Peretti’s film about Michael Jackson. What REALLY happened. 30 days in Jordan Chandler’s home

Jacques Peretti’s film “What really happened” was broadcast by British television station Channel 4 on October 24, 2007 – which was well after Michael Jackson’s full acquittal in 2005 and several years after Bashir’s documentary.

One of its viewers summed up the film as follows:

• “It makes the Bashir piece look almost impartial. Unreal. I was disgusted”.

An assessment like that is absolutely correct – the amount of lies told about Michael Jackson in this film is absolutely unreal and the feeling of disgust it evolves in any sensible human soul is complete, infinite and all-embracing.

The film is the ultimate accomplishment of Michael’s detractors. Even its timing shows that it was meant to draw a sort of a bottom line under the many years of work done to vilify Michael Jackson, assassinate his character and thus neutralize any “power” he may have exercised on the people.

The film looks like a proud report on the effectiveness of the campaign carried out against Jackson with a few glimpses at how it was done and who executed the project. The report practically squeaks with joy at the financial results of the work done as it opens and closes the film with a scene of a supposedly unsuccessful auction of Michael’s personal belongings which managed to raise only a few thousand dollars for its ‘penniless’ owner.

All throughout the film I couldn’t help feeling that the report was meant not for the general public only but for a big boss who had ordered the music and was now evaluating the quality of the job done (or is it my imagination only?).

Whatever the case the end goal of the anti-Jackson campaign is now clear enough – the idea was to strip Michael Jackson of his impressive image, money and authority and turn him into a sheer nobody instead. It is no wonder that the idea of ‘power’ is repeated again and again as a sort of a key to the film in numerous variations and in different contexts:

• “He wanted to be knighted.  Awards were not enough.  He needed his own principality.  Now he was a king in his own kingdom [ Neverland].   What was he saying to the world? “I can do what I want to”.  The pay-off gave him a sense that he could get out of anything.  No one could stop him.  After the pay-off Jackson’s sense of power went beyond anything it was before.  It was Jackson against the world.  It was very nearly as saying – stop me if you can. You can’t stop me – I am Michael Jackson.
  
• Why is he broke now?  Dancing for pennies at the age of forty four. Jackson is nothing – no power, no control and no money.  He is exactly where he wanted to be.  And he is alone.  He amassed immense power and lost it all because he realized that all the power in the world couldn’t buy him what he wanted”.

The tone of narration is triumphant and is seething with deep satisfaction and delight at the mission accomplished. An occasional note here and there is meant to feign compassion for the ‘madness’ of a man who knew he was a ‘monster’, and who willingly turned himself into a ‘wacko jacko’, and who had Bubbles as his ‘wackiest’ development and who ended up by making a ‘genuinely weird creation’ like Neverland into which he lured innocent children and their greedy parents for satisfying his most ‘weird fantasies’.

Jacques Peretti, the author of the film, portrays himself as a lifelong Michael Jackson’s fan which is supposed to send the world a message that even Michael’s fans know how deeply fallen and corrupt their idol is.

Every half a minute the narrative comes up with innuendoes like “Is it the man who enjoys innocent fun or are we watching something darker here?” or “What was this construction hiding?” or “Is it all it seems?” or “I was beginning to descend into the basement of the Jackson story” or “The story emerging was more complex and much darker than I had ever imagined” or  “It’s amazing that his fate is to become an anonymous suburban freak”.

From time to time Jacques Peretti would make long and affected pauses to set off phrases like “they would lie together on the carpet and imagine flying over Neverland” (is it supposed to mean anything sinister?) or would even fall into a horrified tell-all silence for full several minutes after hearing from Bob Jones that “they were in the bedroom at night too”.

If you add to the picture the type of music usually accompanying horror or suspense movies which is meant to convey to the viewers how abominable a crime must have been taking place there , you will get the complete picture of the sick melodrama we are being presented with. This is exactly the proof we needed to make sure that Jacques Peretti is indeed a big ‘fan’ of Michael Jackson…

Diane Dimond

But no matter who Jacques Peretti is the main heroes of the film are the triumphant DIANE DIMOND and a less known guy who is actually DD’s right hand called VICTOR GUTIERREZ. The film is their truly shining hour and a tribute to their life-long meddling with Michael Jackson’s life.

