A Monster of Our Own Making Is Dead
by Andrew BreitbartMichael Jackson’s shtick was simply a more sophisticated, well financed variation on the molester with an ice cream truck. When after paying millions to his young accuser, Jordy Chandler, Jackson was later found to have gay porn producer Marc Schaffel, an un-indicted co-conspirator in Jackson’s 2005 child molestation trial, as his PERSONAL VIDEOGRAPHER and close pal on the very private grounds of Neverland Ranch.
Michael Jackson (left) and Marc Schaffel (right) seen in photo with Warren Beatty (center)
When this scandal was exposed (but underplayed by the dysfunctional and enabling mainstream media), Schaffel was shown the door and Jackson’s people issued a press release acknowledging the impropriety of the situation but claimed not to have known of Schaffel’s mystifyingly inappropriate background — especially given the accusations against Jackson and his continued desire to present himself as a kid-at-heart.
Here is the statement by Jackson spokesman Dan Klores in July, 2002:
“The minute Michael and his advisers found out about Schaffel’s background, they cut the cord immediately. This was months ago. (Schaffel) has nothing to do with Michael Jackson, doesn’t represent him in any way, shape or form, and has been told this repeatedly by Michael’s attorneys.”
Well, a year later, Schaffel was back at Neverland and again acting as Jackson’s personal videographer who chronicled the taping of the famous Martin Bashir BBC documentary that later appeared on ABC in the U.S., which centered around two young brothers hanging with Jackson and Schaffel as their ‘chaperones’ at the creepy amusement park cum bachelor pad.
Why did Michael Jackson bring back the gay porno producer to use a video camera to oversee kid trips to Neverland AFTER it was admitted by Jackson’s own people the Jackson/Schaffel alliance was blatantly improper?
And why did the media drop the ball in playing up this massive scandal? Parents had an obligation to know they were sending their kids to a ferris wheel controlled by an accused molester who hung out only with young boys (as Howard Stern has said, “Where are the young girls?”) and his gay pornographer pal.
Mark Ebner and I covered this grotesque scenario extensively in our book, Hollywood, Interrupted.
I’m sorry. When Jackson didn’t fight charges of molestation and then paid a person off to the tune of millions, and later put children in the proximity of a guy whose day job was trying to find young-looking male porn stars in eastern Europe (you don’t want to see Schaffel’s casting call videos — I have!) — Michael Jackson exposed himself as a dangerous man and sick predator whose only mitigating excuse is that he was enabled by sick family and business associates and an even sicker mainstream press.
I feel mildly sorry that Michael Jackson is dead because to a great extent our overly popular culture influenced society contributed to making him the monster he was when he died. May he rest in heat.
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76 Comments
When I heard he had died I really felt nothing but sadness for the waste of a life he had become. All of these people discussing his influence on the popular culture and on music in general are pretty foolish. Remember, he may not have been found guilty of MOLESTING CHILDREN but I do not think there is any way those accusations can be just forgotten. Those accusations wipe the slate clean of any achievements he made during his life. We are not talking about a guy who was a tax cheat or ran around on his wife. He more than likely destroyed the lives of children. Come on people, get real.
Through the darkness of the fawning media, comes a beacon of light. Thanks, Andrew. I'm so glad someone had the courage to call it like it is. This guy was one sick puppy and the adulation over him is getting sickening.
When Farrah Fawcett died she was taken to heaven and then granted one wish– that the Earth would be a safer place for children.
Well said, Dude!
Sweet!!
Moonwalking to hell.
I felt a little sadness and it was over the amount of media attention his death was going to get. Andrew, you have hit the nail on the head that a pedophile was able to get away with it because of his money and the amount of BS media attention or lack there of. I am actually kind of happy that he will not harm anymore children!
thank god for sports. got to watch the nba draft and soccer semi-finals instead of puking everytime some newsturd told us about jackson's impact on music, his life, his charities, his love of children. and this went on for hours. what will all of the enablers do now for a paycheck?
JACKSON WAS A CHILD MOLESTER. OVER AND OUT.
And an entire generation of media-fed sycophants are sad to see their "idol" go away, a great artist.
