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Michael Jackson Dead
Aired June 25, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, HOST: Good evening.

Details are still coming in about the sudden death of Michael Jackson earlier today. His brother Randy says he was in full cardiac arrest when paramedics got to Michael's Los Angeles home. He was taken to UCLA Medical Center, where he died.

And now, the Jackson family's lawyer says Michael may have had trouble with prescription drugs.

Cher's going to join us.

Celine Dion, too.

And we'll be getting the world's reaction to this stunning event.

We begin with famed cardiologist, Dr. K.P. Shah. He's director of cardiology at the Cedar Sinai Heart Institute.

What, Dr. Shah, is sudden cardiac arrest?

DR. P.K. SHAH, DIRECTOR OF CARDIOLOGY, CEDARS SINAI HEART INSTITUTE: Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart abruptly stops beating and quivers. And instead of beating or pumping, it basically quivers.

KING: Quivers?

SHAH: Quivers. And that's called ventricular fibrillation. And that's the most common reason for sudden death. And it's usually triggered by a blockage in an artery of the heart, triggering a heart attack.

But not all cardiac arrests are caused by heart attacks. Sometimes sudden death can occur from a rupture of an aneurysm or a massive stroke or a massive blood clot in the lung and/or a massive blood loss -- any of these.

KING: Can it be due to things like drugs?

Can drugs cause it?

SHAH: Absolutely. Substance abuse, either recreational drugs or sedative drugs or narcotics, when taken in excess amount, can also stop the breathing and stop the heart.

KING: Will autopsy reveal cause? SHAH: If there is a structural abnormality of the heart muscle or the arteries of the heart that one would find in a traditional case of a heart attack, then we will have some clues from the autopsy. But sometimes, even with an autopsy, you cannot completely figure out the mechanism for sudden death.

KING: He apparently was having some difficulty last night, right?

SHAH: My understanding, at least watching from the news reports, is that a physician had come to see him the night before, presumably for some symptoms. It's difficult to guess what they might have been. Sometimes before a heart attack, you may have some warning symptoms of either chest pain or shortness of breath or things of that nature.

But I don't really know what exactly was the reason.

KING: This was not a heart attack?

SHAH: Well, we cannot rule out that possibility...

KING: We think?

We don't know.

SHAH: It could have been a heart attack. In a 50-year-old individual the most common cause of sudden death still is a heart attack.

KING: Dr. Shah will remain with us throughout and we'll be interspersing with questions.

We have with us on the phone the famed performer, the delightful friend, Celine Dion.

Are you there, Celine?

CELINE DION: Yes, I am.

How are you, Larry?

KING: I'm fine. What was -- I guess, obviously, shocked.

What are your thoughts on -- on Michael Jackson?

CELINE: I am shocked, like the rest of the world. It doesn't sink in right now. It's -- I'm overwhelmed by this tragedy.

I have to say to you that Michael Jackson's been an idol for me all my life. I remember being in this -- in my house when I was very, very young and having his posters above my bedroom. He's my -- been my idol all my life and looking up to him.

And my goal was to be maybe doing the same show business world as him. And I was listening to his music. And I hoped to be meeting him one day. And I have to tell you that I was very privileged to be on the same record company as him. And I did meet him a long, long time ago. And I was so thrilled and nervous when I had the privilege of meeting with him.

He was so kind. He gave me his autograph. And I have a hat of his with his autograph. And it always has an amazing meaning to me. But now, it has a totally different meaning to me.

KING: Yes.

CELINE: And we sang together. I was looking forward to seeing his show in London. My husband and I and Michael came to Las Vegas to see my show. And I was more than honored to have him

KING: Did he -- did he come backstage?

CELINE: He came backstage. We spent about an hour together and he had a lot of questions for me. He was very -- to me, he seemed to be like -- I want to know so much. I want to know how it is to be in Las Vegas, how it is, Celine, to sing every night here.

Is it difficult?

Is it difficult to sing here every night?

Is it demanding?

I felt that he wanted to know so much. And me, I wanted to know so much. I wanted to know so much from him. But it seemed that -- it seemed to me so fragile. And he wanted to have questions answered.

KING: Yes, on...

CELINE: And I was amazed to have him in my dressing room.

KING: When you're -- when you're performing and you have someone like that in the audience, are you constantly aware of his presence?

CELINE: Absolutely. You cannot do otherwise. And I have to say that I was questioning myself through the whole show.

Can I announce him?

Do I give him his -- his private time?

Am I going to abuse of him of his time to announce him?

Should I?

I want to do it so much. And I did. And I did announce him. And the whole coliseum -- the whole crowd went crazy, because Michael Jackson was not only an extremely talented person, he was unique and he was a genius.

And when I said ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson is with us tonight, the people would -- I thought people were going to jump off the balcony.

(LAUGHTER)

CELINE: The people went crazy. And I have to say, it is such a loss, because right -- even right now, we were -- we're home and we're watching images. And it feels that -- it feels like when -- when Kennedy died, when Elvis Presley died. We're not only talking about a talented person dying. It's an amazing loss.

KING: Well, the Presley comparison is obvious, right?

They're in the same age group. Both of them shocked -- their death shocked the world. Both of them were totally unexpected passings.

CELINE: Absolutely. And I have to say that my -- my sympathy goes to the family. It's a -- it's a big loss. And I have to say that it's not even sinking in right now. It's just like I'm looking at the image on TV. And my son is eight years old. And he's got his song -- he doesn't -- he knows his name. He's watching -- he's listening to his song, but it's brand new for him.

Like I'm rediscovering Michael Jackson again. I grew up with him. And through my son, I'm discovering his music again. He will never die. He will never, ever, ever die. My...

KING: Celine, what...

CELINE: My sympathy goes to his whole family.

KING: From a performer's opinion -- I'm not going to keep you long -- from a performer's opinion, what was his greatness?

Was he a great singer?

CELINE: I think he was just an amazing genius -- dancing, singing. And I think it's so unfortunate, Larry, because since he's very little, he's under pressure. I think we all live under pressure differently. We live under pressure because we want to give the audience and the fans what they look for, what they expect. We want -- we want to do a better album. We want to do a better show.

I think Michael Jackson lived under pressure all the time, since he's five years old -- wanting to please his family and his fans and putting the bar so high that even, like -- he needed to be suppressing his own self.

KING: Yes.

CELINE: And I think it's unfortunate because the pressure was so tremendous, I am so sure. If you don't have -- if you only live under pressure and you don't have something like your family, your husband or your wife, your children -- I mean he's -- he probably lived so much, he didn't have the balance.

KING: Yes, Celine... CELINE: Yes?

KING: You're a doll. I thank you so much for sharing this time...

CELINE: I am sorry. My sympathy to the whole family. It is a big loss for all of us.

KING: Celine Dion.

Celine Dion set records at Cesar's Palace in Las Vegas in a brand new room. I saw her there. She was terrific.

In that same room, I saw another performer who was also terrific. And she's going to be with us right after the break. That's Cher.

Don't go away.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: By the way, we'll have a second edition of this program live at midnight, 9:00 Pacific. Normally, we -- we replay the earlier edition of LARRY KING LIVE. We'll have a second show, completely new, at midnight and 9:00 Pacific.

And Dr. P.K. Shah will remain with us. We'll intersperse some questions about sudden cardiac arrest.

With us on the phone now is the brilliant Cher, who has had an extraordinary career, similar to Jackson and is an actor, a multitalented performer.

Your reaction.

What are your first thoughts about Michael Jackson, Cher?

CHER: You know, I was just sitting here listening to you talk and I'm like having a million different reactions -- things that I -- I didn't expect I would feel.

But, you know, when I think of him, I think of this young boy -- that teenager that I first met -- this like, adorable boy that I met who, you know, loved to look at my beaded socks and, you know, said to me once, Cher, could we -- do you think we could just go to the movies?

And we looked at each other and we went, nah, I don't think so. And we talked about, well, let's rent the movie out and we'll just bring all of our friends and -- you know, and then a young man that I remember, you know, dancing with all night and going to see, oh, "Dreamgirls" with.

And, you know, just -- I think of him more like -- like that, because in later years, he -- I didn't see him that much and when I did see him, his behavior was very strange to me. And so I didn't relate to that person as well. I didn't really understand him.

But the last time I worked with him, you know, we were doing something with Dick Clark. I don't remember the show. And he and I were rehearsing after one another. And he -- they were carrying his baby. I don't know, I couldn't see because they had the baby all wrapped up. And I don't know if it was a baby or a toddler. I don't really know how old the child was. Carrying it in this kind of blanket from the -- from our trailers outside into the rehearsal area on stage.

And I just kept thinking, why don't they just leave this poor child, you know, in the trailer with whoever is watching him instead of just like carting him back and forth and back and forth?

And I just thought this is so strange.

But, you know, Michael was always adorable to me. He was always sweet and, you know...

KING: Was...

CHER: So...

KING: Weren't they -- weren't The Jackson 5 on "Sonny and Cher?"

CHER: No, they were on "Cher." They were on my show.

KING: Your -- what are your memories of him as a guest?

CHER: Well, we -- I just remember we laughed all the time and because I didn't know how to do the dancing and they kept -- I kept going you guys, you do this all the time. Just let's do it one more time for the old woman so I can not look like, you know, I don't know what I'm doing out here.

And he just kept going, OK, come on, Cher. You're going to get this. You're going to get this. Come on. Let's -- let's do it. Let's just do it.

And I thought, my God, you know, I'm going to dance with this boy that's like the best, you know, dancer in the world.

But then I remember one night I -- we were at a party. I think it was on the Queen Mary. And we danced all night long. And I never thought about that, you know, I wasn't his equal as a dancer. We were just having a blast.

He was a great teenager. He was a great, optimistic, adorable...

KING: Yes.

CHER: ...not very confident, though. I mean he was so beautiful and adorable, but he didn't have...

KING: Why on Earth...

CHER: ...any confidence in that.

KING: Why on Earth do you think this beautiful and adorable child would go around changing his persona -- changing the way he looked?

CHER: You know, I don't know. I really don't know. Obviously, he didn't feel that. But, you know, I had heard like strange things. That night at that party, a guy came over and said something to me about him. And I went, you know what, this is the kind of crap that people start. They just start rumors. You have no idea what you're talking about. Get up from my table. Get out of my sight. I don't ever want to talk to you or see you again.

And he said Michael Jackson is going to change the way he looks completely. And he's -- he's going to change his skin. And I went, you know what -- well, I can't even tell you what I said, because it was all kind of really -- just think of me on -- at my worst, Larry, and you know what I said to him.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Yes.

What -- Cher, his talent, how would you describe it?

He was -- was he a great singer?

CHER: Yes. He was a great singer. You know, it's like God gives you certain gifts. And some people he gives different gifts and some people he gives more gifts. And this child was just an extraordinary child, touched by this ability to have people feel him and feel people. And he just had that sense that you get and you don't get it from a living person, you get it from someplace else. And he had it.

And, yes, he was a great singer. I mean, he was a great singer. He is one of the great singers. You know, it's not like -- you can't write him off as just a pop thing, because he could sing like nobody else. You know, he was a genius, like Ray Charles; like Stevie Wonder; like people that, you know, like people that have a -- have a gift. They just have this gift. You don't know where it comes. You don't know how long it stays. You don't know what the impact is going to be.

But he was able to -- to connect with people. You know, he was a really soft-spoken boy. Always. Always. I remember once we were at this party and it was, I don't know if it was a New Year's Eve party. I don't remember. But I was with Val Kilmer. And Bob Mackey had made me a pair of beaded socks for my bir -- for my Christmas present.

And so Val was wearing them. And I remember Michael could not get over them. And he kept going, wow, I just love your socks.

(LAUGHTER)

CHER: Cher, I just love those socks. And I said, well, you know, they were a present from -- from Bob, for me for Christmas. And he said, I just love beaded socks. And, you know, he just was so...

KING: He was a kid.

CHER: Yes. He was just a kid.

KING: All right. Cher, I'm going to come back to you in a minute.

I want to -- because I want to talk about Farrah Fawcett. We should not let that go without commenting.

CHER: No. This is a rough day for me.

KING: All right. And, also, I want a quick question for Dr. Shah before we go to break.

When someone has sudden cardiac arrest, what would save them?

SHAH: Prompt resuscitation. If somebody is standing by and starts CPR and summons the paramedics and if they can arrive and defibrillate, using a defibrillator within the first couple minutes of collapse, they have a reasonable chance to survive.

KING: But it has to be immediate.

SHAH: Has to be immediate.

KING: Cher is going to stay with us.

We have this from Elizabeth Taylor's representative, Dick Guttman: "Dame Elizabeth is too devastated by the passing of her dear friend Michael Jackson to issue a statement at this time. We'll direct her words to you once we receive them."

We'll be back with more of Cher.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We have a statement from Madonna: "I can't stop crying over the sad news. I've always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of its greats. But his music will live on forever. My heart goes out to his three children and other members of his family. God bless."

That's from Madonna.

(INAUDIBLE), we were going to do a complete program tonight, Cher, on Farrah Fawcett -- less of a shocking surprise, of course, than Michael's death.

What do you -- I know she was a friend.

What are your thoughts on her bravery? CHER: I have to tell you something, she was the strongest, toughest woman, person, fighting this disease. Larry, I have no words to describe how I watched her and felt such respect. And I don't think -- I could never be this strong. I just never would be able to be this strong.

I saw her go through so much pain and just cry, but keep going. And, you know, I wish she would have been able to continue her going to Germany, because I feel that if she had been -- if she'd stayed there and taken her treatments there, that this might -- we might not be talking about this particular topic today on your show.

KING: They say that people die the way they live.

Did she -- did she go with class?

CHER: Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, Larry, I cannot say enough. I just -- there are no words that I could say to let you know how brave, how strong, how much she fought and how much pain she was in and still how brave she was.

And I mean -- and just under really bad odds, too. I mean she had other things going on in her personal life that were just, you know, could just destroy you and you not even have a sickness. And she was still strong. And she was strong for that entire family.

KING: You know, don't you wonder why people with that -- that beautiful, that talent -- I mean look at that face -- has this much tragedy?

CHER: You know, I -- I don't understand these kind of things. I really don't. But I just -- I just remember, like, having conversations with her. And sometimes she would be really frightened. I mean, she had Alana. You know, Alana was there with her all the time.

But pretty much other than that, she was, you know, she was just being strong, you know?

And just being -- you know, she would cry and then get up and cry and then get up and go through the most painful treatments.

But she had a good attitude. And if she -- if she got devastated or if something bad happened, she would just try to think of the positive things and just, you know, hold onto what she could hang on to.

I mean, this chick was hanging onto thin air and still having a great attitude.

KING: I would talk to her quite frequently in the last year -- every two months or so. And she still, while the voice was very faint, she still had that I'm going to beat this.

CHER: You know, until the end -- I mean really until the end, I wasn't sure what was going to happen, because she had almost gone down and then come back up, you know. And I just kept thinking, I think she -- I don't know if this is -- I don't know that this disease is going to kill her. I just -- I was never really sure.

So, I mean, I was expecting it. I was expecting it, having talked to Alana the last couple of days and -- but, you know, it -- it was hard because it was so hard to watch someone fight so hard. And I'm sure that anyone who has friends or relatives or any loved ones who've had this in their life, they've seen this. I just never did.

And I just saw her be so strong, you know. And she seems like such a delicate girl, but she was just was -- it was unbelievable to me. I mean I was in awe of her constantly because of this.

KING: A couple of other quick things.

What's her legacy -- her pop culture legacy?

Is she a pop culture icon?

CHER: Absolutely. Look, no one is ever going to come close to that, you know, that poster. You know, I mean...

KING: That's the poster of all posters.

CHER: Right. It was. I mean I have to tell you...

KING: There it is.

CHER: ...the first time I met her, I was so jealous, because we were doing the "Sonny and Cher Show" and she came on as a guest. And all of the guys -- all of our crew, they just became like blithering idiots, you know?

(LAUGHTER)

CHER: They were just like complete idiots. And I looked at her and I thought, my God, this girl is so beautiful, I'm so jealous, you know.

So that was my first encounter with her.

KING: Yes.

Cher, it's been a delight talking to you.

As always, we appreciate you coming on with this.

And you're welcome to join us. We've got a midnight show, 9:00 your time.

CHER: All right.

Well, I just want -- you know, my prayers go out to Farrah's family, to Michael's family. I mean and I think, you know, prayers are energy. And if everyone has them, you know, their spirits will feel lighter because of it. KING: Well said, Cher.

And we're going to let Dr. Shah go.

But just a couple of other quick things for the director of cardiology at the Cedar Sinai Heart Institute.

Would you have bet that they got to him pretty fast, that everything was done that could have been done?

SHAH: Well, probably, because paramedics -- apparently the fire department arrived fairly promptly.

KING: And they know what they're...

SHAH: But we don't know how long...

KING: The Beverly Hills...

SHAH: ...he had been down for.

KING: The Beverly Hills department, they know what they're doing, right?

SHAH: Correct. Yes.

KING: And they work with...

SHAH: The best. They are the best. And paramedics are fantastic.

KING: And it could have -- a myriad of things could cause it, right?

SHAH: Absolutely.

KING: And drugs could be one of them?

SHAH: Drugs is definitely one of them.

KING: What would a drug do that would cause it?

SHAH: Well...

KING: Give me an example.

SHAH: Cocaine, for example, or (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: And we don't want to say he was using cocaine.

SHAH: No, no, no. Not at all.

KING: Just as an example.

SHAH: As an example. Amphetamine and cocaine -- these can constrict blood vessels in the heart, trigger a heart attack or trigger an electrical malfunction in the heart, cause blood pressure to go up so that the aorta ruptures and cause a brain hemorrhage.

Then there are a group of drugs, narcotics or sedatives that can depress your breathing to the point where you stop breathing and the heart basically stops a few seconds later.

KING: Could there have been pain?

SHAH: Not necessarily. It's difficult to know precisely what actually happened to Mr. Jackson.

KING: But you go out fast, right?

SHAH: Yes. Once the heart stops, you lose consciousness immediately.

KING: Thanks for sharing this with us, P.K.

SHAH: Thank you for having me.

KING: And when we get more information, we'll have you come back.

SHAH: My pleasure.

KING: We've got a live midnight show, 900 p.m. Pacific. Smoky Robinson will be here and others.

More on the death of Michael Jackson, after this.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We'll now take you outside Michael Jackson's house on this special, sad edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

And Kara Finnstrom will join us.

She's our CNN correspondent.

What's -- what's the scene there now -- Kara?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, right now, detectives are behind these big iron gates here. They've been behind these gates, inside the residences, for about two hours now.

These are detectives, actually, with one of the most elite investigative units with the LAPD. They tell us this is standard protocol after the death of someone as prominent as Michael Jackson.

They have not released any details of what they found. They do tell us it's just kind of a precursory investigation. They are going over the residence.

This is where paramedics came earlier today, about 12:20 West Coast Time, and found Michael Jackson in full cardiac arrest. It took them about six minutes to get -- or at least we would estimate that -- estimate that to get him from here to the L.A. Hospital, where he later died.

KING: Kara, you say it's standard procedure of someone prominent. Would they do it for a prominent businessman? For a prominent lawyer? Would they send over a homicide team?

FINNSTROM: Well, this is their robbery and homicide division. It is an elite unit. It doesn't go out after every death. The words they gave us was standard procedure after the death of very prominent people, like Michael Jackson.

They say they have no -- they don't want us to think there's any suggestion of foul play here. It's just he was very prominent and they are going to look into his death.

KING: At the UCLA Medical Center, which is, by the way, a two billion dollar edifice, much of it named in honor of the late Ronald Reagan, Thea Andrews stands by. She's an "Entertainment Tonight" correspondent. Still crowds there?

THEA ANDREWS, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT": Many crowds, Larry. There are thousands of people here on all sides of the medical center. As you said, it's a huge facility. It takes up more than a whole city block. Getting here, trying to find your cameras was hard, because there are so many news people out here, thousands of crowds, helicopters buzzing over head, and, of course, many supporters of Michael Jackson, many people devastated by this loss.

KING: What has the hospital said?

ANDREWS: The hospital has been mum. They haven't released a statement yet. What I can tell you is that ET has exclusively obtained the last photos of Michael Jackson, as he was being removed by paramedics from his home. As you heard earlier, it's very close to here, about six minutes away.

He was in full cardiac arrest. Paramedics attempted to revive him during transport here to the hospital, and they continued to attempt to revive him inside the emergency room. Obviously, they were not successful.

But as you see the photo -- I don't know if you have the photo up there, Larry. They're attempting to revive Michael. His eyes are closed.

KING: How did you get that photograph?

ANDREWS: I don't know, Larry. You'll have to ask my executive producer.

KING: That's a heck of a job of reporting. We'll be checking back with you.

ANDREWS: We're always on the job, Larry. KING: We'll be checking back with both of you. Joining us now on the phone is Randy Jackson, no relation. He's the judge on "American Idol," and certainly a famed musician and producer.

In the lexicon of music, Randy, where does Michael Jackson stand?

RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL": I tell you what, Larry, I'm just saddened as everyone else. It's the biggest shock, I think, in -- probably one of the biggest shocks in my lifetime. He's one of the greatest performers, if not the greatest performer ever. I mean, when you look at how many people he inspired, and how the music inspired people, I'm saying, this guy lit up the stage like no one else.

KING: Did his private life affect the professional appreciation?

JACKSON: I think maybe it marred it a bit. But, I mean, you know, when you're that great, when you're miles beyond everyone else as a performer and entertainer -- you know, we would always say, some people would probably disagree with me, but you would always say Michael Jackson is one song away from a big, huge comeback.

KING: What, if you were writing the story of "Thriller" -- what did "Thriller" do that no other album ever did?

JACKSON: I think "Thriller" did a bunch of things. Music-wise, the great Quincy Jones and Michael, I think it changed the face of music forever. It also broadened the base of music. I mean, it brought theatrics into music. It merged different styles of music together. There was a lot of theater, a lot of Broadway in it. There's a lot of soul, a lot of pop, a lot of rock.

It was a mirage of every kind of musical genre. Video-wise, he completely changed the game, Larry. The videos were just monumental. They were just great pieces of work. We will look back an this and people will look back on this for a long time. This is really legendary status. This is not pop star for the moment.

KING: When you say he transcended race, too, as a performer, did he not? Michael Jackson was colorless.

JACKSON: He transcended everything. He was colorless. I mean, just so talented. I mean, there's such a barrage of people that he inspired. Everywhere that I've been today here in L.A., in the studio where I'm working, everyone is just so saddened. I haven't seen something affect people like this in a really long time.

KING: At the time of his death, he was rehearsing for what was supposed to be his comeback, an unprecedented 50 shows in London, was set to open July 15th. The information I had is they had postponed it for one week. I know Elizabeth Taylor was scheduled to fly out for his opening. What was that going to do for his career?

JACKSON: That was going to elongate the career, and remind people that he's a true legend and an icon. I got reports a couple days ago that the rehearsals were going amazingly well, that the band was sounding great and he was sounding great. I'm just still in shock. I can't even believe it's even possible, you know?

KING: He had a down period. The last album did not sell, right, or did not do as well as others?

JACKSON: Right.

KING: How well would he have come back in your musical, professional opinion?

JACKSON: Well, I think he would have come back greatly. If you remember -- I don't know if people realize this, those '02 shows in the UK were all sold out. They all sold out in a matter of hours, if not minutes, 50 show. They put the first ten up, and another 30 sold, another 20. It was really going to reinstate him. It put him back in the arena that was perfect for him, because he is still one of the greatest performers ever.

KING: Do you rank this death with that of Presley and John Lennon?

JACKSON: I really, really do, Larry. I mean, we've really, really lost a great one. I don't think there will be anybody ever like Michael Jackson, again. I think some will try to come close in some ways. I mean, a true original. I mean, it inspired everyone. When you look at N-Sync, when you look at the Backstreet Boys, when you look at Chris Brown, when you look at Usher, when you look at Rihanna, when you look at Madonna -- just everyone you think about -- you know, this guy inspired everyone.

KING: Randy, what we're looking at now is a helicopter, we're told, carrying the body of Michael Jackson. I don't know where it's going. Obviously, it has left the hospital. I don't know -- they couldn't have performed an autopsy this quick.

Does anyone from control, do we know where it's going? No, we don't know yet. We definitely know the body is on that helicopter. When we find out where -- I thought it would remain at the hospital. Maybe some special place they take it to. You wouldn't know, would you, Randy?

JACKSON: I don't know. I wouldn't know where they're going. Yes.

KING: Now we're told it's going to the coroner's office, which, of course, is not at UCLA Medical Center. I would imagine it's at downtown Los Angeles, the coroner's office. A very famed office, the coroner's office in Los Angeles. Randy, thanks.

JACKSON: Thank you so much, Larry.

KING: Randy Jackson. Quite a talent in his own right, judge, "American Idol," and, of course, famed musician and producer. We're told that helicopter carrying Michael Jackson's body has left UCLA Medical Center heading to the coroner's office, where the autopsy will be performed. It takes a long time, at least two, sometimes to six weeks to get results of an autopsy, because they have to send out a lot of tissue and body parts for analysis and chemical evaluation.

Aaron Neville is now on the phone, a legendary musician and recording artist, third youngest of the famous Neville Brothers. What's your reaction, Aaron?

AARON NEVILLE, MUSICIAN: I'm so shocked. I was just -- seemed like he was getting ready to start his tour. Hoping I would have gotten the chance to see him. I've never seen him live.

KING: What was his impact to you as a performer?

NEVILLE: Oh, man, it hit me in the heart. I was on the airplane. When it landed, somebody told me what happened. I didn't believe it at first. I said, it can't be. You know? I was just calling him the Mohamed Ali of the entertainment world, you know?

KING: Did he affect you as a performer?

NEVILLE: He affected everybody. I would never have tried to do the Moon Walk or any of that stuff he was doing. But I know everybody and his brother tried to copy him, you know, in some form.

KING: Did you ever work with him?

NEVILLE: No, I haven't. No, I never got to meet him. I feel like I know him, you know? I feel like I know him. I know his heart.

KING: Would you have liked to have worked with him?

NEVILLE: I would have loved it. It would have been so real.

KING: This --

NEVILLE: Man, it's sad.

KING: His affect is worldwide. Have you spoken to your brothers?

NEVILLE: You know, I just landed. I'm in Denver. I'm going to meet up with them in a little while in Reno. Yes, you know, coming from a musical family, I can understand how his family must feel right now, and his extended family around the world. Everybody loved him.

KING: They sure did. Thank you, Aaron. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

NEVILLE: All right. Thank you, Larry.

KING: Aaron Neville. Thea Andrews of "Entertainment Tonight" is still -- did you see the helicopter leave?

ANDREWS: I did not see the helicopter leave. Larry, there are so many helicopters up there. I wouldn't know which one it was. I mean, this is a huge scene out here. More trucks than I think I've seen outside the hospital ever to report any celebrity death, and helicopters buzzing overhead constantly. I'm not that good at spotting which are the medical ones.

KING: They were smart to take it by helicopter rather than go street. That would have been a fiasco.

ANDREWS: With all the people out on the streets here, it would have been. I mean, Larry, my car actually got swarmed when I approached the hospital. So you can only imagine what would have happened if they actually tried to take to the streets.

KING: It's landing now -- it has landed at the coroner's -- the building where the coroner's office is held, as the famous symbol of the Red Cross on the top of the building. Are people still milling around, Thea?

ANDREWS: People are moving all over. There's no signs of the crowd dissipating. There are people. There are paparazzi, gawkers, people moving all around, trying to see if someone is going to come out of the hospital. No sign of the crowd dispersing here at all, Larry.

I'm assuming they'll probably be here well into the night. As you know, this is also very close to the -- where the students live. There's a lot of students here, UCLA students, even though it's the summer. I wouldn't be surprised if you see a vigil-type crowd gathering here as the night progresses.

KING: What are they saying?

ANDREWS: Well, I'm a little bit far away. As you can see, they're across the street from me. Behind me, you can see signs, a lot of supporters. I saw people with Michael Jackson t-shirts, who had come out to support him during his trial. They had old t-shirts from the trial. Obviously, people that have been long-time fans of Michael.

Just as I was sitting here, I could hear people chanting over there. I couldn't hear what they're saying. But this is a man who has touched so many people. Even hearing Hollywood celebrities talking about -- everyone from P. Diddy to Donny Osmond, from Liz Taylor to Donald Trump, saying how he personally touched their lives. It's a person who really made people feel things. You see that at a gathering like this.

KING: Thea, hang with us. As we watch the helicopter, right in direct view there, on top of where the coroner will examine the body, let me read you a statement from Britney Spears. "I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time. I was going to fly in to see him. He's been an inspiration throughout my entire life. I'm devastated that he's gone."

Joining us by phone now is Reverend Jesse Jackson. Reverend Jackson and yours truly and Michael Jackson were all together at a dinner in 2007, where I was proud to be honored by Jesse Jackson's group. So was Michael. We were all at the same table. Tonight, I will never forget -- I believe we have a picture of the three of us on that occasion.

Jesse, what are your thoughts right now?

JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: Well, I'm traumatized. We are out of our joy and he's out of his pain. I have been listening to Michael since he was maybe 13 years old. We were doing our first expo. We had the lineup. Quincy Jones was there. Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis; it was a very tight show. So someone said these kids want to perform. They're over at the Regal across the street. Junas Griffin (ph), who worked with Dr. King, said, you've got to hear them. I say, I want to hear them, but we are busy. Come downstairs and meet them.

They were in the station wagon, you know, with the U-Haul attached to the Jackson Five, with Joe. We said, well, we can't say no. They performed "ABC" at that particular expo. Of course, it took off from there.

KING: By the way, we are now showing the body being -- has left the helicopter. It's going into the vehicle that will take it to the coroner's office. How do you deal -- what do you say to a family at a case like this? Do you have to do this a lot, Reverend Jackson? How do you put this in words?

JACKSON: Death is a mystery. And when the suddenness of death appears, we have to lean to our faith and not to our own understanding. And you simply pray to ask god to, in time, reveal the mystery and to relieve the burden from your heart. That's all you really can do.

Again, having been with him across these years and his family to watch him grow up, I think so much about the Victory Tour that kicked off in Kansas City, with Don King, the time that Michael was performing, of course, at the great theaters around the word. I was on my way to London to be with him July the 7th, before the -- he delayed it one day.

I would say that we ought to give a shout out tonight, because Barry Gordon, Susan Lepass (ph) and Quincy Jones were great factors in his stellar career. He had all the raw stuff, but (INAUDIBLE) I remember Susan Lepass taking him and the kids out to Fred Seigal (ph) getting blue jeans. And, of course, there's a Michael Jackson and there's a Quincy Jones and that whole Thriller drama.

KING: You're not kidding. He sure did. Thanks, Jesse. We'll be calling on you again. Now joining us on the phone, the disco icon, the one and only, Donna Summer. Donna, you knew Michael, did you not?

DONNA SUMMER, DISCO LEGEND: Yes, I did, yes.

KING: We're seeing the vehicle transporting the body now over to the coroner, who I gather will be giving the autopsy tomorrow, not tonight. What are your thoughts, Donna?

SUMMER: I have to go on stage and sing tonight. It is extremely difficult. It is such an incredible shock to me. I -- you know, I've known Michael for many years. We've worked together. We've done different things together over the years.

I know his family. It's a total shock. I don't even have words to say. I mean, I'll miss Michael. The world will miss Michael. I'm sure the world is in a state of grief right now.

KING: Where are you performing tonight?

SUMMER: I'm up north of Los Angeles at a casino, Shumosh (ph).

KING: Will you talk about him?

SUMMER: I certainly will. We're going to try to dedicate a song to him tonight.

KING: Donna, what was his greatness?

SUMMER: His greatness was perfection. And when you meet people like that, who are so given to doing things at the utmost and the highest level, then it makes you up your game. Michael was one of those people who wouldn't stop until he was perfect. He kept going even after that.

So I will personally miss him. I will miss his light. I will miss his star. I will miss who he has caused other people to become because of his greatness. He upped the standard.

KING: Did you let the stories about his personal life affect your feelings about him?

SUMMER: Not at all. Not at all. Because I don't, personally, know that those stories are true. I tend to want to not believe them. I know Michael. I can't even imagine he would ever try to hurt a child. I felt more like it was exploitation, personally, from other people. I don't know if it's true or not. I just -- you know, I just think he was a sitting duck at times.

KING: Donna, thank you very much for expressing your thoughts. The great Donna Summer.

After a very -- route from the landing of the helicopter to evidently where the coroner's office is -- this is all somewhere in downtown Los Angeles, certainly in the back lot, so to speak, if we can use a Hollywood term. The body is now in that building where the autopsy will take place. As we said earlier, results of autopsies take some time. The interest in this one will be great, and the expectation, the desire to know. All we want to know is knowledge. We can't bring him back. We want to know why he left us.

You're watching a special edition of LARRY KING LIVE. We will have another one at midnight eastern, 9:00 Pacific. Anderson Cooper will be with you at the top of the hour. We'll be back with more in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: In a moment, we're going to talk with Tommy Mottola, the legendary music executive who in his previous post, as the world wide chairman and CEO of Sony, his roster of superstars included -- hard to say this -- the late-Michael Jackson. Let's go back to Michael Jackson's home for a moment. Kara Finnstrom, CNN, is standing by. Is the -- are the children arriving, Kara?

FINNSTROM: Larry, what he can tell you is that three SUVs just pulled in. We also understand three SUVs left from the hospital a short while ago. You see the gates closing right now. I can't confirm for you who was inside. But these are the first three vehicles that have been allowed by police into, you know, the residence since we've arrived.

So those cars going in just a short while ago. Also inside, Larry, are some detectives with an elite investigative unit with the LAPD. They've been in there for a number of hours now. They say this is protocol. They're doing their standard investigation, looking into what may have occurred shortly before his death.

They say this is no indication that there was any foul play. But they need rule out everything.

KING: SUVs, I assume -- well, hate to assume. But probably was family. Thanks, Kara. We'll be checking back you. Let's go to on the phone with Tommy Mottola, the legendary music executive. What's your reaction to this, Tommy? You were so close to his success?

TOMMY MOTTOLA, FMR. SONY MUSIC EXECUTIVE: Well, it's a day that saddens all of us all over the world. You know, Michael is certainly an American icon who is the most famous person in the world. If you look at the history pop culture, Sinatra, Elvis and Michael really, really are the icons that represent all that -- that whole culture. You know? And his loss is just so tremendous, because he was so inspirational from an early age of five or six, and then the Jackson Five, and then on to becoming the pop icon that everybody knew and loved.

And the musical styles of bridging rhythm and blues and pop music created a whole new sound, you know, in every space of the world. And the inspiration that he provided for all of us, myself included, is just such an incredible loss.

KING: What was he like to work with?

MOTTOLA: Well, Michael was a perfectionist. Michael, you know, would work around the clock, 48, 72 hours at a time. I mean, he would lock himself in the studio. He would call me 3:00 a.m. in the morning and ask me if we were going to sell a hundred million albums on the next record. I mean, he was an absolute perfectionist. And he demanded perfection from everyone that he worked with.

KING: How many albums did he sell for Sony?

MOTTOLA: Hundreds of millions.

KING: Would that be a record of any performer anywhere?

MOTTOLA: I would have to say, yes, it would be, yes.

KING: And you said Elvis and you said Michael --

MOTTOLA: Well, I mean, when you think about the icons that have been created --

KING: Sinatra?

MOTTOLA: -- in our time, I mean, Sinatra, Elvis and Michael certainly represent, I think, that triumvirate of a whole popular culture that represents, you know, what we -- what we think of as -- as the defining people.

KING: Yes. And the Beatles too, right?

MOTTOLA: Absolutely, 100 percent.

KING: All right. When you deal with a perfectionist, though, can't that, at times, be difficult, since they want everything, everything right?

MOTTOLA: Well, dealing with any artist is always a challenge. And certainly Michael -- you know, Michael, being the perfectionist that he was, was always challenging. But, you know, what happened was the result of the work and the time and the effort that he put in always produced an extraordinary result.

KING: Was he good at showing up when he was supposed to record?

MOTTOLA: Michael -- Michael was reliable. Michael, when he was into a project, he would be there. You know? I think -- you know, there are things -- so many things -- I remember going on the set of some of the videos where he would work countless hours, and have to show up, you know, 5:00 a.m. in the morning. And he'd be there.

And don't forget, what he did was show cutting-edge with video. He defined the video age as we know it. There will be -- there was no one before him, and there will be no one after him that ever represents what he did in the era of video.

KING: So well said. Thanks, Tommy.

MOTTOLA: Thank you, Larry.

KING: Thanks, Tommy Mottola. He was the world wide chairman and CEO of Sony. Lisa Marie Presley, once married to Michael Jackson, said this: "I'm so very sad and confused, with every emotion possible. I'm heart broken for his children, who I know were everything to him, and to his family. This is such a massive loss on so many levels that words fail me." And her mother, Priscilla Presley, released this statement: "I'm in shock, as I know everyone must be. What a tragic loss. My heartfelt thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time."

Let's check back in with Thea Andrews with "Entertainment Tonight." She's at the UCLA Medical Center. You have already seen the body leave that center, head downtown to the coroner's office. There are still people around?

ANDREWS: Still many people around. And I've been told that the Jackson family just held a press conference inside the hospital. The hospital, the doctors did not speak. But Jermaine spoke on behalf of his family. He's a family spokesperson. He described what happened today at -- at Michael Jackson's house, how he was transported from the family's point of view.

From what I'm told, there were no other family members at the actual press conference, but they are still inside. Randy and Jermaine were seen hugging each other in sorrow. Latoya Jackson was seen inside, his mother Katherine. I've been told that Joe Jackson was on his way from Las Vegas. I don't know if he's arrived yet.

KING: Thea, thank you. Noble reporting in a difficult situation. And I know --

ANDREWS: Thanks.

KING: And I know that work you do for "Entertainment Tonight" speaks for itself. Thea Andrews -- We thank all the people who have joined us.

Couple of personal notes before we turn it over to Anderson Cooper -- and a reminder, we'll be back at midnight eastern, 9:00 Pacific. I had a kind of an intertwined life with Michael Jackson. I first interviewed him when he was, I guess, 10 or 11 years old with the Jackson Five in Miami. I was doing my radio show and they were great guests and he stood out.

In fact, everyone there, the control room, they would all say, who is this kid? He was just so ebullient and effusive. He was fantastic to be around.

Later on, of course, things would be up and down in Michael Jackson's life. I saw him at RFK Stadium. I sat way, way up there, near the top of the stadium. I could barely see him, but I did have binoculars and got to enjoy that concert immensely, what I could hear of it. Saw a little of it, what I could hear of it.

Then when he went on trial in 2005, I had overheard a conversation at Madon House Restaurant (ph) here at Beverly Hills at the next table, and then the conversation dwelled over to our table, in which a lawyer was saying that people who were pressing charges against Michael Jackson were, in fact, extorting from him.

So I had told this to people. And they -- they subpoenaed me to come and appear at the Jackson trial. And before I appeared, there was a hearing. And the judge did not allow me to testify, because it was all hearsay. I was saying what someone else told me. I understood that completely. So did Michael. He gave me a nice smile on the way out.

Then the last time I was with him, you see right there, was at this Jesse Jackson's wonderful charity. I had this special dinner they give every year, where they honor people. And I was one of those proud enough to be honored, and so was Michael. And we sat at the same table and talked with a conversation like everybody makes, who are your guests coming up? Some day I will do your show. Yes, I wish. That never happened.

But that was the last time I saw Michael Jackson. And then I learned information the other day from a friend of mine, who had arranged for the plane that was going to fly Elizabeth Taylor over to London for opening night of Michael Jackson's soon-to be 59th concert, that sadly will never take place.

Again, we'll be back at Midnight Eastern, 9:00 Pacific, continuous coverage of this tragedy. And don't forget, another loss today, Farrah Fawcett. Our coverage continues now with Anderson Cooper and "AC 360." Anderson?


http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/25/lkl.01.html

Remembering Michael Jackson

Aired June 25, 2009 - 23:59 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: A child prodigy, who lived through illness, a sex scandal and massive money trouble. Killed by heart disease, age 50. Smokey Robinson and other giants in the business are here to say good-bye to one of the great entertainers ever.

Next, on a special live edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

Good evening or good morning depending on your time zone. Welcome to our continuing coverage of the death of Michael Jackson. This is a special midnight edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We have this statement from UCLA. It reveals details of Jackson's death. And it reads, the legendary king of pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25th, 2009, at 2:26 p.m.

It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until the results of the autopsy are known. His personal physician was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate Jackson, as did paramedics who transported him to the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m., a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists again attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than an hour but were unsuccessful.

Jackson's family requests the media respect their privacy during this tragic period of time.

This will be a special two-hour edition of LARRY KING LIVE. Later we'll be repeating interviews with Celine Dion and Cher.

In this hour, we'll be talking with the legendary Smokey Robinson. The R&B song singer and song writer, former executive from Motown. He's being honored tomorrow with the ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Heritage Award here in Los Angeles.

Carlos Diaz, the "Extra" correspondent, who is always atop news in the entertainment world. Later, we'll be joined in a little while by Suzanne De Passe, an extraordinary lady, CEO of De Passe Entertainment. At age 19, she was Berry Gordy's creative assistant at Motown and she discovered the Jacksons.

She also, by the way, knew Farrah Fawcett very well. We'll talk about that, too.

But let's first go to Ted Rowlands at the UCLA Medical Center in the aftermath of all of this. There are still people there, Ted?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Larry. A lot of people still here. And a lot of different emotions. You look around here. A couple hundred people are still here. There are some people dancing over behind here. They've got a boom box. They're playing Michael Jackson songs.

A lot of cheering. Almost a celebration on a lot of levels. A lot of people have signs. People have candles as well. This woman has been reading her bible. So it runs the -- the range of emotion.

One of the people out here is Cheryl.

Cheryl, why are you here? And what did Michael Jackson mean to you?

CHERYL, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: Michael Jackson was an icon for my generation. Still, I'm just -- I cannot believe that this has actually happened. But I'm happy to come. There was a lot of people. But I met so many friends just in five minutes, all race, creed, color. And everybody was just celebrating on one accord.

ROWLANDS: You hear about Michael Jackson dying. Why come here?

CHERYL: Just to be here with the people to celebrate in spirit of peace and the harmony and love. There was so much love here. Instead of people mourning, we all got together and just joining in love. And now we're going to be praying in a few minutes.

ROWLANDS: All right. One of the biggest fans we've found so far, Larry, is Melvin here. He works in the area. Made the sign. Didn't go home to make this sign. He had these photos.

Tell us, Melvin, in your actual office, give us a sense of what Michael Jackson meant to you and your connection to him.

MELVIN, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN: Michael Jackson meant growing up. I grew up with Michael Jackson at my old school. I go back to "I Want You Back." Madonna (INAUDIBLE), to Berry Gordon in Gary, Indiana. I'm a big Michael Jackson fan. I never missed a concert. Never, ever, ever.

It was $5 my first concert. My mother and father had to come up with some sort of way, eight of us in my family, nine counting me. There's nine of us so I can relate with Jackson family so much. So much.

I'm going to miss you, Michael. And Michael, his music will live forever. It will never die.

ROWLANDS: When you heard he was dead, what did you think in?

MELVIN: I couldn't believe it at first. I work in the area. Like I said, I had to come down here and see what I see. And when I heard that third Michael Jackson song on the radio, I knew something was wrong. Something has to be wrong. You don't play three songs in a row unless you're in a mix. And they (INAUDIBLE) with Mike. Three songs in a row, I knew something had happened. But I knew he'll live on forever and his videos will live on forever. If it wasn't for Mike there wouldn't be no MTV. I'll say that right now.

ROWLANDS: All right, Melvin, an example, Larry, of the fans that have come down here. They started coming down here when the word started that Michael Jackson had been brought here for treatment. And there were a few hundred people in here when the word came out that he had died at 2:26 this afternoon.

Michael Jackson's body has been moved from the UCLA Medical Center. The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow morning. They say they could have autopsy results as early as tomorrow afternoon. Larry?

KING: Ted Rowlands will stay on the scene. We'll check back with him later.

Kara Finnstrom has been outside Michael Jackson's house since all of this happened, this tragedy happened earlier. What's happening there now at this late hour?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, just up the block from us is his home. And within the last hour the coroner's officials have left. Detectives remain on the scene there continuing their investigation.

But we're now panning an area here where some of his -- you know, very ardent fans have started to gather. Again, this is just about a block away from his home but it's the closest they can get because police have sealed off the area.

I just want to step over here to a tribute artist who came out here earlier today. And you said this has been one of the saddest days of your life. Talk to us about the impact that Michael Jackson has had on you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Today we've lost an international treasure, the last of the great song and dance man, Michael Jackson. It's right up there with the passing of Princess Diana. This is something that millions of people will never forget. It's devastating.

The one thing people forget is that Michael had a beautiful heart. He did everything in his power to try to make the world a better place through his music.

FINNSTROM: We thank you for joining us. I want to quickly bring in also -- you can see, Larry, we've got lots of families here as well. And a mother who brought her kids out here tonight.

And tell us why you brought your kids out here all bundled up and you wanted to be part of this?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, just to show them that Michael Jackson was a huge -- he's a legend. And we're going to miss him a lot. And many of his songs actually should remind people to come together.

It doesn't matter, you know, what race you are, everybody should be united. And it shouldn't have to take for somebody to, you know, pass away to make a difference.

FINNSTROM: Thanks for joining us tonight.

Larry, detectives do tell us they will be up the block throughout the night. And the folks out here, the crowd has really started to grow. They've started to light some candles and also to make some small tributes to him. Pictures. We found a hat and some gloves left down here. Just small remembrances that his fans are bringing out.

KING: Thanks so much, Kara. We'll be checking back. Keep your vigil.

OK, we're with Smokey Robinson and Carlos Diaz. And on the phone, Suzanne De Passe.

Smokey, what's your first reaction when you heard this?

SMOKEY ROBINSON, R&B SONG SINGER AND WRITER: Just I couldn't believe it. It was unbelievable to me. I -- I've gone through this many times with the Motown artists and the Motown family of artists.

And this was just devastating. I mean, I just couldn't accept it at first. I think about, you know, Michael was a young man, and time goes by so quickly. I -- I thought about the fact that last year we started to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, and when we were starting out with the record company, he was being born.

And the 50 years seems like that they have gone by overnight, instantly. So that's how his life was. But, however, he has left such a legacy. He -- he was remarkable. He revolutionized the presentation of a song and he revolutionized the making of videos and like that.

He's got so many young artists imitating him, today, or mimicking him or trying to. He was just a remarkable artist.

KING: We're going to cover a lot of that. On the phone from Palm Springs is Suzanne De Passe. Had so much to do with all of this. At 19, she was Berry Gordy's creative assistant.

You discovered the Jacksons. How, Suzanne? What was -- tell us what happened.

SUZANNE DE PASSE, DISCOVERED JACKSON 5: I hope I'm not just by phone, because I have just taken a 30-minute ride to get here. So...

KING: Where are you?

DE PASSE: You know...

KING: There you are.

DE PASSE: I'm in a television studio. Here I am. OK.

KING: OK. Good to see you.

DE PASSE: Well, you know, as much as I -- good to see you, too. And on this terrible, terrible circumstances. I would dearly love to take credit for discovering the Jackson 5, but really what I was, was the conduit for them to get to Motown.

I had just gone to work for Mr. Gordy in 1968. And he was a very imposing figure. And I was so happy to be at Motown and I was asked to come to see this group at Bobby Taylor's apartment. We lived in the same apartment building.

