March 20, 1999 (Germany, Saarland Hall) - “Turn Das”

Michael Jackson appeared on his TV show ”Turn, Das...“ to talk about his project ”Michael Jackson and Friends.“ The show was broadcast live on D.D.F and had 15.87 million viewers (49.8%). Michael was on the show for about 9 minutes.

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It’s about 10 p.m., and roughly 150 fans of Michael have entered the “Saarland Hall” and gathered on both sides of the stage.

A clip of ”We Are the World” is shown just before Michael appears on stage.

Thomas Gottschalk (host): ”The King of Pop” Michael Jackson is coming in!!!

[Wearing a black jacket and trousers, a white shirt with a red stripe wrapped around one of his arms, black boots and sunglasses, with his hair falling over his shoulders..... His entrance is accompanied by thunderous screams and applause...... For a few minutes, the fans are constantly screaming]

[Michael greets Thomas Gottschalk and makes gestures pointing to the host’s tall height.]

Thomas Gottschalk: Let’s talk a little about this new project...

They walk toward the bench where the other guests are seated. Thomas Gottschalk sits on the bench, but Michael remains standing and waves to the fans. Thomas Gottschalk is forced to stand up from the bench again... The fans’ screams continue, making conversation impossible.... Michael smiles.

Thomas Gottschalk (to Michael’s fans): Okay... thank you very much.

Michael: They really can’t stop themselves.

Thomas Gottschalk: So... Michael, they’re not listening to me.

[The fans are screaming so loudly that nobody can even hear a single word.]

Thomas Gottschalk: Today Michael wants you to listen... listen to us a little... you people over there... you too [addressing a group of fans on the other side of the stage]... come on... Michael would be so happy if you’d listen to him for even a moment... That’s great—now you see how much you love him... Okay... come on, we know you love him... Please, just think a little about Uncle Thomas... Come on, I want to ask him a few things... Hsssssssssss... hurry up!... Okay, it’s not so bad to take a little break, is it? Come on, kids... Don’t tell me I’m going to have to scold you again???....

[Michael blows kisses to his fans and points toward them... laughs]

Michael: Give me that picture. Give me that picture... Maurice... give me that picture.

[The fans start screaming again.]

Thomas Gottschalk: It’s like being stuck in an icebox... When I try to quiet this side [gesturing to fans on the left side of the stage], the ones over there start yelling again!... All right, kids, listen... Let’s talk about Michael’s new project for two words... You don’t know what’s about to happen!
 

[Someone hands Michael a flag that reads: ”Your heart is heaven for the kids“ ]

Thomas Gottschalk: Michael has a new project... Two big concerts—one that Michael himself will perform, and one that will be done together with Michael’s collaboration. One here in Germany, and one in Korea.

[In the meantime, Michael places the flag on the floor and looks at it.]

Thomas Gottschalk: Michael, where did you get the idea for this project?

Michael: Well... it turned out like this...

[The moment the fans hear Michael’s voice, they scream again.]

Michael: I... I...

[The fans are still screaming, so Michael can’t continue speaking.]

Thomas Gottschalk: All right, tell us...

Michael: I knew I had to do something. I couldn’t just sit here from now until the start of the new century and do nothing. And I had this idea for a song, and then the words of that song ”What More Can I Give” came to me. I knew I had to do something... And it was about those same days when I was talking with President “Mandela,” and he invited me to perform for him at the ceremony. And that’s all the inspiration I needed for this project.

Michael laughs, and the fans start screaming so loudly again that Michael can’t continue his speech.

Thomas Gottschalk (to the fans): Come on, stop it... I want to tell you something about this... Michael is going to go back to “Michael Mandela”.... Come on... to “Nelson Mandela” and explain his project to him. And then I’ll talk with representatives from the ”Red Cross“ and ”UNESCO“ who are helping Michael with this project.

Michael, you’ll see some of your friends in Seoul that you invited... “Pavarotti, Stevie Wonder, Eros Ramazzotti”—and maybe even the band “Scorpions.”

And of course we’re happy that you’ll come to “Munich” with them. Are you also planning to bring them to “Munich”?