No, a once talented young man who grew into a sicko predator freak.
A revolutionary music figure, dead from a drug overdose. Sound familiar? Except one went to Vegas and liked girls, and it seemed pretty obvious what went on in the Jungle Room. Oh well, bring on the impersonators, and those who would forgo a trip to Graceland to see Neverland instead.
A revolutionary music figure, dead from a drug overdose. Sound familiar? Except one went to Vegas and liked girls, and it seemed pretty obvious what went on in the Jungle Room. Oh well, bring on the impersonators, and those who would forgo a trip to Graceland to see Neverland instead.
I once dreamed of being one of those girls in the Jungle Room. I was a teen-ager at the time. OMG, what does that make me?!!!
I have to say I'm mildly pleased…not so much that the guy ended up becoming what he did, but that there's always justice on the other side. Michael and OJ and the rest of them might escape the courts here, but they don't have a chance in hell of escaping judgement when they die.
Haha…"chance in hell"…I made a funny!
I was never a fan of Michael Jackson's music. I kind of liked some of the Jackson 5 hits for their nostalgia value… kind of the way I feel about ABBA. I never understood the hype and crazy idol worship after Thriller came out. Just as I will probably shake my head in wonder at the avalanche of post mortem Jackson worship… in memorium ad naseum that we are all about to be subjected to. He is one little footnote of pop culture that, happily, will just pass me by without much notice.
As far as I'm concerned, he was guilty, based on my experience recounted in the story below. In that Bashir documentary they briefly showed a painting he had in his house of MJ surrounded by cherbs. Creepiest picture ever.
And lets not forget the statue he had in NAMBLAland, I mean Neverland, which was of a man with his hand on a boy's shoulder "mentoring him".
He was really reckless until Bashir utterly outted him. And then he went into full beard mode after that.
Marc Schaffel ended up suing Jackson, a he became another creditor Jackson owed money to. He said he loaned Jackson several million dollars. Never got it back.
[...] Michael Jackson, but at least young boys around the world may sleep a little safer tonight. Jackson was a dangerous man and sick predator whose only mitigating excuse is that he was enabled by sick [...]
MJ was a sick individual, and anyone who read Maureen Orth's piece on him in the '03 Vanity Fair is quite confident of this. I find it sad that this spectacle has taken the news off what is happening in Iran – the death of a pop star who hasn't been relevant in America for 20 years may kill a revolution as it tries to get off the ground. I think Jackson was guilty as hell for what he was accused, but the man was never convicted – if we don't like the system, we should fix it. I'm among Conservatives who indeed scream about the rule of law – Jackson, regardless of how he got off (damn puns) should be given the same consideration.
A teenager at the time.
Sorry, but as a Christian I have to believe all who honestly ask for forgiveness will be saved, even OJ. However Jacko had converted to Islam.
This is sickening. I wonder if they'll point out that he "did it for the children" like we supposedly do everything else in society? He was a child molester and he was enabled by the press. At least this much we'll be spared of in the future.
Whether he was actually a child molester or not, as opposed to a sad head-case who wouldn't/couldn't grow up, the media whitewash (including FOX) -pardon the pun-has at this point been beyond embarassing; and one point that I'm sure has been made several times over the years…WHAT WERE THE PARENTS THINIKING when they sent their kids over to Jacko, esp. after the first trial?
The fact that he's been credited for "making" MTV what it is says volumes about both of them; take that for what it's worth…
Bravo. I'm sick of people telling me to "get over it, he was a major music icon, why do you have to focus on the negative." Tell that to the kids he molested.
Sorry Andrew…I'm not the least mildly sad (or surprised)!
His family, his doctors and friends are to blame for the condition of his body. Who is to blame for his mental state is not clear. Either way, he was not a normal person and he probably never knew normal.
I said something similar to my wife (although not as nicely as you did)
My sis just told me she also thinks he never grew up. But his mind was not right either way.
I've read the Koran, and it talks more about hell than Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart and Robert Tilton put together could ever have managed.
Idiots. There's no proof he molested any kids.
Amazing story Andrew much of this I’d never heard very sick indeed.
