Brett Ratner on Michael Jackson: 'You felt like God was within him'

My father loves to brag to his friends that while his son is a big-shot Hollywood reporter, it was his father who actually met Michael Jackson. Until he retired a few years ago, my dad had a store called the 24 Collection on the Lincoln Road Mall in Miami Beach that specialized in fashion, jewelry, art and one-of-a-kind oddities (I still have a clock set into a Cuban cigar box with a portrait of Fidel Castro on the clock face). One day Brett Ratner, who grew up in Miami and whose mother was a regular customer at the store, called my dad and asked if he could bring his pal Michael Jackson by to look around. As he often did as a courtesy for celebrities who might be annoyed or hounded, my father closed the store that afternoon and put the staff at Jackson's disposal.

"Michael walked around every inch of the store, feeling things, smelling things," my father remembers. "He'd ask questions about what this was or that was, where it was from, how we found it. I made sure the staff didn't intrude on him, although one person did ask for an autograph, which made them an ex-employee right away. But Michael was just off in his own world, curious about everything he saw."

I think my dad got his hopes up when he saw that Jackson was also accompanied by an aide who had a zippered envelope full of cash. But the King of Pop never bought anything. After spending an hour in the store, he just thanked everyone for letting him look around and left.

I called Ratner this morning to ask him how he became such fast friends with Jackson. It turns out that they met in 1998 when Ratner was finishing his first "Rush Hour" picture. One day, Chris Tucker was doing a scene and broke into a wild, Michael Jackson-style dance. The sequence was so funny that when Ratner had test screenings of the film, it got one of the biggest laughs in the picture. But because it was an obvious Jackson impression, Ratner knew he had to clear it with the pop star before he could put it in the movie.

That presented a problem, since Jackson was so reclusive that even Ratner, one of the great celebrity schmoozers of our time, couldn't get to him. He even called Jackson's Neverland ranch but never got anywhere. Then he got lucky. "My editor was talking to the projectionist who ran the final screening and it turned out that he was Michael's personal projectionist," Ratner told me today. "So I gave him the print and asked him to play the beginning of the second reel for Michael, which had Chris' dance in it."

Two days later Ratner picked up the phone and heard the soft, feathery voice of Michael Jackson. So what did Michael say? Keep reading.

"Michael said he'd watched the whole movie and loved it, especially the scene Chris did with his dance. He said, 'You have my permission to use whatever you want.' " That was great, but Ratner needed something in writing. When he asked Jackson to sign something on a piece of paper, Jackson simply invited him up to the ranch. "So I drove up there and walked in, with all his giraffes and other animals, all out there to greet me." Ratner recalls. "I ended up staying at the ranch and we just became great friends. We both had this huge, almost childlike fascination with movies and music and all kinds of entertainment."

Over the years, Ratner and Jackson spent an enormous amount of time together. They would film each other, with Jackson asking Ratner about how he became a film director and Ratner asking Jackson about how he became an entertainer. "I have hours of footage of us, sitting around in our pajamas, with me asking him about what kind of music he loved as a kid, what kind of books he had on the wall as a kid. When you were with him, you really felt like God was within him. He was an amazing, superhuman kind of person, but he always treated you as an equal. He would be your friend and he never asked for anything in return."

One of their favorite activities was to have dance-offs in the game room at Jackson's house. Jackson would put on a record, usually a song by his sister, Janet, and unleash some awesome dance moves. Then Ratner or Chris Tucker, who would sometimes come along, would play Michael's records and dance along to them. I asked Ratner if that felt a little like a mere mortal playing one-on-one with LeBron James. "Hey, I wasn't self-conscious. I'm a pretty good dancer. It was just fun to do it together."

When they weren't dancing, Ratner and Jackson would watch movies together. He says they must've watched the original version of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" 50 times over the years. "I know that people looked at Michael and thought he was strange, but to me, he was fascinating," Ratner says. "He was the most inspirational person in my life. His one dream was to cure all the sick children in the world. And when I'd say, 'Isn't that impossible?' Michael would just start to cry. He was very emotional about things that moved him. I guess you'd have to say he was a pure innocent in a world that wasn't so innocent anymore."

Photo of Brett Ratner by Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[sneha vaishnavi]

I never met Michael, never got the chance to attend a concert or witness his physical presence. But in my heart, I know that Michael was a messenger from above. I won't make this about God and religion. But never before has anyone had the natural ingrained magnetism to bring so many people together. Never. He was a modern day prophet, who was born to spread the message of love, peace and hope to people from all over the world. I'm not some fanatical MJ fan. I loved his music and dance, but it's plain to see that he was more than just human. Ha-ha in fact he was so herculean that this world couldn't handle his powerful presence and selfless ways, and had to put him through pain and misery. Shame on everyone with bad intentions. Shame.

