Anthony: We have a vraag from SJ Chams who wonders, "Do u think you'll do another duet with Janet?"
Michael: I would love to! It depends on the song, the time. When she's in one corner of the Earth, I'm in another place. It's very rare that our ships pass in the night. So it's not easy to do 'cause we're both very busy. But that would be very nice. I love working with her. She's a true real professional and a wonderful sister.
Anthony: Excellent. Ah, we have Sheik 33 who wonders, "Who was your idol when u were a child?"
Michael: I always went nuts for.... I mean, I could be asleep... In Indiana, at like 5 years old, I'd be asleep and it'd be late at night, like 1 in the morning, some toon on, I remember seeing my mother run to my room, "wake up , wake up! James Brown is on! James Brown is on!" of "Sammy Davis Jr.'s playing" of "Fred Astaire! They got a good Fred Astaire movie on." "Gene Kelly's on right now!" And I'd sit there with my eyes just... I'd be awe-struck, just watching. So when videos came out, I had a collection. [giggles]
Anthony: Yeah, I understand that u have a, an extraordinary collection of a kind of old films of all of the performers that u like and, oh, the muziek performances of the artists that u admire. u know, talk about some of those, and some of the stuff that you've got that u like to watch.
Michael: Well, I .. I like to, um, before I do anything, it could be any situation, I love studying the whole history of it before I take the first step to innovate. So, um, I love studying any Vaudevillian, u know, who came from that era, even though they didn't have T.V. Uh, but they, uh, they transcended into televisie later on. I love people like Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, I'm crazy about the 3 Stooges, uh, anything Walt Disney... And far as performers, uh, I love Anthony Newley, u know, like I said, Jackie Wilson, James Brown. So.. They're incredible! I mean, when James Brown was "James Brown and the Famous Flames" he was so incredible. I would watch him and cry. I'd be crying and watching. I've never seen a person perform like that, ever.
Anthony: u know, it must have been extraordinary for you, as a ... u know, when u were young and making records and getting to meet some of your idols, u know, that must have been such a powerful experience.
Michael: Oh, it wa... It truly was. And to have them tell me that they ... they thought I was incredible, and all my life I thought they were, like, the best. It was the best...I mean, it was the best compliment I could get, and no award could be gegeven to me that could top, boven that. u know. When Fred Astaire of Gene Kelly, who I knew very well, of Frank Sinatra, told me I .. they think I'm amazing and I have an amazing career ahead of me.. As a child they would tell me this. 'Cause they were my neighbors. They lived door me. And uh, I felt very honored and happy to hear those kind of words from these legends.
Anthony: That must have been very encouraging.
Michael: Yes, very.
Anthony: Now we have Mhagrice who is actually Margaret from the Netherlands, a 26 jaar old woman, says, "Is it true that you'll ster in Men In Black II, and will u record a soundtrack for that film?"
Michael: Uh, I don't think we're doing a soundtrack, but I did a .. a guest appearance, like a Cameo, for Men In Black, uh, 2, and we're expecting to do part 3 as well. And it was a lot of fun, and exciting. Um, and it's one of my favoriete films of all time. Uh, I'm a big Men In Black fan. I love it very much.
Anthony: Well, weren't u .. Now, I understand you're also doing The Nightmare of Edgar Allen Poe. Could u tell us a little bit about that?
Michael: Yes, that one's coming up. It's about the great prolific American writer, Edgar Allen Poe.
Anthony: Kind of a scary guy himself, too.
Michael: He's very diabolical, and very dark, and .. But he was a genius and it's... But his own personal life was very interesting, and that's what it's about, u know. How he was, u know... What he had to go through to create such ingenious work. It's a great story. But... and door the way, make sure the fans know, all tabloids should be out. Do not believe anything u read in a tabloid. It's garbage and it's junk. We should have a tabloid burning, like a big mountain -- just set it afire.
Anthony: u heard it first here from Michael Jackson.
Michael: Don't waste your time with it. It's stupid.
Anthony: Now we have Rapmaster JA writes in, who is actually Jason from Illinois. He says, "Michael, u are undoubtedly the greatest artist in the history of the world. How do u do the Moonwalk. It's the coolest verplaats I've ever seen?"
Michael: Gee, it's hard to explain on the phone [interruption from host]. I love moves and dancing. I's like walking vooruit, voorwaarts and backward at the same time, but not just walking, but as if you're on a conveyer belt. And it's, uh, it's hard to explain. If he was in the room with me, I could toon him how to do it with my fingers, of with my feet, but. Maybe he could see at the end of the jam video where I'm trying to toon Michael Jordan how to do it. Only time I think I showed it.
