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Michael Jackson tapes reveal love for Hitler and James Bulger killers
Last updated at 09:03am on 25.09.09
Michael Jackson praised Hitler and wanted to hug the killers of James Bulger, according to a series of taped conversations which have only now come to light.
Interviews: Michael Jackson reveals all
The singer also wanted to date Princess Diana and thought Madonna was in love with him but jealous of his success in more than 30 hours of interviews he recorded with a rabbi.
Jackson talks of his admiration for Hitler and believed he could have rehabilitated the Nazi mass-murderer if they had an hour alone together.
He said: “Hitler was a genius orator. To make that many people turn and change and hate he had to be a showman and he was.”
Asked if he had the ability to make Hitler change his ways, Jackson replies: “Absolutely. I know I could. You have to help them, give them therapy, teach them that somewhere, something in their life went wrong.”
Jackson, who died in June aged 50 from a drug related heart attack, was recorded speaking to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach eight years ago for interviews which he is claimed to have known would be published.
The singer tells the rabbi how he argued with his first wife Lisa Marie Presley who called him an “idiot” for wanting to visit Robert Thompson and Jon Venables in jail after they murdered two-year-old James Bulger in Liverpool in 1993.
He said: “I said (to Presley): How dare you say that? I bet if you trace their life you can find they didn't have parents around, they didn't have any love, nobody there to hold them, look in their eyes and say I love you.
“They deserve that, even though they're going to get life. I just want to say I love you and hold them.'”
The interviews have been in a new book The Michael Jackson Tapes which goes on sale in America and online today.
Rabbi Boteach, who was based at Oxford University, met Jackson through mutual friend Uri Geller, and made the recordings at the Neverland ranch.
Speaking candidly about women he loved, Jackson said he secretly wanted to date Princess Diana, but was too shy to ask her.
“I thought she was very special - very feminine and classy. She was my type for sure and I don't like most girls. There are very few I like who fit the mould. It takes a very special mould to make me happy and she was one of them,” he says of Diana.
The singer also claimed supermodel Cindy Crawford had flirted with him and he considered dating his friend Elizabeth Taylor, but was worried the press would label them “The Odd Couple”.
Jackson said of Madonna: “I think she was sincerely in love with me and I was not in love with her. She did a lot of crazy things. I knew we had nothing in common. She is not sexy at all. I think sexy comes from the heart in the way you present yourself.”
He goes on to claim Madonna was jealous because she wished she was in his “shoes” with screaming fans and the “fainting and adulation” that Jackson received.
Rabbi Boteach, 42, claims the interviews were meant to be published while Jackson was still alive, but were held up because of the child abuse allegations.
He said: “He was a man who yearned so deeply to do good with his life but was ultimately consumed by indescribable loneliness and pain.”
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Reader views (15)
Yet another twisted story to make Michael sound terrible ! He felt love could change and warm the cold hearts in people. He was trying to heal not embrace or agree with there bad choices. Its just so stupid they make Mike out to be a bad crazy. I think he saw things more clear and like he said he felt his soul was more like an 80 year old. I have great respect for Michael the more I know about him the more I admire him and have a love for him as a beautiful human being. I have always defended him to the people who are simply not educated but happy to pass harsh comment, I think if his fans keep doing this the truth is out there.
- Lillyaustralia, Sydney,Australia
He didn't say he agreed with Hitler, just states the obvious that Hitler was a genius, an evil genius. And if these were such private conversations then why would Michael allow the Rabbi to tape them? Just something to think about.
- Ashley, Virgina Beach
I have mixed feelings about this article. Yes I agree that the rabbi should not be spilling the beans, and it is disloyal. But, even as an MJ fan you can not deny what is on a tape (yes I know tapes can be doctored). He was not fully aware of the Jamie Bulger case otherwise he would have known that these 2 boys did have solid family backgrounds, and they were given a better education etc than some other children. They are now adults living a normal life. Jamie Bulger did not get to grow up, so I am sorry I cannot agree with MJ on that, and anyone who thinks he was right are just as wrong. It was not defamation, as the tapes were in MJ's voice. It was betrayal.
