094: Harrison Funk Special

This week, just as The MJCast was about to release a surprise episode between seasons, news broke that the Sundance Film Festival was preparing to screen a documentary smearing Michael Jackson as a child molester.

As shockwaves rippled through the fan community and listeners sprang into action, it seemed to be an inappropriate time to release the episode.

The show’s special guest was to be Harrison Funk, renowned entertainment, fashion, and advertising photographer best known for being Michael Jackson’s personal photographer from the early 1980s through the mid-2000s. The interview with Funk had been recorded months ago, and The MJCast team had kept it in the can, ready to release as a special New Year treat for listeners. 

But, upon re-visiting the interview in light of this week’s horrifying news, the timing could hardly be more apt. Harrison spends a great deal of time during his conversation with Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson discussing the false abuse allegations which plagued Michael from 1993 onwards. He speaks movingly about the physical and psychological toll the allegations took on his friend, and how those who loved Michael rallied around him, but watched helplessly as his life and his health slowly fell apart until his eventual death in 2009.

As the media prepares to stick the knife into Michael one more time and give it a sharp twist, this interview with one of Michael’s closest friends makes for a sobering listen.

In addition to the allegations, Harrison discusses the kind of man Michael really was, not the lie Dan Reed, Wade Robson and Sundance are going to try and sell the world. The MJCast and Harrison explore stories around Michael’s process as a live musician, the Victory Tour, the Bad era, Harrison’s love of photography, his fascinating observations as he photographed Teddy Riley​ producing Cascio tracks in the studio and SO much more!

This episode of The MJCast is dedicated to Friend of the Show and fellow MJ podcaster Jordan King of King Jordan Radio, who recently and tragically passed away. We will always be missing you, Jordan.

We hope this episode brings some positivity and truth to an otherwise dark time for MJFam.

Additional Links
• Harrison Funk’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• The MJCast – Episode 044: World Music Awards 2006
• Michael Jackson’s 2006 World Music Awards performance
• LIFE Magazine commemorative issue featuring Harrison Funk’s signature photo of Michael Jackson
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Live in Dallas
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Press Conference
• The Jacksons – Torture
• The Jacksons – Body
• Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl
• Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour Live in Yokohama
• Michael Jackson’s Personal Photographer: ‘He Didn’t Identify as One Gender’ – The Guardian article
• Documentary Accusing Michael Jackson of Sexual Abuse to Premiere at Sundance – Rolling Stone article
• Stop Leaving Neverland NOW – The MJCast article

Ads & Music Breaks
• The Jacksons – Torture (12″ Dance Mix)
• Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (SWG Extended ‘Fader A Capella’ Mix)

Connect with Us
• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube

If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comKeep Michaeling!

22 Replies to “094: Harrison Funk Special”

  1. Susanne Diane Hansen

    This is an excellent pod cast and thank you all so much for it! This effects MJ’s legacy and perhaps under the law as it currently stands ‘nothing’ can be done. However these allegations effect Michael’s family and his children! Can they not bring a defamation suit?

    Reply
  2. Eva Nõmm

    Thank you so much for this interview! Was great to hear stories of the “old days” and have insight into how Michael worked. I am also grateful for the information about the latest accusations and what the backstory of those might be.

    Don’t lose hope that this thing with that horrible “documentary” will work out for the best! Nobody can touch Michael or his legacy, it won’t happen! Not everyone is on social media, I believe he has many fans in places that don’t even know or care about any Sundance, HBO or Channel 4 and they also have voices and opinions. Michael built his legacy for 40 years, with pure talent, love, and kindness, and nothing based on money hunger and blood lust can bring it down. It stands on the legs of truth.
    If anyone’s gonna ban his music or videos from anywhere just because of some BS “documentary” with no proof whatsoever (not to mention legal conviction), then this will not be tolerated. His fans are people too and it would be discrimination. Are we a minority? Or are we billions?

    Keep the faith! We will never give up!

    Reply
  3. Des

    Well said Eva ,thank you for your excellent comment I agree with you 100%.Now I am a woman that I have a huge problem with the me too movement and that is because we have all these famous people whom after they made it in Hollywood and I say it again after they made it they came out and spoke about it.Why didn’t they do anything at the time that it’s was happening?Please don’t give me that bs that I was frozen I didn’t know what to do so I let him touched me or did what He asked me to do.I don’t by it,and am not talking about rape or children. I am talking about women that they sold themselves for the sake of the career. Spare I thought for for real victims like women and children in refugee camps vulnerable people do they have a voice is anybody listening to them?.Last week it was on the news a woman that she’s been in a coma for fourteen years she gave birth that’s a victim.Jacki Weaver was on sixty minutes last year and they talked about the me too movement and with a smile on her face she said,I wasn’t pretty enough to be chace around but what’s the point making a movie if I agree to something that it’s not about the job what’s the achievement at the end I will feel that I didn’t deserve it so I waited it for the right time.How I will love to be twenty thirty years old and have a man give me a compliment and me playing the game hard to get,it took my husband two years of chasing just to get a kiss,the way we going we gonna live like robots,never mind.Thank you gays again.

    Reply
  4. Anita Drieseberg

    Wait – Harrison Funk said the train station was built without a permit?!? Is it possible it existed when Safechuck said it did? Wtf?!?

    Reply
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