And I walked in and I saw these kids. And they were unbelievable. And I called Mr. Gordy and I said, oh, I've just seen the most fantastic act. And he said, great. And I said, yes, these kids. He said, kids? I don't want any kids. Stevie Wonder is enough of a handful. Go find some talented adults basically.

And, you know, I was terribly new and terribly green. And I didn't know what to do. And I just had been so profoundly affected by their talent that I went back one more time, mustered up all my courage. And I said, Mr. Gordy, you just have to see these kids. And he finally relented and he agreed to audition them. And the rest is history.

KING: As they say, it's history.

DE PASSE: And from that point -- yes. It was history. And I have to say this event today is so astonishing because having known Michael when he walked in the doors at Motown and this dear, sweet spirit and mischievous little boy and sweet, you know, impish way that he had along with all of the talent. You know? And it just -- it breaks my heart. It just breaks my heart.

KING: Carlos Diaz, from a reportorial standpoint he was -- Presley and John Lennon are the stories of music in this. The death of music. People dying and musically involved. Yet the stories a lot of heart for this...

CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": You remember where you were when you heard Elvis Presley died.

KING: Sure do.

DIAZ: Same with John Lennon.

KING: Sure do. I was on the air.

DIAZ: Yes. Well, you will always remember where you were when Michael Jackson died and I think that, you know, it speaks to how popular and how much of an affect he had on the world.

When the sun is now coming up in other parts of the world and people are now waking up to the news that Michael Jackson has passed away. And there is not a corner of this planet that Michael Jackson's name is not known. And that's the true mark -- and listening to Suzanne right there, you can -- she didn't -- you heard what she said. She didn't say passing. She didn't say -- she said event.

People are still, I think, in denial that Michael Jackson is gone forever.

KING: He was loved despite scandalous things said about him, right?

DIAZ: You know, the thing is, I think people look past that. You know that's all they've had to focus on in the last few years. And hopefully -- we were interviewing Jamie Foxx at "Extra" when all this went down. And Jamie Foxx had just a great comment,

He said you know what? It is this time where we need to embrace Michael Jackson's talent and his love for music and his love for his fans and not the controversy.

KING: Janet Jackson's manager gave this statement. "Jacket is grief stricken and devastated at the sudden loss of his brother. She's in pre-production of a film, is flying immediately to California to be with the family."

We'll be right back.

ANNOUNCER: LARRY KING LIVE brought to you by...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Smokey, when did you first meet him?

ROBINSON: Oh, I first met Michael when the kids first came to Motown. And they did a show, actually, at Berry's home in Detroit, they did a show for us there. And they were so dynamic. To see a little guy like Michael was at that time, singing like he had been here forever, you know, just singing like an old man, was just an incredible experience.

KING: Did you know he was going to be a hit?

ROBINSON: Oh, absolutely. It was obvious.

KING: This was no doubter, right?

ROBINSON: It was a no doubter. It was obvious. Because like I said, this guy is -- you know, he's like an old soul. He sang like he had lived it all before, when he was 10. So -- yes, I knew he was going to be great.

KING: Suzanne, did you though it, too?

DE PASSE: Absolutely. And as much as one can know anything in this business, I think that he had the charisma, the talent, the voice, the everything you take. When you think about the it factor is, that's what he had at that age. He was phenomenal. And then when he wasn't performing, he was, like, this regular kid that was wanting to color and get candy and mess around. You know? It was just an amazing combination of elements.

KING: Did Berry recognize it as soon as he saw him?

DE PASSE: Oh, yes. That's one of the things that gave me job security for many, many years at Motown is that...

(LAUGHTER)

DE PASSE: You know, I had -- I had to talk him into it. And I think that -- yes, but, of all the people in the world who recognized his talent, Berry Gordy was, you know -- I mean what he mobilized from the time he saw Michael, I mean, and the group was signed and Michael and the Jackson 5 had three number one records in a row before they ever went out to perform.

And I had the opportunity to take them out on their first tour and clearly didn't know what I was doing. But we all figured it out together and, I mean, it was so incredible to see what young kids, in particular, young African-American kids, how they embraced the Jackson 5.

And, I mean, we went from being completely anonymous -- I should say the boys went from being completely anonymous to being absolutely on lockdown not able to go anywhere in a period of a few months. It was phenomenal.

KING: Could we say, Carlos, with the current state of records and downloading and the like, nothing will ever outsell "Thriller?"

DIAZ: There will never be another "Thriller." I mean that's the number one selling album of all time and it will always be because now you -- like you said you have iTunes and this and that. I mean -- and the thing is, you know, listen to these guys talk about Michael Jackson as part of a Jackson 5, it shows the generational lines he's crossed.

I mean, you know, he was such a great performer in the '70s with Jackson 5. But for me, I mean, when "Thriller" came out I was 11 years old. And you know, I remember. Yes, and Smokey was 12, you know? But the thing is, I mean, you know, it absolutely...

DE PASSE: Thank you for sharing.

DIAZ: Yes. It absolutely takes so many people who are in their 30s right now just basically, you know, through their adolescence, you know, growing up to Michael Jackson.

KING: Kenny Rogers is next. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: What do you make of this anniversary of "Thriller?"

JANET JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: It's huge, it's big. Number one everywhere. Good for him. 25 years. How fast did that go by?

KING: When that came out, when it was recorded, did you think it would be what it became?

JACKSON: I knew I loved it. I knew that I loved it. As a matter of fact, he played, as he always did -- when we were very close growing up. And every time he'd complete a project, he'd play the entire album. He had a great sound system in his car.

So we'd sit in the car and we'd listen to the album from front to back. And I loved every song I heard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Let's check in with Kenny Rogers. He's on the phone. The great country music superstar. He took part in that 1985 "We are the World USA for Africa" music video and album.

Tough day for you, Kenny. I know you knew Farrah Fawcett, you knew Ed McMahon. They come in threes. How did this hit you?

KENNY ROGERS, COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER (via phone): It's been -- you know, Smokey and I were talking and you try to find something to smile about, something to laugh at just to keep you going and get you through this.

KING: We're having a bad connection, Kenny. We're going to check back with you in a minute. We'll try to straighten that up. Let's go to New York, where it's about almost 25 after 12:00 in the morning.

Richard Roth, our UN correspondent, is uptown a bit at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. What's happening, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Larry, this is an amazing scene here in front of the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem. For hours now it's almost like Michael Jackson's last concert. It's an air of celebration of his life and times.

Michael Jackson played here with the Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and was here in 2002 for a Democratic Party fundraiser and walked the streets of Harlem. People have been dancing, have been cheering, playing Michael Jackson songs.

Your reaction to his passing and what he meant to you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My reaction to his passing which is, like, unbelief. I thought I was sleeping. It was a horrible dream. Because my grandmother's nephew used to work for him as a body guard. And so when I was younger I would hear reports about him unlike the media would talk to him.

And so this person that passed away means a lot to me because he's not just a figure, I kind of understand him as a person.

ROTH: What about the -- what's happened here the last few hours? It's almost like a party.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a wake. It's a mourning. It's a funeral. It's a party. It's a celebration of life. It's everything. It's everything wrapped into one because there's so many emotions. Because he meant so much to the whole entire world. It's not just Harlem. It's not just Manhattan or New York. It's the whole world.

ROTH: What did Michael Jackson mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's the king of entertainment. Not just the king of pop. He is an idol to everyone around the world. Reaching around the UK, America, Africa, Australia, everywhere.

Michael has reached greatness that can never ever be matched.

ROTH: And you believe that marquee up there? Michael Jackson, a true Apollo legend?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a legend, period. Not just with the Apollo. He's a legend for the entire world.

ROTH: Thank you both very much.

That's part of the -- some of the comments here outside of the Apollo Theater. People are going to be here out for hours. There's a huge crowd across the street also celebrating Michael Jackson and what he meant to them. They've been playing his entire catalog of music, Larry, all night long. "Beat It" and "Billie Jean." Heard them all here again.

KING: Amazing. Thanks, Richard. Richard Roth in Harlem.

Back to Kenny Rogers. We've straightened out the phone situation. You were saying, Kenny, about Michael and what it meant to you.

ROGERS: Well, I was just saying that Smokey and I were talking in the commercial break and we were trying to find something to laugh about. You know, just to get you through with some sense of sanity.

And I did a show tonight. I found out just before I went on the show. And I have to tell you, it impacted me so heavily in my show because it's hard to go out and do what I do and know that this has happened.

This is the third person in the last week that I've known, that I knew really well. And it is -- it just breaks your heart. And what troubles me the most is that, you know, the whole people jumping on the wrong things about Michael. This -- I agree. This is a chance to celebrate his life.

Whatever happened or didn't happen. It really is academic. You know? This guy represents so much to everybody. I did a book called "Your Friends and Mine." It's a photography book. And I called him, I said, Michael, I'm promise you you'll only be here 15 minutes. He said, I'm coming, and I'm bringing bubbles with me. And he was there for eight hours. He stayed there and wanted to chat and talk. And we took pictures.

I think I took the first picture of him with his head off. Because he said, I want to see what this looks like. So -- it's just -- he was just such a special guy. You know? And you don't meet guys who have that kind of success that really are able to communicate at a different level. And that's a success I would not wish on anybody.

KING: Kenny, as a success -- you're a country artist. How did you view him artistically?

ROGERS: Well, I mean, how do you view anybody that's has that kind -- first of all, you start off envying and then you're just thankful you don't have to go through what he went through. I mean that would have been treacherous for anybody. And so I loved his music.

I thought that between he and Quincy Jones, they started a whole new -- they literally revolutionized the music business, literally. And there are very few people that represent certain eras of music. He definitely was one of them.

KING: Boy. And you also -- you knew Farrah Fawcett, too, didn't you?

ROGERS: Yes, and you know, that's another real tragedy. She's not getting her moment, you know?

KING: Yes.

ROGERS: God knows Michael deserves everything he's getting. That's not what this is about. But it kills me that she's going to be slipped under the carpet kind of because of this because she was an incredible person with a struggle like none of us can even imagine.

We used to play tennis a lot when I lived in L.A. And she would come over and she would hit tennis balls with us. And she was just the sweetest girl. And I always loved that about her. She could -- I didn't even really know her. Someone introduced me to her. Can I come hit with you guys? This was at the peak of her success.

KING: Regular guy. Thanks, Kenny. As always.

ROGERS: Absolutely. Thanks for having me.

KING: Hope to see you soon.

Suzanne De Passe, still with us in Palm Springs for a couple of moments longer. You knew Farrah Fawcett. In fact you were executive producer for Farrah's Peabody winning TV mini-series, "Small Sacrifices."

What was she like to work with?

DE PASSE: Well, you know, she and I were actually friends before we did the mini-series. And many of our other friends said, you know what, you guys? Because I had found this book and Farrah was a new mother and it's very tough piece of material.

And I sent it to her because I thought she'd be perfect. And she and I decided we were going to do this. And everybody around us said, oh my god, you guys, if you work together, you know, you're going to end up, it's going to cost you the friendship. You know, it's going to be tough.

And we became so much closer as a result of working and we were trying to find a leading man. And we couldn't find anybody, we couldn't find anybody. And I looked out of her trailer window one day and I saw Ryan playing with Redmond. And next thing, you know, Ryan was in the miniseries.

And all I can say is she was one of the most giving, lovely, human beings. What a dear, dear woman, and I just am having one of the worst days of my life, to tell you the truth.

KING: Yes.

DE PASSE: Because even though we knew she was not well and having the -- you know, sort of was near the end. I mean when you hear and then to hear about Michael ten minutes -- I mean, it's just beyond.

Farrah is and will always be one of the highlight people of my life.

KING: Thanks, Suzanne. Thanks for being with us. Suzanne De Passe has so much to do with both. Farrah Fawcett, sadly, is page five tomorrow.

DIAZ: Is it sad, though? Because...

KING: That was expected.

DIAZ: ... You have to Wonder. Ryan O'Neal, you know, has now got the tough task of burying the woman that he loved and also, too, you know, their son Redmond has to basically get out of jail. It's been announced today that he'll be released from jail to attend the funeral. So you have a little bit of controversy there.

Do you Wonder, maybe, OK, now, you know, that media spotlight is off of them, and they can focus on having, you know, a heartfelt normal burial of this amazing woman? I don't think we're going to forget who Farrah Fawcett is because of this tragedy with Michael Jackson. Maybe it allows them a little bit of space.

KING: But she didn't get page one tomorrow.

DIAZ: Is that going to be -- she'll always be Farrah Fawcett. She'll always be Farrah Fawcett. ROBINSON: It's a rough situation, but when you're expecting someone to go, you know, it's...

KING: Highly different.

ROBINSON: Entirely different.

KING: Kenny mentioned Quincy Jones. Here's what he said about his friend, Michael Jackson: "I'm absolutely devastated of this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words. I lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back on this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE, a two-hour edition. We started at midnight. We'll go until 2 a.m., 11 p.m. Pacific Time.

Earlier I asked Cher her feelings as she heard about all of this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHER, SINGER (via phone): You know, I was just sitting here listening to you talk. And I'm, like, having a million different reactions. Things that I didn't expect I would feel.

But, you know, when I think of him, I think of this young boy, that teenager that I first met. This, like, adorable boy that I met who, you know, loved to look at my beaded socks, and, you know, said to me once, "Cher, do you think we could just go to the movies?" And we looked at each other and we went, "Nah, I don't think so." We talked about, well, let's rent the movie out, and we'll just bring all of our friends.

And you know, and then a young man that I remember, you know, dancing with all night and going to see "Dreamgirls" with. And, you know, just -- I think of him more like that, because in later years he -- I didn't see him that much and when I did see him, his behavior was very strange to me. And so I didn't relate to that person as well. I didn't really understand him.

Last time I worked with him, you know, we were doing something with Dick Clark. I don't remember the show. And he and I were rehearsing after one another. And he -- they were carrying his baby -- I don't know -- I couldn't see, because they had the baby all wrapped up. And I don't know if it was a baby or a toddler. I don't really know how old the child was. Carrying it in this kind of blanket from the -- from our trailers outside into the rehearsal area onstage.

And I just kept thinking, why don't they just leave this poor child, you know, in the trailer with whoever's watching him instead of just, like, carting him back and forth and back and forth? And I just thought, this is so strange.

But, you know, Michael was always adorable to me. He was always sweet. You know, so...

KING: Weren't they -- weren't the Jackson 5 on "Sonny and Cher?"

CHER: No, they were on "Cher." They were on my show.

KING: What are your memories as him as a guest?

CHER: I just remember that we laughed all the time, because I didn't know the dancing. And I kept going, "You guys, you do this all the time. Just do it one more time for the old woman, so I can not look like, you know, I don't know what I'm doing out here."

And he just kept going, "OK, come on, Cher. You're going to get this. You're going to get this. Come on, let's do it; let's just do."

And I thought, my God, you know, I'm going to dance with this boy that's, like, the best, you know, dancer in the world.

But then I remember one night we were at a party. I think it was on the Queen Mary. And we danced all night long. And I never even thought about -- that, you know, I wasn't his equal as a dancer. We were just having a blast.

He was a great teenager. He was a great, optimistic, adorable, not very confident, though. I mean, he was so beautiful and adorable, but he didn't have any confidence in that.

KING: Why -- why on earth do you think this beautiful and adorable child would go around changing his persona? Changing the way he looked?

CHER: You know, I don't know. I really don't know. Obviously, he didn't feel that. But you know, I had heard, like, strange things.

That night at that party, a guy came over and said something to me about him, and I went, you know what? This is the kind of crap that people start. They just start rumors. You have no idea what you're talking about. Get up from my table; get out of my sight. I don't ever want to talk to you or see you again.

And he said Michael Jackson is going to change the way he looks completely. And he's going to change his skin.

And I went, you know what? I can't tell you what I said. It was all kind of really -- just think of me at my worst, Larry, and you'll know what I said to him.

KING: yes. What -- his talent, how would you describe it? Was he a great singer?

CHER: Yes, he was a great singer. You know, it's like God gives you certain gifts. And some people he gives different gifts, and some people he gives more gifts. And this child was just an extraordinary child, touched by this ability to have people feel him and feel people. And he just had that sense that you get, and you don't get it from a living person. You get it from someplace else. He had it.

And, yes, he was a great singer. I mean, he was a great singer. He was one of the great singers. You can't write him off as just a pop thing, because he could sing like nobody else. He was genius, like Ray Charles. Like Stevie Wonder. Like people that, you know, like people that are -- have a gift. They just have this gift. You don't know where it comes. You don't know how long it stays. You don't know what the impact is going to be. But he was able to connect with people.

You know, he was a really soft-spoken boy. Always. Always. I remember once we were at this party and it was -- I don't know if was a New Year's Eve party. I don't remember. But I was with Val Kilmer. And Bob Mackey had made me a pair of beaded socks for my Christmas present. Val was wearing them. Michael couldn't get over them.

And he kept going, "Vanna, I just love those socks. Cher, I just love those socks."

I said, "Well, you know, they were a present from Bob for me for Christmas."

And he said, "I just love beaded socks." You know, he just was so...

KING: He was a kid.

CHER: Yes. He was just a kid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Stevie Wonder's people issued this statement tonight: "Stevie is not available for any comment for the time being. He's emotionally distraught and chose to be quiet right now."

We'll be back with other guests and Sean Combs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER: He was a talented person. He was a wonderful person.

KING: And he's a complex person. Obviously, he's a complex person.

J. JACKSON: Yes, but look, there was Michelangelo who was different and dressed weird and this and that. And they called Einstein weird, known as one of the greatest minds ever. William Shakespeare, who we still, today, can go see his plays.

KING: Yes, genius. It's fair to try to examine it. In other words, we look at someone...

J. JACKSON: Right, right. True. But still, look at his heart. Look at his music. Look at what he's done for people. Look at the influence, and we've been influenced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're back, and we're now joined by -- on the phone is Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, a record producer of fame. Rapper, actor, and businessman. And he's won multiple Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards. Smokey Robinson remains with us. J.C. Chasez joins us, singer, songwriter, producer, and a former member of 'N Sync. They performed with Michael Jackson several times and were the presenters when Michael was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame. Corey Feldman, actor, musician, was once a close friend of Michael's and hoped to repair a rift that occurred nine years ago. We'll ask him about that.

But let's start first on the phone with my dad, Mr. P. Daddy [SIC] Combs. How are you handling this?

SEAN "P. DIDDY" COMBS, RECORD PRODUCER (via phone): You know, my heart is just hurting. It's hard to explain the words. When I first heard the news, you know, I was just shocked.

And as you just watch -- you watch television and you see all the old videos, this man was the greatest recording artist of our time. This man, through his music actually, like, made a change in the world. He was the only artist that you could say people knew of this man in every country, no matter his song was in English. But no matter who country it was in, everybody knew the words to his song.

And you know, when I heard the coverage today, and I hear everybody talking about the controversy and the downs, everybody has downs in their life. This man had so much positivity and so much of a positive effect, especially on my generation.

You know, I didn't grow up listening to Elvis of the Beatles. This guy was like my hero. And he gave birth to all the artists in my generation. And I just think it's so sad to watch everybody talk about things that weren't proven. And I think it's important that we give him his day, man.

He changed the world. Like, he made me believe in magic. He made me -- he made me actually visualize the music. He made me want to make music. And I just think it's important for all the artists out there to call in and for us to be heard and let the people know how much this man meant to us.

KING: I called you "Daddy" because you're the daddy of what you do. But I know you're Diddy. And it's also getting late.

Stay right with us, P.

J.C., how did you -- how did 'N Sync and Michael Jackson come together? J.C. CHASEZ, 'N SYNC: We have a lot of strange coincidences, actually. Our first hit single was a song called "I Want You Back." His first hit single was "I Want You Back" with the Jackson 5.

But really, what it was about is we were a group that wanted to emulate that kind of performance. We -- he was, kind of like Diddy said before, he just -- he presented something for my generation to emulate, you know. And it was about the scope of things. He just wanted to do it bigger, more dynamic. And he did. He made you believe in magic.

KING: What was he like to work with?

CHASEZ: You know what? He was the nicest guy ever, you know.

KING: Very professional.

CHASEZ: Professional, but you know what? Surprisingly, it was -- when you first meet somebody that you look up to you're a little awestruck. Because you have an idea in your mind of what they are. And then you meet somebody backstage, and they're champing on a sandwich or something and you're like, "Oh, OK, so you eat like me." Then, you know, he cracked a joke and made everybody comfortable right away.

KING: Corey, what was the rift?

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: Oh, well, that's kind of a complicated one.

KING: Can you simplify it?

FELDMAN: Well, based on the fact that, you know, we just lost a great artist today, I'd rather not focus on the negatives, Larry.

KING: Had you resumed the friendship near the end?

FELDMAN: We hadn't yet. But we had been -- the family and I had been communicating a lot. As a matter of fact, my wife Susie and I were invited recently to Latoya Jackson's birthday party, which we attended three weeks ago, which was thrown by Jeffrey and her manager, and Janet. And we actually got to see the whole family. So it was very nice, and it was a nice...

KING: Since there was a form of separation, we don't have to get into it, how did it hit you today?

FELDMAN: That's a good question. I've been kind of a nervous ball of nerves all day, just a wreck. It was the last thing I expected. As a matter of fact, when I heard the news initially, I thought that it was possibly some sort of publicity stunt to push back the concerts in July, and I didn't think he was really passing. And once I heard that he actually passed, I haven't stopped shaking. I mean, my hands have just been shaking all day.

KING: ... sunset. Diddy, do you think he would have come back?

Diddy? Apparently, we lost -- do you think he would have come back, Smokey?

ROBINSON: Larry, I was in London about a month ago, and that was where he was going to have the 50 initial concerts that he said would probably be his last 50 concerts. But I knew that probably he was going to go around the world with those concerts.

And I was in London, and the promoter who was promoting those concerts, I was talking with him. And he said, "Well, we have to cancel the first five concerts because Michael isn't feeling well."

So I said, "OK, fine, everybody is entitled not to feel well." And -- but the proof of him being Michael Jackson, who he will always be, is the fact that he was going to do 50 concerts. And the place he was playing is a big arena-type place over in London. OK? Ten minutes or so after the tickets went on sale, they were all sold out. OK? So coming back...

KING: You can come back. Where did he go?

We have a statement from J.C.'s former band mate, Justin Timberlake: "I can't find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael's passing. We have lost a genius, a true ambassador of not only pop music but of all music. He's been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones."

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: As we come back, you're looking at television coverage from France where the news is breaking in the early morning hours.

Adding to our panel, we welcome Shelley Berger here in Los Angeles. Shelley was manager for the Jackson 5 as well as many other legendary Motown artists.

Shelley, how did it hit you today?

SHELLEY BERGER, FORMER MANAGER OF JACKSON 5: Well, first, of course, was disbelief because I was in a meeting with Otis Williams, and Otis' phone rang. And he said, "I got a text message that Michael died."

And I said, it must be a mistake or something. So he called the lady who rang him. And he said, it's true. And then, of course, Otis just broke down. So that was the end of the meeting.

KING: What was he like to manage? BERGER: Well, I managed -- I was their first manager when they joined Motown. It's interesting, because I only managed people that Barry Gordy was personally interested in. So I managed Smokey. I managed the Supremes. I managed the Temptations.

And one night I was getting off the road with the Supremes, and I got a telephone call from Barry Gordy and he said, "We just signed this new group and you're going to manage them." He said, "You have to come down to the studio right now."

I said, "Why do I have to come down to the studio? You tell me I'm managing them, I'm managing them. I know what I have to do."

"No, no, no, no. You have to come down to the studio." OK. So I go down to the studio on Fairfax Avenue. There's five little kids. And he says, "This is Shelley Berger. He manages Diane Ross. He manages Smokey Robinson. He manages Temptations. Now he's your manager. Show them what you can do."

And Michael just went into this James Brown thing. And I almost fell on the floor and I said, "Sammy Davis has been reincarnated." You know? It was the same kind of electricity.

KING: Wow, how long were you with him?

BERGER: I was with him only for about a year and a half.

KING: Those were good times, then? Easy?

BERGER: Well, we just created something because Mr. Gordy, who, you know...

KING: Berry's a genius.

BERGER: He said to me, can we -- we were doing meetings and the agency, like, oh, we're going to get him on the Joey Bishop Show. We're going to get him.

After the meeting Mr. Gordy said to me, "What do you think?"

And I said, "Let me ask you a question. Do you think you can get three No. 1 records on the Jackson 5?"

Now, only Barry Gordy can say this. He says, "I already have it in the can." And I believed it.

So I said, "OK, if you can get three No. 1 records in a row, we will not put the Jacksons out until they're getting $25,000 a night." Now, understand this is 1968. So $25 -- I mean, that was top dollar. The Beatles got...

KING: You got it.

BERGER: No, we didn't get it. First record came out. It was $5,000, $5,000, $7,500. Second record came out. It was $10,000, $12,005. And you could do this, you see, because it was the driven snow. There was no price on the Jacksons.

KING: What was the third?

BERGER: The third record comes up. Now, it's up to $17,000, $17,500. Now my reputation is on the line, because I told Barry Gordy I'd get $25,000.

So I went to a good, corrupt general manager of the forum. Because that was the time...

KING: What did he do?

BERGER: I said, I will give you -- I will promote the concert. I will give you all the promoter's money for the concert, but you have to give me two contracts for $25,000: one for Oakland, one for L.A.

I said, "They're going to make more than $25,000. We'll sell the shows out."

And he said, "OK." He said, but let me ask you a question. Mr. Cooke owned the Lakers at the time. And he said, he's having a problem renegotiating Elgin Baylor's contract. Do you think Elgin Baylor can be listed as the promoter?

I said, "You've got it." I had the Jackson 5 do a thing with Elgin Baylor, and of course.

KING: What was he like as a manager?

ROBINSON: Well, he was great. See, because the thing about Motown is that people think, when we talk about the Motown families as mythical. It actually exists and still exists today with those of us who are still here.

And to be managed by someone who you love anyway and you know has your best interest at heart is -- yes, if...

KING: I can tell. Here, very quickly, was Jermaine Jackson earlier today at the UCLA Medical Center.

J. JACKSON: My brother, the legendary king of pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2009, at 2:26 p.m. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known.

His personal physician, who was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate my brother. And as did the paramedics who transported him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m., a team of doctors, including emergency physicians and cardiologists, attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour. And they were unsuccessful.

Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time. And may our love be with you Michael, always.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: J.C., you're a judge on "America's Best Dance Crew."

CHASEZ: Yes.

KING: How has the Jackson dancing affecting dancing?

CHASEZ: I mean, you know, when you think about Michael Jackson and what he's presented to the entertainment world, I mean, essentially he's become a part of terminology now.

When it comes to singing, like, when it comes to percussive and rhythmic singing, it's like, oh, that's what Michael does. When it comes to dancing, it's like if you're doing something sharp, clean, it's a style of dance.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/25/lkl.02.html

More Remembering Michael Jackson

Aired June 25, 2009 - 01:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


J.C. CHASEZ, SINGER: When it comes to singing, like, when it comes to percussive and rhythmic singing, it's like, oh, that's what Michael does. When it comes to dancing, it's like if you're doing something sharp, clean, it's a style of dance.

He really -- he embraced, you know, popping and locking, but he really did it in his own style. And then when he -- when you added the dimension of the music videos, with especially "Smooth Criminal," somebody leans forward nice and slow, man. Everybody knows "Smooth Criminal." Everybody knows the moonwalk. Everybody knows the kick and the pushdown from the Motown reunion show. I mean, he's a term in entertainment now. It's like, "Oh, that's like Michael Jackson. Oh, that's like, you know..."

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": I'll never forget him at the Super Bowl. Corey, do you think he could have been an actor?

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: Yes, well, he was an actor. I mean, his whole life was a performance. You have to realize that, when you become somebody as large as Michael Jackson, you're on 24 hours a day, whether you like it or not. So every time, you know, you see a fan, every time you have to stop and take a picture, even if you're not feeling happy inside, even if you don't have a good feeling, you have to put on a smile, and you have to make people warm and welcome.

KING: Shelley, from those little boys that you saw that day, can you believe what happened to him?

SHELLEY BERGER, PRODUCER: Oh, very...

KING: Can you understand how big he got? You can?

BERGER: There was no question about it. You knew at the first second.

I have to tell you, here are two Michael Jacksons. There is Michael Jackson, the person who talks very little, and when he did talk you couldn't hear him anyway, because he spoke in such a low voice, and he was always watching cartoons. He was always a little gentlemanly.

But Michael Jackson on stage was a killer. And the great example of that is, it is 1969. It's 1970. Diana Ross is appearing at Ceasars Palace. Mr. Gordy invites the Jackson family up to watch -- to watch the show. And they're sitting ringside. And we're sitting in a booth behind them. And Diana used to do a song called "Reach Out and Touch," in which she would go to people in the audience and let them sing a song. And she goes over to -- and Michael, was this big. And she goes over to Michael, and she hands him the microphone. He grabs the microphone, jumps up on the stage, and does six minutes and totally destroys the crowd for Diana. I mean, and Diana is no slouch. And she's one of the great performers of all time. He totally -- but then he would get back in his seat -- he was a very...

KING: How do you explain that?

FELDMAN: I have to say that, you know, I got to know Michael as a man, as a person. And we spent a lot of time alone together. He was a very, very intelligent man. Very sophisticated. He read all kinds of books. And he loved to get into debates. I mean, he loved to debate things. So he used his brain when given the opportunity.

He didn't like to share it with the outside world, because he was always afraid of letting people in too close. And the reason why he was able to get along with children so well is because they didn't demand anything of him. So you could have a conversation with him, and it wasn't like you were secretly waiting for him to write a check or sign his name to a contract.

KING: Makes sense. You not -- we're not going away. You're watching a special two-hour special late-night edition of LARRY KING LIVE. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I just wanted to say one thing, seriously. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and how much you've inspired me and how proud I am to be your sister and how much I love you. I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Before we check in with our correspondents on the scene, I hold in my hand a pair of glasses worn by Michael Jackson and given to our guest, Corey Feldman, after the Victory Tour in 1983, right?

FELDMAN: Eighty-four.

KING: Eighty-four, and he even signed them up here in the corner. And you've had them all this time?

FELDMAN: I have, yes. I kept them in a box in my garage, actually. So they've been safe.

KING: This is something I would keep.

FELDMAN: Yes.

KING: eBay, this would bring a big... FELDMAN: I used to steal them off his head all the time. We would be playing, and we would always tease each other, and I would always flick his hat off his head or take his glasses.

KING: They're still stylish.

FELDMAN: Yes, well, they fit in with the current motif.

KING: Oh, yes. Let's go outside Michael Jackson's home. Kara Finnstrom has been standing by, as she has been all day and night. We'll get another report from her.

What's happening there now, Kara -- Kara?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Larry, just within the last half hour here, and actually within the last 15 minutes, a number of tow trucks with the police department have pulled up here. One you can see just inside the big iron gates, which have been swung open. Two others are waiting down on the street.

We've asked police what they're doing, what they may be impounding or taking away to take a closer look at. Not getting any answers at this point. But clearly, one of these tow trucks with the LAPD inside getting ready to load something up. And perhaps we'll see as they pull out here in just a few moments what it is that they're taking in.

Larry, throughout the evening here we've seen numerous groups of detectives going in through the gates. The L.A. Coroner's Office was here a short while ago. They have left. They tell us officially that this is routine, that the type of thing they do after the death of someone so prominent.

But we also, are hearing, of course, from the family attorney that there was a suspicion that Jackson was using some prescription drugs perhaps improperly.

So we really don't know what they're looking for in there. They haven't shared those details with us. But they have been there, in there throughout the evening, and now they're bringing in these additional tow trucks, and they tell us they plan to be here throughout the night, Larry.

KING: That is strange, and we shall stay atop that story. What would they be towing out of the house?

Let's go to the UCLA Medical Center. Standing by is Ted Rowlands. What's happening there at this hour?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, still a significant crowd here outside the UCLA Medical Center. This, of course, where Michael Jackson was brought and this is, of course, where he was eventually pronounced dead at about 2:30 this afternoon.

From the minute that the news started to spread that Michael Jackson was here, people started to gather, and they haven't left. Mix of people. A lot of people have signs. A lot of people have candles.

This is Amanda. Why -- why did you come out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just wanted to come and memorialize Michael and see what's going on.

ROWLANDS: What would you say your connection to Michael Jackson is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would say as a, like, 5- or 6-year-old, like, seeing him on MTV and the moonwalk. I mean, he was a part of my generation. I grew up with him.

ROWLANDS: A lot of people saying that, Larry. But also, what's amazing is there are a lot of people like Brent here, who weren't born when Michael released "Thriller." He's 21 years old.

You've out here. You've got this shirt, this sign. Why are you connected to Michael Jackson? What brings you out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because Michael touched so many people. He touched me with the song "Mirror," "Change in the Mirror [SIC]." And I would, me and my brother always argue. My mom always told me change come within. So it just so happened, after we got that lecture, Michael's song came on. I've been attached to him ever since. He's an idol to me. So...

ROWLANDS: You heard that he died, and why come here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, this is because -- this is where he was. Actually when I found out about it was actually shocked. I was in a car talking to my mom -- I was going to my mom's job and what not. And then I heard it on 99.1. And it was just tragic from there. So when I found out that he was here, I rushed down here from Moreno Valley. So...

ROWLANDS: You're a 21-year-old man. Young, compared to a lot of people here. But what is it about Michael Jackson, his -- not only his music but the person, that connected you to him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael, him as a person, not too many people is like Michael. But I don't know nobody who has so much funds (ph) who will go out to a regular kid and just try to touch him and help them out. Help him, physically. Like, if I have a problem and Michael came to me, that would be an honor. And the things that they said about him, I don't believe that stuff is true, because he has a big heart.

Like, a lot of people don't understand you've got to see from his point of view on how he feels about a situation. Instead of pointing a finger and accusing him and stuff like that. But if anybody is willing to help, they've got to be a man of God.

ROWLANDS: All right. Larry, a few of the sentiments from outside the UCLA Medical Center, where Michael Jackson was brought and pronounced dead. And still, a significant crowd here late into the evening. And no sign that it's getting any less of a gathering. In fact, it seems like people are still gathering, even this late in the evening.

KING: OK. OK. Thank, Ted.

Final comment, quickly from our guests. Shelley, how is he going to be remembered?

BERGER: He'll be remembered as one of the greatest performers of all time.

KING: Smokey?

SMOKEY ROBINSON, SINGER: Well, I think -- you know, I've heard some comments tonight about them saying about people remembering the negative. I doubt seriously if too many people are thinking about that right now.

And I agree with Shelley. He is going to be remembered as one of the most dynamic artists that we've ever had.

KING: J.C.?

CHASEZ: I mean, I think it's -- yes, I agree with these other two gentlemen. I just think people -- he really raised the bar when it came to the scope of entertainment.

KING: So the positive will...?

CHASEZ: I think you have to view him in a positive light for what he did for entertainment.

KING: And Corey?

FELDMAN: I would concur, and I would add that he won't be one of the greatest but the greatest...

KING: The greatest?

FELDMAN: ... of all time.

KING: We'll be back with more. Carlos Diaz is coming back. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Carlos Diaz returns to the set, the "Extra" correspondent. With us on the phone is the brilliantly talented Sheryl Crow.

Sheryl, how did this -- how did you react to this today?

SHERYL CROW, MUSICIAN (via phone): I think I felt really shocked. You know, I worked with him in 1988 and '89 on the "Bad" tour, and I always wondered what, you know, what -- what would happen to him as he got older? Would he, I mean, would we get to see him grow old? And it's just -- it's just shocking today that, at 50, he's not going to be here with us anymore, even though it's been kind of -- you know, it's been hard to imagine what he might be like as an older man. And now, of course, we will never know and -- but it is shocking. You know, he's going to be sorely missed. And I feel extremely grateful to have gotten the opportunity I had to watch him every night for nearly two years. Sing backup for him.

KING: Carlos Diaz wants to ask you something.

DIAZ: First off, Sheryl, we're watching video of you in concert with Michael right now. I want to say, great hair.

CROW: That's big hair.

DIAZ: That is fantastic hair you have there. But what did -- what did Michael Jackson teach you in order for you to become the successful singer that you've become over the years?

CROW: Well, I think that he was absolutely, undeniably the greatest performer of my -- certainly of my generation and maybe of all time. Every night was an amazing show.

And he was just different. He -- I think he knew what it was that set him apart, and he tapped into it every night. And 75,000 screaming fans were right there in the palm of his hand.

And you know, he had a different take on life. He was famous from the time he was 5. And so his relationship from people was from having been just mobbed all the time. So he was a little bit isolated by definitely a child at heart.

You know, he would rent out amusement parks and take the band. We'd go to Tokyo Disneyland, and ride rides all night. And he was a real prankster. Loved practical jokes. And you know, just really child -- when he stepped out on that stage, you'd never seen anything that was more professional or more -- really truly more gifted.

KING: Everyone has said that tonight. Sheryl...

CROW: Yes.

KING: ... I thank you very much. It's so good hearing from you.

CROW: Thanks, Larry.

KING: Sheryl Crow, what a talent she is.

DIAZ: She's amazing. I mean, you know, I mean -- and that's the thing, too, for her to be as successful as she is, and to give the respect that she gives to Michael Jackson, it shows the reach that he's had.

KING: Which everyone is doing. No matter how high they are in the business, he's apparently higher. DIAZ: There's no one -- there's really -- I mean, when you look at it, is there a bigger name on this planet, Larry, than Michael Jackson?

KING: Got a point.

Back to Harlem and the famed Apollo Theater. I've been to that theater many times. Great place. You ought to go there. It's something. And Richard Roth is standing by.

he crowd still there, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Larry. Someone just threw this T-shirt over the crowd here. "Michael Jackson, the greatest ever."

You know, we're outside the legendary Apollo Theater. This is the place where careers were launched, stars were made. The Apollo Theater. And on the marquee, tonight, it's just an incredible sight that people can't believe they're seeing, the passing of Michael Jackson.

Here outside the Apollo, it's been a party atmosphere. People have been singing Michael Jackson songs, Jackson 5 songs, cars going by blasting his music.

With me is Corey (ph). Why are you here tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here because, you know, I spent a lot of time in front of the TV, you know, emulating Michael's moves. And there's no place I'd rather be right now than here at the Apollo Theater, celebrating his life.

ROTH: Favorite memory of him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My favorite memory is "Smooth Criminal." You know, he was -- he's honestly the smoothest person you've ever seen. So there's no place I'd rather be than here.

ROTH: All right. You can see the big crowd behind us here.

This man, you were at a very important concert involving Michael Jackson, James Brown. Tell us about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: James Brown, Michael Jackson, Heat Waves (ph), and the Euniphics (ph), in 1973. Awesome show. Carried the whole thing out -- wonderful.

ROTH: What did he mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He meant everything. There's something about the music. The melody and progress.

ROTH: Why are you here tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm here tonight because I'm mourning him, indirectly. Because he's an amazing (ph) person. He made everything possible. He sold 150 songs nationwide, worldwide. No one else has ever done that on planet Earth. So he's done it, and he's the only one that could do something...

ROTH: The King of Pop.

I see a young lady in the audience who's changed her outfit twice. But I saw her dancing five hours ago to Michael Jackson music. What was it about this man? I mean, he had a very troubled legacy later on. What's your memories of Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My memory is because I was born back around that era. And my mom always taught us to do music lessons and look at the art and appreciate it as well as education. Because my dad is from Nigeria. My mother is from here. And they sacrificed so much for us to be the first American citizens here for the generation.

So just him leaving and passing is me losing a brother. And I changed here...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... Michael Jackson, to show him that...

ROTH: Michael Jackson, perhaps a live concert here on the streets of the Apollo.

Larry, it's back to you from the streets of Harlem in front of the Apollo Theater tonight.

KING: They're drowning you out, Richard. Richard Roth at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Back to the UCLA Medical Center. Ted Rowlands. Let's get one more check from Ted on what's happening.

Does that still continue, Ted?

ROWLANDS: Yes, Larry, they are still gathering here outside the UCLA Medical Center. As we said earlier, the crowd seems to be getting larger rather than smaller. One of the things that we're seeing is sort of a mixture of emotion. People are celebrating Michael Jackson's life. People have been dancing.

Scooby (ph) here has been entertaining people with his dancing, as people have been watching.

And one of the people watching is Teana (ph).

What do you -- you say you left work. You heard that Michael had died, and you left work. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I walked out of my job, and I came here, just to show support to one of the most incredible icons and just a human being in general.

ROWLANDS: What's your connection, in your opinion, to Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson just gave me so many childhood memories. And I just celebrate him and his music and what he's done for us and just for humanity. He's just the epitome of love and will be missed. But his songs will live forever.

ROWLANDS: What is it about him that has connected to so many people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His love. He was all about love. He made people dance. I mean, just -- I remember the time when I seen him on the Grammys when he did the moonwalk. It was as if, like, somebody flew to the moon. I mean, everybody was doing the moonwalk in the kitchen. We went to school the next day, we were doing the moonwalk. I mean, I wore a glove with rhinestones on it. I mean, we just love Michael Jackson. He's just -- we connected to him so much.

ROWLANDS: Scooby (ph), you have a glove on. And obviously, you can moonwalk and do about everything. What did Michael Jackson mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He meant everything. Like, I think his music inspired a lot of people. It -- it brought everybody together, you know, regardless of race, anything, language. So music is a powerful tool.

And he influenced a lot of dancers, too. So that's my background of knowing him. So, since I was like 10 years old, when I first saw him. I was kind of not exposed to him. And then, after that, I just, you know, he inspired me to do everything, so...

ROWLANDS: You heard he died. What was your reaction?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's still unbelievable at this point. So, you know.

ROWLANDS: Larry, a lot of emotion out here. That's for sure. A lot of people out here, as well, outside the hospital where Michael Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 this afternoon.

KING: Thanks, Ted. Ted Rowlands of CNN on the job.

What do you make, Carlos, of the tow truck?

DIAZ: Yes.

KING: The tow truck. Taking stuff out of the house.

DIAZ: And that's the thing, too. I mean, he was renting that house for $100,000 a month, you know, so that was not his house that he was owning. So there were a lot of -- there's a lot of memorabilia there.

You know, earlier today his father, Joe Jackson, who lives in Las Vegas, arrived at the house with his Las Vegas license plates. Joe has not made any statement yet.

KING: The police are taking it in a tow truck.

DIAZ: Exactly.

KING: Why?

DIAZ: I mean, you know, you're -- the mystery of Michael Jackson's death is still there. We don't know. That's the one thing we don't know, Larry, the specifics as to what caused this massive cardiac arrest.

KING: Mysterious in life, mysterious in death.

DIAZ: For now.

KING: This statement from Mariah Carey: "I'm heartbroken. My prayers go out to the Jackson family. My heart goes out to the children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity in his spirit in his quest to heal the world, and the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world."

We'll be right back with the thoughts of Celine Dion.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Michael has said he didn't have a childhood.

JANET JACKSON: Yes, for sure.

KING: That's sad, don't you think?

JANET JACKSON: Of course, it is. Yes.

KING: You want to be -- you want to be like a normal kid.

JANET JACKSON: But that -- you know, it's kind of like a Catch 22. That was normal for me, as well. Like, I saw it with my brothers, and then I got into it. But once again, I still had a, you know, a little taste of the other side, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: By the way, in a little while, Carlos Diaz, he just told me a story about something happening, and a movie coming out that will interest you. Don't go away.

Miko Brando, the son of Marlon Brando, was a friend of Michael Jackson, was with him before his death, and he gave me this statement: "It's a very sad day for me. Not only did I lose my best friend and my best man at my wedding, my daughter's godfather, my brother, but I lost my best friend for over 30 years. There are no words that can express my loss. I will never forget him, nor will I ever be the same."

Earlier I asked Celine Dion for her reaction. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CELINE DION, SINGER (via phone): I am shocked like the rest of the world. It doesn't sink in right now. I'm overwhelmed by this tragedy.

I have to say to you that Michael Jackson's been an idol for me all my life. I remember being in this -- in my house when I was very, very young and having his posters above my bedroom. He's my -- been my idol all my life, and looking up to him. And my goal was to be maybe doing the same show business world as him.

And I was listening to his music, and I hoped to be meeting him one day. And I have to tell you that I was very privileged to be on the same record company as him. And I did meet him a long, long time ago. And I was so thrilled and nervous when I had the privilege of meeting with him. He was so kind. He gave me his autograph. And I have a hat of his with his autograph. And it always has an amazing meaning to me. But now it has a totally different meaning to me.

And we sang together. And I was looking forward to see his show in London, my husband and I. And Michael came to Las Vegas to see my show. And I was more than honored to have him.

KING: Did he come backstage?

DION: He came backstage. We spent about an hour together, and he had a lot of questions for me. He was very -- to me, he seemed to be like, "I want to know so much. I want to know how it is to be in Las Vegas, how it is to sing every night here. Is it difficult? Is it difficult to sing here every night? Is it demanding?"

I felt that he wanted to know so much. And me, I wanted to know so much. I wanted to know so much from him. But it seemed that -- it seemed to me so fragile. And he wanted to have questions answered. And I was amazed to have him in my dressing room.

KING: When you're performing, and you have someone like that in the audience, are you constantly aware of his presence?

DION: Absolutely. You cannot do otherwise. And I have to say that I was questioning myself through my whole show. Can I announce him? Do I give him his private time? Am I going to abuse of him of his time to announce him? Should I? I want to do it so much.

And I did. And I did announce him. And the whole coliseum, the whole crowd went crazy, because Michael Jackson was not only an extremely talented person, he was unique. And he was a genius. And when I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson is with us tonight," the people -- I thought people were going to jump off the balcony. The people went crazy.

And I have to say it is such a loss, because right -- even right now we were -- we're home, and we're watching images. And it feels that -- it feels like when Kennedy died. When Elvis Presley died. We're not only talking about a talented person dying. It's an amazing loss.

KING: Well, the Presley comparison is obvious, right? They're in the same age group. Both of them shocked -- the death shocked the world. Both of them totally unexpected passing.

DION: Absolutely. And I have to say that my sympathy goes to the family. It's a big loss, and I have to say that it's not even sinking in right now. It's just like I'm looking at the image on TV and my son is 8 years old. And he has got his song -- he doesn't -- he knows his name. He's watching -- he's listening to his song, but it's brand new for him.

Like, I'm rediscovering Michael Jackson again. I grew up with him and through my son I'm discovering his music again. He will never die. He will never, ever, ever die. My sympathy goes to his whole family.

KING: Celine, what -- from a performer's opinion -- I'm not going to keep you long. From a performer's opinion, what was his greatness? Was he a great singer?

DION: I think he was just an amazing genius. Dancing, singing, and I think it's so unfortunate, Larry, because since he was very little he was under pressure. I think we all live under pressure differently. We live under pressure because we want to give the audience and the fans what they look for, what they expect.

We want to do a better album. We want to do a better show. I think Michael Jackson lived under pressures all the time since he was 5 years old, wanting to please his family, his fans, and putting the bar so high that even, like, he needed to be suppressing his own self.

And I think it's unfortunate because the pressure was so tremendous, I am so sure. If you don't have -- if you only live under pressure and you don't have something like your family, your husband, or your wife, your children, I mean, he probably lived so much -- he didn't have the balance.

KING: Yes, Celine, you're a doll. I thank you so much for...

DION: I am sorry. My sympathy to the whole family.

KING: ... sharing this time.

DION: And it's a big loss for all of us.

KING: That was Celine Dion. Now Carlos Diaz of "Extra" has an interesting story about his little adventure on Hollywood Boulevard.

CARLOS DIAZ, "EXTRA": Right. Yes. Well, I mean, tonight I was actually supposed to cover the world premiere of "Bruno."