Considering that even Thomas Sneddon as a long time detractor of Michael Jackson (who is clearly regarded by the film as a loser) and Thomas Mesereau as Michael’s victorious attorney are both given less than 5 minutes in this hour-long film it is the two characters mentioned above who are really enjoying the limelight here.

Fame has found its heroes at last and it is no chance occurrence that both of them make their appearance in this film together – this way the proud authors have unwittingly shown to us who the main players in Michael’s defamation/vilification campaign are and emphasized an inseparable link between the two.

Victor Gutierrez

Since everyone is familiar with Diane Dimond’s great “achievements” in this field let me say a couple of words about the less known Victor Gutierrez. This Chilean freelance writer has made a name for himself by inventing a story about a video allegedly showing “molestation” of a boy in Neverland but was never able to prove that the film ever existed (the video was searched for by  D.A. Tom Sneddon but with no avail – more about it here).

Gutierrez was sued by Jackson for slander in 1996, and the 1998 court ruled he should pay Michael $2,7mln. in damages. He never paid a penny though –  he fled the country instead and declared himself bankrupt. In the film he is presented by Peretti as an innocent victim of harassment on the part of Michael Jackson:

• “Victor Gutierrez fled the US for ten years as a result of threats against him…”

Since it is Diane Dimond and Victor Gutierrez who are the main characters of Peretti’s film it is them whom I would like to mainly focus in a few posts here. The stories told by these triumphant winners are LIES IN THEIR ULTIMATE FORM and will therefore have to be discussed in minute and even ridiculous detail here.

The first story is called  “30 DAYS IN JORDAN CHANDLER’S HOME”which is presented in the film as “Michael Jackson spent with Jordan Chandler a month doing laundry for him”.

The smiling Victor Gutierrez is terribly pleased with himself as he is reciting the following:

• “He fell in love with the boy.  Instead of concerts he was spending time with Jordan.  He moved into his house. He spent a month in the house.  Father who was a dentist went to work.  Mother Natalie went to work.  Somebody had to take care of the house and Jackson became the nanny.  He did the laundry… He would do the laundry for Jordie.  He was folding all the clothing for Jordie. He was making the bed for Jordie.  He was cooking for him – he was like a maid”

Jacques Peretti echoes him:

• “So in 1992 with a 14 year old boy he spent a month doing the laundry…!????”

Ray Chandler

To vivisect this lie and see what REALLY happened in Jordan Chandler’s home back in spring 1993 we need to compare Gutierrez’s story with the various pieces of information from the Chandlers which are dubious too but have at least some semblance to the truth:

Ray Chandler speaks to Larry King on November 25, 2003: http://edition.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/25/lkl.00.html

CHANDLER: And one other place, which I think, you know, is very important to understand that it also occurred in the boy’s home, where he was living with his then family. Michael slept in the boy’s bedroom behind closed doors for 30 nights in a row. Thirty nights in a row.
KING: With the mother and the stepfather home?
CHANDLER: The stepfather, I don’t believe, was home. There was some estrangement going on…

KING: Didn’t the mother think something was wrong with this?
CHANDLER: You’d have to ask the mother that question.
KING: She is your sister-in-law?
CHANDLER: She was. Well, I mean, I believe her — her belief at the time was that she didn’t see anything happening.
KING: So it was innocent to her. She believed Michael Jackson was just an innocent friend of a 13-year-old?
CHANDLER: I guess you could say that that’s what she believed.

The first conclusion we can make from this conversation is that if ever those 30 days did take place they were surely not in the home of Evan and Natalie Chandler – Ray Chandler said on many occasions that Michael never spent more than two weekends in Evan Chandler’s home.

So it wasn’t Evan’s – it was June Chandler’s home where Michael stayed for some time. June Chandler was already separated from her 70-year old husband David Schwartz and was living in Santa Monica alone with her daughter Lily, her 13-year old son Jordan and a live-in housekeeper.

Placing the story at June Chandler’s location automatically makes half of Gutierrez’s story a lie as Michael never stayed alone with Jordan “when the mother and father left for work”.

