2011年6月30日 - 邁克爾·傑克遜（Michael Jackson）的大哥傑基·傑克遜（Jackie Jackson）確信邁克爾全力支持太陽馬戲團（Cirque du Soleil ）的演出進展和12月在曼德勒海灣賭場度假村（ Mandalay Bay ）開幕的兩個項目。 “他肯定觀察這一切，他將永遠活在每個人的心中，他永遠活著。”傑基說。
“邁克爾會喜歡現在為他遺產所做的工作。他一生都熱愛著這個行業和娛樂業。他熱愛動畫，熱愛拉斯維加斯。他熱愛太陽馬戲團，和每部作品。我仍然記得第一部太陽馬戲團的作品面世，他打電話給我說'傑基，你得看看這個演出'。我們一起觀看了演出，自從那時起，他每場必看。他愛蓋·萊利波特（Guy Laliberte），太陽馬戲團的創始人以及整個太陽馬戲團的團隊。他愛他們，所以他真的想成為其中的一份子……現在在這些演出中，他成了其中一部分。這實現了他自己的夢想，而且我相信他知道這一切並感到驕傲和高興。”
傑基說12月3日 在曼德勒舉行的第一場“不朽世界巡演”（Michael Jackson The IMMORTAL World Tour）是一場巡迴搖滾演唱會的盛世。 ”在這裡的第二次演出將是駐場演出。巡演和駐場將在感官上都有不同，即使採用的邁克爾·傑克遜的歌曲一致。
“顯然，人們想在兩場演出中都聽到熱門歌曲。我現在不能著手另一場演出，因為演出中將會有驚喜，我不想捨棄任何東西。各種各樣的東西都將用於主場秀以及紀念品區。”
邁克爾自己設計的一系列皮夾克可還將在亞馬遜出售5週時間，並將在曼德勒海灣開幕的“邁克爾·傑克遜地帶”（Michael Jackson Zone）中與其他物品一起出售。
曼德勒海灣酒店總裁兼首席營運官查克·鮑林（Chuck Bowling）是演出執行人，他不得不為邁克爾·傑克遜重新設置酒店佈局。
“邁克爾會喜歡現在為他遺產所做的工作。他一生都熱愛著這個行業和娛樂業。他熱愛動畫，熱愛拉斯維加斯。他熱愛太陽馬戲團，和每部作品。我仍然記得第一部太陽馬戲團的作品面世，他打電話給我說'傑基，你得看看這個演出'。我們一起觀看了演出，自從那時起，他每場必看。他愛蓋·萊利波特（Guy Laliberte），太陽馬戲團的創始人以及整個太陽馬戲團的團隊。他愛他們，所以他真的想成為其中的一份子……現在在這些演出中，他成了其中一部分。這實現了他自己的夢想，而且我相信他知道這一切並感到驕傲和高興。”
傑基說12月3日 在曼德勒舉行的第一場“不朽世界巡演”（Michael Jackson The IMMORTAL World Tour）是一場巡迴搖滾演唱會的盛世。 ”在這裡的第二次演出將是駐場演出。巡演和駐場將在感官上都有不同，即使採用的邁克爾·傑克遜的歌曲一致。
“顯然，人們想在兩場演出中都聽到熱門歌曲。我現在不能著手另一場演出，因為演出中將會有驚喜，我不想捨棄任何東西。各種各樣的東西都將用於主場秀以及紀念品區。”
邁克爾自己設計的一系列皮夾克可還將在亞馬遜出售5週時間，並將在曼德勒海灣開幕的“邁克爾·傑克遜地帶”（Michael Jackson Zone）中與其他物品一起出售。
曼德勒海灣酒店總裁兼首席營運官查克·鮑林（Chuck Bowling）是演出執行人，他不得不為邁克爾·傑克遜重新設置酒店佈局。
“多年來我們提供最好的餐飲，最豐富的夜生活，提供質量最高的娛樂，這在全世界都是有名的。由於我們與太陽馬戲團中的創作天才們的合作，我們的姐妹酒店米高梅度假村酒店（ MGM resort hotels）是全世界最成功的娛樂品牌的誕生之地。我們已經為此準備就緒，對於它的成功我們很有信心，並且我們知道邁克爾·傑克遜將在曼德勒永存。 ”
“這段淵源起源於1992年的一場帳篷演出。那時，拉斯維加斯馬戲團演出每年吸引上百萬的人們，並在它長盛不衰的演出中創造了可以想像的觀眾人數。這些演出沒有界限，它們能夠吸引各界人士，預言不是障礙，祖國不是因素。
簡而言之，對於每個影迷都有一場秀。近年來，太陽馬戲團與諸如披頭士（The Beatles）和貓王（Elvis Presley）的重量級人物合作，留下了一個人……可以融入到這個非凡的團隊— 邁克爾·傑克遜！
我們在曼德勒海灣的關係確保這就是邁克爾·傑克遜的家，深感榮幸……邁克爾自己樹立了風格。在他一生中，他達到和保持的成功超越了任何流派或任何觀眾。邁克爾以他著名的音樂、舞步、神秘和風格成為世界偶像。
世界失去了一位非凡的表演家，但通過太陽馬戲團那些創作天才的眼睛，邁克爾將在新時代在新生的觀眾中永存。這是給我們所有人的一件非常棒的禮物。我們盼望接下來的幾個月幾年裡全世界人們的到來，享受與拉斯維加斯以往完全不同的體驗。
太陽馬戲團將保留1800個座位的“獅子王劇院”（ Lion King Theater），但其他一切將有變化。 “我們已經開始構思將劇院、互動空間以及有休息室和零售店的MJ地帶三個部分合起來。整個佈局還都在設計中……我們將明確的將奇幻的體驗帶入到表演室內，我們現在已經開始構思了。
