On Oct. 18, 1969, Diana Ross & The Supremes introduced The Jackson 5 on a live broadcast of ABC’s Hollywood Palace Special for their first national TV appearance. The Hollywood Palace Special was a musical variety show that aired from 1964-1970. In this episode, The Jackson 5 performed alongside big names such as Diana Ross & The Supremes, Sammy Davis Jr, and Willie Tyler & Lester.
The brothers — whose ages ranged from 10 to 17 — performed “Sing a Simple Song,” “Can You Remember,” “I Want You Back” and “There Was A Time.”
In 1968, the five talented brothers were discovered by Bobby Taylor of Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, who quickly brought them to the attention of Motown. At Motown, they impressed President Berry Gordy so much they were signed almost immediately, leading to a quick explosion onto the pop and R&B charts in 1969 with “I Want You Back.”
Diana Ross played a huge role in The Jackson 5’s debut. In Aug. 1969, she presented them to music industry insiders in Los Angeles, California, which led to them opening for a Diana Ross & The Supremes concert just days later. This marked the beginning of their rise to stardom.
The Jackson 5 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and is the only group to have its first four records reach No. 1 on the charts. Additionally, three of their singles have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame: “I’ll Be There,” “I Want You Back” and “ABC.”
– Noelle Simonelli
In 2006, George Micheal made headlines after smoking a joint during an interview with Melvyn Bragg for The South Bank Show, a long-running British television arts program. This news initially got out on Oct. 20, 2006, sparking widespread discussion. During the interview, Micheal lit up a joint and discussed how cannabis is good for his mental health. The interview was filmed in Madrid, Spain, where cannabis is legal, and was scheduled to air on Oct. 31.
At the beginning of the interview, he talks about how “grass” was the best drug for him.
“This is the only drug I’ve ever thought worth taking… This stuff keeps me sane and happy. I could write without it if I was sane and happy.” He even joked that it was better for him than alcohol. “I think my life might be somewhere else if I’d chosen another avenue. Alcohol for instance. Christ if I had drank as much as I smoked. My god, I’d look like Keith Richards,” Michael said.
Micheal was very open about his drug use throughout the interview, discussing how it helped him cope with his stress and helped him manage the pressure of fame and his struggles.
“It is very good for creative people but it is a terrible, terrible drug in terms of… You’ve got to be in the position in life to take it. You’ve got to at least achieve most of your ambitions because it chills you out to the degree that you could lose your ambitions,” Micheals said.
When the interview aired, Micheal received many mixed reactions. Some people praised him for opening up about the drug, while others were very disappointed, especially after he was found slumped over his steering wheel in London just one month prior.
At the beginning of the interview, a black screen with the message “George Michael wishes to inform viewers that he has never tested positive for drinks or drugs whilst driving” was displayed.
Mental health charity Rethink criticized Micheal’s comments. Paul Corry, director of public affairs, called his comment “naive and stupid,” warning that young people, especially those in Michael’s audience, were most at risk from long-term cannabis use.
On the other hand, people were appreciative of Michael’s openness and honesty about his cannabis use. People appreciated his willingness to discuss intimate details about coping with the complexities of fame and mental health.
– JaTasia Powers
