Joe Jackson denies plans for Michael's children to become Jackson 3, again alleges foul play

In an interview Monday night with CNN's Larry King, Michael Jackson's father denied allegations that he'd physically abused the pop star when he was a child (though he admitted his son had barred him from his life) and that he was hoping to take Michael's three children on tour next year as the Jackson 3. Responding to the abuse claim, Joe Jackson said, "That's a bunch of bull-s....I raised him just like you would raise your kids, you know? But harm Michael, for what? I have no reason. That's my son. I loved him and I still love him." He called rumors of a Jackson 3 tour "a bunch of jive": "I'm not encouraging them to do nothing," he said. "They have to be what they are, kids at the moment." He also reiterated that he believed foul play was involved in Michael's death, noting the amount of time it took for Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician attending to Michael at the time of his passing, to come in for questioning. Murray's attorney has denied that his client was ever in hiding.

source: news-briefs

Will Janet Jackson Get Custody Of Michael's Children?

As another custody hearing for Michael Jackson’s children was postponed on Friday, speculation has begun to spread about who will be the children's caretaker.
The most interesting scenario, among many, would see Janet Jackson stepping in to raise her brother's three children.
According to CBS news , a representative with tabloid outlet "Inside Edition" said that Janet has offered to help. Melanie Bromley, of Us Weekly said, "It's important for her to be there for the children." A rep for Jackson has yet to respond to a query made by MTV News on Monday (July 20).
The CBS report suggested Janet has banded with her mother, Katherine, and sister, Rebbie to improve the chances of Michael's will being upheld. In the will, he left custody of his children — Prince, Paris and Blanket — to his 79-year-old mother. Katherine has been granted temporary custody of the children and they have been living in the Jacksons' Encino, California, home since MJ's passing last month.
Currently, parties for Katherine and Debbie Rowe are in discussions after the latest custody hearing was postponed for a second time, a rep for Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, told MTV News.
Rowe is the biological mother of MJ's first two children — the identity of Blanket's mother still remains unknown. Although Rowe has not had much of a relationship with the children since giving birth to them, the onetime nurse reportedly wants to ensure the kids will be safe. According to TMZ, a source close to Rowe said her present involvement in the matter isn't over money; she is still reportedly receiving funds from Jackson's estate from a previous agreement made between them after she gave birth.

source: MTVnews

Jackson's mother may challenge will executors

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson's mother asked for a judge's ruling Friday on whether she can challenge the authority of two men named in her son's will as executors of his estate without being disinherited.
The filing does not formally challenge the appointment of attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain as executors of Michael Jackson's estate.
But a favorable ruling could pave the way for 79-year-old Katherine Jackson to seek control of her son's estate, which has an estimated value of more than $500 million.
A judge granted her temporary control over roughly 2,000 items taken from her son's Neverland Ranch and slated for auction, but her authority expired and was given to Branca and McClain. She had sought to control Jackson's estate, but that was before the singer's 2002 will was filed in Los Angeles.
It names Branca and McClain as Jackson's choice for co-executors of the will, and states his estate should be placed in a private trust.
Jackson's trust included a "no contest" clause that calls for anyone who challenges the will to be disinherited. Katherine Jackson, her three grandchildren and unnamed charities are beneficiaries of the estate.
The filing states that Katherine Jackson's attorneys continue to confer with attorneys for McClain and Branca and no final decisions have been made.
"Mrs. Jackson and her counsel have not yet decided whether to object to the appointment of the named executors or to suggest an alternate appointment," the filing states.
A phone message left after business hours Friday for Paul Gordon Hoffman, an attorney representing Branca and McClain, was not immediately returned.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff will consider how to handle the filing at a hearing on Aug 3. Lingering issues about Jackson's estate could be decided then, and the hearing will also focus on whether Katherine Jackson will be allowed to keep custody of her son's children, who range in ages from 7 to 12.

Investigators target Michael Jackson's pseudonyms

For those who live in the tabloid cross hairs, the fake name is essential. Privacy-seeking celebrities have standard pseudonyms for checking into hotels, booking spa appointments, reserving restaurant tables, advertising for help and setting up visits to the doctor's office.

But when those attempts at anonymity make their way beyond the exam room door and onto a prescription pad, a Hollywood convenience becomes a crime.
State and federal laws designed to curb prescription drug abuse make it illegal for doctors to prescribe drugs in the name of anyone but the intended user, and physicians found using pseudonyms have lost their medical licenses and faced criminal charges.

The prohibition on fake names may become a key issue in the investigation into Michael Jackson's death.

Sources close to the investigation told The Times that the performer had been prescribed drugs in the name "Omar Arnold" shortly before his death June 25.
The probe has focused on Jackson's use of drugs, and investigators are looking closely at the conduct of at least five doctors who wrote prescriptions for him.

Jackson had long used aliases in health matters, according to associates.

One person who worked closely with Jackson in the 1980s and '90s said Jackson's physicians filed his medical records under pseudonyms, including Omar Arnold, Joseph Scruz and Bill Bray, and used those names to schedule appointments and order tests.

Another longtime associate said Jackson's staff regularly picked up prescriptions for the performer under different names.

Employing false names on prescription pads is a violation of federal Drug Enforcement Administration rules and of multiple state regulations, including the Business and Professions Code and the Health and Safety Code. Health and Safety Code Section 11173 states that "no person shall make a false statement in any prescription, order, report or record."

Dr. H. Westley Clark, the director of the federal Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, said fake names flout mechanisms put in place by states and pharmacy chains to flag people potentially abusing drugs.

"It makes it difficult to track behavior of patients who might be doctor-shopping or who may be receiving large doses of controlled substances that might cause some concern," said Clark, who is licensed as both a lawyer and doctor.

