Serena Williams on Michael Jackson
Q. What did Michael Jackson mean to you personally? Would you think about dedicating today’s victory perhaps?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, he was a great guy, a complete icon. Words can’t express my shock and horror, you know, just thoughts and prayers that go out to him and his family and just everything. It’s just terrible, terrible, terrible thing.
Q. Did you listen to his music much? Were you a fan?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, I think Michael Jackson, everyone listens to his music. It’s like you think of the Beatles, you think of Elvis Presley, you think of Michael Jackson, those are just lifetime icons that I’ve never forgotten.
The things that he did was beyond iconic.
Q. Do you have any remembrances of Farrah Fawcett? Did you watch Charlie’s Angels?
SERENA WILLIAMS: She played in a couple shows I watched. She was struggling for a while. I know her husband ?? well, not her husband, but the guy she was with forever, and her son, you know, I pray for them in the situation, too.
She, again, was an icon, like a style icon when you think of her hair. I know I’ve done Farrah Fawcett hair before. What a great loss.
Q. Did you know Michael Jackson at all? Ever meet him?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I’ve met him a few times. I was honored to meet him. You know, everything. He had such a great heart and wonderful kids. You know, it’s just really a shame.
Q. It happened quite late last night. Did you get the news last night or was it this morning?
SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, I’m always online. I’m always looking at the latest news up until I fall asleep, so I saw it fairly early.
Q. Are you a little bit in shock of the news?
SERENA WILLIAMS: I mean, like I said, I’m always online. I’ve been following him. He’s really not been well from what I read. He’s been in and out of the hospital. So I wasn’t super shocked.
But, I mean, it’s Michael Jackson. He’s just the greatest entertainer for me of all time.
Q. What do you think the one quality he had that just projected him to this great stardom?
SERENA WILLIAMS: Innovation. He did things that no one else did. Like Thriller is the best video ever made still to this day. The videos that he did for his songs, no one had ever even went that far.
And he started a whole new trend with that. Dances, singing, beats, you know, everything.
