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Schmuley's Book A Good Read

Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

One thing, i would have defenetly bought the book if it was a transcript only, but as he adds comments, well u know, thew rabbi did it to himself, i mean he wanted money, but many wont buy it cause of his commenst both on tv and on the book, it should be only the transcript, this shows the rabbi is money hunger but his head is just not smart, i mean, he could have sell tons and tons if it wasnt cause of his comments, u know, the rabbi is one STUPID GUY, he's stupid
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Also, we do not know if this is all michael's voice many people can imitate his voice. These tapes could not be used in a court of law without authentification of the voice.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

StephluvsMJ said:
The thing about Rabbi Shmuley is, he doesn't come across as being understanding or sympathetic, he is simply judgemental. He once said that, and I quote, "Michael deserves to be criticised for believing he has too much power..." Shmuley doesn't get it. Michael saying he has power is not just a belief, but a fact. Whether he likes it or not, Michael did have a lot of power. Just because he acknowledged this fact, does not make him delusional. It's no wonder Heal the Kids went nowhere. I can imagine Michael sitting there saying he believes he could change the world, and make it better, and Rabbi Shmuley yelling in his ear telling him that he's delusional and stupid for believing that. If Shmuley was always that negative, then I can understand why Michael distanced himself. The two of them just didn't fit. Michael believed that anything was possible, and Shmuley was a realist. They were polar opposites, the only thing they had in common was they shared the same view about family. Shmuley never understood Michael Jackson, because he couldn't relate to him.

I really, really don't see the point in Rabbi Shmuley writing a book to help the world understand the real Michael Jackson, when he himself couldn't understand the real Michael Jackson. I don't like the idea of him twisting things that Michael has said, and turning it into something bad. Good example: The Hitler comment. Rabbi Shmuley and Michael argued back and forth about whether Hitler could have been helped. Rabbi Shmuley told Michael he was fundamentally evil, no one could help him because there was no humanity to address. Michael said Hitler was human, the terrible things he did were a result of what happened to him in his life, and Michael said if he had an hour with him, he would be able to find the good in him, because hey, there's good in everyone. Of course, Shmuley started criticising and said must believe he's some type of Jesus Christ figure, how dare believe he could help an evil man like Hitler! My interpretation: Michael Jackson would reach out and open his heart to anyone, regardless of what they've done, or how bad there history is. No body, no matter how bad they were, would ever get turned away (Think of the Arviso's - welfare cheats, self-admitted liars, people were warning Michael about the family, and Michael helped them, because they needed his help). Yes okay, maybe Michael was a little naive thinking he could find good in Hitler, but for crying out loud, he didn't think he was "God" and he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be criticised for that statement. Michael didn't care about where you came from or what you did. He would help anyone that needed help. Shmuley just took it the wrong way. Michael and Rabbi Shmuley had two completely different minds. They thought differently, that is why Rabbi Shmuley should be the last person talking about Michael. He didn't understand him. I don't mind people telling Michael's story, but I'm just not sure Rabbi Shmuley is the right person to do it.
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You are exactly right. Plus these recordings were notes for Boteach to possibly write a book about the family. This was not intended to be Q&A book publishing MJ most personal thoughts. The book was not published before the trial because of what went down. Boteach new that type of book wouldn't make any money. But after MJ died Boteach new he had a goldmine with these tapes. MJ did not want these tapes published. THESE WERE NOTES FOR A BOOK. My opinion.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Gonetoosoon said:
It's really catch 22 here guys.

Michael wanted this to be released, correct? He wanted people to read his words and understand who he was - it may have been directed at the masses rather than just fans but there is still alot in Michael's words that give guidance and insight into who he was a person.

On the other hand - we have someone who released the book/tapes etc to give Michael's message to the world once again. I think what is unfair of Schmuly is his bias in the tapes especially, and the fact that he is profiteering here.

