Sunday, July 5, 2009

jackson fans prepare farewell to 'King of Pop'

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Hundreds of millions of fans across the world will bid a final farewell to Michael Jackson on Tuesday in a lavish memorial to the tragic "King of Pop" expected to bring America to a standstill.

An exclusive guest list of family and VIPs will be joined by around 11,000 fans crowded into the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the send-off, which Jackson once said he hoped would be "the greatest show on earth."

Precise details of the service have been kept under wraps, but amid speculation that some of the biggest names in showbusiness may perform in an event intended as a celebration of the tortured pop icon's life and times.

Jackson's mysterious death from an apparent cardiac arrest at the age of 50 on June 25 sent shockwaves rippling around the world, triggering an avalanche of tributes from Beverly Hills to Beijing.

Thousands of fans continue to flock to Jackson's star on Hollywood's "Walk of Fame" in Los Angeles while a makeshift shrine of flowers, cards and toys has steadily grown outside the gates of the singer's Neverland Ranch.

Jackson sold more than 750 million albums during a glittering four-decade career that was ultimately overshadowed by repeated allegations of child abuse, his startling physical transformation and eccentric behavior.

Jackson's family has not revealed where the singer will be buried.

The musical clan earlier quashed the idea of a poignant ceremony at Neverland Ranch, which posed logistical headaches due to its remote location in ritzy Santa Barbara wine country.

However, Jackson's elder brother Jermaine said he would still like the pop legend to be buried at the estate, a tribute to Jackson's fascination with childhood that in its heyday boasted giraffes, tigers and a private amusement park.

"I feel his presence because this is his creation," Jackson said Thursday. "This is where he should be rested because it's him."

Organizers of Tuesday's memorial, which gets underway at 10:00am (1700 GMT), have appealed to ticketless fans to watch the event on television, fearing chaos if hundreds of thousands take to the streets to mourn.

Some 1.6 million applied online for only 11,000 tickets to attend the tribute at the Staples Center and another 6,500 for seats at a neighboring venue where giant screens will show the event live.

A website set up to manage an online lottery of the available tickets received more than half a billion hits within two hours on Friday, reflecting the huge interest in the event.

"Potentially, this could be enormous," said Robert Thompson, an expert in pop culture at Syracuse University in New York. "Everything that has to do with Michael Jackson was done huge, super-sized."

While all eyes turn to Jackson's memorial, multiple law enforcement agencies are continuing to probe the circumstances of his death while an army of lawyers prepare to tussle over the fate of his estate and children.

An autopsy on Jackson's body was carried out on June 26 but the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has said it will not issue a final cause of death until the results of exhaustive toxicology tests are known in "several weeks."

Police investigators have meanwhile zeroed in on the possible role of drugs in Jackson's death.

Close friends and associates of the star have angrily alleged that Jackson was surrounded by a coterie of medical professionals willing to provide him with potent prescription medication.

US media reports citing unidentified law enforcement sources say investigators found the powerful sedative Propofol, also known as Diprivan, amongst a variety of prescription medications at Jackson's home.

The discovery has raised the stakes in the probe, which widened last week as the Los Angeles Police Department enlisted the support of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.

Propofol is commonly used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients before major surgery. Healthcare experts say it should never be used at home and should only be administered by trained anesthesiologists.

Police have questioned Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray but have stressed he is not suspected of criminal wrongdoing.

As the investigation into Jackson's death deepens, lawyers are preparing to head to court next week to tussle over his legacy.

Jackson's 79-year-old mother Katherine was placed in temporary control of her son's assets last week and appointed guardian of the singer's three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7.

A 2002 will filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last week named Katherine Jackson as guardian but the singer's ex-wife Debbie Rowe indicated she planned to seek custody of the children. A custody hearing scheduled for July 6 has now been reset for July 13.

On Monday, the two men named as executors of Jackson's are scheduled to appear in court with lawyers for the star's family in the first full hearing on the star's assets, reportedly worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

A lawyer for the Jackson family has not said whether the clan intends to contest the will.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

1.6 million seek tickets to jackson memorial

1.6 million seek tickets to Jackson memorial

Successful applicants will be notified by e-mail. There are 17,500 tickets for the service at Staples Center and a simulcast at the Nokia Theatre.

About 1.6 million people have registered for a chance at 17,500 free tickets to Tuesday's memorial service for Michael Jackson at Staples Center and a nearby simulcast, officials at AEG, owner of the arena, said Saturday.

Registration began at 10 a.m. Friday and ended at 6 p.m. Saturday. Those chosen will be notified by e-mail between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. today. Each of the 8,750 people selected will get an exclusive code and instructions on how to obtain two free tickets Monday.

AEG officials said 11,000 tickets will be for admission to the Staples Center service. The remaining 6,500 will be for the neighboring Nokia Theatre, where the memorial will be simulcast on big screens.

The random selection will be done by computer after the entries are "scrubbed" to eliminate duplicates and those submitted by automatic entry systems. Only people with a valid ticket and an unaltered wristband will be allowed in. No official program for the service has been announced.

court fight looms over michael jackson’s kids

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe won a court delay last week that will give her time to mount a custody battle for her two children against Jackson’s mother.

It’s a fight one local legal expert said Rowe has a good chance of winning despite Jackson’s will, which states the children should be raised by the King of Pop’s mom, Katherine Jackson.

“You cannot pass on your children like a stamp collection or a stock portfolio,” said Suffolk University law professor Erik Pritchal. “While the parent’s choice carries some weight, the court makes the final decision based on what is best for the children at the time of death - which may be different than how it looked to the parent at the time he wrote the will.”