Jackson's is hardly the first instance of a celebrity using false names to fill prescriptions.

When actress Winona Ryder was arrested for shoplifting in 2001, investigators found a cache of painkillers in her purse and later determined that she had used six aliases in seeking 37 prescriptions from 20 doctors.

A Brentwood cosmetic surgeon who prescribed her medication in the name of "Emily Thompson" was stripped of his medical license the following year.

When movie producer Don Simpson died from an overdose of cocaine and prescription medication in his $18-million Bel-Air mansion in 1996, investigators found a closet full of pill bottles.

Many were written to "Dan Wilson," a pseudonym.

Los Angeles County prosecutors are seeking to convict two of Anna Nicole Smith's doctors and her boyfriend on conspiracy charges for illegally providing the model with excessive amounts of narcotics and other controlled substances.

Among the evidence they have cited are prescriptions the doctors allegedly wrote for Smith in the names of her boyfriend, Howard K. Stern, and at least three other people.

All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.

source: loss angels times

Madonna's Stage Collapses In France, Killing One

One person was killed Thursday (July 16) when a stage being built for Sunday's Madona concert in Marseille, France, collapsed. The Associated press reported that in addition to one death, six workers were injured in the accident.
According to reports, the stage for the singer's Sticky and Sweet show at the 60,000-capacity Stade Vélodrome fell apart while under construction around 5:15 p.m. local time (11:15 a.m. ET), with two of the workers suffering serious injuries and all six of those hurt taken to local hospitals. At press time, authorities did not know what caused the accident.
Madonna issued the following statement about the collapse, according to TMZ"I am devastated to have just received this tragic news. My prayers go out to those who were injured and their families along with my deepest sympathy to all those affected by this heartbreaking news."
BBC news reported that Marseille city councilor Maurice Di Nocera said the frame of the stage "started shaking and collapsing" before the accident.
The concert has been canceled in the wake of the collapse. The stage that the singer has been taking around the world for the past year includes a giant revolving platform with an oversize silver and black throne, a DJ deck, a JumboTron screen on which Britney Spears makes her nightly virtual cameo and multi-level risers on which Madonna jumps rope and spars in a mini boxing ring.
The back of the stage is two-tiered, and the front of the stage at the end of the catwalk is a square with a circle in it that rises up and spins around. The catwalk comes into play most prominently in the show when Madonna is wheeled out in an ornate white antique car for the virtual Kanye West duet "Beat Goes On," riding in the vehicle from the back of the stage out onto the turntable in the audience and then spinning around 180 degrees and riding back to the main stage. Hydraulics lift it up and move it around.
A number of large, moving screens serve as the background during the show, as well as smaller ones on wheels that the singer dances with during a virtual duet with Justin Timberlake on "Four Minutes."

source: mtv.com

Michael Jackson's Posthumous Global Record Sales Reach 9 Million

In life, Michael Jackson struggled for decades to reach the record-smashing sales he achieved with 1983's landmark Thriller album. But since his unexpected passing on June 25 at the age of 50, the self-proclaimed King of Pop has once again become the most dominant musical figure on the planet.
Jackson’s album and compilation have locked down the top 10 on the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart in the United States for the past three weeks, selling more than 2.3 million albums since the singer's death, including 1.1 million over the past seven days. At a time when most contemporary stars struggle to notch sales of more than 2 or 3 million, the numbers are impressive, but they're even better when sales across the globe are factored in. According to the Loss Angels Times an unidentified source with knowledge of sales figures for the catalog said that more than 9 million Jackson albums have been sold worldwide since June 25.
While Sony Music, which controls Jackson's solo adult catalog, would not comment to the Times or MTV News on sales figures, a spokeswoman for the label did not dispute the 9 million sales figure. In addition to ruling over the U.S. catalog charts, Jackson's albums have perched atop similar charts in France, Germany, Australia and England over the past three weeks.
"We're seeing a real outpouring from fans and consumers who are looking to connect and get past what's happened — the tragedy of his death — through attaching themselves to his music," Gary Arnold, senior entertainment officer for Best Buy, told the Times. Arnold said fans aren't just buying Jackson's global breakthrough Thriller, but rather a broad range of the singer's music, from the early Jackson 5 material to his later solo albums.
Considering the many unresolved issues around Jackson's estate, his cause of death, the custody of his three children and a potential all-star tribute concert in England later this year, Arnold predicted sales would remain strong, and possibly surge, through Christmas.
Though Amazon.com doesn't typically reveal sales figures, a spokesperson for the company said customer response to Jackson's death has been unprecedented, resulting in more orders for Jackson CDs and MP3s in the first 24 hours after his death than in the previous 11 years the Amazon music store has been open.
Even jukeboxes are seeing a huge uptick in Jackson action, with leading digital jukebox company TouchTunes reporting that the singer's songs were ordered up nearly 1 million times on its 38,000 jukeboxes since his death. Also seeking to cash in on the surge of interest, the British stage musical "Thriller Live" announced that the tribute show would relaunch in Europe this month and hit several U.S. cities over the next year. Jackson cover band Who's Bad also quickly booked a North American tour that will keep them on the road through November.