I don't think we should hate on the OP.. I watched and listened to the tapes - I ignored about half of it due to it being Schmuly making outrageous and bias claims.. but nonetheless I listened to Michael and basically ignored Schmuly and it made me feel even closer to Michael than before. I don't think there is anything wrong with that. It's just the fact this Rabbi is making money out of it all. If he were a good righteous religious man he would follow Michael's steps and donate all/a sizeable amount to Michael's favourite charities..
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Michael didn't want these tapes released period!!! Shrinks also record their patients , does that mean they expect it to be released one day. These conversations are way too personal for me to believe that Mike wanted the public to hear,. Come on talkingabout J Lo and Madonna. If he was alive , you know there would be some controversy. Its martin Bashir all over . twisting everything to put Mike look bad.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

he problem is that we only have this schmuck's word that Michael 'wanted' these taped conversations released. Has anyone ever heard of this project in 2002/2003??? I didn't think so.
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yes this project was talked about at the time but the project was only a book about parenting. so im not sure why the schumck went into so much details with his questioning of mj. it doesnt really fit. of course we know why he did it and why the coward only had the balls to release the book now
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

I thumbed through this book at Wal-Mart last night and from what I read, I think I'm gonna buy it. What I read was VERY interesting. It's always cool to hear Michael in his own words.

EDIT: Just read an article about this on another MJ website and now I have mixed feelings:

"(30-09-09) As we reported a week ago, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach has chosen to try and cash in on "his friend" Michael Jackson by publishing a book about the singer. Now Roger Friedman has posted the following in his Showbiz 411 column about the good Rabbi:

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!” Here’s a transcript of Michael’s speech.

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."

I'm not sure if I'll buy it or not. I really don't want him to profit much from this. But then again, there's so much great stuff in there straight from Mike's mouth. I don't know what I'll do.
 
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Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Never liked Schmuley he was a shady character around Michael. He gained Michaels trust and got information from him. He could have kept this info private but instead he is making money from it. No I wont be buying this book got enough info from it in the last few days.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Anyone who buys this book is giving money to Schumley. He stole Michael's money from the charity and still people wants to buy this book? I don't think you consider Michael whatso ever. Michael broke ties with this idiot and that should send a message to us all. Boteach, LK interview made Michael to be a desperate man who wanted to die and take drugs. The Rabbi should say the real reason Michael kicked him out, but I guess that would not sell his bloody book.
I am not reading any books on Michael written by an ex-friend or worker as they will only be telling what they observe and not the true man. People are different when around others than when they are with their Children/relatives.
Michael was private and he wanted it to be so.
Isn't it strange that this man chose to release the tapes after Michael died? Why not when he was alive? he had 8 years to do it.. WHY NOW?
This really pisses me off..For people to plug this book here is a sin..
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

defdave - the choice is yours but my personal advice is do not do this. As fans we do not need to know every little thought that Michael Jackson ever had. As a human being Michael would have wanted some things to remain private. Sure he wanted us to understand where he was coming from on certain things, but we get that from his music, his books and his interviews.

This is a violation of Michael's trust and to buy Boteach's book is to condone that violation and to say to Michael and his children 'we don't care what you would have wanted, this is about what I want'.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Am not buying the books and l didn't tune into LKL on CNN. I wish all this madness could stop once and for all but then again l will be asking for too much. Can someone tell me why MJs estate have no saying in all of this?
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Michael Jackson trusted this rabbi. The latter took the opportunity to tape it all and make business out of it. It seem to me that Michael has been betrayed. There is no need to publish this book, nor tapes, we already knew Micahel's true nature. I wish Michael was with us to express his view on this publication.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

