Michael Jackson - FishbowlLA

EXCLUSIVE: Dick Clark ‘Lost’ Interview – Part 2

Richard Horgan — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:00:16 +0000

[Editor's Note: The following, never-before-published interview (Part 1 here) was conducted via telephone on December 23, 1993 by the late Jim Mitteager. The tape, part of a much larger collection bequeathed to Hollywood private eye Paul Barresi, was only recently discovered and graciously provided to FishbowlLA. Our thanks to Barresi for allowing us to share this great bit of nostalgia with our readers, on the anniversary of Clark's April 18, 2012 death.]

Mitteager: Has MTV impacted in a negative way on talent? There’s a lot of packaging that’s going on now that involves skills other than the ability to sing and write good songs. Is it impacting on new talent as opposed to the old days?

Clark: I wouldn’t blame it all on MTV. I’d blame it on the consolidation of the music business, between five or six nationally owned companies. You’ve got all of these big debts that they’ve got to pay. They’ve got them on a timetable, and that includes videos and personal appearances and promotions and all of that. So some new guy, it makes it very difficult to get launched. That’s the whole thing about what’s wrong with the business these days. It’s tough to break through.

Mitteager: What would be your best advice to an aspiring artist out there that is in that pickle right now, that have no representation and has some talent?

Clark: I would try to get to one of the cities where people find talent, LA, New York, Nashville, Seattle… Get out there and showcase yourself.

Mitteager: I want to rack your brain about people that got there start on Bandstand, or with you in general and have now become award winners on the American Music Awards.

Clark: New Edition, they debuted on Bandstand.

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EXCLUSIVE: Dick Clark ‘Lost’ Interview – Part 1

Richard Horgan — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:00:28 +0000

[Editor's Note: The following, never-before-published interview was conducted via telephone on December 23, 1993 by the late Jim Mitteager. The tape, part of a much larger collection bequeathed to Hollywood private eye Paul Barresi, was only recently discovered and graciously provided to FishbowlLA. Our thanks to Barresi for allowing us to share this great bit of nostalgia with our readers, on the anniversary of Clark's April 18, 2012 death.]

Mitteager: Hello, Mr. Clark?

Clark: Yes, who am I speaking to?

Mitteager: Ahhh, Jim Mitteager.

Clark: All right, Jim. My name is Dick. Carry on from there.

Mitteager: Great, well I just got to say, it’s an honor to talk to you…

Clark: Are you from Philadelphia?

Mitteager: No, I’m from New York. In fact…

Clark: Now, wait a minute, where did you pick up that accent?

Mitteager: Ahhh, all over the country… Traveling and what not.

Clark: Well, you really sound like you’re Pennsylvanian.

Mitteager: Well, we have something in common. You lived in Utica for a while.

Clark: [Laughing] Oh yes, yes.

Mitteager: I moved to Cooperstown not too long ago and Utica is very close. And you’ve been inducted into a comparable Hall of Fame.

Clark: Yeah, I think so.

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FishbowlLA Unearths ‘Lost’ Dick Clark Interview

Richard Horgan — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 06:00:28 +0000

Two days before Christmas in 1993, Dick Clark spent a half-hour on the telephone with a veteran LA journalist.

Although the purpose of the call was to publicize the 1994 American Music Awards, a ceremony that would be dominated by Whitney Houston, the conversation wound up delightfully encompassing much more. It’s an interview that belies the old saying, “Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be,” as Clark touches on Houston, Michael Jackson, his personal friendships and various other topics.

To mark the one-year anniversary of Clark’s April 18, 2012 passing, FishbowlLA will be publishing the interview in two parts on Thursday and Friday. The time-capsule conversation vividly reminds why the host of American Bandstand and New Year’s Rockin’ Eve was so beloved.

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AP LA’s Anthony McCartney on the Joys of Covering Celebrity Courtroom Drama

Richard Horgan — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:50:16 +0000

Although there will be some fireworks during Katherine Jackson vs. AEG, this legal matter will in all likelihood not be as striking to AP entertainment reporter Anthony McCartney as the Conrad Murray trial. Speaking to FishbowlLA Tuesday morning ahead of a day of early jury selection for the Jackson-AEG battle, he cited last year’s Murray trial as one that stands out during his five-plus years with AP.

“The recording of Michael Jackson‘s voice that they played during the trial, during opening statements was one of the more stunning moments that I’ve handled as a court reporter,” McCartney remembers. “No one knew the tape existed.”

“So much of what happened in that Jackson case involved two people, and one of them was dead,” he continues. “So to hear from the deceased party, in the courtroom, was very haunting. [Prosecuting attorney] David Walgren was also extremely impressive. There was a closing argument that he gave, where he emphasized the refrain “poor Conrad Murray” to call out the excuses that Murray had made for his actions and Murray’s defense that he was persecuted and it wasn’t his fault. Very effective.”

