Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special

The Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special was a 2001 New York City revue show by American megasuperstar Michael Jackson. It took place on September 7, 2001 and September 10, 2001. In late November 2001, the CBS television network aired the concerts as a two-hour special in honor of Michael Jackson's thirtieth year as a solo entertainer (his first solo single, "Got to Be There", was recorded in 1971). The show was edited from footage of two separate concerts Michael had orchestrated in New York City's Madison Square Garden on September 7 and September 10 of 2001. The shows sold out in five hours. Ticket prices were pop's most expensive ever; the best seats cost $5,000 and included a dinner with Michael Jackson and a signed poster. Jackson reportedly earned $7.5 million for each of the two concerts, which is over $150,000 per minute. The concerts are mentioned in the VH1 biopic Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story, which notes that the last of the two concerts wrapped up just hours before two hijacked jet planes crashed into the Twin Towers of Lower Manhattan's World Trade Center (see September 11 attacks). The concert official Boxscore was $10,072,105 for both concerts.

Marlon Brando appeared a few hours before Jackson's performance to speak about humanitarian work but it was not broadcast due to poor response from the audience. Raw footage can be found online.

Michael Jackson was getting a diamond watch from Bank of America to wear for the show that was valued at about $2 million. They were due to bring it right back to the Bank of American Office right on the morning of that was located in the Twin Towers. As they were driving away, Michael Jackson was looking at the first tower falling and said "Wow" but stopped since his two children were in the car with him. Later, he started talking about how he might be able to use the song, "What More Can I Give" to raise money for the survivors of the 9/11 Attacks.

Read more about Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special:  Tour Dates

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