| Michael Jackson Talks ... to Oprah | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Television Interview |
| Presented by | Oprah Winfrey |
| Starring | Oprah Winfrey,Michael Jackson |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Oprah Winfrey, Debra Di Maio, Wendy Roth |
| Production location | Neverland Valley Ranch |
| Production company | Harpo Productions |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | February 10, 1993 (1993-02-10) |
Michael Jackson Talks ... to Oprah is an Americantelevision interviewspecial that was broadcast byABC on February 10, 1993. The special featured an interview between musicianMichael Jackson andOprah Winfrey, filmed at hisNeverland Ranch in California.
A.C. Nielsen reported that the interview was seen by an average of 62 million viewers, which at the time was the twentieth-largestaudience for a U.S. television program recorded by the company. The interview remainsthe most-watched television interview in U.S. history as of 2024 with a total audience of over 90 million viewers.[1]
During the interview, Jackson denied multiple tabloid rumors surrounding his personal life, including that he had bought the bones of theElephant Man ("Where am I gonna put some bones?"), or slept in ahyperbaric chamber.[2][3]
When asked by Winfrey abouthis changing appearance and rumors that he had undergonecosmetic surgery, Jackson stated that the only operation he had received was anose job, but that he had also become uncomfortable with his appearance and was afraid to look at his face in mirrors.[4] Addressing rumors he had beenbleaching his skin to lighten it, Jackson publicly revealed that he had been diagnosed withvitiligo—a depigmentation of the skin.[4] Despite this condition, Jackson stated that he was still "proud to be a Black American. I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am."[3]
Reminiscing about his childhood, Jackson stated that he often missed out on hanging out with others because of his commitments to a music career.[4] He accused his fatherJoe Jackson of mentally and physically abusing him.[5][6][7]
Jackson stated that he had been dating actressBrooke Shields. When asked by Winfrey if he was avirgin, he refused to answer this, insisting that "you can call me old-fashioned if you want, but to me that's very personal."[4]
The interview also featured a surprise appearance from Jackson's longtime close friendElizabeth Taylor, who referred to Jackson as "highly intelligent, shrewd, intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, generous to almost a fault of himself". She also called him "the least weird man I've ever known".[8]
A.C. Nielsen reported that the interview was seen by an average of 62 million viewers, which at the time was the twentieth-largestaudience for a U.S. television program recorded by the company.[9][10]
The special, along with his recent appearances at the1993 American Music Awards, and theSuper Bowl XXVII halftime show just days earlier, were contributing factors in a resurgence in sales for his 1991 albumDangerous. After a further spike following an appearance at theGrammy Awards to accept theGrammy Legend Award,Dangerous re-entered the top 10 of the USBillboard 200.[11]
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