However Ray Chandler also spoke in his interview of “30 days” making it a special point that they came in a row. Where did he take this information from? It could come only from the boy’s then family which was June Chandler alone as Jordan was living with his mother and met his father Evan only occasionally.

Fortunately June Chandler did give her testimony during the 2005 trial and though she also spoke about some “30 days” she was quite definite that they were never in a row – she said Michael’s consecutive stays “could be a week or two at a time’ only”.

Isn’t it fascinating to see how the period of 30 days gradually reduces to “a week or two at a time” as we make our progress with the Chandlers’ testimonies? And isn’t it interesting to note how these ordinary folks never remember whether the world-wide celebrity stayed one or two weeks in their home? (I would remember if I were them). However this is serious business, guys, so let us put aside any speculation and look at June Chandler’s testimony in full earnest:

Q. After you got back from Monaco, did Michael Jackson spend nights at your home?

A. Yes.

Q. Were the 30 nights you’ve described after you got back from Monaco?

A. No.

Q. How many nights after you got back from Monaco do you think Michael Jackson stayed at your home?

A. Oh, perhaps a week or two.

Q. And this was a point where you were getting upset that your son wanted to spend all of his time with Michael Jackson, right?

A. Yes.

Let me explain this Monaco thing – Jordan claimed in his declaration of December 28, 1993 that it was in Monaco that ‘things got out of hand’ – which was at the beginning of May (May 9, 1993). Even our Diane Dimond as a big expert on Michael Jackson also said that “it” started in Monaco.

However according to June those ‘30 days’ were NOT AFTER Monaco.  They were BEFORE it. Which means that even according to Jordan’s or Diane Dimond the period before Monaco was nothing special in the ‘relationship’ between Michael and Jordan.

A simple deduction of 30 days from the beginning of May takes us to the beginning of April which is approximately the moment named by June Chandler and Jordan as the time when Michael invited them to Las Vegas and where Jordan allegedly stayed in Michael’s room for the first time.

Do you remember that Exorcist story described in vivid detail by the good old uncle Ray Chandler? I see that you do remember it – so it will surely come as a big surprise to you that June Chandler was very vague about that occurrence though she was supposed to be a witness to it.

The only thing she says is that she ‘heard’ about the Exorcist and tells us a completely different Cirque du Soleil story instead about ‘why she allowed Jordan to stay with MJ’.

According to June they stayed in Las Vegas for “two or three nights”. All of them slept in one room on the first night and on the second night they had a conversation “about them being a family” after which she allowed Jordan to stay in Michael’s room for the first time.

Q. Okay. At some point did you all see an Exorcist movie?

A. No.

Q. Do you recall anyone watching an Exorcist movie?

A. I was told Jordan and Michael watched an Exorcist movie.

Q. Do you remember how long you stayed in Las Vegas on this occasion?

A. Two or three nights.

Q. Now, when you got to Las Vegas, did you have — obviously you had a room —

A. Correct.

Q. — in The Mirage. And who was in your room when you first got there? Who was staying in your room?

A. Jordan, myself, Lily and Michael.

Q. All in the same room?

A. Correct.

Q. Now, did those arrangements change at any point in time?

A. Yes.

Q. And when did they change?

A. The second night things changed.

Q. With regard to “things changed,” could you tell me what changed first?

A. Well, there were approximately three bedrooms in that suite at the Mirage Hotel. Lily and I were staying in one bedroom, Jordie had another bedroom, and Michael had another bedroom. The second night, they were going to see a performance, Cirque du Soleil performance.

Q. “They” meaning who?

A. Jordie and Michael —

Q. Okay.

A. — and Lily and I. It was around 11 p.m. at night, and I got a call from somebody at Cirque du Soleil saying, “Where is Michael?” And I said, “He should be there with my son.” They said, “He’s not here.” A little while later, another call, he still didn’t show up. They still did not show up. And I — there’s a knock on the door and it’s Michael and Jordan, and they came back into the suite.

[]A. Well, I think the performance started at11:00, and I would say Jordan and Michael showed up around 11:30.

[]A. He said, “You don’t trust me? We’re a family. Why are you doing this? Why are you not allowing Jordie to be with me?” And I said, “He is with you.”

