Joe Jackson Says He Never Made
Mistakes While Raising Michael
Written by Alicia on Jul-22-09 1:44am2009-07-21T11:44:36
On Monday night, Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson made an appearance on Larry King Live, during which he was grilled about his late son Michael's frequent claims that his father had been physically and emotionally abusive.
Mr. Jackson was unsurprisingly dismissive when questioned about how he raised his children, saying that he "didn't make no mistakes" during their childhoods. Joe denied that he'd ever been abusive towards Michael, and claimed that the reports were the fault of the media.
Nevermind the fact that before his death, Michael had been videotaped talking candidly about his father's violent temper. Nevermind that story that's been circulating for years - that Joe taught his son to dance by convincing him there were snipers in the audience who would shoot him if he stopped moving.
Jackson then ranted that "beating" was the invention of slavemasters, as if that helped his cause. He then said everyone in America spanks their kids, and those who say they don't are lying. Watch the video at right, and decide for yourself if this man deserves any more time in the spotlight.
-zimbio-
July 21, 2009
Jackson Family
Daniel Radcliffe
Daniel Radcliffe Is
the Best Interview Ever
This week, footage of Daniel Radcliffe's interview with Kana, his biggest fan in Japan, hit the Internet - and it just confirms that Radcliffe is nothing but a gentleman. Daniel allowed the screaming and squealing teenager to shake his hand, hug him, and even touch his face.
The clip is almost entirely in Japanese, but it needs no translation. This girl is freaking out, and he totally doesn't mind. In fact, he seems to find it charming.
While the girl stroked his cheek and shrieked, he said, "This is one of the most surreal moments of my lifetime
-zimbio-
July 12, 2009
Paris Michael
Joe Jackson Has His Eye On A Career
in Entertainment for Paris Michael
Written by Alicia on Jul-11-09 12:26am2009-07-10T10:26:51 
Joe Jackson believes that Michael's kids may follow in their father's footsteps
This week, Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson sat for an interview with ABC News to discuss his belief that "foul play" may have been involved in his son's death, as well as his conviction that Michael's children belong with Katherine, Michael's mother, and him:
‘’
Yes, there's no one else to do what we can do for them. We should keep them all together and make them happy, feed 'em like they're supposed to be fed, and let them get rest, plenty of sleep and grow up to be strong Jacksons.
In a somewhat alarming twist, Joe hinted interest in leading two of Michael's children into the entertainment industry:
’’
I don't know -- I keep watching Paris, she wants to do something. And as far as I can see, well, they say Blanket, he can really dance.
A hearing to settle the matter of the children's custody will take place Monday.
-zimbio-
Read More..
July 09, 2009
Jackson Memorial
Nielsen: 31.1 Million
Watched Jackson Memorial
Jul-8-09 7:18am2009-07-07T17:18:21
From: ap.org
Jermaine Jackson performs during the Michael Jackson public memorial service held at Staples Center on July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Jackson, the iconic pop star, died at the age of 50 at UCLA Medical Center after going into cardiac arrest at his rented home on June 25 in Los Angeles.
(Getty Images)
Some 31.1 million people in the United States watched the Michael Jackson memorial on television, with millions more catching video streams on their computers.
The Nielsen Media Research estimate on Wednesday provided only a slice of the audience for the Los Angeles event. But it did offer insight on how the memorial compared to other events: President Barack Obama's inauguration in January was seen by 38 million people on TV, and the "American Idol" finale in May had 28.9 million viewers.
Eighteen different networks carried the memorial live, including all the big broadcasters and cable news stations, along with MTV, BET and the three largest Spanish-language stations. It had an audience share of 56, meaning that 56 percent of the televisions turned on during the memorial were tuned into Jackson.
Nielsen does not immediately have an estimate of Jackson's worldwide audience, a task that could take weeks.
Twelve years ago, 33.2 million people in the U.S. watched Princess Diana's funeral. That happened early on a Saturday morning, as opposed to the middle of a workday, and people then didn't have the option of watching it on their computers. Complete estimates of the Internet audience were not immediately available, but individual Web sites reported some heavy traffic. MSNBC.com said it streamed nearly 19 million videos on Tuesday, a record for the site. Video streamers spent an average of 12 minutes on the site, MSNBC.com reported.
CNN.com said it had 10.5 million live streams, the second busiest day in its history. It streamed nearly 27 million videos on Obama's inauguration day. ABC News said its Web site had nearly 6 million video streams, with traffic up 70 percent over a typical day.
The event combined musical moments from the likes of Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Mariah Carey with remembrances from Brooke Shields, Magic Johnson and others. Brief heartfelt remarks by Jackson's 11-year-old daughter at the end stole the show.