Jackson’s kids want to live with sister Janet

Next week’s courtroom showdown, in which Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, and ex-wife Debbie Rowe are expected to vie for temporary custody of two of the late pop star’s children, could come with an unexpected twist.
According to a new report, the kids in question, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris-Michael Katherine, 11, along with their 7-year-old brother Prince Michael II (aka Blanket), have made their own decision. They want their late father's sister, Janet Jackson, to raise them.
“Janet has completely bonded with those children in the last two weeks,” a family friend revealed to OK! magazine. “She has been their rock. It’s clear to everyone that they are looking to her for comfort and guidance.”


source:msnbc

Assistant Coroner Visits Michael Jackson Dermatologist Arnold Klein

As part of the ongoing investigation into the death of Michael Jackson, Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter visited the office of the singer's longtime dermatologist, Dr Arnold Klein on Tuesday.
Winter told reporters that Klein had been cooperating with the investigation, and the doctor's lawyer confirmed that his client would provide the requested documents on Wednesday (July 15). While the coroner's office would not reveal what records were being sought, investigators have been focusing on the role prescription drugs may have played in Jackson's June 25 death. Klein has said in recent interviews that he had sedated the singer in the past during medical procedures, but denied giving Jackson unnecessarily large doses of medication.
Winter showed up at Klein's office after the doctor failed to provide records he'd promised to give authorities when they first requested them on July 2, according to TMZ. The site reported that Klein's lawyer sent over partial medical records and promised the rest, but never delivered them. When Winter's office called Klein's to say they had not received the documents, the doctor's reps reportedly never responded.
A definitive cause of death has not yet been determined in the case, as authorities await the results of toxicology tests, which are said to be due within the next week. Among the focuses of the investigation is the role the powerful anesthetic Diprivan may have played in Jackson's death. Numerous outlets have reported that police investigators found the drug at Jackson's home and several sources, including Klein, have said the singer used the drug to combat chronic insomnia.
The Times reported that one of the companies that produces a generic form of the drug was contacted by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration — which has joined the investigation — and asked about a "specific lot number" stamped on the drug's packaging in an attempt to track down the wholesaler or distributor that supplied the Diprivan allegedly found in Jackson's home.

source: mtvnews

Cops Think Jackson Homicide Victim!

Los Angeles police have concluded that Michael Jackson is a homicide victim, and the pop icon's cardiologist could be charged in the case, according to celebrity Web site TMZ.com.

The official autopsy results aren't due out until at least next week, "Early Show" national correspondent Hattie Kauffman pointed out Wednesday, but TMZ, citing what it claims are "multiple" law enforcement sources, says L.A. cops have "plenty of powerful evidence" that Dr. Conrad Murray is now the focus of the probe.

According to TMZ, investigators have concluded that Murray, who was with Jackson when he died, administered a fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic Propofol, which will be listed as the primary cause of death.

TMZ adds that vials of Propofol were found inside Jackson's rented mansion, and that police have already talked to the L.A. district attorney's office about possible homicide charges.

Neither the Los Angeles Police Department nor Dr. Murray has commented on the TMZ report.

Murray isn't the only doctor under scrutiny, Kauffman notes. A coroner's official served a subpoena on the office of Dr. Arnold Klein, a Beverly Hills dermatologist who treated Jackson for years and was a close friend.
Source: cbsnews

Coroner's official seeks records from Jackson doc

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – A county coroner's official visited the office of Michael Jackson's dermatologist on Tuesday to follow up on a subpoena seeking additional medical records.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said outside the Beverly Hills office of Arnold Klein that the doctor had been cooperating in the investigation.

Klein's attorney, Richard Charnley, said in a statement that his client will provide the documents Wednesday.

Craig Harvey, the coroner's chief of operations, would not specify what records were being sought.

Investigators have focused on the role drugs may have played in Jackson's death.

In recent TV interviews, Klein said he had sedated Jackson for past medical procedures. He denied ever giving the pop star an unnecessary dose of drugs.

source: yahoo mews

No Custody Deal Between Debbie Rowe And Jackson Family, Lawyers Say

Despite multiple reports that Michael Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, had accepted a multi-million payment to settle a potential custody battle over the two children she had with the singer, lawyers for both Rowe and the Jackson family said on Tuesday (July 14) that no deal has been reached.
Anonymously sourced reports in the New York Post that Rowe, who relinquished custody of the children, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael, 12, in 1999 after the couple divorced, had agreed to take a $4 million payment in exchange for not fighting Jackson's mother, Katherine, over custody of the kids is "completely false," according to CNN, citing an open letter to the New York tabloid from Eric George, Rowe's lawyer.
"There has been no agreement reached between Ms. Rowe and the Jacksons," George wrote in the letter, in which he demanded an immediate retraction of the story. "Ms. Rowe has not and will not give up her parental rights. No determination has been reached concerning custody or visitation. And Ms. Rowe has not accepted and will not accept any additional financial consideration beyond the spousal support she and Michael personally agreed to several years ago."
George did not return MTV News calls for comment, but he's expected to be at a Los Angeles family court on Monday, along with Rowe, when a guardianship hearing has been set. The hearing was originally slated for July 13, but was reportedly pushed back at the request of lawyers for Jackson and Rowe, a court official told CNN. Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of the children following Michael's death on June 25, and while Rowe is not believed to have played an active role in their upbringing since the couple's divorce, her lawyer told CNN two weeks ago that "Debbie has not reached a final decision concerning the pending custody proceedings."
Radar also reported on Tuesday that Rowe had not reached a monetary deal in the custody case, citing Katherine Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, who said "the reports are false." McMillan could not be reached for comment at press time, but, citing multiple anonymous sources close to the situation, the site reported that "there is no deal that has been reached."
Further fueling the fire of the potential custody battle between Rowe, the biological mother of the two children, and Katherine Jackson, the person Michael Jackson appointed in his will to take care of his three offspring, is a report from Extra in which Rebecca White, who interviewed Rowe for MTV News in 2008, said that the former nurse is conflicted about reuniting with her kids.
"I know she's seeking custody of the children," White told the entertainment news show. "I think she wants the best for the children." However, White supplied an e-mail from Rowe dated July 2, 2009 in which her friend appears unsure about seeking custody, allegedly writing, "I'm not going after custody ... These kids are not mine. They were never mine. They were always Michael's. I was Michael's best friend."
In another e-mail, reportedly sent on July 5, Rowe wrote to White that, "My lawyer is telling me I have to take some responsibility about the welfare of the children ... Do I want the kids? Hell no. Does it look good for me to ask for them? Absolutely. I don't want to look like the woman who gave away her kids and just forgot about them. Would Michael want Joe [Joseph Jackson, the family patriarch] to have them? I think it would be the last thing that he would ever have wanted."
White told Extra that Rowe, who received a multi-million payment in her divorce settlement from Jackson, is motivated to seek custody for financial reasons. "The motivation is money," White said. "I really have to be honest ... If the children aren't the ones she wants, what else will she gain from it?" While the two sides are not due back in court until Monday, White said a secret custody deal is in the works and hinted that a text message from Rowe predicted the matter would be solved on Tuesday.