Then there is Lindsay Lohan. McCartney has covered her ad nauseum for AP and when asked for his take on what ails her (pre-Tuesday night’s instantly infamous David Letterman interview), he points to something a judge once said.

“It’s gotten to the point where I absolutely refuse to predict what’s going to happen in a Lindsay Lohan court hearing,” he confesses. “One of the more surprising things one of her judges said, about a year and a half ago, was that after looking at all the psychological reports, she didn’t think that Lohan was an addict. She thought that her problems were psychological. I think that statement caught a lot of people by surprise.”

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In Lieu of Oscar Tribute, Sir Roger Moore Opts for LA Radio

Richard Horgan — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:45 +0000

Tomorrow afternoon between noon and 2 p.m. PT, legendary radio personality Michael Jackson will be subbing in as host on Talk Back with Chuck Wilder. Given the current rumored interest of former mayor Richard Riordan in being part of an LA Times bid and the recent city election, Jackson and Riordan together would be enough to make this noteworthy listening.

But also on tomorrow’s CRN Digital Talk Radio program (online and via member radio stations) will be Sir Roger Moore. That’s right, as in the former James Bond who would have been happy to participate in a proposed Academy Awards 007 tribute. From today’s announcement:

“I’m pleased to have the opportunity to fill in for Chuck and talk to one of the all-time, legendary actors in Sir Roger Moore and to also chat with one of the city’s greatest leaders, former Mayor Riordan,” Jackson said.

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Quincy Jones Readies ‘Asian Grammys’

Richard Horgan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:00:11 +0000

Just in time for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, Matthew Garrahan, west coast correspondent for the Financial Times, has put together a rousing profile of a man who is the very embodiment of the dream King once famously spoke of.

Garrahan chatted for three hours with Quincy Jones at the mogul’s expansive Bel Air home, which he makes good use of to frame the article. In the piece, he touches on Jones’ humble Chicago beginnings, brief dalliance with heroin, stories of working with Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, and much more. There are also details about Jones’ increasing ties to China and the rest of Asia, cemented by his role as artistic adviser to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics:

The main Asian push begins in March: in addition to being its [new] chairman, Jones is now executive producer of the [Singapore based] Asia Academy of Music Arts & Sciences’ inaugural awards show, envisaged as a kind of Asian Grammys.

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New Grauman’s Owners Busy Cementing Their Own Sidewalk Tradition

Richard Horgan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:00:00 +0000

Purists will no doubt assail the new owners of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for allowing three guys in Chipmunk costumes and French DJ David Guetta to joint the handprint and footprint parade this year. But get used to it.

Although co-owner Donald Kushner is upfront in an an LA Times article by Amy Kaufman about the fact that the Alvin and another, similar Smurfs ceremony in 2011 was “mock,” with the cartoon star slabs slated to be housed in a secondary location, he and partner Elie Samaha are looking to add many more people to the cement:

Kushner revealed that Grauman’s is in preliminary talks with boxer Muhammad Ali and is also speaking with the family of Michael Jackson about a square that could use the imprints of a shoe and glove the pop star donned in some of his music videos.

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Music Executive Dies After Hollywood Shooting

Marcus Vanderberg — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 20:01:30 +0000

Music executive John Atterberry died Monday from injuries suffered during last Friday’s Sunset and Vine shooting.

Atterberry, 40, was shot three times in the face and neck with a .40-caliber handgun by 26-year-old Tyler Brehm.

The founder of Infusion Music Group and former vice president of Death Row Records, Atterberry previously worked on albums for Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, and Brandy.

Brehm was later shot and killed by LAPD officers after reportedly firing 20 rounds. According to his Facebook page, he had broken up with his girlfriend days prior to the shooting.

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Kennedy Collector is Friends with Lee Harvey Oswald’s Widow

Richard Horgan — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 12:00:19 +0000

Last night, syndicated radio show host George Noory devoted his entire “Coast to Coast” program to the anniversary of the assassination of JFK. Among his guests were author Mark Lane, who points to a mountain of evidence to support his argument that it was the CIA that conspired to kill the President.

Today, it is the turn of LA based CNN entertainment reporter Alan Duke to chime in with some unique anniversary spin. He profiles Keya Morgan, the largest private collector of JFK photos, for an assignment that led to a very rare secondary source:

Although she rarely gives interviews, Marina Oswald felt strongly enough about her friendship with Morgan that she agreed to speak with CNN by phone from her Texas home. “Keya is a good kid. Let’s put it that way,” Oswald said. “He has a good heart, and he’s compassionate and puts all his 150% in it.”

