Jackson: Industry cautious
2003-11-20 06:55
New York - The entertainment industry quickly distanced itself from Michael Jackson on Wednesday after an arrest warrant was issued against the superstar on child molestation charges.
CBS television immediately announced it would postpone a Michael Jackson special that was to have aired next week. None of Jackson's traditional allies, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, would comment on the charges.
The singer's entourage meanwhile suggested the charges were deliberately timed to coincide with the release of his new greatest hits album, Number Ones.
CBS was to have broadcast a special show on Jackson's career next Wednesday.
But it said in a statement "Given the gravity of the charges against Mr Jackson, we believe it would be inappropriate at this time to broadcast an entertainment special."
Multiple counts
Jackson, who was in Las Vegas recording a new video for Number Ones, has been charged with multiple counts of child molestation in Santa Barbara.
The US network said it was "very mindful that Mr Jackson is innocent until proven guilty" and it will "consider broadcasting the special after the due process of the legal system runs its course".
The Michael Jackson Number Ones show has already been recorded and features top pop names including singer-actress Jennifer Lopez and arranger Quincy Jones. Jackson was to perform his new single, One More Chance.
Jackson's album was released on Tuesday as dozens of investigators raided his Neverland Ranch in California searching for evidence related to the latest allegations.
Shares Sony Music, the recording company that holds his contract, fell 1.8% on Wednesday to $34.37.
Struggling
Jackson has one of the most expensive recording contracts in history but his career has waned in recent years following earlier allegations of child abuse.
His last album, Invincible, released in 2001, sold about two million copies. Normally this would be considered a success but Jackson spends huge sums making his records and has to generate greater profits.
One More Chance, the only new music on the latest album, which is devoted to the singer's greatest hits, is already struggling to get airplay in the United States.
On Tuesday, Jackson's spokesperson Stuart Backerman quoted the singer as saying: "These characters always seem to surface with a dreadful allegation just as another project, an album, a video, is being released."
But prosecutors have strongly denied any link between the timing of the warrant the release of Jackson's new album.
Santa Barbara district attorney Tom Sneddon said, "It really has nothing to do with his album or whatever else he's doing in his life. We don't - we don't track him."
Sneddon said that he and Santa Barbara Sheriff Jim Anderson did not even know about the new release.
"Like, the sheriff and I really are into that kind of music," he quipped before insisting that the arrest had been originally planned for several weeks earlier but was postponed because police had to cope with about 500 000 visitors arriving in Santa Barbara for halloween.