- E Sullivan, London
All of this stuff that Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is old news. Many people have said Hitler was a genius orator who used his genius for evil. And the story of Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley arguning over the James Bulger killers is very old news, as I read about that over 10yrs ago.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is using his very brief friendship with Michael Jackson for financial gain. The man is an idot and appears on any documentary about Michael Jackson that he can get his face on, but exaggerating what Michael Jackson said and how close he was to Michael Jackson which wasn't that close.
- Ben S, London
My thoughts exactly Mark! Complete nuters the lot of them!
- Colin, London
watched this guy on Today show and I agree with everyone that he is just using all this for his own monetary gains...if Michael really wanted these tapes and book made public, he would have had him do so back in 2000-2001 when these tapes were recorded. He said he didn't do it then because of the child molestation accusations, but these were done in 2000-2001 and the allegations were not until 2005..so why didn't he write the book then? Seems pretty sneaky and shady to me. Why does everyone want to portray him as crazy?...he had an innocence that most of us can only wish we had...This "rabbi" should be ashamed. NO wonder he was no longer in MJ's good graces ..hopefully MJ finally realized this man was NOT his friend..and he has proven it ten fold with this obsurd and horrible book. I hope NO ONE makes him rich by buying this garbage... I for one will NOT!!!!
- Renee, geneva USA
It seems his fans are as bonkers as he was.
- Mark Myword, London
if he said these things he was a complete idiot- the two boys who killed james Bulger deserve to rot in hell regardless of their childhood. They took James' life away therfore don't deserve to live
- Lisa, Italy
cuckoo!!
- St, London
What a shame. What a totally irritating shame it is to find even now the people who MJ thought were his friends are trying to make out that this man who was so misunderstood had any form of bad intention. He was innocently naive on every occasion and all us clever human beings needed to do was to ask him a series of very leading and controvercial questions and bang there we go again. A head line that made him look like he was a total loon. I agree with Debbie if his fans know Micheal the way he intended them to then at least this part of the human race will know that all the comments made by him were very sensible. Ask yourself what it takes to make young children committ something as hurrendous as the two boys that killed poor Jamie and MJ is totally right. Bad up bringing, no moral mentorship and definately no experience of love or that kind of act would have never entered thier innocent childs head. Funnily after ready this article I went on to read the headline "Lady GaGa stabs herself at MTV awards......" Do you see what I mean, the media and those who trained to perform interviews have a way of producing headlines that sell. Maybe if we take MJs example and mentor our young accordingly we may not experience as much antisocial behaviour in society....... Godbless MJ, I knew what he meant. X
- Joanne A, UK
its sad to know that this same cunning rat was thought by michael, to be his friend. after all the love and affection michael showed this monster, it is by betraying alone he manages to repay michael. i wish you were alive michael..we will never let your legacy be befouled by twisted rats like Boteach..we love you and will miss you forever..
- Gabriel, chennai
I don' t believe all these declarations about the king of Pop are true. He was and always will be unique and a veritable gift from God no matter what.
Rest in peace Michael!
- Just, UK
what a loon.
- Squiz, Islington
shame on the Rabbi .he is a two faced monster who im sure will burn in hell .What does he hope to gain by coming out with this book now.Fame and fortune in hell.How dare you even implicate that MJ loved Hitler if you understood him at all you would know that MJ saw the good in everybody even you before you sold your soul for monetary gain.What sxactly do you hope to gain by revealing this trash now.my guess is your trying to cash in on his fame and that you were the one who was jealous.What about the funds.Is this a way to try and defame our beloved MJ because you fell out of his good graces.you you make all MJ fan sick and you will atoll for your actions to the almighty.I guess MJ wont be seeing you in heaven. thank god for that.
- Debbie Cora Fox, Powell River Canada
Who needs to know this gibberish? It will surely only encourage more Rabbis to spill the beans about what people have confided in them: imagine how tedious that could become?!
- Roz, France