KING: Sacha Baron Cohen.

DIAZ: Sacha Baron Cohen movie. And of course, then all of this broke and we've been covering this. A side note, Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is covered tonight by the red carpet for "Bruno." So fans are putting flowers on the Michael Jackson star for the radio talk show host, not Michael Jackson.

So they think they're putting...

KING: Same name.

DIAZ: Yes. Same name, Michael Jackson. They think they're putting their flowers for Michael Jackson, the performer who has passed away. It's the wrong person.

But an interesting side note about "Bruno," the movie. I saw a sneak peek of it last night to do the red carpet. In the movie "Bruno," Bruno, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviews La Toya Jackson in the movie. And the entire interview, he playfully tries to get her to speak...

KING: He goes up to real people and talks to them.

DIAZ: Exactly. And in this case, she thinks that she's talking to Bruno, this Austrian fashion expert. And so -- and she's not in on the joke and he says, "Can you speak like Michael?". And she very nicely says, "I'm going to speak like myself." And he over and over again, just try to speak like Michael. You know?

So finally he says, let me see your iPhone. And he takes her iPhone. And in German he says to his assistant, here's Michael Jackson's phone number, and gives the phone number to his assistant. And La Toya, in the movie says, OK, we're done here, you know, and walks out of the interview.

And you have to wonder, Universal has got just over two weeks before this movie comes out on July 10th. Do you keep that in or do you edit that part of the movie out? That's something where, I mean, you know, we try to...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: The betting would be they'll edit it out?

DIAZ: You have to. I mean, it's one of those things where it got a big laugh, by the way, that's ironic. It got a huge laugh from the crowd that I saw it with last night. But now, this morning, today, Michael Jackson is dead. Do you keep that in the movie?

KING: I think -- the smart people at Universal have to prevail.

(CROSSTALK)

DIAZ: Yes. And that's the thing (INAUDIBLE), because now it's almost eerie, you know? Because he's so -- he so wants La Toya to talk like Michael. He so wants Michael Jackson's phone number. And it's just one of those things, it doesn't fit anymore.

KING: You're always on top of things, Carlos. Any word on a memorial service?

DIAZ: That's the thing. I mean, I can tell you there's going to be an autopsy tomorrow. And there is no word...

KING: Sometimes the results are not known right away.

DIAZ: And there is -- yes, exactly, the toxicology reports, as we learned with Anna Nicole Smith, could take weeks. But there is no word on any kind of memorial. We have the weekend to kind of look at that. I would suspect next week there will be a private memorial. I mean, there has got to be some kind of public memorial here in Los Angeles for Michael Jackson.

KING: And this story is everywhere in the world, right?

DIAZ: It's -- and that's the thing, too. You saw earlier Paris waking up to the news. As the sun rises, you know, across the globe, people are waking up with the tragic news that Michael Jackson is no longer with us.

KING: And the sad added factor of Farrah Fawcett.

DIAZ: And that's true, too. I mean -- and that's the thing people don't realize that the proximity of this whole thing. Farrah Fawcett passed away five hours almost to the minute that Michael Jackson passed away five miles away. Ed McMahon passed away 48 hours previous at the same hospital that Michael Jackson passed away.

So it has been a very tough week for Hollywood. Anyone who grew up in the '70s watching "The Tonight Show," having Farrah Fawcett on their wall, and having "Thriller" on their record player, it's a tough week.

KING: Bad week.

This statement from Steven Spielberg: "Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be another comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment, and his mystery make him legend."

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: A number of years ago you and Michael did a musical video together called "Scream." Let's take a look.

(MUSIC PLAYING, "SCREAM")

KING: What was it like working with him?

JANET JACKSON, MUSICIAN, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: We had fun. That was our first time ever working together since we were kids. And he had asked me when I had done the "Rhythm Nation" album to do a song with him, but I wouldn't.

KING: Why not?

JANET JACKSON: I -- I hadn't felt like I had come into my own yet. I didn't want anyone to think I was riding his coattails. So then I did the "Janet" album and I was on tour and I get a call. Dunk...

KING: Dunk?

JANET JACKSON: Yes, that's my nickname from my family, one of my nicknames. Dunk, let's do something together. So I said, all right. This time I feel I'm ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're back.

By the way, Carlos, from "The Hollywood Reporter," before the screening, director Larry Charles, said the reference to Jackson had been cut, at least for Thursday's premiere. He declined to specify whether the cut would be made for the film's general release, will assess the situation later on, he said.

DIAZ: You have to -- it has to stay out. I mean, there's no -- there's no way you could cut it for the premiere...

KING: Come on, what are you assessing?

DIAZ: Yes, there's nothing to assess. I mean, it's now -- well, not only could it be deemed bad taste, but also it's not funny anymore. I mean, the whole point of the movie is to be funny. But the bad thing is, the movie is already about an hour and 10 minutes long, it can't cut anything else. It's a very short movie. It's a very short movie.

I mean, I saw it last night and I looked at my watch and I'm like, is it over? Wow, you know? But, yes, so it has got to get out of there.

KING: You like the film, though?

DIAZ: Very funny. But not as innocent as "Borat." It's very, very dark.

KING: Earlier we talked with Reverend Jesse Jackson and the wonderful Donna Summer. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Joining us by phone now is Reverend Jesse Jackson. Reverend Jackson and yours truly, and Michael Jackson were all together at a dinner in 2007 where I was proud to be honored by Jesse Jackson's group. And so was Michael. We were all at the same table.

Jesse, what are your thoughts right now?

REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: Well, I'm traumatized. We are out of our joy and he's out of his pain. I have been listening to Michael since he was maybe 13 years old. We were doing our first expo. And we had the lineup. Quincy Jones was there. Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis; it was really a very tight show.

And so someone said these kids want to perform. They're over at the Regal across the street. But Junius Griffin, who worked with Dr. King, said, you've got to hear them. I said, I want to hear them, but we are busy. He said, well, come downstairs and meet them.

They were in the station wagon, you know, with the U-Haul attached to the Jackson Five, with Joe. We said, well, we can't say no. They performed "ABC," you know, at that particular expo. And of course, it took off from there.

KING: Yes. By the way, we are now showing the body being -- has left the helicopter. It's going into the vehicle that will take it to the coroner's office.

How do you deal -- what do you say to a family at a case like this? Do you have to do this a lot, Reverend Jackson? How do you put this in words?

JESSE JACKSON: Well, it is a -- death is a mystery. And when the suddenness of death appears, we have to lean to our faith and not to our own understanding. And you simply pray to ask God to, in time, reveal the mystery and to relieve the burden from your heart. That's all you really can do.

And again, having been with him across these years and his family to watch him grow up, I think so much about the Victory Tour that kicked off in Kansas City, with Don King, the time that Michael was performing, of course, at the great theaters around the word. I was on my way to London, really, to be with him July the 7th, before the -- he delayed it one day.

So I would say that we all (INAUDIBLE) tonight, because Berry Gordy, Suzanne De Passe, and Quincy Jones were great factors in his stellar career, because he had all of the raw stuff, but Berry Gordy brought a special touch to this.

KING: Yes.

JESSE JACKSON: I remember Suzanne De Passe taking him and the kids out at Fred Segal's store getting blue jeans. And, of course, there's the Michael Jackson and there's the Quincy Jones in that whole "Thriller" drama (ph). So he had that...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You're not kidding. He sure did. Thanks, Jesse. We'll be calling on you again.

Now joining us on the phone, the disco icon, the one and only Donna Summer.

Donna, you knew Michael, did you not?

DONNA SUMMER, SINGER: Yes, I did, yes.

KING: We're seeing the vehicle transporting the body now over to the coroner, who will, I gather, begin the autopsy I would guess tomorrow, not tonight. What are your thoughts, Donna?

SUMMER: Well, I have just -- I have to go on stage and sing tonight. It is extremely difficult. It is such an incredible shock to me. I -- you know, I've known Michael for many years. We've worked together. We've had -- we've done different things together over the years.

And I know his family. And it's just -- it's a total shock. And I don't even have words to say. I mean, I'll miss Michael. The world will miss Michael. And I'm sure that the world is in a state of grief right now.

KING: Where are you performing tonight?

SUMMER: I'm up north of Los Angeles at a casino, Chumash.

KING: Will you talk about him?

SUMMER: I certainly will. We're going to try to dedicate a song to him tonight.

KING: All right. Donna, what was his greatness?

SUMMER: His greatness was perfection. And when you meet people like that, who are so given to doing things at the utmost and the highest level, then it makes you up your game. And Michael was one of those people who wouldn't stop until he was perfect. And he kept going even after that.

So I will personally miss him. I will miss his light. I will miss his star. I will miss who he has caused other people to become because of his greatness. He upped -- he upped the standard.

KING: Did you let the stories about his personal life affect your feelings about him?

SUMMER: Not at all. Not at all. Because I don't, personally, know that those stories are true. I tend to want to not believe them because I know Michael, and I can't even imagine that he would ever try to hurt a child. I think it -- I felt more like it was exploitation, personally, from other people. I don't know if it's true or not. I just -- you know, I just think he was a sitting duck at times.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: This statement just in from Beyonce. "This is such a tragic loss and a terrible day. The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music. He was magic. He's what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop.

"Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you, Michael."

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Actress Brooke Shields knew Michael well. She says: "My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend, Michael. He was an extraordinary friend, artist, and contributor to the world. I join his family and his friends in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing."

We have a phone call here. And it is from Auburn, Alabama.

Hello.

CALLER: Hello.

KING: Hi.

CALLER: Hi. I'm just curious as to what's going to happen with the children?

KING: OK. You want to guess at this, Carlos?

DIAZ: Well, that's the tough thing, too. I mean, Michael Jackson has three children, Debbie Rowe, his wife. We know for a fact that two of them are with Debbie Rowe, the third one, nicknamed Blanket, Prince Michael II, there's some speculation there.

So that's the big question because you have these children. Are they the legitimate heirs to Michael Jackson's so-called fortune?

KING: Now does the wife get custody?

DIAZ: And that's the thing. I mean, you know, who gets custody?

KING: He got custody, right?

DIAZ: He got custody. She was not really a part of the kids' lives. Who raises these kids now, and are they the heir to his...

KING: That is yet to be found, yet to be determined.

Now let's make another trip back to the UCLA Medical Center, and Ted Rowlands for a final report of this two-hour edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." There will be, I'm sure, more coming, as we're live through the night with other hosts coming aboard.

But, Ted, what's the latest there?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, more of the same, Larry. A lot of people gathering here. And we've been talking to Michael Jackson fans who have come out to the UCLA Medical Center. They're dancing...

(CROSSTALK)

ROWLANDS: A lot of people with signs.

This gentleman, Tim (ph), you say you were on the unemployment line and you came down. Give us why -- what's so important about Michael Jackson in terms of your life?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson inspired me to move from New York City to Los Angeles. He inspired a skinny white boy from Queens to move out off to Hollywood. Michael, we love you! You're the Elvis of our generation!

ROWLANDS: All right. A lot of enthusiasm, but also a lot of people are somber, as you might imagine, Larry.

Angelica (ph), big fan, you have a sign, a candle, Michael Jackson. What does it mean to you? What's your connection to him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I drove up from San Diego. So I was on the freeway for a while. I came to pay my respects. I'm very, very sad about the news. It's -- it's nice to see that some people are having a good time and they're remembering him and I really hope that's what it is and it's not that they just want to be on camera.

ROWLANDS: Obviously you're emotional.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, anybody who was born in the '80s or even before because we saw him grow up. And it's just really sad. And I was talking to my mom today. And she told -- I was trying to hide it because it's a little embarrassing to be crying over somebody that maybe you've never even met but touched your life.

And she made me feel OK because she likened it to when Elvis died. And everybody remembers when -- or where they were when a certain person died. So, at least I'm here.

ROWLANDS: All right, Angelica.

A range of emotions, Larry. We've been hearing them all night. And this party looks like it's going to -- mixed party/mourning session, go well into the wee hours -- Larry.

KING: Thanks, Ted Rowlands.

Let's get another report from Richard Roth at the Apollo Theater in Harlem -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Larry.

This is where Michael Jackson became a star with the Jackson 5 in the late '60s. And you might have thought he is ready to give another concert. The mood here is -- look, there is a lot of sadness, but people here are celebrating his life.

I've got many people here. You could -- people are coming up to us to talk, to volunteer their thoughts on Michael Jackson.

Now, Morris (ph), you flew up from Jamaica today, not knowing what was going to happen. Why are you here, now, tonight at this late hour?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, because I just heard of the news. And it's so sad. I just came up to the Apollo with my friends to really see what was going on.

ROTH: What did he mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot. Because I remember seeing him when I was a little boy on TV, I was 5 years old and I saw their concert. And I'm a little older than I look. But it's really just very, very sad. Such an unfortunate end to a brilliant man.

ROTH: OK. You're from Atlanta. What does this scene mean to you? Is this a little too much frivolity or celebration? Or something that's a tribute to Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's definitely a tribute. Michael Jackson is somebody who made all Americans proud. And when I was a kid I remember wanting to be just like him when I was a little boy. And he inspired all of us to be great. And he inspired me to be great at what I do.

ROTH: Many people are telling me about what his effect was on the African-American community, the Jackson 5 family and Michael Jackson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very proud legacy. Once again, not just for the African-American community, of course we're proud, but also for all Americans. And we also lost another great American today, too, Farrah Fawcett.

ROTH: OK. Michael (ph) and Morris, thank you very much.

We have other guest here, a young lady who has made a late appearance in the crowd. You're obviously devoted to Michael Jackson. Tell us about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my Halloween costume. I go as Michael every year. I'm also a huge fan.

ROTH: Any favorite memories of him? Did you ever see him in person? Did you ever go up to him in your costume.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unfortunately I never did. But favorite memory is just watching the performance of "Billie Jean," Motown 25th.

ROTH: And you do some of his dances, so you're on.

All right. Was that a "Moonwalk"? I don't know.

(APPLAUSE)

ROTH: The crowd here is appreciative of Sophie (ph) in a tribute to Michael Jackson here at the Apollo Theater where many of his fans and people who even knew him and met him have come to observe the passing of Michael Jackson tonight, here in New York on a hot night in Harlem.

Larry, back to you.

KING: Thank you, Richard. Nice touch.

Carlos just told me an interesting thing. After 9/11, I guess the first major appearance that drew a crowd in New York was Michael Jackson.

DIAZ: Yes. We were -- I was in -- living in New York City and, you know, covering entertainment news. And every story after 9/11 was how did 9/11 affect New York City? Whether it was Broadway or other things it affected. And we got a call saying Michael Jackson's appearing at Virgin Megastore in Times Square. He's going to be signing everything. Just, you know, go down there and cover it.

I said, what does that have to do with 9/11? They said, nothing, it just -- go down there and cover this event. And it was weird. I had to stop for a second and think, well, this is -- there is nothing to do with 9/11. OK. So it was Michael Jackson and he walks out in that famous now blue outfit he had on and he just waves.

And it was the first time that New Yorkers weren't worried about being in a large group of people, because everyone was kind of freaked out after 9/11 like they didn't want to leave their apartment.

KING: Was there a lot of security?

DIAZ: And there was a lot of -- you could -- there was still that police presence. There was still that police presence in Times Square. But for a minute, there was no worry about 9/11. Everyone was just screaming, yelling for Michael Jackson.

And they had in that scene that you just saw at the Apollo, the same kind of thing, people dancing in the streets. And it was kind of like Michael made people forget for just a few minutes while they waited in line to sign whatever they could with -- you know, with Michael, they forgot about 9/11 just for a few minutes. KING: All right. Carlos, this pushed Iran off the air.

DIAZ: Yes.

KING: Pushed other things as well. A big health conference with the president. Major appearance, you know, gone. How long does this play?

DIAZ: This plays for a while. I mean, this is not something that's going to go away. You're going to -- like we said, we have the toxicology reports that we have to wait for. That's the big question now. What did -- in fact, we know that Michael Jackson died of massive cardiac arrest.

What caused that cardiac arrest? That's the next question. So we wait for that. You're going to just see -- I think right now everyone is still in a state of shock. I think it sinks in tomorrow that Michael Jackson is gone.

You're going to see a lot of tributes at the BET awards this weekend, you know, here in L.A., you're going to have a big tribute with that. So you're going to have tributes to Michael Jackson for the next several weeks.

You're going to have a showing next week. There has got to be some kind of public showing for Michael Jackson next week, whether it's a memorial. So this is not a story that's going to go away any time soon.

KING: Thanks, Carlos. Thanks for hanging for a few hours.

DIAZ: Thanks for having me.

KING: And Thank you for watching this special two-hour late edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We'll have more Friday night with a special tribute to Michael Jackson. That's tomorrow night on LARRY KING LIVE, our normal hour for the normal time at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific. So we did three hours of show tonight. And there's more live coverage continuing throughout the morning hours on CNN.

Thanks for joining us. We'll all be right back with more coming from Atlanta after this short break.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/25/lkl.03.html

Remembering Michael Jackson

Aired June 26, 2009 - 01:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


J.C. CHASEZ, SINGER: When it comes to singing, like, when it comes to percussive and rhythmic singing, it's like, oh, that's what Michael does. When it comes to dancing, it's like if you're doing something sharp, clean, it's a style of dance.

He really -- he embraced, you know, popping and locking, but he really did it in his own style. And then when he -- when you added the dimension of the music videos, with especially "Smooth Criminal," somebody leans forward nice and slow, man. Everybody knows "Smooth Criminal." Everybody knows the moonwalk. Everybody knows the kick and the pushdown from the Motown reunion show. I mean, he's a term in entertainment now. It's like, "Oh, that's like Michael Jackson. Oh, that's like, you know..."

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": I'll never forget him at the Super Bowl. Corey, do you think he could have been an actor?

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: Yes, well, he was an actor. I mean, his whole life was a performance. You have to realize that, when you become somebody as large as Michael Jackson, you're on 24 hours a day, whether you like it or not. So every time, you know, you see a fan, every time you have to stop and take a picture, even if you're not feeling happy inside, even if you don't have a good feeling, you have to put on a smile, and you have to make people warm and welcome.

KING: Shelley, from those little boys that you saw that day, can you believe what happened to him?

SHELLEY BERGER, PRODUCER: Oh, very...

KING: Can you understand how big he got? You can?

BERGER: There was no question about it. You knew at the first second.

I have to tell you, here are two Michael Jacksons. There is Michael Jackson, the person who talks very little, and when he did talk you couldn't hear him anyway, because he spoke in such a low voice, and he was always watching cartoons. He was always a little gentlemanly.

But Michael Jackson on stage was a killer. And the great example of that is, it is 1969. It's 1970. Diana Ross is appearing at Ceasars Palace. Mr. Gordy invites the Jackson family up to watch -- to watch the show. And they're sitting ringside. And we're sitting in a booth behind them. And Diana used to do a song called "Reach Out and Touch," in which she would go to people in the audience and let them sing a song. And she goes over to -- and Michael, was this big. And she goes over to Michael, and she hands him the microphone. He grabs the microphone, jumps up on the stage, and does six minutes and totally destroys the crowd for Diana. I mean, and Diana is no slouch. And she's one of the great performers of all time. He totally -- but then he would get back in his seat -- he was a very...

KING: How do you explain that?

FELDMAN: I have to say that, you know, I got to know Michael as a man, as a person. And we spent a lot of time alone together. He was a very, very intelligent man. Very sophisticated. He read all kinds of books. And he loved to get into debates. I mean, he loved to debate things. So he used his brain when given the opportunity.

He didn't like to share it with the outside world, because he was always afraid of letting people in too close. And the reason why he was able to get along with children so well is because they didn't demand anything of him. So you could have a conversation with him, and it wasn't like you were secretly waiting for him to write a check or sign his name to a contract.

KING: Makes sense. You not -- we're not going away. You're watching a special two-hour special late-night edition of LARRY KING LIVE. And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I just wanted to say one thing, seriously. I just wanted to tell you how proud I am of you and how much you've inspired me and how proud I am to be your sister and how much I love you. I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Before we check in with our correspondents on the scene, I hold in my hand a pair of glasses worn by Michael Jackson and given to our guest, Corey Feldman, after the Victory Tour in 1983, right?

FELDMAN: Eighty-four.

KING: Eighty-four, and he even signed them up here in the corner. And you've had them all this time?

FELDMAN: I have, yes. I kept them in a box in my garage, actually. So they've been safe.

KING: This is something I would keep.

FELDMAN: Yes.

KING: eBay, this would bring a big... FELDMAN: I used to steal them off his head all the time. We would be playing, and we would always tease each other, and I would always flick his hat off his head or take his glasses.

KING: They're still stylish.

FELDMAN: Yes, well, they fit in with the current motif.

KING: Oh, yes. Let's go outside Michael Jackson's home. Kara Finnstrom has been standing by, as she has been all day and night. We'll get another report from her.

What's happening there now, Kara -- Kara?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Larry, just within the last half hour here, and actually within the last 15 minutes, a number of tow trucks with the police department have pulled up here. One you can see just inside the big iron gates, which have been swung open. Two others are waiting down on the street.

We've asked police what they're doing, what they may be impounding or taking away to take a closer look at. Not getting any answers at this point. But clearly, one of these tow trucks with the LAPD inside getting ready to load something up. And perhaps we'll see as they pull out here in just a few moments what it is that they're taking in.

Larry, throughout the evening here we've seen numerous groups of detectives going in through the gates. The L.A. Coroner's Office was here a short while ago. They have left. They tell us officially that this is routine, that the type of thing they do after the death of someone so prominent.

But we also, are hearing, of course, from the family attorney that there was a suspicion that Jackson was using some prescription drugs perhaps improperly.

So we really don't know what they're looking for in there. They haven't shared those details with us. But they have been there, in there throughout the evening, and now they're bringing in these additional tow trucks, and they tell us they plan to be here throughout the night, Larry.

KING: That is strange, and we shall stay atop that story. What would they be towing out of the house?

Let's go to the UCLA Medical Center. Standing by is Ted Rowlands. What's happening there at this hour?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, still a significant crowd here outside the UCLA Medical Center. This, of course, where Michael Jackson was brought and this is, of course, where he was eventually pronounced dead at about 2:30 this afternoon.

From the minute that the news started to spread that Michael Jackson was here, people started to gather, and they haven't left. Mix of people. A lot of people have signs. A lot of people have candles.

This is Amanda. Why -- why did you come out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just wanted to come and memorialize Michael and see what's going on.

ROWLANDS: What would you say your connection to Michael Jackson is?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would say as a, like, 5- or 6-year-old, like, seeing him on MTV and the moonwalk. I mean, he was a part of my generation. I grew up with him.

ROWLANDS: A lot of people saying that, Larry. But also, what's amazing is there are a lot of people like Brent here, who weren't born when Michael released "Thriller." He's 21 years old.

You've out here. You've got this shirt, this sign. Why are you connected to Michael Jackson? What brings you out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because Michael touched so many people. He touched me with the song "Mirror," "Change in the Mirror [SIC]." And I would, me and my brother always argue. My mom always told me change come within. So it just so happened, after we got that lecture, Michael's song came on. I've been attached to him ever since. He's an idol to me. So...

ROWLANDS: You heard that he died, and why come here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, this is because -- this is where he was. Actually when I found out about it was actually shocked. I was in a car talking to my mom -- I was going to my mom's job and what not. And then I heard it on 99.1. And it was just tragic from there. So when I found out that he was here, I rushed down here from Moreno Valley. So...

ROWLANDS: You're a 21-year-old man. Young, compared to a lot of people here. But what is it about Michael Jackson, his -- not only his music but the person, that connected you to him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael, him as a person, not too many people is like Michael. But I don't know nobody who has so much funds (ph) who will go out to a regular kid and just try to touch him and help them out. Help him, physically. Like, if I have a problem and Michael came to me, that would be an honor. And the things that they said about him, I don't believe that stuff is true, because he has a big heart.

Like, a lot of people don't understand you've got to see from his point of view on how he feels about a situation. Instead of pointing a finger and accusing him and stuff like that. But if anybody is willing to help, they've got to be a man of God.

ROWLANDS: All right. Larry, a few of the sentiments from outside the UCLA Medical Center, where Michael Jackson was brought and pronounced dead. And still, a significant crowd here late into the evening. And no sign that it's getting any less of a gathering. In fact, it seems like people are still gathering, even this late in the evening.

KING: OK. OK. Thank, Ted.

Final comment, quickly from our guests. Shelley, how is he going to be remembered?

BERGER: He'll be remembered as one of the greatest performers of all time.

KING: Smokey?

SMOKEY ROBINSON, SINGER: Well, I think -- you know, I've heard some comments tonight about them saying about people remembering the negative. I doubt seriously if too many people are thinking about that right now.

And I agree with Shelley. He is going to be remembered as one of the most dynamic artists that we've ever had.

KING: J.C.?

CHASEZ: I mean, I think it's -- yes, I agree with these other two gentlemen. I just think people -- he really raised the bar when it came to the scope of entertainment.

KING: So the positive will...?

CHASEZ: I think you have to view him in a positive light for what he did for entertainment.

KING: And Corey?

FELDMAN: I would concur, and I would add that he won't be one of the greatest but the greatest...

KING: The greatest?

FELDMAN: ... of all time.

KING: We'll be back with more. Carlos Diaz is coming back. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Carlos Diaz returns to the set, the "Extra" correspondent. With us on the phone is the brilliantly talented Sheryl Crow.

Sheryl, how did this -- how did you react to this today?

SHERYL CROW, MUSICIAN (via phone): I think I felt really shocked. You know, I worked with him in 1988 and '89 on the "Bad" tour, and I always wondered what, you know, what -- what would happen to him as he got older? Would he, I mean, would we get to see him grow old? And it's just -- it's just shocking today that, at 50, he's not going to be here with us anymore, even though it's been kind of -- you know, it's been hard to imagine what he might be like as an older man. And now, of course, we will never know and -- but it is shocking. You know, he's going to be sorely missed. And I feel extremely grateful to have gotten the opportunity I had to watch him every night for nearly two years. Sing backup for him.

KING: Carlos Diaz wants to ask you something.

DIAZ: First off, Sheryl, we're watching video of you in concert with Michael right now. I want to say, great hair.

CROW: That's big hair.

DIAZ: That is fantastic hair you have there. But what did -- what did Michael Jackson teach you in order for you to become the successful singer that you've become over the years?

CROW: Well, I think that he was absolutely, undeniably the greatest performer of my -- certainly of my generation and maybe of all time. Every night was an amazing show.

And he was just different. He -- I think he knew what it was that set him apart, and he tapped into it every night. And 75,000 screaming fans were right there in the palm of his hand.

And you know, he had a different take on life. He was famous from the time he was 5. And so his relationship from people was from having been just mobbed all the time. So he was a little bit isolated by definitely a child at heart.

You know, he would rent out amusement parks and take the band. We'd go to Tokyo Disneyland, and ride rides all night. And he was a real prankster. Loved practical jokes. And you know, just really child -- when he stepped out on that stage, you'd never seen anything that was more professional or more -- really truly more gifted.

KING: Everyone has said that tonight. Sheryl...

CROW: Yes.

KING: ... I thank you very much. It's so good hearing from you.

CROW: Thanks, Larry.

KING: Sheryl Crow, what a talent she is.

DIAZ: She's amazing. I mean, you know, I mean -- and that's the thing, too, for her to be as successful as she is, and to give the respect that she gives to Michael Jackson, it shows the reach that he's had.

KING: Which everyone is doing. No matter how high they are in the business, he's apparently higher. DIAZ: There's no one -- there's really -- I mean, when you look at it, is there a bigger name on this planet, Larry, than Michael Jackson?

KING: Got a point.

Back to Harlem and the famed Apollo Theater. I've been to that theater many times. Great place. You ought to go there. It's something. And Richard Roth is standing by.

he crowd still there, Richard?

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is, Larry. Someone just threw this T-shirt over the crowd here. "Michael Jackson, the greatest ever."

You know, we're outside the legendary Apollo Theater. This is the place where careers were launched, stars were made. The Apollo Theater. And on the marquee, tonight, it's just an incredible sight that people can't believe they're seeing, the passing of Michael Jackson.

Here outside the Apollo, it's been a party atmosphere. People have been singing Michael Jackson songs, Jackson 5 songs, cars going by blasting his music.

With me is Corey (ph). Why are you here tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here because, you know, I spent a lot of time in front of the TV, you know, emulating Michael's moves. And there's no place I'd rather be right now than here at the Apollo Theater, celebrating his life.

ROTH: Favorite memory of him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My favorite memory is "Smooth Criminal." You know, he was -- he's honestly the smoothest person you've ever seen. So there's no place I'd rather be than here.

ROTH: All right. You can see the big crowd behind us here.

This man, you were at a very important concert involving Michael Jackson, James Brown. Tell us about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: James Brown, Michael Jackson, Heat Waves (ph), and the Euniphics (ph), in 1973. Awesome show. Carried the whole thing out -- wonderful.

ROTH: What did he mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He meant everything. There's something about the music. The melody and progress.

ROTH: Why are you here tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm here tonight because I'm mourning him, indirectly. Because he's an amazing (ph) person. He made everything possible. He sold 150 songs nationwide, worldwide. No one else has ever done that on planet Earth. So he's done it, and he's the only one that could do something...

ROTH: The King of Pop.

I see a young lady in the audience who's changed her outfit twice. But I saw her dancing five hours ago to Michael Jackson music. What was it about this man? I mean, he had a very troubled legacy later on. What's your memories of Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My memory is because I was born back around that era. And my mom always taught us to do music lessons and look at the art and appreciate it as well as education. Because my dad is from Nigeria. My mother is from here. And they sacrificed so much for us to be the first American citizens here for the generation.

So just him leaving and passing is me losing a brother. And I changed here...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael! Michael! Michael!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... Michael Jackson, to show him that...

ROTH: Michael Jackson, perhaps a live concert here on the streets of the Apollo.

Larry, it's back to you from the streets of Harlem in front of the Apollo Theater tonight.

KING: They're drowning you out, Richard. Richard Roth at the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

Back to the UCLA Medical Center. Ted Rowlands. Let's get one more check from Ted on what's happening.

Does that still continue, Ted?

ROWLANDS: Yes, Larry, they are still gathering here outside the UCLA Medical Center. As we said earlier, the crowd seems to be getting larger rather than smaller. One of the things that we're seeing is sort of a mixture of emotion. People are celebrating Michael Jackson's life. People have been dancing.

Scooby (ph) here has been entertaining people with his dancing, as people have been watching.

And one of the people watching is Teana (ph).

What do you -- you say you left work. You heard that Michael had died, and you left work. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I walked out of my job, and I came here, just to show support to one of the most incredible icons and just a human being in general.

ROWLANDS: What's your connection, in your opinion, to Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Michael Jackson just gave me so many childhood memories. And I just celebrate him and his music and what he's done for us and just for humanity. He's just the epitome of love and will be missed. But his songs will live forever.

ROWLANDS: What is it about him that has connected to so many people?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His love. He was all about love. He made people dance. I mean, just -- I remember the time when I seen him on the Grammys when he did the moonwalk. It was as if, like, somebody flew to the moon. I mean, everybody was doing the moonwalk in the kitchen. We went to school the next day, we were doing the moonwalk. I mean, I wore a glove with rhinestones on it. I mean, we just love Michael Jackson. He's just -- we connected to him so much.

ROWLANDS: Scooby (ph), you have a glove on. And obviously, you can moonwalk and do about everything. What did Michael Jackson mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He meant everything. Like, I think his music inspired a lot of people. It -- it brought everybody together, you know, regardless of race, anything, language. So music is a powerful tool.

And he influenced a lot of dancers, too. So that's my background of knowing him. So, since I was like 10 years old, when I first saw him. I was kind of not exposed to him. And then, after that, I just, you know, he inspired me to do everything, so...

ROWLANDS: You heard he died. What was your reaction?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's still unbelievable at this point. So, you know.

ROWLANDS: Larry, a lot of emotion out here. That's for sure. A lot of people out here, as well, outside the hospital where Michael Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 this afternoon.

KING: Thanks, Ted. Ted Rowlands of CNN on the job.

What do you make, Carlos, of the tow truck?

DIAZ: Yes.

KING: The tow truck. Taking stuff out of the house.

DIAZ: And that's the thing, too. I mean, he was renting that house for $100,000 a month, you know, so that was not his house that he was owning. So there were a lot of -- there's a lot of memorabilia there.

You know, earlier today his father, Joe Jackson, who lives in Las Vegas, arrived at the house with his Las Vegas license plates. Joe has not made any statement yet.

KING: The police are taking it in a tow truck.

DIAZ: Exactly.

KING: Why?

DIAZ: I mean, you know, you're -- the mystery of Michael Jackson's death is still there. We don't know. That's the one thing we don't know, Larry, the specifics as to what caused this massive cardiac arrest.

KING: Mysterious in life, mysterious in death.

DIAZ: For now.

KING: This statement from Mariah Carey: "I'm heartbroken. My prayers go out to the Jackson family. My heart goes out to the children. Let us remember him for his unparalleled contribution to the world of music, his generosity in his spirit in his quest to heal the world, and the joy he brought to his millions of devoted fans throughout the world."

We'll be right back with the thoughts of Celine Dion.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Michael has said he didn't have a childhood.

JANET JACKSON: Yes, for sure.

KING: That's sad, don't you think?

JANET JACKSON: Of course, it is. Yes.

KING: You want to be -- you want to be like a normal kid.

JANET JACKSON: But that -- you know, it's kind of like a Catch 22. That was normal for me, as well. Like, I saw it with my brothers, and then I got into it. But once again, I still had a, you know, a little taste of the other side, as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: By the way, in a little while, Carlos Diaz, he just told me a story about something happening, and a movie coming out that will interest you. Don't go away.

Miko Brando, the son of Marlon Brando, was a friend of Michael Jackson, was with him before his death, and he gave me this statement: "It's a very sad day for me. Not only did I lose my best friend and my best man at my wedding, my daughter's godfather, my brother, but I lost my best friend for over 30 years. There are no words that can express my loss. I will never forget him, nor will I ever be the same."

Earlier I asked Celine Dion for her reaction. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CELINE DION, SINGER (via phone): I am shocked like the rest of the world. It doesn't sink in right now. I'm overwhelmed by this tragedy.

I have to say to you that Michael Jackson's been an idol for me all my life. I remember being in this -- in my house when I was very, very young and having his posters above my bedroom. He's my -- been my idol all my life, and looking up to him. And my goal was to be maybe doing the same show business world as him.

And I was listening to his music, and I hoped to be meeting him one day. And I have to tell you that I was very privileged to be on the same record company as him. And I did meet him a long, long time ago. And I was so thrilled and nervous when I had the privilege of meeting with him. He was so kind. He gave me his autograph. And I have a hat of his with his autograph. And it always has an amazing meaning to me. But now it has a totally different meaning to me.

And we sang together. And I was looking forward to see his show in London, my husband and I. And Michael came to Las Vegas to see my show. And I was more than honored to have him.

KING: Did he come backstage?

DION: He came backstage. We spent about an hour together, and he had a lot of questions for me. He was very -- to me, he seemed to be like, "I want to know so much. I want to know how it is to be in Las Vegas, how it is to sing every night here. Is it difficult? Is it difficult to sing here every night? Is it demanding?"

I felt that he wanted to know so much. And me, I wanted to know so much. I wanted to know so much from him. But it seemed that -- it seemed to me so fragile. And he wanted to have questions answered. And I was amazed to have him in my dressing room.

KING: When you're performing, and you have someone like that in the audience, are you constantly aware of his presence?

DION: Absolutely. You cannot do otherwise. And I have to say that I was questioning myself through my whole show. Can I announce him? Do I give him his private time? Am I going to abuse of him of his time to announce him? Should I? I want to do it so much.

And I did. And I did announce him. And the whole coliseum, the whole crowd went crazy, because Michael Jackson was not only an extremely talented person, he was unique. And he was a genius. And when I said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson is with us tonight," the people -- I thought people were going to jump off the balcony. The people went crazy.

And I have to say it is such a loss, because right -- even right now we were -- we're home, and we're watching images. And it feels that -- it feels like when Kennedy died. When Elvis Presley died. We're not only talking about a talented person dying. It's an amazing loss.

KING: Well, the Presley comparison is obvious, right? They're in the same age group. Both of them shocked -- the death shocked the world. Both of them totally unexpected passing.

DION: Absolutely. And I have to say that my sympathy goes to the family. It's a big loss, and I have to say that it's not even sinking in right now. It's just like I'm looking at the image on TV and my son is 8 years old. And he has got his song -- he doesn't -- he knows his name. He's watching -- he's listening to his song, but it's brand new for him.

Like, I'm rediscovering Michael Jackson again. I grew up with him and through my son I'm discovering his music again. He will never die. He will never, ever, ever die. My sympathy goes to his whole family.

KING: Celine, what -- from a performer's opinion -- I'm not going to keep you long. From a performer's opinion, what was his greatness? Was he a great singer?

DION: I think he was just an amazing genius. Dancing, singing, and I think it's so unfortunate, Larry, because since he was very little he was under pressure. I think we all live under pressure differently. We live under pressure because we want to give the audience and the fans what they look for, what they expect.

We want to do a better album. We want to do a better show. I think Michael Jackson lived under pressures all the time since he was 5 years old, wanting to please his family, his fans, and putting the bar so high that even, like, he needed to be suppressing his own self.

And I think it's unfortunate because the pressure was so tremendous, I am so sure. If you don't have -- if you only live under pressure and you don't have something like your family, your husband, or your wife, your children, I mean, he probably lived so much -- he didn't have the balance.

KING: Yes, Celine, you're a doll. I thank you so much for...

DION: I am sorry. My sympathy to the whole family.

KING: ... sharing this time.

DION: And it's a big loss for all of us.

KING: That was Celine Dion. Now Carlos Diaz of "Extra" has an interesting story about his little adventure on Hollywood Boulevard.

CARLOS DIAZ, "EXTRA": Right. Yes. Well, I mean, tonight I was actually supposed to cover the world premiere of "Bruno."

KING: Sacha Baron Cohen.

DIAZ: Sacha Baron Cohen movie. And of course, then all of this broke and we've been covering this. A side note, Michael Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is covered tonight by the red carpet for "Bruno." So fans are putting flowers on the Michael Jackson star for the radio talk show host, not Michael Jackson.

So they think they're putting...

KING: Same name.

DIAZ: Yes. Same name, Michael Jackson. They think they're putting their flowers for Michael Jackson, the performer who has passed away. It's the wrong person.

But an interesting side note about "Bruno," the movie. I saw a sneak peek of it last night to do the red carpet. In the movie "Bruno," Bruno, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviews La Toya Jackson in the movie. And the entire interview, he playfully tries to get her to speak...

KING: He goes up to real people and talks to them.

DIAZ: Exactly. And in this case, she thinks that she's talking to Bruno, this Austrian fashion expert. And so -- and she's not in on the joke and he says, "Can you speak like Michael?". And she very nicely says, "I'm going to speak like myself." And he over and over again, just try to speak like Michael. You know?

So finally he says, let me see your iPhone. And he takes her iPhone. And in German he says to his assistant, here's Michael Jackson's phone number, and gives the phone number to his assistant. And La Toya, in the movie says, OK, we're done here, you know, and walks out of the interview.

And you have to wonder, Universal has got just over two weeks before this movie comes out on July 10th. Do you keep that in or do you edit that part of the movie out? That's something where, I mean, you know, we try to...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: The betting would be they'll edit it out?

DIAZ: You have to. I mean, it's one of those things where it got a big laugh, by the way, that's ironic. It got a huge laugh from the crowd that I saw it with last night. But now, this morning, today, Michael Jackson is dead. Do you keep that in the movie?

KING: I think -- the smart people at Universal have to prevail.

(CROSSTALK)

DIAZ: Yes. And that's the thing (INAUDIBLE), because now it's almost eerie, you know? Because he's so -- he so wants La Toya to talk like Michael. He so wants Michael Jackson's phone number. And it's just one of those things, it doesn't fit anymore.

KING: You're always on top of things, Carlos. Any word on a memorial service?

DIAZ: That's the thing. I mean, I can tell you there's going to be an autopsy tomorrow. And there is no word...

KING: Sometimes the results are not known right away.

DIAZ: And there is -- yes, exactly, the toxicology reports, as we learned with Anna Nicole Smith, could take weeks. But there is no word on any kind of memorial. We have the weekend to kind of look at that. I would suspect next week there will be a private memorial. I mean, there has got to be some kind of public memorial here in Los Angeles for Michael Jackson.

KING: And this story is everywhere in the world, right?

DIAZ: It's -- and that's the thing, too. You saw earlier Paris waking up to the news. As the sun rises, you know, across the globe, people are waking up with the tragic news that Michael Jackson is no longer with us.

KING: And the sad added factor of Farrah Fawcett.

DIAZ: And that's true, too. I mean -- and that's the thing people don't realize that the proximity of this whole thing. Farrah Fawcett passed away five hours almost to the minute that Michael Jackson passed away five miles away. Ed McMahon passed away 48 hours previous at the same hospital that Michael Jackson passed away.

So it has been a very tough week for Hollywood. Anyone who grew up in the '70s watching "The Tonight Show," having Farrah Fawcett on their wall, and having "Thriller" on their record player, it's a tough week.

KING: Bad week.

This statement from Steven Spielberg: "Just as there will never be another Fred Astaire or Chuck Berry or Elvis Presley, there will never be another comparable to Michael Jackson. His talent, his wonderment, and his mystery make him legend."

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: A number of years ago you and Michael did a musical video together called "Scream." Let's take a look.

(MUSIC PLAYING, "SCREAM")

KING: What was it like working with him?

JANET JACKSON, MUSICIAN, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: We had fun. That was our first time ever working together since we were kids. And he had asked me when I had done the "Rhythm Nation" album to do a song with him, but I wouldn't.

KING: Why not?

JANET JACKSON: I -- I hadn't felt like I had come into my own yet. I didn't want anyone to think I was riding his coattails. So then I did the "Janet" album and I was on tour and I get a call. Dunk...

KING: Dunk?

JANET JACKSON: Yes, that's my nickname from my family, one of my nicknames. Dunk, let's do something together. So I said, all right. This time I feel I'm ready.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're back.

By the way, Carlos, from "The Hollywood Reporter," before the screening, director Larry Charles, said the reference to Jackson had been cut, at least for Thursday's premiere. He declined to specify whether the cut would be made for the film's general release, will assess the situation later on, he said.

DIAZ: You have to -- it has to stay out. I mean, there's no -- there's no way you could cut it for the premiere...

KING: Come on, what are you assessing?

DIAZ: Yes, there's nothing to assess. I mean, it's now -- well, not only could it be deemed bad taste, but also it's not funny anymore. I mean, the whole point of the movie is to be funny. But the bad thing is, the movie is already about an hour and 10 minutes long, it can't cut anything else. It's a very short movie. It's a very short movie.

I mean, I saw it last night and I looked at my watch and I'm like, is it over? Wow, you know? But, yes, so it has got to get out of there.

KING: You like the film, though?

DIAZ: Very funny. But not as innocent as "Borat." It's very, very dark.

KING: Earlier we talked with Reverend Jesse Jackson and the wonderful Donna Summer. Listen. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Joining us by phone now is Reverend Jesse Jackson. Reverend Jackson and yours truly, and Michael Jackson were all together at a dinner in 2007 where I was proud to be honored by Jesse Jackson's group. And so was Michael. We were all at the same table.

Jesse, what are your thoughts right now?

REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: Well, I'm traumatized. We are out of our joy and he's out of his pain. I have been listening to Michael since he was maybe 13 years old. We were doing our first expo. And we had the lineup. Quincy Jones was there. Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis; it was really a very tight show.

And so someone said these kids want to perform. They're over at the Regal across the street. But Junius Griffin, who worked with Dr. King, said, you've got to hear them. I said, I want to hear them, but we are busy. He said, well, come downstairs and meet them.

They were in the station wagon, you know, with the U-Haul attached to the Jackson Five, with Joe. We said, well, we can't say no. They performed "ABC," you know, at that particular expo. And of course, it took off from there.

KING: Yes. By the way, we are now showing the body being -- has left the helicopter. It's going into the vehicle that will take it to the coroner's office.

How do you deal -- what do you say to a family at a case like this? Do you have to do this a lot, Reverend Jackson? How do you put this in words?

JESSE JACKSON: Well, it is a -- death is a mystery. And when the suddenness of death appears, we have to lean to our faith and not to our own understanding. And you simply pray to ask God to, in time, reveal the mystery and to relieve the burden from your heart. That's all you really can do.

And again, having been with him across these years and his family to watch him grow up, I think so much about the Victory Tour that kicked off in Kansas City, with Don King, the time that Michael was performing, of course, at the great theaters around the word. I was on my way to London, really, to be with him July the 7th, before the -- he delayed it one day.

So I would say that we all (INAUDIBLE) tonight, because Berry Gordy, Suzanne De Passe, and Quincy Jones were great factors in his stellar career, because he had all of the raw stuff, but Berry Gordy brought a special touch to this.

KING: Yes.

JESSE JACKSON: I remember Suzanne De Passe taking him and the kids out at Fred Segal's store getting blue jeans. And, of course, there's the Michael Jackson and there's the Quincy Jones in that whole "Thriller" drama (ph). So he had that...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You're not kidding. He sure did. Thanks, Jesse. We'll be calling on you again.

Now joining us on the phone, the disco icon, the one and only Donna Summer.

Donna, you knew Michael, did you not?

DONNA SUMMER, SINGER: Yes, I did, yes.

KING: We're seeing the vehicle transporting the body now over to the coroner, who will, I gather, begin the autopsy I would guess tomorrow, not tonight. What are your thoughts, Donna?

SUMMER: Well, I have just -- I have to go on stage and sing tonight. It is extremely difficult. It is such an incredible shock to me. I -- you know, I've known Michael for many years. We've worked together. We've had -- we've done different things together over the years.

And I know his family. And it's just -- it's a total shock. And I don't even have words to say. I mean, I'll miss Michael. The world will miss Michael. And I'm sure that the world is in a state of grief right now.

KING: Where are you performing tonight?

SUMMER: I'm up north of Los Angeles at a casino, Chumash.

KING: Will you talk about him?

SUMMER: I certainly will. We're going to try to dedicate a song to him tonight.

KING: All right. Donna, what was his greatness?

SUMMER: His greatness was perfection. And when you meet people like that, who are so given to doing things at the utmost and the highest level, then it makes you up your game. And Michael was one of those people who wouldn't stop until he was perfect. And he kept going even after that.

So I will personally miss him. I will miss his light. I will miss his star. I will miss who he has caused other people to become because of his greatness. He upped -- he upped the standard.

KING: Did you let the stories about his personal life affect your feelings about him?

SUMMER: Not at all. Not at all. Because I don't, personally, know that those stories are true. I tend to want to not believe them because I know Michael, and I can't even imagine that he would ever try to hurt a child. I think it -- I felt more like it was exploitation, personally, from other people. I don't know if it's true or not. I just -- you know, I just think he was a sitting duck at times.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: This statement just in from Beyonce. "This is such a tragic loss and a terrible day. The incomparable Michael Jackson has made a bigger impact on music than any other artist in the history of music. He was magic. He's what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop.

"Life is not about how many breaths you take, but how many moments in life that take your breath away. For anyone who has ever seen, felt, or heard his art, we are all honored to have been alive in this generation to experience the magic of Michael Jackson. I love you, Michael."

And we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Actress Brooke Shields knew Michael well. She says: "My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend, Michael. He was an extraordinary friend, artist, and contributor to the world. I join his family and his friends in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing."

We have a phone call here. And it is from Auburn, Alabama.

Hello.

CALLER: Hello.

KING: Hi.

