Donald Trump

Michael Jackson kept a home in one of Trump's buildings in New York City.

He was a very good friend of mine. He was an amazing guy, but beyond all else, he was the greatest entertainer I've ever known. He had magic. He was a genius. He was also a really good person, and when you got to know him, you realized how smart he was. He was brilliant. We were at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. There were thousands of people literally crushing us. We had 20 bodyguards, but it was really dangerous. He dropped to his knees and started crawling to the exit. He did it so routinely, I thought he fell. And I said, "Michael, is it always like this?" He goes, "Yeah, this is nothing. Japan is much worse."

Now, Michael wasn't the same Michael for the last 10 years. He was not well. He had a lot of problems, a lot of difficulties. But Michael in his prime — there's never been anybody like him. His life was different than anybody I've ever known. But he had a very rough 10 years. He was embarrassed by it. He was embarrassed by what was happening to him. But he's not going to be remembered for the last 10 years; he's going to be remembered for the first 35 years.

See TIME's 1984 cover on Michael Jackson.

See TIME's full Michael Jackson coverage.

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