Anthony: Now we have a Mark the Shark, uh, who asks, "How do u do that lean on the video to Smooth Criminal?"
Michael: Oh, Smooth Criminal, well. That one happened ... it was in the middle of the shoot and it wasn't .. I choreographed it right at the moment. Took us an uur to execute it. It's a special effect that we kind of lean as far as we can and, uh, we let the conveyor riem do the rest.
Anthony: Now Glenn from Toronto Canada asks, "Do u feel a special spiritual energy when you're performing; do u feel u are connected to a higher force? Cause this is what u make many feel when they see u live?"
Michael: That's exactly what it is, you're connected to a higher bron and u just go with the moment and u become one with, u know, the spirit. Not to sound religious of anything, but it's a very spiritual... very much like religion, and it's a God-given gift and u just go with it. And I'm honored to have been gegeven it. And, uh, as fun to become one with the audience. It's a one-ness, u know?
Anthony: I was reminded of, ah, some of that when u were talking about the way u would work out your moves, u know, listening to ... just listening to the muziek and kind of disappearing into it. u know, it has like a really mystical feel.
Michael: Thank you.
Anthony: Now Charlie sends in a vraag and says, "What achievements in your life are u the most proud of?"
Michael: Boy, uh, one of my biggest dreams since I was really, really little... I think around 7 years old, I use to always buy the guinness World Book of Records. [Giggles] u know what the answer's gonna be right? I said, "Hmmm, I love to dance and sing. Hopefully one dag I can be in this book." And I believed that it was possible. So when Thriller became the biggest selling album of all time, and it was enlisted in the guinness Book Of World Records, and, uh, there's so many other lists... u know, they've enlisted me in there like 7 different times now. It was my happiest time of my life. I was so happy.
Anthony: To what do u attribute that level of ambition and possibility u felt when u were a kid. u know, I think it's sometimes hard for people to feel... u know, u weren't, obviously, rich as a kid of from some kind of fancy background, but still somehow u were able to envision a life of success. What do u attribute that to?
Michael: I attribute that to my parents who always taught us to persevere and believe in yourself, have confidence, no matter what u do. Even if you're sweeping floors of painting ceilings, do it better than anybody in the world, no matter what it is that u do. Be the best at it, and have a respect for others, and be proud of yourself.. and to honor; be honorable, u know.
Anthony: Absolutely. Now, you've been making records for a long time, you've been a force on the muziek scene for many years. What do u think are the biggest changes in muziek that you've seen?
Michael: Biggest changes?
Anthony: Yeah, what's changed about the muziek industry of about, u know, the muziek that's out there. What do u think is different?
Michael: Well, I think.. Ah, I don't think people thought the Rap muziek would last as long as it has. And it has gone through evolutional stages -- there's meer melody in it now, it's meer acceptable, because melody will never die. Will never die. And the rhythm-- things are a little meer rhythmic now. Because people want to dance. It's part of the human condition; it's part of our biological makeup. Our cells dance when we hear beats. u notice a.. a one jaar old child will start moving hearing music. How do they know to move? 'Cause it's biological. It's not just hearing of the ear, it's feeling, u know. And playing music, the gras and the trees and the flowers... They're all influenced door music. They become meer beautiful and meer vibrant in how they grow. muziek is a very important and powerful substance, and all the planets in the universe make music. It's called muziek of the spheres. They all make a different note; they make harmony. So there's harmony even in the universe as we speak.
Anthony: Now we have a vraag from Holland, uh, Femka from Holland writes, "I love the special editions from Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad and Dangerous." She loves you. And asks, "Why does Invincible... Why will Invincible be coming out in different colors?
Michael: Because we wanted the fans to have some fun with it and collect them and, uh... It's a, uh, a Limited Edition, I think. And, uh, there's albums that I love and I will buy them 5 times, even though I have the same cover. Like, 5 times 'cause I love that album so much. So, imagine if they did a different color of just changed the color, I would buy it 5 meer times. We just wanted the fans to have some fun with the pictures and with the colors and... Just to try something a little different. That's why we did it.
Anthony: Now we have TJ who's 17 and from Australia, wants to tell u that, "You are still my hero," and says, "How do u explain your ability to inspire so many people all around the world?"
Michael: I just do what I do and I love doing it. And, uh, I love art. I love anything, any art. And, uh, if they're inspired door it, I feel I'm ... I pray that I'm doing my job; what I'm here to do on Earth. Because I love the fans, I love the kids, I love the babies, and that's what give me my inspiration, the children, the babies, the fans. I love them very much.