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MJ 和Tim Kash（MTV 電視臺新聞節目記者兼主持人）
2006巴林的晚宴
我小時候從父親那裏借（確切地說是“偷”！）的第一張專輯就是MJ 的
1988年，我生平在現場看的第一場演唱會就是MJ 在倫敦溫布利的BAD 演唱會。非常令人難忘，那時的他正處於事業的頂峰，無論從哪個角度來說，他都稱得上是一個讓人歎為觀止的表演家。
但我第一次見到MJ 本人卻是在2006年，當時我被派往巴林採訪世界一級方程式賽車的預選賽。那天我們的東道主是Sheikh Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa 親王（Sara: 天哪，好長的名字啊！這要是譯成中文，估計得要有十幾，二十多個字吧？！LOL）。他的客人中還包括另一個王族成員，那就是King of Pop Michael Jackson.
經過將近一星期緊張繁忙的工作，週末時我與John Legend, Tyson Beckford, DJ Whoo Kid, Simon Webbe 及另外為數不多的幾個人，應邀前往親王的府邸共進晚餐。
就好像小孩子來到了狄斯奈樂園，我和Whoo Kid（音樂節目主持人）最先下了車。只見一排人（包括親王和王妃）已經在那裏迎接我們了。就在那時，我突然扭頭對Whoo Kid 低聲說：“ 哎，你瞧那邊的那個人是不是很像Michael Jackson？”。要知道當時我們根本不會想到MJ 會出現在那裏，所以我最初的反應就是那肯定是一個長得很像MJ 的人，當然不會是他本人了。
他留著齊肩長的黑髮，穿著一件發光面料製作的黑色禮服，敞開的白色襯衣的領口處，斜掛著一副飛行員式的墨鏡。他的確深諳穿衣之道（Sara: 使勁兒點頭XD！！）。在我向他走過去時，他伸出手來，說道：“嗨，Tim ”。我有些吃驚，但我猜肯定是在我們到來之前，已經有人給他打過招呼了。為了試著打破堅冰（意指初識時的尷尬），於是我說：“ 嗨。。。 不過，你是。。。？”當時，親王及所有在場聽見我們對話的人，都一臉難以置信地望著我，可是KOP本人卻很簡單地答道：“Michael ”，沒有任何自以為是的意味在裏面。我笑了：“ 早就知道了，”於是，我們倆都笑了起來。估計當時在場聽到我們對話的人也都暗自鬆了口氣，因為Michael 是個很有幽默感的人。
晚宴開始前，大家都坐在客廳裏閒聊。起初，Michael 並不怎麼講話，只是很悠閒地呆在那兒當旁觀者，聽大家聊，有時聽到可樂的地方，也會大笑起來。總之，他很注意傾聽別人的對話。
晚些時候，原本並沒打算留下來的Michael 改變了主意，很隨意地表示他會跟大家一起進餐。他真這麼做了——跟我們一起呆了四個鐘頭。親王那天決定就在客廳裏以自助餐的形式來宴請大家，這樣氣氛會比較隨意。王宮的侍者過來擺好餐桌，並在上面擺放了一系列平日不常見的美味佳餚。當時客廳裏的電視碰巧鎖定在MTV 的頻道上，晚宴期間正好播放的是我以前主持的MTV News 節目。當在場所有人的注意力（其中也包括MJ）都集中到電視上時，我覺得很尷尬，真恨不得找個地方躲起來。
身為傳奇人物的MJ 在現實生活中，有幾處地方還確實讓我多少有些吃驚：他說話聲音很柔和，但並不是大家以前在有關他的訪談節目裏，聽到的那種細細的聲音。也許那也屬於他打造的公眾形象的一部分。那天他也沒戴墨鏡，不過，我記得曾看到他好幾次有意識地把頭髮往眼前攏，就好像想要把自己的眼睛藏起來似的。他本人沒有我原先想像中的那麼高，雖然他人挺瘦的，但卻身姿挺拔而且肌肉很結實（對，因為我跟他擁抱過）。
晚宴上客人們談話的內容，也因相鄰座位的關係而有所不同。我們很快就談到了有關MJ 正式複出的話題，Hip-Hop 音樂節目DJ Whoo Kid 開始跟MJ 說：他應該“ 做Hip-Hop ”；他還建議MJ 留短髮，改變造型，再佩戴一些首飾——就是有些像rapper 歌手那樣的裝扮，哈哈！（Sara: 這傢夥竟然給MJ上課——教MJ如何打扮？！再看看他那“審美觀”，要MJ 那樣造型。。。我都不知該說什麼好了。。。）當我叫Whoo Kid 把他那只很大個的鑲滿鑽石的手錶展示給MJ 看時，MJ 開玩笑地問：“這是什麼玩藝兒？”，我們當時全都被他給逗笑了。
好玩兒的還在後面呢！記得後來Tyson Beckford (模特兼演員) 站起身來向Michael 挑戰了。Michael 答道：“ 先讓我們見識一下你的本事。”Tyson 當下就來了一段模仿MJ 的表演和moonwalk，相當不錯，他確實盡力了。Michael 看後笑了：“ 不錯，不過這個挺容易的。你能側滑還有倒著向後滑步嗎？”
然後他就在我們的眼皮底下，輕輕鬆松地跳了一段他的舞步（毫不費力地完勝Tyson）。大家都欣喜若狂地拍手叫好，MJ 則微微地鞠躬致謝。當下Tyson 索性就坐在了地板上以示他輸得心服口服。之前MJ 是那麼害羞的一個人，可當他面對眾人表演時卻好像完全換了個人似的，感覺很自在。他的這一性格特徵給我留下了很深的印象，顯然他性格中有一部份還是很喜歡引人注意的。(Sara:很喜歡作者的這段描述^^嚴重懷疑那個Tyson 使的就是激將法，拋磚引玉，其實根本目的就是想看MJ 現場表演moonwalk。可好，他還真就這麼容易地上當了XD！快50的人了，怎麼還這麼孩子氣呢？！哈哈。。。)
晚些時候，MJ 來跟我們告別，說他的孩子們就在旁邊的房間裏，他要過去跟他們呆一會兒，然後還要去看書。
我遇見的Michael Jackson 是個既喜歡笑也喜歡開玩笑的人。他好像很樂於忘記自己是世界上最著名的人物之一這一點，喜歡享受生活中平凡的一面。但對我來說，這可不是一次尋常的晚宴，這將是有一天我會跟自己的孩子們炫耀的難忘經歷。
My Dinner With Michael Jackson, By Tim Kash
The MTV News correspondent recalls his 2006 encounter with the King of Pop in Bahrain .