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Rare Copy of Michael Jackson Film Surfaces

Richard Horgan — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 17:00:55 +0000

Hard to believe both the timing and geographical reporting lineage of this one, at the end of an LA week dominated by coverage of the Conrad Murray manslaughter trial. But lo and behold, courtesy of a report by Mike Luehring on Oregon website Salem-News.com, comes news of a startling discovery:

A rare copy of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker film featuring the iconic dance sequence of ‘Smooth Criminal’ was located this week in Studio City, California.

Amy Redman, a raw stock broker who worked with Moonwalker’s live action director, Colin Chilvers for a number of years, came forward Tuesday with three reels of film that contain over 30 minutes of footage.

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Watch the Conrad Murray Trial on Your Mobile Device

Marcus Vanderberg — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:02:44 +0000

If you’re home during the day like myself, you’ve probably noticed the local TV coverage of the Dr. Conrad Murray trial, which got underway on Tuesday.

For those of you on the run (or the population that’s obsessed with all things Michael Jackson), you can watch the proceedings thanks to the Michael Jackson Doctor Trial App from Fox Television Stations.

For 99 cents, iPhone, iPad and Android users get access to live coverage of the trial along with recorded local news segments, photo galleries and biographies of all the key people involved in the case.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the app is No. 1 among for-pay news apps.

Oh, America.

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Katy Perry Makes Billboard History, Scores Tie with Michael Jackson

Pandora Young — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:36:44 +0000

Los Feliz resident Katy Perry has become the first female artist, and only the second musician in Billboard history, to produce five Hot 100 Number 1 singles off the same album. The first artist to score these numbers was the king of pop himself, from 1987′s “Bad.”

Perry’s hits came from her 2010 release “Teenage Dream,” and consist of the title track, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” “California Gurls,” “E.T.,” and “Firework.”

We’re listening to the songs right now, in case there’s something we missed the first 47 times around. Nope. Still pretty standard pop fare. However, the pure eye candy of the “California Gurls” video will likely stand the test of time. Included after the jump; sound optional.

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Perez Hilton in the Year’s Worst Trailer

Richard Horgan — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:15:18 +0000

Even though French filmmaker Christophe Lenoir‘s A * Is Killed is aiming for factually inspired thriller territory, the English language trailer recently posted to YouTube in no way makes that clear. From the bizarre, Perez Hilton talking-head cameo opener to a pair of hilariously phony TV newscasters, it’s got early commenters emphatically asking WTF?

Indian actor Himesh Reshammiya plays a musician obsessed with the death of a Michael Jackson-like pop superstar. The Bollywood performer also supplied soundtrack music:

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Up for Bid: Marlon Brando’s Personal Phone Book

Richard Horgan — Wed, 04 May 2011 17:00:21 +0000

According to the old adage, Hollywood’s greatest actors are ones who can triumph even if the script is a phone book. In Marlon Brando‘s case, Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills has the next best thing this weekend – the late actor’s actual personal phone book.

The starting bid for this item is $500, and while many of the numbers may no longer be in service, it’s still a great dinner party conversation starter:

A burgundy leather three-ring binder telephone book circa 2003 containing hundreds of Brando’s personal friends and business contacts worldwide. Some names include Michael Jackson, Johnny Depp, Alec Baldwin, Johnnie Cochran, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert De Niro, Jane Goodall, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, Madonna, Jack Nicholson, Robert Redford, John Travolta, Barbra Streisand as well as noted scientists in various fields of study, press contacts and the United Nations and many other noteable entries.

If that’s not good enough, you can also bid this weekend on a Golden Globe the actor refused to accept for his portrayal of Don Corleone in The Godfather.

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Rating the New Richard Johnson Gossip

Richard Horgan — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 10:10:44 +0000

Where’s the first big scoop? That’s our question after keeping an eye on the initial efforts of former Page Six grand poobah Richard Johnson for Rupert Murdoch‘s The Daily.

With Johnson sitting shoulder-to-shoulder on the west coast with the likes of TMZ and Radar Online, it’s going to take more than tired rehashes of the Kim Kardashian-Prince stage dance story and bad Spider-Man Broadway reviews to make a mark. Another “Flash” item today about Adam Sandler snubbing print reporters at the red carpet premiere of Just Go with It is a real reach (it’s not unusual for A-listers to do only TV promo-ing), and like the other two tidbits, is anchored in New York.

Earlier this week, Johnson had a bit more luck when he looked at how estate lawyers are getting rich over bogus Michael Jackson lawsuits and shared the directorial aspirations of GEICO caveman commercial actor Ben Weber. Weber wants to make Heirloom, a personally relevant drama about Huntington’s disease

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