Former President Reagan's funeral in 2004 was seen by 20.8 million viewers in the daytime hours, but his prime-time burial had an audience of 35.1 million people, Nielsen said. The opening ceremony of last year's Beijing Olympics had 34.2 million viewers.
Even for those viewers who watched Tuesday's Jackson memorial, there was still an appetite for more in prime time. ABC, CBS and NBC each had Jackson specials at 10 p.m. EDT and they had a combined audience of 20.5 million viewers. ABC won bragging rights for its Elizabeth Vargas-hosted hour focused on Jackson's children, with a leading 8.6 million viewers.
-zimbio-
Jackson HIStory
Michael Jackson: HIStory of
superstar's unreleased songs
Michael Jackson holds his eight awards as he chats with Quincy Jones at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in 1984. Twenty-five years later, questions are swirling about unreleased music from the superstar, who died June 25 at age 50.
By Elysa Gardner, USA TODAY
Since Michael Jackson's unexpected death, fans and industry insiders have been wondering what unreleased music the pop icon may have left behind.
Reports that he was collaborating on a comeback album with leading hip-hop and R&B artists emerged as early as 2006. He had worked on songs with will.i.am, and Ne-Yo had offered material for consideration.
Akon— whose sweetly lyrical Hold My Hand, featuring Jackson on vocals, was leaked last year — says he and Jackson were working on additional songs. Jackson was intent on crafting an album with "positive messages that would bring people together, upbeat songs as well as ballads," Akon says.
"And his voice was incredible — it had not changed."
Billboard reported last week that Jackson had been at work on both a new pop album, his first since 2001's Invincible, and an instrumental album of classical music.
Veteran engineer and producer Bruce Swedien, a longtime Jackson and Quincy Jones colleague who worked on Off the Wall and Thriller, says he and Jackson had "experimented" with classical music but had "a bunch of things in the works" in more of a pop vein. "There were pieces of music that I think would have been wonderful."
Swedien, whose book In the Studio With Michael Jackson arrives July 27, describes one unreleased song, Don't Be Messin' Around, as "a medium-tempo piece, with Jackson playing piano. And he does it well."
Others point to older recordings. Tommy Mottola, formerly head of Sony Music, Jackson's record company, says the singer accumulated a lot of material that never left the studio. And Queen guitarist Brian May revealed on his website after the superstar's death that he and Freddie Mercury had recorded tracks at Jackson's home.
Sony says Jackson had been in talks for eight months about a 30th anniversary edition of Off theWall that would pair him with other stars, as with the 25th anniversary edition of Thriller. The label says it has no plans to unveil new or repackaged songs.
That hasn't discouraged speculation.
"Of course they're going to put stuff out," says veteran music critic J.D.
Considine, who writes for The Globe and Mail in Toronto. "I would be extraordinarily surprised if we didn't have some kind of elaborate box set in time for Christmas."
Former Spin and Vibe editor Alan Light would advise anyone seeking to represent Jackson's work, particularly the unreleased music, "to be careful what context it's presented in." When rapper Notorious B.I.G. died, "songs were rebuilt and reconstructed around scraps. You can do that, but Michael Jackson was a perfectionist.
"I'd argue it wouldn't serve his memory or his creative legacy to just dump stuff out there."
But Mottola says that while Sony "packaged and repackaged his albums for years, there are still true gems in the unreleased material."
The tough part, most agree, will be finding the right people to curate that material. "Sony would be wise to work with people who really know the music, like some of the producers who worked on it originally," Mottola says. "And it would be good to work with (Jackson's) family as well, to keep everything running smoothly."
For his part, Akon plans to "let the family decide" what to do with his and Jackson's most recent efforts: "They knew him better than anybody."
Memorial Jacko
Michael Jackson's final
resting place a mystery
By MARK KENNEDY, Associated Press Writer Mark Kennedy, Associated Press Writer – Thu Jul 9, 12:58 am ET
LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson's glimmering casket took center stage at the Staples Center, sitting for more than two hours as celebrities memorialized the King of Pop under the watchful eyes of millions. And when the ceremony was over, it was gone.
By law, the golden casket that presumably held Jackson's body should be exactly where his death certificate says it is: back at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills cemetery, the site of a private family memorial service held before the Staples ceremony. Los Angeles County records show the cemetery as the temporary location, where it must stay until those records are officially updated.
But where Jackson's body will eventually be laid to rest remained a mystery, fed by the same level of rumor and speculation that surrounded much of his life. Will he be interred at Forest Lawn? Is Neverland Ranch still a possibility?