CALLER: Hi. I'm just curious as to what's going to happen with the children?

KING: OK. You want to guess at this, Carlos?

DIAZ: Well, that's the tough thing, too. I mean, Michael Jackson has three children, Debbie Rowe, his wife. We know for a fact that two of them are with Debbie Rowe, the third one, nicknamed Blanket, Prince Michael II, there's some speculation there.

So that's the big question because you have these children. Are they the legitimate heirs to Michael Jackson's so-called fortune?

KING: Now does the wife get custody?

DIAZ: And that's the thing. I mean, you know, who gets custody?

KING: He got custody, right?

DIAZ: He got custody. She was not really a part of the kids' lives. Who raises these kids now, and are they the heir to his...

KING: That is yet to be found, yet to be determined.

Now let's make another trip back to the UCLA Medical Center, and Ted Rowlands for a final report of this two-hour edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." There will be, I'm sure, more coming, as we're live through the night with other hosts coming aboard.

But, Ted, what's the latest there?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, more of the same, Larry. A lot of people gathering here. And we've been talking to Michael Jackson fans who have come out to the UCLA Medical Center. They're dancing...

(CROSSTALK)

ROWLANDS: A lot of people with signs.

This gentleman, Tim (ph), you say you were on the unemployment line and you came down. Give us why -- what's so important about Michael Jackson in terms of your life?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson inspired me to move from New York City to Los Angeles. He inspired a skinny white boy from Queens to move out off to Hollywood. Michael, we love you! You're the Elvis of our generation!

ROWLANDS: All right. A lot of enthusiasm, but also a lot of people are somber, as you might imagine, Larry.

Angelica (ph), big fan, you have a sign, a candle, Michael Jackson. What does it mean to you? What's your connection to him?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I drove up from San Diego. So I was on the freeway for a while. I came to pay my respects. I'm very, very sad about the news. It's -- it's nice to see that some people are having a good time and they're remembering him and I really hope that's what it is and it's not that they just want to be on camera.

ROWLANDS: Obviously you're emotional.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I mean, anybody who was born in the '80s or even before because we saw him grow up. And it's just really sad. And I was talking to my mom today. And she told -- I was trying to hide it because it's a little embarrassing to be crying over somebody that maybe you've never even met but touched your life.

And she made me feel OK because she likened it to when Elvis died. And everybody remembers when -- or where they were when a certain person died. So, at least I'm here.

ROWLANDS: All right, Angelica.

A range of emotions, Larry. We've been hearing them all night. And this party looks like it's going to -- mixed party/mourning session, go well into the wee hours -- Larry.

KING: Thanks, Ted Rowlands.

Let's get another report from Richard Roth at the Apollo Theater in Harlem -- Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Larry.

This is where Michael Jackson became a star with the Jackson 5 in the late '60s. And you might have thought he is ready to give another concert. The mood here is -- look, there is a lot of sadness, but people here are celebrating his life.

I've got many people here. You could -- people are coming up to us to talk, to volunteer their thoughts on Michael Jackson.

Now, Morris (ph), you flew up from Jamaica today, not knowing what was going to happen. Why are you here, now, tonight at this late hour?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, because I just heard of the news. And it's so sad. I just came up to the Apollo with my friends to really see what was going on.

ROTH: What did he mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot. Because I remember seeing him when I was a little boy on TV, I was 5 years old and I saw their concert. And I'm a little older than I look. But it's really just very, very sad. Such an unfortunate end to a brilliant man.

ROTH: OK. You're from Atlanta. What does this scene mean to you? Is this a little too much frivolity or celebration? Or something that's a tribute to Michael Jackson?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's definitely a tribute. Michael Jackson is somebody who made all Americans proud. And when I was a kid I remember wanting to be just like him when I was a little boy. And he inspired all of us to be great. And he inspired me to be great at what I do.

ROTH: Many people are telling me about what his effect was on the African-American community, the Jackson 5 family and Michael Jackson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Very proud legacy. Once again, not just for the African-American community, of course we're proud, but also for all Americans. And we also lost another great American today, too, Farrah Fawcett.

ROTH: OK. Michael (ph) and Morris, thank you very much.

We have other guest here, a young lady who has made a late appearance in the crowd. You're obviously devoted to Michael Jackson. Tell us about it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my Halloween costume. I go as Michael every year. I'm also a huge fan.

ROTH: Any favorite memories of him? Did you ever see him in person? Did you ever go up to him in your costume.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unfortunately I never did. But favorite memory is just watching the performance of "Billie Jean," Motown 25th.

ROTH: And you do some of his dances, so you're on.

All right. Was that a "Moonwalk"? I don't know.

(APPLAUSE)

ROTH: The crowd here is appreciative of Sophie (ph) in a tribute to Michael Jackson here at the Apollo Theater where many of his fans and people who even knew him and met him have come to observe the passing of Michael Jackson tonight, here in New York on a hot night in Harlem.

Larry, back to you.

KING: Thank you, Richard. Nice touch.

Carlos just told me an interesting thing. After 9/11, I guess the first major appearance that drew a crowd in New York was Michael Jackson.

DIAZ: Yes. We were -- I was in -- living in New York City and, you know, covering entertainment news. And every story after 9/11 was how did 9/11 affect New York City? Whether it was Broadway or other things it affected. And we got a call saying Michael Jackson's appearing at Virgin Megastore in Times Square. He's going to be signing everything. Just, you know, go down there and cover it.

I said, what does that have to do with 9/11? They said, nothing, it just -- go down there and cover this event. And it was weird. I had to stop for a second and think, well, this is -- there is nothing to do with 9/11. OK. So it was Michael Jackson and he walks out in that famous now blue outfit he had on and he just waves.

And it was the first time that New Yorkers weren't worried about being in a large group of people, because everyone was kind of freaked out after 9/11 like they didn't want to leave their apartment.

KING: Was there a lot of security?

DIAZ: And there was a lot of -- you could -- there was still that police presence. There was still that police presence in Times Square. But for a minute, there was no worry about 9/11. Everyone was just screaming, yelling for Michael Jackson.

And they had in that scene that you just saw at the Apollo, the same kind of thing, people dancing in the streets. And it was kind of like Michael made people forget for just a few minutes while they waited in line to sign whatever they could with -- you know, with Michael, they forgot about 9/11 just for a few minutes. KING: All right. Carlos, this pushed Iran off the air.

DIAZ: Yes.

KING: Pushed other things as well. A big health conference with the president. Major appearance, you know, gone. How long does this play?

DIAZ: This plays for a while. I mean, this is not something that's going to go away. You're going to -- like we said, we have the toxicology reports that we have to wait for. That's the big question now. What did -- in fact, we know that Michael Jackson died of massive cardiac arrest.

What caused that cardiac arrest? That's the next question. So we wait for that. You're going to just see -- I think right now everyone is still in a state of shock. I think it sinks in tomorrow that Michael Jackson is gone.

You're going to see a lot of tributes at the BET awards this weekend, you know, here in L.A., you're going to have a big tribute with that. So you're going to have tributes to Michael Jackson for the next several weeks.

You're going to have a showing next week. There has got to be some kind of public showing for Michael Jackson next week, whether it's a memorial. So this is not a story that's going to go away any time soon.

KING: Thanks, Carlos. Thanks for hanging for a few hours.

DIAZ: Thanks for having me.

KING: And Thank you for watching this special two-hour late edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We'll have more Friday night with a special tribute to Michael Jackson. That's tomorrow night on LARRY KING LIVE, our normal hour for the normal time at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific. So we did three hours of show tonight. And there's more live coverage continuing throughout the morning hours on CNN.

Thanks for joining us. We'll all be right back with more coming from Atlanta after this short break.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/26/lkl.03.html

Remembering Michael Jackson

Aired June 26, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, Michael Jackson's death. The world is in shock. What will the autopsy reveal? Does the 911 recording hold any key?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir. We have a gentleman here that needs help and he stopped breathing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Authorities and grieving friends want answers. Miko Brando, Marlon's son, was with Jackson the day before he died. The man who may have known him best is here with us exclusively with inside details.

Plus, Liza Minnelli, Usher, Quincy Jones, Deepak Chopra will tell us, did Michael know he was going to die?

It's a special edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We begin tonight with Miko Brando. He was a close friend, longtime employee of Michael Jackson. Michael was his best man, godfather to his daughter. And Miko is the son of the late Marlon Brando. And he was with Michael the day before he died. We're going to talk to Miko and he'll be with us throughout the show with a lot of guests.

But we'll start with the latest from CNN's Ted Rowlands. Ted, what do we have?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, a busy day here. The L.A. County Coroner's Office released some details about the autopsy which was performed on Michael Jackson.

The headline was that Michael Jackson was using prescription drugs at the time of his death and there was no major other underlying condition that they reported at this time. Toxicology reports they say will make all the difference in this case. And they will take about four weeks.

Also, the 911 tape was released. On that tape, you can hear that Michael Jackson was with his personal physician at the time that he was dying. The physician was applying CPR. It's a graphic tape that gives more clues as to what was happening inside that house. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has tried to get a hold of that doctor. Dr. Conrad Murray. And today, detectives say they have established contact with him and they say they are going to interview him. Obviously, what he says could go a long way to providing more details if and when there's a further investigation.

And that would, of course, come after the coroner's report is finalized. They don't expect that, though, for another four weeks. Larry?

KING: We now welcome Miko Brando, this is an exclusive, to LARRY KING LIVE. Let's listen to a bit of the 911 call made Thursday shortly before half past noon local time from the Jackson house in Holmby Hills, Miko. Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, what's your address?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 100 North Cara Wood Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90077.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Cara Wood?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cara Wood Drive, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, sir, what's the phone number you're calling from? (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. We have a gentleman here that needs help. And he's not breathing. We need -- we're trying to pump him but he's not...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. How old is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's 50 years old, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 50. OK. He's unconscious, he's not breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's not breathing, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. He's not conscious either.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not conscious, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. All right. Do -- is he on the floor? Where is he at right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on the bed, sir. He's on the bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him on the floor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him down to the floor. I'll help you with CPR right now. OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need him to get...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way there. I'm going to do as much as I can to help you over the phone. Did anybody see him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We have a personal doctor here with him, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a doctor there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But he's not responding to anything, no -- he's not responding to the CPR or anything, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guy is doing a CPR, as instructed by a doctor, he has a higher authority than me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anybody witness what happened?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor's been the only one here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So did the doctor see what happened?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, did you see what happened, sir?

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. He just -- if you could please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way. We're on our way. I'm just passing these questions on to our paramedics but they're on their way there, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. He's pumping his chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. We're on our way. (INAUDIBLE) We'll be there shortly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, sir. (INAUDIBLE) the CPR. Thanks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KING: Miko, what do you think happened?

MIKO BRANDO, MICHAEL JACKSON'S LONGTIME FRIEND: I wish I knew. I mean, they say heart attack, so I have to go with that right now.

KING: We're not going to know. Now you were with him Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday. He died on Thursday. You were with him on the early hours of Thursday as he was rehearsing. How was he?

BRANDO: We were -- yes, we were at Staples Center rehearsing and -- until about midnight or 12:30 that night. And he was fine. He was dancing. He was singing. He was looking over some technical stuff, some videos that he was preparing to do for the flat screen and behind the stage.

I saw him eating. He was eating. He was drinking some orange juice. He had some hot tea. He looked fine. We said hi to each other.

KING: Was he in a good mood?

BRANDO: Yes, absolutely.

KING: And no apparent difficulty? No lack of color in the face? At times it's hard to (INAUDIBLE) gray or something like that.

BRANDO: No. No.

KING: Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at his home yesterday, do you how him?

BRANDO: No.

KING: So you never heard of him?

BRANDO: I know of him, yes.

KING: You were with the family last night, too, right?

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Like you were with the children. How are they coping?

BRANDO: I don't even know if they're -- they're devastated. I mean...

KING: Do the kids have an understanding of what happened?

BRANDO: I don't think so. I don't think it's hit them yet.

KING: How did you meet Michael?

BRANDO: Met Michael through Quincy Jones.

KING: Tell me. BRANDO: Back in '83? No, yes, '83. Yes. He was -- Michael -- CBS Records at the time was giving Michael all his "Thriller" awards. And I met him down there at a CBS function in San Diego. And he introduced me to him. And we exchanged phone numbers and we were friends ever since.

KING: Hit it off right away?

BRANDO: Hit it off right away.

KING: This was before your father knew him?

BRANDO: Right after, yes.

KING: Your father got along with him real well?

BRANDO: Best friends.

KING: Explain that friendship.

BRANDO: I wish I could. I wish I could. They were so opposite. You know, one -- yes, they were so opposite of each other but they love each other. They were fond of each other. They loved each other. Michael really looked after my father really well the last few years of his life. And there's nothing that neither one would do for each other.

KING: I know your father told me that he just flipped for Michael Jackson.

BRANDO: Anything Michael wanted, you know, acting lessons, this and that.

KING: You were with -- you were there when Michael's hair caught on fire, right, during that Pepsi commercial?

BRANDO: Yes, I put it out. Yes.

KING: You put the fire out.

BRANDO: I put the fire out.

KING: How close were you?

BRANDO: Right on him. I was right on him. I smothered his hair and we both went down to the floor. And we both got the extinguisher on us. The fire extinguisher on us. And that was the -- yes, that was the Pepsi commercial.

KING: And Michael said to the very end he was always in debt to you, that you saved his life.

BRANDO: Nothing I wouldn't do for him.

KING: I spoke about you with Michael with my -- last time I was with him in 2007. The Jesse Jackson dinner. And he held you in nothing but the highest regard.

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Stay with us, Miko.

Michael's good friend, Miko, is going to stay with us for the hour. Liza Minnelli is going to be here next. Don't go away.

ANNOUNCER: LARRY KING LIVE brought to you by...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Do you think Michael is going to be the super, superstar? Because it's hard when you know him as just a brother.

(LAUGHTER)

JANET JACKSON, MICHAEL'S SISTER: I never thought about -- I remember him playing me his "Thriller" album in his car when he had it completed. And I thought it was the most incredible thing I've ever heard. But I never thought, God, this is going to take him over the top and he's going to be the biggest star in the world. I didn't think of it like that. He was still my brother.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're back with Liza Minnelli, the Tony. Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy winner entertainer, close friend of Michael Jackson. She joins us from Paris.

What was your -- how did you hear about it, Liza?

LIZA MINNELLI, AWARD-WINNING ENTERTAINER, MICHAEL'S FRIEND: Oh, Larry, I couldn't believe it, honey. I -- I got a call at 2:00 in the morning telling me that -- from a lawyer telling me some that some -- a lawyer, telling me that he's gone into cardiac arrest -- they said what had happened was that he had been complaining of chest pains, you know?

This was not on purpose. He was complaining saying there's really something wrong. And the doctor was with him and he went into cardiac arrest. You know? And all I remember is what a -- he was such a good friend. He was such a good man. You know, he was a lovely, lovely man and a genius. He changed show business history.

You know that. You celebrate it all time. And I'm going to miss him. I don't know. It hasn't hit me. You know what I mean?

KING: Yes, Liza...

MINNELLI: I have to perform tomorrow night in Paris.

KING: How did you first meet him? How did you first meet him?

MINNELLI: I met him when he was about 5.

(LAUGHTER)

MINNELLI: And we met -- we met through a friend of his and his family was a mutual friend of mine. And I loved him right away. You know? He had no childhood. You know, he was pushed on stage by that father every second. They all were. And he was never allowed to be a kid. You know...

KING: Did you...

MINNELLI: He was always in front of the camera or rehearsing.

KING: Liza, did you draw the similarity between Michael Jackson and your mother? Fame early?

MINNELLI: Yes, except she had more -- she had more of a personal life. You know, I mean, she came home and we'd talk and dance and carry-on and laugh and she was there for me. She was there for me. I don't know what Michael had. But I don't think it was swell.

KING: Yes. Well, it didn't have a happily ever after wedding. Your marriage to David Gest, that ended but more important than that, Michael was involved in that, wasn't he?

MINNELLI: Oh, he was the best man. But, you know, I saw him right after, you know, (INAUDIBLE), and I said, Michael, why didn't you tell me something? Why didn't you tell me? And he said, because I thought you knew. I said, did you think I was crazy? I don't know anything.

And we started to laugh. You know, that was our relationship. We talked all the time. All the time. In fact...

KING: Well, you're...

MINNELLI: I thought maybe that he would come to the -- see me, you know, and -- but this thing is just a stunner and a lot of people are going to say a lot of things, but nobody knows for sure yet. There's no real...

KING: You are, Liza, you are a great performer in your own right. What, from a show business standpoint...

MINNELLI: Thank you, Larry.

KING: From a show business standpoint, what was his greatness?

MINNELLI: He changed show business. He changed show business. He suddenly -- he hit with a force that was spectacular as he started to grow up. And then he grew and grew and grew. All the time. He grew all the time.

You know, like I said, he had dinner with all these people all the time and he learned -- you can see from one song where his feet are kind of flat. Then you look at "Thriller" and you look at the arch in his dance foot. It was spectacular.

He was constantly learning and growing. He just loved it. And he did change history. Nothing was the same after Michael and I'm afraid nothing is going to be the same ever really again. It won't be for me.

KING: Stay right with us, Liza. You're not going away. Miko, what kind -- hold it right there, Liza. What kind of friend was Michael?

BRANDO: He was the best friend. Always there for me. Caring, loving, he was just a good person, always there for you if you needed him.

KING: Godfather to your...

BRANDO: Godfather to my daughter. Always there for her.

KING: How old is she now?

BRANDO: She'll be 14.

KING: How's she taking it?

BRANDO: It was hard to tell her because we were going on this tour, and I told them that she was going with me. For the summer. He goes, that would be great. Maybe we can find something for her to do on the tour. And he was...

KING: Yes. You were going to go with him.

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Liza will remain. Plus Miko will remain. Dame Elizabeth Taylor is overcome with grief today. We'll hear what she says about her dear friend Michael Jackson in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We now have a statement from Michael's good friend Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

"My heart, my mind are broken. I love Michael with all my soul. I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common. We had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news and I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so.

"He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone ever knew how much we loved each other. The purest, most giving love I've ever known.

"Oh, God, I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself which says, "To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And I will love him forever." Our thoughts are with you, Dame Elizabeth, during this very difficult time.

We'll be right back and we'll be joined by Michael's musical partner Quincy Jones next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Miko Brando and Liza Minnelli, both great friends of Michael Jackson. And now the man who made incredible music with him, Quincy Jones is here. He's with us by phone. He's the legendary musical conductor, record producer.

He produced three of Michael's solo albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller," and "Bad." They also collaborated on the "We Are the World" charity project. He comes to us from Luxembourg.

What's your reaction to all of this, Quincy?

QUINCY JONES, RECORD PRODUCER (via phone): It's almost surrealistic, Larry. I, you know, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett and Michael in a day and a half, it's almost -- I just couldn't believe it. And I heard about Michael. I mean, I almost collapsed, I'm telling you because it's just -- I was on the way to London to see him.

All my friends had arrived. All of us were getting together. We are going to be together tomorrow. And I just -- I just can't believe it, you know?

KING: What was he like to work with?

JONES: The most professional person I've ever worked with in my life. I saw that when we started "The Wiz," he asked me to help him find a producer for his solo album on Epic. I said, Michael, we have to get a song for you in "The Wiz" first. Listen and pre-record. We'll talk about that later.

And I watched him and saw how aware and focused he was. He knew everybody's lyrics, everybody's dance steps, everybody's dialogue. And I saw something in him I'd never seen before because I had worked with him. And he went out -- when he was rehearsing with the group, he -- he announced -- I was shocked. He said so crazies.

I said Michael, Socrates. And he said really? And he looked at me like a deer in the head lights. I said, I'd like to take a shot at producing your album.

KING: Why he was...

JONES: He says you're too jazzy, Quincy can't do it. You know? And Michael came back crying. And he (INAUDIBLE) and we went back and we did it. I said, Michael, don't you worry about a thing.

KING: You know Miko pretty well, too, don't you, Quincy?

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You know Miko well, too?

JONES: Miko is my baby brother. And his father was my brother, too. Since 1951.

KING: Was Michael a perfectionist?

JONES: Absolutely. And so was I. So together we were dangerous, man.

(LAUGHTER)

He was -- because, you know, the relationship between an artist, Larry, and a producer, is the most intimate relationship you can imagine. It takes love first, you know, to understand the limits and all -- when it's too pushing it too hard or when it's time to cool it or you go for another take.

You had to be very sensitive. And it takes love to have that kind of observation. But Michael was one of the hardest workers and focused and professional. You know, we were doing the "ET" album the same time we were doing "Thriller" for Steven Spielberg.

And we did it all real quick. You know I'm telling you. We had three studios going on. (INAUDIBLE) Michael on another with long tubes singing. It's just amazing memories. And my mind has been cascading memories down all night long.

KING: Liza, are you able to hear all this?

JONES: Pardon?

MINNELLI: Yes. I'm hearing it.

KING: I'm asking Liza Minnelli.

JONES: Well, Liza, how are you, my love?

MINNELLI: Well, I'm stunned.

JONES: Liza, weren't you at the Madison Square Garden when we -- just before 9/11 when we were there?

MINNELLI: Of course.

JONES: I'm not losing you...

MINNELLI: I was everywhere, you know that. Yes.

JONES: Pardon?

MINNELLI: I know, I was -- I performed with him, I know. I was in there -- but Quincy...

JONES: I know. That's right, honey. Remember Brando came out and Marlon came out and sat in the chair?

KING: Marlon did what?

MINNELLI: Yes, it was great. He was great.

JONES: Incredible numbers for him.

(CROSSTALK)

MINNELLI: He came out and sat in the chair. He adored Michael.

BRANDO: Loved him.

JONES: Yes, he did.

MINNELLI: Everybody adored Michael. Everyone adored Michael.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: One at a time, guys.

JONES: I remember -- he helped carry a photo in that I had made up of Michael and his family. Michael and Marlon helped the guy bring in it.

KING: Hold on, guys.

JONES: It was in my house (INAUDIBLE)

KING: We're balancing phone calls here. We got Miko in studio, we got Liza in Paris, we got Quincy in Luxembourg. We've got this from Diana Ross.

"Can't stop crying. This is too sudden and shocking. I'm unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I'm in prayer for his kids and the family."

Usher performed with Michael Jackson and he's here next on this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Was Michael always -- once you got into this groove, and Gladys Knight discovers you and now you're on television. Was he always like the centerpiece, that cute little boy with all that talent?

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Michael was unique from day one because his whole thing was just wanting to absorb one's mind and to sort of learn, he studies a lot. And he -- during the time it was, I guess, James Brown, Joe Tex, and a lot of the artists who moved a lot. And Jackie Wilson.

And just watching him from a young age, I remember we went to a school PTA meeting. He sung "Climb Every Mountain." And that was the first time we saw that Michael had this ability to sing these notes that were just so high and...

KING: Yes. That's a tough song to sing.

J. JACKSON: It was just amazing.

KING: The dancing, was that trained or was that natural?

J. JACKSON: Natural.

KING: He never took lessons?

J. JACKSON: Never took lessons.

KING: Vocal or dancing?

J. JACKSON: Vocal or dancing. It's natural, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're talking to Michael Jackson's friends. Miko Brando, Liza Minnelli, Quincy Jones, and we are joined now by Usher, also in Paris. The multiple Grammy-winning recording artist. He performed with Michael at Michael's 30th anniversary special in 2001. Usher, how does this news affect you?

USHER: It was almost surreal, unbelievable. You know, I was heavily in denial. Of course, you hear things like this and you probably associate it with, you know, the media, just when it comes to Michael, because they're always in his business. And they never really gave him any privacy. So, when I heard it, of course, I felt like, this couldn't be real. You know?

And that unfortunate reality became a -- it became very evident. And now I'm very sad. I say with a very heavy heart that -- and I wish well for his family, I mean, his mother, specifically his children, and all of his fans.

You know, Michael he made such a incredible contribution for all of us as entertainers. I can particularly say that I wouldn't be who I am today, as a philanthropist, as a humanitarian, as an artist, without the influence of Michael Jackson. He honestly transcended music, and broke down barriers that honestly were unbreakable.

But he, through God's will, was able to do incredible work while here. And he was truly a vessel. And I feel like he's gone on to a better place.

KING: In 1983, Michael performed "Billy Jean" on Motown's 25 anniversary special. First time he did the Moon Walk on television, and it had every kid and some adults forever trying to imitate the move. It lives up to what we're calling a great performance. Watch.

(BEGIN MUSIC CLIP)

(MICHAEL JACKSON PERFORMS "BILLY JEAN")

(END MUSIC VIDEO)

KING: Quincy Jones is with us, as is Liza Minnelli, Usher, and Miko Brando.

Quincy, before you leave us, when working with him -- we've heard so many stories, mixed, pro and con. Was he difficult to work with, Quincy?

JONES: Michael difficult? Michael's the most professional person I ever worked with in my life, ever, in every way. In fact, we used to set up a stand when he sang. He'd do his dances and just have a spotlight on the stand, a pin spot on the stand and he'd do his dances and do his twists and everything else while he was singing.

He was absolutely amazing and I just send my heart out to his children and his mother and father and his family.

KING: Thank you, Quincy.

JONES: He's my blue brother, and our souls were attached for a long time, very deeply. And it was love and trust and passion and I'll treasure that as long as I live.

KING: We'll see you State side soon.

(CROSS TALK)

KING: Thanks, Quince. We'll see you state-side soon.

Liza Minnelli and Usher will remain with us, as of course, Miko Brando will, too.

This from Tina Turner: "I'm shocked and saddened by Michael's passing. I, along with his millions of fans, looked forward to seeing him tour one more time. Now, may he rest in peace."

Deepak Chopra will join us, revealing conversations he had with Michael about living and dying, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Have you been protective of Michael?

JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I have always been protective of him. You know, when we did the video and the song "Scream," that is what it really is about. I've been the little sister, and always will be, that has his back. I'm there to back my brother up with whatever he decides to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KING: Liza Minnelli and Usher remain with us, in Paris. Miko Brando is here. And we're now joined by Deepak Chopra, medical doctor, spiritual adviser, best-selling author, knew Michael Jackson for a very long time.

How did that come about, that you and he would be friends?

DEEPAK CHOPRA, SPIRITUAL ADVISER, AUTHOR: In 1988, he called me out of the blue and asked me to teach him meditation. I went to Neverland and we had a weekend together and became friends since that.

KING: What was he like?

CHOPRA: Magical. First time I met him, he was magic. He had a jukebox in his studio, with the traditional coins. So, we threw in a few coins and said, choose the music. And I choose "Saturday Night Fever" and he started to dance. And he went into --

KING: How did you deal with it all when there were accusations made against him.

CHOPRA: I speak regularly to him. I used to actually check on him regularly. And --

KING: Did you not believe all the --

CHOPRA: I never saw that behavior. And my children spent a lot of time with him. And they never saw that behavior. My son traveled with him on his "Dangerous" tour. Michael did spend a lot of time with children. And when I asked him why he did that, he said, he never had a childhood. That's what he enjoys.

KING: Understandable. You complained, though, today about people around him. You've been very open and been critical of what?

CHOPRA: Well, in 2005, after the trial, Michael came and spent a week with me. And out of the blue he asked me for a prescription, knowing that I'm a doctor and I have a license, too. It was a prescription for a narcotic. I said, wait, why would you want a prescription for a narcotic? It suddenly dawned on me that he was getting a lot of prescriptions from a lot of people.

KING: Was he an addict?

CHOPRA: Yes, he was.

KING: Did people around him encourage that addiction?

CHOPRA: Yes, more so his doctors.

KING: Didn't he have migraine headaches, though? Wasn't he in a lot of pain?

CHOPRA: He was in pain. But there are many ways to manage pain. Even if you're on narcotics, there's a way to manage narcotics. KING: Miko, what do you make of these?

BRANDO: It's hard to say right now.

KING: Did he take a lot of pills and stuff?

BRANDO: Not more than anyone else. If he had a headache, he took something. It wasn't anything that he was on a daily --

KING: Deepak, do you not agree?

CHOPRA: No. I know for a fact that he did. I saw bottles of OxyContin. I knew he was getting shots. I knew his doctors were enablers. What can I say?

I confronted him many times with it. When I did, he would stop returning my calls until we changed the topic.

KING: Lisa Marie Presley, his ex-wife, writes on her MySpace blog that Michael once told her he was afraid he would end up like her father. Did he talk about that?

CHOPRA: He did. Miko's father was also my friend. I used to go to their house all the time and have Indian food. Marlon would bring in Indian food. Michael would often say, particularly to my son, I'd rather go out like Elvis than Marlon Brando.

KING: Usher, did you ever sense that about Michael, that he didn't think he'd be around long?

USHER: Absolutely not. I know Michael Jackson much different. That Michael is unfortunately the one that the media wants to continue to portray. You know, they want to continue to talk about that they want to see that. We don't want to hear that. It's a reality to someone. Of course, this is your exchange. But I just think it's very unfortunate that even on the eve of Michael's death, I mean, we're still discussing addictions.

This is a time right now to speak of the strength of his family. Be there -- to be there for his family, to recognize Michael Jackson for his contributions, for his kids, for his mother who's just lost her son.

KING: Usher, we're going to have you back this week. We're doing some special shows. We hope you come back. We would like to elaborate on this more.

USHER: I look forward to some kind of tribute for Michael. I'm happy you want to have me back again. I look forward --

KING: We are going to have that. You have a special guy. What was Michael Jackson's biggest contribution to pop culture? Share your thoughts at CNN.com and black in America. You can leave your good wishes for Michael's friends and families and CNN.com/LarryKing. We'll be back in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're now joined by Mark Geragos, the former defense attorney for Michael Jackson, who represented him during that early stages of that controversial child molestation case. How are you reacting to all of this, Mark?

MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think like anybody else. Everybody who knows Michael is shocked. There's dismay. I guess the good part of it is that finally people are starting to recognize, I think, and focusing on all his genius, as opposed to all the supposed peccadilloes.

KING: As a client, we discussed this; in the middle of the trial he was dancing on SUVs. Was that troublesome?

GERAGOS: I'll never forget that day. I remember Ben Brafman was on one side of me and Pat Harris was on the other. Whatever anybody says about Michael, it takes a heck of an athlete to make that jump from the ground up to the top of the SUV. And I was using a few choice words about getting him back down.

But he knew what he was doing, and after that I ran into the judge. He had a sense of humor about it. It was not --

KING: You were bugged and he was bugged when he was secretly taped on that plane?

GERAGOS: We were more than bugged. I probably -- professionally, I don't think I've been angrier than sitting on that plane with somebody. I don't care who you are. You're going to surrender. You have the whole world focused on you. To have some low life install a recording device when you're with your lawyer, going to turn yourself in on something that is completely unfounded, to listen to what you're talking to your lawyer about, and then trying to market it, and sell it for millions of dollars, I thought was unconscionable.

We did get the last laugh on that, though.

KING: Liza, you look unhappy. We don't want to make you unhappy. What are you feeling?

MINNELLI: No, no, no, sweetheart. I was just thinking how repulsive that reporter, man, whoever it was -- that's just -- that will come. All right? That will all come. Everybody's going to flip. That's the way it is now. That sells papers now.

KING: Yes, sadly.

MINNELLI: For ten minutes let's celebrate. Yes, please.

KING: Well said, Liza.

MINNELLI: Thank you for getting him released. Thank you for getting him off. He was not guilty, folks.

KING: Liza, thanks so much. We always love seeing you. We'll see you again this week. Liza Minnelli, good luck tomorrow night in Paris. As we go to break from the 19 --

MINNELLI: Thank you.

KING: Thank you, dear. As we break from the 1995 VMA awards, Michael, once again, made jaws drop with "Dangerous."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BREAK)

KING: It's obvious that Usher and Liza were a little upset about discussing problems that Michael may have had. You think, maybe, Miko, we should wait on that?

BRANDO: I think so. Michael's not here to defend himself. We're talking about him. Maybe we should.

KING: You brought it up.

CHOPRA: I'm discussing Michael's problems. I'm discussing the problems in the medical profession which enables this kind of addiction. It's become a tradition in Hollywood.

KING: You're blaming the medical profession.

CHOPRA: Of course. There's a coterie of doctors right here in Hollywood that like to hang around celebrities. They perpetuate their habit. They make them drug addicts. We've got to really investigate this.

KING: Mark, you think it's OK to discuss it, wait? What do you think?

GERAGOS: I'm a big believer in the first amendment, but at this point, I think -- I'm in the camp where celebrate everything he's done and don't focus on the negative. Unfortunately, in our culture, that tends to be --

KING: Well, I don't think Deepak is trying to think --

GERAGOS: I don't think Deepak is at all. Deepak is absolutely correct. I can't tell you the number of clients I've had who have these doctors that kind of attach themselves to the entourage, and their entree is that they can write a prescription for a schedule III narcotic. And if they can do, that's their entry.

CHOPRA: The number one cause of drug addiction is not street drugs, but medical prescriptions prescribed legally by doctors. They're killing people, only --

KING: Miko, it's fair to ask, were you worried about Michael?

BRANDO: Yes, I was worried about him. But at the end, he was fine. He was eating properly. He was working out. Up there on stage, rehearsing. He was -- he hit those notes. He hit those steps. He didn't miss a step.

I mean, he looked good. He looked -- he was ready to go.

KING: What was he like as a client?

GERAGOS: He was a good client, actually. I didn't have any problem with him at all. We represented him for about 18 months. The last, I don't know, four months I did it in conjunction with Ben. And he was worried, obviously. The first 12 or 13 months before anything was filed, he was, as hands off as one could be.

KING: But he was a good client.

GERAGOS: Absolutely never had any problems.

KING: Miko, I know this was very hard for you and I really appreciate you doing this tonight.

BRANDO: You're welcome. Thank you.

KING: Thank you, Deepak, and Mark. We're doing lots more on this, of course, in the days ahead. When we come back, what a way do close it off, the man who put Motown and the Jackson 5 on the map, Berry Gordy is here, when this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: When did the Jacksons break up?

JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: The Jacksons --the Jacksons never really broke up. We've held that thing together. So when Michael or --

KING: When Michael does a tour, is someone from the Jacksons always involved?

J. JACKSON: No, no. When Michael does the tour, Michael tours because he has had such great success with "Thriller" and things like that. But it's just that the chemistry of just the original Jackson 5 coming back together is like magic for all of us.

KING: Do you get back together?

J. JACKSON: Yes, not just on stage, off stage as well.

KING: You're still a very close group?

J. JACKSON: Very close. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're joined by the one and only Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, the man who signed the Jackson 5 to a recording contract. What is this like for you?

BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER OF MOTOWN: Well, it's numbing. Of course, it's been like that since it happened. And it's unbelievable. I can't figure it out. I can't understand it. But it happened and we're here.

KING: Did you know of any health problems he had?

GORDY: Oh, I did know of his basic condition, you know. I think most people did. That he was very weak and he was -- you know, and a lot of stress, you know. He's had a lot of stress.

KING: He had a tough life, didn't he?

GORDY: Yes, it turned out to be a tough life. It turned out to be a tough life. The last several years has been really tough.

KING: Take me back to that first time you saw him as a kid work.

GORDY: Well, sometime in the past, brought them in to audition for me, which I did not want to do, because I had other kid acts and, you know, Stevie Wonder with his entourage, his teachers, tutors, this and all that stuff. And I just said, no, but she insisted that I see them. And when they auditioned for me, I got so excited, I just ran for a video. I said, give me a video, my new video camera. This is great. These guys are going to be so great.

So, we just videotaped them and now, you see that he's doing the Moon Walk and all that.

KING: Did you know he would be this great?

GORDY: No, I knew they would be -- well, we figured everybody would be great. I mean, did I know Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, no, you don't know. You believe it. You say, yes, you could be great, you know. But we had a way of, you know, just trying to make everybody be themselves, you know. And so Marvin doesn't sound like Stevie. And Stevie -- and Michael, he went into orbit.

In fact, when we did the Motown 25, and they were doing a tribute to me, Michael was not with the label and he had been doing too much TV and his people said he couldn't do it and that sort of stuff. So I called Michael. I said, wait a minute, man. This is a tribute to me and this is not a TV show. This is Motown 25. So he said, I'll be there. I'll be there.

KING: What, Berry, was his greatness? What did he have?

GORDY: His command of everything he did, you know. He was great because, one, he was talented, so talented. And he was a person who studied. He did research. From that first audition, the other band members -- of course, they all had great precision. And I've always thought -- and they were disciplined.

KING: He's a perfectionist.

GORDY: They were all disciplined. I give Joe and Katherine, his parents, all the credit, because when they came to us, we didn't have a disciplinary problem with them. They would be on time. They would do this. But Michael, sometimes doing a song, the other kids would be playing around with their, you know, instruments or having fun and Michael was always focusing, just looking, you know, listening and thinking and asking questions.

KING: Berry, you are a national institution. I thank you for coming by and paying tribute to your friend.

GORDY: Thanks for having me. It was great.

KING: We leave you tonight with the Jackson 5's first time on national TV. Here they are on Ed Sullivan singing, "I Want You Back."

(SINGING)

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/26/lkl.01.html

Remembering Michael Jackson

Aired June 27, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, Michael Jackson's death. The world is in shock. What will the autopsy reveal? Does the 911 recording hold any key?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir. We have a gentleman here that needs help and he stopped breathing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Authorities and grieving friends want answers. Miko Brando, Marlon's son, was with Jackson the day before he died. The man who may have known him best is here with us exclusively with inside details.

Plus, Liza Minnelli, Usher, Quincy Jones, Deepak Chopra will tell us, did Michael know he was going to die?

It's a special edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We begin tonight with Miko Brando. He was a close friend, longtime employee of Michael Jackson. Michael was his best man, godfather to his daughter. And Miko is the son of the late Marlon Brando. And he was with Michael the day before he died. We're going to talk to Miko and he'll be with us throughout the show with a lot of guests.

But we'll start with the latest from CNN's Ted Rowlands. Ted, what do we have?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, a busy day here. The L.A. County Coroner's Office released some details about the autopsy which was performed on Michael Jackson.

The headline was that Michael Jackson was using prescription drugs at the time of his death and there was no major other underlying condition that they reported at this time. Toxicology reports they say will make all the difference in this case. And they will take about four weeks.

Also, the 911 tape was released. On that tape, you can hear that Michael Jackson was with his personal physician at the time that he was dying. The physician was applying CPR. It's a graphic tape that gives more clues as to what was happening inside that house.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department has tried to get a hold of that doctor. Dr. Conrad Murray. And today, detectives say they have established contact with him and they say they are going to interview him. Obviously, what he says could go a long way to providing more details if and when there's a further investigation.

And that would, of course, come after the coroner's report is finalized. They don't expect that, though, for another four weeks. Larry?

KING: We now welcome Miko Brando, this is an exclusive, to LARRY KING LIVE. Let's listen to a bit of the 911 call made Thursday shortly before half past noon local time from the Jackson house in Holmby Hills, Miko. Let's listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir, what's your address?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 100 North Cara Wood Drive, Los Angeles, California, 90077.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Cara Wood?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cara Wood Drive, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, sir, what's the phone number you're calling from? (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. We have a gentleman here that needs help. And he's not breathing. We need -- we're trying to pump him but he's not...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. How old is he?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's 50 years old, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 50. OK. He's unconscious, he's not breathing?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, he's not breathing, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. He's not conscious either.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he's not conscious, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. All right. Do -- is he on the floor? Where is he at right now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on the bed, sir. He's on the bed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him on the floor.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Let's get him down to the floor. I'll help you with CPR right now. OK?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need him to get...

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way there. I'm going to do as much as I can to help you over the phone. Did anybody see him?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. We have a personal doctor here with him, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a doctor there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. But he's not responding to anything, no -- he's not responding to the CPR or anything, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guy is doing a CPR, as instructed by a doctor, he has a higher authority than me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did anybody witness what happened?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor's been the only one here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. So did the doctor see what happened?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, did you see what happened, sir?

(INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure. He just -- if you could please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on our way. We're on our way. I'm just passing these questions on to our paramedics but they're on their way there, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. He's pumping his chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. OK. We're on our way. (INAUDIBLE) We'll be there shortly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks, sir. (INAUDIBLE) the CPR. Thanks.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

KING: Miko, what do you think happened?

MIKO BRANDO, MICHAEL JACKSON'S LONGTIME FRIEND: I wish I knew. I mean, they say heart attack, so I have to go with that right now.

KING: We're not going to know. Now you were with him Wednesday and in the early hours of Thursday. He died on Thursday. You were with him on the early hours of Thursday as he was rehearsing. How was he?

BRANDO: We were -- yes, we were at Staples Center rehearsing and -- until about midnight or 12:30 that night. And he was fine. He was dancing. He was singing. He was looking over some technical stuff, some videos that he was preparing to do for the flat screen and behind the stage.

I saw him eating. He was eating. He was drinking some orange juice. He had some hot tea. He looked fine. We said hi to each other.

KING: Was he in a good mood?

BRANDO: Yes, absolutely.

KING: And no apparent difficulty? No lack of color in the face? At times it's hard to (INAUDIBLE) gray or something like that.

BRANDO: No. No.

KING: Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at his home yesterday, do you how him?

BRANDO: No.

KING: So you never heard of him?

BRANDO: I know of him, yes.

KING: You were with the family last night, too, right?

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Like you were with the children. How are they coping?

BRANDO: I don't even know if they're -- they're devastated. I mean...

KING: Do the kids have an understanding of what happened?

BRANDO: I don't think so. I don't think it's hit them yet.

KING: How did you meet Michael?

BRANDO: Met Michael through Quincy Jones.

KING: Tell me.

BRANDO: Back in '83? No, yes, '83. Yes. He was -- Michael -- CBS Records at the time was giving Michael all his "Thriller" awards. And I met him down there at a CBS function in San Diego. And he introduced me to him. And we exchanged phone numbers and we were friends ever since.

KING: Hit it off right away?

BRANDO: Hit it off right away.

KING: This was before your father knew him?

BRANDO: Right after, yes.

KING: Your father got along with him real well?

BRANDO: Best friends.

KING: Explain that friendship.

BRANDO: I wish I could. I wish I could. They were so opposite. You know, one -- yes, they were so opposite of each other but they love each other. They were fond of each other. They loved each other. Michael really looked after my father really well the last few years of his life. And there's nothing that neither one would do for each other.

KING: I know your father told me that he just flipped for Michael Jackson.

BRANDO: Anything Michael wanted, you know, acting lessons, this and that.

KING: You were with -- you were there when Michael's hair caught on fire, right, during that Pepsi commercial?

BRANDO: Yes, I put it out. Yes.

KING: You put the fire out.

BRANDO: I put the fire out.

KING: How close were you?

BRANDO: Right on him. I was right on him. I smothered his hair and we both went down to the floor. And we both got the extinguisher on us. The fire extinguisher on us. And that was the -- yes, that was the Pepsi commercial.

KING: And Michael said to the very end he was always in debt to you, that you saved his life.

BRANDO: Nothing I wouldn't do for him.

KING: I spoke about you with Michael with my -- last time I was with him in 2007. The Jesse Jackson dinner. And he held you in nothing but the highest regard.

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Stay with us, Miko. Michael's good friend, Miko, is going to stay with us for the hour. Liza Minnelli is going to be here next. Don't go away.

ANNOUNCER: LARRY KING LIVE brought to you by...

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Do you think Michael is going to be the super, superstar? Because it's hard when you know him as just a brother.

(LAUGHTER)

JANET JACKSON, MICHAEL'S SISTER: I never thought about -- I remember him playing me his "Thriller" album in his car when he had it completed. And I thought it was the most incredible thing I've ever heard. But I never thought, God, this is going to take him over the top and he's going to be the biggest star in the world. I didn't think of it like that. He was still my brother.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're back with Liza Minnelli, the Tony. Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy winner entertainer, close friend of Michael Jackson. She joins us from Paris.

What was your -- how did you hear about it, Liza?

LIZA MINNELLI, AWARD-WINNING ENTERTAINER, MICHAEL'S FRIEND: Oh, Larry, I couldn't believe it, honey. I -- I got a call at 2:00 in the morning telling me that -- from a lawyer telling me some that some -- a lawyer, telling me that he's gone into cardiac arrest -- they said what had happened was that he had been complaining of chest pains, you know?

This was not on purpose. He was complaining saying there's really something wrong. And the doctor was with him and he went into cardiac arrest. You know? And all I remember is what a -- he was such a good friend. He was such a good man. You know, he was a lovely, lovely man and a genius. He changed show business history.

You know that. You celebrate it all time. And I'm going to miss him. I don't know. It hasn't hit me. You know what I mean?

KING: Yes, Liza...

MINNELLI: I have to perform tomorrow night in Paris.

KING: How did you first meet him? How did you first meet him?

MINNELLI: I met him when he was about 5.

(LAUGHTER)

MINNELLI: And we met -- we met through a friend of his and his family was a mutual friend of mine. And I loved him right away. You know? He had no childhood. You know, he was pushed on stage by that father every second. They all were. And he was never allowed to be a kid. You know...

KING: Did you...

MINNELLI: He was always in front of the camera or rehearsing.

KING: Liza, did you draw the similarity between Michael Jackson and your mother? Fame early?

MINNELLI: Yes, except she had more -- she had more of a personal life. You know, I mean, she came home and we'd talk and dance and carry-on and laugh and she was there for me. She was there for me. I don't know what Michael had. But I don't think it was swell.

KING: Yes. Well, it didn't have a happily ever after wedding. Your marriage to David Gest, that ended but more important than that, Michael was involved in that, wasn't he?

MINNELLI: Oh, he was the best man. But, you know, I saw him right after, you know, (INAUDIBLE), and I said, Michael, why didn't you tell me something? Why didn't you tell me? And he said, because I thought you knew. I said, did you think I was crazy? I don't know anything.

And we started to laugh. You know, that was our relationship. We talked all the time. All the time. In fact...

KING: Well, you're...

MINNELLI: I thought maybe that he would come to the -- see me, you know, and -- but this thing is just a stunner and a lot of people are going to say a lot of things, but nobody knows for sure yet. There's no real...

KING: You are, Liza, you are a great performer in your own right. What, from a show business standpoint...

MINNELLI: Thank you, Larry.

KING: From a show business standpoint, what was his greatness?

MINNELLI: He changed show business. He changed show business. He suddenly -- he hit with a force that was spectacular as he started to grow up. And then he grew and grew and grew. All the time. He grew all the time.

You know, like I said, he had dinner with all these people all the time and he learned -- you can see from one song where his feet are kind of flat. Then you look at "Thriller" and you look at the arch in his dance foot. It was spectacular.

He was constantly learning and growing. He just loved it. And he did change history. Nothing was the same after Michael and I'm afraid nothing is going to be the same ever really again. It won't be for me.

KING: Stay right with us, Liza. You're not going away. Miko, what kind -- hold it right there, Liza. What kind of friend was Michael?

BRANDO: He was the best friend. Always there for me. Caring, loving, he was just a good person, always there for you if you needed him.

KING: Godfather to your...

BRANDO: Godfather to my daughter. Always there for her.

KING: How old is she now?

BRANDO: She'll be 14.

KING: How's she taking it?

BRANDO: It was hard to tell her because we were going on this tour, and I told them that she was going with me. For the summer. He goes, that would be great. Maybe we can find something for her to do on the tour. And he was...

KING: Yes. You were going to go with him.

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: Liza will remain. Plus Miko will remain. Dame Elizabeth Taylor is overcome with grief today. We'll hear what she says about her dear friend Michael Jackson in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We now have a statement from Michael's good friend Dame Elizabeth Taylor.

"My heart, my mind are broken. I love Michael with all my soul. I can't imagine life without him. We had so much in common. We had such loving fun together. I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news and I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so.