至今，我們還沒有明確的預算— 甚至一個暫時的預算。我們在幕後有想法，但不能精確的說出什麼，但我們正在工作。當然數百萬美元必不可少。我們只是正在進做正確的事，就像太陽馬戲團和米高梅就斷一直所做的那樣，都是一流的。加上邁克爾·傑克遜的元素，它絕對是頂級的。
我們異常高興的是所有這些邁克爾·傑克遜的元素將提高曼德勒海灣的品牌。我們知道它將不僅在拉斯維加斯還在在全世界促進了我們在娛樂業的足跡。這是一個重要的資訊，拉斯維加斯不止有繁榮盛世……它將帶來希望。 “
Friday, June 26, 2009
Cirque du Soleil with Michael Jackson
So back in the mid 90’ s, I had the pleasure of hanging out with Michael Jackson at the recording studio. Teddy Riley was producing a track on Michael’s album; I knew Teddy through my client Martin Lawrence and Teddy’s manager Harvey Elkin invited me to the studio for a recording session. I walked in and there was Michael Jackson standing in the corner, Harvey took me to Michael and introduced me, however, I reminded Michael that we met a few years earlier at my brothers wedding in Beverly Hills , Ca. Yes, he then remembered me and invited me to have dinner with them at the studio. Michael was also very impressed that I was John Branca’s brother. Michael was very fond of my brother and my brother was Michaels Attorney for the better part of the 80’ s and represented Michael through the height of his career. Michael was then very curious on what I did, and I told him I was a Talent Agent and represented young comedians. Michael was fascinated, and when I told him I represented Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock, Tommy Davidson, Russell Simmons Def Comedy Jam, he was blown away. He was a very big fan of Tommy Davison, he remembered Tommy from In Living Color, and Tommy would do a parody of Michael Jackson on the Television Show, I remember Michael saying he enjoyed watching Tommy Davidson imitating himself, Michael, took it very well, and was quite amused. Michael even asked me if I could take him to the Comedy Store on Sunset blvd, so he can see Tommy Davidson live and meet him. I told Michael that I would set it up and we can sneak him in through the kitchen a make a night of it. Michael went on and asked me many question about my life, my family, my childhood, my family.