OJ didn't kill anybody either…
I greeted the news with pity. Pity that such a brilliant talent could be so taunted by whatever demons he battled, that he could resort to the child molestation and self mutilation. What a waste. A 50 year old man lived, and died, a child-like life.
You absolutely right. He may have been just one of those middle-aged guys who has pajama parties with little boys for purely innocent reasons, and then gets falsely accused of being a pervert. Happens all the time.
"I feel mildly sorry that Michael Jackson is dead because to a great extent our overly popular culture influenced society contributed to making him the monster he was when he died."
I am afraid this is not entirely accurate. It is not "cultural society' that is overly influenced, but rather overbearing media that is pervasive and in society's face night and day with trash and garbage.. I don't think the average American give's a rat's ass where jackson is or what he did or that he even died. It's the media that makes a big deal of it and continues to drag it out over and over.. Anyway, culture is overrated itself, it is the media telling people what they want to tell them as opposed to what culture wants to hear and neilsen ratings, compartmentalizing of demographics and bean counter garbage distorts what hollywood and the media put out.. It ain't the easily duped public so much as it is the out of touch money grubbers that are actually to blame.
Case in point; another Transformers fail.
He was talented as a young man. Then he went off the rails. TOTALLY OFF THE RAILS. The documentary by Bashir where he admits sleeping with young boys and sees nothing wrong with it said it all for me – regardless of the fact that he was found not guilty. Apparently, he and his advisers were not very bright either – since after the payoff he continued to thumb is (non)nose at the system. When he dangled his son off the balcony and giggled like a silly girl, I almost puked. I hoped he redeemed himself, somehow, at the end, but I doubt it. I frankly, won't miss him, and I'm already tired of the endless media coverage.
I get the feeling if Jacko had gone to Iran, well…
Oh look, we upset some grieving follower who took a point from both of us!
Consider those odds if ever a wealthy, single man wants to have a boy party at his mansion with your 13 year old son.
Apparently some suffering grief-stricken follower was hitting all the disparaging comments. I voted back up the registered users that were negative or zero, however it seems possible it could happen again, and I already used up my votes. Feel free, registered voters, to be extra generous with everyone.
I find it amazing that while the people in Iran are gathering in the streets protesting for their freedom. We spent an entire 24hours covering MJ death and flocking to the hospital where he died. Huh? Cap and Trade anyone???
They say a legend has died. i say that legend died years ago
Well, they say your ambition should be to leave the world a better place than you found it. Michael Jackson left the world a better place by leaving it. Praise the Lord and pass the Demerol!
Sharise, you speak truth! Here we are in the midst of huge economic and political upheaval all around, and the news outlets are only concerned with death of a cult celebrity. I am telling you, the world is turned upside down, and where it will lead…God help us.__
Just one question why did he pay off the family then? If that does not express guilt I have no idea what would….
I'm trying to come up with something charitable to say about him but it is really tough to do. Not only was he a freak and an apparent pervert, I couldn't stand his music. Even though his music sold big, was it really influential? Did it inspire other artists, the way Chuck Berry's, Bo Diddley's, Bob Dylan's James Brown's, Ray Charles', and the Beatles' music did? If so, I am unaware of who found such inspiration.
MJ is proof that you can simply have too much, and that it is actually a good thing to have your choices constrained. Here's hoping he realized that and mended his ways before he checked out.
"I'm only saying this because of all the hate on all these threads. You can go ahead and vote me down and/or post a dissenting opinion, but, then, that would be the easy route to take."
Not as easy as calling opinions contrary to yours "hate."
Yup and OJ didn't kill his wife either. By the way his music sucked…
Oh. Madonna and Justin Timberlake. That says it all.
"May he rest in heat."
Not a very Christian sentiment, Mr. Breitbart. Imagine, when your own soul is up for judgement, if you come to find that MJ really was innocent of child molestation. I think you'll owe MJ and God an apology. And if indeed MJ did commit those sins, you're still in the wrong for wishing the loss of salvation upon another's soul.
silly, boring piece.
