Queen Latifah On Michael Jackson: 'I Never Got To Meet Him'

Access Hollywood - July 9, 2009 6:46 PM PDT
Story photo: Queen Latifah On Michael Jackson: 'I Never Got To Meet Him'Queen Latifah speaks onstage at the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at Staples Center Getty ImagesAccess Hollywood

NEW YORK, New York -- Queen Latifah may have paid tribute to Michael Jackson at his public memorial at the Staples Center on Tuesday, but the star told David Letterman on "The Late Show" on Wednesday night that she never came face-to-face with the late singer.

"I never actually got to meet him," she said. "My [business] partner, Shakim [Compere], met him because we managed Naughty By Nature and they did a remix with him."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson's Public Memorial: The Moments You Missed

While she never met him, Queen Latifah revealed the King of Pop appreciated her good looks.

"He thought I had beautiful cheekbones, I know that much," she said. "That's a compliment coming from Michael Jackson."

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Michael Jackson's Staples Center Public Memorial

At the memorial, Queen Latifah started her speech by saying she was "here representing millions of fans around the world listening to Michael," and she told Dave on Wednesday that the pop star had been a "huge influence."

"Especially being a black kid," she said. "[The Jackson 5] had their own cartoon, they had their own variety show. Janet Jackson was an influence on me too because she would come out and do this little Mae West, 'Come up and see me sometime' thing, and I was like, 'Wow, black people! Young, like me, we can do this!' It was an inspiration to let you know that you can make it."

And as seen by the worldwide outpouring of support for the star in the wake of his death on June 25, his influence was global.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Queen Latifah: Music and Movie's Royal Highness

"To see him go around the world and touch so many different kinds of people, different cultures, different creeds, nationalities -- people who couldn't even speak English were so touched by his music and inspired by the positivity of it," she said. "It was just really amazing to see. He broke down a lot of barriers."

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PLAY IT NOW: Michael Jackson Memorial: Queen Latifah Reads A Poem From Maya Angelou
PLAY IT NOW: Queen Latifah Talks 'Ice Age: Dawn Of The Dinosaurs'

MORE ACCESS ON THESE TOPICS: Queen Latifah - Michael Jackson - Music - David Letterman - Janet Jackson

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comments 1-10 of 41  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >|  hide comments · post a comment
  • M
    IF THIS WAS YOUR LIFE--NO CHILDHOOD-LIVED IN ISOLATION-3RD DEGREE BURNS ON YOUR SCALP, COULDNT WALK IN PUBLIS WITHOUT BEING ATTACKED-WHOSE TO SAY YOU WOULD DO,NOT TO MENTIONS ALL THE RUMORS--WHOSE TO SAY HOW ANY OF US WOULD HANDLE WHAT HE WENT THROUGH.... UNTIL YOU WALK A MILE IN HIS SHOES...TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 8:04 PM PDT
  • M
    TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED--LIKE EM OR NOT
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:43 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:39 PM PDT
  • M
    NOW 4REAL-WHAT KIND OF PERSON STANDS UP AT "ANY" FUNERAL-SAYING HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT THE DECEASED--THAT'S UNHEARD OF...WE ARE ALL INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY AND THATS WHAT WE WOULD EXPECT IF IT WERE A FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY OF YOURS CORRECT?...LET M.J. REST IN PEACE TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED-GOD FORBID IF ALL OUR DIRT WAS BROADCASTED FOR THE WORLD TO
    report abuseposted July 17, 2009 7:38 PM PDT
  • RezanK
    O please-2 accusations 10 years apart the first case the child's creep of a father accepted money from Michael Jackson's insurance company instead of trying to arrest Jackson like more ideal parents would-there are phone conversations and everything incriminating this guy-& second one was lies cuz the mother of the kid would befriend celebrities and then try to con them so
    report abuseposted July 10, 2009 10:16 PM PDT
  • Tuch D
    MJ was a drug using pedophile. Any surprises? No, he was black. We should have had an autopsy before the memorial so everyone could see the %@!*#bag he was.
    report abuseposted July 9, 2009 10:33 PM PDT
comments 1-10 of 41  |< newest · < newer · older > · oldest >| 

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