Michael Jackson appears to have found aid and comfort in the Middle East. Jackson bugged out for Bahrain following his acquittal on child abuse and other charges in June, and sidestepped over to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on August 20 in the company of Shaikh Abdullah Ben Hamed Al Khalifa, son of the King of Bahrain.
Jackson, who turned 47 yesterday, has been well received by the local poobahs including UAE champion rally driver Mohammad Ben Sulayem, and rumors are rife that he has either bought a house in Bahrain, or will buy one in Dubai, or both.
Dubai’s Gulf News reported that “Michael Jackson, the king of pop, has been wowing his fans in Dubai and has pledged his first visit definitely will not be his last.” The paper also said, “The megastar has toured the main sights in the city,” and he “enjoyed a bite at the Hard Rock Café and the Burj Al Arab.”
Ben Sulayem told the paper, “Everybody knew who he was and he was so nice to them all. He had the time to talk and take pictures and shake hands. “We said to him, ‘Please Michael, we have to go,’ but he carried on. He was incredibly polite.
“We know all about his music and his incredible career, but not many people realise what a genuinely nice person he is. He’s very pleasant to be with. He’s a gentleman,” Ben Sulayem, the 14-time Middle East rally champion and organizer of the UAE Desert Challenge, enthused.
The race driver also made a point of confirming that contrary to Jackson’s reputation for eccentricity, “the guy is a normal human being like us. He eats the same things as everyone else I think he’s more normal than most people.”
“He has achieved so much and is such a unique entertainer, but one of his greatest gifts is that he is an extremely warm and friendly individual who quickly puts you at ease when you meet him.”
That’s our MJ.
And regarding Dubai in August: it’s a dry heat.