Billie Jean Baby's Daddy!

Top of the weekend my friends! This week's saga will be a tribute to Billie Jean Baby's Daddy aka MJ the Musical's Broadway production.

It comes to town this week. Add my name to the list of fans who bought tickets to be in-line to catch the King of Pop's traveling show. I hear it's remarkable!

I'll talk in a minute about why this show will be bitter sweet for me and wonderfully personal too. First, the gory details, I spent a week with the Jacksons. As their personal Dallas/Ft Worth tour guide.

Now I can't be sure the reason why Michael Jackson chose "Ft. Worth" to prepare for their 1984 Victory tour. My understanding was he wanted to talk with Spanky McFarland. When he finally let down his barrier of skepticism and let me in on the reason. It was for an illusion of truth. He needed to know how he dealt with fame as a major childhood TV star.

For those who don't know, "The Little Rascal's film shorts" began in 1930 to 38 and became an extremely popular weekly favorite in 50's. George Robert Phillips McFarland aka"Spanky" was the favorite kid actor of the Little Rascals Our Gang Follies.

The idea for Mike was to get advice from Spanky, on how he dealt with fame as a kid TV star. Most of us are unaware of the immense pressure of being that popular at such a young age. Remember Michael Jackson was just 12 year old. He never had the chance to enjoy a typical childhood. If you've seen the movie or documentary on the Jacksons, you witnessed the lack of sentimentality. Their Dad was mindlessly relentless with these 5 kids from Gary Indiana.

During one of those days, at the Hilton in Ft Worth. Mike was watching kids playing outside the hotel. He said "They look like their having fun"? For those of you who are thinking with a little kids dark joke in mind. You are missing the milieu of this story. It's the price of fame at any age. (Just ask Taylor Swift)

Anyway, that was the reasons why they chose the Ft Worth Convention to practice their 1984 Victory tour. I was sworn to secrecy and couldn't let anyone know. Bummer!!!

Michael almost never left the hotel. He would play practical jokes though, like placing Water balloons on the top of doors. To splash his brothers and the road crew. The moment splash ballon hit. He would run out of the other adjoining door. Big fun for this latch key celebrity. However during rehearsals no jokes! The King of Pop ran the show and he was heavy-handed!!

While watching them practice at the Convention Center. I took lots of pictures because I thought "nobody is gonna believe this"!

It was the best of times and the worst of times. I was the tour guide and occasionally go-fer! For instance, Tito and I was sent to find some good Texas Barbecue. I was a hardcore vegetarian (so was Mike) at the time. Jackie, Tito and Marlon didn't particularly like my ribs selection. (It was too late for Smokey John's to be open and remember I'm in Ft Worth))

Did you know, Michael was a big country music fan! (Hal Jay's show) He also had to have some cowboy boots too! My favorite was Justin boot outlet in downtown Ft Worth. You would have thought I gave him gold!! Funny how much joy we get from the simple things in life. Actually Justin boots became his regular place to shop when in town.

I'll close with the "real" Billie Jean. The name has been changed because it's kind of a true story. A fan wrote Michael and said she had twins. One was her husband's child and the other was "HIS" and he needed to own up to this responsibility. Don't laugh, she threaten to commit suicide if he didn't respond. If I remember correctly his Reps followed up.

No Michael was not Billie Jean baby's daddy or her lover!! It's is his best selling single song though!! There's no business like show business! Donut ever forget it!