A. I was saying this. And Michael was trembling and saying, “We’re a family. Jordie is having fun. Why can’t he sleep in my bed? There’s nothing wrong. There’s nothing going on. Don’t you trust me?”

Q. Did you at some point in time relent and allow your son to sleep with Michael Jackson in his bedroom?

A. Yes, I did.

Q. And was it after that discussion on that night?

A. Yes.

Q. Is that the first occasion?

A. Correct.

Never mind those “trembling” embellishments – let us look at the hard-core facts instead. Do you make head or tail of this Exorcist/du Soleil business? You needn’t be ashamed if you don’t – no one will be able to understand anything here as the stories told by the various Chandlers are so different and contradictory to each other that the absurdity of it all is simply astonishing when you have a closer look.

Okay, let’s make a mental note of this contradiction and get back to the ’30 days’ story described by Ray Chandler, June Chandler and Victor Gutierrez.

We have just heard from June Chandler that Michael spent full 30 days in June’s home after Las Vegas (late March) and before Monaco (May 9) with consecutive stays being no more than “a week or two at a time”. This pressed schedule didn’t prevent them from staying (at least overnight) at Neverland two or three times too and go to Disneyland in Florida on two occasions staying there for two or three days each time.

Please note that between Florida and Monaco some two or three weeks elapsed according to June’s testimony within which period June Chandler saw Michael only “at times”.

Well, didn’t I tell you that it would be difficult to understand it?

I don’t understand it either and would be really grateful if someone could explain to me how it is possible to squeeze those 30 days in question as well as numerous other events (with all those breaks between them) into the  maximum of 40 days which passed between Las Vegas (the end of March) and Monaco (the beginning of May) – especially if you consider that besides the Chandlers Michael had other matters to attend to.

For example, Michael worked on “Whatsupwithu” video with Eddy Murphy at the time which was aired on April 11, and attended some South Central educational institutions within the Heal Los Angeles program on April 26 and went with Lisa-Maria Presley to an event organized by Jimmy Carter in Atlanta within the Heal the world project on May 5.

If you don’t believe me please check up June Chandler’s testimony for the timeline yourselves:

Q. Were there other visits to Neverland Valley Ranch after you came back from Las Vegas?

A. Yes, there were.

[]Q. Do you remember on how many such occasions?

A. I would say two or three times.

Q. Now, were there occasions after you got back from Las Vegas — let me — where Mr. Jackson actually was invited to stay at your residence where you lived at this point in time?

A. Yes.

Q. Now, what city was it that you lived in at this time?

A. Santa Monica.

Q. We’re talking about 1993, in the spring, right?

A. Correct.

Q. And during this time, did Mr. Jackson ever spend the night at your residence?

A. Yes, he did.

Q. And do you recall on how many occasions Mr.Jackson spent the night at your residence?

A. I would say more than 30 times.

Q. And were some of those occasions on consecutive days or nights?

A. Yes.

Q. And how long consecutively do you think that that occurred?

A. Oh. It could be a week or two at a time.

Q. And when you went to Disney World with Mr. Jackson, who else went with you?

A. Jordan and Lily.

Q. Do you recall where you stayed?

A. I recall The Grand Floridian was one hotel. Q. And during the time that — do you remember how many days — did you go there on more than one occasion?

A. Yes, we did.

Q. How many occasions?

A. Twice.

Q. Do you — I think you answered this, but just in case, how many days did you think you were in Florida?

A. Oh, I don’t really remember, but it’s probably more than two nights. Two, three nights.

Q. And after you came back from Florida, do you recall where you went?

A. After that, I think the next trip was to Monaco.

Q. In between the time that you went to Florida and to Monaco, do you recall where you were — where you were personally staying?

A. No. I guess home.

Q. Do you remember how much time elapsed between the two trips?

A. Not really, no.

Q. Was it more than a month, more than a week? Obviously it was more than a day or so.

A. Yes. It was a couple — it could be three weeks.

Q. And during that time when you got back from Florida till the time that you left for Monaco, were you with Mr. Jackson?

A. At times.

This remarkably inconsistent piece is also remarkable for the phrase opening it:  “Mr. Jackson actually was invited to stay at your residence”.  What struck me about this question was its passive form which was confirmed by June Chandler.  But how can anyone be invited into anyone’s home on his own if the master of the house does not invite you there? Wasn’t it no other but June Chandler who invited Michael to her home immediately after Las Vegas – which was exactly after that dubious Exorcist/du Soleil episode which supposedly worried her?