Jackson had talent. He was a fascinating performer, who changed and influenced pop music. But he could have been much more had he not chosen the path he did. His celebrity status gave him the sense of being invincible. He could do anything, anytime, and there would still be a core fanbase which would ignore any sin. His family, disfunctional as it is, appeared to be settled with his being their meal ticket, rather than seek help for their disturbed sibling. The image of the Jacksons had to be preserved, even after the stories broke about their abusive father. The cracks appeared with each one, but these were treated as 'oddities' rather than possible mental illnesses. After all, only poor people are 'crazy', not rich and famous singers. His 'friends' appeared to remain silent as well. They too, enabled his feelings of invincibility. Lawyers, doctors, everyone looked, knew…and did nothing.
He continually placed himself in jeopardy. His heinous activities with children should have put him in prison. After the first financial settlement, he should have avoided any future connection with children, and it was the moral duty of his family, friends and employees to stop enabling him. (Not only that, but they should have been charged, tried and convicted for coinspiracy; had not the judicial system of Los Angeles been so lax in their application of justice.) His spending habits had caused him financial ruin. He had the Beatles portfolio, and he threw it away by using it as collateral for his spending sprees. Nobody had the fortitude to tell him to stop, and remained content to stay on his payroll until the checks started bouncing.
"Well, it's easy to hate and judge. Way too easy." — Vince S.
Does one hate a turd? One is merely relieved that the smell is gone. How does one judge a turd? One judges it by its stink. We have lost a great icon of drug addiction, arrested development, unlimited infantile narcissism, self-indulgence and the diddling of little boys. We can do with far fewer of those.
Finally, the children that he claimed were his, were turned into freaks. He dangled one above a balcony, endangering its life, yet his celebrity invincibility allowed him to retain custody of the child. Who will take custody of them? The 'mother' who was basically just a womb for hire? The grandmother who let a monster abuse her children physically and emotionally? Uncles and Aunts who have serious issues of their own and were enablers of their sibling's vices? It'll probably come down to how much can be salvaged from Jackson's estate; if there is anything at all. Maybe it'll be Bubbles the chimp. At least that way they'd have a fighting chance.
"Streams of fans" brought him teddy bears. Quite appropriate for the one who epitomized arrested development. "I'm just hysterical," said one of them. They're all hysterical. That was the basis of their doofus-worship of this quite mal-developed creature. "Society done him wrong," to the tune of how many hundreds of millions of dollars? "He shouldn't have died so young." He chose to die so young. Besides which, children, 50 isn't young. Indeed, it's quite the ripe old age for a person of his sexual proclivities.
Then of course, there are those expressing condolences to that dysfunctional family that wrecked this kid in the first place. Perhaps if his worshipers hadn't given him the unqualified adulation and forgiveness which he did not deserve, he wouldn't have got the idea that he could do no wrong. The only real shame here is that he did not live long enough to cause them the further embarrassment they so richly deserve. His fans (short for fanatics) may be more responsible for killing Michael Jackson than anyone else.
And those who exalt his memory now are merely extending the cycle into another generation. No one should be encouraged to grow up to be "the next Michael Jackson." Better he should grow up to be Fred the electrician. At least then he will serve a useful purpose.
Yes, I imagine you are right. To me, Madonna and Justin Timberlake are non-entities, so I wouldn't notice their influences. I suppose Jackson could be one of their influences and it would go right past me because their output goes right past me.
kind of puts a crimp in the job description for judges…
Please take not that in America you are innocent until proven guilty. There was never any proof of guilt, and he was found not guilty. He was a victim of blood sucking opportunists and his flaw was in not seeing evil in others.
He will always be remembered as a person with enormous gifts who made huge contributions to American music and culture.
Vince, you are absolutely right. What's more, Michael Jackson was never found guilty of anything other than being naive, which isn't the same as being a molester. He was guilty of surrounding himself with people that history should have told him couldn't be trusted, and would use him and accuse him. There's a cautionary lesson in Michael Jackson's life about the people you invite into your world and your life.
Andy bigbutt, you're a total creampie.
you're a knob
you're a total knobhead
like i said, you're a total knobhead
so why is your smell here bobby? leave turdmeister. leave.
He probably would have melted. That desert heat is not kind to plastic.
