Harry Belafonte defends Michael on HLN!

[MsCassieMollie]

Harry Belafonte was on 'Joy Behar Show' on 10/14 and talked about Michael

Few facts: Harry was one of the many singers that was featured in the 'We Are the World' collaboration.

He defended Michael during the 2005 trial.

CNN.com - Transcripts

BEHAR: You know, as I`m watching that video of "We Are the World," I`m thinking about Michael Jackson because we`re now covering a lot about Michael Jackson`s life on this station and others because of the Conrad Murray trial. And a lot of stuff is coming out about him and his drug addiction and his sad little life in a certain way you know.

Do you think that all of this information that`s coming out will tarnish his legacy? Because he was a great, great performer as we all know.

BELAFONTE: This is the culture in which we live. Everything is instant and everything is swiftly forgotten, all that applies to this moment about Michael. What will be remembered about Michael is we are the world, thriller. All the myriad of songs and performances he did that inspired so many. That, he was the icon of the moment and in his time and the legacy he left will be long remembered for his music and not for the encounters and false moments he may have had in some deviant moment in the path of life.

Michael was a sweet kid and had a very bad time growing up, family, pressures on them. I`m surprised any of them turned out to be in any way articulate. But they really handled it well and they gave us a great gift is what they`ve given us artistically. And pretty soon, people will just linger on that. This other stuff.

BEHAR: It will go away.

BELAFONTE: Has to.

Harry was also on 'Piers Morgan Tonight' on 10/13 and again preached the truth!!

CNN.com - Transcripts

MORGAN: One of the other extraordinary things you took part in was the We Are The World song, obviously, with Michael Jackson. Funny enough, when we talked about Calypso before the break becoming the first album to sell a million copies, it wasn't until Michael Jackson's "Thriller that an album stayed longer on the charts. Did you know that?

BELAFONTE: Yes. I will never forget when I was called and told that Michael Jackson's "Thriller" just broke your record.

MORGAN: Did you feel happy or furious? Be honest.

BELAFONTE: Happy.

MORGAN: Really? I would have been furious.

BELAFONTE: Happy. Well, not furious.

MORGAN: The record had gone.

BELAFONTE: Unless you are smitten with extreme greed, to be on the charts for over 137 weeks --

MORGAN: That's amazing.

BELAFONTE: Yes, 137 weeks.

MORGAN: Tell me about Michael Jackson. What was your view of him?

BELAFONTE: Like many, I was certainly in awe of his great gift and his talent. I always looked at him with a great sense of sadness, because I knew a lot about his background, his family. And for those children to have been manipulated in the way in which they were manipulated, not only by the family and their father, and what had happened to them, but the way in which they were exploited by all of those who earned livings off of their lives, I think led them to a path that -- I don't know that celebrity is worth all of that.

 

[marebear]

I want Michael to be remembered with respect.

 

[Krshna28]

It's obvious that Harry really understood what Michael went through.....

I always looked at him with a great sense of sadness

When I think of Michael, I sometimes think the same. Michael had so much pain during his life!

 

[MsCassieMollie]

I applaud Liza, Dick, and Harry for speaking the truth about Michael!