[sneha vaishnavi]

I never met Michael, never got the chance to attend a concert or witness his physical presence.
Deep in my heart and soul, I know that Michael's purpose was bigger than just singing and dancing. If music is the universal language, Michael was born with the ingrained gift of speaking the language effortlessly. We all know that never before has anyone had such a powerful and innate magnetism to bring together people from so many different walks of life. He was a modern day prophet, who was born to spread the message of love, peace and hope to people from all over the world.
Although I'm not a fanatical MJ fan, I did grow up on his music. If people just took a minute to see the truth in his eyes, no one would believe the strange stories and false allegations. But as this world "comes together", ironically & unfortunately, people are having an even harder time standing up for what they believe in.
It is somewhat acceptable for celebrities to drown themselves in drugs and alcohol and live meaningless lives, while they pose as "idols"; for politicians and religious leaders to cheat and strip third world countries of their peace; yet we as a society couldn't let this man be. In today’s cynical world, qualities like selflessness, generosity, humility and most importantly INNOCENCE aren’t appreciated. Heck, even children are losing their innocence. Everyone talks the talk, and those who attempt to walk the walk are shot down.
In my eyes, it is plain to see that he was more than just an ordinary human being. I take from Michael all the qualities he projected, and hope that I can bring some peace and happiness to children and animals and those who are unprivileged through my work and efforts.
God Bless those with good intentions.

[Kim]

Brett I do not know who you are & I have never seen one of your movies but it does not matter. True friends are very hard to find & I am so very glad that you and Michael had this great friendship.

I will not make this long winded but I understand what you meant when you said "When you were with him, you really felt like God was within him. He was an amazing, superhuman kind of person,", because Michael was exactly that & you were blessed to have been his true pal.

Michael was sent here to do special work the words are in his music..... people will either get it or they will not get it at all. I do not know if you will read these comments but I wanted to say to you that I am so very sorry for your loss of such a close friend & I hope your heart will heal too, much love to you ~kiwi~

[Cherubim]

"He was the most inspirational person in my life. His one dream was to cure all the sick children in the world. And when I'd say, 'Isn't that impossible?' Michael would just start to cry. He was very emotional about things that moved him. I guess you'd have to say he was a pure innocent in a world that wasn't so innocent anymore."

I thank you Mr. Ratner for sharing, and,
most of all, thank you for being a true
friend to Micahel Jackson.
God bless you both.

[Ben S]

Nice to hear a good friend of Michael's talk about what a great and decent man Michael Jackson was. Michael sure was superhuman !!!

[SoCalGal]

We call for complete vindication of Michael Jackson by mainstream media. Michael Jackson was exonerated by a jury of his peers in 2005. Not good enough for his admirers. For his children’s sake, mainstream media must become more responsible. We discuss how truth can compel mainstream media to publicly admit it wrongly accused Michael Jackson of despicable crimes. Many people still believe Michael Jackson was guilty of these crimes. People were influenced to believe the allegations by a biased mainstream media. Please join us. No links allowed here, so search at Yahoo Groups for "vindication better than tributes."

[Prasanna]

Thanks for sharing such wonderful feelings about beloved Michael.

[CassieForMaxwell]

Michael was a pure child of God. He never lost his innocence because he was a child at heart. God sent him to us in that spirit because with a child's heart all things are possible. Through a child's eyes the world is seen as a kaleidescope of wonder and promise and hope and beauty and beginnings. God promised he'd send a child to lead us. He did. His name was Michael Joseph Jackson.

[NancyE]

Michael taught us many things , but one thing peculiar about him is his child like quality which in this adult world is lost. Most important lesson from him is to retain the childlike quality in our center. It is not childish we learn from children, it is through children eyes we see the world. In a universe filled with God's wonders, there is only one unique Michael. Thank you to Brett Ratner for sharing this wonderful story. Michael will be missed and forever immortalized for his genius

[Lee]

Thank you for such an excellent story about your friendship with Michael Jackson! I never met him, nor have I ever seen him in person but I listened to his music and watched his videos since he went solo. I agree with the many comments here that indeed he did have God within him. It is a sad realization that so many never understood him and chose the path to destroy him. I have asked "why?" a thousand times and realize that human nature is not to accept what they cannot understand. Fools all of them.
Thank you for a positive fresh and truthful story. I miss MJ and I cry every day that we will not get to hear more from him. We love you more MJ!