Rowe has not yet stated publicly that she intends to fight to win custody of the children. However, last week a guardianship hearing was delayed until July 13 at Rowe’s request. Jackson has two children with Rowe: Michael Joseph “Prince” Jr., 12, and Paris Michael Katherine, 11. He has a third child Prince Michael “Blanket” Jackson II, 7, with an as yet unidentified woman.

Katherine Jackson won temporary guardianship of all three children after the pop star’s death, and the singer stipulated she raise them if he died. However, Pritchal said Rowe has a nearly insurmountable legal claim to her children.

“California law is very clear that when there are two parents with legal rights, and the custodial parent dies, the children can only go to the person named in the custodial parent’s will if the surviving parent consents,” he said. “The reality is that she is the mother and she is the only legal parent they have.”

Should Rowe go to court, Pritchal said, her argument would be boosted by Katherine Jackson’s advanced age. He said the court will definitely consider whether a 79-year-old can properly care for the three children. Nonetheless, Pritchal said don’t count her out entirely. She has one slim chance of keeping the children.

“The only way a nonparent such as Katherine Jackson can take custody away from a parent is to prove that Katherine herself has played the role of parent for the children - providing day-to-day care - for a substantial period of time, and that it would be detrimental to send the kids to the mother,” Pritchal said.

As for little Blanket, Pritchal said Katherine Jackson likely will gain custody, unless the child’s real mother steps forward.

michael jackson's last dance rehearsal

Footage of Michael Jackson performing some of his most famous hits for the final time has been released.

The King of Pop looked well and his voice sounded strong as he danced around the stage in typical fashion during rehearsals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The star was preparing for his 50-night residency at London's O2 arena, which had been set to begin later this month.

Jackson died on June 25 after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest - just two days after the video was shot.

Jackson's friend, Uri Geller, said tonight the footage raised a 'big question' about what prompted the star's dramatic demise.

'The question is: What happened from that point to the day that he died?' said Geller.

'In the photographs I've seen, he looked in shape, he was smiling, he was happy.

'What happened? That's the big question.'

Kevin Mazur, 48, the photographer who captured some of Jackson's final moments on camera at the rehearsals, said the star appeared to be back to his best and had an 'incredible energy'.

Mr Mazur, co-founder of WireImage agency, told the Daily Mirror: 'When he hit that stage, everyone was just mesmerised.'

The photographer said Jackson was happy and joking with the dancers as he rehearsed.

Mr Mazur told the newspaper Jackson performed his set for 90 minutes until nearly midnight on June 23.

'He was totally there - 100 per cent there in fact,' said Mr Mazur. 'You would never suspect this would have ever happened - especially after his performance on stage.'

Meanwhile, it emerged today that America's anti-drugs agency had launched an investigation into Jackson's death.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was called in by Los Angeles police to assist as they probe allegations the star was on powerful painkillers, sedatives and anti-depressants, sources close to the investigation said.

The agency has vast experience in dealing with drug abuse and could evaluate the potential role of illegal drug manufacturers known as pill mills.

Jermaine Jackson said he would be 'hurt' if toxicology reports showed his brother had abused prescription drugs.

He told NBC he did not know of any drug abuse by the 50-year-old.

But he added: 'In this business, the pressure and things that you go through, you never know what one turns to.'

Plans for Jackson's funeral were still being worked on today, with fans still waiting to hear if and where a public memorial would take place.

Brother Jermaine said he believed Neverland - the singer's vast estate in Santa Barbara, California - should be Jackson's final resting place.

powerful sedative found in michael jackson's home

powerful sedative found in michael jackson's home

The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.
Diprivan is an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. Also known as Propofol, it's given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.
The law enforcement official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak about the matter.

A Los Angeles Police spokesman, Lt. John Romero, declined to discuss the case. "It's an ongoing investigation," he said.
The cause of Jackson's death has not been determined. Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks.
At the downtown Staples Center, where Jackson's memorial will be held Tuesday morning, Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger said anywhere from 250,000 to 700,000 people could try to reach the arena, even though only 17,500 tickets will be available.
City Councilwoman Jan Perry urged people to stay home and watch the memorial on TV. There will not be a funeral procession through the city.
Tickets to Jackson's memorial service will be free. They can be obtained by registering at Staplescenter.com. There will be 11,000 tickets for seats inside Staples Center and 6,500 for seats in the adjacent Nokia Theatre, where fans can watch a simulcast. On Saturday night, 8,750 names will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each.
No details about the memorial service itself were released.
Jackson was known to have suffered from severe insomnia. In the weeks before his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who was working with the singer, said Jackson pleaded for Diprivan amid the stress of preparing for a massive series of comeback concerts.
Lee said she repeatedly rejected his demands because the drug was unsafe.
Told Friday that Diprivan had been found at Jackson's house, she said, "I did everything I could to warn him against it."
Jackson had trouble sleeping as far back as 1989, said one of his former publicists, Rob Goldstone, who spent a month on the road with Jackson during the "Bad" tour.
"He had very bad nightmares, he found it very difficult to sleep," Goldstone said.
Diprivan, which has a milky appearance, is sometimes nicknamed "milk of amnesia." Last fall, doctors from the Mayo Clinic warned at a conference that in rare cases, Diprivan can trigger an irreversible chain of events leading to heart dysfunction and death.
They said three patients receiving Diprivan to treat severe seizures had suffered cardiac arrest, and two died. The doctors said the clinic stopped using Diprivan to treat such patients because of the danger.
The drug's manufacturer, AstraZeneca PLC, warns that patients using Diprivan should be continuously monitored, and in a tiny number of cases patients using it have suffered cardiac arrest, although it was not clear the drug was to blame.
Authorities are investigating allegations that the 50-year-old Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. Any criminal charges would depend on whether Jackson had been overly prescribed medications, given drugs inappropriate for his needs, or if doctors knowingly prescribed Jackson medications under an assumed name.
Edward Chernoff, an attorney for Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, said Friday through a spokeswoman that he had agreed with investigators not to comment until information is released through official channels. Murray was in Jackson's rented mansion when the singer went into cardiac arrest in his bedroom on June 25.
Murray has spoken to police and authorities say he is not a suspect. In an earlier interview, Chernoff said Murray never gave or prescribed Jackson the painkillers Demerol or OxyContin, and denied reports suggesting that the doctor gave the pop star drugs that contributed to his death.
Chernoff would not discuss what drugs the doctor administered to Jackson, but said they would have been prescribed in response to a specific complaint.