Michael was very interested in my life, and my routine, my career. I was taken back somewhat, hear I am having dinner with this ICON, this person who is larger then life, and hew was so very interested in my life, my career, and my childhood, and my family. After our dinner, Michael asked if I would like to watch a movie with him, of course I would what did you have on VHS, Michael said he loved the movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I told Michael I never saw it and I would love to watch it with him. So Harvey Elkin, put the video into the VHS player and we watched the entire movie. Teddy had left to go back into the studio to listen to the sound tracks, Harvey was cleaning up the table after dinner and Michael Jackson and I sat in front of the TV and enjoyed the movie. After the movie, it was after midnight, I felt that I should be going. I said goodbye to Michael and thanked him for his hospitality. Michael made it a point for me to tell my brother to call him; he had not spoken to him in a wile and had some new business todiscuss with him.
The next day I called my brother, John and shared with him the very surreal evening I had the night before with Michael Jackson… My brother ended up calling Michael a few days later, and sure enough they reconnected on so new projects. Michael then, called my brother a few weeks later, invited him to Cirque du Soleil, and asked my brother to invite me to join them. I could invite a friend to come along, so I really did not have a girl in my life to take worthy enough to take, so I invited my best friend and business partner, Worthy Patterson. It was quite a trip! We met Michael in his condominium in West wood. My brother went inside to get Michael and Worthy and I waited in the car, I was thinking that Michael would ride with us to Santa Monica . My brother cane outside alone and told me that Michael was getting his car, and that my brother was going to drive with Michael, and we would follow. My brother then gave me the keys to this Cornice Rolls Royce and I followed Michael Jackson, who by the way was driving a tricked out customized Van. I remember following Michael down Wilshire Blvd to Santa Monica , Ca. Let me say this, it was a hell of a ride keeping up with Michael, That boy can drive, unfortunately not very well. However, I was very impressed; it was just Michael Jackson and my brother in the Van, no security detail, with me andworthy “trying” to follow them.
And keep up…I distinctly, remember pulling up back stage at Cirque du Soleil, and there was security detail waiting for Michael, they waved him through and stopped me in the Cornice Rolls Royce. Michael stopped the van and very quickly told the security “they are with me let them in” and to let us through. We parked next to Michael, an army of security escorted us into the show, Michael put on some sought of mask with a wig to cover his face, he then removed it when we were seated. They had the first row sectioned off, reserved for us. It was Michael, My brother, Worthy Patterson and me. Michael removed the costume, as soon as we sat down, it was dark and the show just started… I was expecting others to join us; however, no one did! It was just us. After the show, I remember, Michael was recognized, and many fans coming up front asking him to sign autographs, he graciously signed every autographic from his fans, and we were then escorted and given a behind the scenes tour of the performers tent. It started to get a bit crazy, with the fans and everything, and we knew it was time for us to go. Michael had put some sought of disguise on and the security hid him as he got back into the van with my brother, the windows were darkened and the van drove out first. Nobody suspected Michael was in the van, however, everybody thought Michael was in the Rolls Royce, and we had some trouble exiting the parking lot. Michael was well ahead of us however, he pulled over to the side and waited for us to catch up and we followed him back to his Condo in Westwood, Ca. I remember, he drove straight into the underground parking and I waited outside for my brother to come out. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to say goodbye to Michael, however my brother told me that Michael enjoyed our company and thank us for joining him
.I feel sad because I lost touch with Michael Jackson and was not able to invite him to The Comedy Store to meet Tommy Davidson. My other client Martin Lawrence started his “You So Crazy” tour just after that and I Produced the Tour. Moreover, I was on the road with Martin Lawrence for the majority of 18 months. That was the last time I saw Michael Jackson at the Cirque du Soleil, in Santa Monica , Ca in the mid 90’ s. I will always remember that Saturday afternoon.
Billy Branca
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