Michael Jackson toxicology reports expected soon

LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles coroner's official says toxicology reports that may determine the cause of Michael Jackson's death could be completed this week.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Monday that some results from tests to determine what substances Jackson had in his body when he died are in. The remaining results are expected at the end of this week or early next week.

Winter said his office would announce when all the tests are done, then publicly release the results the next day.

Jackson died June 25.

Authorities are investigating claims the pop star consumed large amounts of prescription medications. The powerful sedative Diprivan, normally only administered in hospitals, was among items found in his home.

source: yahoo news

LaToya Jackson Was Paid For Interview Claiming Michael Was 'Murdered'

Just days after a British tabloid published a story in which Michael Jackson's older sister LaToya Jackson alleged that the 50-year-old singer was murdered for his money by unnamed members of a "shadowy entourage," CNN has reported that LaToya was paid for her interview.
A common practice in tabloid journalism, Jackson's payment for the interview was confirmed for CNN by an unnamed source said to be close to the Jackson family and "another source familiar with the interview arrangements." It was not disclosed how much money LaToya was paid, but Caroline Graham, the reporter for the Daily Mail who conducted the interview last Thursday, said Jackson was "very candid" throughout the four-hour sit-down, which took place in Los Angeles just two days after her brother's public memorial.
LaToya, 53, a onetime Playboy model who was estranged from the rest of the Jackson family for a time in the early 1990s after she claimed her brother acted inappropriately with children, did not give any proof to back up her murder claim. She told the Mail that the family has received the results of a private autopsy it ordered, but she declined to reveal the findings of those tests.
"I believe Michael was murdered, I felt that from the start," the Mail quoted LaToya as saying over the weekend. "Not just one person was involved; rather it was a conspiracy of people."
Reporter Graham said the choice of words from LaToya "stopped me dead in my tracks," prompting her to ask, "Are you sure the word 'murder' is what you want to use?" Jackson responded that she purposely chose that word. "He was surrounded by a bad circle," LaToya said in the interview. "Michael was a very meek, quiet, loving person. People took advantage of that. People fought to be close to him, people who weren't always on his side."
A cause of death has not yet been announced pending the results of toxicology tests. The tests were ordered after the initial coroner's autopsy could not determine what triggered the cardiac arrest that is believed to have felled the singer just weeks before he was to begin a 50-show residency at the O2 Arena in London.
While at press time the family had not commented on LaToya's interview, Jackson's father, Joseph Jackson, has also suggested in several interviews that he believes foul play was involved in Michael Jackson's death, though he too has not revealed what evidence he has to support those claims. Los Angeles' assistant chief coroner told CNN that the autopsy report on Jackson could be released within a week, and several media outlets reported on Tuesday (July 14) that the results of the toxicology tests could also be available within the week.

source: mtv.com

Fans gather in London where Jackson was to perform

LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans gathered outside London's O2 Arena on Monday to pay their respects to the entertainer on the day he was to have opened a run of 50 concerts at the venue.
Jackson died on June 25, just weeks ahead of his eagerly awaited comeback following years of living as a virtual recluse.
The London concerts sold out in record time and some of the 750,000 tickets sold traded hands at hugely inflated prices on the Internet.
Underlining fans' devotion to the "King of Pop", hundreds turned up to the venue anyway, determined to celebrate their favorite musician.
"This was going to be the best summer of my life," said fan Michael. "I was going to go to five shows altogether, it would have been fantastic. I can't believe rather than coming here to see him perform I'm here to mourn ... It's devastating, it really is."
Some fans sat quietly beneath a large screen with a picture of Jackson and the words "Michael Jackson 1958-2009" reflecting on what might have been.
Others, including several Jackson impersonators, led sing-a-longs of his greatest hits.
Will, another fan, said: "We've come here today even if there's no gig tonight. We're making our own gig, our own carnival atmosphere, we're making this what it would have been if Michael had been here."
The man behind chart-topping songs like "Thriller," "Billie Jean" and "Man in the Mirror" has been mourned the world over since his sudden death at the age of 50, and sales of his records have soared.
AEG Live, promoters of Jackson's planned comeback "residency" in London, have offered fans either full refunds for the canceled shows or the option of keeping their commemorative tickets as keepsakes.
Jackson died while rehearsing for the concerts, and AEG has said it hopes to stage a tribute including elements of the This Is It spectacle. Several reports have said organizers are aiming for a date in late August.

Jackson's Mother and Ex-Wife Plot Secret Custody Deal

Michael Jackson’s mother and ex-wife are working out a deal behind closed doors that would allow them to avoid a custody battle and guarantee that the popstar’s father could never get custody of the singer's three children.

Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, and his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, left, are reportedly in talks to make a deal on custody of the singer's three children. Sources told ABC News.com that Debbie Rowe, the former Mrs. Jackson and mother of his two oldest children, is willing to forego a fight for the children if their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, allows her more time to visit with the kids, and guarantees that their grandfather Joe Jackson , whom Michael accused of abuse, could never be named a guardian.
A custody hearing scheduled for today has been postponed until July 20.
"We are pleased that the child custody hearing has been continued over until July 20 to further our progress and allow us to privately and amicably resolve this most important matter in a dignified manner for the benefit of the children first and all involved," Katherine Jackson's lawyer, L. Londell McMillan, said in a statement to The Associated Press.

source: abcnews.go.com

"Harry Potter" director says finale to be best yet

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sixth "Harry Potter" film opens on Wednesday and is likely to be another hit for the boy wizard series, but with filming started on the finale, British director David Yates says "you haven't seen anything yet."

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," in which romance, magic and comedy collide as teenage hormones rage at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has received rave reviews and already sold out hundreds of theaters for its opening day.

Based on author British author J.K. Rowling's seven novels, which have sold more than 400 million copies, the film franchise has so far raked $4.5 billion worldwide for Warner Bros. studio, which is owned by Time Warner Inc.

The series finale is being split into two movies for which filming began five months ago and is due to finish in about a year. Part one of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" is due out in late 2010 and part two is planned for release in 2011.

"People are being very kind about what they're seeing in 'Half-Blood Prince' and I just think you haven't seen anything yet," Yates, who directed "Harry Potter" five and six and is helming the final two, said in a recent interview.

"(Part one) is like a road movie, refugees being chased by all these people who want to kill them. It's quite intense," he said. "Then the final film is like this big opera, big epic, it's got more set pieces than any of the others."

"It's fights and dragons and battles," he said. "It's a real rollercoaster, but with a really oddly uplifting end."

Website Rottentomatoes.com, which collates movies reviews, said 96 percent of critics liked "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." Variety magazine said the movie is set to become "one of the year's two or three top-earning films."

Joe Jackson Wants Michael's Kids to Tour as 'Jackson 3'

Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, is lining up the King of Pop's children for a world tour as The Jackson Three — despite family members accusing him of trying to "exploit them like Jacko."
Former Jackson Five manager Joe is said to have approached Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year old Prince Michael II — known as Blanket — to hit the stage next year.
But one of Jacko's family members is said to be "livid" at the scheme, which will add fuel to the bitter custody battle for the youngsters.
Jackson’s biographer Ian Halperin said yesterday: "Joe wants the children to go on a world tour in 2010. He has also already offered recording contracts to two of Michael’s kids. Now he is talking about getting them the world’s best backing band and taking them on tour as The Jackson Three."
Halperin said yesterday his source for the allegations is extremely close to the family and may soon speak out publicly — out of concern for the future of the youngsters.
He told The Sun: "One of the family members is livid. He is saying Joe seems intent to do this no matter what. “He wants to exploit the kids the same way he did Michael."
Jacko has claimed former boxer Joe Jackson beat him as a child — and the fear of him made him "regurgitate."
Sister La Toya has also told of the "constant threat of violence" that Joe Jackson imposed on his children.

source: foxnews

Michael Jackson: custody battle heats up

To this point there have been two names commonly mentioned in the custody case involving the three children of late pop star Michael Jackson: ex-wife Deborah Rowe and mother Katherine.
However, there is now one more name entering the mix: Joe Jackson, the singer's father. According to Time Magazine, Joe wants the responsibility of raising the children. As he told ABC in an interview:
"Their grandmother Katherine and I should raise them...yes there's no one else who can do what we can do for them. We should keep them all together and make them happy. Feed them like they are supposed to be fed."
The comments come as especially fascinating considering that Katherine and Joe Jackson, while still legally married, have lived in separate states for the last several years. In addition, Michael Jackson stated in his will that he wanted his children to be cared for by Katherine; there was no mention of Joe whatsoever in regards to the children. During his life the singer was critical of his father's parenting methods, claiming at times that he was even "frightened" as a child because of the man's behavior. Katherine Jackson has yet to make an official announcement in regards to the comments.
In other news regarding the Jackson custody case, Deborah Rowe, the mother of the two older children, has stated that she plans to be at the initial custody hearing on July 20, even though he presence is not required for the proceedings. Rowe had previously renounced her rights to the children.

source:examiner.com

LA 'ripped off' over Jackson gig

Los Angeles city council officials have called for a review on who should foot the $1.4m (£864,000) bill for Michael Jackson's memorial gig.

Councilman Dennis Zine claims taxpayers, who have been asked to make donations, "are getting ripped off".

He has asked for a report on policing and traffic control costs for last week's service at the Staples Center, which was attended by 17,000 fans.

Councilman Zine says promoter AEG Live or the Jackson family should pay.

But AEG president Tim Leiweke said that AEG did pay for the memorial itself.

However, security around the event resulted in high costs to Los Angeles at a time when the city is in debt for half of a billion dollars.

Roads were closed to allow the hearse carrying Jackson's body to travel the 10 miles from the Forest Lawn cemetery to the venue.

And the memorial, watched on TV by more than 31 million people in the US and millions more around the world, required the deployment of thousands of police officers and emergency services.

Donations collapse

At a meeting on Thursday, Zine asked whether the event's promoters or producers might provide "reimbursement to the city to replenish the public safety and other critical funds".

Michael Jackson's memorial
Millions watched the memorial gig

Last week, the mayor's office revealed around $17, 000 (£10, 400) had been donated to a website collecting cash before it collapsed.

Meanwhile, Michael Jackson's sister Latoya has told Sunday newspapers she believes the singer was "murdered" for his money, claiming money and jewels have since gone missing.

She told UK newspaper, the News of the World: "We don't think just one person was involved in the murder. It was a conspiracy to get Michael's money."

