JACKSON FAMILY ISSUES STATEMENT: 'Our pain cannot be described in words.
Also, Katherine retains Michael's longtime lawyer.
*The Jackson family issued a statement Saturday, conveyed by family patriarch Joseph Jackson. In full, it reads:
In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.
We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words.
But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you – who Michael loved so much. Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you. Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever.
In addition, Joseph Jackson wishes to personally convey: "My grandchildren are deeply moved by all the love and support you have shown for them and their father, Michael Jackson."
Meanwhile, the Associated Press is quoting a source who says Michael's mother has chosen L. Londell McMillan, one of the singer's longtime lawyers, to represent the family's legal interests.
Since Jackson's death on Thursday, the family has expressed their concern about whether Jackson had a will, and who was advising him in his final days, according to the source, who requested anonymity because the matter is private.
Jackson's family members spent the weekend at their parents' Encino home, where they were said to be contemplating funeral arrangements and caring for his three children.
The AP's source said the family also wants to know more specifics about what role AEG, the concert promoter that was staging his 50-date concert series at London's 02 Arena, was playing in his life. They believe AEG actually hired the advisers and representatives who were working for Jackson when he died.
AEG spokeswoman Natalie Whorms in London had no comment Saturday.
GLOBAL MIJAC MEMORIALS BEING CONSIDERED: Al Sharpton says family is considering having simultaneous celebrations around the globe.
*Al Sharpton, a longtime friend of the Jackson family, said he was to meet with them on Sunday to discuss ways in which Michael Jackson's life can be celebrated on the global stage.
Michael's father, Joe Jackson, "seemed very saddened but determined to keep going and protect his son's legacy," Sharpton told the Associated Press. He also said the family feels the media has focused too much on Michael's problems, such as his heavy debts, previous child abuse allegations and his use of prescription drugs.
Sharpton said the family is considering his idea of having massive, simultaneous celebrations of Jackson's life across the globe, so "the media would have to be focused about how millions of people felt about him." The family is particularly concerned with creating an upbeat view of Jackson for the sake of his three young children, Sharpton said.
"They are very worried about his children ... that they don't grow up with a distorted world view," he said.
Meanwhile, Sharpton and his National Action Network will team with the Apollo Theater in Harlem to honor Jackson on Wednesday, July 1, at 7:30 p.m. with special tributes during the evening's Amateur Night.
Sharpton and the Apollo also have plans to produce a star-studded tribute to Jackson later in the month of July. Details will be announced in the near future.
CHRIS BROWN, DIDDY, GAME RECORD MIJAC TRIBUTE: Usher, Boyz II Men, Polow also on track. Plus, 50 Cent released two new songs mentioning Jackson.
*Less than 24 hours after the death of Michael Jackson, a song in his honor was recorded by an all-star lineup led by The Game and had made its world premiere on a radio station in Los Angeles.
After learning of MJ's passing Thursday night, Game got some of his famous friends – including Diddy, Chris Brown, Polow Da Don, Mario Winans, Usher and Boyz II Men – to help record a song giving thanks and reflecting on the King of Pop.
Titled "Better on the Other Side," the DJ Khalil-produced tribute debuted on the morning radio show "Big Boy's Neighborhood" on LA's Power 106, as well as on Game affiliate DJ Skee's satellite radio show, "Skeetox."
Skee told MTV News that the recording took place shortly after he called Game in the studio to tell him about Jackson's death. "Game was in the studio with Diddy at the time I called. He reached out to Chris Brown and Usher and also got Boyz II Men, who so happened to be recording in the same studio."
Here's how MTV.com describes the track:
The piano-accompanied soundscape starts off with Diddy testifying about M.J.'s influence. "I believed I can do anything," he says. "You made the world dance. You made the music come to life."
Then a thunderous bass drops in, led by Chris Brown's vocals on the
chorus: "This the type of song that makes the angels cry/ Look up in the sky and I wonder why/ Why you had to go, go/ I know it's better on the other side."
On his verses Game reflects on the pop singer's influence on him growing up. "Who's Michael Jackson?/ You're Michael Jackson/ I'm Michael Jackson/ We all Michael Jackson/ I guess what I'm asking is/ Everybody bow their head/ For a legend, don't breathe for a second."
The Game continues with his heartfelt tribute and compares himself to Jackson. "Imma tell you my story/ Never had a family that close/ Never seen Berry Gordy walking through Interscope/ But just like me, they always had Mike in a scope/ No matter what you say imma love him and he's still dope/ Let me take you back to '85 when I was in a zone/ Dancing for my momma, 'Thriller' jacket with the zippers on."
"Other Side" concludes with one last statement from Diddy: "People can say what they want about you. We gonna remember the miracles that you showed us. Through your music, through your dance. You were the one that made us realize that you are the world. Through us your legacy lives on, Mike Jackson."
