Koppelman, however, says that CBS had suggested, about three days after Jackson's made-for-TV arrest, that the singer make a statement about the charges at the start of the entertainment special to get it back on the network's schedule. Jackson's lawyer, Mark Geragos, nixed that idea, Koppelman said.
The unnamed principal source of the Times report said he was talking to the media because he had not been paid his commission for negotiating the deal for the entertainment special and had been denied access to Jackson since Leonard Muhammad, a senior official in the black separatist group Nation of Islam, had become involved in the singer's affairs.
Michael Jackson in less strange times: At the Radio Music Awards in October.
(Joe Cavaretta -- AP)
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"In addition to being riddled with inaccuracies, it [the New York Times article] is based entirely on one anonymous and admittedly disgruntled source with a clearly stated agenda," CBS said in its statement.
"For the record, CBS News does not pay for interviews and did not pay Michael Jackson or anyone connected to him for this interview, directly or indirectly."
We wish we could tell you about all of the other strangeness surrounding this story and the various responses it received yesterday. Such as how the New York Times reported that Bradley tried months earlier to get an interview with Jackson, for which, the story seems to say, CBS also promised the singer $1 million. Bradley even set up at Jackson's Neverland Ranch and was greeted by Jackson, only to have Jackson balk until they showed him the money that Bradley assured him would be paid according to the Times. But it all ended badly, with Bradley going away scoopless.
Koppelman and Jack Sussman, CBS vice president for specials and CBS's liaison to Jackson, tell a different story. Sussman calls it a "complete and utter fabrication."
Sussman says there was no $1 million offer for that interview either and that Bradley never had that conversation with Jackson; Koppelman said Jackson would never "in a thousand years" have demanded to see money. They say Bradley set up at Neverland Ranch and Jackson came out to say hello and chat briefly off-camera before going to get his hair and makeup done. But he received a phone call that the two men say freaked him out and he never came back. According to Koppelman, the call was from Marlon Brando, warning him not to do the interview.
See what I mean? We could go on and on, but editors say otherwise.
The New York Times yesterday put out this statement about its report: "Our story was accurate. We stated CBS's position in the second paragraph and other paragraphs."
