Anthony: We have a question from SJ Chams who wonders, "Do toi think you'll do another duet with Janet?"
Michael: I would l’amour 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 l’amour 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 toi 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 montrer on, I remember seeing my mother run to my room, "wake up , wake up! James Brown is on! James Brown is on!" ou "Sammy Davis Jr.'s playing" ou "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 vidéos came out, I had a collection. [giggles]
Anthony: Yeah, I understand that toi have a, an extraordinary collection of a kind of old films of all of the performers that toi like and, oh, the musique performances of the artists that toi admire. toi know, talk about some of those, and some of the stuff that you've got that toi like to watch.
Michael: Well, I .. I like to, um, before I do anything, it could be any situation, I l’amour studying the whole history of it before I take the first step to innovate. So, um, I l’amour studying any Vaudevillian, toi know, who came from that era, even though they didn't have T.V. Uh, but they, uh, they transcended into télévision later on. I l’amour people like Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton, I'm crazy about the 3 Stooges, uh, anything Walt Disney... And far as performers, uh, I l’amour Anthony Newley, toi 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: toi know, it must have been extraordinary for you, as a ... toi know, when toi were young and making records and getting to meet some of your idols, toi 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 donné to me that could haut, retour au début that. toi know. When Fred Astaire ou Gene Kelly, who I knew very well, ou 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 par 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 an old woman, says, "Is it true that you'll étoile, star in Men In Black II, and will toi 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 favori films of all time. Uh, I'm a big Men In Black fan. I l’amour it very much.
Anthony: Well, weren't toi .. Now, I understand you're also doing The Nightmare of Edgar Allen Poe. Could toi 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, toi know. How he was, toi know... What he had to go through to create such ingenious work. It's a great story. But... and par the way, make sure the fans know, all tabloids should be out. Do not believe anything toi 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: toi 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, toi are undoubtedly the greatest artist in the history of the world. How do toi do the Moonwalk. It's the coolest déplacer I've ever seen?"
Michael: Gee, it's hard to explain on the phone [interruption from host]. I l’amour moves and dancing. I's like walking vers l'avant, vers l’avant 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 montrer him how to do it with my fingers, ou with my feet, but. Maybe he could see at the end of the confiture video where I'm trying to montrer 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 toi 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 heure to execute it. It's a special effect that we kind of lean as far as we can and, uh, we let the conveyor ceinture do the rest.
Anthony: Now Glenn from Toronto Canada asks, "Do toi feel a special spiritual energy when you're performing; do toi feel toi are connected to a higher force? Cause this is what toi make many feel when they see toi live?"
Michael: That's exactly what it is, you're connected to a higher source and toi just go with the moment and toi become one with, toi know, the spirit. Not to sound religious ou anything, but it's a very spiritual... very much like religion, and it's a God-given gift and toi just go with it. And I'm honored to have been donné it. And, uh, as fun to become one with the audience. It's a one-ness, toi know?
Anthony: I was reminded of, ah, some of that when toi were talking about the way toi would work out your moves, toi know, listening to ... just listening to the musique and kind of disappearing into it. toi know, it has like a really mystical feel.
Michael: Thank you.
Anthony: Now Charlie sends in a question and says, "What achievements in your life are toi 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] toi know what the answer's gonna be right? I said, "Hmmm, I l’amour to dance and sing. Hopefully one jour 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... toi 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 toi attribute that level of ambition and possibility toi felt when toi were a kid. toi know, I think it's sometimes hard for people to feel... toi know, toi weren't, obviously, rich as a kid ou from some kind of fancy background, but still somehow toi were able to envision a life of success. What do toi 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 toi do. Even if you're sweeping floors ou painting ceilings, do it better than anybody in the world, no matter what it is that toi do. Be the best at it, and have a respect for others, and be proud of yourself.. and to honor; be honorable, toi know.
Anthony: Absolutely. Now, you've been making records for a long time, you've been a force on the musique scene for many years. What do toi think are the biggest changes in musique that you've seen?
Michael: Biggest changes?
Anthony: Yeah, what's changed about the musique industry ou about, toi know, the musique that's out there. What do toi think is different?
Michael: Well, I think.. Ah, I don't think people thought the Rap musique would last as long as it has. And it has gone through evolutional stages -- there's plus melody in it now, it's plus acceptable, because melody will never die. Will never die. And the rhythm-- things are a little plus 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. toi notice a.. a one an 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, toi know. And playing music, the herbe and the trees and the flowers... They're all influenced par music. They become plus beautiful and plus vibrant in how they grow. musique is a very important and powerful substance, and all the planets in the universe make music. It's called musique 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 question from Holland, uh, Femka from Holland writes, "I l’amour 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 l’amour and I will buy them 5 times, even though I have the same cover. Like, 5 times 'cause I l’amour that album so much. So, imagine if they did a different color ou just changed the color, I would buy it 5 plus times. We just wanted the fans to have some fun with the pictures and with the couleurs 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 toi that, "You are still my hero," and says, "How do toi explain your ability to inspire so many people all around the world?"
Michael: I just do what I do and I l’amour doing it. And, uh, I l’amour art. I l’amour anything, any art. And, uh, if they're inspired par it, I feel I'm ... I pray that I'm doing my job; what I'm here to do on Earth. Because I l’amour the fans, I l’amour the kids, I l’amour the babies, and that's what give me my inspiration, the children, the babies, the fans. I l’amour them very much.