Michael Jackson's father Joe Jackson has also said he suspects "foul play" in the death of his pop star son.

source: bbc news

Jackson, healthy or not? Depends on who's talking

LOS ANGELES – In his final days, Michael Jackson was robust and active. Or dangerously thin and frail. Begging for access to powerful prescription drugs. Or showing no signs of ever having used them.
It depends on who's talking.
A dizzying collection of puzzle pieces about Jackson's health and habits has come to light since his death on June 25. With as much as a month before a toxicology report determines the cause, more are sure to emerge.
Each is likely to fuel further speculation. None is sure to produce a satisfying conclusion.
Some who knew him even seem to contradict themselves.
Here's what's known so far:
• During his final rehearsal at the Staples Center, Jackson was captured on video doing his signature moonwalk and dance spins. Randy Phillips, CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, told CNN he was "a healthy, vibrant human being."
• Phillips later told ABC concert organizers feared that Jackson was losing weight and showing signs of wear and tear. He said he hired a staffer whose purpose was to remind Jackson to eat.
• Dr. Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, who said he last saw Jackson less than a week before he died, told CNN's Larry King that the singer was in "very good physical condition," in "a very good mood," and "was very happy."
• Klein also told CNN that he had given Jackson the painkiller Demerol but warned him about using the powerful sedative Diprivan. He also confirmed that Jackson was a former drug addict who went to rehab in England.
• "The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, who was helping Jackson prepare for a planned series of London concerts, told The Associated Press that he never saw Jackson take drugs, act aloof or speedy, and the singer wasn't frail when he last saw him at the end of May. "I've never seen him look better," he said.
• Two of Jackson's former confidants, medium Uri Geller and ex-bodyguard Matt Fiddes, said they tried in vain to keep the pop superstar from abusing prescription drugs. Geller said he suffered a terrible falling-out with Jackson over the issue, but not before he had to "shout at Michael, to scream at Michael" in an effort to confiscate the singer's stocks of medication during his travels in England.
• The drug Diprivan, an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found in Jackson's residence, a law enforcement official told the AP. Also known as Propofol, the drug is given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.
• Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse, told the AP she repeatedly rejected his demands for Diprivan. But a frantic phone call she received from Jackson four days before his death made her fear that he somehow obtained Diprivan or another drug to induce sleep.
• Akon, the Senegalese R&B singer and producer with whom Jackson recently recorded songs, told Billboard.com that "Michael is just one of the healthiest people that I know. He was pressuring me to stay healthy, like, 'Akon, eat right. What are you doing out there on the road? Are you eating? Are you exercising? Are you drinking a lot of water?'"
• Klein said Jackson had been suffering from lupus — a chronic disease where the immune system attacks the body's own tissue — and a skin disorder known as vitiligo.
• Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered CPR on Jackson's bed, rather than a hard surface, "with his hand behind his back to provide the necessary support" because the singer was so frail, the doctor's attorney, Edward Chernoff, said.
• Chernoff also told the AP that Murray never gave or prescribed Jackson the painkillers Demerol or OxyContin, and said the doctor didn't give the pop star any drugs that contributed to his death.
• Among other things, Murray's lawyers have acknowledged it took up to 30 minutes for paramedics to be summoned to Jackson's home after he was found unresponsive.
• Jackson's family requested a private autopsy in part because of questions about Murray's role, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has said.
• Kevin Mazur, a photographer documenting the Staples Center rehearsals for a tour book, told the AP that Jackson looked in perfect health. "He was very upbeat, very happy, having a good time with the dancers," Mazur said.
• Spiritual teacher Dr. Deepak Chopra told the AP he had been concerned since 2005 that Jackson was abusing painkillers and spoke to the pop star about suspected drug use as recently as six months ago. Chopra said Jackson, a longtime friend, personally asked him for painkillers in 2005; Chopra said he refused.
• Los Angeles police chief William Bratton said detectives are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors. He also says police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive and far-reaching" probe, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration and the state attorney general's office.

source: Associated press

Debbie Row to attend custody hearing about Jackson's children

Debbie Rowe, the ex-wife of Michael Jackson and biological mother to two of his children, has been keeping relatively quiet since the superstar’s death on June 25.

However, Rowe’s changing her tune now that a hearing to decide whether she gets temporary guardianship of the children has been scheduled for July 20 at the Los Angeles Superior Court, People.com reports.

"[Debbie] says that she will definitely be at the custody hearing," says Marc Schaffel, Jackson’s former business partner and Rowe’s close friend.

Rowe’s kids – Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 – have been living in Encino, Calif. with their grandmother Katherine Jackson, who was named guardian in Jackson’s will last week, after the pop star’s death.

The singer’s third child, Blanket (Prince Michael II), 7, is the son of an unidentified surrogate. Katherine Jackson is petitioning to keep custody of Jackson’s children.

According to officials, neither woman is required to appear in court.

Authorities Closing in On Jackson Doc

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ the central target in both the coroner and LAPD investigations into Michael Jackson's death is Dr. Conrad Murray, who was at Jackson's house when the singer went into full cardiac arrest.

Sources say the doctor is not cooperating with authorities, but they have still found evidence linking him to the drug that may have killed Jackson. As we first reported, as a result of Dr. Murray's second interview with police two weeks ago today, the LAPD obtained a warrant to conduct a second search of Jackson's home -- and that's when they found propofol, a powerful anesthesia that should never be used outside a hospital. There is evidence Propofol was administered to Jackson shortly before his heart stopped beating.

And we're told there is evidence Dr. Murray may have administered the drug. Dr. Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, told TMZ he would neither confirm nor deny if Dr. Murray administered Propofol to Jackson. Law enforcement sources tell us if they conclude the doctor administered the drug it may well lead to manslaughter charges.

Investigators are also suspicious of the delay in calling 911 -- the Dr. says he waited 20 - 30 minutes because he didn't know Jackson's address that would lead paramedics to the house. Jackson lived on one of the most famous streets in the world -- one house above Sunset Blvd.