What if he's not buried at all, but cremated? The family isn't talking — and may not even have decided yet.
The casket was first seen leaving the mortuary at Forest Lawn, where it got into a hearse for the 10-mile trip to the Staples Center. But before the service even started, the hearse was seen leaving the facility — empty — and wasn't spotted again.
But to keep in good standing with the law, the casket would have needed to return to Forest Lawn at some point, presumably after the crowds went home and the television cameras were long gone.
Robert J. Biggins, a former president of the National Funeral Directors Association, said Jackson's body is likely in his casket which he identified it as a custom-made, top-of-the-line coffin made by the Indiana-based Batesville Casket Company that is called a "Promethean." The casket is probably in a temporary holding area — perhaps a mausoleum — pending a final location, he said.
"This happened so quickly that it's something that has to have an awful lot of thoughtful consideration," said Biggins, who is the owner of Magoun-Biggins Funeral home in Rockland, Mass. "This is bigger than your average burial."
Conjecture about Jackson's final resting place has been as fraught as the rumors about where his memorial service would be held in the days before the Staples Center was announced. His 5-page will, signed in 2002, does not include final wishes for his body.
Forest Lawn is one likely possibility. If Jackson is buried there, he would join other celebrities such as Liberace, Gene Autry, Bette Davis and Andy Gibb. Recently deceased actor David Carradine and "Tonight Show" sidekick Ed McMahon also are buried there.
The Jackson family seems divided over whether the body should go to Neverland, which would surely turn the Santa Barbara County ranch into a West-coast Graceland. But Jackson abandoned the 2,500-acre estate after going into seclusion following his acquittal on child molestation charges in 2005, and many of the things that made it unique — the merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and zoo — are gone.
Billionaire Thomas Barrack, who owns Neverland in a joint venture with Jackson, has expressed an openness to the idea of having the singer's body buried at the ranch. The family would need to get permission from local land-use officials to bury Jackson on private property, then submit an application and paperwork with the state Cemetery and Funeral Bureau.
The state application would then need to be approved by the funeral board, a process that could take anywhere from seven to 30 days.
Beyond that, accessibility remains an issue at Neverland. A single two-lane highway leads to the property about 130 miles north of Los Angeles, and infrastructure changes would likely be necessary to accommodate the additional traffic.
Another possibility is cremation. State law requires that the person who has control of the cremated remains obtain written permission of the property owner or governing agency to scatter on the property.
Funeral experts said the delay in Jackson's funeral may be due to the fact that such celebrity deaths create logistical, security and legal headaches.
"One of the issues you're going to run into with any high-profile name, whether it be a former president of the United States or somebody of Michael Jackson's stature, is what does the cemetery — if it's to be a burial — do to establish security, to protect the remains, to protect the privacy of the family during the service, to protect remains afterward and what kind of built-in overhead comes with it," said Paul Elvig, former president of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association.
Experts said even a two-week delay between death and funeral is not unusual. The body of singer James Brown was kept in a sealed gold casket inside his South Carolina home for more than two months before being interred in 2007 at the home of one of his daughters.
"You're probably talking more about an impatient public and an impatient press wanting to know what's going to happen and that impatience needs to be understood," Elvig said. "If a body's been properly prepared by an embalmer, it can be held for a considerable period of time with minor touchups to it."
Biggins said he is even encouraged by the delay.
"I think the fact that there's this pause is a wonderful thing because it's being given thoughtful consideration," he said, "to make sure this is done right and this is done in a way that honors his legacy."
Michael Jackson's family
silent on burial plans
By Jill Serjeant Jill Serjeant – Wed Jul 8, 8:59 pm ET
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – More than 31 million Americans watched Michael Jackson's public memorial on television, but mystery surrounded the whereabouts of his body on Wednesday and plans for his burial.
A day after Jackson's casket was taken to a Los Angeles basketball arena for an emotional memorial for fans, friends and his family, attention returned to how Jackson got his hands on powerful prescription drugs reportedly found in his rented mansion after his sudden death on June 25.
Sales of Jackson's albums soared for a second week, with his solo albums jumping another 90 percent to 800,000 copies in the United States, tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan said.
Nielsen Media Research said 31.1 million Americans watched Tuesday's Los Angeles memorial live on television. The figure is lower than the TV audience of some other recent events.
Some 49.5 million Americans tuned in for President Barack Obama's first White House news conference in February, and 35 million watched former President Ronald Reagan's 2004 burial live on TV.
The Nielsen figures do not include viewing on the Internet or other platforms, which has grown rapidly in the last few years.
