June 26, 2009

With the outpouring of Michael Jackson remembrances, we couldn’t help but remember when the Gloved One had a brush with cable execs at the industry’s annual convention. It was June ’03 and MBC (which evolved into the now-defunct Black Family Channel) brought the King of Pop to the Cable Show in Chicago.

For those that weren’t there or who just want to relive cable execs getting giddy, here’s what Cfax published after his appearance:

“The crowd started gathering—at least 5 deep—more than an hour before Michael Jackson appeared at MBC's booth Mon afternoon. By the time the singer/icon finally appeared, cable execs who typically have a practiced coolness about them, started crushing forward and jostling for position, including Doug Holloway craning his neck on tippy-toes and Marianne Paskowski weaving her way through the crowd to get a better look. One attendee actually brought a ladder to catch a glimpse, and the College Sports Net's cheerleaders stood on each others' shoulders for a peek. (People, please. This isn't the insurance biz. Let's act like we've been there before.) Jackson showed up a little after 3pm (no mask, no gloves, but looking very pale and unhealthy) in a turquoise suit and was heard shouting, "MBC! MBC!" After 10 minutes, he was ushered into MBC's booth and the crowd dispersed, only to return later when buzz heightened that Michael was in the building. At nearly 4 pm, a line was two aisles deep, with attendees all but ignoring the HD PavillionMicrosoft TV and College Sports Net's excellent display of acrobatics nearby. No word if MBC signed any carriage deals Tues.”