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The first time I was there, he was there at the same time, and they had him all over the media. He got off his private helicopter, with a red bandana over his mouth and nose, and gave a TV interview where he said, "I love you, Brazil" in his high flutey voice. They played that clip endlessly. I wonder if the Argentines didn't just see that footage again on Brazilian Globo, and conclude that Jacko was hiding out there?
Back then, he wanted to film a video for his song "They Don't Care About Us" in the favelas (slum neighborhoods, up in the hills) of Rio, using the locals as extras-- and paying them. The authorities (such as they are-- mostly drug and vice lords) in these favelas were for it, but the Rio city government didn't want it to happen. Their fear was that this project would shed a bad light on Rio, but they also claimed that Jacko was exploiting their poor (to which the poor answered, "Yes, please, exploit us! Nobody else will even give us the time of day!") Ultimately they arrested the drug lord Jacko was dealing with, on some trumped-up currency manipulation charge. Jacko decided instead to film in Salvador, Bahia, with one of the samba schools there-- I forget now whether he used Olodum (who had helped Paul Simon on Rhythm of the Saints) or Filhos de Gandhi, but both troupes are very politically active, they run breakfast programs and classes for poor children from the favelas that would otherwise be out on the streets picking pockets, or dealing drugs, or just starving.
Brazil's getting better over time, especially with Lula in charge, but they've still got a long way to go. Jacko, however, has long since reached his Peter Principle level of incompetence.
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