michael jackson funeral tickets

michael jackson funeral tickets

Michael Jackson funeral tickets are now on sale! The tickets cost $25 and it will take place on July 7h, 10:00AM at Staples Center. This place is the same place in which

Michael rehearsed his show the night before he died, and there are 20,000 seats.
Service will be held between 10am and noon. To the funeral will also attend family and friends who will be seated on the front row. Details on the Michael Jackson burial are also clear now, his body will be buried at the Forest Lawn cemetery on Hollywood Hills.
A spokesman of the family said to clear up rumours:
“Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland,”

The Michael Jackson memorial will now be taking place at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles, June 7th 2009. Tickets are going for $25 and there will be two sessions, one at 10AM and the other at 12PM. VIP’s including Michael’s family and friends will also attend, occupying the floor seats.

michael jackson last will

michael jackson last will

Michael Jackson's will sets family trust, funeral sketchy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A will signed by Michael Jackson putting his multimillion-dollar estate in a trust for his children and mother was filed in court on Wednesday, as details of his highly-anticipated funeral remained sketchy. Some media outlets reported a memorial service would take place this coming Tuesday at Los Angeles' Staples Center arena and others pointed to the city's Coliseum sports stadium, but a spokesman for Jackson's family could not confirm those reports nor could officials with the venues.
David Carradine died of asphyxiation: pathologist
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The medical examiner who oversaw a private autopsy on David Carradine said on Wednesday that the "Kung Fu" star died from asphyxiation and the way the actor's body was bound allowed him to rule out suicide. Carradine was found hanging in the closet of his Bangkok hotel suite on June 4 and his family hired New York-based forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden to conduct a follow-up death investigation to the one handled by Thai authorities.
Hipster factor poses challenges for movie marketers
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Batten down the hatches -- the hipsters are coming. Even as Hollywood studios increasingly aim at the broadest possible audience, a few companies are experimenting with the opposite approach in these summer months and beyond: They're making smart, quirky movies for a sophisticated young audience.
"Transformers" looks unstoppable at box office
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - The 'bots are still on the trot. The mega-successful bow last week by Paramount's action sequel "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" has so transformed the competitive box-office landscape, it's hard to see either of two rival movies opening at No. 1 this weekend.
O'Neal leads mourners at Farrah Fawcett funeral
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Ryan O'Neal led friends and family in a private funeral service on Tuesday for actress Farrah Fawcett, who died last week aged 62 after a long and public battle with cancer. O'Neal, the long-time companion of the "Charlie's Angels" star, was one of the pall-bearers and gave a reading at the service at Los Angeles Roman Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
Kevin Jonas, of Jonas Brothers, engaged
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Kevin Jonas, the eldest member of the teen heartthrobs the Jonas Brothers, may soon be able to shed his purity ring as Wednesday People magazine reported the 21-year-old pop star is now engaged. Danielle Deleasa, a 22-year-old former hairdresser who Jonas met two years ago in the Bahamas, quickly said yes to his proposal, but the two have not set a wedding date yet.
Oscar winning actor Karl Malden dies at 97
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar winner Karl Malden, the bulbous-nosed character actor acclaimed for film roles in "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "On the Waterfront" before gaining TV fame as a leading man in "The Streets of San Francisco," died on Wednesday at age 97. Also remembered as the commercial spokesman for American Express travelers checks, sternly warning tourists, "Don't leave home without them," Malden died in his sleep at his Los Angeles-area home, according to his longtime agent, Budd Moss. He said the actor had been in failing health in recent years.
UK comedy actress Mollie Sugden dies at 86
LONDON (Reuters) - British actress Mollie Sugden, best-known for her role as Mrs Slocombe in the television comedy series "Are You Being Served?," has died at the age of 86. Her agent Joan Reddin told newspapers Sugden died on Wednesday after a long illness. "She was a lovely, lovely person. She was a great professional," Reddin said.
Jolie, Aniston are Hollywood's top-earning actresses
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Angelina Jolie is Hollywood's top earning actress, banking $27 million in the past year to beat out her partner Brad Pitt's ex-wife Jennifer Aniston, who raked in $25 million, a Forbes.com study showed on Wednesday. Most of Jolie's income came from her share of the profits from her action film "Wanted," but she was also paid a large upfront sum for her role in "Salt," the study said. Jolie and Pitt have six children.
Neverland could rival Graceland as tour attraction
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Abandoned by Michael Jackson after a humiliating child molestation trial in 2005, the late singer's Neverland Ranch could now become one of the biggest draws in the world as a memorial to the King of Pop. Jackson's family has said there are no plans for a funeral or burial of his body at the ranch in central California after his death last week.