As the investigation into Jackson's death heats up, there's also an investigation into his life with drugs and the doctor's who fueled it. Sources tell us law enforcement is seriously investigating the prescription practices of several doctors who gave Jackson access to medications. Investigators are particularly interested in doctors who used aliases to write scripts for Jackson. One of the central figures in the investigation -- Dr. Arnold Klein.

We broke the story yesterday how members of Jackson's staff complained that Klein was using the names of employees and others to help Jackson score drugs. One of the names allegedly used -- Frank Tyson, a former Jackson employee. Several powerful meds in Tyson's name were prescribed by Dr. Klein and found at the Neverland Ranch during the 2003 search.
Source: tmz.com

Jackson custody hearing rescheduled again

A custody hearing for singer Michael Jackson's children scheduled for Monday has been pushed back for a second time
The hearing, which was originally scheduled for July 6, has been rescheduled for July 20 at the request of Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe.
Rowe is the biological mother of two of Jackson's children -- 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., also known as Prince Michael, and 11-year-old Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Jackson's third child, Prince Michael "Blanket" Jackson II, was carried by a surrogate mother, whose name has not yet been released.
Katherine Jackson was given temporary guardianship of the children by a judge several days after her son's death.
According to Michael Jackson's will filed in 2002, he wanted his children to be cared for by his mother. If Katherine Jackson, 79, is not living, Jackson said in the will, "I nominate Diana Ross as guardian."
Ross, star of the Motown singing group the Supremes, met Jackson when he was a 9-year-old sensation. The two performed together over the years and Jackson told an interviewer in 1982 he considered Ross to be one of his true personal friends.
Jackson specifically left Rowe out of his will.
Rowe reportedly signed away her parental rights to the children after she and Jackson divorced in 1999, but an appeals court re-established her parental status in 2006.
Rowe has not publicly indicated whether she will challenge Jackson for custody.

Source: cnn.com

Jackson probe hinges on the coroner's report

What really killed Michael Jackson? The late pop star's family and fans aren't the only ones waiting for the final coroner's report. Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton says that, depending on the results of the toxicology tests, the nature of their investigation into Jackson's death could change.

"We are still awaiting corroboration from the coroner's office as to cause of death," Bratton told CNN.com. "That is going to be very dependent on the toxicology reports that are due to come back. And based on those, we will have an idea of what it is we are dealing with. Are we dealing with homicide, or are we dealing with accidental overdose?"

Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, told ABC News on Thursday night, "I do believe it was foul play."

Meanwhile, CNN is reporting that Michael Jackson took more than 10 Xanax pills a night, and the Loss Angels Times reports that the county coroner's office has subpoenaed Jackson's medical records from a number of doctors who treated Jackson over the years.
CNN chief medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta said he was surprised by the amount of Xanax that Jackson allegedly was taking.

"No matter how you cut it, that is an extremely high dosage," Gupta said.

'Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince' Stars Get Over Kissing Qualms

Back at the turn of the millennium, they were just a bunch of kids — some with a bit of professional acting experience, most completely raw — that were fortunate and talented enough to be cast in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone." The film conjured up almost $1 billion at the worldwide box office, and as "Potter" movie after "Potter" movie went into production over the years, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and the rest of the core cast essentially grew up together.
Almost a decade after their first witch-and-wizard adventure, the child actors have morphed into young adults — and the story lines have matured along with them. Harry potter and half blood prince the sixth film in the franchise, presents all manner of love triangle broken hearts and blossoming relationship. The difficult trick for the cast, though, was jumping lips-first into these romantic scenes with co-stars who had become like family.
"The snogging snuff is always a bit challenging, because they've grown up together, so when you get Bonnie [Wright, who plays Ginny Weasley] and Dan having that first snog together, it's a bit like brother and sister," director David Yates told MTV News at the movie's New York Premeire on Thursday. "You've got to just encourage them to think about their characters."
"I've known her since she was 9 and I was 11," the 19-year-old Radcliffe said, adding that Wright looked gorgeous making her way down the red carpet. "So, that was kind of weird at first. But we got used to it. We got over it pretty quickly."
Wright herself saw both the good and the ugly in making out with her childhood friend. "It helps, because you've known each other and it's not just a stranger," she said. "But then it's really weird when you're having to look at someone in a different way in a scene when they're that close."
The actors won't escape the task of playing kissy-face on set just yet. The final two films — the two parts of "Deathly Hallows" — will keep the romantic elements front and center.
"I did the kiss with Emma a couple weeks ago, and it was quite strange," said Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weysley. "I've known Emma since she was 9 years old, and it felt a little bit wrong being that way with her. But it was over quite quickly."
While Watson also called the kiss scene "really awkward," she did compliment her partner. "He's a gentleman, and he was a great kisser," she told us.
For Yates, who's worked on the series for years, watching the actors grow up together has been one of the most captivating aspects of the entire experience. "You're seeing them develop and evolve," the director said. "In their own lives, outside the film set, they're obviously having their own experience of love and love life. I encourage them to bring that into Hogwarts and share it, to help their acting have a basis in reality."

25 defining moments in the life of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's 40 years in the public eye, as both a beloved performer and a tabloid curiosity, were crammed with a plethora of headline-grabbing moments.

From Moonwalking to baby-dangling and everything in between, there was nary a dull moment for the King of Pop. Some of it was astonishing and some of it was appalling, but it was all a part of what made up the legend of Michael Jackson.

From the little boy who sang "ABC" to Jacko at his most wacko, here are 25 moments -- ranked in order of importance -- that defined Michael Jackson, for better or for worse.

1. Moonwalk!: Michael electrifies the audience on the Motown 25 anniversary TV show, which airs in May 1983, with "Billie Jean" and a stunning moonwalk in which he seems to defy all laws of physics.