The Jackson family spokesman did not return calls for comment on burial plans for the "Thriller" singer, who died of cardiac arrest at age 50.
NO REQUEST FOR NEVERLAND BURIAL
California officials and those in Santa Barbara County said the family has not asked for the required special permission to bury Jackson at his abandoned Neverland Valley Ranch in central California.
Media reports said the Los Angeles coroner's office was conducting neuropathology tests on part of Jackson's brain, which could be behind the delay in the family's burial plans.
One of Jackson's doctors, Beverly Hills dermatologist Arnold Klein, on Wednesday denied he was one of the targets of a police investigation over drugs seized from Jackson's home after his death.
"I was not one of the doctors who participated in giving him overdoses of drugs or too much of anything," Klein told ABC's "Good Morning America" in an interview.
"I always was concerned about him. No matter what he wanted, someone would give it to him," he said. Klein also denied media reports that he was the sperm donor of Jackson's two children with his ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
A spokesman for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said the elaborate memorial cost the cash-strapped city $1.4 million, "far less" than an initial estimate of $3.8 million.
City officials had braced for as many as 250,000 fans to show up at the Staples Center. The actual number was closer to 1,000. Donors chipped in $17,000 after the city set up a website asking for cash to cover the cost, he added.
Jackson's music is enjoying the commercial success that eluded the "King of Pop" in recent years.
The singer's "Number Ones" compilation was the top-selling album in the United States during the week ended July 5, and his 1982 blockbuster "Thriller" took second place.
(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
July 04, 2009
Shakira
She Wants Babies
Colombian pop star Shakira says after her latest album is born she plans to undertake a new labor: multiple children.
The 32-year-old Grammy winner known for her seductive dance moves says that she plans to focus on a family after October, which is when her as-yet-unnamed album is to be released.
Shakira spoke with the El Tiempo newspaper at her home in the Bahamas, where she says she goes barefoot all day. The newspaper published the interview on Thursday.
Shakira says she wants two kids, while boyfriend Antonio de la Rua would like three.
For now, Shakira's baby is her new single, "Loba" — Spanish for "She-Wolf," which she released this week.
The album is her first in four years since Oral Fixation.
-Zimbio-
Michael Jackson 3
Fans scramble for Jackson tickets 
More than half a million Michael Jackson fans have already applied for 17,500 free tickets to the singer's public memorial service next week.
Jackson, who died last week aged 50, will be remembered at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
Tickets will chosen at random from names registered at staplescenter.com.
Police in Los Angeles expect as many as 700,000 people may try to reach the arena but it will be sealed off to those without tickets.
As of 1730 on Friday (0030 GMT Saturday), more than 524,330 people had registered for tickets, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said in a statement.
A total of 11,000 free tickets are to be issued for the service. Fans from around the world can apply.
Another 6,500 tickets will be issued for a simulcast of the service at the nearby Nokia theatre. It means a total of 17,500 fans will be able to see the events free.
Officials said 8,750 pairs of tickets would be allotted to the successful entrants after 1800 Saturday (0100 GMT Sunday) and notifications would go out later on Sunday.
Those selected will be able to get their tickets via Ticketmaster on Monday, officials said.
Originally, the Staples Center website said only US residents could apply for tickets, but AEG's Randy Phillips later told the BBC that that was not the case.
Officials appealed to other fans to watch the memorial service from their own homes, amid fears that thousands of people without tickets could flood the area.
"If you do not have a ticket, if you are not credentialed, not only will you not be allowed at these venues, you will not be allowed in this area," said Los Angeles assistant police chief Earl Paysinger.
Big screens
Jackson had been rehearsing for his London concerts at the Staples Center.
In a press conference, family representative Ken Sunshine said they wanted to accommodate as many fans as possible.
"It is all about the fans," he said.
Officials said that no funeral procession would take place and the memorial service would not be shown on big screens outside the venues. Free pool feeds will be made available to media organisations for broadcast, they said.
Earlier, a lawyer for Michael Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe said she was undecided about whether to fight for custody of her two children with the star.
On Thursday, Ms Rowe won a delay in a custody hearing while she decides if she wants to raise Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11.
The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.
In his will, Jackson stipulated that his mother, Katherine, 79, should have permanent custody of all three children. She currently has temporary custody of them.
A judge has delayed a guardianship hearing - scheduled for Monday - until 13 July at the request of Ms Rowe and Katherine Jackson.
Mystery death
It is still not known what caused Jackson's death last week at the age of 50.
He collapsed at his home and was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre.
An autopsy was conducted but results are not expected for several weeks. The Jackson family had a second autopsy performed and those results are also pending.