[The fans are still screaming loudly, and while Thomas Gottschalk is speaking, Michael looks toward the fans. He looks a little confused. Thomas Gottschalk waits for Michael to answer his question... It seems Michael doesn’t remember the question—maybe because the fans are screaming so loudly that it’s barely possible to hear a word.]
 

Michael: ... Yes... yes...

[Michael is a bit confused about what he should say. So he looks around for a familiar face to answer the question for him. His gaze lands on “Jonathan Muirish” (the head of Sony in England). He gestures to him and asks him to come over to the bench.]

Michael: Mr. Muirish, from “Sony”... he’s more prepared than I am.

[Jonathan Muirish sits on the bench.]

Thomas Gottschalk: He’s the head of the recording company Sony.

Michael: ... and “Marcelo Avram”...

[At the moment, “Marcelo Avram” is serving his prison sentence for tax evasion, but he has been allowed to leave prison to take part in this program. Michael gestures toward Marcelo Avram to come to the bench as well, but Avram doesn’t seem willing.]

Jonathan Muirish: I think there’s something... This is a very important night!... What Michael is doing is huge!... He’s putting something of himself into it. He always does this. I think he wants... in the whole question of why he’s holding these concerts in Munich and Korea, there’s an important message.

Meanwhile, Michael picks up one of the bouquet-like flowers placed as decoration on the edges of the bench, and the fans start screaming again.

Jonathan Muirish: What all of us have to remember is the suffering and hardship we went through in World War II. Many countries were torn apart. Germany was reunited again 10 years ago. That’s why Michael wants to hold a concert here. And the reason the other one is held in Seoul is... it’s very important... With this, Michael wants to exchange a message of unity between North Korea and South Korea so that these two countries can be reunited again. And this part is very important—why these concerts are being held. And as Thomas said, they’re performed by Michael and his friends.

Thomas Gottschalk: Amazing!... Thank you.... Michael couldn’t have delivered the message about the unity of these countries any better to everyone. Thank you very much, all of you.

[Thomas Gottschalk shakes Michael’s hand to have Michael leave the stage.]

Thomas Gottschalk (to Michael): I’m glad. It’s truly an honor. Thank you... We... Michael, do you remember “Turn Das”? For bringing... you were with us... A little reminder of the time when Michael was here on ”Turn, Das...“ and sang for us... Then we’ll be back again.

[They show a segment of Michael performing ”Earth Song“. Michael makes brief dance moves in time with the music. Then he goes over to the fans on the left side.]

Michael: I just want to say hi. [He points to the flag.]... Wow... win... win, get the other one... get the other one... hurry... that one... that one [he points to the flag he likes]

[Thomas Gottschalk wants to guide Michael toward the exit, but Michael doesn’t intend to leave yet. He’s still busy watching the fans and their flags.]

Thomas Gottschalk (to Michael): Thank you for being here. Thank you.

In any case, Michael turns back to the fans to get the flag he had pointed to, and he hands “Teddy Licks” that flag and two more flags to Michael. Michael waves to the fans, then shows Thomas Gottschalk the flag he had pointed to.

Michael: That’s beautiful!

Thomas Gottschalk: Yes... thank you, Michael... thank you. Goodbye.

Michael leaves with the flag tucked under his arm. Thomas Gottschalk sits down on a chair—he’s probably exhausted.

Thomas Gottschalk: Wow, wow.... Wow..... I never want to become a legendary person...[in response to the fans’ shouting]

Then Thomas Gottschalk talks with Dr. “Peter Walker” (head of the Red Cross) and Dr. “Dieter Barstker” (from UNESCO). Both of these organizations are participating in this project, and all the money collected by these two concerts is allocated to charity.

Dr. Walker explains that the budget the Red Cross needs to carry out its plans around the world is funded by the money raised through these two ”concerts“ (which he called ”humanitarian adventures“). For example, the Red Cross will send medicine and food supplies to North Korea. Part of this money will be given to Latin American countries, where a hurricane alone caused severe damage. With this money, we can provide more support to Africa—especially areas that are currently at war, such as Uganda and Angola—so that families separated by war can come back together.

At the end, Dr. Barstker adds that UNESCO uses this money for children who need it—for programs that provide food and educational opportunities for children around the world.