Houston, Britney Spears, Incink, Mark Anthony, and Shaggy.“
Also at this concert, the Jackson brothers would reunite for the first time after their last group performance in the late 1980s.
The 42-year-old Jackson said in a statement: ”I’m very excited to celebrate the thirtieth year of my career as a solo artist, along with a group of talented and outstanding artists, my friends and fans. I’m looking forward to performing at this concert and joining my brothers on this special night.“
It was expected that on this night, Michael would sing with Whitney Houston and Britney Spears and would also perform, in preview form, songs from his long-promised album that was to be released that same year. It was also expected that the Jackson Five would perform a medley of the group’s best songs.
Michael’s spokesperson: ”The Jackson brothers will perform at least one song together with Incink.“
According to Michael’s spokesperson statements published in the media, this expensive concert would use a choir group of three hundred church members, a choir group of two hundred children, a forty-eight-member orchestra, forty dancers, and twelve backing vocalists.