London and Oxford 5 March 2001 and File
Oxford
1. Wide Oxford Union
2. Close up Oxford Union sign
3. Mid shot Union building, student queuing
4. Tilt down 1878 foundation stone to students in line
5. Interior pan from ceiling to debating chamber with students in line to get Jackson tickets
6. Close up line of students
7. Cutaway statues
8. Set up Nick Mason
9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nick Mason, President of Oxford Union
10. Wide shot Oxford street
11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Charlie Sparling, Oxford University student
12. Wide shot debating chamber with students
13. Close up of Jackson tickets
14. SOUNDBITE: (English) Catrina Laing, Oxford University student
15. SOUNDBITE: (Italian) Andrea Suriano, Oxford University student
London
16. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach signing books
17. Close up signing
18. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
File (14 February 2001) New York
19. Wideshot Rabbi Shmuley Boteach and Michael Jackson at Carnegie Hall for pre-launch of Heal the Kids charity
20. Heal the Kids poster
London
21. SOUNDBITE: (English) Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
22. Pan across debating chamber
Italian/Eng/Nat
XFA
The popstar Michael Jackson will deliver his first ever public lecture at Britain's Oxford University Union on Tuesday.
He will be launching his new charity, Heal the Kids, while speaking about child welfare and the need for parents to devote more time to their children.
Jackson was accused of child abuse in 1993, but the case was settled out of court and he was never charged.
The hallowed halls of Oxford University are buzzing with excitement about the imminent arrival of a musical legend.
The university's Union has given a platform to a variety of controversial characters in the past, including OJ Simpson and Jerry Springer, but rarely has it seen such anticipation about the arrival of a world famous guest.
Students have been queuing for days in the debating chamber to pick up tickets for the Michael Jackson speech, and they are becoming a prized possession after a deluge of requests to attend.
Some might find it surprising that such a bastion of intellectual prowess should court a popstar to enlighten them about child welfare, but the President of the Union is in no doubt about Michael Jackson's celebrity pulling power.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Yeah, at times people have said why are you inviting this celebrity or that celebrity, if they think that person is possibly beneath the Union. And in fact I'm surprised that not one complaint - not one complaint - have I received about Michael Jackson not being in keeping with the Oxford Union, because everybody recognises this is an extremely elusive superstar, possibly the major celebrity in the world at the moment."
SUPER CAPTION: Nick Mason, President, Oxford Union
Students who will not be able to get into the debating chamber because of lack of space will crowd into an ante room which will carry sound from the speeches.
There's no doubting the level of excitement at the prospect of coming face to face with the Moonwalker himself.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Anything about the students at Oxford University not being interested in things like "Hello" (celebrity) magazine is just absolute guff - we're just as interested as anyone else and we're looking forward to him coming. We love it, we love the idea and there'll be huge press coverage as well. We'll get our photos in the papers (laughs)."
SUPER CAPTION: Charlie Sparling, Oxford University student
The fact that Jackson was investigated by Californian police for allegedly molesting a 12 year old boy has not been lost on the students, but most are willing to give him a fair hearing.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"If he really had done that then he's obviously a very great hypocrite, but he's innocent until proven guilty. You can't decide that someone's done something just because there's a rumour about it and when you're famous people will make up stories about you."
SUPER CAPTION: Catrina Laing, Oxford University student
SOUNDBITE: (Italian)
"I think this is a really good opportunity for him to demonstrate to the European community and the world in general how much his support for children is real or not, as the case may be."
SUPER CAPTION: Andrea Suriano, Oxford University student
The event at the Union has been organised in large part by the flamboyant New York Rabbi Shmuley Boteach (pronounced BOE-TAY-ACH) who has forged a strong friendship with Michael Jackson over the last couple of years.
Boteach was Oxford University's Rabbi for eleven years and was introduced to Jackson by the psychic Uri Geller, with whom he has published a book.
The Rabbi firmly refutes any suggestion that Jackson was guilty of child molestation.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I know Michael Jackson, thank God, extremely well. He is simply not capable of harming a child. He is as sensitive to the purity and goodness of children as anyone I've ever met. He's inspired me to be a better father, he's inspired me to be a more attentive parent and I'm therefore in his debt. And our friendship is mutually enriching. I've tried to bring certain things to his life and he's brought much into my life and none of this stuff is true and that's the way it is. I would trust him 1000 per cent with my kids."
SUPER CAPTION: Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, author
Jackson and the Rabbi both headed up a conference on their Heal the Kids charity in New York three weeks ago, prior to the launch at Oxford.
Rabbi Shmuley says Jackson's speech will have a stunning impact.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"He's going to surprise the world with this lecture. It's a very, very moving, unpredictable message which he's going to impart. It 's an incredibly inspiring message which he's going to deliver.And people should stay tuned."
SUPER CAPTION: Rabbi Shmuley, author
Jackson will be best man at the magician Uri Geller's renewal of wedding vows in Berkshire on Wednesday and Boteach will be officiating at the ceremony.
