The Wiz (film) certain we didn't use anything from it. They made a brilliant movie, and even though our concept is different – they're Kansas, we're New York; they're white, we're black, and the score and the books are totally different – we wanted to make sure that we never overlapped in any area." Michael Jackson, a former Motown star and close friend of Diana Ross was cast as the Scarecrow. By the start of development on "The Wiz" in 1977, he and his brothers The Jacksons, had left Motown for Epic Records, though Jackson had yet to make a solo album since
Michael Jackson (journalist) Michael Jackson (journalist) Naea Michael Jackson is a Niuean journalist and former politician. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was government printer and government press photographer in Niue. He published the "Tohi Tala Niue", Niue's government-owned weekly newspaper. In 1991, he set up a private printing business, and, in 1993, launched the weekly "Niue Star", which is now the country's only printed newspaper. Jackson is the "Star"’s owner, editor, journalist and photographer. Also in 1993, Jackson stood successfully for Parliament in that year's general election. He later became an associate minister, and remained a member of Parliament until 2008, when