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Interview with Rick James


Aired November 21, 2003 - 13:50 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS

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KYRA
PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Michael
Jackson is not the first musical megastar to face a
sexual scandal that has threatened to tear apart his life
and career. Singer Rick James
found himself in a bit of legal trouble during the 1990s. But today, Rick is
performing again
for fans, selling out across the country, after overcoming his past. Can Michael Jackson
do
the same? Rick James, the man who brought funk to the forefront joins us now live from Los
Angeles.
How you doing, Rick?

RICK JAMES, SINGER: Wonderful, wonderful.


PHILLIPS: Well, look, you and I...

JAMES: Beautiful.

PHILLIPS:
You're looking good. Now, you and I were talking yesterday, we were talking a little bit this

morning. You're in support of Michael Jackson. Tell me why.

JAMES: Because I
love him. I think he's fantastic. I love his whole family. I've been knowing Michael
since
he was a kid. I've know his whole family. I know his mother. I know his father. I know the
brothers.
I know the sisters. And I have nothing but complete love, and respect and
admiration for the whole
family.

PHILLIPS: So, Rick, why do you think authorities
are going after Michael Jackson?

JAMES: Because he's black, he's rich and he's
famous, and they got nothing else better to do.

PHILLIPS: Has Michael ever talked
openly with you about his relationship with children, or his love for
children, or even
Neverland?

JAMES: Look, Michael loves children, OK? I mean, to be -- I mean, I look
at it like this. I mean, all this
pedophile crap, you know, why didn't they go after Elvis
Presley? He was the biggest pedophile at all. He
had Priscilla when she was 14, 15. Why
didn't they go after Jerry Lee Lewis. He the second biggest
pedophile of all. He married
his first cousin. She was 13 years old. Why don't they go after Santa Claus?
Why don't
they do psychology references on him? They don't know who he is. He's 100,000 different

cities and kids sit on his lap, telling him what they want for Christmas.

PHILLIPS: I
don't know, Rick, i've sat on Santa Claus' lap, i've never had any issues with Santa Claus.


JAMES: But never mind, Santa Claus, what about Elvis? They didn't do anything to
him. He had Priscilla
when she was 14, 15 years old. Nobody said a damn thing. Then as
soon as you get famous and black,
they go after you.

PHILLIPS: Well, let me ask
you, let me ask you, you know the documentary that came out, OK, on
BBC with Michael
Jackson. He talked openly about, hey, I love children, we sleep in the same bed, it's

nothing sexual, I just love them and like to take care of them. Is there anything wrong with
that? Do you
see anything wrong with that?

JAMES: There ain't nothing wrong
with that. Look, I have a house, 8,000 square feet. I have children
come by. I have
grandchildren. They come by and they bring their friends. They sleep in my room. I got a

great big giant bedroom. They watch TV. They lay on the floor. Sometimes I wake up, kids
are laying in
my bed because they're scared or something, whatever. I have candles
going. What, what does that make
me, a pedophile, because kids follow my bed, fall to
sleep, whatever? I love kids. I'm
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) pedophile as Larry King. I mean,
come on now.

PHILLIPS: All right, so have you ever talked with Michael? Have you
ever consulted him? Has he ever
come to you for advice?

JAMES: Why should I
talk to Michael about something that's so ridiculous? I mean, it's ridiculous. What
should I
say to Michael? Well, Mike, tell me something, how's pedophile-ization going? Is it in, or is it

out? I mean, it's ridiculous. It's so stupid.

PHILLIPS: All right, Rick, let's talk
about his future. Let's talk about you right now. You went through...

JAMES: Wait a
minute. I just got one more thing to say.

PHILLIPS: OK, go ahead, go ahead.


JAMES: I think this D.A. in Santa Barbara, I think he had a serious hard-on for Michael,
and I think he
won't rest until he just rocks Michael's world. Well, you know something,
it's never going to happen.
These accusations are clearly lies. These accusations are lies,
they're untrue, and it's not going to happen.
Michael's world will not be rocked.
Because as soon as court hits -- if Michael's guilty of anything, it's the
Peter Pan
syndrome, the same thing I'm guilty of, the same thing you're probably guilty of, the same
thing
a lot of people are guilty of. We do not want to grow up. We do not want to get old.
We love children.
We will do anything for children. If it means building -- I wish I could have
Never Neverland. I'd have
children there every day.

PHILLIPS: So you see --
how do you see Michael's future? You were convicted back in the '90s and
you are
back on track with your career. If, indeed, Michael faces a conviction here, how do you see
his
future?

JAMES: I don't even see him -- No. 1, it's too hypothetical -- it's too
ridiculous -- it's too much of a
hypothetical situation. I don't see him convicted in anything
like this. I mean, he loves children. He loves
children. Look at all he's done for children.
Look at what he's done. He's changed the world for children.
God doesn't bless
someone like Michael Jackson who changes the world for children. He has given
children
a better day. He's given children a better light. He's given children smiles on their faces.
He's
given children hope. Do you think God would bless a pedophile with something like
that?

PHILLIPS: Rick James, good friends with the Jackson family, good friends with
Michael, coming on
today, talking openly and honestly.

Your career still moving
along. Your next concert in Baltimore. You're coming out a 25th anniversary
CD. Also...


JAMES: Twenty-fifth anniversary CD and a book called...

PHILLIPS: And a
book.

JAMES: ... called "Confessions a Superfreak." And if you really want to learn
about freakism, you'll buy
this book. It ain't got nothing to do with pedophiles. It's got a
lot to do with some sexuality and some
other stuff that you need to know about.


PHILLIPS: Well, Rick, you do continue to be a super freak, and thanks for giving us a
super interview.

JAMES: I will be a super freak, and it ain't got nothing to do with
children or nothing, just like Michael
Jackson has nothing to do with children. It has to do
with L-O-V-E -- love.

PHILLIPS: L-O-V-E -- love. All right, Rick, peace.

JAMES:
Peace all you, Girl.

You read the book, Kyra, because I want you to read it especially.


PHILLIPS: You got a deal.

Source:
http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/21/lol.04.html

Wonder B a écrit:l'intervieweuse mérite le titre de SUPREME GOURDASSE
DU SIECLE...
Merde!!!!!