a-b-c, easy as 1-2-3

...And one thing Jacqueline Onassis did to increase her clout at Doubleday was get Michael Jackson to write his autobiography, which came to be titled Moonwalk.

('I brought that in, now don't I get to do this project?...I felt sure you would support it.'  [Smile])

It said in Jackie as Editor that her grown children, Caroline and John Jr., brought Michael Jackson to her attention.  (Thought, she was unfamiliar with Michael Jackson??  In the eighties??!!  But then -- everyone has their own areas of focus, and there are only but so many hours in a day, and sometimes you don't know things that some other people know until one of them tells you, or you think to ask.

For example:  today, staring out at a band of colorful, small motorcycles, I asked, "Are those motorcycles?  Or are they some type of scooter, or something?"

"Crotch - rockets," came the deadpan answer.

[was almost sorry I asked, but -- it's good to learn something new.

...I think. ...])

==================
Things I heard about Michael Jackson's book fell into two categories --
1) from media, at the time, negative stuff -- like his childhood was abusive or something, and

2) from the NYC publishing world -- disparaging remarks about the book's substance -- like, what was the former First Lady doing, stooping to be involved with a project about someone who's popular...?  -- or -- whatever....

But I checked Moonwalk, and found this:
[excerpt]---------------- After that first Steeltown record, we began to aim for all the big talent shows in Chicago.  Usually the other acts would look me over carefully when they met me, because I was so little, particularly the ones who went on after us.  One day Jackie [Jackie Jackson, one of his brothers] was cracking up, like someone had told him the funniest joke in the world. 

This wasn't a good sign right before a show, and I could tell Dad was worried he was going to screw up onstage.  Dad went over to say a word to him, but Jackie whispered something in his ear and soon Dad was holding his sides, laughing.  I wanted to know the joke too.  Dad said proudly that Jackie had overheard the headlining act talking among themselves. 

One guy said, "We'd better not let those Jackson 5 cut us tonight with that midget they've got."

I was upset at first because my feelings were hurt.  I thought they were being mean.  I couldn't help it that I was the shortest, but soon all the other brothers were cracking up too.  Dad explained that they weren't laughing at me. 

He told me that I should be proud, the group was talking trash because they thought I was a grown-up posing as a child like one of the Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz.  Dad said that if I had those slick guys talking like the neighborhood kids who gave us grief back in Gary [Indiana], then we had Chicago on the run.------------------------- [end excerpt]

{Moonwalk, by Michael Jackson.  Copyright, 1988. Doubleday.  New York, New York.}

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