Friday, November 15, 2024
Home Blog Page 2130

Jackson Burial Will Precede Memorial Service

0

All weekend, friends and family of Michael Jackson have been busy putting the finishing touches on Michael Jackson’s memorial service set for next Tuesday.

Ken Ehrlich, who produces the Grammy Awards, is in charge, guaranteeing that the show will be a classy event. He’s been working with Randy Phillips of AEG Live. The latter is the company that was producing Jackson’s London shows and also owns Ehrlich’s production company.

Ehrlich, by the way, was negotiating to produce a Halloween TV special for NBC with Jackson the night before he died.

Sources say Rev. Al Sharpton will speak at the service, and Jesse Jackson may as well. It’s still undecided who the musical acts will be on the bill. I wouldn’t be surprised if Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and none other than Little Richard are asked to participate. There’s also a chance that the 3T’s’Michael’s nephews, sons of Tito Jackson, who were included in Michael’s will’would do something as well. Jackson was their mentor.

But Michael’s body will not be at the Staples Center, after all. Insiders tell me that the Jackson family will have a burial service at 8 a.m., two hours before the memorial. The private internment will be at Forest Lawn, the celebrity cemetery in Hollywood. Hopefully, Michael will rest peacefully there with the many dozens of stars including, most recently, David Carradine.

No Jackson 5 (or Six) Reunions Next Week

0

Despite crazy reports today in the New York Post, the Jackson family is not reuniting to fulfill brother Michael’s gigs in London.

Jackson’s ticketholders are already getting refunds for the London shows, set to begin a week from tomorrow, July 13th. Further, the sets for the show are still in Los Angeles at the Staples Center.

Even more problematic: the O2 Arena has already started booking the lost dates with new attractions.

Also, it’s fairly unlikely that Janet Jackson will be going out on the road with her brothers doing Jackson 5 tribute shows. She has her own, thriving concert career. She’s never mixed that message with the Jackson 5. Her music is totally different, and so is her approach to performance in general.

What might happen: the Jackson brothers doing a tribute/memorial show to Michael and their career with him. It’s funny, because they could have done that years ago, set up shop in Las Vegas at a hotel, and had at it. But the brothers were always hopeful that Michael would join them. It was never going to happen. But hope sprang eternal.

Meantime, the same newspaper reports managed to mix up the Jackson family home in Encino and Michael’s rented home in Bel Air. There’s nothing left in the latter’it’s all been cleaned out by movers.

At the same time, the British press is having a field day printing scurrilous reports about Jackson’s alleged pedophilia’all from sources and witnesses who were discredited years ago. But the British press, like a few U.S. outlets, pays for info whether it’s true or not. Buyer beware when this stuff boomerangs back across the Atlantic. I guess the proper British readers don’t mind that it all reads like pornography!

Debbie Rowe Was Not Targeted By Michael in Will

0

The most egregious misinterpretation of Michael Jackson’s will, which was released yesterday: that he “dissed” ex wife Debbie Rowe by indicating she wouldn’t receive any money.

This is what happens when lay people get their hands on legal documents. Jackson specifically cited Rowe because at the time, in 2002, he was in the middle of paying her millions as part of their divorce agreement. She was well taken care of, in fact. They each had that understanding.

Because the will was executed in July 2002, it was three years before Jackson’s child molestation trial. A lot changed over the years. At one point, when Jackson’s finances were a mess, he ceased paying Rowe on the court-appointed schedule. Her personal situation was endangered, as I reported at the time. Jackson’s lack of payment then caused a problem with their custody agreement. The other problem in 2005 was that Jackson had been overwhelmed by the Nation of Islam. Rowe ‘ who is half-Jewish ‘ was worried that this could affect her children. It was a bad time.

On January 14, 2004, I first wrote about Rowe’s concerns. Jackson didn’t like that, or the fact that Rowe complained publicly that she had no idea what was going on in his child-molestation case. From the time he was arrested in November 2003′ through his trial in the winter of 2005, she never heard a word from him. In the summer of 2004, Jackson cut Rowe off financially, claiming that she violated their confidentiality agreement by doing a TV interview about her horse farm.

