January 5, 1382 (2004) - Michael Jackson Breaks His Silence in an Interview with CBS

According to a report by the Associated Press, Michael participated in an interview with Eb Bradley, the well-known host of the program “Sixty Minutes” on the CBS network, which was held in Los Angeles. The interview will be broadcast on Sunday, October 7 (Mehr), at 7:00 PM local time. This is Michael’s first public comment after the recent accusations made against him. According to Reuters, Michael appeared strong, unguarded, and ready to defend himself in the interview. In response to a question from Ed Bradley asking whether, given his current situation, he still believes that being around children is right if the opportunity arises, Michael replied, “Of course, why not? If you’re a child molester, Jack the Ripper * or a killer, it’s not a good idea—I’m not.” He also expressed his feelings on the matter with the line, “Before I hurt a child, I’d cut my wrists.” Michael also said that the police search of his home has disturbed his privacy so much that “I will never live there again. It’s a house now, not a home. I’ll only go there to see it.” You can read the full Persian translation of the text of this interview on this page.

In another news report, the CBS network announced that it will air a special program that had been prepared in advance to coincide with the release of Michael’s new album, but had been postponed due to problems with broadcasting. It will be shown on Friday, January 12, 1382 (January 2, 2004). The program will include interviews with celebrities related to Michael and scenes from Michael’s live performances. This comes as sales of Michael’s new album in America have crossed the half-million mark without any music video clips, despite all the recent accusations, and it has succeeded in receiving a gold certification on the Billboard chart. This week, Michael is ranked 65 among the best-selling albums in the United States, which is up four places compared to last week.