AP Exclusive: Insomniac Jackson begged for drug

AP Exclusive: Insomniac Jackson begged for drug

Michael Jackson was so distraught over persistent insomnia in recent months that he pleaded for a powerful sedative despite warnings it could be harmful, says a nutritionist who was working with the singer as he prepared his comeback bid.

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse whose specialty includes nutritional counseling, said Tuesday that she repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug, Diprivan, which is given intravenously.
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, Lee said.
While in Florida on June 21, Lee was contacted by a member of Jackson's staff.
"He called and was very frantic and said, `Michael needs to see you right away.' I said, 'What's wrong?' And I could hear Michael in the background ..., 'One side of my body is hot, it's hot, and one side of my body is cold. It's very cold,'" Lee said.
"I said, `Tell him he needs to go the hospital. I don't know what's going on, but he needs to go to the hospital ... right away."
"At that point, I knew that somebody had given him something that hit the central nervous system," she said, adding, "He was in trouble Sunday and he was crying out."
Jackson did not go to the hospital. He died June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest, his family said. Autopsies have been conducted, but an official cause of death is not expected for several weeks.
"I don't know what happened there. The only thing I can say is he was adamant about this drug," Lee said.
Following Jackson's death, allegations emerged that the 50-year-old King of Pop had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. But Lee said she encountered a man tortured by sleep deprivation and one who expressed opposition to recreational drug use.
"He wasn't looking to get high or feel good and sedated from drugs," she said. "This was a person who was not on drugs. This was a person who was seeking help, desperately, to get some sleep, to get some rest."
Jackson was rehearsing hard for what would have been his big comeback — his "This Is It" tour, a series of performances that would have strained his aging dancer's body. Also, pain had been a part of his life since 1984, when his scalp was severely burned during a Pepsi commercial shoot.
"The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, who's been working out with Jackson for the past several months, said Jackson was focused on health.
"When he was with me, he wasn't different. He wasn't stoned. He wasn't high. He wasn't being aloof or speedy. Never talked about drugs," Ferrigno said. "I've never seen him take drugs. He was always talking about nutrition."
Several months ago, Jackson had begun badgering Lee about Diprivan, also known as Propofol, Lee said. It is an intravenous anesthetic drug widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. It is generally given through an IV needle in the hand.
Patients given Propofol take less time to regain consciousness than those administered certain other drugs, and they report waking up more clear-headed and refreshed, said University of Chicago psychopharmacologist James Zacny.
It has also been implicated in drug abuse, with people using it to "chill out" or to commit suicide, Zacny said. Accidental deaths linked to abuse have been reported. The powerful drug has a very narrow therapeutic window, meaning it doesn't take doses much larger than the medically recommended amount to stop a person's breathing.
An overdose that stops breathing can result in a buildup of carbon dioxide, causing the heart to beat erratically and leading to cardiac arrest, said Dr. John Dombrowski, a member of the board of directors of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Because it is given intravenously and is not the kind of prescription drug typically available from pharmacists, abuse cases have involved anesthesiologists, nurses and other hospital staffers with easy access to the drug, Zacny said.
In recent months, Lee said, Jackson waved away her warnings about it.
"I had an IV and when it hit my vein, I was sleeping. That's what I want," Lee said Jackson told her.
"I said, 'Michael, the only problem with you taking this medication' — and I had a chill in my body and tears in my eyes three months ago — 'the only problem is you're going to take it and you're not going to wake up," she recalled.
According to Lee, Jackson said it had been given to him before but he didn't want to discuss the circumstances or identify the doctor involved.
Londell McMillan, attorney for Katherine and Joe Jackson, talked about Lee's disclosures Tuesday on CNN.
"It's a hearsay comment. It would be inadmissible anywhere in a court of law," he said. "I also wonder why anyone would make a comment about something that they don't have much knowledge about. They didn't see the drug administered. It's again because of the Michael Jackson factor."
Lee said the singer drew his own distinctions when it came to drugs versus prescription medicine.
"He said, `I don't like drugs. I don't want any drugs. My doctor told me this is a safe medicine,'" Lee said. The next day, she said she brought a copy of the Physician's Desk Reference to show him the section on Diprivan.
"He said, 'No, my doctor said it's safe. It works quick and it's safe as long as somebody's here to monitor me and wake me up. It's going be OK,'" Lee said. She said he did not give the doctor's name.
Lee said at one point, she spent the night with Jackson to monitor him while he slept. She said she gave him herbal remedies and stayed in a corner chair in his vast bedroom.
After he settled in bed, Lee told Jackson to turn down the lights and music — he had classical music playing in the house. "He also had a computer on the bed because he loved Walt Disney," she said. "He was watching Donald Duck and it was ongoing. I said, `Maybe if we put on softer music,' and he said, `No, this is how I go to sleep.'"
Three and a half hours later, Jackson jumped up and looked at Lee, eyes wide open, according to Lee. "This is what happens to me," she quoted him as saying. "All I want is to be able to sleep. I want to be able to sleep eight hours. I know I'll feel better the next day."
Lee, 56, is licensed as a registered nurse and nurse practitioner in California, according to the state Board of Registered Nursing's Web site. She attended Los Angeles Southwest College and the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Sciences in Los Angeles.
Comedian Dick Gregory, who knows Lee and her work, said he believes Jackson's insomnia had its roots in the pop star's 2005 trial on child molestation charges. Jackson's health had deteriorated so much that his parents called Gregory, a natural foods proponent, for help.
Gregory said Jackson wasn't eating or drinking at the time and, after he was persuaded by Gregory to undergo testing, ended up hospitalized for severe dehydration.
But Jackson obviously was healthy enough to withstand the level of medical scrutiny needed to insure him for the upcoming high-stakes London concerts, Gregory said. "That you don't trick," he said of the exams.
Lee, who has also worked with Stevie Wonder, Marla Gibbs, Reynaldo Rey and other celebrities, said she was introduced to Jackson by the mother of one of his staff members. Jackson's three children had minor cold symptoms and their pediatrician was out of town.
Lee said she went to the house in January, the first of about 10 visits there through April, and treated the children with vitamins. Michael, intrigued, asked what else she did and took her up on her claim she could boost his energy.
After running blood tests, she devised protein shakes for him and gave him an intravenous vitamin and mineral mixture — known as a "Myers cocktail," after Dr. John Myers — which Lee said she uses routinely in her practice.
"It wasn't that he felt sick," she said. "He just wanted more energy."
Lee said she decided to speak out to protect Jackson's reputation from what she considers unfounded allegations of drug abuse or shortcomings as a parent.
"I think it's so wrong for people to say these things about him," she said. "He was a wonderful, loving father who wanted the best for his children."