Rowe was incensed, and rightly so: she had always defended Michael. In February 2003, after the “Living with Michael Jackson” TV special raised question about Jackson and children, Rowe went on TV a couple of weeks later and defended him. He didn’t even thank her.

By the end of 2004, Rowe had had her parental rights reinstated by a family court judge.

She nevertheless testified on Jackson’s behalf in April 2005 about his fitness as a parent. Her testimony helped sway the jury to acquit Jackson of child molestation and conspiracy charges. Jackson took the children to Bahrain in the summer of 2005, but sent them back with their nanny, Grace Rwaramba, for a supervised visit a few months later. All custody and visitation issues between Jackson and Rowe were settled, finally, in September 2006. Rowe was also made “whole” at that point, receiving the money that was due her from Jackson.

Why Eminem Keeps Rapping About Mariah

0

Pictures ran this week all’over the place from the new music video being shot for’Mariah Carey.

Getty Photo

Getty Photo

Brett Ratner, director of the “Rush Hour” movies, is collaborating with Carey on the first video from her new album. The song is called “Obsessed,” and it’s a witty comeback to Eminem’s recent rap on her on his new album.

The Mariah-Eminem saga has turned into a pretty swell feud, with both sides getting in their cracks.

But now Mark Batson, the producer who shepherds Eminem’s albums to completion, tells me it’s not personal at all.

“He just used her name because it rhymed,” Batson told me at the BET Awards last Sunday. “It doesn’t mean a thing.”

In fact, says Batson, “he” ‘ meaning Eminem ‘ “uses most names in songs because they rhyme.”

Well, it’s a theory, but I’m not sure I totally believe it. “Bagpipes from Baghdad,” the “song” in question on Eminem’s “Relapse,” doesn’t use the word “Mariah” to rhyme with anything, actually. But Eminem does call Mariah the “c word” in the song, and mocks her husband and a former boyfriend.

Now Carey gets him back in the “Obsessed” video. By the looks of it, the video is going to be hilarious. Carey is dressed in a hooded gray sweatshirt, Eminem’s trademark costume. Can’t wait to see the actual footage. Let Carey have the last laugh on this twisted piece of work.

P.S. If you can’t get enough of Em, his sequel comes out in December ‘ “Relapse, Valium Two.” Batson says the lyrics in the new one make the ones from the current CD’ many way too unprintable ‘ seem meek. Merry Xmas!

Jackson Private Photos Put On Facebook

0

Remember the other day when I told you Nancy Malnik found her personal pictures of Michael Jackson all over the Internet? Someone stole them from her Facebook page and sold them to a website. Yikes! Nice friends.

Now Nancy has decided to put all her pics online for free at Facebook. “This way, no one can make money off of them,” she told me. The photos are mostly taken in Florida, with Michael’s kids and the Malniks’ kids circa 2002-2003.

Some of the photos of Michael are priceless, especially ones taken in a supermarket. Talk about worlds colliding!

You can see the pics at Facebook; search “The real Michael Jackson…friend and father.” And thanks to Nancy for making them free to everyone.

Michael Jackson Rehearsal Video Released

0

AEG Live has released the first video clip of Michael Jackson’s rehearsal two nights before he died, on June 23. Jackson and his dancers perform “They Don’t Care About Us” and it’s, frankly, thrilling. Michael looks lean and mean, totally coherent, clear-eyed and in control. He doesn’t look frail, fragile or confused. So much for the idiotic comments from sources that “he knew he was going to die” or anything else like that. More clips should be coming soon, and they will continue to show that there was no indication that the pop star wouldn’t be breathing just days later. His death remains a mystery and a tragedy. What a shame if, as so far indicated, it turns out to have been an accidental overdose that did him in.

Jermaine Jackson: A Flashback

0

With all the talk of Michael Jackson this week, I thought it might be nice to remember that brother Jermaine, who appeared on the “Today” show today, has had hit records, too.

