On June 25th, 2009 Michael Jackson was found dead in his California home at the age of 50. What followed was a media circus of epic proportions with tabloids dredging up every piece of gossip collected throughout the span of Michael’s prolific career. Fast-forward five years after his death and Michael Jackson is still making headlines. Yet, what do we really know about Michael Jackson the man or Michael Jackson the father? With Remember the Time (Weinstein Books, June 3, 2014, Trade Cloth, $26.00) Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard unmask the man behind the myth and reveal a side of Jackson that until now has only been known to a select few.
To the outside world Michael Jackson appeared to have it all, but in reality his last years on earth were fraught with unimaginable stress and worry. However, in many ways Michael was a man like any other; he was a father who cared deeply for his children and a musician who was passionate about his craft. In this in-depth new book about Michael Jackson’s final years, first time authors Whitfield and Beard offer readers a rare insider’s glimpse at a man who was greatly misunderstood by most, and known only intimately by few. Shedding light on everything from Michael’s close relationship with his children, to his strained relationships with business associates and family members, Remember the Time is the one story that has yet to be told.
Doting father, loyal friend, loving son; this is the Michael Jackson that Whitfield and Beard came to know during the years they worked for him and his family. Not only did they get to know Michael’s likes and dislikes, such as his obsession with Sharper Image gadgets and love of tabasco sauce, but they also got to learn about the troubled person who more than anything just wanted to be happy. For Michael, shielding his children from the media spotlight was more important than anything else, and despite being knee-deep in debt and besieged with a number of other worries, he did his best to safeguard their childhood.
ABOUT BILL WHITFIELD & JEVON BEARD
Bill Whitfield spent many years working as a law enforcement professional before going into private security in the mid-90s. By 2001 he was living in Las Vegas and was successfully establishing himself as one of the city’s top independent security contractors. By the time he went to work for Michael Jackson, Whitfield had worked with everyone from celebrities and athletes, to businessmen and politicians.
Javon Beard was born in South Central Los Angeles and grew up with the hopes of becoming a professional athlete. However, his life took a much different turn when upon graduation he took a job doing private security. Through the years Beard worked his way up and ended up working as an overseer to a security staff of over 200. His first high profile security job was with Michael Jackson.
REVIEW OF REMEMBER THE TIME FROM KIRKUS REVIEWS
Whitfield and Beard witnessed firsthand how Michael Jackson (1958-2009) squandered his enormous wealth by trusting the wrong people, whose questionable business deals yielded more legal entanglements than profits. They steered clear of the infighting and conflicting agendas among those who oversaw Jackson's crumbling empire and observed how Jackson, deliberately disengaged from his own affairs, was "a billion-dollar enterprise, running 24/7, and there was nobody in charge.” The authors provide solid insight into Jackson's immature behavior—e.g., his ruinous habit of turning to wealthy, powerful figures to rescue him in times of crisis and his blithe dismissal of the harm his staff endured due to his refusal to manage his corrupt advisors. In one incredible story, Jackson asked Whitfield during one of the pop star's famed spending sprees at FAO Schwarz why Whitfield wasn't buying Christmas presents for his own daughter; when he informed Jackson he had not been paid in weeks, he replied "Oh" and did nothing to repair the situation. Jackson was renowned for his enormous compassion and generosity to people in need around the world, but he couldn't see the pain his actions caused the people closest to him. "[B]eing isolated from such a very young age,” write the authors, “he [never] developed the skills you need to cope with personal relationships." The authors also reflect on how Jackson missed out on more than just playtime and friendships: "Childhood isn't just about being a child; it's about becoming an adult,” says Whitfield. “Because eventually you will be an adult, whether you want to or not.”
Illuminating and thoughtful, especially for those who can't help but hear Jackson's hit song when they read the book's title.