Why was June Chandler so evasive about her invitation of Michael Jackson to her home?  Why didn’t she ever elaborate on the reasons for that invitation? Why wouldn’t she say it the way it really was?

June Chandler in 2005

And the way it really was could have been completely different from what all of them are hinting at –  it wasn’t Michael Jackson who was imposing himself on the Chandlers but a glamorous former model named June Chandler who was imposing herself on Michael Jackson. She was hoping for an affair with him and was trying to hook him by simulating some sort of a family union with him. THIS was the most probable reason why she invited him to her home…

Even the prosecution witness Adrian McManus testified at the 2005 trial that June was after Michael and wanted to have an affair with him.

I can imagine what a welcome guest June Chandler made Michael in her Santa Monica home  –  Evan Chandler said in that taped conversation with Dave Schwartz that she could be exceptionally charming if she wanted to…

Something tells me that in spring 1993 Michael was not too much against it – Lisa Maria Presley had given birth to a new baby and was still a married woman and June was free and attractive and he didn’t know of her steel-like grip yet, so he could have given it a try and come to her home ‘every night’ to be picked up by a driver to his studio the next morning  – of course, if we are to believe that driver’s words at all.

Why am I doubting his word? Because I have reasons to believe that the driver was not quite sincere in what he was saying. If you read June Chandler’s testimony you will understand that the story about Michael’s coming to her home ‘every night’ is just another of those grave and sinister exaggerations – in fact, he did not come every day and definitely not at night, but in the daytime only, after Jordan returned home from school for the ‘family’ to have dinner and spend the evening together.

Tom Sneddon is examining June Chandler:

Q. I am assuming that Jordan was going to school during this period of time.

A. He was.

Q. So Mr. Jackson would spend the night there.What would happen when Jordan would go to school? To your knowledge, what did Mr. Jackson do?

A. Michael would leave.

Q. And approximately what time would he return?

A. After Jordan came home from school.

Q. And so was this the routine that was followed during the time that Mr. Jackson was staying at your residence?

A. Yes.

Have you ever asked yourself a question why Michael would be spending his time in the home of ordinary folks at all, if he could have invited them to Neverland if he wanted to?

After all he had a spacious ranch where it would have been much more convenient to spend time together with anyone he was interested in? Isn’t it strange that he would try to adapt his lifestyle to the lifestyle of ordinary people living in a relatively small house – while he could convert them into his lifestyle instead and dazzle them with the luxury of it?

Wouldn’t he have tried to impress them with the grandeur of Neverland if it was him who wanted to win their attention? And if he didn’t, it means that the reasons for his stay in June Chandler’s home were completely different, right?

Even if you don’t like my theory of a crush June Chandler had for Michael Jackson doesn’t this question alone make you reconsider the usual reasons given for Michael’s so-called “30 days” stay with June, Jordan and Lily Chandler?

By the way we only have the Chandlers’ word for it that Michael came there for Jordan’s sake. And if June Chandler had been sincere in her testimony we could have learned the real truth.

We can’t know what Michael Jackson would have said about it, but in an indirect way he explained it in a private conversation with Rabbi Shmuley which was never meant for anyone else’s ears but Shmuley’s and where Michael was surely as sincere as it is only humanly possible:

• “ . . . I never did birthdays or Christmases – or sleepovers or none of that simple, fun stuff [in my childhood]. Or going into a shopping market and just grabbing something off the counter, you know all those simple things like going out in society and being normal. That’s why when I befriend people it’s usually not the celebrities, it’s usually the simple normal family somewhere. I want to know what their life is like. That’s why I went to that hut in China or going to some of the mud houses in South America. I want to know what it is like. I have slept in crazy places where people say. “Are you nuts?” And I say, “No. I want to know what it’s like.”

“I want to know what it’s like!” Yes, guys! He wanted to know what it’s like to come home every night after a hard working day, to see what it’s like to have a family dinner with a woman he is attracted to and the children, what it’s like to do homework with a son and play games with children in the evening, and what it’s like for the ordinary folk to have a normal and quiet life of their own.