Back in 1984, after “Let’s Get Serious” topped the charts, he released a terrific album with Clive Davis on Arista. The album featured’‘”Do What You Do”“Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming”‘with Michael on vocals, and a duet with Whitney Houston, who was just starting out. About four years later, Whitney told me she’d had an affair with Jermaine at the time.

Why Jermaine did not go on from there and have a big solo career is anyone’s guess. Bob Jones, Michael’s longtime aide (now deceased) wrote in his self-published book that Michael purposely thwarted the careers of all his siblings so he could be the only star in the family. I don’t know if I believe that. Janet Jackson had a false start with a dud album before her “Control” record broke out like crazy and established her.

Jermaine’s hits shouldn’t be forgotten or written off as ’80s trivia. Frankly, he would do well to get a band together and hit the road playing small clubs.’ I’m sure he still has the chops. As long as the material is strong, he can sing. Don’t forget: it’s his deeper voice that makes and “I’ll Be There” a memorable Jackson 5 record.

First New Jacko Book Coming from His Producer

0

picture 41 First New Jacko Book Coming from His ProducerIt’s a coincidence: the first new book about Michael Jackson is on its way, due from the publisher on July 27. It had been set for October, but the publisher’Hal Leonard Books’has moved up the release date.

In the Studio with Michael Jackson” is written by Bruce Swedien, Jackson’s premier producer and recording engineer. Swedien, working under Quincy Jones, and then Michael himself, recorded all of Michael’s major solo albums. He’s the man behind “Off the Wall,” “Thriller,” “Bad,” “Dangerous,” and “HIStory.” He won four Grammy Awards along the way, and was nominated for 12.

I spoke with Swedien today by phone from his studio. He told me that despite stories on the wire, there is NOT a lot of extra Jackson material from the studio that can be repackaged or released. He said, “There might be one or two songs that didn’t make it from each album. But they’re not finished. There aren’t vocals for everything.”

One song Swedien does think was completed but not used is one of his favorites. “It’s called “Don’t Be Messin’ Around.” Michael plays piano on it, and it’s just beautiful. Oh my god, there’s nothing like it.”

Swedien is still grieving over Jackson’s death although they hadn’t worked together in a while. And, of course, Jackson died owing him money’about a half million dollars. I don’t expect Swedien’s going to come looking for it since he hasn’t already. He told me, “I don’t say anything bad about Michael in my book, it’s nothing but good stuff.”

Jacko Memorial Not Likely For Neverland

0

Despite a letter to neighbors pleading with them to accept a huge memorial, the Michael Jackson funeral service will probably not take place at Neverland.

As of midnight last night, sources said that the big public service for Michael Jackson would probably take place on Monday, July 6th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It makes sense: the Staples Center is operated by AEG Live, the company that was producing Jackson’s London shows.

The Neverland plan, as I wrote earlier this week, was not sound. The little town of Los Olivos wasn’t equipped for it. Neverland itself is on a narrow, two lane country road. The sudden influx of private cars, buses, security, and media would have been too much.

Earlier yesterday Thomas Barrack Jr., owner of Colony Capital LLC and Michael’s partner in Neverland after a recent refinancing, sent a letter to locals in the Santa Ynez Valley. The valiant effort was initiated to convince them to accept a Jackson memorial service. But the olive branch was said to not have been accepted.

In case the Jacksons don’t know it, here are some names of Michael’s friends who should be in VIP sections of the Staples Center whenever the service takes place: the Cascio family of New Jersey, Evvy Tavasci, Karen Faye, Deborah Dannelly, Scott Schaeffer, Joe Marcus, Tom Mesereau, Violet Silva, Mark Lester, Miko Brando, Omer Bhatti and his family, David Rothenberg (the boy ‘ now young man ‘ who was burned by his father and lived for years at Neverland as Michael’s guest), the Schleiter family of Germany, and Ryan White’s mom, Lynn. And, of course, Debbie Rowe, the mother of his two eldest children.