michael jackson kids not his

michael jackson kids not his

Poor Michael Jackson, he hasn’t even been laid to rest and already people are coming out from under the rocks, seemingly breaking their confidentiality agreements, and spilling the beans on what “really” happened. All of it, of course, is merely speculation at this point.

The almighty “sources” close to Michael Jackson are saying that not only is Michael Jackson not the biological father of his three children, Debbie Rowe isn’t even the biological mother of the two oldest kids. And on top of that, Michael never actually legally adopted the children – as he would’ve had to do were he not the biological father.

Us Weekly is insisting that the father of Michael and Paris is Jackson’s dermatologist, Arnold Klein. Apparently, he is also Rowe’s former employer. “He and Debbie signed an agreement saying they would never reveal the truth,” said a source.

Debbie Rowe’s attorney today released a statement contradicting the claims that Debbie Rowe is not the biological mother of Michael Jackson’s first two children.

“We refuse to be drawn into addressing the various rumors and speculation swirling in the media,” said Rowe’s attorney Marta Almli. “The vast majority of what is out there is untrue. Particular hurtful and insidious is the most recent rumor — which is entirely false — concerning the maternity of the children. Ms. Rowe is the biological mother of the two oldest children.”

As for Michael Jackson’s will, it’s be reported that there is a Jackson will from 2002 that leaves everything to his children, his mother Katherine, and various charities. Michael Jackson’s father Joe Jackson allegedly was not mentioned.

michael jackson autopsy leaked

The leaked resultsof Michael Jackson's autopsy are truly shocking. Jackson was emaciated, bald, covered in scars and dotted with needle tracks.

As The Sun reports from London on the results of Michael

Jackson's autopsy: THE horrifying state of pop superstar Michael Jackson in his final days can be revealed by The Sun today. Harrowing leaked autopsy details show the singer was a virtual skeleton — barely eating and with only pills in his stomach at the time he died. His hips, thighs and shoulders were riddled with needle wounds — believed to be the result of injections of narcotic painkillers, given three times a day for years. And a mass of surgery scars were thought to be the legacy of at least 13 cosmetic operations.

More than just this, the autopsy report that has been leaked showed that the bridge to his nose had vanished and the right side of it collapsed. What is truly odd though is that despite being in this state Jackson had been recovering well from skin cancer, the operation to deal with that seems to have worked.

Other British newspapers have carried more of the story about the results of the autopsy on Jackson:

Michael Jackson was emaciated, virtually bald, covered in needle scars and had only pills in his stomach when he died, according to an autopsy report.

There has to be thought that some of those around him, some of his entourage, were if not encouraging him in this behavior, at least enabling him. Michael Jackson was 5 foot 10 inches tall but at the time of his death weighed only 112 pounds: that just isn't healthy at all. The only things in his stomach were partially dissolved plls and he had lost nearly all his hair, having nothing but a "peach fuzz" left. What we saw in public was a wig.

And as that autposy report shows, Michael Jackson had been receiving pain killing injections for some time:

His hips, thighs and shoulders were pock-marked with needle wounds, believed to be the legacy of narcotic painkillers being injected three times a day.

If these injections were indeed Demerol then this bolsters the possibility that he died of an overdose: for those who have built up tolerance to the drug the gap between a pain relieving dose and a fatal dose is very small. And if that is true then the possibility that Michael Jackson could have been saved rises once again.

The conclusion of these leaks from Jackson's autopsy seems to be that:

Sources close to the Jackson camp said fans would be shocked by the autopsy findings. 'He was skin and bone, his hair had fallen out and had been eating nothing but pills when he died,' one source told the newspaper. 'Injection marks all over his body and the disfigurement caused by years of plastic surgery show he’d been in terminal decline for years.' 'His doctors and the hangers-on stood by as he self-destructed. Somebody is going to have to pay.'