vjbrown said:
I picked it up yesterday. At first I was planning to just sit in Barnes & Noble and read the whole thing. But there was so much new information in it that I wanted to buy it. Shumely says it was MJ's wish to have the book published, to bear his soul and have the public see him in a new light. Shumley also said the book was published because mJ's death would be even more of a tragedy if no lesson was learned from it. I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with Shumely, but the book is written very fairly, and while he states his opinions from time to time, it is without malicious intent. I believe he cared deeply for Michael and tried hard to help him. Also, most of the book are direct quotes from Michael. So it's pretty good.
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Whatever good and apparently fair it is, i don't think MJ would have allowed him to publish his confidences. What belongs to Michael, belongs exclusively to him, and I don't see how he would have accepted Shumely to earn money on his behalf and on what appears to be absolutely private tapes. Even if he SAID he could release them, did he legally allow anyone to do it ? Is there any contract ? It's bullsh*t, that's all. Remember when Mike says Madonna is a nasty bitch : he doesn't like to say this on tape. Why ? Because it might be used for bad intentions (what else ?). One more time, he was too credulous, maybe thinking he had found THE one he could talk to. But the guy was highly corrupted, as most of the ppl on MJ's entourage... Nothing new, here.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Benzo said:
Whatever good and apparently fair it is, i don't think MJ would have allowed him to publish his confidences. What belongs to Michael, belongs exclusively to him, and I don't see how he would have accepted Shumely to earn money on his behalf and on what appears to be absolutely private tapes. Even if he SAID he could release them, did he legally allow anyone to do it ? Is there any contract ? It's bullsh*t, that's all. Remember when Mike says Madonna is a nasty bitch : he doesn't like to say this on tape. Why ? Because it might be used for bad intentions (what else ?). One more time, he was too credulous, maybe thinking he had found THE one he could talk to. But the guy was highly corrupted, as most of the ppl on MJ's entourage... Nothing new, here.
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I have read the book, there is nothing good about the book except MJs words. The fans that have loved Michael for years knows who he was, what he stood for, what he cared about... nothing in the book is new when it comes to this book.
If it were just MJ's words I'd buy 800000000000000 books and would give it to each MJ fan I found on the street but it isn't.
You'll be reading MJ's words then BAM!!!!!!!!!!! the idiot and hateful schuck will put his two cents in there... often times being really judgemental and blatently hateful.

I am sorry.... the very fact that the schmuck released this book now as oppose to 2003 shows its malicious intent. If the book had been released in 2003... and people read MJs words... people would have been EVEN MORE understanding. But why didn't the schmuck release the book then.... because it would have helped MJs image. This hateful and vindictive RABBI should not get a cent from MJ fans.
Enough people who are fooled by the schmuck will go out and buy the book like Ian Halprins book. WE DON'T NEED TO CONTRIBUTE.

PLEASE DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK.

Remember, with in days of MJs death the Schmuck was on TV calling MJ manipulative, narcissitic, messiah complex, and insinuates repeately that MJ might have done something that was immoral even though he never saw anything inappropriate.
If you read his intro, his questions, and his conclusions he sounds just like BASHIT. You can read him praising MJ one minute and at the end of the chapter you'll see the rabbi taking time and space to try to misconstrue or manipulate what MJ had said.

he is a poor poor excuse for a rabbi and a human being. Sorry. :doh:
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Michael's message to us:

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Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Someone told her facebook friends that Rabbi Schmuley is banned from taking the stand/pew/whatever in Great Britain apparently.. why would that be?
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

parli123 said:
Anyone who buys this book is giving money to Schumley. He stole Michael's money from the charity and still people wants to buy this book? I don't think you consider Michael whatso ever. Michael broke ties with this idiot and that should send a message to us all. Boteach, LK interview made Michael to be a desperate man who wanted to die and take drugs. The Rabbi should say the real reason Michael kicked him out, but I guess that would not sell his bloody book.
I am not reading any books on Michael written by an ex-friend or worker as they will only be telling what they observe and not the true man. People are different when around others than when they are with their Children/relatives.
Michael was private and he wanted it to be so.
Isn't it strange that this man chose to release the tapes after Michael died? Why not when he was alive? he had 8 years to do it.. WHY NOW?
This really pisses me off..For people to plug this book here is a sin..
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Actually, I didn't get that impression at all. He was defending Michael through the whole interview and asking people to try to understand Michael and not condemn him. He even set the record straight about the Hitler thing because the tabloids had reported it all wrong. And he actually had tears in his eyes most of the time when he spoke about Michael. Now, I am not here to defend Boteach and I know some things he has done in the past are questionable and the fact that he didn't support Michael during the trial does not sit well with me. And it's questionable whether Michael wanted these tapes to ever be heard publically or not. However, I don't think these tapes will harm Michael in any way. I think they will help the public see who he really was and help them understand him better. Maybe Boteach shouldn't have published the tapes and made that book...but still from what I have heard and read so far, the book will not put Michael in a bad light. Just my two cents.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