"He will live in my heart forever but it's not enough. My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone ever knew how much we loved each other. The purest, most giving love I've ever known.

"Oh, God, I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life without him. But I guess with God's help I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself which says, "To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And I will love him forever."

Our thoughts are with you, Dame Elizabeth, during this very difficult time.

We'll be right back and we'll be joined by Michael's musical partner Quincy Jones next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Miko Brando and Liza Minnelli, both great friends of Michael Jackson. And now the man who made incredible music with him, Quincy Jones is here. He's with us by phone. He's the legendary musical conductor, record producer.

He produced three of Michael's solo albums "Off the Wall," "Thriller," and "Bad." They also collaborated on the "We Are the World" charity project. He comes to us from Luxembourg.

What's your reaction to all of this, Quincy?

QUINCY JONES, RECORD PRODUCER (via phone): It's almost surrealistic, Larry. I, you know, Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett and Michael in a day and a half, it's almost -- I just couldn't believe it. And I heard about Michael. I mean, I almost collapsed, I'm telling you because it's just -- I was on the way to London to see him.

All my friends had arrived. All of us were getting together. We are going to be together tomorrow. And I just -- I just can't believe it, you know?

KING: What was he like to work with?

JONES: The most professional person I've ever worked with in my life. I saw that when we started "The Wiz," he asked me to help him find a producer for his solo album on Epic. I said, Michael, we have to get a song for you in "The Wiz" first. Listen and pre-record. We'll talk about that later.

And I watched him and saw how aware and focused he was. He knew everybody's lyrics, everybody's dance steps, everybody's dialogue. And I saw something in him I'd never seen before because I had worked with him. And he went out -- when he was rehearsing with the group, he -- he announced -- I was shocked. He said so crazies.

I said Michael, Socrates. And he said really? And he looked at me like a deer in the head lights. I said, I'd like to take a shot at producing your album.

KING: Why he was...

JONES: He says you're too jazzy, Quincy can't do it. You know? And Michael came back crying. And he (INAUDIBLE) and we went back and we did it. I said, Michael, don't you worry about a thing.

KING: You know Miko pretty well, too, don't you, Quincy?

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You know Miko well, too?

JONES: Miko is my baby brother. And his father was my brother, too. Since 1951.

KING: Was Michael a perfectionist?

JONES: Absolutely. And so was I. So together we were dangerous, man.

(LAUGHTER)

He was -- because, you know, the relationship between an artist, Larry, and a producer, is the most intimate relationship you can imagine. It takes love first, you know, to understand the limits and all -- when it's too pushing it too hard or when it's time to cool it or you go for another take.

You had to be very sensitive. And it takes love to have that kind of observation. But Michael was one of the hardest workers and focused and professional. You know, we were doing the "ET" album the same time we were doing "Thriller" for Steven Spielberg.

And we did it all real quick. You know I'm telling you. We had three studios going on. (INAUDIBLE) Michael on another with long tubes singing. It's just amazing memories. And my mind has been cascading memories down all night long.

KING: Liza, are you able to hear all this?

JONES: Pardon?

MINNELLI: Yes. I'm hearing it.

KING: I'm asking Liza Minnelli.

JONES: Well, Liza, how are you, my love?

MINNELLI: Well, I'm stunned.

JONES: Liza, weren't you at the Madison Square Garden when we -- just before 9/11 when we were there?

MINNELLI: Of course.

JONES: I'm not losing you...

MINNELLI: I was everywhere, you know that. Yes.

JONES: Pardon?

MINNELLI: I know, I was -- I performed with him, I know. I was in there -- but Quincy...

JONES: I know. That's right, honey. Remember Brando came out and Marlon came out and sat in the chair?

KING: Marlon did what?

MINNELLI: Yes, it was great. He was great. JONES: Incredible numbers for him.

(CROSSTALK)

MINNELLI: He came out and sat in the chair. He adored Michael.

BRANDO: Loved him.

JONES: Yes, he did.

MINNELLI: Everybody adored Michael. Everyone adored Michael.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: One at a time, guys.

JONES: I remember -- he helped carry a photo in that I had made up of Michael and his family. Michael and Marlon helped the guy bring in it.

KING: Hold on, guys.

JONES: It was in my house (INAUDIBLE)

KING: We're balancing phone calls here. We got Miko in studio, we got Liza in Paris, we got Quincy in Luxembourg. We've got this from Diana Ross.

"Can't stop crying. This is too sudden and shocking. I'm unable to imagine this. My heart is hurting. I'm in prayer for his kids and the family."

Usher performed with Michael Jackson and he's here next on this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Was Michael always -- once you got into this groove, and Gladys Knight discovers you and now you're on television. Was he always like the centerpiece, that cute little boy with all that talent?

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Michael was unique from day one because his whole thing was just wanting to absorb one's mind and to sort of learn, he studies a lot. And he -- during the time it was, I guess, James Brown, Joe Tex, and a lot of the artists who moved a lot. And Jackie Wilson.

And just watching him from a young age, I remember we went to a school PTA meeting. He sung "Climb Every Mountain." And that was the first time we saw that Michael had this ability to sing these notes that were just so high and...

KING: Yes. That's a tough song to sing. J. JACKSON: It was just amazing.

KING: The dancing, was that trained or was that natural?

J. JACKSON: Natural.

KING: He never took lessons?

J. JACKSON: Never took lessons.

KING: Vocal or dancing?

J. JACKSON: Vocal or dancing. It's natural, man.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're talking to Michael Jackson's friends. Miko Brando, Liza Minnelli, Quincy Jones, and we are joined now by Usher, also in Paris. The multiple Grammy-winning recording artist. He performed with Michael at Michael's 30th anniversary special in 2001. Usher, how does this news affect you?

USHER: It was almost surreal, unbelievable. You know, I was heavily in denial. Of course, you hear things like this and you probably associate it with, you know, the media, just when it comes to Michael, because they're always in his business. And they never really gave him any privacy. So, when I heard it, of course, I felt like, this couldn't be real. You know?

And that unfortunate reality became a -- it became very evident. And now I'm very sad. I say with a very heavy heart that -- and I wish well for his family, I mean, his mother, specifically his children, and all of his fans.

You know, Michael he made such a incredible contribution for all of us as entertainers. I can particularly say that I wouldn't be who I am today, as a philanthropist, as a humanitarian, as an artist, without the influence of Michael Jackson. He honestly transcended music, and broke down barriers that honestly were unbreakable.

But he, through God's will, was able to do incredible work while here. And he was truly a vessel. And I feel like he's gone on to a better place.

KING: In 1983, Michael performed "Billy Jean" on Motown's 25 anniversary special. First time he did the Moon Walk on television, and it had every kid and some adults forever trying to imitate the move. It lives up to what we're calling a great performance. Watch.

(BEGIN MUSIC CLIP)

(MICHAEL JACKSON PERFORMS "BILLY JEAN")

(END MUSIC VIDEO)

KING: Quincy Jones is with us, as is Liza Minnelli, Usher, and Miko Brando.

Quincy, before you leave us, when working with him -- we've heard so many stories, mixed, pro and con. Was he difficult to work with, Quincy?

JONES: Michael difficult? Michael's the most professional person I ever worked with in my life, ever, in every way. In fact, we used to set up a stand when he sang. He'd do his dances and just have a spotlight on the stand, a pin spot on the stand and he'd do his dances and do his twists and everything else while he was singing.

He was absolutely amazing and I just send my heart out to his children and his mother and father and his family.

KING: Thank you, Quincy.

JONES: He's my blue brother, and our souls were attached for a long time, very deeply. And it was love and trust and passion and I'll treasure that as long as I live.

KING: We'll see you State side soon.

(CROSS TALK)

KING: Thanks, Quince. We'll see you state-side soon.

Liza Minnelli and Usher will remain with us, as of course, Miko Brando will, too.

This from Tina Turner: "I'm shocked and saddened by Michael's passing. I, along with his millions of fans, looked forward to seeing him tour one more time. Now, may he rest in peace."

Deepak Chopra will join us, revealing conversations he had with Michael about living and dying, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Have you been protective of Michael?

JANET JACKSON, SINGER: I have always been protective of him. You know, when we did the video and the song "Scream," that is what it really is about. I've been the little sister, and always will be, that has his back. I'm there to back my brother up with whatever he decides to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Liza Minnelli and Usher remain with us, in Paris. Miko Brando is here. And we're now joined by Deepak Chopra, medical doctor, spiritual adviser, best-selling author, knew Michael Jackson for a very long time.

How did that come about, that you and he would be friends?

DEEPAK CHOPRA, SPIRITUAL ADVISER, AUTHOR: In 1988, he called me out of the blue and asked me to teach him meditation. I went to Neverland and we had a weekend together and became friends since that.

KING: What was he like?

CHOPRA: Magical. First time I met him, he was magic. He had a jukebox in his studio, with the traditional coins. So, we threw in a few coins and said, choose the music. And I choose "Saturday Night Fever" and he started to dance. And he went into --

KING: How did you deal with it all when there were accusations made against him.

CHOPRA: I speak regularly to him. I used to actually check on him regularly. And --

KING: Did you not believe all the --

CHOPRA: I never saw that behavior. And my children spent a lot of time with him. And they never saw that behavior. My son traveled with him on his "Dangerous" tour. Michael did spend a lot of time with children. And when I asked him why he did that, he said, he never had a childhood. That's what he enjoys.

KING: Understandable. You complained, though, today about people around him. You've been very open and been critical of what?

CHOPRA: Well, in 2005, after the trial, Michael came and spent a week with me. And out of the blue he asked me for a prescription, knowing that I'm a doctor and I have a license, too. It was a prescription for a narcotic. I said, wait, why would you want a prescription for a narcotic? It suddenly dawned on me that he was getting a lot of prescriptions from a lot of people.

KING: Was he an addict?

CHOPRA: Yes, he was.

KING: Did people around him encourage that addiction?

CHOPRA: Yes, more so his doctors.

KING: Didn't he have migraine headaches, though? Wasn't he in a lot of pain?

CHOPRA: He was in pain. But there are many ways to manage pain. Even if you're on narcotics, there's a way to manage narcotics.

KING: Miko, what do you make of these?

BRANDO: It's hard to say right now.

KING: Did he take a lot of pills and stuff? BRANDO: Not more than anyone else. If he had a headache, he took something. It wasn't anything that he was on a daily --

KING: Deepak, do you not agree?

CHOPRA: No. I know for a fact that he did. I saw bottles of OxyContin. I knew he was getting shots. I knew his doctors were enablers. What can I say?

I confronted him many times with it. When I did, he would stop returning my calls until we changed the topic.

KING: Lisa Marie Presley, his ex-wife, writes on her MySpace blog that Michael once told her he was afraid he would end up like her father. Did he talk about that?

CHOPRA: He did. Miko's father was also my friend. I used to go to their house all the time and have Indian food. Marlon would bring in Indian food. Michael would often say, particularly to my son, I'd rather go out like Elvis than Marlon Brando.

KING: Usher, did you ever sense that about Michael, that he didn't think he'd be around long?

USHER: Absolutely not. I know Michael Jackson much different. That Michael is unfortunately the one that the media wants to continue to portray. You know, they want to continue to talk about that they want to see that. We don't want to hear that. It's a reality to someone. Of course, this is your exchange. But I just think it's very unfortunate that even on the eve of Michael's death, I mean, we're still discussing addictions.

This is a time right now to speak of the strength of his family. Be there -- to be there for his family, to recognize Michael Jackson for his contributions, for his kids, for his mother who's just lost her son.

KING: Usher, we're going to have you back this week. We're doing some special shows. We hope you come back. We would like to elaborate on this more.

USHER: I look forward to some kind of tribute for Michael. I'm happy you want to have me back again. I look forward --

KING: We are going to have that. You have a special guy. What was Michael Jackson's biggest contribution to pop culture? Share your thoughts at CNN.com and black in America. You can leave your good wishes for Michael's friends and families and CNN.com/LarryKing. We'll be back in 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're now joined by Mark Geragos, the former defense attorney for Michael Jackson, who represented him during that early stages of that controversial child molestation case. How are you reacting to all of this, Mark? MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I think like anybody else. Everybody who knows Michael is shocked. There's dismay. I guess the good part of it is that finally people are starting to recognize, I think, and focusing on all his genius, as opposed to all the supposed peccadilloes.

KING: As a client, we discussed this; in the middle of the trial he was dancing on SUVs. Was that troublesome?

GERAGOS: I'll never forget that day. I remember Ben Brafman was on one side of me and Pat Harris was on the other. Whatever anybody says about Michael, it takes a heck of an athlete to make that jump from the ground up to the top of the SUV. And I was using a few choice words about getting him back down.

But he knew what he was doing, and after that I ran into the judge. He had a sense of humor about it. It was not --

KING: You were bugged and he was bugged when he was secretly taped on that plane?

GERAGOS: We were more than bugged. I probably -- professionally, I don't think I've been angrier than sitting on that plane with somebody. I don't care who you are. You're going to surrender. You have the whole world focused on you. To have some low life install a recording device when you're with your lawyer, going to turn yourself in on something that is completely unfounded, to listen to what you're talking to your lawyer about, and then trying to market it, and sell it for millions of dollars, I thought was unconscionable.

We did get the last laugh on that, though.

KING: Liza, you look unhappy. We don't want to make you unhappy. What are you feeling?

MINNELLI: No, no, no, sweetheart. I was just thinking how repulsive that reporter, man, whoever it was -- that's just -- that will come. All right? That will all come. Everybody's going to flip. That's the way it is now. That sells papers now.

KING: Yes, sadly.

MINNELLI: For ten minutes let's celebrate. Yes, please.

KING: Well said, Liza.

MINNELLI: Thank you for getting him released. Thank you for getting him off. He was not guilty, folks.

KING: Liza, thanks so much. We always love seeing you. We'll see you again this week. Liza Minnelli, good luck tomorrow night in Paris. As we go to break from the 19 --

MINNELLI: Thank you.

KING: Thank you, dear. As we break from the 1995 VMA awards, Michael, once again, made jaws drop with "Dangerous."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BREAK)

KING: It's obvious that Usher and Liza were a little upset about discussing problems that Michael may have had. You think, maybe, Miko, we should wait on that?

BRANDO: I think so. Michael's not here to defend himself. We're talking about him. Maybe we should.

KING: You brought it up.

CHOPRA: I'm discussing Michael's problems. I'm discussing the problems in the medical profession which enables this kind of addiction. It's become a tradition in Hollywood.

KING: You're blaming the medical profession.

CHOPRA: Of course. There's a coterie of doctors right here in Hollywood that like to hang around celebrities. They perpetuate their habit. They make them drug addicts. We've got to really investigate this.

KING: Mark, you think it's OK to discuss it, wait? What do you think?

GERAGOS: I'm a big believer in the first amendment, but at this point, I think -- I'm in the camp where celebrate everything he's done and don't focus on the negative. Unfortunately, in our culture, that tends to be --

KING: Well, I don't think Deepak is trying to think --

GERAGOS: I don't think Deepak is at all. Deepak is absolutely correct. I can't tell you the number of clients I've had who have these doctors that kind of attach themselves to the entourage, and their entree is that they can write a prescription for a schedule III narcotic. And if they can do, that's their entry.

CHOPRA: The number one cause of drug addiction is not street drugs, but medical prescriptions prescribed legally by doctors. They're killing people, only --

KING: Miko, it's fair to ask, were you worried about Michael?

BRANDO: Yes, I was worried about him. But at the end, he was fine. He was eating properly. He was working out. Up there on stage, rehearsing. He was -- he hit those notes. He hit those steps. He didn't miss a step.

I mean, he looked good. He looked -- he was ready to go.

KING: What was he like as a client?

GERAGOS: He was a good client, actually. I didn't have any problem with him at all. We represented him for about 18 months. The last, I don't know, four months I did it in conjunction with Ben. And he was worried, obviously. The first 12 or 13 months before anything was filed, he was, as hands off as one could be.

KING: But he was a good client.

GERAGOS: Absolutely never had any problems.

KING: Miko, I know this was very hard for you and I really appreciate you doing this tonight.

BRANDO: You're welcome. Thank you.

KING: Thank you, Deepak, and Mark. We're doing lots more on this, of course, in the days ahead. When we come back, what a way do close it off, the man who put Motown and the Jackson 5 on the map, Berry Gordy is here, when this special edition of LARRY KING LIVE continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: When did the Jacksons break up?

JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: The Jacksons --the Jacksons never really broke up. We've held that thing together. So when Michael or --

KING: When Michael does a tour, is someone from the Jacksons always involved?

J. JACKSON: No, no. When Michael does the tour, Michael tours because he has had such great success with "Thriller" and things like that. But it's just that the chemistry of just the original Jackson 5 coming back together is like magic for all of us.

KING: Do you get back together?

J. JACKSON: Yes, not just on stage, off stage as well.

KING: You're still a very close group?

J. JACKSON: Very close.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: We're joined by the one and only Berry Gordy, the founder of Motown, the man who signed the Jackson 5 to a recording contract. What is this like for you?

BERRY GORDY, FOUNDER OF MOTOWN: Well, it's numbing. Of course, it's been like that since it happened. And it's unbelievable. I can't figure it out. I can't understand it. But it happened and we're here.

KING: Did you know of any health problems he had?

GORDY: Oh, I did know of his basic condition, you know. I think most people did. That he was very weak and he was -- you know, and a lot of stress, you know. He's had a lot of stress.

KING: He had a tough life, didn't he?

GORDY: Yes, it turned out to be a tough life. It turned out to be a tough life. The last several years has been really tough.

KING: Take me back to that first time you saw him as a kid work.

GORDY: Well, sometime in the past, brought them in to audition for me, which I did not want to do, because I had other kid acts and, you know, Stevie Wonder with his entourage, his teachers, tutors, this and all that stuff. And I just said, no, but she insisted that I see them. And when they auditioned for me, I got so excited, I just ran for a video. I said, give me a video, my new video camera. This is great. These guys are going to be so great.

So, we just videotaped them and now, you see that he's doing the Moon Walk and all that.

KING: Did you know he would be this great?

GORDY: No, I knew they would be -- well, we figured everybody would be great. I mean, did I know Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, no, you don't know. You believe it. You say, yes, you could be great, you know. But we had a way of, you know, just trying to make everybody be themselves, you know. And so Marvin doesn't sound like Stevie. And Stevie -- and Michael, he went into orbit.

In fact, when we did the Motown 25, and they were doing a tribute to me, Michael was not with the label and he had been doing too much TV and his people said he couldn't do it and that sort of stuff. So I called Michael. I said, wait a minute, man. This is a tribute to me and this is not a TV show. This is Motown 25. So he said, I'll be there. I'll be there.

KING: What, Berry, was his greatness? What did he have?

GORDY: His command of everything he did, you know. He was great because, one, he was talented, so talented. And he was a person who studied. He did research. From that first audition, the other band members -- of course, they all had great precision. And I've always thought -- and they were disciplined.

KING: He's a perfectionist. GORDY: They were all disciplined. I give Joe and Katherine, his parents, all the credit, because when they came to us, we didn't have a disciplinary problem with them. They would be on time. They would do this. But Michael, sometimes doing a song, the other kids would be playing around with their, you know, instruments or having fun and Michael was always focusing, just looking, you know, listening and thinking and asking questions.

KING: Berry, you are a national institution. I thank you for coming by and paying tribute to your friend.

GORDY: Thanks for having me. It was great.

KING: We leave you tonight with the Jackson 5's first time on national TV. Here they are on Ed Sullivan singing, "I Want You Back."

(SINGING)

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/27/lkl.01.html

Aired June 28, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Michael Jackson, a life remembered. People who knew him well: Cher, Celine Dion, Smokey Robinson, Sheryl Crow, and Kenny Rogers, honor their friend, the man who influenced millions and rocked the world with his music and his moves.

Next, on a special Sunday night edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

It has been an incredible few days. The world still coming to grips with the death of Michael Jackson. We're going to take a look back at the King of Pop's life and legacy with some of the biggest names in the business: Celine Dion, Sean Combs, Smokey Robinson, Sheryl Crow, Kenny Rogers, and Cher.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Smokey, what was your first reaction when you heard this?

SMOKEY ROBINSON, SINGER/SONGWRITER: Just, I couldn't believe it. It was unbelievable to me. I have gone through this many times with the Motown artists and the Motown family of artists.

And this was just devastating. I mean, I just couldn't accept it at first. I think about, you know, Michael was a young man, and time goes by so quickly. I -- I thought about the fact that last year we started to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Motown Records, and when we were starting out with the record company, he was being born.

And the 50 years seems like that they have gone by overnight, instantly. So that's how his life was. But, however, he has left such a legacy. He -- he was remarkable. He revolutionized the presentation of a song and he revolutionized the making of videos and like that.

He has got so many young artists imitating him, today, or mimicking him or trying to. He was just a remarkable artist.

KING: When did you first meet him?

ROBINSON: Oh, I first met Michael when the kids first came to Motown. And they did a show, actually, at Berry's home in Detroit, they did a show for us there. And they were so dynamic. To see a little guy like Michael was at that time, singing like he had been here forever, you know, just singing like an old man, was just an incredible experience.

KING: Did you know he was going to be a hit?

ROBINSON: Oh, absolutely. It was obvious.

KING: This was no-doubter, right?

ROBINSON: It was a no-doubter. It was obvious. Because like I said, this guy is -- you know, he's like an old soul. He sang like he had lived it all before, when he was 10. So -- yes, I knew he was going to be great.

KING: The Oscar-, Grammy-, and Academy Award-winning star Cher is absolutely devastated over the loss of Jackson. She has performed with Michael and has known him since he was a boy.

Here's Cher.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: With us on the phone now is the brilliant Cher, who has had an extraordinary career, similar to Jackson as an actor, a multitalented performer.

Your reaction, what are your first thoughts about Michael Jackson, Cher?

CHER, SINGER & ACTOR: You know, I was just sitting here listening to you talk and I'm like having a million different reactions, things that I -- I didn't expect I would feel.

But, you know, when I think of him, I think of this young boy -- that teenager that I first met, this like, adorable boy that I met who, you know, loved to look at my beaded socks and, you know, said to me once, Cher, could we -- do you think we could just go to the movies?

And we looked at each other and we went, nah, I don't think so. And we talked about, well, let's rent the movie out and we'll just bring all of our friends and -- you know, and then a young man that I remember, you know, dancing with all night and going to see, oh, "Dreamgirls" with.

And, you know, just -- I think of him more like -- like that, because in later years, he -- I didn't see him that much and when I did see him, his behavior was very strange to me. And so I didn't relate to that person as well. I didn't really understand him.

But the last time I worked with him, you know, we were doing something for Dick Clark. I don't remember the show. And he and I were rehearsing after one another. And he -- they were carrying his baby. I don't know, I couldn't see because they had the baby all wrapped up. And I don't know if it was a baby or a toddler. I don't really know how old the child was. Carrying it in this kind of blanket from the -- from our trailers outside into the rehearsal area on stage.

And I just kept thinking, why don't they just leave this poor child, you know, in the trailer with whoever is watching him instead of just like carting him back and forth and back and forth? And I just thought this is so strange.

But, you know, Michael was always adorable to me. He was always sweet and, you know...

KING: Was...

CHER: So...

KING: Weren't they -- weren't The Jackson 5 on "Sonny and Cher"?

CHER: No, they were on "Cher." They were on my show.

KING: Your -- what are your memories of him as a guest?

CHER: Well, we -- I just remember that we laughed all the time and because I didn't know how to do the dancing and they kept -- I kept going, you guys, you do this all the time, just let's do it one more time for the old woman so I can not look like, you know, I don't know what I'm doing out here.

And he just kept going, OK, come on, Cher, you're going to get this, you're going to get this, come on, let's -- let's do it, let's just do it. And I thought, my God, you know, I'm going to dance with this boy that's like the best, you know, dancer in the world.

But then I remember one night I -- we were at a party. I think it was on the Queen Mary. And we danced all night long. And I never thought about that, you know, I wasn't his equal as a dancer. We were just having a blast.

He was a great teenager. He was a great, optimistic, adorable...

KING: Yes.

CHER: ... not very confident, though. I mean, he was so beautiful and adorable, but he didn't have...

KING: Why on earth...

CHER: ... any confidence in that.

KING: Why on earth do you think this beautiful and adorable child would go around changing his persona -- changing the way he looked?

CHER: You know, I don't know. I really don't know. Obviously, he didn't feel that. But, you know, I had heard like strange things. That night at that party, a guy came over and said something to me about him. And I went, you know what, this is the kind of crap that people start. They just start rumors. You have no idea what you're talking about. Get up from my table. Get out of my sight. I don't ever want to talk to you or see you again.

And he said, Michael Jackson is going to change the way he looks completely. And he's -- he's going to change his skin. And I went, you know what -- well, I can't even tell you what I said, because it was all kind of really -- just think of me at my worst, Larry, and you know what I said to him.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Yes. What -- Cher, his talent, how would you describe it? Was he a great singer?

CHER: Yes. He was a great singer. You know, it's like God gives you certain gifts. And some people he gives different gifts and some people he gives more gifts. And this child was just an extraordinary child, touched by this ability to have people feel him and feel people. And he just had that sense that you get and you don't get it from a living person, you get it from someplace else. And he had it.

And, yes, he was a great singer. I mean, he was a great singer. He is one of the great singers. You know, it's not like -- you can't write him off as just a pop thing, because he could sing like nobody else. You know, he was a genius, like Ray Charles; like Stevie Wonder; like people that, you know, like people that have a -- have a gift. They just have this gift. You don't know where it comes. You don't know how long it stays. You don't know what the impact is going to be.

But he was able to -- to connect with people. You know, he was a really soft-spoken boy. Always, always. I remember once we were at this party and it was -- I don't know if it was a New Year's Eve party. I don't remember. But I was with Val Kilmer. And Bob Mackey had made me a pair of beaded socks for my -- for my Christmas present.

And so Val was wearing them. And I remember Michael could not get over them. And he kept going, Val, I just love your socks.

(LAUGHTER)

CHER: Cher, I just love those socks. And I said, well, you know, they were a present from -- from Bob, for me for Christmas. And he said, I just love beaded socks. And, you know, he just was so...

KING: He was a kid.

CHER: Yes. He was just a kid.

KING: All right.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: We'll be back with more of our tribute to Michael Jackson. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Celine Dion is taking the news of Michael's death very hard, kind enough to call into our show to pay tribute. Here she is on the death of Michael Jackson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CELINE DION, SINGER: I am shocked like the rest of the world. It doesn't sink in right now. I'm overwhelmed by this tragedy.

I have to say to you that Michael Jackson has been an idol for me all my life. I remember being in this -- in my house when I was very, very young and having his posters above my bedroom. He's my -- been my idol all my life, and looking up to him. And my goal was to be maybe doing the same show business world as him.

And I was listening to his music, and I hoped to be meeting him one day. And I have to tell you that I was very privileged to be on the same record company as him. And I did meet him a long, long time ago.

And I was so thrilled and nervous when I had the privilege of meeting with him. He was so kind. He gave me his autograph. And I have a hat of his with his autograph. And it always has an amazing meaning to me. But now it has a totally different meaning to me.

And we sang together. And I was looking forward to see his show in London, my husband and I. And Michael came to Las Vegas to see my show. And I was more than honored to have him.

KING: Did he come backstage?

DION: He came backstage. We spent about an hour together, and he had a lot of questions for me. He was very -- to me, he seemed to be like, I want to know so much. I want to know how it is to be in Las Vegas, how it is, Celine, to sing every night here. Is it difficult? Is it difficult to sing here every night? Is it demanding?

I felt that he wanted to know so much. And me, I wanted to know so much. I wanted to know so much from him. But it seemed that -- it seemed to me so fragile. And he wanted to have questions answered. And I was amazed to have him in my dressing room.

KING: When you're performing, and you have someone like that in the audience, are you constantly aware of his presence?

DION: Absolutely. You cannot do otherwise. And I have to say that I was questioning myself through my whole show. Can I announce him? Do I give him his private time? Am I going to abuse of him of his time to announce him? Should I? I want to do it so much.

And I did. And I did announce him. And the whole coliseum, the whole crowd went crazy, because Michael Jackson was not only an extremely talented person, he was unique. And he was a genius. And when I said, ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson is with us tonight, the people -- I thought people were going to jump off the balcony. The people went crazy.

And I have to say it is such a loss, because right -- even right now we were -- we're home, and we're watching images. And it feels that -- it feels like when Kennedy died. When Elvis Presley died. We're not only talking about a talented person dying. It's an amazing loss.

KING: Well, the Presley comparison is obvious, right? They're in the same age group. Both of them shocked -- the death shocked the world. Both of them totally unexpected passing.

DION: Absolutely. And I have to say that my sympathy goes to the family. It's a big loss, and I have to say that it's not even sinking in right now. It's just like I'm looking at the image on TV and my son is 8 years old. And he has got his song -- he doesn't -- he knows his name. He's watching -- he's listening to his song, but it's brand new for him.

Like, I'm rediscovering Michael Jackson again. I grew up with him and through my son I'm discovering his music again. He will never die. He will never, ever, ever die. My sympathy goes to his whole family.

KING: Celine, what -- from a performer's opinion -- I'm not going to keep you long. From a performer's opinion, what was his greatness? Was he a great singer?

DION: I think he was just an amazing genius. Dancing, singing, and I think it's so unfortunate, Larry, because since he was very little he was under pressure. I think we all live under pressure differently. We live under pressure because we want to give the audience and the fans what they look for, what they expect.

We want to do a better album. We want to do a better show. I think Michael Jackson lived under pressures all the time since he was 5 years old, wanting to please his family, his fans, and putting the bar so high that even, like, he needed to be surpassing his own self.

And I think it's unfortunate because the pressure was so tremendous, I am so sure. If you don't have -- if you only live under pressure and you don't have something like your family, your husband, or your wife, your children, I mean, he probably lived so much -- he didn't have the balance.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: We'll be back with more of our tribute to Michael Jackson. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Country legend Kenny Rogers performed with Michael on one of the most famous singles of all time, "We Are the World." Here's Kenny's reaction to his death.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KENNY ROGERS, SINGER: Just to get you through with some sense of sanity. And I did a show tonight, and I found out just before I went on the show. And I have to tell you, it impacted me so heavily in my show because it's hard to go out and do what I do and know that this has happened. This is the third person in the last week that I've known, that I knew really well. And it is -- it just breaks your heart. And what troubles me the most is that, you know, the whole people jumping on the wrong things about Michael. This -- I agree, this is a chance to celebrate his life.

Whatever happened or didn't happen, it really is academic. You know? This guy represents so much to everybody. I did a book called "Your Friends and Mine." It's a photography book. And I called him, I said, Michael, I promise you you'll only be here 15 minutes. He said, I'm coming, and I'm bringing Bubbles with me. And he was there for eight hours. He stayed there and wanted to chat and talk. And we took pictures.

I think I took the first picture of him with his hat off. Because he said, I want to see what this looks like. So -- but it's just -- he was just such a special guy. You know? And you don't meet guys who have that kind of success that really are able to communicate at a different level. And that's a success I would not wish on anybody.

KING: Kenny, as a success -- you're a country artist. How did you view him artistically?

ROGERS: Well, I mean, how do you view anybody that has had that kind -- first of all, you start off envying and then you're just thankful you don't have to go through what he went through. I mean, that would have been treacherous for anybody. And so I loved his music.

I thought that between he and Quincy Jones, they started a whole new -- they literally revolutionized the music business, literally. And there are very few people that represent certain eras of music. And he definitely was one of them.

KING: Thanks, Kenny. As always.

ROGERS: Absolutely.

KING: Hope to see you soon.

ROGERS: Thanks for having me.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KING: What do you make of this anniversary of "Thriller"?

JANET JACKSON, SINGER, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: It's huge. It's big, number one everywhere. Good for him.

Twenty-five years, how fast did that go by?

KING When that came out, when it was recorded, did you think it would be what it became?

JANET JACKSON: I knew I loved it. I knew that I loved it. As a matter of fact, he played, as he always did -- when we were very close growing up. And every time he'd complete a project, he'd play the entire album. He had a great sound system in his car.

So we'd sit in the car and we'd listen to the album from front to back. And I loved every song I heard.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Randy Jackson, a great judge of talent, is still shocked over the news when he called in just hours after Michael's death.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: In the lexicon of music, Randy, where does Michael Jackson stand?

RANDY JACKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL": Well, I'll tell you what, Larry, I mean, I'm just saddened as everyone else. I mean, it's the biggest shock, I think, in -- probably one of the biggest shocks in my lifetime. I think, you know, he's one of the greatest performers, if not the greatest performer ever.

I mean, when you look at how many people he inspired, and how the music inspired people, I'm saying, I mean, this guy lit up the stage like no one else.

KING: Did his private life affect the professional appreciation?

R. JACKSON: I think maybe it marred it a bit. But, I mean, you know, when you're that great, I mean, when you're miles beyond everyone else as a performer and an entertainer -- I mean, you know, we would always say, you know -- some people would probably disagree with me, but you would always say Michael Jackson is like one song away from a big, huge comeback.

KING: What -- if you were writing the story of "Thriller," what did "Thriller" do that no other album ever did?

R. JACKSON: I think that "Thriller" did a bunch of things. I think music-wise, the great Quincy Jones and Michael, I think it changed the face of music forever. It also broadened the base of music. I mean, it brought theatrics into music. It merged different styles of music together. There was a lot of theater, a lot of Broadway in it. There's a lot of soul, a lot of pop, a lot of rock.

It had -- it was just a melange of every kind of musical genre. And then video-wise, he completely changed the game, Larry. I mean, the videos were just monumental. They were just great pieces of work. I mean, you know, we will look back on this and people will look back on this for a long time. This is really legendary status. This is not pop star for the moment.

KING: When you say he transcended race, too, as a performer, did he not? I mean, Michael Jackson was colorless.

R. JACKSON: He transcended everything. He was colorless. I mean, just so talented. I mean, there's such a barrage of people that he inspired. I mean, everywhere that I've been today here in L.A., in the studio where I'm working, everyone is just so saddened. I mean, I just -- you know, I haven't seen something affect people like this in a really long time.

KING: At the time of his death, he was rehearsing for what was supposed to be his comeback, an unprecedented 50 shows in London, was set to open July 13th. But I -- on good information I have that they had postponed it one week. I know Elizabeth Taylor was scheduled to fly out for its opening. What was that going to do to the career?

R. JACKSON: Well, I think that was just going to elongate the career, and just remind people that he's a true legend and an icon. And, you know, I had gotten reports a couple of days ago that the rehearsals were going amazingly well, and that, you know, the band was sounding great and he was sounding great. It's just -- I'm just so still in shock. I mean, I just can't even believe it's even possible, you know?

KING: And now he had a down period. The last album did not sell, right, or did not do as well as others?

R. JACKSON: Right, right.

KING: How well would he have come back in your musical, professional opinion?

R. JACKSON: Well, I think he would have come back greatly. Because if you remember, I don't know if people realize this, those '02 shows in the UK were all sold out. They all sold out in a matter of hours, if not minutes, 50 shows.

So I mean, you know, they put the first 10 up, and another 30 sold, then another 20. And, you know, I think it was really going to just reinstate him. And it put him back in the arena that was perfect for him, because he is still one of the greatest performers ever.

KING: Do you rank this death with that of Presley and John Lennon?

R. JACKSON: I really, really do, Larry. I mean, we've really, really lost a great one. I don't think there will be anybody ever like Michael Jackson, again. I think some will try to come close in some ways. But I mean, a true original.

I mean, you know, it inspired everyone. When you look at *NSYNC, when you look at the Backstreet Boys, when you look at Chris Brown, when you look at Usher, when you look at Rihanna, when you look at Madonna, just everyone that you think about, I mean, you know, this guy inspired everyone.

KING: Randy -- Randy, thanks.

R. JACKSON: Thank you so much, Larry.

KING: Randy Jackson. Quite a talent in his own right, judge, "American Idol," and, of course, a famed musician and producer.

Aaron Neville is now on the phone. Mr. Neville, a legendary musician and recording artist, third-youngest of the famous Neville Brothers.

What's your reaction, Aaron?

AARON NEVILLE, MUSICIAN: I'm so shocked. I was just -- seemed like he was getting ready to start his tour. You know, I was hoping that I would have gotten the chance to see him. I've never seen him live.

KING: What was his impact to you as a performer?

NEVILLE: Oh, man, it hit me in the heart. I was on an airplane. When it landed, somebody texted me and told me what happened. I didn't believe it at first. I said, it can't be. You know? I was just calling him -- I called him the Muhammad Ali of the entertainment world, you know?

KING: Did he affect the way you -- did he affect you as a performer?

NEVILLE: He affected everybody. You know, I never would have tried to do no Moonwalk or any of that stuff he was doing, but I know everybody and his brother tried to copy him, you know, in some form.

KING: Did you ever work with him?

NEVILLE: No, I haven't. No, I never got to meet him. But I feel like I know him, you know? I feel like I know him. I know his heart.

KING: Yes. Would you have liked to have worked with him?

NEVILLE: I would have loved it. It would have been so real.

KING: This...

NEVILLE: Yes, man, it's sad.

KING: His effect is worldwide. Have you spoken to your brothers?

NEVILLE: You know, I just landed. I'm in Denver. I'm going to meet up with them in a little while in Reno. But, yes, you know, coming from a musical family, I can understand how his family must feel right now, you know, and his extended family around the world. Because, I mean, everybody loved him.

KING: They sure did. Thank you, Aaron. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us.

NEVILLE: All right. Thank you, Larry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: He is a talented person. He is a wonderful person.

KING: And he's a complex person. Obviously, he's a complex person.

JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, but look, there was Michelangelo, who was very -- essentially very different, who dressed weird and this and that. And they called Einstein weird, he was known as one of the greatest minds ever. William Shakespeare, who, we still today can go see his plays and...

KING: Yes, genius has it's...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: But it's fair to try to examine it. In other words, we look at someone like Michael Jackson...

JERMAINE JACKSON: Right, right. True. But still, look at his heart. Look at his music. Look at what he has done for people. Look at the influence, and we've been influenced.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Michael's body was transferred from the UCLA Medical Center to the coroner's office. And while the body was en route, we talked to Michael's longtime friends, Jesse Jackson and Donna Summer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Reverend Jackson and yours truly, and Michael Jackson were all together at a dinner in 2007, where I was proud to be honored by Jesse Jackson's group. And so was Michael. We were all at the same table.

Jesse, what are your thoughts right now?

REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: Well, I'm traumatized. We are out of our joy and he's out of his pain. I have been listening to Michael since he was maybe 13 years old. We were doing our first expo. And we had the lineup. Quincy Jones was there. Nancy Wilson, Sammy Davis; it was really a very tight show.

And so someone said these kids want to perform. They're over at the Regal across the street. But Junius Griffin, who worked with Dr. King, said, you've got to hear them. I said, I want to hear them, but we are busy. He said, well, come downstairs and meet them. They were in the station wagon, you know, with the U-Haul attached to the Jackson 5, with Joe. We said, well, we can't say no. And they performed "ABC," you know, at that particular expo. And of course, it took off from there.

KING: Yes. By the way, we are now showing the body being -- has left the helicopter. It's going into the vehicle that will take it to the coroner's office.

How do you deal -- what do you say to a family at a case like this? Do you have to do this a lot, Reverend Jackson? How do you put this in words?

JESSE JACKSON: Well, it is a -- death is a mystery. And when the suddenness of death appears, we have to lean to our faith and not to our own understanding. And you simply pray to ask God to, in time, reveal the mystery and to relieve the burden from your heart. That's all you really can do.

And again, having been with him across these years and his family to watch him grow up, I think so much about the Victory Tour that kicked off in Kansas City, with Don King, at the time that Michael was performing, of course, at the great theaters around the word. And I was on my way to London, really, to be with him July the 7th, before the -- he delayed it one day.

So I would say that we all (INAUDIBLE) tonight, because Berry Gordy, Suzanne De Passe, and Quincy Jones were great factors in his stellar career, because he had all of the raw stuff, but Berry Gordy brought a special touch to this.

KING: Yes.

JESSE JACKSON: I remember Suzanne De Passe taking him and the kids out at Fred Segal's store getting blue jeans. And, of course, there's the Michael Jackson and there's the Quincy Jones in that whole "Thriller" drama (ph). So he had that...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: You're not kidding. He sure did. Thanks, Jesse. We'll be calling on you again.

Now joining us on the phone, the disco icon, the one and only Donna Summer.

Donna, you knew Michael, did you not?

DONNA SUMMER, DISCO LEGEND: Yes, I did, yes.

KING: And there we're seeing the vehicle transporting the body now over to the coroner, who will, I gather, begin the autopsy I would guess tomorrow, not tonight. What are your thoughts, Donna?

SUMMER: Well, I have just -- I have to go on stage and sing tonight. It is extremely difficult. It is such an incredible shock to me. I -- you know, I've known Michael for many years. We've worked together. We've had -- we've done different things together over the years.

And I know his family. And it's just -- it's a total shock. And I don't even have words to say. I mean, I'll miss Michael. The world will miss Michael. And I'm sure that the world is in a state of grief right now.

KING: Where are you performing tonight?

SUMMER: I'm up north of Los Angeles at a casino, Chumash.

KING: Will you talk about him?

SUMMER: I certainly will. We're going to try to dedicate a song to him tonight.

KING: All right. Donna, what was his greatness?

SUMMER: His greatness was perfection. And when you meet people like that, who are so given to doing things at the utmost and the highest level, then it makes you up your game. And Michael was one of those people who wouldn't stop until he was perfect. And he kept going even after that.

So I will personally miss him. I will miss his light. I will miss his star. I will miss who he has caused other people to become because of his greatness. He upped -- he upped the standard.

KING: Did you let the stories about his personal life affect your feelings about him?

SUMMER: Not at all. Not at all. Because I don't, personally, know that those stories are true. I tend to want to not believe them because I know Michael, and I can't even imagine that he would ever try to hurt a child.

I think it -- I felt more like it was exploitation, personally, from other people. I don't know if it's true or not. I just -- you know, I just think he was a sitting duck at times.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KING: We'll be back with more of our tribute to Michael Jackson. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Michael has said he didn't have a childhood.

JANET JACKSON: Yes, for sure.

KING: All right. Now that's sad, don't you think?

JANET JACKSON: Yes, of course it is, yes.

KING: You want to be like a normal kid.

JANET JACKSON: But that -- you know, it's kind of like a Catch- 22. That was normal for me as well. Like I saw it with my brothers and then I got into it. But once again, I still had, you know, a little taste of the other side as well.

KING: We're back and we're now joined by -- on the phone is Sean "P. Daddy (sic)" Combs, a record producer of fame, rapper, actor, and businessman. And he has won multiple Grammys and MTV Video Music Awards. Smokey Robinson remains with us.

J.C. Chasez joins us, singer, songwriter, producer, and a former member of *NSYNC. They performed with Michael Jackson several times and were the presenters when Michael was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame.

And Corey Feldman, actor, musician, was once a close friend of Michael's and hoped to repair a rift that occurred nine years ago. We'll ask him about that.

But let's start first on the phone with my dad, Mr. P. Daddy (sic) Combs. How are you handling this?

SEAN "P. DIDDY" COMBS, RECORD PRODUCER: You know, my heart is just hurting. It's hard to explain the words. When I first heard the news, you know, I was just shocked.

And as you just watch -- as you watch television and you see all the old videos, this man was the greatest recording artist of our time. This man, through his music actually, like, made a change in the world.

He was the only artist that you could say people knew of this man in every country, no matter if his song was in English, but no matter who country it was in, everybody knew the words to his song.

And you know, when I heard the coverage today, and I hear everybody talking about the controversy and the downs, everybody has downs in their life. This man had so much positivity and so much of a positive effect, especially on my generation.

You know, I didn't grow up listening to Elvis or the Beatles. This guy was like my hero. And he gave birth to all of the artists in my generation. And I just think it's so sad to watch everybody talk about things that weren't proven. And I think it's important that we give him his day, man.

He changed the world. Like, he made me believe in magic. He made me -- he made me actually visualize the music. And he made me want to make music. And I just think it's important for all the artists out there to call in and for us to be heard and let the people know how much this man meant to us.

KING: I called you "Daddy" because you're the daddy of what you do. But I know you're Diddy. And it's also getting late.

Stay right with us, P.

J.C., how did you -- how did *NSYNC and Michael Jackson come together?

J.C. CHASEZ, SINGER, *NSYNC: Yes, we have a lot of strange coincidences, actually. Our first hit single was a song called "I Want You Back." His first hit single was "I Want You Back" with the Jackson 5.

But really, what it was about is we were a group that wanted to emulate that kind of performance. Really, he was, kind of like Diddy said before, he just -- he presented something for my generation to emulate, you know. And it was about the scope of things. He just wanted to do it bigger, more dynamic. And he did. He made you believe in magic.

KING: What was he like to work with?

CHASEZ: You know what? He was the nicest guy ever, you know.

KING: Very professional.

CHASEZ: Professional, but you know what? Surprisingly, it was -- when you first meet somebody that you look up to, you're a little awestruck, because you have an idea in your mind of what they are.

And then you meet somebody backstage, and they're chomping on a sandwich or something and you're like, oh, OK, so you eat like me. And then, you know, he cracked a joke and made everybody comfortable right away.

KING: Corey, what was the rift?

COREY FELDMAN, ACTOR: Oh, well, that's kind of a complicated one.

KING: Well, can you simplify it?

FELDMAN: Well, based on the fact that, you know, we just lost a great artist today, I'd rather not focus on the negatives, Larry.

KING: All right. Had you resumed the friendship near the end?

FELDMAN: We hadn't yet. But we had been -- the family and I had been communicating a lot. As a matter of fact, my wife Susie and I were invited recently to La Toya Jackson's birthday party, which we attended three weeks ago, which was thrown by Jeffrey (ph), her manager, and Janet. And we actually got to see the whole family. So it was very nice, and it was a nice...

KING: All right. Since there was a form of separation, we don't have to get into it, how did it hit you today?

FELDMAN: That's a good question. I've been kind of a nervous ball of nerves all day, just a wreck. It was the last thing I expected. As a matter of fact, when I heard the news initially, I thought that it was possibly some sort of publicity stunt to push back the concerts in July, and I didn't think he was really passing.

And once I heard that he actually passed, I haven't stopped shaking. I mean, my hands have just been shaking all day.

KING: I can sense that.

Do you think he would have come back, Smokey?

ROBINSON: Larry, I was in London about a month ago, and that was where he was going to have the 50 initial concerts that he said would probably be his last 50 concerts. But I knew that probably he was going to go around the world with those concerts.

And I was in London, and the promoter who was promoting those concerts, I was talking with him and he said, well, we had to cancel the first five concerts because Michael wasn't feeling well.

So I said, OK, fine, everybody is entitled not to feel well. And -- but the proof of him being Michael Jackson, who he will always be, is the fact that he was going to do 50 concerts. And the place he was playing is a big arena-type place over in London. OK?

Ten minutes or so after the tickets went on sale, they were all sold out. OK? So coming back...

KING: He would have come back. He would have. Where did he go?

ROBINSON: Absolutely.

KING: We have a statement from J.C.'s former band mate, Justin Timberlake: "I can't find the words right now to express how deeply saddened I am by Michael's passing. We have lost a genius, a true ambassador of not only pop music but of all music.

"He has been an inspiration to multiple generations, and I will always cherish the moments I shared with him on stage and all of the things I learned about music from him and the time we spent together. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones."

And we'll be right back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Carlos Diaz returns to the set, the "Extra" correspondent. With us on the phone is the brilliantly talented Sheryl Crow.