Sadly this seems unlikely. Jackson's records are heading to the top of the charts again all over the world. The entourage will be able to absorb the cash inflow from that but without Michael Jackson to spend the money faster than it comes in. Far from their paying, it looks like they'll profit.

michael jackson sperm donor

michael jackson sperm donor

News of the World reports Michael Jackson’s claim he is the natural father of the two children born to ex-wife Debbie Rowe is a lie. Instead, Rowe was artificially inseminated with

anonymously donated sperm to give birth to son Prince Michael Jnr and daughter Paris. Secret documents have been drawn up by Rowe making the claim as she prepares to seek “temporary exclusive custody” of the children. Debbie states: “I have no information whatsoever about the identity of the semen donor for either child, as such semen was obtained anonymously from a semen bank under an agreement of confidentiality. I consented to the artificial insemination with the specific intent of bearing a child to which Michael would be the father and treated in all respects as the father.” Rowe, who along with the children are Jewish, now worries that Jackson is “easily influenced” and she fears he is being led by extremist Muslims in the Nation of Islam movement.

michael jackson autopsy results

michael jackson autopsy results

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Doctors completed an autopsy on the body of Michael Jackson on Friday but said they could not immediately establish a cause of death for the "King of Pop" as speculation centered on his use of prescription painkillers.

"The cause of death has been deferred, which means that the medical examiner has ordered additional testing such as toxicology and other studies," Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said.

"Those tests we anticipate will take an additional four to six weeks."

Speaking to a throng of reporters outside the coroner's office, Harvey said, "There was no indication of any external trauma or indication of foul play to the body of Mr. Jackson."

He said his office expected to determine what killed Jackson, 50, when the tests were complete.

The body would be released to family members after they chose a mortuary to handle the funeral arrangements, Harvey added.

Celebrity website TMZ.com, citing an interview with an unidentified "close member" of the Jackson family, reported the superstar singer was injected with Demerol about half an hour before he went into cardiac arrest.

'HE'S NOT RESPONDING'

Police searched Jackson's rented mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles and planned to interview his personal physician, who was with the entertainer at the time of his death.

TMZ, citing family members, said Jackson received a daily injection of Demerol, a narcotic painkiller. The family believes his death was caused by an overdose of the drug, TMZ reported.

An unidentified man called a 911 emergency phone line from the mansion at 12:21 p.m. local time, saying Jackson was unconscious and not breathing.

In excerpts from the call played on television, the man said the doctor was the only other person present and was performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the unconscious Jackson without results.

"He's pumping, he's pumping his chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please," the caller said.

A senior law enforcement official told ABC News that Jackson was "heavily addicted" to the painkiller Oxycontin and was injected daily with that medication, along with Demerol.

Lawyer Brian Oxman, a Jackson family spokesman, told CBS' "The Early Show" he had been concerned about the prescription drugs Jackson took due to injuries suffered while performing.

"I do not want to point fingers at anyone because I want to hear what the toxicology report says and the coroner says but the plain fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal at all times," Oxman said.

WORLDWIDE HEADLINES

Fans and fellow pop stars everywhere revived memories of Jackson's musical genius, tarnished over the past decade by accusations of child molestation and eccentric behavior.

U.S. President Barack Obama called Jackson a "spectacular performer" but said he believed aspects of his life were "sad and tragic," the White House said.

Jackson's death was front-page news around the world as airwaves filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean" and social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes.

"My heart, my mind are broken," actress Elizabeth Taylor, long a close friend of Jackson, said in a statement.

"He will be in my heart forever but it's not enough," Taylor said. "My life feels so empty. I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other."

On Hollywood Boulevard, police put up barricades to control thousands of fans who filed past Jackson's star on the Walk of Fame to honor the child prodigy who became one of the top singers of all time with an estimated 750 million albums sold.

Jackson's family has yet to announce details of a funeral.

Facing a battered reputation and a mountain of debt that The Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson spent the last two months rehearsing for a series of London concerts, including Wednesday in Los Angeles.

Despite reports of Jackson's ill health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson passed a 4 1/2-hour physical examination with independent doctors.

In death, Jackson's music enjoyed an immediate rebound that eluded him for years. His songs surged to the top 15 on online retailer Amazon.com's best-selling albums within hours.

He dominated the charts in the 1980s and was one of the most successful entertainers, with 13 Grammy Awards and several seminal music videos. His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. [nN26308702]

But he was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He was acquitted of all charges in a four-month trial in 2005.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, which ended in divorce in 1996. He remarried and had two children, later split with his second wife, and had a third child with an unnamed surrogate mother.

michael jackson music online

Michael Jackson's life was infused with fantasy and tragedy

He owned a statue of Marilyn, studied Chaplin and married Elvis' daughter. It seemed the perennial man-child would cease to exist if the applause ever stopped.

Michael Jackson was fascinated by celebrity tragedy. He had a statue of Marilyn Monroe in his home and studied the sad Hollywood exile of Charlie Chaplin. He

married the daughter of Elvis Presley.

Jackson met his own untimely death Thursday at age 50, and more than any of those past icons, he left a complicated legacy. As a child star, he

was so talented he seemed lit from within; as a middle-aged man, he was viewed as something akin to a visiting alien who, like Tinkerbell, would cease to exist if the applause ever stopped.

It was impossible in the early 1980s to imagine the surreal final chapters of Jackson's life. In that decade, he became the world's most popular entertainer thanks to a series of hit records -- “Beat It,” "Billie Jean," “Thriller” -- and dazzling music videos. Perhaps the best dancer of his generation, he created his own iconography: the single shiny glove, the Moonwalk, the signature red jacket and the Neverland Ranch.

In recent years, he inspired fascination for reasons that had nothing to do with music. Years of plastic surgery had made his face a bizarre landscape. He was deeply in debt and had lost his way as a musician. He had not toured since 1997 or released new songs since 2001. Instead of music videos, the images of Jackson beamed around the world were tabloid reports about his strange personal behavior, including allegations of child molestation, or the latest failed relaunch of his career.

