Jermaine Jackson supports MJ, charity event at Magic Johnson Theatre, mentions Jordan Chandler

Exclusive photos courtesy of MichaelJacksonTributePortrait.com

An examiner.com exclusive report. On November 24, 2009 in Crenshaw, California, Jermaine Jackson, Louis Gossett, Jr., and numerous VIP cast members from This Is It including Michael Bearden, Jonathan Moffett, Tommy Organ, Ken Stacey and Judith Hill attended the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait event in association with Maryum "May May" Ali and the organization, FAMILI, Inc., (a nonprofit after school enrichment/mentoring program). The director is Torre Reese, and May May Ali worked with Reese to bring the students to the event. The portrait is supported by Jermaine Jackson, Diana Ross, Gladys Knight, George Lopez, Adam Lambert, Mickey Rooney, Vivica A. Fox, Floyd Mayweather, Jr. and many others, and, the list is growing each day.

Sixty children from inner city schools walked the red carpet with Jermaine Jackson and VIP cast members from This Is It and watched a special screening of the film at the Magic Johnson Theatre for Michael Jackson for the charity event in celebration of the tribute portrait. During Jackson’s speech, which was uplifting and powerful, Jermaine Jackson made a comment on Jordan Chandler, MJ’s former accuser (watch the video here). Jermaine Jackson said: “the leaders of tomorrow,” and that they can “AMC is committed to giving back to the communities in which we serve and we are proud to be a part of this worthwhile event.”


Jermaine Jackson and artist David Ilan were interviewed at the event by CNN. Jermaine Jackson urged fans and invited them to be involved in the tribute. He said: “We are asking Michael Jackson’s fans all around the world to get involved, because this is really important. This is the biggest tribute to my brother, which is the Michael Jackson Tribute Portrait.”

Artist David Ilan explained: “Everybody that signs up for free gets one dot in the portrait. I put one dot in at a time by hand with a pen on the canvas. There are 17,000 dots that I have placed so far, and 250,000 that have already signed up so I have some catching up to do. We are going to get to a million very soon. Everyone is welcome to join.” Ilan adds, “The portrait is in 168 countries so far. It is past every border. There is Palestinian to Israeli territory – everywhere that you can imagine: Iraq, Iran. They are all coming together to work together to create this image of Michael Jackson. The portrait is going to go on a world tour then it will find a home somewhere. It is going to be announced pretty soon.”

David Ilan discusses the amount of web hits that the tribute website gets each day. Ilan says: “Per user, we are getting more hits than Facebook and MySpace. People are really coming together using the site. It is a place for everybody to get together to mourn. The coolest thing is that people are coming in from everywhere. If they can’t get to any other tribute, or they are in a small town somewhere – everyone can be part of this tribute and get their dot placed in the tribute.

Watch the CNN interview:

Michael Bearden, Ken Stacey and Thomas Organ discuss what the tribute event and special screening of ‘This Is It’ would have meant to Michael Jackson. Thomas Organ said: “I think that he would be very happy and honored that people would care enough to come out for the event – that’s Michael Jackson.” Ken Stacey said: “Michael was all about lifting people up, so this is wonderful.” He also said of Michael Jackson: “Above all, Michael was a man.  A man, who took his God given gifts and his dreams, honored them with a drive and determination few can match, and created for the world a gift of L.O.V.E.  His art was his heart!  I pray his story inspires many to reach for the heights of their own potential, and, perhaps, change the world as Michael has." Michael Bearden said: “MJ loved the kids, and kids loved him. This would have been great to him.” Bearden has also said of MJ: “MJ was not just my boss, he was my friend. His legacy of music and L.O.V.E. will live forever in my heart and in the hearts and souls of the universe."

Watch the interview:

Jonathan Moffett drummer from ‘This Is It’ and Judith Hill one of Michael Jackson’s vocalists from ‘This Is It’ were interviewed on the red carpet and had the following to say of the tribute event. Moffett said: “Michael would be very excited. He was a child inside and so he related very much to children. He had a great passion for kids and the youth, so I think he would be very excited about this gathering on his behalf – and mainly for the children’s’ sake, to let them have a good day celebrating his legacy. Judith Hill revealed: “His vision and message to the world was always about helping people and he had such a big heart for the children. Watching his life, how he gave to so many charities. Constantly helping underprivileged and handicapped children – he just had a really big heart. I am honored to be here to support and let his vision live on.”

 Watch the interview:

Watch the interview:

Louis Gossett, Jr., was also in attendance at the event and discussed Michael Jackson and the tribute event. He said: “I think he would be thrilled – anything for the children. Children need some positive input.”

Watch the interview:

Tatiana Yvonne most famously known for appearing in Michael Jackson’s ‘The Way

You Make Me Feel’ video, when asked how the King of Pop would feel about the tribute

 explained: “I think Michael would be totally honored to be part of such an event. For 

Michael, children were very important, they are our future.” She also said: "Michael

 knew the two most important things in life: Children and Mother earth. It's our

 responsibility to cherish and nurture both. We must all wake up and make a change

 before it's too late. I am honored to be attending this inner city event, because I have

always shared this sentiment."

Watch the interview:

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In a very touching interview, two children who walked the red carpet with some of the cast members of ‘This Is It’ discussed what Michael Jackson meant to them. One young man said, “Michael Jackson meant the world to me because I understand what he was trying to do. He was trying to make the world a better place with all the discrimination and hatred that exists. All he wanted to do was to make everyone feel equal, and the world a better place.” Another young man said: “I want to be a singer and musician when I grow up and Michael Jackson inspired me because he had his own style: the moonwalk, how he did his spins – all of that. He inspired me to go for my dreams no matter what. The media wanted to make him seem like he was a bad person and he’s not. That inspired me and I think he is a very good person.” When asked what their favorite Michael Jackson songs are, they said, “You Rock My World,” and “Butterflies.”

Watch the interview:

Like hundreds of thousands have already done – you too can have a dot placed for yourself in this beautiful tribute to the one and only Michael Jackson.

 

To sign up for your dot and become connected to countless other Michael Jackson fans, visit: www.MichaelJacksonTributePortrait.com.

 



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Read the Michael Jackson 'This Is It' review by PopMediaExaminer: Michael Jackson’s ‘This Is It' review: Pure imagination expressed through song and dance.