Rabbi Cashes In on Michael’s Death
October 13, 2009 by admin
Filed under Michael Jackson Tapes, News
Michael Jackson‘s rabbi is busy making public appearances cashing in ‘his friend’ Michael Jackson by publishing a book about the singer. Taped recordings were apparently taken of MJ talking about his inner demons, desires, fears, etc.
Appearing on Larry King on CNN, the Rabbi provided broadcast excerpts of Michael talking…all of which is supposed to be in his new book.The Rabbi seems to have made the rounds on many shows promoting this book.
What has become evident is that many people are very uncomfortable with the idea that a spiritual leader wrote this. I must say that having heard him he does seem to have MJ’s interest at heart but his history with MJ may speak differently.
As reported initially by Fox News and circulating on many sites on the web now, Michael’s relationship with the Rabbi may be a bit dubious at best. Here is an excerpt from the website with some very interesting details. Let us know what you think about a ‘man of the cloth’ now publishing memoirs.
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As reported from Roger Friedman at Fox News. “It’s sort of amazing watching Shmuley Boteach, a rabbi with no congregation other than an unwitting public, selling out Michael Jackson. He’s just published a book of interviews he taped with Michael back in 2000-2001. All the money goes to Boteach. There’s no charity involved. (Ironically, Boteach also recently published a book called “The Blessing of Enough: Rejecting Material Greed, Embracing Spiritual Hunger.”)
That wasn’t the case in 2000 when I met both Michael and Boteach together one November night. It was at the home of PR guru Howard Rubenstein. Boteach had convinced Michael to start a new charity with him called Time for Kids. They were going to teach parents to spend time with their children. There were about 3o people in the Rubensteins’ Fifth Avenue living room.
Boteach gave a long speech about Michael being the “most misunderstood” celebrity in the world, said he loved children so much he had mannequins of them in his Neverland bedroom. That revelation went over like a lead balloon.
On February 14, 2001, Time for Kids had its first and only get together, People bought tickets to see Michael, Boteach and assorted celebrities like Johnnie Cochran, Mother Love, Judith Regan, Chuck Woolery and Dr. Drew Pinsky talk about spending more time with children.
The event was called “Love, Work, and Parenting: Can You Be a Success in the Bedroom, the Boardroom, and the Family Room?” It was only 70% full. The tickets were $40, $30, and $20. Michael told the crowd, when he finally spoke: “I’m having trouble finding a date for myself even though Rabbi Shmuley tells me he’s going to find me the perfect woman. And I tell him, as long as it’s not a journalist!”.
When the accounting for the event finally came in on a Form 990, it showed (I reported then) a total of $203,185 collected from direct public support. At the same time, the charity’s expenses totaled $259,432. All but $20,000 of that was spent on staff salaries and office expenses. No money went to children of any kind. Listed on the IRS filing were an organization president, secretary and treasurer. The latter two, this reporter discovered after making some calls, were Boteach’s sister and mother. The sister, Ateret Diveroli, repeated exactly what the mother had: “I’m not part of that anymore.” Mrs. Diveroli insisted to me that her brother was “very honest” and had stopped working with Michael Jackson “because nothing was happening. He wasn’t doing anything.” That was pretty much it for Michael and Shmuley’s friendship. There was a trip to Oxford a couple of months later, but by June 2001 Jackson’s “Invincible” album came out. In September he performed his 30th anniversary shows. Shmuley was gone.
From the time Jackson was arrested in 2003 until his death, Boteach was out of his life. Jackson surely had no memory of making tapes with Boteach, and no desire to have them published. And yet, Shmuley is back. He will flog his short, unheralded relationship to Michael Jackson for as long as the public — or TV bookers– can bear it.
The real kicker: that his publicist sent out press releases yesterday, on Yom Kippur, offering copies of the book and excerpts. While every other rabbi in the world was praying, Shmuley Boteach was busy marketing Michael Jackson for profit. Buyer beware. ”
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It seems everyone these days is either cashing in on their relationship with him or suing his estate.
Do you have any thoughts on this?
Here are some YouTube samples of a Dateline special.
Where is the paper trail? Are there no tax reports? What documentation is there for us to intelligently know this person’s ill gotten gain from his business with Mr. Jackson. Before we smear this person lets have the facts. The press crucified Micheal Jackson and all but ruined him over something he did not EVER do.
As far as promotions go what could be more damaging and far reaching than
The first lie told to most children by their most trusted relations their parents, about a Santa Clause? How about the widely celebrated holiday, based on the lie that Jesus was born Dec. 25th. Lastly, what dignity can we claim in having to have someone else pay for what we did? Where in our daily lives is this act repeatedly demonstrated as okay. Yet we see many many who praise one man Jesus, for doing just that. Paid for our sins. Where is the honor in that. What of our own merits are we standing on? My point here is who can judge? I welcome all honest, intelligent answers.
Respectfully
The paper trail as noted by this reporter is the tax filings that clearly showed very little $$$ going to the actual charity it was intended but rather expense reporting.
We are not passing judgment just posting an article already printed in a major publication. This information as well circulated extensively at the time of this book’s publication because the Rabbi’s relation with MJ was questioned considering the tax filing and that the 2 had a falling out. Apparently, according to many news sources he was on an enemy list.
The Rabbi circulated on many talk shows promoting his book so his past relationship and how he financially benefited by it would be investigated and seems to have been reported on. We can only hope that his intentions were for the right reasons. We are not here to judge him except to report on already widely reported financial dealings he had in connection with MJ. His relationship as well was many years ago and hopefully other ventures, if investigated, would be benefiting those who are claimed to be beneficiaries.
As for the religious bias I cannot really comment. The Rabbi comes with his own and does anyone with religious beliefs. It for those believing to choose but hopefully not judge. I did not, however, get the impression from interviews with the Rabbi that he was pushing religion itself with MJ but rather living a better more spiritual life and that I don’t think we can fault him on. MJ seemed to be quite spiritual from reportings and investigated many faiths.
I must also comment that although the income tax article noted above does paint issue with fund but that when hearing the Rabbi speak he seemed to have best intentions as to his dealings with MJ himself. His book also paints a very interesting portrait of MJ and the recordings when heard are absolutely bone chilling as to deals of child abuse, etc. If nothing else, the Rabbi captured in MJ’s own words his feelings and for that as fans we can be grateful.
I agree. If the rabbi wrote a book claiming a relationship with MJ then his past dealings especially involving money should be reported on. I did read about this elsewhere. The Rabbi was on lots of shows talking about this book so any $$$ gained in the past and how it was reported is fair game to the public knowing.
There have been many people benefiting from their connection to Michael so the public has the right to know if dealings have been honourable. I agree that current fundraising activities may be clearer than the one in 2002 but as someone contributing $$$ to an event/activity you want to make sure the money goes to the charity not admin. costs such as was reported on tax filings in the past.
Reporting on what is officially in tax receipts is not ruining someone reputation. This is public record and reported on all over the news since this Rabbi wrote the book.
By writing a book like he did you open yourself up to investigation and reporting. As fans we want to make sure those making $$$ are doing it honorably. I don’t think this mag. did anything wrong and did not harm his reputation as this is on public record.