Sheryl, how did this -- how did you react to this today?

SHERYL CROW, MUSICIAN: I think I felt really shocked. You know, I worked with him in 1988 and '89 on the "Bad" tour, and I always wondered what, you know, what -- what would happen to him as he got older?

Would he -- I mean, would we get to see him grow old? And it's just -- it's just shocking today that, at 50, he's not going to be here with us anymore, even though it has been kind of -- you know, it has been hard to imagine what he might be like as an older man.

And now, of course, we will never know and -- but it is shocking. You know, he's going to be sorely missed. And I feel extremely grateful to have gotten the opportunity I had to watch him every night for nearly two years, sing backup for him.

KING: Carlos Diaz wants to ask you something.

CARLOS DIAZ, "EXTRA": Well, first off, Sheryl, we're watching video of you in concert with Michael right now. I want to say, great hair.

CROW: That's fantastic hair.

DIAZ: That is fantastic hair you have there. But what did -- what did Michael Jackson teach you in order for you to become the successful singer that you've become over the years?

CROW: Well, I think that he was absolutely, undeniably the greatest performer of my -- certainly of my generation and maybe of all time. Every night was an amazing show.

And he was just different. He -- I think he knew what it was that set him apart, and he tapped into it every night. And 75,000 screaming fans were right there in the palm of his hand.

And you know, he had a different take on life. He was famous from the time he was 5. And so his relationship with people was from having been just, you know, mobbed all the time. So he was a little bit isolated but definitely a child at heart.

You know, he would rent out amusement parks (INAUDIBLE) and take the band. We'd go to Tokyo Disneyland, and ride rides all night. And he was a real prankster. Loved practical jokes.

And you know, just really child -- when he stepped out on that stage, you'd never seen anyone that was more professional or more -- really truly more gifted than he was.

KING: Everyone has said that tonight. Sheryl...

CROW: Yes.

KING: ... I thank you very much. It's so good hearing from you.

CROW: Thanks, Larry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERMAINE JACKSON: This is hard. My brother, the legendary King of Pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25th, 2009, at 2:26 p.m. It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known.

His personal physician, who was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate my brother. And as did the paramedics who transported him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.

Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m., a team of doctors, including emergency physicians and cardiologists, attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour. And they were unsuccessful.

Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time. And may Allah be with you, Michael, always. Love you.

KING: J.C., you're a judge on "America's Best Dance Crew."

CHASEZ: Yes.

KING: How has the Jackson dancing affecting dancing?

CHASEZ: I mean, you know, when you think about Michael Jackson and what he has presented to the entertainment world, I mean, essentially he has become a part of terminology now.

When it comes to singing -- like, when it comes to percussive and rhythmic singing, it's like, oh, that's what Michael does. When it comes to dancing, it's like, if you're doing something sharp, clean, it's a style of dance.

He really -- he embraced, you know, popping and locking, but he really did it in his own style. And then when he -- when you added the dimension of the music videos, with especially "Smooth Criminal," somebody leans forward nice and slow, man, that's -- everybody knows "Smooth Criminal."

Everybody knows the Moonwalk. Everybody knows the kick and the pushdown from the Motown reunion show. I mean, he's a term in entertainment now. It's like, oh, that's like Michael Jackson, oh, that's like, you know...

KING: I'll never forget him at the Super Bowl.

CHASEZ: He's unbelievable.

KING: Unbelievable.

Corey, do you think he could have been an actor? FELDMAN: Yes, well, he was an actor. I mean, his whole life was a performance. You have to realize that when you become somebody as large as Michael Jackson, you're on 24 hours a day, whether you like it or not.

So every time, you know, you see a fan, every time you have to stop and take a picture, even if you're not feeling happy inside, even if you don't have a good feeling, you have to put on a smile, and you have to make people warm and welcome.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: I had a kind of intertwined life with Michael Jackson. I first interviewed him when he was, I guess, 10 or 11 years old with the Jackson 5 in Miami. I was doing my radio show and they were great guests. And he stood out.

In fact, everyone there, the control room, they would all say, who was this kid? He was just so ebullient and effusive. He was fantastic to be around.

Later on, of course, things would be up and down in Michael Jackson's life. I saw him at RFK Stadium. I sat way, way up near the top of the stadium, could barely see him, but I did have binoculars, and got to enjoy that concert immensely, what I could hear of it. Saw a little of it, what I could hear of it.

Then when he went on trial in 2005, I had overheard a conversation at Nate-N-Al's restaurant here in Beverly Hills, at the next table and then the conversation dwelled over to our table in which a lawyer was saying that the people who were pressing charges against Michael Jackson were in fact extorting from him.

So I had told this to people and they subpoenaed me to come and appear at the Jackson trial. And before I appeared, there was a hearing and the judge did not allow me to testify because it was all hearsay. I was saying what someone else told me. I understood that completely. So did Michael, he gave me a nice smile on the way out.

And then the last time I was with him, you see right there, was at this Jesse Jackson's wonderful charity. Had this special dinner they give every year where they honor people and I was one of those proud enough to be honored and so was Michael.

And we sat at the same table and talked with conversation like everybody makes. Who are your guests coming up? Some day I will do your show. Yes, I wish. That never happened. But that was the last time I saw Michael Jackson.

And then I learned information the other day from a friend of mine who had arranged for the plane that was going to fly Elizabeth Taylor over to London for opening night of Michael Jackson's soon-to- be 50 night concert that sadly will never take place. Thanks for joining us on our look back at celebrity tributes to Michael Jackson. We'll have updates all through the week on LARRY KING LIVE. Time now for the latest news on CNN.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/28/lkl.01.html

Michael Jackson's Death Is Examined Through His Friends

Aired June 29, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, why did Michael Jackson die?

His father's suspicious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JACKSON, FATHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: I have a lot of concerns.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are your concerns?

JOE JACKSON: I can't get into that, but I don't like what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: In the midst of family grief...

JANET JACKSON, SISTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: My entire family wanted to be here tonight, but it was just too painful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: ...and global mourning, more questions than answers.

We're going to talk exclusively with TVs incredible hulk, Lou Ferrigno, who was training Michael Jackson for his 50 stop tour.

Was the king of pop strong enough to make a comeback?

Marlon Brando's son, Miko, tells us what he witnessed in the final rehearsal.

And then top forensic scientists take us inside the world of celebrity autopsies.

Why would Michael Jackson's family want his body examined twice?

When mystery surrounds a star's death, can anything be kept private?

Plus, the director of "Thriller," John Landis...

(MUSIC)

KING: ...worked with Michael Jackson at his superstar prime.

Why does he call him a tragic figure?

All that and more, next on LARRY KING LIVE.

(MUSIC)

KING: First, we're going to check in -- good evening -- with three top journalists in three separate locations.

In Holmby Hills, California is Ted Rowlands; at the Jackson family compound in Encino, California is Susan Roesgen; and at the Neverland Ranch is Kara Finnstrom -- all top notch CNN correspondents.

We start with Ted Rowlands.

He is at the house.

Authorities were back at the house today.

What -- what were they looking for?

What can you tell us -- Ted?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, this is still classified as a death investigation. But clearly, it is a very active investigation. This afternoon, representatives from the coroner's office and from the L.A. County Detect -- the L.A. Police Department were here. And they took out two fairly substantial bags. We don't know exactly what was in them, but they said they were here because they had some questions -- some specific questions that they wanted answered about some medication. And they were also following up on information, they say, that they garnered from the L.A. Police investigation.

We don't know what was in those bags and we don't know what kind of medicine. They wouldn't tell us specifically what type of medicine they found inside of Jackson's home.

But, clearly, this investigation continues.

KING: Right back to you, Ted.

Let's go to the Jackson family compound. Joining us from there is Susan Roesgen -- Susan, the ultimate fate of Michael Jackson's three children remains in legal flux.

Their paternal grandfather, Joe, had this to say about them earlier today.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JACKSON: This is where they belong. We're the parents and we've got other kids of their size. They love those kids and we love those kids, too. We're going to take care of them and give them the education they -- they're supposed to have. We can do that. And we have the area enough and the -- the (INAUDIBLE) large enough to be able to extend all kind of help that they might need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: What's the latest, Susan, with the children?

We understand they got to see their father after he died.

SUSAN ROESGEN, GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We've heard that, Larry, that, in fact, they did ask to see their father at UCLA Med Center after he died. And what we think is happening now is that the three children may be in this home behind me with their grandparents Katherine and Joe.

But here's something else to think about, Larry. Those children come with a price tag. A $1 billion estate follows them. And whoever gets the children gets control of that estate.

And, in fact, behind me today, in this house, is Katherine Jackson, who has filed a petition to get not only custody of the children, but control of Michael Jackson's estate, with the expressed caveat that that money would be used for children, Larry.

So it could get really sticky here in the next few weeks.

KING: Kara Finnstrom is at the Neverland Ranch.

What is it -- what's the situation there -- Kara?

By the way, how does the ranch look?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Larry, we took an aerial view earlier today. And what used to be amusement park rides here, a train that ran through here, a zoo, all of that is gone. It was -- a lot of it was taken away from here in 2008, when he came close to foreclosing on this ranch.

But the talk here today -- the buzz is whether this may someday become a shrine along the lines of Elvis Presley's Graceland. Locals here say they don't want to see that happen because they like their privacy.

This is in the middle of some rolling hills. There's lots of cattle out here. There are Hollywood types and big time ranchers and they want to keep their privacy.

We did speak with someone with the investment company that now owns half of this Neverland Ranch -- some 2,500 acres. And he says, at this point, it's premature to say what might happen here, but he said they are keeping these grounds up.

KING: Ted Rowlands, back at the house, is -- is this a crime investigation -- Ted?

ROWLANDS: No. They are very clear to say that this is still a death investigation and it is not a criminal investigation. That, of course, could change, especially after the toxicology results come back and when they go back and look at all of the prescriptions that were given to Michael Jackson and who wrote them. That will be the key looking down the line.

But at this point, it's still just a death investigation.

KING: Susan, any word about funeral plans?

ROESGEN: No, not yet. Joe Jackson said today, Larry, that it was premature to talk about funeral plans because he wants the results of that second autopsy -- the autopsy that the family paid to have. That means, Larry, that this funeral and any kind of public memorial service that we're all expecting here -- that, in fact, Reverend Al Sharpton today said would be a celebration of Michael Jackson's life -- this memorial service, the funeral, who knows when it will be?

KING: Kara, we've been to Graceland. That's all as it was -- they've added a few things -- when Elvis died.

What would -- with Neverland, you said it doesn't look like it did look.

What would it look like if it became a visitors' shrine?

FINNSTROM: You know, that's a great question, Larry. From our aerial view, we could see one sign of life down there, which was there's a fountain that -- you know, that was bubbling. But, you know, just a lot of cement slabs where those amusement parks -- amusement park rides used to be that we're told -- you know, we could also see that the home itself is in good shape, pristine condition. They're taking good care of the lawns around it.

But the folks with the investment company that, you know, is now maintaining say that they've got a lot of maintenance to do. A lot of this kind of went downhill as he was in those potential foreclosure proceedings.

KING: We'll be checking back with the reporters later.

Lou Ferrigno is going to join us. We'll talk exclusively with Michael's friend, personal trainer. "The Incredible Hulk," Mr. Universe, Lou Ferrigno.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: Lou Ferrigno -- he's got millions of fans all over the world. He's known as TV's Incredible Hulk. He's two time Mr. Universe, a close friend of Michael Jackson for many years. In fact, he was working with Michael as a personal trainer.

Did you see anything wrong with him?

LOU FERRIGNO, JACKSON'S LONG TIME FRIEND & TRAINER, STAR, "THE INCREDIBLE HULK": He was great. You know, Larry, I don't know where to begin, because I was devastated. When I was with Michael -- I trained him on and off for 15 years. But when I saw him a few months ago, he looked fantastic. The way he moved -- I worked with him different exercises. And I've never seen him look better.

KING: So are you shocked then?

FERRIGNO: Devastated. I'm extremely devastated. I just wish this was like a dream, because we were close friends. We were together, it was Lou and Michael. It wasn't Michael Jackson. It wasn't Lou Ferrigno. We were friends because he trusted me. And we had the camaraderie, because both of us came from difficult childhoods. We have the same kind of fathers. So we were very connected.

KING: Was he a good subject?

Did he train well?

FERRIGNO: Yes, he did a lot of core training, stretching, nothing with heavy resistance -- walking on the treadmill. I would use the exercise ball, like band and weight training, because when you're a dancer, it has a lot to do with flexibility, stamina and you want to be as conditioned as you can be, especially being 51 now.

KING: Did he ever show any chest pains?

FERRIGNO: No. No.

KING: Ever complain about any health problem?

FERRIGNO: Never. With him, never. As a matter of fact, sometimes he would be dancing, showing the moves between a set and exercising. And he convinced me. I said this guy is going to pull it off.

KING: How about frail?

Wasn't he -- he was frail, wasn't he?

FERRIGNO: When I saw him, he was not frail.

KING: The last time you saw him was when?

FERRIGNO: At the end of May. Then I was on tour doing a convention. I was planning to train with him a few more sessions before he left for England. But I don't know what happened the last month.

KING: Did he do strenuous exercise?

FERRIGNO: No. It was all about dancing and flexibility. And, you know, Michael was so close, that it makes me chuckle, because we had so much fun together. It wasn't just about just training, it was motivation. And when I trained him 15 years ago compared to now, he hired me back because of the fact that he felt safe with me. He trusted me. Because it's important, because he could not afford to have kind of injuries.

KING: Did you see any sign of drug use?

FERRIGNO: No.

KING: But it's pretty clear now that there were drug problems.

FERRIGNO: Well, I don't know what happened. I don't know anything about his real personal life. But the last month, I don't know what happened. But the time I was with him, he seemed fine, alert, no pain at all. As a matter of fact, he's done a lot of those stretching exercises, because when you have a lot of pain, you can't stretch that much. So he was very eager to do what I told him.

KING: So this is a total mystery to you?

FERRIGNO: Yes.

KING: Yes.

Did he ever talk to you about medications he took?

FERRIGNO: Never. Never. And he was more concerned about his diet, about his health, because he knew that fitness is important, because, especially when you get older, you want to maintain what you have. Because, after the age of 35, the muscle begins to atrophy. And that's everyone is on the bandwagon. They want to start exercising.

KING: Have you worked with others 50 years old, 51?

FERRIGNO: Everyone, all walks of life. I worked with Mickey Rourke, Chuck Norris. And people like 70 or 80 years old, it really doesn't matter, as long as you train properly.

KING: All right.

Did he -- was he -- did he belie his years?

Was he like younger than 51?

FERRIGNO: Oh, yes. He was the same as like 20 years ago.

KING: He really was?

FERRIGNO: Yes. And it's funny, when we were together, he heard that -- on "Jay Leno" that I wanted -- I had a good chance to be on "Dancing With The Stars." So he said to me, I want to teach you how to do the moonwalk, because he -- we made a tradeoff. Like he wanted me to get himself in the best physical shape and he wanted me -- to teach me about dancing. But the beauty about him, when he moved in all the movement, the guy -- I would say he convinced me that you can make the bigger comeback in history.

KING: Really?

FERRIGNO: Yes.

KING: All right. How about his behavior?

He was, obviously, eccentric; a little bizarre. He looked a little funny.

How did you react to that?

FERRIGNO: Well, he wasn't like that with me, because when he was with me, the masks came off, the gloves came off. It was just me and Michael. We were alone together. And he was just a real genuine guy. It was -- it was no B.S. no centric. He was brilliant. But we just had fun. He was like just a regular guy, like you and I talking.

KING: Did you work out with him at his house?

FERRIGNO: Yes, the last time. He could not come to my facility because of the fact that people followed him. So I would go to his house.

KING: Did he work with weights?

FERRIGNO: No, mostly the ball; bands like rubber bands; you know, core training -- a lot of core training and walking on the treadmill. He had a treadmill in his house on the...

KING: Was he disciplined?

FERRIGNO: Yes. Yes. The time he came down, the time I met with him, extremely disciplined.

KING: We'll be back with more, Lou Ferrigno.

Lots to talk about about Michael Jackson.

Members of the family were at the BET -- the BET Awards last night. We'll hear from Janet Jackson next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Mr. Ferrigno, I apologize.

FERRIGNO: Thank you.

KING: He was a good quarterback.

We'll be back with Lou Ferrigno in a minute.

Ferrigno -- look, I'll get -- no. You've got a weird name. Welcome back.

Last night, an emotional Janet Jackson gave her first published statements since her brother's death.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JANET JACKSON: My -- my entire family wanted to be here tonight. But it was just too painful. So they elected me to speak with all of you. And I'm going to keep it very short. But I'd just like to say that to you, Michael is an icon. To us, Michael is family. And he will forever live in all of our hearts. On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support.

We miss him so much.

Thank you so much.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Our thoughts are with the entire Jackson family, especially his children.

How are the kids doing?

One of Michael Jackson's closest friends, Miko Brando, will tell us next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: Now, that was a familiar figure.

Lou Ferrigno remains with us, the former Mr. Universe, the former Incredible Hulk.

And we're joined now with a return visit with Miko Brando, a close friend, a longtime employee. He was with Michael the night before he passed away. He's the son of the late Marlon Brando.

What's the latest you can tell us about the kids?

MIKO BRANDO, MARLON BRANDO'S SON, JACKSON FRIEND: The kids, as far as I know, are doing fine. They're at their grandparent's house playing along with their cousins and friends and playing with the animals and just running -- running around the backyard.

KING: How do you think Michael would feel about Katherine getting temporary guardianship? BRANDO: I think that's all right. And I think he would have wanted his mother to do it. She was -- you know, I think that's a -- that was a good move. You know, the kids know -- obviously know her, feel comfortable. They're at the family house where Michael grew up. So it's a comfort environment.

KING: Lou, did the kids watch him train?

FERRIGNO: Yes. As a matter of fact, he brought the kid downstairs. He said, oh, look who's here, look who's here, the Incredible Hulk. So he had me flexing my arm. And the kids were so excited. He explained to the kids, this is the original Hulk.

KING: You had a tough father, too, right, as he did?

FERRIGNO: Yes.

KING: So you shared a lot of that in common?

FERRIGNO: Yes. Because Michael's escape was music. My escape was body building to become a world champion. We shared that together. And it's funny how we both became extremists.

KING: How?

How were you an extremist?

FERRIGNO: I became a body building champion, obsessed with fitness.

KING: Obsessed?

FERRIGNO: Obsessed with fitness, building his body and being successful in life. And Michael was the same way with his music, because it was his escape.

KING: Miko, you were there at Michael's last rehearsal. That's last Wednesday night.

Tell us about it.

How did it go?

BRANDO: It went fine. I mean we -- we started, you know, when he was -- I think he had a few meetings before. He had his makeup on, his wardrobe on. He went up on stage, danced with the dancers. He did some -- some songs. He just did his routine. He gave the crew some technical advice here and there. He -- he went through the routines. Kenny Ortega was there, you know, by him, helping him. He was just another ordinary...

KING: No sign of any physical problem?

BRANDO: No sign. No sign. He never said, you know, let's stop, I don't feel well, I need something to drink, (INAUDIBLE). He never complained. He never said, you know what, can we take a five minute break and let's chill?

No, it was just...

KING: What was your role?

BRANDO: My role just, for him, he -- the way he -- just to be there for him, keep an eye out for him, be there if he needed anything and to help...

KING: You were like his guy?

BRANDO: His guy. He -- he said you're keeping an eye out for me.

KING: Do you know Dr. Murray?

BRANDO: I heard of him. I've never met him. He was never at the forum when we had rehearsals for, what, a few weeks. Nor was he at the Staples Center.

KING: Did you know him, Lou?

FERRIGNO: No.

KING: Did he ever talk about his doctor?

FERRIGNO: No. The thing -- thing about Michael was that he was a personal guy. And all he cared about was just being a close friend, just enjoying life. I mean, I don't care what the media said, because everybody wants to focus on, sometimes, the negativity. I judge people for who they are. If there's some people I don't like, I just disassociated with them. But Michael was just very genuine. He loved all people.

KING: Are you angry, Miko, that they look at bad parts of Michael?

BRANDO: I'm angry, especially now, because he's not here to defend himself. And he was such a good person, a loving person. Every time -- anyone who knew him or had any kind of relationship or whatever, you knew -- he always ended your conversation or meeting with, I love you, see you. It was always love. It was always he (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: Did you ever think he -- he did wrongful things with young boys?

BRANDO: Absolutely not.

KING: Absolutely not.

Lou, did you ever think it?

BRANDO: First of all, my -- I mean he -- my daughter's godfather. I mean, I'm -- was close to the kids. We had -- he'd spend the night at my house. I had spent tons of nights at Neverland with my kids and my friends.

Absolutely not.

KING: Did you ever suspect anything at all, Lou?

FERRIGNO: No, because we was just talking, Miko and I. When I went and see him at the Neverland Ranch, he said, jump in the car. So he's driving me around. He was just a regular guy.

BRANDO: Yes.

FERRIGNO: The same -- it was...

BRANDO: Absolutely.

FERRIGNO: It was Michael.

BRANDO: It was Michael.

FERRIGNO: But you and I see a side of him that most people don't see.

BRANDO: No. And never will.

(CROSSTALK)

BRANDO: And never will.

KING: Never will now.

FERRIGNO: (INAUDIBLE) and he never forgot...

BRANDO: Never will.

FERRIGNO: He never forgot friendship. And especially if he liked you...

BRANDO: It was very important to him.

FERRIGNO: ...he always would support you.

KING: Thanks, Lou.

FERRIGNO: Thank you.

KING: Thanks for coming.

FERRIGNO: Thank you for having me on your show.

KING: Miko will remain. And Miko, by the way, has written an exclusive commentary for our blog. I read it this afternoon. It's terrific. Read it by going to CNN.com/larryking.

The last man, presumably, to see Michael alive was his personal doctor. We will talk to the doctor's attorney, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We go now to Houston, Texas.

We're joined by Ed Chernoff. He is the attorney for Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

When -- when, Ed, did Dr. Murray start as Michael's private physician?

ED CHERNOFF, ATTORNEY FOR JACKSON'S DOCTOR: He started as his personal physician in May of 2009, Larry. He had known him, but he wasn't -- he didn't know him in a -- in the capacity as a doctor/patient.

KING: Did Michael drop his previous physician?

CHERNOFF: You know, that's -- that's something we don't know. That's a good question. We don't know who his physician was prior to Dr. Murray or if he dropped him at all.

KING: Yes.

CHERNOFF: And that's -- that's, I think, something that the police are investigating.

KING: Is Dr. Murray being investigated?

CHERNOFF: He is not a suspect. Now, I think everybody's being investigated, if you put it that way. But he's not a suspect. We've been told he's not a suspect by the police. Many times they reported that and they continue to report that. And I take them at -- at their -- at their word.

KING: So to your knowledge, he was not prescribing drugs that shouldn't be described to Michael?

CHERNOFF: No. He was prescribing -- what Dr. Murray was prescribing was appropriate for his medical conditions and medical complaints. They were appropriate prescriptions. They were -- there -- and the doctor took the necessary precautions when he -- when he prescribed them. So no. There was nothing illegal or improper about the prescriptions that the doctor gave Michael Jackson.

KING: If you can, walk us through last Thursday. And obviously you weren't there.

So what did your -- your client say to you?

How did he come to discover that Michael collapsed and wasn't breathing?

What was the situation, as he related it to you?

CHERNOFF: OK. All right. First of all, he was staying the night, Larry. He had been asked to stay the night there. So he was there, just fortunately. And at some time before noon on Thursday morning, late Thursday morning, Dr. Murray went into Michael Jackson's room -- bedroom -- and saw him there and he wasn't breathing.

And then he -- he ran over to him and checked that he was not breathing, felt for a pulse, found a pulse, very weak, felt that his body was still warm and started administering CPR.

KING: Did he do that on the floor?

You don't do CPR on the bed, right?

CHERNOFF: Well, I mean there's...

KING: No, I heard that you don't do it on the bed.

CHERNOFF: Yes. There is a difference of opinion about -- about that. You know, Dr. Murray is a cardiologist. He knows how to perform CPR.

KING: Yes.

CHERNOFF: He knows the importance of getting Michael Jackson's heart going. And he did just that. He kept him in a -- with a pulse for 25, 30 minutes before the emergency personnel got there.

KING: Who called 911?

CHERNOFF: It was security personnel that called 911. And they were in the room. I think if you've heard the 911 tape, it was security. Dr. Murray was in the room when they called.

KING: What did Dr. Murray tell you was the time lapse between discovering Michael and the emergency crew getting there?

CHERNOFF: Well, we can't -- we can't be sure exactly, but we've estimated that it's around 25 to 30 minutes before the emergency personnel got there, the ambulance got there.

KING: Did Dr. Murray know that he had lost his patient?

CHERNOFF: I don't think that sunk in for some time. He worked -- he worked for 25, 30 minutes trying to revive him, doing everything he possibly could to revive Mr. Jackson. He rode in the ambulance with him to the hospital, continuously speaking with the doctors at UCLA, advising them on his condition. He worked and worked and worked to try to revive him.

I don't think he really gave up on Michael Jackson until the UCLA doctors said we're just going to have to pronounce him dead.

KING: So he was with him when he died?

CHERNOFF: He was with him the entire time. Then afterwards, after he was pronounced dead, the doctor went and consoled the family. He was at the hospital for several hours after that as well. KING: Did the daughters know what was going on while this -- the daughter and the son know what was going on while all this was happening?

CHERNOFF: I don't know. They probably did, Larry. They were at the hospital, and it was --

KING: I mean at the house.

CHERNOFF: No. I've heard some reports. I don't think so. They weren't allowed in Michael Jackson's room. And the doctor does not recall them being around while this was going on. So I don't think so. They did make it to the hospital after the fact.

KING: What does Dr. Murray say about reports Michael Jackson was using Demerol and Oxycontin?

CHERNOFF: Well, he didn't know it. You know, he -- he's heard the reports now. And he's been his doctor for, at the time, a month and 25 days, less than two months. He has never seen him use Demerol. He's never seen him use Oxycontin. So that would be -- that would be a surprise to him.

KING: I have a cardiologist. I've never asked him to stay overnight. Why was he asked to stay overnight?

CHERNOFF: He asked him on occasion to stay overnight. Let me clear up something to make sure we understand. Dr. Murray was not a doctor first. He was a friend first. They were a close, personal friends. They had been for several -- for a couple of years --

KING: That's different.

CHERNOFF: --- before he ever became his doctor. Michael Jackson really treated him as family and, on occasion, he would ask him to stay over. It got more and more frequent.

KING: I see.

CHERNOFF: It wasn't surprising that he would ask him to. In this case, it was tragic. But it was -- if he was ever going to be staying, it would be lucky that he was staying over.

KING: We're going to call on you, again, Ed. This is -- you're providing a lot of good information. One other thing for now, was Dr. Murray ever investigated or brought up on charges of any improper medical concepts prior to this?

CHERNOFF: Never. Never. In 20 years, he's never even been sued for malpractice. I think it would be hard put to find any doctor that could say that after 20 years.

KING: Thanks, Ed. We're going to call on you again.

CHERNOFF: Thank you, Larry. KING: Ed Chernoff, the attorney for Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Why would Michael Jackson's family want his body examined twice? Top forensic scientists will take us inside the world of celebrity autopsies next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(SINGING)

KING: We're joined now by two of the most prominent forensic pathologists in America. In Pittsburgh, Dr. Cyril Wecht, former coroner, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, author of "A Question of Murder." IN Manchester, New Hampshire, Dr. Henry Lee, chief emeritus division of scientific services of Connecticut Department of Public Safety, and the author of the book "Blood Crimes."

Doctor Wecht, from what sketchily you know now, off the top, what would you be that was a guess, cause of death, or do you need information?

DR. CYRIL WECHT, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: I believe this is going to be a case of acute combined drug toxicity. I believe there will three or more drugs involved. Demerol being the principle drug that led to central nervous system depression, and then cardio-respiratory depression and arrest. That's what I predict will be the cause of death.

KING: Dr. Lee, what are your thoughts?

DR. HENRY LEE, FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST: I have to wait for the full toxicology report and a look at the crime scene. Try to see what kind of prescription medicine -- what's cause of the event. And we know around noon-time, his physician walked in the room. Was he in bed, on the floor, or in the bathroom? Any prescriptions? What he ate for lunch? Those are evidence we have to look for.

KING: Why -- Dr. Wecht, why a second autopsy?

WECHT: A second autopsy is done for several reasons, Larry. One, family wants to have somebody they can talk to immediately, spend time with them, explain things, and tell them what's going on, what to expect and so on. The medical examiner is constrained at this point. he is part of an on-going criminal investigation. He's just not free to talk about these things.

Also, you want to make sure that everything that has been done that covers the full spectrum, that nothing has been missed. Then you want to have somebody, possibly for an on-going consultant, to play a role as you proceed in other matters, whether they be civil or criminal. All of those things come together and provide a basis for --

KING: Dr. Lee, if it is a group of drugs -- if it is -- the crime would be what? Against the doctor prescribing it?

LEE: Well, of course, who prescribed it, what's the dosage, and what's the effect on the human body. Those are very important factors to determine.

KING: Why does it take so long, Dr. Wecht, to get final results?

WECHT: The toxicology results, Larry, will be known to them tomorrow or Wednesday. They'll know which drugs and the quantitation of those drugs. They have to look at all the medical records. They have to look at all the interviews being conducted by the homicide and drug abuse detectives. They have to get the pharmacist records. They have to correlate that.

They also have to do other examinations which take longer than toxicological analysis. They've got to examine the brain. That has to be fixed for 10 to 14 days, and then go back and do studies on the brain. I would be surprised if they're not doing that. They may have special studies of the heart. And all those things are going to take longer.

The correlation of all that information gleamed from their office and from other investigations, with the autopsy findings, the microscopic findings and the toxicological analysis, will lead them ultimately to not only determining the cause of death, but then, very importantly, the manner of death: suicide, accident, or homicide.

KING: Dr. Lee --

LEE: Or undetermined.

KING: May be undetermined, right. Dr. Lee, from what you know now and based on your vast experience, do you think there was something hanky-panky anywhere along the line here?

LEE: Any type of death you treat as a suspicious. Then you have to investigate. Of course, Michael Jackson is an icon in the country and the world. Everybody was looking at it. That's why the coroner's office very cautiously right this moment, still undetermined, still under investigation.

And homicide and robbery squad -- today, the coroner's office went back to the scene. That's very important, to look at the scene, look at the medicine cabinet, look at the prescription, and any vial, any information at the scene can give them some clue.

KING: We're going call on both of you again. Thank you for your expertise, Dr. Cyril Wecht, Dr. Henry Lee. We'll go back to Michael Jackson's report for a live report. Miko Brando is coming back too. And John Landis will be here when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Before we get an update from Ted Rowlands on the scene, Michael's Father, Joe, spoke of his late son's legacy earlier today. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE JACKSON: I wish that Michael could be here to see all of this. He had to wait until something happened like this before -- before it could be realized.

Michael is -- was a superstar. He's a superstar all over the world. He was loved in every country in the United States, and every country all over the world. He was loved.

One thing Michael didn't know is -- he didn't know how strong this would be, because he tried hard to please everybody. The sick, he donated so much money to the sick. He helped the blind. He helped everybody that needed help. And he was glad to do it.

I've seen Michael help so many people. Sometimes he would go and cry about it, because he felt sorry for the people he was helping. So, you know, I was very proud of my son and the legacy of Michael will still go on. I promise you that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Shortly after he spoke, investigators were turned to Michael's rented home. Ted, why were they back when they cleared the scene Friday? Because Dr. Lee just said that's a sign of possible foul play.

ROWLANDS: Yes, and more information. You know, keep in mind, over the weekend is when they talked to Dr. Conrad Murray. He may have given them information about specifics inside the house and where certain things might be.

And another thing is after they came out, today, they had the two bags of evidence. They also came over and made a very brief statement. They said there's medication in the house. They wouldn't say what they took out of the house. But they make a note to say that the family has been cooperative. Possibly family members that they have now been interviewing over the last few days have told them X, Y, and Z, may be important. That's why they've come back today to collect potential evidence.

KING: Ted, are people still coming by the house? Tourists peering in?

ROWLANDS: Yes, absolutely. There's people right behind me here. There is an ever growing memorial here of flowers. We've seen a lot of flowers come out. Of course, the media is here as well. Absolutely, people are coming here. You talk to them; a lot of people say they just wanted to be with like-minded people, people like themselves, that feel as though they love Michael Jackson so much that they want to do something. They're coming out here and paying their respects to Michael Jackson.

Really this and the parent's home in Encino Hills are the only spots to go at this point, as they wait for information on a potential public memorial, which we're still, of course, awaiting information on, as the family figures out exactly what they're going to do.

KING: Quickly, did something happen at the courthouse today?

ROWLANDS: Yes, absolutely, a flurry of things happened at the courthouse. Basically, what's going on is the parents, Katherine, specifically, she is on a petition to take control of the kids, at least have custody granted temporarily. She was able to gain custody of the children.

She's asking to control the estate, at least temporarily, and she was given that, too, as well, to help pay for the children's care while this is all sorted out. There have been hearings set for both of those things. They're coming out. You can bet there are going to be more players at those hearings, looking to get in on the action, possibly, at least on the estate side.

KING: Thanks, as always, Ted Rowlands at the Jackson home. The man who created music video history with Michael Jackson's famed "Thriller"; director John Landis plus Miko Brando next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Miko Brando returns. He'll be with us frequently throughout this tragic after-period, close friend, who appears, by the way, in the album "Thriller." Speaking of "Thriller," John Landis in London preparing for another film he will direct. He directed Michael's ground breaking 1983 musical video, maybe the most purchased, most-watched video in history. Here's an excerpt from "Thriller."

(SINGING)

KING: John, how did you come to direct that?

JOHN LANDIS, DIRECTOR OF "THRILLER": I was living in London, actually, at the time when I got a call from Michael. He had just seen "An American Werewolf in London." He basically called me and said he wanted to turn into a monster. That eventually became "Thriller." By the way, hi, Miko, how are you?

BRANDO: Hey, John, how are you? Nice to see you.

KING: Hold it, John, what was your role in "Thriller?"

BRANDO: I was in the scene when Michael's in the theater with all the rain. I'm sitting right in front of him eating popcorn, watching the movie. And that was it.

KING: John, did you have any idea -- I know how unpredictable movies are.

LANDIS: Miko made the piece, by the way, just so you know.

KING: John, did you have any idea -- I know how unpredictable movies are. Did you have any idea this would be the hit it became?

LANDIS: Oh, of course not. First of all, something to remember about "Thriller" that people forget is the album "Thriller," Quincy and Michael's album, had already been the most successful album of all time. It had been out a little over a year and was now like number six or something. It was huge. And they had done "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," two very successful videos.

So when Michael came to me, I thought, well, I'd like to -- I didn't want to make a rock video. They're basically commercials for records. So I said, you know, can we do a theatrical short. And I proposed this thing. I'll never forget Michael calling Walter Yetnechof (ph), who basically told us, in different language, to go away. So, "Thriller" was just what you call a vanity video. We raised the money independently. We did not expect that. Once it came out, the album, which was already the most successful album of all time, quadrupled in sales.

KING: Video likewise. What was -- what was -- John, what was he like to work? We keep hearing from everyone what a perfectionist he was. True?

LANDIS: Oh, yes. Michael was a very hard-working and very disciplined guy. In "Thriller," especially, he was in his prime, very cooperative and fun, extremely professional. I mean, I have to tell you that being with Michael at that time -- Miko can tell you -- it was so surreal because he was such a monster star, and he used to get telephone calls and set visits.

When I worked with him he was visited by Lillian Disney, people like Fred Astair and Miko's dad and Jackie Kennedy. And it was so, holy cow. It was just remarkable.

KING: Miko, AP reports that Michael had completed an elaborate video production just two weeks before his death. The sets included a cemetery recalling the "Thriller" video. True?

BRANDO: True.

KING: When will we see that?

BRANDO: Good question. I'm sure people would love to see that. I would hope soon, hopefully.

KING: And you were teamed on a video after that, right, Michael, "Black or White?"

LANDIS: Yes. I'm John. But, yes.

KING: Did you notice any -- hey, this is all getting to all of us. John, did you notice any different in Michael again?

LANDIS: Truthfully, yes. It was quite a few years later. How many years later, Miko? I don't -- five, six years later?

BRANDO: Five, six, seven, eight, yes, at least.

LANDIS: And Michael had had quite a bit more surgery, so he looked very different. And he was -- it was different. "Thriller", Michael came to me and let me write it and produce it and direct it. And he was totally cooperative. It was great.

"Black and White" was more me working for Michael. He hired me to fulfill his vision, which could get pretty wacky at times. It was different, but it was very fun.

KING: Let me get a break. John and Miko remain with us.

(NEWS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(SINGING)

KING: John, you said that despite his gifts, Michael Jackson was a tragic figure. Explain.

LANDIS: Well, I always found Michael -- he was -- first of all, let me say one thing way up front, which is that I have nothing but love and admiration for Mike, in terms of as a person and as a truly international and great star. I was aware of that from the beginning. But he often was sad and he was eccentric. You know.

Once we are at Universal at my office, and I said, let's go up to the Back to the Future ride. It's very cool. And he said, OK, but I have to put on a disguise. And I said, Mike, no one will bother. He said no, I have to put on a disguise. So he went to the car and he came back with a red satin surgical mask, this big impresario hat, and a cape. And I just said, OK, Mike, no one will notice you now.

He was really outrageous and very sweet. He was a very sweet guy.

KING: Why tragic?

LANDIS: Seriously? Look at what's going on right now. It's tragic. There's no reason for this person to be dead, and there's no reason for him to be break, and there's no reason for this bizarre thing that's going to go on now. He's a tragic guy. He was -- I mean -- you can tell that -- I mean, everyone who worked with Michael is very fond of him. He was a lovely person. But I find him --

KING: That's sad. Do you agree, Miko?

BRANDO: I agree with John, yes. But Michael lived big. Everything -- John was saying eccentric. He did everything big, the best.

KING: How well did he pay you?

BRANDO: He paid me very well.

KING: Who is paying you now?

BRANDO: The estate.

KING: You're not going to get shut out of this?

BRANDO: As far as I know now?

KING: What is your role now? BRANDO: Taking care of his elements, his stuff, his personal stuff.

KING: Do you think he's going to be bigger in death now, going to sell more?

BRANDO: Absolutely.

KING: The videos and albums are going to go through the roof? They already --

BRANDO: I wish he was here to see it, yes. Absolutely, yes.

KING: John, quickly, what film are you starting?

LANDIS: I'm doing a film for Ailing (ph) studios that hasn't been announced yet called "Birk And Hare." I'm very happy with it. It's a very dark romantic comedy. But --

KING: If it's dark, you'll be happy with it.

LANDIS: It's funny. It's very funny.

KING: What did you want to say, quick?

LANDIS: I was going to say that you asked about Michael's -- how will his legacy -- Michael was already firmly established. And, yes, I mean, this bizarre thing, now that he's dead, he'll be like a bigger star. Elvis sells more records every year passed away than he did alive.

KING: We're out of time. Thanks, John, see you again. Good luck.

LANDIS: Good night. Thank you.

BRANDO: Thank you, Larry.

KING: Miko will return tomorrow. Miko will be our regular co- host through the week. Thanks for joining us. Time now for Anderson Cooper and "AC 360." Anderson?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/29/lkl.01.html

Jackson Family Legal Team Interview; Farrah Fawcett's Funeral

Aired June 30, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, Michael Jackson's body on display to the world -- a public viewing set for Friday at Neverland so fans can say good-bye and see the face of pop music for themselves.

(MUSIC)

KING: The Jackson family attorneys are here with exclusive details about his mysterious death.

What's the latest today?

His children -- were they really his?

And the just discovered will -- what's in it?

A fight over money, the kids, Michael Jackson's legacy -- how big of a battle?

And Farrah Fawcett's funeral -- friends and family bid farewell to an angel, next on LARRY KING LIVE.

Let's get caught up with our reporters on the scene, Al Sharpton and then meet the attorneys for the Jackson family.

At the Neverland Ranch is Kara Finnstrom. At the Encino, California residence is Susan Roesgen.

And here in the L.A. Bureau is Drew Griffin.

All outstanding correspondents, all who have been on top of this story from the get go.

What's the latest at the ranch -- Kara?

What's the latest you can tell us about what's going to happen there?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, we've watched this two lane country road just outside of Neverland Ranch completely transform over the last couple of hours. Media have converged here and you can hear the helicopter overhead. Fans are behind us.

What we know about what's going to be happening over this weekend is that on Thursday morning -- late Thursday morning, we're told Michael Jackson's body will be brought from the Los Angeles area. It will be brought by a motorcade of some 30 cars over a distance of about 130 miles back here, home from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.

That is going to be quite an undertaking. We're told law enforcement is trying to iron out all the details -- the security concerns, the traffic concerns associated with that. And then, Larry, we're told on Friday, there will be a public viewing of Michael Jackson's body and on Sunday, a private memorial service, just for his family.

KING: All right.

And in Encino, Susan Roesgen is at the home.

What about the children in all of this, Susan?

Any word?

Where are they?

How are they doing?

SUSAN ROESGEN, GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Larry, mourners are coming here, partly to get a glimpse of the children. They'd like to see the children. We understand that the children are in the home behind me, the Jackson family home. But, honestly, Larry, you have to remember that they always wore masks and were covered up for most of Michael Jackson's life. Very few pictures of them without the masks.

So if they were to come out here, maybe even set up a lemonade stand, who would know it?

Who would even recognize them?

We'll keep on and we'll look for them. But, you know, they -- they may or may not be there.

KING: Good point.

Drew Griffin, our famed investigative journalist, what's the latest on the investigation?

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: The investigators -- the robbery/homicide detectives in L.A. Still combing through this town, trying to find out whatever they can about the medications that may have been used. That's the track they're on.

KING: Looking to what, arrest the doctor?

What?

GRIFFIN: Not to arrest the doctor, but to -- this is a death investigation, Larry. It still hasn't ratcheted up to a criminal investigation. What they're trying to do is aid the coroner in coming to some kind of conclusion on the death.

What we do know from the experts is most likely, these two autopsies -- the people who have asked for those autopsies know. So the coroner in Los Angeles knows how Michael Jackson died. The family -- whoever got that toxicology and autopsy -- probably know how he died.

I'll be interested to hear what your attorneys have to say.

Why they're not sharing that information, number one, the L.A. County coroner is waiting for the tests on the brain, which takes a while. But certainly the family knows what happened.

KING: If this were the death of Homer Smith, would this be going on?

GRIFFIN: No. It wouldn't...

KING: If Homer Smith's family wants a second autopsy...

GRIFFIN: Well...

KING: ...investigators at the house of Homer Smith?

GRIFFIN: Well, I don't know what Homer did, but I doubt it. But what's very interesting, Larry, and something that happened yesterday, the LAPD and the detectives -- they go back to the house and they go in and supposedly find more evidence. Now, that house had been given up by the LAPD for two days -- the Jackson family in and out of there with a truck.

So in the event this does become something more than just a death investigation, we're back to some kind of evidence issues that we had back in the O.J. Simpson days.

KING: Kara, in view of the kind of remoteness of Neverland, the two lane highway, why would they pick a July 4th weekend to do this?

FINNSTROM: You know, a lot of people in this community are asking that. Really, the only thing they can compare this with was Elizabeth Taylor, back in 1991, got married at Neverland. And they said it was a mess, that there was -- there were the traffic issues, there weren't enough restaurants and hotels to -- to service all the people who were coming in here.

Now, of course, we're talking about potentially a much, much bigger crowd coming in.

We did speak with some of the security detail that are here and some of the county officials that have already come in to try and start coordinating and organizing just the media and fans who have arrived. And they tell us they really don't know what the plan is going to be yet for this week.

KING: But no explanation as to why they picked a holiday weekend, which would have double traffic anyway?

FINNSTROM: Well, Larry, I'm just assuming that they -- you know, that they want to give him a burial at some point here. We don't know that this will be his final resting place. You know, there had been some speculation about that. The locals here certainly hope that isn't a case. They hope it's just a memorial and that they will then be going -- moving him to another location to be buried, because they say they don't want this to turn into another Graceland. They don't want that constant type of, you know, tourist attraction here, if you will.

KING: What's the story, Susan, on the will?

ROESGEN: Well, we understand that there is one will that has surfaced, that the family is aware of it now. They were not aware of it, apparently, when Katherine Jackson, the grandmother, filed a petition to get custody of the children and also to control Michael Jackson's assets that would go to the children.

Now, their lawyer is saying there is a will that was written in 2002. We only know bare bones of it, Larry. And that's just that it gives money to Katherine Jackson. It gives part of the estate to Katherine Jackson, to Michael Jackson's children and to charities.

You know, Michael -- so many -- Larry, so many people have forgotten that Michael Jackson gave millions away to charities. And that he apparently wanted in death for some of his estate to go there, too.

KING: And, Susan, is a will public knowledge?

ROESGEN: It is only in that that the family for the lawyer has confirmed that, yes, there is one out there. But one has not been filed today. We've been keeping track of the Los Angeles superior court here. There were no paperwork, no wills filed today. So the official filing and what it really says, we don't know yet.

KING: And, Drew, there is -- is there any foul play thought of here?

GRIFFIN: You know...

KING: I mean with all this -- that would be the thought, is this foul play?

GRIFFIN: Look, this is Michael Jackson. This is special even if nothing happened there, right?

But the fact of the matter is, on that first day, Larry, they -- they impound the doctor's car and they haul it away. There's got to be a reason for that. And they go back to the house on Monday. There's got to be a reason for that. If Michael Jackson just died and we know how he died and there's no question about how he died, it's being drug out a long time before they give us the answers.

KING: Thanks, Drew.

GRIFFIN: But with all of that, still, death investigation, not criminal.

KING: Thanks, Drew.

Obviously, CNN atop the scene.

Fans of Michael Jackson have had an opportunity to pay tribute to him today at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater. In 1967, Jackson and his brother won an amateur night showcase there. Michael was just nine. Emotions ran high inside the Apollo today.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. AL SHARPTON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S LONGTIME FRIEND: There was one young man that broke down race barriers, national barriers, made a way for Tiger Woods, made a way for Oprah Winfrey, made a way for Barack Obama. You can lie on him, but we believe in him.

(MUSIC)

SHARPTON: Stand up!

Stand up for Michael!

(MUSIC)

SHARPTON: Over here!

(MUSIC)

SHARPTON: Back there!

(MUSIC)

SHARPTON: Blame it on what?

(MUSIC)

SHARPTON: Come on!

(MUSIC)

SPIKE LEE, FILMMAKER: What Michael meant to us means so much. And let's not wallow in the negativity that they're trying to drag us down into.

SHARPTON: Long live!

UNIDENTIFIED SUPPORTERS: Michael!

SHARPTON: Long live!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Reverend Al Sharpton, long time friend of the Jackson family, orchestrated today's tribute at the Apollo.

He'll join us when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: His music is still with us. He's a great legend and he's the king of pop.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything I am, I owe it all to Michael Jackson.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's in a much better place -- a much better place. No more pain.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Joining us from New York, Reverend Al Sharpton, longtime friend. He presided over that public tribute today. He's been consulting with the family, as well, about the funeral.

Why the Apollo, Al?

SHARPTON: Well, you know, I thought it was very important that we send a signal. Those that really believe that Michael's image has been tarnished by the media, in many ways, that the people really love him. And I felt that we that are not in his inner circle, have no business interests, not in any way in a confidante level, but just have known him and worked with him on civil rights causes could do it so people would say wait a minute, with all of the controversy, people loved him.