mjjfan4ever said:
:agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree::agree:

can the chorus say "AMEN" LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:hysterical:
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Even when MJ is protesting, he's so f-ing adorable!!!!!
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

I agree that the Rabbi is NOT a "good guy", but after seen the interview with Larry King and reading about the book I think it will bring a lot more good then harm to the memories of Michael.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Gif9gud said:
I agree that the Rabbi is NOT a "good guy", but after seen the interview with Larry King and reading about the book I think it will bring a lot more good then harm to the memories of Michael.
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Let the haters and new converts to all things MJ buy the book. Let them understand and appreciate MJ. Nothing in this book is earth shattering. In the book you see Michael, as an innocent, child like, deeply spiritual, very loving, compassionate humanitarian, etc. All this we fans already know.

Let the general public who are curious and may not know better go out and buy it. But the fans should not make this another New York Times best seller and line the pockets of the rabbi like many people did with Ian Halprin's.

As much as the rabbi would want to sit there and spew hate towards MJ in these interviews... he is not going to do it OVERTLY... he'll insinuate here and there thats it. SO THAT HE CAN SELL THIS BOOK, not because he cares anything about MJ or his legacy. Besides, the rabbi takes enough shots in the book.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

You can boycott the book by making it available for download for free.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

I read a small portion of the book online.....It was the Ideal Women Chapter.

Reading MJ's quotes & the Rabbi's advice, I can see why the Rabbi had conflicting thoughts & arguments about MJ. He wanted to push his own ideals on Michael and Michael wanted to stay the same. Usually situations like that, don't end on good terms anyway.

I don't know what it is about Virgo men, but my own brother has voiced opinions about women that, if I had feathers....they would be ruffled, lol. My love for MJ is a sisterly love, because I can't help but think of my own brother when I'm reminded of Michael. I swear some of their quirks and things that were done in the past.....Cosmic Twins (Shutting the family out, constantly changing phone numbers, divorced, has an attraction for older women, extravagant spending, his male friends were younger, lots of rumors, having to tell people he wasn't gay etc).....I used to tell people my family was the untalented version of the Jacksons, lol Believe me when I say my 5 brothers can NOT sing and I won't even go there on my younger sister, lmao

Some of MJ's quotes about women and how influential they are on men, I'm sure came from what his perception of how his brothers were treated and how his mom would persuade him to do family stuff.

I agreed with some of the things the Rabbi told MJ about women and how some of us "play" differently from men, but we (women) can still be playful. Whereas, MJ thought most women were always trying to "spoil the fun."

On the other side of the coin though, I understood what MJ was saying here too, because there are times I wince at my husband for being in his thirties and will stay up all night playing computer or video games, but most times, I let him have his fun because he works hard and that is his release....There is a balance to be had and I think that's what very few & genuine people have tried to tell Michael, if he wanted to listen.

I think what the Rabbi was trying to do (at that time, way back when) was try to counsel him and get him to look at things with a different perspective.... And I don't know about some of you, but sometimes when people try to give their "advice" they sometimes turn their advice into the gospel, lol.

Now, I think the Rabbi is using it, currently, to get himself out there as some kind of theraputic figure (and to profit)....But for the people who want to buy, I don't think should be concerned with being deemed as idiots or not true fans or what not... People are genuinely curious about MJ as well as other celebrities.