You think this to be too far-fetched? Then see for yourselves – this is how June Chandler describes their spending time together in her home:

A.  When Jordan would go to school Michael would leave. He would return after Jordan came home from school.
Q. Where did he tell you he was going?
A.Working. No, not to Neverland. I think to his place he calls The Hideout in Century City.
Q. During those 30 nights that Michael Jackson stayed at your house, did you have dinner at your house?
A.Yes.
Q. And was it usually you, he, your son and daughter at dinner?
A. At times.
Q. Who else would join you for dinner?
A. That’s it.
Q. Did you ever have dinner yourself, without your children, just with Michael Jackson?
A. No.
Q. Michael said to you he wanted a family to just treat him like a regular person, right?
A. Correct.
Q. He said he didn’t want to be a stranger, right?
A. Correct.
Q. Now, at that point n time, Jordan’s father Evan was writing a screenplay, right?
A. Correct.
Q. And to your knowledge, he was spending a lot of time on that screenplay?
A. Yes.
Q. And you were complaining that he wasn’t spending enough time with his son, right?
A. Correct.
Q. At the time you were happy that Michael was around because Jordan’s father was not spending time with him and you were separated from David, correct?
A. Yes.
Q. Now, you mentioned in your interview that when Michael Jackson was not working, he was a lonely person, correct?
A. Yes.
Q. And you remember telling the District Attorney that Michael would help Jordie with his homework?
A. Correct.
Q. You also said he played a lot like a child, correct?
A. Correct.
Q. Now when Michael Jackson was staying at your home in Santa Monica during those 30 days that you mentioned, was Jordan at school?
A. Yes, he was.
Q. Was he going to school each day?
A. Yes, he was.

At times they were even joined by Evan Chandler:

Q. Do you recall seeing Evan and Michael in a squirt-gun-type fight?
A. That was my home, sir.
Q. So Evan had come to your home at that point?
A. Correct.
Q. And Evan, Michael and Jordie were in a squirt gun fight, right?
A. Along with his other son Nicky.
Q. And you got upset a little bit at that, right?
A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember telling Michael Jackson, You’re like Peter Pan. Everybody wants to be around you and spend 24 hours?

A. Yes.
Q.You told him, Lily would too, except she’s not old enough?
A. Yes.

Q. When Michael Jackson used to stay at your home were you in the middle of a divorce proceeding?
A. No, we were separated.
Q. Did you used to discuss your problems with David Schwartz with Michael Jackson?
A. Yes. I just said that we were separated and these were not wonderful times for us.

Dave Schwartz was 70 at the time

Oh, she even discussed with Michael her separation from her second husband. And he was making her presents one of which was the so-called “love bracelet” which Michael and Jordan selected together when they were in Las Vegas. And he also gave her a pair of ear-rings, a necklace and a ring.

How far did this interest in June Chandler go before Michael finally realized that this love affair was not for him?

Life is not as black-and-white and primitive as Victor Gutierrez or Ray Chandler wish to portray it – there may be dozens of explanations of Michael’s stay in June Chandler’s house, one of which has been suggested here.

And even if you find my version of a possible love affair between Michael and June Chandler too exotic I hope you will at least agree that the story told by June Chandler about the events in spring 1993 has NOTHING IN COMMON with the picture presented by Victor Gutierrez in that notable film we have started with here.

Remember what VG said there and how Jacques Perretti reacted to it?

Victor Gutierrez:

“He fell in love with the boy. Instead of concerts he was spending time with Jordan. He moved into his house. He spent a month in the house. Father who was a dentist went to work. Mother Natalie went to work. Somebody had to take care of the house and Jackson became the nanny. He did the laundry… He would do the laundry for Jordie. He was folding all the clothing for Jordie. He was making the bed for Jordie.  He was cooking for him – he was like a maid”

Jacques Peretti:

“In 1992,  with a 14 year old boy he spent a month doing the laundry!!!”

And this is what June Chandler and Ray Chandler actually told us about the same:

Not in 1992.  Not a month. Not a 14-year boy. Not in Evan Chandler’s home. No laundry done by MJ.  Victor Gutierrez IS A LIAR.