And when you see the thousands that came out today, it, I think, changes the story, that despite all that has been said about him, people with no vested interest, not that close with him but that knew and respected his work, came out to say he was the king and he made ways for us.

KING: Why do you make him the forerunner of Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama?

SHARPTON: I think that what Michael Jackson and his brothers did in the '70s and '80s is create a comfort level where people of different races and nationalities began to accept, based on people's skills and work, that they could be like them and admire them and not be intimidated or fearful of doing that across the color line. So the kids that wore the little jackets like Michael Jackson and the pants legs up above the ankle and the hat imitating Michael -- the white kids in Iowa, the Asian kids in Japan -- these are the kids that grew up and voted for Obama, because race, to them, was different.

KING: Yes. What...

SHARPTON: These are the kids that cheered for Tiger Woods. You've got to give the Jacksons and Michael credit that they created a comfort level that, I think, grew and grew to where we are now.

KING: One other -- one other quick thing and we'll see you out here, I guess, tomorrow.

Do you fear that this weekend, July 4th weekend, as well, might turn into a zoo?

SHARPTON: I think that's up to the family. Like I said, I'm not in that circle. I was asked by some of them to just give my opinions. And I will.

But I -- what I'm talking about is the social legacy of Michael, as one that worked with him from time to time. I thought it was important that somebody expressed the views that was positive, since everyone else was trying to beat down his image. And I don't think he deserves that.

I didn't always agree with Michael, but I think Michael was a strong historic force that is being treated unfairly and I intend to keep fighting for him.

KING: Well, you're very eloquent.

We'll see you out here tomorrow.

SHARPTON: Thank you, Larry.

KING: Thanks, Al, as always.

Reverend Al Sharpton.

Farrah Fawcett's funeral took place today.

Did her jailed son make it to his mother's service?

We'll talk to someone who was there in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: A private funeral service today for actress Farrah Fawcett conducted at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angles in Los Angeles. The woman who became a TV star and international sex symbol in the 1970s as one of "Charlie's Angels" died last Thursday at age 62 after a long battle with cancer.

Joining us at the location, Bonnie Tiegel, senior producer of "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider."

Bonnie was invited to attend today's private funeral and memorial for Farrah Fawcett.

Was this -- was this a high mass?

BONNIE TIEGEL, SENIOR PRODUCER, "ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT" & "THE INSIDER": I believe it was a high mass, coming from a Jewish girl. But I do believe that it was a high mass. It was -- Larry, it was just absolutely amazing when Redmond walked in, Ryan walked in, Tatum walked in, Alayna (ph). Kate Jackson was there. Gary Shandling was there. Cheryl Tiegs was there. Marla Maples was there. That there was such an amazing feeling in that church.

KING: Yes.

TIEGEL: It was love. It was great, great feeling.

KING: Did Redmond go back to jail?

TIEGEL: I believe Redmond was going back to jail. But before he went back to jail, he was actually the first person to speak. And he read a psalm. Ryan followed. And it seemed that Ryan's psalm -- that, actually, Redmond's psalm was still on the podium. Ryan got up there. He said, this isn't -- this isn't mine, what I'm going to read. He said, oh, Redmond read that. I can't do it again because he did it so great.

So he was accompanied by law enforcement people. He was in a suit. He looked good. I know it was very tough. Farrah's dad was there, as well.

But I do believe he was going back to -- back to his incarceration.

KING: Any word on burial?

TIEGEL: No word on burial. I know there's a big celebration I'm about to go to that Ryan is throwing. And he did an amazing job by arranging all of this -- just a phenomenal job. A great feeling...

KING: How is he doing?

TIEGEL: I think it's tough. I think it's tough, even though everybody knew this day was going to come. There was still hope and belief. And, as you know, we've lost a lot of people this week and last week. It's something that we just to deal with. The love of his life...

KING: Any public memorial?

TIEGEL: Not that I'm aware of. I think that's still in the works.

KING: Did you know her well, Bonnie?

TIEGEL: I didn't know her well. I followed everything that went along through the years, very much, with Alayna over the last three years -- and Farrah. And it was very kind of Ryan to -- to allow me to come. I feel very honored -- very, very honored to be there.

KING: Thank you.

Thank you, Bonnie.

Always good seeing you.

TIEGEL: Thank you.

Always.

Thanks, Larry.

KING: Bonnie Tiegel, senior producer, "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider."

What about Michael's will, his children, all the legal issues ahead?

All three of the Jackson family attorneys are right here, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: The three attorneys who represent the Jackson family all join us now.

They are London McMillan, lead attorney; Burt Levitch, who filed for Katherine Jackson to have control of the estate; and Diane Goodman, who also filed. They are from three different law firms. All represent. London is the lead.

What about the public memorial for Michael, London, at Neverland?

What do we know?

LONDELL MCMILLAN, LEAD ATTORNEY FOR KATHERINE AND JOE JACKSON: We know the family is planning that. And we'll get more information as it -- as it goes. We've kind of left the family to privately deal with those issues. And we'll take instructions from them and (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: Do you know why they chose July 4th weekend?

MCMILLAN: I'm not quite sure. It was a family decision. I think that's an ongoing discussion. And we support the family in whatever they choose to do.

KING: Burt, any funeral plans?

BURT LEVITCH, JACKSON FAMILY ATTORNEY: None that I know of, Larry.

KING: Is there a private funeral Sunday?

LEVITCH: Again, I have to...

KING: What was his...

LEVITCH: ...turn to London to answer those questions.

KING: London, is there a private funeral?

MCMILLAN: They are -- I'm not sure about the funeral plans. We -- we're the lawyers, Larry.

KING: Now, you said earlier today that the will from Michael Jackson written in 2002 has been located.

MCMILLAN: Yes, we received a copy of the will after we filed our -- our petitions yesterday to protect the estate and to protect the children on behalf of the family and Ms. Katherine Jackson. So we're currently reviewing the will. And we're going to review it in due course. And we've hired some very competent people who are in the trust and estates areas, as well as in the family areas. And I have my colleagues to my -- to my left.

KING: That is a specialty, is it not?

Are you a specialty, Burt, in trusts?

LEVITCH: Yes. Trusts and estates.

KING: Is there anything about this will, without revealing it -- I realize that -- that is especially surprising?

LEVITCH: I think we'll have to wait until it becomes public.

KING: Well, are you surprised, without being -- necessarily telling us -- by anything in it?

Just, you know, give me a little hint.

LEVITCH: Well, in a way, it reflects a thoughtful decedent.

KING: Thought -- you mean Michael was very thoughtful in this?

LEVITCH: That's how I take it, initially. But I'd also like to confer with the family to get a better sense of their take on it.

KING: OK.

Will anything, Diane, in it surprise people?

DIANE GOODMAN, JACKSON FAMILY ATTORNEY: No, I don't think so.

KING: OK.

Who drew it up, by the way?

LEVITCH: We don't know.

KING: So you weren't the lawyer at the time?

LEVITCH: No. Absolutely not.

KING: Why, Diane, are three different law firms involved? GOODMAN: Well, I'm involved in representing Mrs. Jackson in the guardianship matter. I do parentage law, family law. And my goal is to provide for the stability of the children in who they live with.

KING: Did the family attorneys file documents stating that there was no will?

Was that -- did that ever happen?

LEVITCH: At the time, there was no will. We went into court yesterday morning for the specific purpose of having Katherine appointed as special administrator for an interim period so that she could begin the process of securing the assets to make sure that things didn't start disappearing.

KING: And that happened, right?

LEVITCH: That did.

KING: She was granted that?

Temporary means what?

LEVITCH: There is a pair of hearings pending. And at that time, the court will be making a determination as to whether those appointments should be made permanent.

KING: You can change your will every day, right, London?

I can write a new will tomorrow for the will I wrote yesterday?

MCMILLAN: Well, if you're alive, obviously, you can do that.

KING: Yes.

Yes, good point.

Thank you.

MCMILLAN: And let me -- let me just clarify. When you said there was no will, there was no will presented to the family as of the time of the filing.

KING: I see. Yes. But there could have been a will you don't know about that might have been changed, that will written in 2006, right?

MCMILLAN: Well, that's the process. That is correct. And we're trying to actually ascertain whether or not there are other documents, whether there are other wills. We really want to try and find what was the best intent of Michael Jackson.

KING: In view of the public's attention to this, Burt, is this going to be a really long, drawn out, involved affair involving the death, the cause of death, the will, the whole drama? LEVITCH: I'm not sure how long the drama will last. Obviously, Michael Jackson is beyond an iconic figure and his life and his death are of importance to the world.

And in that sense, I think there will be media attention on this set of issues for a long time. In terms of the complexity of the estate administration, you need to keep in mind that, to the best of our knowledge, his business dealings were quite complex. And it will take quite a long time to sort out all of those issues.

KING: What about all of the questions about the children -- who's the father and all of that.

What do you make of that?

How involved is that going to get, Diane?

GOODMAN: I don't think it will be. The father is clearly Michael Jackson. He's the legal father. He's listed on the children's birth certificates and that is the children's only father.

KING: Where did this start about Dr. Arnie Klein, the dermatologist, who, by the way, said that he will discuss this at all today -- being called the father?

Do you know where that started?

MCMILLAN: I have no idea. But one thing I can tell you about representing Mrs. Jackson for three-and-a-half years, there are always so many rumors and so much scandal. But what I've known about him for three years is he's always been very kind, very giving, well spoken, well read and loving.

And I recall coming back from a deposition preparation one day. And we were supposed to plan on going through the practices. And we came home and all these children just ran up on him and showed him so much love. He just looked at me and said, "We'll have to postpone." He was a loving father. He had a (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: But where did all these stories come from?

MCMILLAN: These stories come from -- he's such a creative, transformative, extraordinary figure, who has done some things that, quite frankly, has -- has really inspired many of us and also challenged us in many different ways. And people want to just always talk about an icon.

When you represent celebrities, they just want to talk about them. They talk about you, too, sometimes, Larry.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: I heard.

Did you -- do you deal with his lawyer, Michael's lawyer, as well? LEVITCH: Well, we're certainly dealing together on this.

KING: I mean with Michael's lawyer?

LEVITCH: Well, you know, that's an interesting question, Larry -- the question of who's Michael -- who Michael's lawyer was.

KING: We don't know who his lawyer...

LEVITCH: Well, I think there were a lot of lawyers over a period of time. That's one of the reasons that there's...

KING: Does he have a current one?

LEVITCH: ...some confusion now.

KING: Doesn't he have a current lawyer?

MCMILLAN: When you say Michael, who are you referring to?

KING: Jackson.

MCMILLAN: Well, let's be...

GOODMAN: (INAUDIBLE).

MCMILLAN: Let's be clear. I'm...

GOODMAN: Once he's deceased...

MCMILLAN: I was one of Michael's lawyers, but, unfortunately, Michael is deceased and he used about three or four of us lawyers. And I handled many of his matters (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: So you represented both him and the family?

MCMILLAN: I represent Ms. Katherine Jackson, Mr. Joseph Jackson and I represented Michael for the three-and-a-half years prior to his passing, along with other lawyers.

KING: Are those other lawyers still involved?

MCMILLAN: Some of them are still involved.

KING: The registered nurse who says Michael pled for powerful sedatives will join us.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Our panel of legal eagles remains.

We're going to spend some time, however, on the phone with the Cherilyn Lee, the registered nurse who apparently was involved in some way with administering drugs to Michael Jackson, as she says. When did you -- when did you work with him, Cherilyn?

CHERILYN LEE, NURSE, TREATED JACKSON: From January until three months ago.

KING: Of this year?

LEE: Yes.

KING: How did he retain you?

LEE: Actually, through a very close, dear friend. He called and had a concern. His kids had a little cold. And he wanted to know if I would come by and take a look at the kids. And then while I was there, he said, well, what else do you do?

And I said, well, I help people if they have low energy. And, you know, some of the people I've worked with for low energy when they needed it was Shaquille O'Neal, through his father-in-law, Lee Nelson.

And -- and so it sort of happened from there.

KING: And then you -- you -- did you see him various -- at various times at his home?

LEE: Yes, I did.

KING: OK.

And when did he ask you about the drug Diprivan?

LEE: About three months ago.

KING: And what is Diprivan?

LEE: And when he mentioned it to me, I actually had never heard of it. And what I did was, I said, are you sure? What are you trying to tell me? Because it sounds so much like so many other things.

And I was at his home. I excused myself from him. I called a dear friend, a physician, and asked him what was it. And he said that is a very serious drug, one that you do not use outside of a hospital. It's only used in the ICU.

And basically it's to quiet a portion of the nerve ending -- well a component of the brain. And he actually kind of broke it all down. And I said OK. So I went back to Michael, because I had to step out away from the house because the reception is bad to use a cell phone in his home. And I went back to Michael and I said, Michael, this is -- why do you want this drug? He said, I told you I need to sleep.

And I had already kind of watched him a couple of times. He said I want you to stay here and watch me sleep.

KING: I want to cut through here. Did you give him the drug? LEE: Oh, no, no, no! This is -- I did not give him the drug. I warned him not to take this drug. I said, I don't know who -- have you ever taken it before? He said yes. I just want to go to sleep and sleep well. If you can find me an anesthesiologist, or can you find me someone to come here and monitor me while I sleep, while they give me this IV.

I said, Michael, this is not a safe drug. This is not a safe drug. So this is when I went back to my office, picked up my PDR, went back to Michael and showed him verbatim in the PDR what would happen to him. I said you could not take this. I don't know why someone told you this is safe; it is not safe.

KING: That drug is given intravenously, isn't it?

LEE: Yes, it is.

KING: You would have no knowledge if after talking to you he took it?

LEE: No, because I didn't see him any more after that. That was three months ago.

KING: Based on that conversation, did you have grave concerns about him?

LEE: I had concerns, but I had concerns that he couldn't sleep. And I know -- I didn't know of anybody who was going to give him that drug. I said no one is going to give you that drug. If somebody did give it to you a long time ago, that's probably why they never gave it to you again. And in what setting did you have it? And he didn't want to answer all the questions. And I said OK, let me show you.

He said, OK, I see it's dangerous. But as long as somebody monitored me, I should be OK. I said, no you're not OK.

KING: Have detectives talked you about this?

LEE: No.

KING: You would cooperate with them if they did, right?

LEE: Oh, most definitely.

KING: When you heard of his death, were you shocked?

LEE: Oh my, I was beyond shocked. I'm still shocked. You know --

KING: Even though you knew he wanted this drug which could harm him?

LEE: I knew he wanted it, but I didn't see anyone giving it to him. Personally, I just didn't see -- after warning him, I didn't see anyone giving him that drug, after I went through all of the information as to what would happen to him. KING: What medicines did you give him?

LEE: I didn't give him any medicine. I only gave him nutrition.

KING: So you did things to help with his energy.

LEE: With his energy, cocktails, yes. Food products, yes.

KING: Cherilyn, we'll be back in touch. And maybe you can come back with us tomorrow if we need more information. OK?

LEE: Most definitely. Thank you so much. Thank you.

KING: Any comment on that, London?

MCMILLAN: I don't really understand the point of it, but again --

KING: Well, if he's asking for a drug like this and he said he's used a drug like this, the point of it is, obviously the man was aware of Diprivan; he could ask for a drug like Diprivan; she didn't know what it was; I don't know what it is. If he asked for it, it sounds like a duck, looks like a duck, it might be a duck.

MCMILLAN: This is her comment. It's a hearsay comment. It would be inadmissible anywhere in a court of law. It has no credibility in particular.

KING: Forget inadmissible. Are you concerned when you hear it?

MCMILLAN: I'm concerned when I hear anyone taking drugs or anyone talking about someone taking drugs. I want to also wonder why would one make a comment about something that they don't have much knowledge about, but they just said -- they didn't see the drug administered. It's because, again, of the Michael Jackson factor.

KING: Do you expect more of this, Burt?

LEVITCH: This is outside of my area of expertise.

KING: Your expertise is in --

LEVITCH: Trust and estates.

KING: As is yours, Diane?

GOODMAN: No, mine is in family law.

KING: Well, in family law, do you expect more of this?

GOODMAN: I don't think so.

KING: You don't think more people are going to come forward to say they had dealings with Michael?

GOODMAN: Well, I think there's lots of rumors about it, but I don't think there's anyone else who is going to be able to come forward.

KING: Does this lady concern you?

GOODMAN: No, not for what I do. My job is to protect the stability of the children and what Michael --

KING: Your role is the children? Your role is the trust. Your role is the family? and the --

MCMILLAN: And the trust and the assets.

KING: And the property of Michael's estate.

MCMILLAN: And his legacy, most importantly.

KING: You want to protect his legacy.

MCMILLAN: Absolutely right.

KING: We'll be back with more in a minute. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: The following is a statement that was given to LARRY KING LIVE on behalf of John Branka and Joel Katz. They were hired by Michael Jackson to represent him prior to his untimely death.

These two highly respected attorneys and their law firms are now carrying out his wishes and desires as expressed in his last will and testament. It is their sincere desire that Michael's affairs be handled with dignity and respect. Since 1980, Mr. Branka has played a critical role in helping Mr. Jackson build the substantial assets that are now part of his estate. Mr. Jackson's will, signed on July 7th, 2002, names Mr. Branka as co-executor, along with Mr. Jackson's long time friend, John MacLaine.

The death of Michael Jackson was a tragedy and everyone who knew and loved him pray that he can rest in peace.

Comment, Burt?

LEVITCH: That's an interesting development, Larry. As you know, the family has a copy of the will. And they'll be reviewing it and --

KING: Do you know these lawyers?

LEVITCH: I certainly know one of them to have a fine reputation. I'm not familiar with them. I don't know them, to answer your question.

KING: The reputation of whom do you know?

LEVITCH: John Branka.

KING: He wouldn't speak if he didn't know what he was talking about, right, you would think? LEVITCH: Unlikely. But my concern is he may not have the full picture. There's certainly a possibility that he was involved at one point and, as I said it earlier, in response to a question, things were in transition often in Michael's life.

KING: London, they're saying though that they're his attorneys now, as I read that.

MCMILLAN: Well, John Branka has been with Michael Jackson from '80 till about '96.

KING: And then wasn't?

MCMILLAN: And there was a break. And I understand recently from Mr. Branka that he was just recently brought on a week ago.

KING: Oh, he told you that?

MCMILLAN: Mr. Branka told me and others. I want to put it in context. There's a long history and a legacy that they have had. There was a separation for quite some time. Apparently, Mr. Branka had the will in his safe. So one of the issues that we'll have to explore is, are the individuals named in the will still the people that Mr. Jackson wanted to administer and control his life after he passed and moved on?

KING: This can get involved.

MCMILLAN: It can get involved.

KING: There are claims that Michael's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, is not the biological mother of the two oldest children.

Debbie's attorney had this to say: "we refuse to be drawn into the speculation and rumors. The vast majority of what is out there is untrue, Ms. Rowe is the biological mother of the two eldest children."

As we mentioned earlier, Arnold Klein, the famed dermatologist will not comment at all. There were rumors that he was somehow involved.

Any comment on all of this, London?

MCMILLAN: I'll pass it to my esteemed --

KING: Diane?

GOODMAN: I think under the law, the only parents of the two oldest children are Michael and Debbie Rowe. And those are the only two parents. Whatever other roles people may or may not have played, I'm unaware of, but it doesn't matter. Those are the two legal parents.

KING: In other words, what we're saying is it doesn't matter if John Jones fathered those children; in court, Michael Jackson is the father of those children and Debbie Rowe is the mother. GOODMAN: Correct.

KING: So that's extraneous.

GOODMAN: Right. In parentage law, if someone donates their genetic material to someone else to create children, they give up their parental rights as part of donating their genetic material. They're out of it. So I don't know whether or not that happened here, but, in general, you have no parental rights when you donate your genetic material through a doctor. Then your parental rights are terminated thereafter under California law.

KING: When does it take place in court? When is the will read? When is probate, as they say?

LEVITCH: Assuming there's a will -- we've seen copies. As you have said, the family's aware of it. Eventually, someone needs to lodge that will with the court. That has to happen within 30 days of the decedent's death.

Typically at the same time, a petition for probate is brought, seeking not only the entry of that will to probate, but also the appointment of someone, typically the people named in the will, as the executors of the estate.

KING: And that could take place within 30 days?

LEVITCH: Yes.

KING: Somewhere there. You want to add something, London?

MCMILLAN: Yes, again, I want to go back to what our priorities always were and why we filed. Initially, it was to focus on the best interest of the children and so that we have custody with the wonderful Ms. Katherine Jackson. Everyone knows her as a matriarch of love for this family. They're in great shape.

KING: They're the main object now of concern, right?

MCMILLAN: They're the main concern, and I think we've taken care of that. The second was the family, allowing them time to grieve. I'm a little concerned about statements made about the estate and wills when we should focus on Mr. Michael Jackson, focus on the loss that we have, focus on burying Mr. Jackson, not focusing on the estate and what he left to whom.

KING: You represent the family. Are you a little worried about a zoo this weekend?

MCMILLAN: I'm worried about a zoo, and I think one of the things that we've attempted to do by our representation is to handle this with dignity. And I think the family has handled this relatively superbly and with dignity and class. People have come to Haven Hirsch (ph). People have gone to his other properties and they have been treated very well.

KING: Is there any official word yet on what's going to take place or not? All of this is --

MCMILLAN: All of this is still speculative. I ask people not to rush to judgment. Let's wait until the announcements are made, and respect the family and remember his legacy.

KING: Thank you all very much. We're going to have you back. We will do the probate right here. Everything else is public.

Michael Jackson helped raise tens of millions of dollars here and save countless lives in Africa. We'll take you back to 1985 in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: It's time for Impact Your World. If anyone did that, it's Michael Jackson. In 1985, he co-wrote "We Are the World" to raise awareness and money for famine-ravaged Africa. The song raised more than 60 million dollars, saved countless lives.

Let's listen.

(SINGING)

KING: Joining us now on the phone is Dionne Warwick, who sang "We Are the World" with Michael and dozens of others. What was that like?

DIONNE WARWICK, SINGER: It was an amazing event. Absolutely amazing. It was one of those times where -- you know, where you say you had to be there. I mean, that's basically what it all boils down to. It was a bunch of wonderful people on one accord.

KING: Now, we know that he co-wrote the song. What was his role at the recording?

WARWICK: Well, he sang, of course. And I'm certain that he was in the booth with Quincy and the rest of the engineers listening to playbacks. He was very, very much involved.

KING: Did you have any idea or realize the impact that would have?

WARWICK: Sort of, yes. When you bring a group of entertainers together who have one specific intention, you have to have success. Music rules the world, you know.

KING: You're not kidding. What's the loss meant to you?

WARWICK: An awful lot. Michael was very, very special to me. And he was probably one of the sweetest, kindest, gentlest men I've had the pleasure of knowing and working with.

KING: And thank you so much, Dionne Warwick. For more information about USA for Africa and Impact Your World, go to CNN.com/Impact. Michael's friend Miko Brando is back next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BREAK)

KING: Miko Brando, close friend, long-time employee, Michael's best man at his wedding, godfather to his daughter. He's the son of the late, great Marlon Brando. First let's take care of the Cherilyn Lee thing, which Anderson just discussed. We spoke with here. Do you know her? heard of her?

MIKO BRANDO, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: First I've heard her tonight. Never met her, never heard the name.

KING: Michael ever mention her to you?

BRANDO: No.

KING: Did Michael ever mention Diprivan to you?

BRANDO: Never did.

KING: What can you tell us -- a few days have passed now -- how the family's doing?

BRANDO: I think they're doing OK. I think they're feeling okay. It's still a shock to all of us.

KING: What do you know about the plans?

BRANDO: I haven't heard anything. I heard that they were going to go up to Neverland, and there was going to be something over the weekend, but nothing for sure. Nothing's been pencilled in.

KING: You know why they were planning on the July 4th weekend?

BRANDO: I think it was coincidentally the July 4th weekend. I don't think it was done purposely.

KING: The roads are going to be mobbed anyway.

BRANDO: It's going to be ridiculous. I don't think they should -- they should think twice. It's going to be ridiculous.

KING: Did you ever talk with him at all about how he would like his death to be handled if it ever happened?

BRANDO: No.

KING: Some people do talk about that.

BRANDO: No, we talked about my dad's, I know that. But we never really discussed his or mine.

KING: Michael talked about Marlon's death, though?

BRANDO: Oh, yes, about how he died and, yes.

KING: Did he go to Marlon's memorial service?

BRANDO: Absolutely. He was the first man I called. He attended, absolutely.

KING: Well. All right, Miko, the nanny for Michael Jackson's children, Grace Morowamba (ph) -- I think I pronounce that right -- has this to say -- This is the quote, "in addition to being my employer over the past 17 years and entrusting the care of his beloved children to me, he was my dear friend. While our friendship and challenges -- as do all challenges, had challenges, he was loyal to the end. I cherish and honor his memory. I'm shocked, hurt, and deeply saddened by recent statements the press has attributed to me in particular, the outrageous and patently false claim that I routinely pumped his stomach after he had ingested a dangerous combination of drugs. The statements attributed to me confirm the worst in human tendencies to sensationalize tragedy and smear reputations for profits."

You know her, I imagine.

BRANDO: Yes, I do.

KING: What do you make of the stories about her?

BRANDO: It's -- yes, I saw that today. No, she was just a good nanny to the kids. The kids loved her and still do think very highly of her. She did a good job with the kids. She was always with them. She raised them well. She did a good job.

KING: We talked about this, Miko. You came on the night we learned of his death.

BRANDO: Yes.

KING: And we talked about the possible aftermath of tabloid- ville taking over and all sorts of strange stories. That's coming true. Do you fear it to get worse?

BRANDO: Well, we're not even a week into this and it's -- are you kidding? We're not -- it's just begun.

KING: What do you think conventional media should do with all of this? What do we do?

BRANDO: Everyone's interested in Michael Jackson. He was a very private individual. So this even makes it worse. I think everybody wants to know the truth. And the truth eventually will come out regarding Michael. But until then, we just have to wait.

KING: We'll go back to Neverland for an update when LARRY KING LIVE returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back. The legendary Sir Paul McCartney has issued a statement about Michael Jackson. McCartney and Jackson performed "Say, Say, Say" back in 1983. Let's take a look at their hit, and then we'll hear from Sir Paul.

(SINGING)

KING: He collaborated with Michael several times. Here's his reaction to Michael's death: "it's so sad and shocking. I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones. I send my deepest sympathy to his mother and the whole family, and to his countless fans around the world."

Back we go to Neverland and Kara Finnstrom is standing by. Kara, first, Miko tells us plans are still not locked in stone. Do you hear anything locked in stone for the weekend?

FINNSTROM: Well, Larry, a source is telling CNN that plans are being made right now for a public viewing here of his body, and also for a memorial service, a private memorial service for the family. Now, as far as his burial and his final resting place, we have not heard any information about that.

But, you know, all of this still unfolding, and none of the details have been released yet.

KING: Are they aware that this is the July 4th weekend?

FINNSTROM: Yes, Larry, I think it just -- the point that -- they have reached the point that they want to give him that proper burial. And it just happens to be the July 4th weekend. It's a big concern for people in this community, as well, because this is a small country road that leads back here to where Neverland is. These are people who like their privacy. There are lots of concerns here about traffic issues, about security issues. It will be interesting to see how all of this plays out.

KING: Thanks so much. We will be calling on you again. Are you concerned about this, if that is the way they run it this weekend?

BRANDO: Yes, I think so. I think that's a big job on their hands. We think -- try to do it up there. I don't know. It's hard to say.

KING: What is that road like?

BRANDO: It's very narrow. It's a two-lane highway. One lane up, one lane down. It's a few miles up the road. There's nowhere to --

KING: What about parking?

BRANDO: Are you kidding? Going to have to bus them in.

KING: How are people going to have a public viewing there?

BRANDO: I don't know how. It's going to be a massive --

KING: Logistic mess?

BRANDO: Yes, to say the least.

KING: See you tomorrow. Miko Brando, part of our co-host on this, as we look into the sad aftermath of a very sad occurrence, the death of Michael Jackson. Now he's up stairs here in Los Angeles, here to cover through all of this as well, Anderson Cooper and "AC 360." Anderson?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0906/30/lkl.01.html

Michael Jackson's Will Revealed

Aired July 1, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, Michael Jackson, shocking will revealed. There are big surprises about who gets the kids, who controls the songs, who inherits the fortune estimated at more than half a billion dollars. Will that cover the debts? Michael's mother Katherine is in it. His father Joe is not. Someone is specifically cut out by name. Who? And what does he want from Diana Ross?

Plus, the nurse who says Jackson begged her for drugs is here. What she's saying now about Michael and medications, and ominous warning she delivered to the king of pop.

The Michael Jackson death mystery grows deeper next on "LARRY KING LIVE."

Good evening a quick programming note. We'll be live tomorrow night from Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch. "LARRY KING LIVE" from Neverland on Thursday night.

Michael Jackson's will making news tonight. Before we get into that, let's get right to the latest. Let's go no Neverland with Kara Finnstrom. Kara, what's the latest on?

I must let you know I spoke with Kenny Sunshine today who now represents the Jackson family. And he said nothing will tack place at Neverland this weekend at all. There will be a service of some kind on Monday. Is that what you've learned?

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. A crazy day out here. just the latest development what has really been the drama around Michael Jackson's death.

About 24 hours ago, the media converged here all expecting to see a big tribute or a memorial to Michael Jackson. And the news, of course, from this new P.R. group for the Michael Jackson family today that that won't be taking place here.

So throngs of media still out here, fans still coming out and getting word of this. And it's just kind of a day of everyone listening to all the rumors out there, and trying to figure out what's next? We're still waiting to hear for official word what the plans will be.

KING: Let's check with Susan Roesgen. She is our CNN correspondent at the Jackson family home in Encino. What do you hear is going to take place Monday and where? SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what we like to hear, Larry. I know that the family behind me, they know that the reporters are here, we have been waiting. We have not left since Michael Jackson's death last Thursday. But they are not coming out, not yet, anyway, Larry, to tell us where they like us to go, where they like the public to know the funeral is going to be.

KING: We know it's not at Neverland, and we know it's going to be someplace else. Are you geared to go wherever it is, Susan?

ROESGEN: Sure. We'll go where it is. But we have not heard yet.

KING: A will was released today. We'll read some small portions o fit a little later. Anything surprise you, Susan, then Kara. Susan, you first.

ROESGEN: Oh, absolutely, Larry. I was surprised by a couple of things in particular.

In case there was any doubt about it, any doubt at all, Michael Jackson used this very specific language in this 2002 will. He said "I intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife Deborah Rowe Jackson." That's it, Larry. He cut her out, very specifically cut her out.

And I think the other thing that was intriguing was that he has nominated his mother, Katherine Jackson to be guardian of the children. But again, this will was written in 2002, and at that time he said in case my mother should die before I do or is unwilling or unable to be the children's guardian, I nominate Diana Ross to be their guardian.

I think those are two of the most surprising parts of that will, Larry?

KING: Good point, Susan. I'll read them exactly as written. I have the will write front of me -- "Except as otherwise provided in this will or in the trust referred to in Article three hereof, I have intentionally omitted to provide for my heirs.

I have intentionally omitted to provide for my wife Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson."

And on another page right before he signs it, and I'll show you where he signed it, "I, if any of my children are minors at the time of my death," which of course is the case, "I nominate my mother Katherine Jackson as guardian of the persons and estates of such minor children.

If Katherine Jackson fails to survive me or is unable or unwilling to act as guardian, I nominate Diana Ross as guardian and persons and estates of such minor children. I subscribe my name to this will the 7th day of July, 2002."

And you can make it out there. There's the Michael Jackson signature at the bottom of the will. I hope I'm not hiding it. It's right there.

And we'll be asking lawyer friends about it in a little while. What do you make of that, Kara?

FINNSTROM: Larry, the other interesting thing is just the fact that he doesn't talk about his wishes for after he dies. That's been really discussed out here today because a lot of people say he wouldn't have wanted to be buried here at Neverland.

He discussed a couple of times how he had some really negative feelings attached to Neverland after those 1993 molestation accusations that he faced, the boy, of course, saying that the molestation took place at Neverland.

So a lot of people say this isn't where he would have wanted to be buried, and that they would have liked to have seen some direction from him as to how he would have liked to have been laid to rest.

KING: Susan any hints at all of when you receive definitive news about Monday?

ROESGEN: I wish I could tell you, Larry, but no, not yet.

I'll go knock on the door. I will go knock on the locked gate, Larry, and try to get them to talk to us.

KING: If anyone will, you will.

Anything at all, Kara, out there, any word at all?

FINNSTROM: I'm sorry, Larry, I lost you for a minute. Any definitive news Monday -- if that was the question, no.

That's the thing. We now know there's not going to be anything taking place here over the next few days at Neverland. But we still don't know what the plans are.

KING: Thank you both very much, always on top of the scene.

We'll be inside Neverland tomorrow night in a prime time exclusive. That was Kara Finnstrom and Susan Roesgen.

Next, more on the will. Page by page, see what Michael Jackson wanted and what he didn't want. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Joining us now, Roger Friedman senior correspondent for the "Hollywood Reporter." And Roger also writes the blog Showbiz411.com column. And Mark Geragos, former defensive attorney for Michael Jackson who represented Michael during the early stages of the controversial child molestation case.

Just for both of you, news just in. The Drug Enforcement Agency, the DEA, has joined the investigation into whether prescription drugs were involved in the death of singer Jackson. The source who did not want to be identified because he could not comment publicly said DEA agents will be looking at various doctors involved with Jackson.

Does that surprise you either of you?

ROGER FRIEDMAN, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "HOLLYWOOD REPORTER": No, that totally makes sense.

KING: OK, Rog, you've read the will, Mark, you've read it. Anything grab at you?

FRIEDMAN: The first thing that grabbed at me, of course, I broke the story this morning before the will was filed that Diana Ross was named as the successor Guardian if Katherine Jackson can't fulfill her duties. A surprise to Diana Ross --

KING: Does that surprise you?

FRIEDMAN: Not really actually. Diana Ross raised five great kids, and Michael saw that. He was very close to her when he was growing up, and he saw she was a good mother.

KING: Mark, I know it's not your specialty.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: From lawyer to looking -- how well was this document prepared?

MARK GERAGOS, FORMER JACKSON ATTORNEY: It looks like a standard last will and testament. I know that John Branca whose named in here was often on affiliated with Michael throughout the years, and I think was instrumental in consummating the deal of obtaining the Beatles catalog. So it was somebody he trusted for a long time.

KING: Anything surprise you?

GERAGOS: No, not really. I think the fact that the kids are with Katherine, who I had -- my experience with Katherine is she's wonderful and his biggest supporter. And the kids adored her. And if Grace is back in the pictures, the long time caregiver, I think that's great.

And it couldn't be a better place for the kids.

KING: Is Katherine with Joe?

FRIEDMAN: No.

KING: They are separated?

FRIEDMAN: They have dysfunctional marriage, as many people in America do.

GERAGOS: They live separately?

FRIEDMAN: They live separately most of the time.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: Sometimes they live in the same house, but they're not really a couple in a certain sense. She lives in Las Vegas, really.

KING: The day before the will surfaced, attorneys for Katherine and Joe Johnson filed documents saying the family believed Michael died without a will. Does that suggest they may challenge this?

GERAGOS: Not necessarily. I think that generally when people go to make a will, they don't advertise it. They don't tell people about it. I know I've had plenty of lines of Don Hill's, and their wives did about their wills. So it certainly doesn't surprise me that the mother or father or brother doesn't know about the will.

I don't think it's something you advertise. I think you keep it there -- and one of the reasons is because you can change it. There's --

KING: You can change a will every day.

GERAGOS: Right. In fact, I'm not saying in this case. I don't have inside information. But it would not surprise me, because it often happens, that this may not be the last iteration of the will. This is 2002. You can have a 2003, a 2004, there could have been a will two months ago for all we know.

KING: Three days ago. A will can surface at --

GERAGOS: At any time.

KING: Do you expect, Roger, with your experience in all of this, this kind of money, there's going to be a fight?

FRIEDMAN: I don't know. First of all, it's very interesting, because, for many years, Michael, as Mark promos, Michael had a series of managers and lawyers representing his music side after John Branca. It was mess, it was a big mess that went on. It was a constant changing of guard. It was very willful.

And then just recently John Branca came into the picture. Frank DiLeo, who was this great during the "Thriller" era came back, Joel Katz, who was the lawyer for the Grammy awards was brought in, and suddenly Michael has this terrific team. And this terrific team was going to put together these London concerts and go forward with them.

So I think it's a very solid group. And John Branca having done this, means it's solid. I don't think there's much to challenge in it.

I do know that one problem with it, that it's Michael's choice, in the trust, he only mentioned three of his nephews and three children, who are cousins. But there are 20 other nieces and nephews who are pretty put out at the moment.

KING: Eliminating the ex-wife, common, Mark? GERAGOS: Yes. In fact, I think, as I said before, this is probably no area I know less about, but generally speaking, you have to name. And if you don't name there's a problem.

FRIEDMAN: She was welcome compensated earlier on.

KING: Katherine, the mother, is 79, legal guardian. Does this mean that is a pretty good bet that she will get custody, permanent custody, or not because of age?

FRIEDMAN: I don't know that Debbie Rowe, the mother of the two oldest children, won't do something. But I do know speaking to her on Sunday that she wanted to wait until the funeral was over and that she wanted to speak with Katherine Jackson exactly about what her role would be.

I think she's interested in --

GERAGOS: I can't exercise enough. I haven't been around the kids in four years or so. But when I was there, I saw the interaction between them and Katherine, and I saw the interaction with Grace, who has been around forever.

If Grace is in the picture, and Katherine is there, and with all of the family -- what you have to remember is you have all brothers and sisters. There are various kids there and the cousins there. I can't think of a better, more nurturing environment than to be with Katherine.

KING: What if, god forbid, something happens to the mother? Can Diana Ross refuse this?

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: You can't force kids on anybody.

But what I think would normally happen is that they would look to see if they can keep the kids with the biological family if at all possible. That's what courts like to do.

GERAGOS: I think the mother, she got her parental rights restored about four years ago. And I think that there's going to be interest from her.

KING: More coming up. We'll get into lots of things.

We have a special show tomorrow night live inside the Neverland Ranch.

Next, Michael made a special request of Diana Ross. See what she said about him on this show some years back in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Diana Ross sat down with me in 1991 for an in depth interview years before Michael Jackson became a father, more than a decade before he nominated her as backup guardian for his kids.

This is what Diana Ross had to say about Michael then. Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: You had such a long relationship with Michael Jackson back when he was a young recording star. There are rumors that he changed his looks to look like you. How do you describe Michael Jackson - Diana Ross? What is that?

DIANA ROSS, SINGER: You see, we actually love each other. And he is like one of my children. When he started his career, I introduced him on their very first television show, which was the "Ed Sullivan Show."

And then I had my own television special at that time. And I introduced them, the Jackson Five, on the television special. And I took a special interest in him. And we were very close.

When the boys came from Indiana, they stayed with me in my house in California, and I was their house mother. And I took care of them until their parents came. So we just built a relationship in the early days.

And then he went on to have his own career, which he's very, very talented. And he became so very, very successful. Just like skyrocketed, the whole family, actually.

KING: Are you as close now?

ROSS: Not as close now. I don't get to see him very much. And that's because, again, my life has just gone in a different direction. I live in Europe a lot of time with my husband.

And so it's just that we don't see each other half as much as I would like to see him. I did see him maybe a couple months ago and introduced him to my sons, my boys. And my little one, Evan, loves music and wants to look like Michael Jackson.

KING: Do youth he wants to look like you? Do you buy that?

ROSS: No, I don't buy that at all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Roger, you wanted to say something?

FRIEDMAN: It's just, people always say that Michael Jackson was so flaky. Your interview was 10 years before he drew up the will, and she lives here in Los Angeles most of the time. And he saw something, it's so interesting.

I think it was kind of genius for him to pick her, because she has this great family. People think of her as a diva, and probably the she's throwing her fur down all the time. But she's not. Her kids are always with her. Whenever I see her -- (CROSSTALK)

KING: He was bright great guy, wasn't he?

FRIEDMAN: He was a bright great guy, and he saw something there, that she would have the money and heart to do it.

KING: He was your client, Mark. Was he bright?

GERAGOS: He was incredibly bright. Sometimes he's so -- there's such a caricature. But this is a guy who got the Beatles catalog. He's controlled the Mijac catalog. Those are some of the shrewdest moves.

And he saw, he's always ahead of the curve as long as I ever knew him.

KING: How much does Michael Jackson stand to make in death? Will the cover has substantial debts? More after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back. Live tomorrow night from the Neverland Ranch, it's a primetime exclusive.

We're with Roger Friedman and Mark Geragos. Before we talk about the dollars, we don't know anything -- we know it's not at Neverland this weekend. Do you know anything about anything, Roger?

FRIEDMAN: Well, I'm reporting on showbiz411.com for my sources. There will be a funeral on Tuesday morning at the Staples Center. We call it L.A. live, from New York. It's Staples Center, the Nokia theater, it's the whole thing.

And AEG live, which owns all of that, was doing the concerts from London. They're a great company, and I think they're putting together the security. I know they wanted me to announce it.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: CNN cannot confirm that Rog.

FRIEDMAN: L I'll see you there.

KING: What's going to happen with all of these sales now, do you think, Mark? He's selling records. They've gone through the roof?

GERAGOS: It goes to the estate. A lot of people said the same thing demonstrably happened after Elvis died. So, the great thing about it is that he's getting recognition that was long overdue. And I think that all of this is a great testament to what a great talent he was.

KING: How much money does he owe?

FRIEDMAN: I think he owes about $400 million. This is how it breaks down. He owes $325 million dollar, $350 million dollar loan secured by his interest in the company called Sony-ATV Music, which owns the Beatles catalog.

KING: So that he could sell and wipe that out.

FRIEDMAN: You know, everybody wanted him to sell it for the whole time is had it, so that he'd have some money. And he refused to do it because he knew that was his leverage.

KING: Will it work now?

FRIEDMAN: Yes. Now, I think, I'm not a lawyer, you are, but I think the situation is that to settle the estate -- they have to sell it to Sony, by the way. That's the deal. Sony is--

KING: So that would get him out?

FRIEDMAN: That would get him out and give him a nice piece of change besides.

Then there's about $50 million dollar against Neverland held by a company called Colony Capital and a very smart guy named Thomas Barrett Jr.

KING: What's Neverland worth?

FRIEDMAN: Hard to say in this economy.

And they had this idea even before Michael died of turning it into Graceland, putting all his tchotchkes into it and bringing people up there.

But it's not possible, because Neverland is on a long country road. It's two lanes. There's no way to do it. The people of the neighboring towns don't want it. And I think it will be sold eventually and told into a corporate compound or private home or a vineyard.

KING: But they control it?

FRIEDMAN: Colony Capital controls it with Michael's estate.

KING: How long is this going to go on, Mark?

GERAGOS: The media sensation will go on at least until after the memorial service and funeral. And then I think that every time you have any kind of court proceeding, you're going to see a flurry of activity, until there's some other story that comes on. And it would have to be a whale of a story to eclipse this.

KING: Why is the aftermath such a big story?

GERAGOS: It's so surprising.

KING: The death is surprising. Why is the aftermath. GERAGOS: Because as long as you have investigations, as long as you have speculation, when you have somebody that's so well-known and so well-loved worldwide.

I remember when the search warrants were executed on Neverland, that I got the -- back then I was wearing a pager. And I was paged immediately. And I remember our Web site going down. He must have gotten 500,000 hits just on my law firm Web site.

And most of them were from outside of the United States, and all of them a great deal of affection.

KING: Roger, does this rank with Presley, Diana?

FRIEDMAN: It's sort of like -- it's turning into Princess Diana for us, which I always thought was peculiar in Britain.

But you know, the thing about Michael Jackson is he has legions of fans. They are so devoted. And the numbers are huge. I get emails from them. They have fan clubs. They are connected from all over the world. They come from all over the world.

During the criminal child, they came -- Santa Maria is not a glamorous place.

GERAGOS: It's got great barbecue.

FRIEDMAN: It does have great barbecue.

Kids came -- kids, who were -- I was Michael's age. These were kids that were much younger. They came from all over the world and took jobs from Burger King and McDonald's overnight so they could be in the courtroom during the day.

KING: I was in the courtroom, I know. I almost testified?

FRIEDMAN: Right.

KING: Judge wouldn't let me.

FRIEDMAN: There was a huge fence up, and they were ten deep sometimes waiting to see him or catch a glimpse of him.

So this is going to go on for a long time. It's a fervor, almost like a cult. It's very strange.

KING: Lawyers going to make a lot of money, Mark?

GERAGOS: Lawyers always make money.

KING: In this case.

GERAGOS: In any case where there's assets, and here there's clearly large assets, the lawyers make a lot of money.

But the great thing about the way this was set up is I think that the kids will be taken care of. The family will be taken care of. His legacy is taken care of.

KING: The kids are the most important thing. Whatever is in 2nd Pl. is a distant second.

GERAGOS: The oldest two are great kids.

(CROSSTALK)

FRIEDMAN: You know, it's a strange thing. You see on these tabloids and these blogs people saying, especially TMZ or whatever it is, they're always saying Michael foretold his death, he wanted to die. It was at the end of his life.

He loved these kids. He wanted to be with them all of the time. He had no interest of being dead. That's a really important thing.

KING: Roger Friedman, Mark Geragos, as always, thank you. and I guarantee one thing, you'll be back.

The nurse who told us yesterday that Jackson begged her for drugs is here next. Hear what she's saying next. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Cherilyn Lee is a registered nurse family practitioner. She says she worked with Michael as a nutritional counselor, claims Michael was so distressed by insomnia that he begged her for the powerful sedative Diprivan. She joins us here.

Since you went public, have the police contacted you at all?

CHERILYN LEE, REGISTERED NURSE: No.

KING: Nobody want to know more about it?

LEE: No.

KING: Now, Diprivan, as we understand it, I recently had Diprivan when I had a cataract fixed. That's the thing that puts you to sleep. And you wake up right away, right?

LEE: As far as I know, yes.

KING: And it's given intravenously?

LEE: This is what I read.

KING: So when he asked you for it, what did you say?

LEE: When he asked me for it, I was not aware of it.

KING: You didn't even know what he was talking about?

LEE: I didn't know what he was talking about.

KING: What did you say to him? LEE: I said, let me go and find out what this is. If it's something IV, I don't think it's something you want to do at home.

KING: How did you come to start with Michael?

LEE: About the latter part of January, I had a call that he wanted someone to see his children. They had a slight little cold. And I was asked to come and see them.

KING: How did he know about you?

LEE: Through a friend.

KING: So you went and saw the kids?

LEE: I went to go see the kids.

KING: And then?

LEE: And then from there, we had a little tea party, some Vitamin C for their little cold. And then Michael asked me, what do you do? I said well, what's going on with you? And so he started telling me that I'm just tired. I've just been a little fatigued. And I said OK, well, why don't we just set up and do -- anyone that's fatigued, if they present in clinic, we do a complete lab work. So we find out, you know, what maybe might be draining their body or what's going on in a pathological sense, to see what's happening with them, on a nutritional basis --

KING: What did he say?

LEE: He said fine. That's great. I would like to know. So he asked can we do it that day? I told him no, I have to go back to my office, and I can schedule to come back later. He said, well, can you come back tomorrow? I said sure. So you need to fast tonight and don't eat anything, so I can draw your blood tomorrow. He said OK.

KING: What did you learn from all that?

LEE: From all of that, I learned --

KING: Did you check his blood out?

LEE: Yes.

KING: And?

LEE: And medically, or nutritionally, I didn't find anything other than just a little low blood sugar.