A frail-looking Jackson had spent his last weeks in rehearsal for an ambitious comeback attempt and 50 already-sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena. A major motivation was the $300 million in debt run up by a star who lived like royalty even though his self-declared title of King of Pop was more about the past than the present.

"It's one of the greatest losses," said Tommy Mottola, former president of Sony Music, which released Jackson's music for 16 years. "In pop history, there's a triumvirate of pop icons: Sinatra, Elvis and Michael, that define the whole culture. . . . His music bridged races and ages and absolutely defined the video age. Nothing that came before him or that has come after him will ever be as big as he was."

Jackson "had it all. . . . talent, grace, professionalism and dedication," said Quincy Jones, Jackson's collaborator on his most important albums and the movie "The Wiz." "He was the consummate entertainer, and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Jackson was born Aug. 29, 1958, in Gary, Ind. His mother, Katherine, would say that there was something special about the fifth of her nine children. "I don't believe in reincarnation," she said, "but you know how babies move uncoordinated? He never moved that way. When he danced, it was like he was an older person."

Katherine Jackson, who worked for Sears, Roebuck and Co., taught her children folk songs. Her husband, Joseph, a crane operator who once played with the R&B band the Falcons, played guitar and coached his sons. The boys were soon performing at local benefits. Michael took command of the group even as a chubby-cheeked kindergartner.

"He was so energetic that at 5 years old he was like a leader," brother Jackie once told Rolling Stone magazine. "We saw that. So we said, 'Hey, Michael, you be the lead guy.' The audience ate it up."

By 1968, the Jacksons had cut singles for a local Indiana label called Steeltown. At an engagement that year at Harlem's famed Apollo Theater, singer Gladys Knight and pianist Billy Taylor saw their act and recommended them to Motown founder Berry Gordy. So did Diana Ross after sharing a stage with the quintet at a "Soul Weekend" in Gary.

Ross said later that she saw herself in the talented and driven Michael. "He could be my son," she said. Another Motown legend, Smokey Robinson, would describe the young performer as "a strange and lovely child, an old soul in the body of a boy."

Motown moved the Jacksons to California, and in August 1968 they gave a breakthrough performance at a Beverly Hills club called The Daisy. Their first album, "Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5," was released in December 1969, and it yielded the No. 1 hit "I Want You Back," with 11-year-old Michael on the lead vocals. "ABC,"“I’ll Be There” and other hits followed, and the group soon had their own television series, a Saturday morning cartoon and an array of licensed merchandise aimed at youngsters.
There was a price: childhood.
"I never had the chance to do the fun things kids do," Jackson once explained. "There was no Christmas, no holiday celebrating. So now you try to compensate for some of that loss."
Joseph Jackson ruled the family, by most accounts, with his fists and a bellowing rage. In a 2003 documentary by British journalist Martin Bashir, Jackson said his father often brandished a belt during rehearsals and hit his sons or shoved them into walls if they made a misstep.
"We were terrified of him," Jackson said.
In the Bashir interviews, the singer said his father ridiculed him for his pug nose and adolescent acne. He also described, with obvious discomfort, having to listen to an older brother have sex with a woman in the hotel bedroom they shared.
Onstage, Jackson seemed to know no fear.
"When we sang, people would throw all this money on the floor, tons of dollars, 10s, 20s, lots of change," an adult Jackson once told Newsweek. "I remember my pockets being so full of money that I couldn't keep my pants up. I'd wear a real tight belt. And I'd buy candy like crazy."

michael jackson death photos

michael jackson death photos

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Doctors conducted an autopsy on the body of Michael Jackson on Friday but could not immediately determine what killed the "King of Pop," amid reports he had been injected with a narcotic painkiller shortly before collapsing. Jackson was in full cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived at his rented mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon, with his personal physician trying desperately to revive him.

Farrah Fawcett funeral set for Tuesday in L.A

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A private funeral for actress Farrah Fawcett will be held at the Catholic cathedral of Los Angeles next Tuesday, church officials said on Friday. The service for the former "Charlie's Angels" actress will take place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 4 p.m. PDT (1900 EDT).

Hello Goodbye: Jackson's Beatles rights at risk

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Beatles For Sale? The Fab Four's prized catalog -- specifically 267 songs mostly written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney -- is embarking on a long and winding road of ownership uncertainty following the death of Michael Jackson on Thursday.

Rapper Coolio pleads guilty to cocaine possession

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rap star Coolio pleaded guilty on Friday to possession of cocaine and will avoid jail by entering an 18-month drug rehabilitation program, a spokeswoman for prosecutors said. Coolio, who had hits in the mid-1990s with "Gangsta's Paradise" and "Fantastic Voyage," faced three years in prison if convicted of all the charges against him, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the L.A. County District Attorney's Office.

Michael Jackson feared he'd "end up" like Elvis: Lisa Marie

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michael Jackson's former wife Lisa Marie Presley said on Friday the pop star was a tortured soul who once predicted that he would "end up" like her father, the late rock icon Elvis Presley. Writing on her MySpace blog, Presley also ripped into reports in the media that her relationship with Jackson was contrived, saying they split because she could not save him from self-destructive behavior.

Jackson leaves hefty debts, unrealized comeback

LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Along with a vast musical legacy and legions of adoring fans, pop superstar Michael Jackson leaves behind a mountain of debt and an unfulfilled comeback many hoped would rake in millions and erase his financial troubles. The King of Pop died suddenly on Thursday at the age of 50, after a career spanning 40 years that included the biggest-selling pop album of all time, "Thriller."