The first album I ever borrowed (stole!) from my dad was Michael Jackson's Off the Wall. It was a cassette tape with that great picture of a young Michael Jackson dressed in a black tux, with big hair and an even bigger smile, leaning up against the brick wall.
In 1988, my first concert was when Michael Jackson at London 's Wembley Stadium during his Bad tour. It was immense. He was in his prime and a spectacular performer in every sense of the word.
But the first time I actually met Michael Jackson was in 2006. I was invited to Bahrain to take part in one of the preliminary car races for the Formula One Grand Prix. Our gracious host was Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who was also playing host to another member of royalty, King of Pop Michael Jackson.
Towards the end of an amazing week of some R&R (racing and relaxing), I was invited along with John Legend, Tyson Beckford, DJ Whoo Kid, Simon Webbe and a few others to dinner at his palace. (Whoo Kid gave us his account of the dinner back in 2006.)
Like kids visiting Disneyland , Whoo Kid and I were the first to get off the trucks when we arrived. A line of people, starting with the crown prince and his wife, was assembled to welcome us. It was then that I turned to Whoo Kid and whispered, "Yo, that guy looks a lot like Michael Jackson, no?" You see, we had no idea MJ was going to be there, my initial reaction was to think it was someone that looked like him and not actually him.
He had shoulder-length black hair and was wearing a shiny black tuxedo with aviators tucked into his open white shirt. He knew how to dress. As I walked up to Michael, he extended his hand and said, "Hi, Tim." That was weird, but I guessed he had been briefed prior to our arrival. Then I figured I'd try to break the ice, so I said, "Hi ... and you are?" The prince and everyone within earshot looked at me with disbelief, but the King of Pop simply replied "Michael" with no sense of ego whatsoever. I smiled, "I know," and we laughed. To the relief of everyone listening, Michael had a sense of humor.
Before dinner, everyone sat down in the living room and made conversation with each other. Michael didn't say anything at first. He just sat back and played the observer, listening to the conversation, laughing at times and paying close attention at others.
Later, Michael, who had not initially planned to stay for dinner, casually announced that he'd be sticking around. He did — for four hours.
Instead of moving to a grand dining room, the prince had decided to eat dinner in the living room and keep it on a casual vibe. The palace staff appeared and laid tables down and brought out an incredible buffet spread. MTV was actually playing on the TV, and my old MTV News show (which aired around Europe and the Middle East ) came on during dinner. I slunk back in embarrassment as everyone's attention, including MJ's, turned to the TV.
A few things surprised me about the legend in real life: His voice was quiet but not as high-pitched as you might have heard him in interviews. Maybe that was part of his character. He wasn't wearing his signature aviators, but I remember seeing him sweep his hair in front of his face a few times, almost as if to hide his eyes. He was shorter than I thought he would be, but despite being skinny, he was solid and well-built (yes, we bro-hugged).
Dinner conversation was as diverse as the characters sitting around the tables. The topic of his big comeback came up early, and Whoo Kid started telling him he should "get hip-hop with it" — cut the hair short, go for a new look and get some bling. Ha. When I told Whoo Kid to show him his big, diamond-encrusted watch, MJ joked, "What is that?" We couldn't stop laughing.
The jokes didn't stop there. I remember Tyson Beckford standing up and challenging Michael to a dance-off. Michael hit back with, "Let's see what you got." Tyson gave it his best with an MJ impression and a moonwalk. Michael laughed, "That's OK, but that's easy. Can you do the backwards and sideways moonwalk?"
Right in front of us all, he effortlessly broke out a few dance moves (and totally wiped the floor with Tyson). There was a rapturous applause all round. MJ took a small bow. Tyson sat on the floor in submission. It struck me that Jackson was at his most comfortable when performing; and for an obviously shy man, there was a part of him that loved the attention.
It was getting late when Jackson said his goodbyes. He said he was going to spend some time with his kids, who were staying next door, and then read a little.
The Michael Jackson I met was someone who liked to laugh and joke, but he also seemed happy to forget that he was one of the most famous people in the world and appreciated normality in his life. But that wasn't just a normal dinner for me; it's something I'll be telling my kids about one day.
不知道下面這一位是不是就是那個教MJ如何打扮的傢伙呢O(∩_∩)O哈哈~看他手腕上那只鑲滿鑽石的手錶，以及他的穿著打扮，估計也許可能就是的(*^__^*)
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