1989 :: Beverly Johnson
August 31, 2010
Pete Bennett, Promoter, 1974/5
Bennett, born Pietro Benedetto in the Bronx, signed Michael and his brothers on with CBS’ Epic Records in the mid-1970s. Bennett is also a close friend of Trenton casting director, Roz Clancy.
Beverly Johnson, a model, actress and writer, was the first black model ever to grace the cover of Vogue magazine in August 1974. She appeared on more than 500 magazine covers, including Glamour. Bennett said that Jackson had the hots for the sultry, black star.
“He had an eye for pretty girls, especially Johnson. She was about 25 and Michael was 16. But Beverly, I believe was dating Arthur Ashe at the time,’’ Bennett said.
“Often when I would be in his company, Michael would point a girl out and admire her looks or figure.”
At his 21st Birthday Party, August 29th 1979
Films Liberian Girl video featuring Beverly.
OtW Magazine, 1989
On July 8th, Motown threw a big party for Diana Ross in California to welcome her tour there which opened on July 4th. Though the party was for Diana, Michael Jackson ended up being the talk of the night when he turned up with his date for the evening, supermodel Beverly Johnson (who appears in Jackson’s Liberian Girl video). The LA Times reviewed the party – one quote said: “Michael never let Beverly’s hand go all-night. Could this be true love?”
La Cienega Just Smiles 
o yhh xx i heard he really had the hots for her xx n he took her out on a date n neva let go of her hand once xx awwww soo sweet x how did they meet at first tho?x
I’m just curious to know if anything else ever came of their friendship? Like, I know about the party date from ’89, but never hear anything else. So was that just it? Seems kinda random.
Btw, thanks for this new entry. It’s always nice to hear new things. I never knew that he met Beverly prior to the Bad era/Liberian Girl vid/their party date. Learn something new everyday thanks to this blog!
Thanks!!
Also, I can’t remember where it was that I read this, but it said that Beverly had also influenced his becoming a vegetarian sometime between’78 and ’81. Also that she used to come to Encino sometimes and that they’d had a really long talk on health foods.
I’ll try to find the source. It may have been from the ’91 edition of Magic and the Madness or a rare biography IDK
Just glanced through the index of M&M and she isn’t listed there…
I’ll try and find where it was. It may have been an article too *shrugs*
Iman was beautiful in RTT video, but Beverly Johnson as the Queen in Liberian Girl, was sultry and sexy. I’m pretty sure they made a hot couple, if they did date.
That pic of Mike and Bev was definitely not taken in 89…maybe 79-81. I love it though. I could not find a pic of mike and a sista ever before entering La Cienega. Thanks.
The photo was from his birthday in 1979
Opps,I misunderstood, thanks
It’s a great picture, but there are lots of photos of Michael hugged up with black women – Stephanie Mills, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, Janelle Commissiong, Lola Falana, Naomi Campbell, Toni Braxton, Jasmine Guy, Irene Cara, and of course Diana, not to mention Grace Rwaramba! The white media doesn’t lead with them, but they exist.
you don’t have to prove anything here…
can i jus ask rockforeveron how many times does the site add new pages is it once a month?
Whenever I have time enough to organize info, I don’t schedule it…
o ok its a reeli cool site x 🙂
oh is there a pic of toni braxton and mj?xx
…and I’m just finding them out… I’m amazed since I was really young when this one was taken. He looks good!
malldiita
I was told that if I made an comment on this site that it would b dangerous & Im only interin’ at my own risk! I don’t know if those rumors could b true & as of right now bas’d on how I feel I don’t care! Right now Im in the mood to express myself & that’s what im doin’ right now! All I can say is how so much happy I feel that at least someone has decided to prove & share how much MJ really did spend some quailty time with females-lil’ girls just as much as he did w/the boys! I mean hello, the most obvious one of all-even though she’s no longer a lil’ girl is the queen of them all-Shirely Temple-MJ had a HUGE collection of All things her! No one seemed to wanna think ’bout that! If he was so much sickly obessed w/lil’ boys y would he have an HUGE collection of Shirely Temple?! I noticed his collection of her is alot more than what the media & Tom Sneddon were tryin’ to focus on MJ’s collection of Mac CUl-that collection was nothin’ compared MJ’s collection on Shirely! That’s my POV for the day!