2. Puts the 'M' in MTV: He breaks the color barrier and kick-starts MTV into overdrive in 1983 with the sheer creative and popular force of "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and the mini-movie epic, "Thriller." The fledgling music TV channel had been, up to then, largely a closed shop to black performers.

3. Grammy sweep: Any doubt that 1984 is Jackson's year is wiped clean when the bajillion-selling "Thriller" wins a record eight Grammys, including Record of the Year (for "Beat It") and Album of the Year (for "Thriller"). Only Santana, with 2000's "Supernatural," is able to match the feat.

4. Gordy's green light: At the behest of Motown singer/producer Bobby Taylor, Jackson and his brothers -- who had previously won the amateur show at the famed Apollo Theater in New York -- audition in the summer of 1968 for Berry Gordy Jr. at the Motown offices in the Donovan Building in Detroit. Michael bowls over Gordy with his James Brown dance moves and confident singing, and the boss orders video cameras to roll.

5. Hit machine: The Jackson 5's first four Motown singles -- "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There" -- hit No. 1 in a breathtaking nine-month period in 1970.

6. Meets 'The Wiz': Michael meets Quincy Jones on the set of "The Wiz," the updated, urban version of the "Wizard of Oz," for which Jones has written the music. The songwriter/producer finds Jackson's wide-eyed wonder artistically intriguing, and agrees to produce his next album, which would become "Off the Wall."

7. Goes 'Off': Pulls off a feat, changing his image from bubblegum pop to adult star with "Off the Wall" in 1979, which sells 10 million copies.

8. Claims 'Victory': Reunites with his brothers on the massive "Victory" tour in 1984, a 55-date cacophony of lights, lasers, a King Arthur-like storyline and music video-style theatrics that becomes the highest grossing tour to date, with the brothers performing their Motown and Epic hits.

9. Dangles his baby: Presents his 9-month-old baby, Prince Michael II, to a crowd below by dangling him over the balcony of a Berlin hotel room in November 2002. After years of bizarre behavior, the incident is the most frightening, and provokes ire from a public who thinks "Wacko Jacko" has finally gone too far.

10. Pens 'We are the World': Together with Lionel Richie, Jackson writes the all-star charity single, which becomes a worldwide No. 1 smash in 1985.

11. Marries Lisa Marie Presley: Jackson's lifelong fascination with Elvis Presley is taken to a new level when he marries his daughter in 1994. They divorce less than two years later, but not before awkwardly smooching each other on live TV at the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards.

12. 'Bad' does good: Jackson releases his "Thriller" follow-up "Bad" in 1987; the album includes five No. 1 singles, including "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Man in the Mirror."

13. Purchases Neverland: Jackson moves to Neverland Ranch, a 2,800-acre property near Santa Barbara, Calif., and builds his own amusement park and zoo on site. Its name is taken from "Peter Pan," and reinforces Jackson's identification with the story of the boy who could never grow old.

14. Aww, rats: Scores his first solo No. 1 hit in 1972 with "Ben," a love song to a rat from the film "Willard."

15. Buddies up to McCartney: Forges a close friendship with former Beatle Paul McCartney, with whom he collaborates on songs like "The Girl is Mine" and "Say Say Say." The two men, both fans of vaudeville-like theatrics, film several colorful videos, but when Jackson buys the Beatles catalog of songs -- which McCartney had been desperately trying to get back -- the friendship cools.

16. Album sales resurrected: Following his death, three of his hits compilations sell more than 100,000 copies, proving Jackson's death brings his music back to life.

17. Not guilty: Exonerated of child molestation, conspiracy and alcohol charges in California in 2005. A frail Jackson, flanked by his family, wipes away tears when he hears the verdict.

18. Up in flames: At the height of his fame in 1984, Jackson is so hot he literally bursts into flames when his hair catches fire on the set of a Pepsi ad. He is treated for second-degree burns.

19. Releases "HIStory": To promote the 2-disc set, made up of both hits and new material, giant statues of Jackson in military garb are shipped around Europe (Jackson was never very good at subtle). The 1995 set's new material -- including "They Don't Care About Us" and "Scream," his duet with sister Janet Jackson -- is marked by an anger unseen in his previous work.

20. A 'Super' performance: Jackson, joined by 3,500 local children, performs "Heal the World" at the Super Bowl halftime show in 1993, which is in many ways a precursor to the current, superstar-driven Super Bowl halftime shows of today.

21. 'Black or White' shocks: Eyebrows are raised when Jackson's controversial "Black or White" video premieres on prime time TV in November 1991. The video features a revolutionary face-morphing sequence, but ends on a weird note with a four-minute sequence of Jackson suggestively grabbing his crotch and violently destroying an automobile, which is later removed from the video.

22. Bashed by Bashir: Jackson consents to an interview in 2003 with British journalist Martin Bashir on the recommendation of his friend, Uri Geller. Bashir is granted access to Jackson over weeks, and the resulting sensationalist program focused tightly on allegations of child molestation. Geller came to view Bashir's approach to him as "deception."

23. Announces comeback tour: "This is it," he announces at a London press conference in March 2009 -- a pronouncement that would turn out to be oddly prophetic.

24. Glove stolen: Jackson's white beaded glove is stolen from Detroit's Motown Historical Museum in 1991. Jackson had donated the glove, a hat and a stage uniform to the museum in 1988. A tipster leads police to a home in rural Grand Blanc and the glove is recovered.

25. Accepts non-existent award: Britney Spears presents Michael Jackson with a birthday cake at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards, a gesture Jackson mistakes as winning the non-existent "Artist of the Millennium" award. Hey, no one ever said the King of Pop had a small ego.

source: detnews.com