"Transformers" in high gear already

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Debuting Wednesday to an estimated $60.6 million, "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" already has begun its triumphal rounding of the box office bases that should see it set a record or two by weekend's end. Once Michael Bay's sequel to the 2007 hit based on the Hasbro toy line staked out the upcoming weekend, there was never any question that it would dominate overall sales. Competitors steered clear of the date, with only Warner Bros. fielding the feel-good weepie "My Sister's Keeper" in a modest bit of counterprogramming.

Studios wary of Oscar's new best-picture rule

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - If ever there were a time that the town needed a jolt of adrenaline, Wednesday was it -- but from, of all places, the staid, mostly predictable Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences? What everyone thought would be another sleepy announcement about an arcane rule change in the documentary or foreign language category turned into the headline of the day -- opening up the Oscar race to 10 best picture nominees.

NBC sets fall schedule dates

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC will launch the bulk of its fall schedule during the weeks of September 14 and September 21, the latter marking the official premiere week. A day after the September 13 kickoff of "Sunday Night Football," the network will roll out its most prominent new program, weeknight "The Jay Leno Show."

"Old Boy" proceeds despite legal scuffle

TOKYO/SEOUL (Hollywood Reporter) - Steven Spielberg and Will Smith are moving forward with plans for a remake of "Old Boy" despite a complex, behind-the-scenes rights wrangle involving the Japanese publishers of the original manga and the Korean producers of Park Chan-Wook's 2003 cult hit. Futabasha, publisher of the manga by Nobuaki Minegishi and Garon Tsuchiya, has filed a case against Show East in Seoul, alleging the Korean company never had the right to negotiate a remake.

michael jackson songs listen

michael jackson songs listen

It seems implausible that an artist who sold more than 100m albums during his career could be broke, but Michael Jackson is said to have died owing anything up to $500m (£302m).

With the huge global success of Thriller and the follow up album Bad, Jackson became one of the most bankable stars of the 1980s, giving him the leverage to earn unusually large royalties from the sale of each disc.

He became known for increasingly lavish spending and bought the sprawling Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara for $14.6m in 1988, including a funfair and zoo. In one of his shrewdest business moves, at the peak of his fame in 1985, Jackson paid $47.5m for ATV Music, which owned the copyright to songs written by the Beatles' John Lennon and Paul McCartney, outbidding McCartney himself. Owning the songs earned him a steady stream of royalties every time one of the songs was either played on the radio or performed.

In 1991 he signed a $65m recording deal with Sony.

But the turning point appeared to come in 1993, when he faced a civil lawsuit brought by the parents of the 13-year-old boy Jordy Chandler. Jackson, who paid $22m to settle the case, became ever more reclusive and his financial situation apparently spiralled out of control. A recent press report suggested that Jackson may have burnt through $1bn in the past 20 years. No one knows for sure what he spent his fortune on but there was a clue in Martin Bashir's 2003 documentary, in which the singer splashed out $6m in a single store on a shopping trip.

The financial strain began to show in the mid-1990s when he agreed to merge ATV with Sony's library of songs.

But still his finances worsened. In recent years, he became mired in lawsuits filed by creditors, including the lawyers who had defended the singer in another child molestation trial in 2005. During that trial, which ended in an acquittal, details of Jackson's finances were trawled over. One accountant testified that he had an "ongoing cash crisis" and was spending $20m to $30m a year more than he earned. Prosecutors said he had a "billionaire spending habit for only a millionaire's spending budget".

Earlier this month, the organisers of a proposed Jackson 5 reunion concert filed a $40m claim against the singer. The New Jersey-based promoter AllGood Entertainment claimed breach of contract and fraud, demanding $20m in compensatory damages and another $20m in punitive damages, claiming that Jackson had promised not to perform solo ahead of a show scheduled for next year. Other suits in recent years were lodged by Union Finance & Investment Corporation, which sought $12m in unpaid fees, and a $7m claim from the sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the second son of the king of Bahrain who claimed he had given the singer millions of dollars to produce an album, a stage musical and write an autobiography, none of which appeared.

In 2001, Jackson had used his half of ATV to secure a $200m loan from Bank of America and in 2006 was forced to refinance the loan to stave off bankruptcy.

In March last year, Jackson faced foreclosure on Neverland although a real estate investment firm came to his aid, setting up a joint venture with him to take ownership of the ranch. In April he called a halt to a public auction of his belongings including jewel-encrusted concert tickets, stage-wear and music memorabilia.

Jackson was said to have still been making an annual income of $19m. But the singer had not released any new material since the album Invincible in 1991, which had not been a success, and had not performed live for over a decade and there were hopes that the comeback tour might solve his financial crisis for good. It was estimated that he could have made up to $500m if he had taken the show around the world.

Ultimately though he has left another financial mess at AEG, the owner of the O2 arena, formerly known as the Millennium Dome. According to Billboard magazine, more than $85m worth of tickets have been sold and AEG has already spent $30m on the production.

Reports are also suggesting that the firm was only insured for the first 10 nights of the residence, as insurers were wary of the singer being fit enough to play all 50 nights, leaving AEG with an potential insurance liability of up to £300m.

michael jackson dies

michael jackson dies

We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.

Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his

Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.

Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.

A source inside the hospital told us there was "absolute chaos" after Jackson arrived. People who were with the singer were screaming, "You've got to save him! You've got to save him!"

We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.

La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.

King of Pop Michael Jackson Died