On February 16, MSNBC's 'The Abrams Report' aired an interview with college student Richard Matsuura (18). In this interview Matsuura set the records straight regarding allegations who have been published in a 'Vanity Fair' article by Maureen Orth. The article claims that back in 1988, when Matsuura was 12 years old, he spent four days with Michael Jackson in Tokyo (Japan) and that he was supplied by one of Jackson's people with three soda cans filled with wine to the point where he became sick. His father, according to the article, was so furious he immediately ended talks with Jackson about a theme park venture. However, Matsuura contacted NBC News to correct the erroneous published report. He wanted to come forward on his own because he knows that at least one of the stories about Michael Jackson is untrue.
"I was taken to the hotel where my father and Michael had a meeting. And at that time, somebody escorted me to Michael's room and we just introduced each other. I said I was Ricky Matsuura. He said he was Michael Jackson." Asked how much of the 'Vanity Fair' article is true he replied:
"Absolutely zero. Besides the fact of Michael Jackson coming to Japan in 98 and actually giving a press conference about this theme park business, all the other allegations and statements made about his trip to Japan in 98 are completely false, completely false."
The four days with Jackson were a memorable time that gave Richard Matsuura a window into the mind of Michael Jackson. He says what he saw as a 12-year- old boy helped him understand what so many adults can not.
"When he says sharing a bed, everybody is out to make it like he's you know going to sexually molest him and that's absolutely not true. He never had the chance to joke around as a kid, you know play water gun fights and that kind of thing. It was all strictly business, pressure on him as a child and that's what he sees in children is that worriless childhood."
He also stated that Michael Jackson never said or did anything inappropriate over the days he spent in his company. He did drink a champagne toast under his father's supervision and that he did later become sick.
Asked whether anyone from Michael Jackson's camp offered him payment for going public he answered:
"I could open my bank account records for everybody. No money, no, not at all."
Following the interview Maureen Orth, author of the respective 'Vanity Fair' article, acknowledged that she actually never spoke with Richard Matsuura personally, but that the story came from Myung-Ho Lee, who had worked for Michael Jackson in the past.
Ryusaki Matsuura, father to Richard Matsuura, was also interviewed and stands by his son's version.
Source: MSNBC / MJFC
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Articulo muy positivo para Michael sobre lo bien que se lo pasó este niño con Michael en su visita a Japón del 98.
"I was taken to the hotel where my father and Michael had a meeting. And at that time, somebody escorted me to Michael's room and we just introduced each other. I said I was Ricky Matsuura. He said he was Michael Jackson." Asked how much of the 'Vanity Fair' article is true he replied:
"Absolutely zero. Besides the fact of Michael Jackson coming to Japan in 98 and actually giving a press conference about this theme park business, all the other allegations and statements made about his trip to Japan in 98 are completely false, completely false."
The four days with Jackson were a memorable time that gave Richard Matsuura a window into the mind of Michael Jackson. He says what he saw as a 12-year- old boy helped him understand what so many adults can not.
"When he says sharing a bed, everybody is out to make it like he's you know going to sexually molest him and that's absolutely not true. He never had the chance to joke around as a kid, you know play water gun fights and that kind of thing. It was all strictly business, pressure on him as a child and that's what he sees in children is that worriless childhood."
He also stated that Michael Jackson never said or did anything inappropriate over the days he spent in his company. He did drink a champagne toast under his father's supervision and that he did later become sick.
Asked whether anyone from Michael Jackson's camp offered him payment for going public he answered:
"I could open my bank account records for everybody. No money, no, not at all."
Following the interview Maureen Orth, author of the respective 'Vanity Fair' article, acknowledged that she actually never spoke with Richard Matsuura personally, but that the story came from Myung-Ho Lee, who had worked for Michael Jackson in the past.
Ryusaki Matsuura, father to Richard Matsuura, was also interviewed and stands by his son's version.
Source: MSNBC / MJFC
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Articulo muy positivo para Michael sobre lo bien que se lo pasó este niño con Michael en su visita a Japón del 98.