WOW! I am saddened by anyone who dies a tragic death such as did MJ. But ca'mon dont we live in a country where we are Innocent until proven guilty! U'd better believe in this or we are all going to have a problem. Almost everyone in this blog has a problem with due process! YOU SIMPLY CAN'T!!!
look, innocent until proven guilty??? never was there a chance to prove either as after legal authorities confirmed the detailed identification of Michaels' nether regions (described by the boy) Michael quickly paid the family off some 20mil.
he admitted to sleeping with young boys. if he were an average joe, social services would have been knocking down his door and taking his kids away- which wouldn't have been a bad thing.
Oh damn it, I ventured onto a republican site-didn't I? I'll just leave and let you all finish 'JUDGING'. God will talk to you later about that. Just bring plenty of Deer Park and sunscreen with a SPF level of at least 8000+.
Tell me something: If your son or daughter was sexually mollested, would $20 million be enough to shut you up, and make you go away????
No…..I would have to ask you, do you have any children? if so…… you would no, that no MONEY would be able to make up for what had happened to that child…. damn, even all the money in the world would not be sufficient in my opinion……. and if you think that money can buy your silence… then good for you, I would never allow myself to be shut up!
Michael first
[...] of Neverland Ranch. Michael Jackson (left) and Marc Schaffel (right) seen in photo with Warren click for more var _wh = ((document.location.protocol==’https:’) ? “https://sec1.woopra.com” : [...]
[...] When this scandal was exposed (but underplayed by the dysfunctional and enabling mainstream media), Schaffel was shown the door and Jackson’s people issued a pressRead more at http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/abreitbart/2009/06/26/a-monster-of-our-own-making-is-dead-and-im-m... [...]
Andrew Breitbart I think you are an idiot…….: Talking bullshits about people's life…..Is that a real job?? When did you decide that you would like to work writting bulshit about peoples life…… got nothing better to writte about??….can belive somebody makes a living writteing this kind of shit….. you should know: there are always to side of every estory…. .
Great journalism John, shear slander, somehow settling out of court is proof of a crime. And having someone with a background in the adult business in your entourage is also proof that of course of course one is a child molester. Because of course or you big time journalists have squeaky clean people surrounding you.
And of course there all the other posters here who I am sure have never laid hands on their sons and daughters because it's not like the statistic for in family abuse is higher than 1/10. And they blame waco jackson, and they throw stones because after you are found innocent by a jury you are still GUILTY in these guilty fascist eyes of some of the readers here…
It's really sad John that M.J. has passed away yet the garbage man hasn't come round to pick you up.
Don't worry, he ll be here soon, he always comes, and when he does he's gonna pick up your garbage too and leave a great big nobody cares in your place. And a world class icon who touched lives in his, isn't it funny how life works john, while you type away nobody cares essentially about what you say even your faithfully partners in misery your readers. You never showed so much love to children via your life and music or to people, you never electrified the crowds. Keep typing john your slanders against mj…so what?
no Robert, it happens all the time that you are a mega star, THE king of pop who has outsold everyone. happens all the time like you said.
But wait a sec Robert, don't we have COURTS of law to make judgments on that? Didn't MJ STAND TRIAL and was found INNOCENT.
Oh, I hear what you are saying, innocent, sm-innocent, Bob's opinion is what we should take as the gospel…
Oh I am sorry Bob.
Am also sorry to all the rest of you beauties here that the kid from the first trial confessed to having lied a few days ago, and I am also sorry that the second accusers were serial abusers of the justice system and liars who'd taken on sears on a similar abuse case (sears abused them physically when they were found stealing – AND GUESS WHAT SEARS SETTLED OUT OF COURT TOO!!!!). I am also very sorry that ALL kids who testified on MJ's trial said he was completely innocent!!!
But what I am mostly sorry about is your sons and daughters, venting out on the internet about jacko's alleged crimes…well…you don't really need a phd in psychoanalysis to figure that out…good luck boys an gals…and remember…you can always blame Jacko!!!
jesus, the gall on you? have you no shame to pronounce someone you ve not a much as talked to for 5 minutes disturbed? Empty vessels…
Bob, oh bob…what a class act you are? Do you deliver wedding speeches? There's a poet in you dying to get out I see. Let him. (not get out of course)
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