How many people flipped thru a magazine when the title read that Brad was leaving Angelina or that Jennifer Aniston was still talking to Brad? A fan's curiosity is the curse of the celebrity. :(

If anything, I can honestly say, after experiencing what happened with MJ, I would NEVER EVER want to be a celebrity or even mildly famous, lol. There's enough drama in my life being plain ole me.
 
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Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

Well, to each his/her own but I will definitely not read it. It's suspect to say the least that he chooses to release it only after Michael passes away. Hmm. Why is that? Now Michael isn't here to object to anything in it. The only things we know for sure that Michael said are things that he actually has taped of him saying, BUT if things are taken out of context, it can change their meaning. He is no friend of Michael's, and I'm not falling for it. I remember during the trial, him going on every program he could and practically SPITTING because he was yelling about Michael and bad-mouthing him. I don't buy a change of heart now.
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

butterflies said:
Well, to each his/her own but I will definitely not read it. It's suspect to say the least that he chooses to release it only after Michael passes away. Hmm. Why is that? Now Michael isn't here to object to anything in it. The only things we know for sure that Michael said are things that he actually has taped of him saying, BUT if things are taken out of context, it can change their meaning. He is no friend of Michael's, and I'm not falling for it. I remember during the trial, him going on every program he could and practically SPITTING because he was yelling about Michael and bad-mouthing him. I don't buy a change of heart now.
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I was piss when shumely said on larry king he was angry at michael cause he knew the drugs was going to kill him thats when I lost respect for shadyshumely
 
Re: Shumely's Book A Good Read

StephluvsMJ said:
The thing about Rabbi Shmuley is, he doesn't come across as being understanding or sympathetic, he is simply judgemental. He once said that, and I quote, "Michael deserves to be criticised for believing he has too much power..." Shmuley doesn't get it. Michael saying he has power is not just a belief, but a fact. Whether he likes it or not, Michael did have a lot of power. Just because he acknowledged this fact, does not make him delusional. It's no wonder Heal the Kids went nowhere. I can imagine Michael sitting there saying he believes he could change the world, and make it better, and Rabbi Shmuley yelling in his ear telling him that he's delusional and stupid for believing that. If Shmuley was always that negative, then I can understand why Michael distanced himself. The two of them just didn't fit. Michael believed that anything was possible, and Shmuley was a realist. They were polar opposites, the only thing they had in common was they shared the same view about family. Shmuley never understood Michael Jackson, because he couldn't relate to him.

I really, really don't see the point in Rabbi Shmuley writing a book to help the world understand the real Michael Jackson, when he himself couldn't understand the real Michael Jackson. I don't like the idea of him twisting things that Michael has said, and turning it into something bad. Good example: The Hitler comment. Rabbi Shmuley and Michael argued back and forth about whether Hitler could have been helped. Rabbi Shmuley told Michael he was fundamentally evil, no one could help him because there was no humanity to address. Michael said Hitler was human, the terrible things he did were a result of what happened to him in his life, and Michael said if he had an hour with him, he would be able to find the good in him, because hey, there's good in everyone. Of course, Shmuley started criticising and said must believe he's some type of Jesus Christ figure, how dare believe he could help an evil man like Hitler! My interpretation: Michael Jackson would reach out and open his heart to anyone, regardless of what they've done, or how bad there history is. No body, no matter how bad they were, would ever get turned away (Think of the Arviso's - welfare cheats, self-admitted liars, people were warning Michael about the family, and Michael helped them, because they needed his help). Yes okay, maybe Michael was a little naive thinking he could find good in Hitler, but for crying out loud, he didn't think he was "God" and he sure as hell doesn't deserve to be criticised for that statement. Michael didn't care about where you came from or what you did. He would help anyone that needed help. Shmuley just took it the wrong way. Michael and Rabbi Shmuley had two completely different minds. They thought differently, that is why Rabbi Shmuley should be the last person talking about Michael. He didn't understand him. I don't mind people telling Michael's story, but I'm just not sure Rabbi Shmuley is the right person to do it.
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:agree::yes::clapping: Amen to this!
 
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