The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has said there is no evidence of foul play.
It added that the results of toxicology tests could take weeks to come back.
Jackson service set for Tuesday
A memorial service for Michael Jackson will be held on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles where he had been rehearsing for his London concerts.
His family announced the event as concert promoters AEG Live released a video of the singer rehearsing for the O2 gigs, two days before his death.
Some 11,000 free tickets will be made available for the service.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe says she is undecided about whether to fight for custody.
Tuesday's memorial service will start at 1000 (1700 GMT).
Footage of Jackson, recorded on 23 June, shows the star singing and dancing as he performed his hit They Don't Really Care About Us - incorporating elements of History and She Drives Me Wild.
The star was rehearsing for a 50-date residency at the O2.
Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, which also owns the Staples Center, said there were more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage which could be turned into a film and live albums.
"We have enough audio to make two live albums, and he's never done a live album," he added.
"This is really the last great work of a 21st century genius."
Meanwhile, Benny Andersson has quashed rumours that Abba would reform to take over Jackson's O2 dates.
"No-one's asked us, and if they did we wouldn't say yes," he said in an interview filmed for BBC One's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross.
Hearing delayed
On Thursday, Ms Rowe won a delay in a custody hearing while she decides if she wants to raise Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11.
The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.
Jackson's will asks for his mother, Katherine, 79, to have permanent custody of all three children.
A judge has now delayed a guardianship hearing - scheduled for Monday - until 13 July, at the request of Ms Rowe and Katherine Jackson, who has temporary custody of the children.
It follows media reports that Ms Rowe wanted to look after her children.
But her lawyer, Eric George, told reporters: "I am representing to you now. Debbie has not reached a final decision concerning the pending custody proceedings."
On Thursday, it was revealed that Jackson had left Ms Rowe out of his will.
"I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson," the document stated.
Rowe married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She gave up custody rights to the children but sought them again in 2003.
They agreed a settlement in 2006 but the terms were never disclosed.
In 2003, Ms Rowe appeared in footage released by Jackson in response to a controversial ITV documentary, which raised allegations of inappropriate behaviour with children by the star.
In it, Ms Rowe described her family as "non-traditional", saying her children were her gift to Jackson.
"My kids don't call me mom because I don't want them to," she said. "These are Michael's children."
-BBC-
July 01, 2009
Michael Jackson 2
Jackson body 'going to Neverland'
A host of television satelilte trucks are already in situ outside the property
Fans and reporters have continued to gather outside Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch after reports that his body will go on public view there.
Various sources claim a public viewing has been scheduled for Friday ahead of a private funeral on Sunday.
Vehicles and workers have been going in and out of the property, located about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
According to the Associated Press (AP), Jackson's will has now been filed in a Los Angeles court.
Dated 7 July 2002, the document reveals that the star chose not to provide for his former wife, Debbie Rowe, and gives his entire estate to the "Michael Jackson Family Trust", AP said.
The documents estimated his estate at that time at more than $500m (£303m).
Tourist shrine
Members of Jackson's family have met police and the California Highway Patrol to discuss funeral arrangements.
Unconfirmed reports suggest Jackson's body may be placed in a glass coffin and be transported from Los Angeles to Neverland in a "fairytale carriage".
According to a California Highway Patrol spokesman, however, "details are still pending".
It is unclear whether Jackson can be legally buried at the 2,500-acre property, which he bought in 1987 but had not lived at since 2005.
The site could reportedly be turned into a permanent tourist shrine to the singer, akin to Elvis Presley's Graceland home in Memphis.
Meanwhile, Jackson's tour promoter has said the star's ill-fated London show could be turned into a tribute gig featuring his family.
Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, told Sky News he was "discussing with the family" the possibility of mounting the show in some form.
"I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him," he said.
"The world needs to see this production. It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever."
Insomnia Mr Phillips denied claims that Jackson had been daunted by the upcoming concerts and was too frail to perform.
According to a nutritionist who was working with the singer, however, he had been battling persistent insomnia.
In an interview with CNN, registered nurse Cherilyn Lee said she had repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug Diprivan, a powerful sedative which is given intravenously.
"This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest," she told the US news network.
It has been alleged that Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants at the time of his death.
According to actor Lou Ferrigno, however, the 50-year-old singer had been entirely focused on his health in the run-up to his 50 London concerts.
"I've never seen him take drugs," said the Incredible Hulk star, who Jackson had been working out with.
"He was always talking about nutrition.
"When he was with me, he wasn't different. He wasn't stoned. He wasn't high. He wasn't being aloof or speedy
-BBC-