KING: Did you then look up Diprivan?

LEE: I didn't know about it then. He wasn't talking about it. This conversation did not come up for a couple months.

KING: That came much after this? LEE: Much after.

KING: Diprivan would never be given in a home, right? it's a hospital drug?

LEE: Yes. I recently just found out about it myself. This was months later, when he said, I'm just having a lot of trouble sleeping. I would love for you to come up --

KING: I got you. Did he ask for any other drugs?

LEE: No.

KING: Sleep drugs?

LEE: He never asked for sleep drugs. He said he only wanted one that he knew of, as time went on, months later that was going to help him to sleep. He said I know it would help me sleep.

KING: Have you worked with addicts?

LEE: Yes, I have.

KING: Did he signal you in any way that he was one?

LEE: No, he did not. I just saw him as a loving, caring father, nurturing father, and passionate about his work. Very creative. He loved mankind. And he never said a negative thing about anybody or anything.

KING: What did you think when he died? Other than being shocked, was there a part of it not surprising to you, since you had gone through some medical things with him?

LEE: The only part -- I was shocked. I was very shocked because of the fact that I didn't understand it. I didn't understand what happened. And I do know that --

KING: On the other hand, you knew he had some -- sleep problems?

LEE: He had sleep problems. I do know one day -- it was Father's Day -- he calls me and I hadn't seen him in three months. And he called me. He said -- and he was a little frantic. He said, I'm not feeling well. He didn't say it as calmly as I'm saying it right now. But he said I have these symptoms. I don't feel well. One side of my body is very, very hot. One side is very, very cold.

Three months prior, when I learned of the medication, I told him I didn't know what it was, I would investigate it. And I called a physician, a friend, and I asked him about it. He told me what it was, and I said -- I went back and told Michael. I said, Michael, this is something serious. You don't want to take this. You just don't want to take this.

KING: What do you think of the hot and cold thing? LEE: When he was giving me his symptoms, I was in Florida. I happened to have been in the ER myself when he was telling me his symptoms. I told him, I said this sounds serious. I don't know what's going on with you. For you to say one side of your body is hot and one side is cold.

The reason I feel out he reached to call me on Father's Day is because three months prior I had a chance to take my PDR back to his house and show him the side effects of this medication.

KING: Do you think maybe he got it? He got the medication from somewhere else?

LEE: I was concerned.

KING: We're going to do more on this. Thank you for coming for this. I know it's not easy for you. You've been dragged into this.

LEE: Thank you.

KING: We have a big show planned tomorrow. We're live at Neverland Thursday night. We'll take you inside Michael Jackson's home. It's a prime time exclusive.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us. By the way, Cherilyn will stay for that, because we want Dr. Gupta to comment on what she said. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: Our registered nurse friend, Cherilyn Lee, remains. We're joined by Dr. Sanjay Gupta here in Los Angeles, CNN medical correspondent, practicing neurosurgeon and associate professor of neurosurgery as well. If you are going to get Diprivan, Sanjay, it has to be intravenous and in a hospital, right. You're not going to get it in your house?

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF: MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I have never heard of it --

KING: It's not a pill.

GUPTA: Not only is it intravenous, but it's a continuous intravenous thing. If you stop giving it, within a few minutes, the person wakes up. So you have to give it continuously.

KING: It's given for colonoscopy, cataract surgery. You can wake up fast.

GUPTA: Right, the person goes down quickly and they wake up quickly. It has what's called a very short half life. So that's one of the attractive natures of it.

KING: What would the appeal be, as you would guess, to a layman?

GUPTA: It's interesting. I have talked to lots of different anesthesiologists today who use this regularly. It's not really creating sleep. It's creating sort of an anesthesia, almost like a medically induced coma. The idea is that when you first start taking it, you do get sort of a high type feeling, and they you're out. Not only are you out, you're what is known as amnestic. You don't remember anything about that time period.

KING: I had it. I can attest. I was out. I asked when the procedure was going to be done. They told me it was done.

GUPTA: You were already in recovery, probably.

KING: When you looked it up, talked to your doctor friend, were you a little surprised that Michael was asking for this?

LEE: I was very surprised. I was very concerned.

KING: Did you tell him what this was?

LEE: I told him what it was. I showed him the PDR, the Physician's Desk Reference. What it detailed -- it showed him in detail this is something you don't want.

KING: What did he say?

LEE: He said, as long as I'm being monitored, I'm OK. He said, as long as somebody monitored me, I'm OK. Can you find somebody to monitor me? I said no, absolutely not.

KING: Where would they do this? I guess he could come to your house.

GUPTA: You need -- Monitoring involves checking the oxygenation.

KING: You couldn't do it at home?

GUPTA: It would be very hard to do at home. I was curious as well. He may have had this before because he had lots of operations, just like you've had in the past. I've had it in the past as well. But did he ever indicate to you that he'd had it somewhere outside of the hospital before?

LEE: He said he had it before and that --

GUPTA: Outside of the hospital?

LEE: Outside the hospital he didn't say. He just said, I had this before. As soon as it dripped into my veins, I was asleep.

KING: If he had it, then it wasn't surgery. Some doctor was helping him out in a hospital. That would be strange. Nurses would be around, right?

GUPTA: It sounds weird.

KING: We're giving anesthesia to someone who is not going to have a surgery? GUPTA: It's almost criminal. There are potential side effects.

KING: Would it be given for plastic surgery?

GUPTA: It could potentially.

KING: So he could have had it then.

GUPTA: For some of the procedures that he's had in the past.

KING: Would it show up in an autopsy?

GUPTA: It's great question. I actually tried to get to the bottom of that question. It's interesting. There's not a clear answer. Here's the issue: it has a very short half life, so it disappears from the body very quickly. Technically, if you took some of these blood specimens or urine specimens or tissue right away, you might be able to find it. But some of the doctors I talked to say it's not something that's routinely tested for, because it disappears so fast.

KING: Did you give him vitamins?

LEE: Yes, I did. He receives vitamins, vitamin shakes.

KING: Nutritional supplements?

LEE: Nutritional supplements. He was feeling great. They even showed him on television, said he had never looked --

KING: He was apparently rehearsing well.

LEE: He was rehearsing well. He was feeling good.

KING: This could have been a sudden heart attack, couldn't it?

GUPTA: Yes. What we know is that he was not breathing, but he had a faint pulse.

KING: Which tells you what?

GUPTA: It tells me that most likely this was a respiratory problem, a breathing problem first, and a cardiac problem second. He had a trouble breathing for some reason, either because of drugs or something else, and, as a result, he wasn't getting enough oxygen in his blood. And that's what causes your heart to fail.

KING: Will the autopsy be definitive? Sometimes they are not.

GUPTA: Sometimes they are not. The coroners have been very clear. They say they're going to have an answer. As you can see, Larry, even as we're having this discussion now, things are coming up that say, I don't know if you can figure that one out.

KING: Thanks again, Cherilyn. Probably going to be back. As always, Sanjay. More on the mysterious death of Michael Jackson. The DEA is now involved. Back in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: The DEA is now involved in the Michael Jackson death. Once we heard that, we called on our investigative correspondent, one of the best in the business, Drew Griffin. He is here to tell us what he knows.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Just confirmed from a federal law enforcement source that the DEA joined today to look at whether prescription drugs were involved, Larry. The source said the DEA would be looking at various doctors involved with Jackson, their practices and possible sources of supply.

We asked specifically about Propofol, Diprivan. Oddly enough, that may not be a controlled substance. So the DEA would not actually be looking at that. It's not unusual that they would be called in to an investigation like this.

KING: One of the world's greatest sleeping pills.

GRIFFIN: That's right. Because it's not abused to a wide scale, it's not on the DEA list.

KING: If the DEA finds that doctors acted improperly, what powers do they have?

GRIFFIN: They can bring federal charges. They have done it many times in the past.

KING: They can suspend the license?

GRIFFIN: Suspend a license. I have to get back to you on that. I think the medical board would have to suspend the license. What I've seen is that licenses have been voluntarily given up. But you remember Chris Benoit, the wrestler. It was the DEA that went in after the fact and actually brought charges against the doctor involved.

KING: So boy, this gets curiouser and curiouser, huh?

GRIFFIN: It sure does. I want to say, it is somewhat a matter of routine. The LAPD and the DEA work together all the time. The DEA gets called in on these things because they are the ones who can go into the federal registries to see about drug dispensing. They have those kind of powers.

KING: They talk to the doctors? They can talk to --

GRIFFIN: They would presumably talk to the doctors. If they went into Michael Jackson's home and they found out who prescribed those drugs, they are going to go back and find out from the doctor who did it. KING: Thank you, Drew. Drew Griffin, always on top of things. The salute to Michael goes on at the Apollo in Harlem. Here's at look what happened there today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING)

(END VIDEO CLIP

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BREAK)

KING: Let's go out to Gary, Indiana, to Michael's boyhood home, where Mayor Rudy Clay is standing by, the mayor of Gary. We understand you've reached out to the Jackson family, asking that the body be laid to rest in Gary. Why, mayor?

MAYOR RUDY CLAY, GARY, INDIANA: First of all, Michael Jackson is our favorite son here in Gary, Indiana. Of course, he was raised here. In fact, they made a song called "2300 Jackson Street, Always Home." And I'm standing right here at 2300 Jackson Street. It's located in Gary, Indiana. I love -- you must understand, I love and Gary, Indiana has been since Michael came out of the womb. We have loved him --

KING: All right.

CLAY: -- then and we love him now.

KING: What did the family say to you?

CLAY: Well, let me say this. I want to make this perfectly clear. We respect whatever the family wants to do. All we're saying is here in Gary, Indiana that we would like to have Michael lay in state in Gary, in the home where he was raised, and where he's very much loved at the present time. You see --

KING: All right.

CLAY: OK.

KING: No, I understand. You will hear from them. You've made the request, right?

CLAY: Right. You know, I mean, we are the children that Michael was raised with, and we love him and we love the family. And there are plans -- go ahead.

KING: Are you planning a memorial service anyway, no matter what?

CLAY: July 10th. I'm glad you asked that question. July 10th, all roads lead to Gary, Indiana, to have a memorial service for the world's greatest entertainer, our favorite son, at our baseball stadium on Fifth Avenue. So all roads lead to Gary, Indiana, because we want to have a memorial service that's fit for a king, the King of Pop.

KING: That would be -- that would be a week from Friday, the 10th. There's been talk of a family museum in Gary. Is that talked about?

CLAY: Well, you know, I want to congratulate and compliment Joe Jackson, the matriarch, the father of the Jackson family. We've been discussing that. He was in Gary last year. And that's been on the drawing board. Because he want to have a -- the legend of the Michael Jackson and the Jackson family to go on forever. And we've been discussing it. There's been work on that.

So I want to congratulate him for doing a good job.

KING: Thank you, mayor, so much. That memorial service is Friday, July 10th in Gary. And we thank the mayor.

Another son of Gary, Indiana, the wonderful guy, Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden died earlier today. He was 97. His many film credits include "Patton" and "Bird Man of Alcatraz," and "Streetcar Named Desire," for which he won a supporting Academy Award. TV viewers knew him as Lieutenant Mike Stone on the streets of San Francisco, and as a spokesman for American Express.

Karl Malden was a good guy and a good friend of this show. Our thoughts are with his family. We're live from Neverland tomorrow night. Back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We wind up things tonight with Thelma Gutierrez, our CNN correspondent at the Los Angeles Grammy Museum. Reaction to Michael Jackson's death, the museum has extended an exhibition about his style. Tell us all about it, Thelma. What's happening?

THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Larry, I can tell you, if you are a fan, this is definitely the place to be. It is a great exhibit.

Take a look at the three jackets right in front of me. Michael Jackson had these made for his own personal wear, the way that you'd have a sports coat made to wear out to dinner.

This jacket that you see right here was actually inspired when he was walking down the street. He saw a gum wrapper, took the gum wrapper to his designer, and said, make me a jacket.

Now, all of these items here, Larry, were about to go down just last week, when they learned that Michael Jackson had died. The exhibit had run its course. They were taking it down. They found out, and then instantly they had to scramble to get this exhibit back up.

Now, Bob Santelli is the executive director here of the Grammy Museum. Bob, tell me, how did you go about selecting some of these things? I understand Michael Jackson actually reached out to you. He said, I want to be included.

BOB SANTELLI, EXEC. DIRECTOR, GRAMMY MUSEUM: Well, really, it was a curator's dream. Because out of the blue, we get a call of one of Michael Jackson's representatives, who says, Michael knows about the Grammy Museum. He's won 13 Grammy Awards. He would like to be a part of this. Would you be interested? Of course, we said yes.

Inside of a week or so, we were at one of Michael Jackson's warehouses and had the opportunity to go through and select the artifacts for the exhibit.

GUTIERREZ: You said that you selected these items because you wanted to tell a story about Michael Jackson. What does this tell?

SANTELLI: When you are putting together an exhibit, you always want a point of view. And lots of things have been said about Michael Jackson in the past, many, many things. What could we bring to the Michael Jackson story that hadn't been told?

We come up with the idea that he was the King of Pop, and he certainly dressed like royalty. So the idea was to select artifacts, select objects that reflected his royalty status. That's what we did.

GUTIERREZ: One of the most iconic suits that you have in here is the white suit, the suit that millions of people around have seen. He wore this on the "Thriller" cover.

SANTELLI: That's right. The interesting thing about this suit is notice the way it's situated in the exhibit, because everything around it is very elegant, very flashy, very royal like. And yet the suit, it's a Hugo Boss suit, very plain. But this is one of the most iconic artifacts, one of those most iconic outfits.

GUTIERREZ: Then you have the jacket up in the corner. He wore it during the Hollywood star, when he got the star on the walk.

SANTELLI: When he got the Hollywood Walk of Fame honor in 1984. That is what he wore there, exactly. The thing about this -- I mean, the exquisite quality -- these are not jackets that you buy off the racks, so to speak. These are all hand made. They're done by very famous and celebrated designers. Michael always played a very prominent part in helping the design.

GUTIERREZ: The two jackets at the end, very flashy. They were actually on tour, weren't they?

SANTELLI: This one here, this is a beautiful one, because it's from the Victory Tour. And it's really what he starts out wearing. And then from this particular point, if we move over to here, you will see he goes to this kind of look in the tour. And the difference is rather significant.

But he begins to see the military look. And then you can see the military look here. GUTIERREZ: The jacket.

SANTELLI: Very nicely. The interesting thing, Thelma, about this is, I want you to pick this up. Feel how heavy this is. It is amazing to --

GUTIERREZ: Yes --

SANTELLI: This is 15 pounds.

GUTIERREZ: This is very heavy. Hard to imagine, Larry, that Michael Jackson, who weighed 110 pounds, could wear this, and then to dance with this kind of a jacket on, that weighed 15 to 17 pounds. Really amazing stuff here.

KING: Thanks, Thelma. Good reporting. A special note, of course, Michael Jackson was a 13-time Emmy recipient. Good reporting all around tonight. Emmy, rather, recipient. And he won Grammies, too. Oh, 13 Grammies. We'll see you tomorrow live from inside Neverland. Now here in Los Angeles, Anderson Cooper and "AC 360."

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0907/01/lkl.01.html

Death of A Legend

Aired July 2, 2009 - 21:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, a prime time exclusive -- go inside the gates of Neverland. See where Michael Jackson lived and danced, raised his children. His brother Jermaine and long time friends tell us about Michael before the money problems, the marriages and scandals.

And now, ex-wife Debbie Rowe may fight for the kids Michael wanted his mom to raise.

Will she win?

Plus, one of Michael's final rehearsals caught on tape -- you're looking at Michael two days before he died. Just released footage reveals an active, energetic superstar in the very arena that will host his memorial service.

All next on a very special edition of LARRY KING LIVE on location from Neverland.

Good evening on a spectacularly beautiful night in Northern Central California.

We're at the Neverland Valley Ranch, formerly known, by the way, as the Sycamore Valley Ranch. It covers 2,800 acres. It's located in Santa Barbara County. It's about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Michael purchased this property from William Bone in 1988, renamed it -- renamed it Neverland after the fantasy isle, of course, in "Peter Pan."

We're going to see lots of it tonight, as this is a prime time exclusive for LARRY KING LIVE.

As well as it us with Jermaine Jackson, one of Michael's older brothers, a former member over The Jackson 5. Indeed, Jermaine sang the co-lead with Michael for a number of years.

Before we talk about this incredible place, first, thank you for coming.

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL'S BARACK OBAMA: Thank you.

KING: Thank you for flying up with me. You were a nice companion.

JACKSON: Thank you. KING: We've seen this all day and all yesterday, but Jermaine has not. So we want you to look at this tape of your late brother in his last rehearsal 48 hours before he died.

Watch.

(VIDEO CLIP)

KING: All right. How does that make you feel?

JACKSON: Wow! He looks great -- strong very, very strong.

KING: When you saw reports of him looking bad, he looks -- he don't look bad to me.

JACKSON: No. He looks incredible. I mean he was going to put it on them -- a very strong man.

KING: So how does it hit you now, Jermaine?

JACKSON: It hits me very, very deep. I'm very deep in shock. I'm very hurting. I'm paining. The world is paining. My family is paining, because he's gone too soon, too soon.

KING: What's it like to be here?

JACKSON: It's wonderful to be here because...

KING: Explain.

JACKSON: This is his creation. This is his -- like I say, this is the ultimate serenity at its highest level. This is his wonder and his joy, his happiness, his peace. And I feel him everywhere. I feel him all around here. It's like he's never left.

KING: The thing that hit me the most -- and I guess others may have told you this -- is that I expected to see some kind of, for want to be a better term, honky-tonkish atmosphere and this is the opposite.

JACKSON: And tell me, what do you think, since you first came in?

KING: This is beauty, serenity, calmness. I don't feel like wearing a tie. This is just relaxing. We're looking at the water. We're going to take a walk later over to the tree where -- I -- I can't -- I'm totally taken aback by it, in a -- in a plus way.

JACKSON: OK. Now tell me this, with all the negative things that they tried to say -- that they said about this place -- do you feel that it's -- it was representative of what you said?

KING: If there was negativity, I don't see it here now.

JACKSON: Thank you.

KING: This is -- no, this is really a beautiful, beautiful place.

Let's talk about -- how did you -- how did you find out your brother died?

JACKSON: I was on the other side of town in Azusa. And I got a call from you guys on my wife's phone.

KING: CNN?

JACKSON: Yes. And they said, did you know that your brother was rushed to the hospital?

And I said, what?

So I called my mother immediately. And I got her on the phone and she said she was on her way. And so a little time went by and I spoke to Janet and I spoke to a few of the siblings. And then I -- about 45 minutes later. And then I called my mother back. And I hear this sound in her voice that's saying that he's dead. And just the feeling of emptiness came before my body, because to hear my mother say her child is dead and my brother is dead is -- I never ever thought that I would ever hear this from her lips.

KING: Did you go right over to the hospital?

JACKSON: Immediately, Larry. I had to go a different route. And once I got closer to where he was, I could see the helicopters in the sky. And that really brought just a chill over my whole body.

Once I entered into UCLA, I went straight for my mother to see how she was. And she was sitting there. And I guess she was there, but she wasn't there. And I consoled her and hugged her. And I -- and I went to see my baby, Michael. I went to look for him. And I...

KING: Where did you see him?

JACKSON: I saw him laying in the room. And he was lifeless, breathless. And he just -- as if it was a shell and his -- he was just there.

KING: What do -- what -- what do you do at a moment like that?

What do -- do you say something?

What do you do?

JACKSON: I said, Michael, why did you go?

Why did you leave?

Why did you leave me?

I -- what was going through my mind, Larry, I wish it was me there instead of him.

KING: Really? JACKSON: Yes. Because I loved Michael so much. It's a different love. All my family and siblings, the world loves him. But I just felt a special connection with him because just going back over memories how my father used to keep us in the same rooms, because we were on tour, so we were the lead singers and just memories all came back to me -- everything. Everything.

KING: Do you keep -- are you wondering why it happened, how it happened?

JACKSON: I was most concerned about that. But I was also concerned about the fact that he wasn't here anymore.

What was I going to do, because I felt like a -- a major part of me just disappeared.

KING: So you say coming back here is OK for you -- not hard for you?

JACKSON: Not at all, Larry, because this is his creation. This is his joy. This is his fantasy land, whatever he called it. But it's Neverland. This is the ultimate happiness. So...

KING: How -- how are your children taking it?

They were very close to him.

JACKSON: Yes. Well, they -- it's unreal. The children, they loved Uncle Michael and they -- all -- all the siblings just felt that, you know, because he played with them. He would come over and play hide and seek in the house and we would -- because we grew up doing this -- doing these things.

KING: And he was always a man child, wasn't he, I understand?

JACKSON: Yes. I am the same way. And there were -- there were things about that...

KING: How are his kids?

JACKSON: His kids are strong. They -- they have a lot of love and care. And they're playing with my kids. And they're just being strong. But they're -- they're -- it's what it is, Larry.

KING: More from beautiful Neverland -- Never, Neverland with this -- I call it Never, Neverland because when you come here, you call it Never, Never, Neverland.

JACKSON: You never want to leave.

KING: You're not kidding.

We'll be right back.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: Have to talk over them?

We're at the Neverland Ranch, north of Santa Barbara, the home of -- hard to say, the late Michael Jackson.

This is an exclusive prime time special for LARRY KING LIVE on CNN.

And we're spending time with Jermaine Jackson.

We'll check in with Ted Rowlands in a moment.

One thing about Katherine, your mother.

Do you think it's proper that she be responsible for the kids?

JACKSON: Yes. I think it's very proper, because the way my mother raised us, the way we know how she's very -- just the love, the joy and making sure that they'll be OK. I thought it was the right choice, clearly.

KING: Age any hindrance -- her age?

JACKSON: No. No, because she has a staff and she's always with all of our kids. There's 23 grandchildren (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: What do you make of the ex-wife possibly seeking custody?

JACKSON: We'll see. Larry, the will is what it is. And the will was really written well. And it was executed by the executors. And they did a great job. It's what it is.

KING: So you don't think she has a shot?

JACKSON: Well, no, no because this is what Michael wanted. If we're looking at Michael and this is all about Michael, this is what he wanted.

KING: Michael had a great friend in Miko Brando. Michael was best man at Miko's wedding, which took place right here.

And Ted Rowlands is with Miko somewhere on the grounds -- Ted.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Larry, we're at the train station, one of the most memorable images of Neverland Ranch. If you've seen video out of here, you see it's the -- it's sort of like the Disneyland train station in that they have the flowers and the clock. It is really a gorgeous part of the Neverland Ranch compound.

And, Miko, you've spent a lot of time up here. This place is so big that, obviously, this isn't just for decoration. This train station was a real train station with a real train. MIKE BRANDO, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FRIEND: A real train, steam -- steam engine train -- a large one. He had used it for years to get from -- from the residence up to the theater and the zoo.

ROWLANDS: Which is about a quarter of a mile away.

Above this fireplace, Miko -- Miko, was a tribute to Katherine.

BRANDO: There was a plaque there that he had made for his mother because he named the train after his mother, the Katherine.

ROWLANDS: So the train was actually called Katherine?

BRANDO: Yes.

ROWLANDS: The -- a lot of people would come up here just to hang out, you were telling me earlier, because, of course, there were -- as there around the entire compound...

BRANDO: Before you'd reach the train, you'd stop here and have your cappuccino, if you want; ice cream; candy; candy apples -- all the candy you could think of -- before you'd ride a train over to the theater.

ROWLANDS: And here, people would hang out and sit here and watch these monitors. Larry, they would have -- basically Michael would put on videos on each of the monitors.

BRANDO: Right.

ROWLANDS: You could say video.

BRANDO: He'd put videos and part twos. Whoever wanted could sit here and watch them on all these screens. You'd sit here and eat your candy, eat your -- well, all those sweets you'd want. And the kids would just hang out here and watch the videos all night long.

ROWLANDS: And this is just a minuscule part, obviously of the compound here -- one small portion of it where people would come and hang out. The outside, here's where the train would come through, Miko. And the marks, you say, sort of show how much it was used, huh?

BRANDO: Correct. That shows you how much steam went through underneath there. And every time you'd, you know, blow the whistle, that would, you know, that would have the effect on the -- on the brick like that.

ROWLANDS: And you say Michael used to do this (INAUDIBLE)...

BRANDO: He'd blow the whistle, you know, right there and make it loud. You could hear it over the whole valley. You could hear it over the whole property. Once that whistle went, you knew the train was here.

ROWLANDS: For you, coming back here, what are you feeling?

BRANDO: Numb. Numb. I wish he was here and I wish that he -- you know, just -- yes, numb.

ROWLANDS: All right.

All right, Larry. This is the train station. We'll be here for the hour showing you much more of Neverland Ranch. Larry?

KING: Thank you.

Thank you, Miko.

Thank you, Ted.

Did you ride that train a lot?

JACKSON: Many times. Many times. It was -- it left from the train station to go to the -- to the theater, down to the theme park.

KING: Was this things that Michael probably dreamed about as a child?

JACKSON: This is what he was about -- just the joy. He started out as a young kid on stage and never having a childhood. And this is -- this was the -- the ultimate playground.

KING: This was the childhood relived?

JACKSON: Yes, exactly. We would come here and relive our dreams. And our kids would come on parties and birthdays and just -- you never wanted to leave.

KING: And some beautiful statuary. And, remember, they're only using 37 acres out of almost 3,000.

When we come back, you're going to see part of those 3,000 acres.

Wait until you see what's coming.

Don't go away.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: A little while ago, Jermaine and I took a little ride up to the gazebo. You couldn't have walked it, because this is a big place.

Watch.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KING: Hi, Jermaine.

We needed to say this is unbelievable.

Where are we? JACKSON: We're at the -- we're looking over Neverland. This is what he considered as the ultimate joy, the ultimate happiness, the ultimate wonderment, the ultimate peace. This is Neverland. This has (INAUDIBLE)...

KING: And this is one small part of this whole picture, right?

JACKSON: Yes, this is one small part. There's so much more. There are other valleys beyond these hills that are just -- are just flat surfaces. There's Mount Katherine around here that he named...

KING: That's named for your mother?

JACKSON: ...after my mother.

KING: Is that it up there?

JACKSON: Yes, it's -- it's the part that's shaved off there, Mount Katherine. And there is -- it -- it's just a place where we would come with all the children and there would be birthdays and fun. And then the times that we wanted to get out here, it was booked for just bus loads of just kids who were dying of this and that and the less fortunate, in wheelchairs.

And the theme park was this way -- beyond that way. And its wheelchair ramps and just gives kids that happiness. That's what it was.

KING: A lot of underprivileged and poor kids, right?

JACKSON: Underprivileged, poor. And they would have a wonderful time.

KING: Now, what's that way?

JACKSON: That way is just where we used to take the quads (ph) and go around and act crazy and ride -- and ride horses and stuff. And there's just so much land to still develop. But here is where he considered his happiness. And this is what he felt that was -- his joy.

KING: Did he see this first?

How did he pick this place?

JACKSON: Well, I understand when they did the video, "Say, Say, Say," my sister La Toya was here and Paul McCartney and Michael. And he really liked it.

But see, to -- to back up before that, I had a ranch in Hidden Valley. And Michael would come over. And he loved what I had out there, because I had swans and everything.

And he said, Jermaine, I'm going to buy a beautiful ranch one day, because he loved the ranch. And this is -- I think that's what inspired him to do this. KING: Did he spend a lot of time here in the heyday?

JACKSON: A lot of time. A lot of time.

KING: I don't think the general public would have any concept -- it's my own feeling -- of what Neverland is. I think their thought would be that it's rides and games and toys.

And there was all that, right?

But this is so much more.

JACKSON: Yes, see, with our family, Larry, we traveled so much. And I can see bits and pieces of different parts of the world here. And that's what's great about this place.

KING: You see Europe here?

JACKSON: Oh, yes. You see Portofino. You see all types of things. And that's what Michael enjoys. And he brought bits and pieces of those different places that he enjoyed into his haven.

KING: All right. Therefore, what is it like for you to stand here now at this place that he loved so much and know he's gone?

JACKSON: Larry, it's so hard. But at the same time, I feel him. I feel his...

KING: You do?

JACKSON: Yes, I feel his presence, because this is his -- this is his creation. This is his ideas. And to come here and to feel him here, I'm happy. And I really felt and still feel that this is where he should be rested, because it's just him. It's so beautiful. Listen. It's serene. It's wonderful.

KING: What do you need, a state thing to change that?

Would they have to...

JACKSON: Larry, anything can be done today. We know this.

KING: The law says you have to be buried in a cemetery, right?

I think that's the law.

JACKSON: Yes, but the people who make the laws, they also...

KING: They can change them.

JACKSON: They can change them.

KING: Well, this is obvious.

JACKSON: Yes.

KING: It would be a magnificent burial places in the world.

JACKSON: It's gorgeous. Well, tell me, did -- what impression you had when you first came?

KING: I couldn't believe it. I could...

JACKSON: Yes.

KING: I don't know what I was expecting...

JACKSON: It's the same impression I had the first time I came. It's the kind of place when it's time to go, you don't want to leave. You want to hide. You want to chain yourself to a tree or something. You don't want to leave, because there's so much joy, so much happiness.

And, Larry, at the same time, to think about that certain people tried to turn this into a negative place -- for him to bring kids here and this and that, for the wrong reason. And that disturbs us the most.

KING: But that hurt him, didn't it?

JACKSON: Oh, it hurt him tremendously. Not only him, our whole entire family, because our kids come out here and they -- there's candy, there is -- there's -- right in that space right there where you see the little kids sitting...

KING: In that circle, yes.

JACKSON: ...sitting on the moon there, that's the grand station for the steam train to go from there to the theater down that way. And he -- he had -- he got the only steam operator in the nation to come here and work this steam train.

KING: This is -- thank you for showing us this.

JACKSON: Thank you.

KING: Because I have never -- I never expected it nor have I ever seen anything quite like it.

JACKSON: Thank you so much, Larry.

KING: Thanks, Jermaine.

JACKSON: It means a lot to all of us, especially me.

KING: Thank you.

JACKSON: Thank you, Larry.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KING: Well, we have moved from our position back over there to one over here -- a kind of dramatic, beautiful place, but also with a story to tell.

Jermaine, where are we?

JACKSON: Well, we're right as you come in. And this is a very special tree here, because this tree was the tree that he would climb in and think and write songs like...

KING: Write songs?

JACKSON: Yes. "We Are the World," "Dangerous." Just, this was his -- his childhood theme.

KING: So let's walk over here.

JACKSON: He'd climb trees. Yes.

KING: Explain to me what he would do.

He would climb -- he would start from where?

JACKSON: He'd start from here. Right from here, he would climb up here.

KING: Climb up here?

JACKSON: Climb up here.

KING: Go. Don't kill yourself.

JACKSON: Go here. We've got the handles here...

KING: With the handles on the tree.

JACKSON: Yes. And he would go all the way up and find a place to sit, which was right around -- oh, in here. Up there.

KING: Up there?

JACKSON: Right up there. And he would sit there...

KING: Up there?

JACKSON: Yes, up there. And he would sit there and write songs. It's peaceful, Larry.

Do you -- do you hear this?

Let's listen.

KING: Shhhh. OK.

JACKSON: It's wonderful.

KING: It's peaceful but...

JACKSON: Yes.

KING: ...scary.

JACKSON: No, because it's that -- it's that childhood thing. You're never afraid, when you're a child, to -- to do things.

KING: So he'd write...

JACKSON: And that was always in him.

KING: ...the words there, right?

JACKSON: Yes.

KING: He'd have to write words and then write musical notes?

JACKSON: Exactly. Just -- just lyrics and melodies and ideas and stuff.

KING: All right. Let's take "We Are the World."

Would he come down then and sing it to you?

JACKSON: Well, he would come down and take the ideas and go to the studio, implement that and put it on the -- put it into motion.

KING: Did you -- did he ever tell you how he got the idea to write in a tree?

JACKSON: Larry, you can write anywhere. You can write while you're driving. You can write...

KING: I know, but why in a tree?

I know that.

JACKSON: Because, Larry, because you're up high. It's God's creation. It's a tree. It's peaceful. It's green.

KING: It's a tree.

JACKSON: It's -- it's by the fountain. And it's -- it's very peaceful.

KING: It's also one darned beautiful tree.

JACKSON: Yes. It looks like it's hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years old, an oak tree.

KING: It must be oak.

JACKSON: It's strong.

KING: Yes, beautiful. JACKSON: It's strong.

KING: Hey, this is some place, you know?

I've got to tell you.

Thank you.

KING: I could -- I could live here.

JACKSON: I would love to live here, too.

KING: We'll be right back.

We're going for more.

Don't go away.

(MUSIC)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KING: I keep thinking, Jermaine, about double emotions. I mean there's a lot of plus emotions. There's got to be a lot of sad emotions.

JACKSON: It's --

KING: Look at all you shared here.

JACKSON: Yes, but it's -- it's a joy here. And I really feel my mother should come back here and the rest of my brothers and sisters and just feel his presence -- feel what he's created, because it will never leave. It will never die. This is -- he's here.

KING: They have not been here since?

JACKSON: No. Jackie has been here. Tito has been here.

KING: Katherine hasn't? Your dad hasn't?

JACKSON: They're coming, I'm pretty sure.

KING: What can you tell us about the plans for Tuesday?

JACKSON: Well, the plans for Tuesday is fine. We were just delegating certain things to certain family members. But we've always been focused and --

KING: Is it 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning?

JACKSON: It's 10:00 a.m. Tuesday morning.

KING: Staples Center downtown. JACKSON: Staples center, downtown. Larry, the hardest thing is where do you rest Michael Jackson? Where do you -- it's like everything he did was so over the top, and there are people coming from all over the world in groups of 20s and hundreds of thousands.

KING: How you going to hold -- Staples holds 18,000. Did you ask about Dodger Stadium?

JACKSON: We worked with the city authorities and they're trying their best. And with the time frame we have, we're hoping that everybody is safe and things are going to be locked down pretty much.

KING: And burial now, the California law says you have to bury them in a cemetery, right?

JACKSON: That's pretty much yes. But, as you know, the ones who make the laws can also change them too. I would love to see him here.

KING: Do you have a place for him here?

JACKSON: Yes, there's a special place right over near the train station, right over there.

KING: That we saw before?

JACKSON: Yes. It's hard, Larry, to point where your brother is going to be -- it's tough.

KING: What kind of service will it be?

JACKSON: Larry, we -- we want the world to take part in this event. But, at the same time, we're mourning. We're mourning because this is the most incredible human being there will ever be. And I'll tell you why, because -- I'll quote something to you.

"I'm starting with the man in the mirror. I'm asking him to change his ways. And no message could have been clearer. If you want to make the world a better place, you have to look at yourself to make a change."

I'll say it again, "if you want to make the world a better place, you have to look at yourself and make a change."

When you listen to the content of songs, the melodies, the messages, the videos, the concerts, that's who he was. That's who he is.

KING: How early did you sense that in him?

JACKSON: We were all raised like this, Larry.

KING: Did you know it when he was 12, 13, that he was special?

JACKSON: Yes, because Michael was so young, and he was doing the James Brown -- he could see something and do it. If he wanted to be a tennis player, he would have been a tennis player. If he wanted to be a runner, he would have been. He does everything at the highest level.

He's gifted. And he was a gift from Allah. And I really feel, Larry, his time on this Earth that he was here -- certain people tried to create animosity about him and things that just wasn't important. Look at the man who he is.

KING: Will it be -- well said. Will it be a religious ceremony?

JACKSON: Listen, we were all raised -- we were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses, to tell you the truth.

KING: Uh-huh.

JACKSON: As we started traveling, we started embracing different religions. But the most important thing my mother and father instilled the right morals and principles in us, which is Allah, which is god, Jehovah.

KING: And all-faith, kind of?

JACKSON: I gravitated towards Islam, because I felt it was complete for me.

KING: You don't know what the ceremony will entail?

JACKSON: No, it's going to be -- we want a lot of the industry to be there, as much as possible. But Larry, there's no place even big enough. We talked about the Washington Monument. We talked about the Coliseum. We talked about a lot of places.

Larry, the people, thousands are coming just from the UK. They have 20,000 people --

KING: I've been to Staples. I don't know how they're going to hold it.

JACKSON: I said the same thing. But we have to --

KING: Let me get a break in. Obviously. We'll be right back. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We at Neverland Ranch. You're looking at the shot, looking right towards the main house. Beautiful place, by the way. Magnificent kitchen here. By the way, Jermaine just told me there will be a private ceremony Tuesday morning, family only.

JACKSON: And some special guests.

KING: And then the 10:00 will be the large memorial service. And there will be many others, right?

JACKSON: Many other -- singers and --

KING: In other parts of the country? JACKSON: Yes, exactly.

KING: So Tuesday is just the start of what will be a series of memorials. Back with more of Jermaine. Now out to Ted Rowlands and Miko Brando. Ted?.

ROWLANDS: Larry, we're in the main house, just inside the main foyer. This is a good indication of what the entire house of 13,000 plus square foot plus house is like, a lot of wood. It just absolutely gorgeous, as you can see.

And Miko, our tour guide here, one of the things you see around here is the Sycamore logo. Michael Jackson bought this pretty much in tact in terms of the main house.

BRANDO: Correct. Yes, this was the logo of the previous owner. It was called the Sycamore Valley Ranch. So all over the property you see these little sycamore trees.

ROWLANDS You say Michael first stayed here when he was working on a video with Paul McCartney. He just came here and was basically put here. And you say he couldn't get it out of his mind.

BRANDO: He stayed here while he was doing the "Say, Say, Say" video. He enjoyed it. He liked it. He wanted to buy the property. He went on tour. And during our tour in '88, the Bad Tour, he had bought the property. He said Miko, I got the ranch.

KING: The ranch. This room is what?

JACKSON: This is the living room. A piano used to be here, with a bunch of photos on the piano. A castle he had built sitting over here, living room chairs, furniture, sofa, the TV on the wall. He had a beautiful marble front here, in front of the fireplace. He had an Oscar standing on the right side of the fireplace.

ROWLANDS: The Oscar from --

BRANDO: From "Gone With the Wind."

ROWLANDS: That he apparently paid one point some million dollars for.

BRANDO: Yes, sir.

ROWLANDS: Prominently displayed when you pay that kind of money. Here we're going into the kitchen, Larry. Miko, you say this was a spot, like any family -- this was the spot where you hung out.

BRANDO: Yes, this was the focal point of the house, I think. We would all meet here. My father would eat here. Michael would eat here. Everyone would meet here. We would watch TV with the fireplace here. Sit here on the bar stool here with a kitchen full of food, video games here on the table. Flat screen TV here on the wall. We had nice furniture. Everything was really warm.

ROWLANDS: So your father, you and Michael used to sit at the table over there for hours.

BRANDO: There was a round table with I think six of eight chairs. We would always have our meals here, most of our meals here, breakfast, lunch and dinner. If we changed it, we would eat somewhere around the property. This was basically where we would all meet and talk about our day here at Neverland.

ROWLANDS: Larry, we'll be back in a bit. Later, looking at Michael Jackson's room and more parts of this fabulous estate.

KING: Thanks, Ted. Before we go to break, what do you make of Diana Sans being named?

JACKSON: Diana Ross?

KING: Diana Ross. I'm sorry, Diana Sans --

JACKSON: I think it's very interesting. There's been a long, close relationship with Michael and Diana for many, many years. And I think it's great.

KING: So she would be a proper person to handle in case something happened to your mother?

JACKSON: I feel it's OK, really. Right now my mother has the children.

KING: Right back with more with Jermaine Jackson and Neverland. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: In case you just joined us or been on another planet, we're going to show you again a portion of that incredible last rehearsal of Michael Jackson. Watch.

(SINGING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWS BREAK)

KING: A couple more things, Jermaine, on the will. Are you surprised that none of the siblings and your father isn't mentioned?

JACKSON: No, I'm not surprised. What makes me angry, Larry, is the will is exactly Michael's wishes. And they should be carried out exactly the way Michael wanted them. Anybody that tried to contest this will is not following Michael's wishes.

KING: It doesn't bother you that your father wasn't mentioned?

JACKSON: It doesn't bother me, because if my mother's mentioned, my father's fine. I mean, if my mother's fine, we're all fine. But most important, it's not about money, Larry. It's not about property. We're a family. We're a family. We don't let that get in the way. That's not important to us. That's not important.

KING: Did you hear any of the results from any other autopsies? Do you know anything more?

JACKSON: No. When it comes to these things that they're saying -- excuse me, but I'm very uneducated when it comes to drugs and I want to be that way.

KING: But there was a second autopsy. Do you know anything?

JACKSON: No, I don't. But I'm pretty sure there's going to be all kinds of speculations and things being said. But the most important thing is we have to look at who Michael really is.

KING: You've been saying that.

JACKSON: That's so important, because he gave his all to try to change this world and make this world a better place. All this other stuff, it's not important, Larry.

KING: You're doing your best to change that. I have to ask the questions, Jermaine. You've done a fine job here. Thank you. Thanks for being with us. We've got to know. The public is very interested in your brother.

JACKSON: Thank you. Thank you.

KING: Ted Rowlands stands by with more with Miko. Ted?

ROWLANDS: Larry, we're inside Michael Jackson's bedroom suite with Miko Brando, our tour guide. You're looking at the doors. You can see the locks on the doors. Miko, privacy was key in this room, obviously.

BRANDO: Yes, he liked his privacy. When the doors were open, it was OK. But when he locked it, he wanted his privacy. He had his privacy.

ROWLANDS: This is one of the bathrooms. There are two bathrooms in this suite. This is the area that Michael Jackson also slept sometimes. There's a staircase up there, a small bedroom up there. You say he slept on both levels?

BRANDO: He felt whenever he felt like sleeping. He had a choice of two.

ROWLANDS: Let's swing around here. This is a massive bedroom suite. Let's get to all of it. Out here is the view. It's gorgeous. You were married out there. Obviously, it doesn't get much better than that for a view outside your room.

BRANDO: No. He had a great view. There was a gazebo out there by the tree. We got married there. Everyone was out there. It was beautiful. The flowers, the grass, everything was immaculate.

ROWLANDS: When you look at the house now, Miko, it is unfurnished, obviously. Give us a sense of how different it was fully furnished.

BRANDO: It was the place. I've seen a lot of houses in my life, but this was the house.

ROWLANDS: You could see here is the other bathroom and the big tub. Real quickly, before we go, Larry, there's been talk about this closet. It is massive. In the corner of it is a secret compartment or secret little area. Miko, you said this was a safe room just in case.

BRANDO: This was some place in case something ever happened. It would be where he'd go.

ROWLANDS: Thanks, Miko. Larry, back to you.

KING: Thanks, Ted. We have a moment left with Jermaine. You realize, of course, that the public is interested in all these questions. We have had a beautiful day here at Neverland. But there's great interest -- as you expressed it, he changed the world. There's interest in him, his will, how his family's affected. You do understand that, right?

JACKSON: Here's a man who gave his life to humanity. He actually gave his life.

KING: You don't think there's an interest in him?

JACKSON: Yes, there's a tremendous interest around the world. My brother is the king. He's the king. He broken all kinds records, even to this day. The Billboard charts, this and that. All these things are material. We can't take these things with us. All we take is the good deeds that we've done this time that we were on this Earth. I do feel that he was given to us specially, and they've taken him back. Allah has taken him back.

And those who have tried to ridicule him, to make a mockery of him, they realize.

KING: Asking questions about the will isn't ridicule or mocking. It's just --

JACKSON: What I'm saying is if Michael makes a will, no one should contest it. No one.

KING: I got you. OK.

JACKSON: It's what his wishes where.

KING: We're going to do lots more with you.

JACKSON: Thank you.

KING: Jermaine Jackson.

The son of Deepak Chopra is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We continue our prime time exclusive at Neverland Ranch with Gotham Chopra, a close friend of Michael Jackson. He worked with Michael on the multi-platinum albums "Dangerous" and "History." Of course, you know his father, Deepak.

This is, obviously, not your first visit here. How does it feel to be here without him?

GOTHAM CHOPRA, MICHAEL JACKSON'S LONG TIME FRIEND: You know, I was not sure how it was going to feel. It kind of feels nice, actually, certainly not without him. But the last few years, Michael had said this had turned into a house for him. It was no longer a home. I do think there is a tranquillity back to it, now that we're celebrating him again. I think you can feel that here.

KING: It's an extraordinary place, isn't it?

CHOPRA: I was interested to get your reaction. I've been here. But --

KING: I'm flabbergasted, in a very positive, beautiful -- isn't serenity a good word?

CHOPRA: Serenity, tranquility. What's missing is the monkeys running around with the trainers. We haven't had a water balloon fight as yet.

KING: Flamingos.

CHOPRA: Flamingos, yes. There's a lot of fun here. You know, certainly, we've come in some sort of mourning but that's what was here before.

KING: Has the loss sunk in, Gotham?

CHOPRA: I don't think so. It's starting to. I was overseas when it first happened. I was shocked, not entirely surprised, frankly, because of knowing Michael and knowing of the things he had talked about. I think I'm starting to feel a little bit more sadness, actually, as time goes by.

KING: When was the last time you saw him?

CHOPRA: I saw him a few months ago. I spoke to him a few weeks ago.

KING: Did he look well?

CHOPRA: To me -- it's subjective -- yes, he looked -- Michael was always -- he was always delicate and small and thin. But he looked no different than he had for years to me.

KING: Did you meet him through your father?

CHOPRA: Originally, yes. I've known him for about 20 years. KING: How old are you?

CHOPRA: I'm 34.

KING: So you were a kid? Did you stay here as a kid.

CHOPRA: The guest house, which is right over there. That was where I stayed the first time I came here with my father. We ate in the main house over there, which is the first time I met Michael. I grew up with Michael Jackson as an idol. I had the silver glove. I bought a red leather jacket, and cut it up so it looked like it was from "Thriller," much to my parents' horror. When I met him, it was like a dream come true.

KING: This is like -- this had to be an adventure for you. You were 14. What was it like?

CHOPRA: It was like walking into a fairy tale, the music, the elegance, fun, the carnival rides. So that first time it was a quick visit just with my father. I subsequently came here through the years, brought my cousins, brought my friends. And Michael just loved having people. He loved playing. It was great here.

KING: Did you ever buy any of the stories, the molestation stories, all that? How did you feel?

CHOPRA: I felt conflicted, obviously. I can only speak to my experience. Like I said, coming here as a 14-year-old for the first time, spending all this time with Michael, and never feeling uncomfortable in his presence.

KING: First time you met him, what was your impression?

CHOPRA: I was in awe, obviously. I was speechless. He immediately put me at ease. The first Batman movie had just -- or was just coming out. He asked me, do you want to see -- he had a movie theater here. He said do you want to go to a private screening, just you, me and my dad? I said, yes, absolutely. So we went and watched. I saw it like a month before it came out. It's amazing.

He immediately put me at ease. I felt comfortable. He felt, in some ways, while he was probably 30 years old at the time -- he felt like a kid himself.

KING: You don't feel sadness here?

CHOPRA: I do. I think --

KING: You feel both, though?

CHOPRA: Yes. I feel both. I mean, look, I think it's great we're celebrating him and everybody who is here feels him here, which is great. It's great to see his family, Jermaine here.

KING: That was part one. There will be part two of young Mr. Chopra, quite a young man, tomorrow night on another edition of LARRY KING LIVE.

We've been at the Neverland Ranch. We've been here all day. We've had quite a night. We'd love to come back again. From the Neverland Ranch, this has been LARRY KING LIVE. Here's Anderson Cooper and "AC 360." Anderson?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0907/02/lkl.01.html