Also on Friday, Game's former rap rival 50 Cent released two songs that give a nod to Michael Jackson.
"Where You Are," which takes its track directly from Jackson's 1972 hit "I Wanna Be Where You Are," features the lyrics:
"They say I ain't lyrical, they say I ain't a miracle/ I say some hard sh--, so they say I ain't spiritual …They act like they know God better than me/ I know 'God Allah,' he used to pump crack up the streets."
He goes on to vent about those in the 'hood doubting him because of his over-the-top financial status. The Southside, Queens, native then gives way to the King of Pop, and we hear Jackson's timeless vocals.
"Can it be I stayed away too long?/ Did I leave your mind when I was gone?/ It's not my thing trying to get back/ But this time let me tell you where I'm at/ You don't have to worry 'cause I'm coming/ Back to where I should have always stayed/ And now I've heard the maybe to your story/ And it's enough love for me to stay."
The rapper mentions Jackson's passing at the end of his second track released Friday morning, titled "Respect It or Check It N***a."
"Rest in peace to Michael Jackson," 50 raps. "You n***as need me, man. I might have to start moonwalking. A couple of dance moves and sh**, might be some sh** called 'Billie Jean Is My Lover.' I'm back, n***a!"
NANNY- 'I HAD TO PUMP MICHAEL'S STOMACH MANY TIMES': Grace Rwaramba says it was routine after he'd ingest drugs; but Chopra says not true.
*Grace Rwaramba, the 42-year-old nanny who cared for Michael Jackson's three children, said she routinely had to pump out the singer's stomach after he'd ingested a dangerous combination of drugs.
"I had to pump his stomach many times. He always mixed so much of it," Rwaramba tells The Times of London, referring to drugs. "There was one period that it was so bad that I didn't let the children see him," she is quoted as saying. "He always ate too little and mixed too much."
Rwaramba was introduced to Jackson more than 15 years ago by mutual friend Deepak Chopra, who ironically says some of her quotes in The Times were taken out of context.
"For the record, Grace never pumped Michael's stomach. She has no idea how she would even do such a thing," Chopra – spiritual teacher, medical doctor and Jackson's longtime friend – wrote on his Web site Sunday.
He also says of Rwaramba, "Grace is more than my best friend – I refer to her as my sister."
Having now arrived in Los Angeles from London, Rwaramba, who is originally from Rwanda, is expected to be interviewed by LAPD detectives investigating Jackson's death on Thursday, according to People.
Rwaramba at one point proposed a famliy drug invention for Michael in Vegas, and went so far as to contact his mother Katherine and sister Janet for their help with it. But when Micahel found out about her efforts, he fired her – temporarily.
"He didn't want to listen," she says, "that was one of the times he let me go."
In Jackson's employ for more than a decade, Rwaramba started as an office assistant to the pop star before becoming a nanny to his three
children: Prince, now 12; Paris, 11; and Blanket, 7. She was last fired by Michael in December, and claims that when she visited the children in April, she herself had to buy balloons for Paris's birthday, because Michael was so broke.
"Michael had no idea about money," Rwaramba says, citing a $1 million offer he received to appear in Japan. "By the time everyone took their share," she says, "he ended up with $200,000."
According to Rwaramba, on Friday, the day after Michael died, his mother Katherine called her from Michael's Holmby Hills house and asked where he kept his cash.
"She said, 'Grace, the children are crying. They are asking about you. They can't believe that their father died. Grace, you remember Michael used to hide cash at the house. I am here. Where can it be?' "
Rwaramba advised looking "at the garbage bags and under the carpets."
Then, said the former nanny, "She said, 'Grace, where are you? Come. I will pick you up from the airport.' She sounded so strong. So strong!"
MIJAC SET TO DOMINATE MUSIC CHARTS: Past albums on track to top lists in US, UK; plus memorabilia in high demand on eBay and Craigslist.
*Sales of Michael Jackson albums have hit the stratosphere since his sudden death on Thursday.
At online retail store Amazon.com, the top 15 selling albums were all by Jackson including two made with his brothers as the "Jackson 5." Nine of the top 10 selling albums at Apple's iTunes music store were from the "King of Pop" with "The Essential Michael Jackson" leading the way.
Seven of the top 10 songs being downloaded on iTunes were by the singer, with "Man in the Mirror" currently the most popular.
Jackson also topped the British album chart on Sunday with his greatest hits album "Number Ones." Several more of his albums were back in the Top 75, according to the Official Charts Company.
Here in the U.S., Billboard said Saturday that many of his albums are poised to take over next week's Billboard charts with incredible sales increases.
The albums receiving the biggest boosts -- at least on the physical side – appear to be his greatest hits packages "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson," along with the expanded reissue of "Thriller."
The sets, released between 2003 and 2008, were the three Jackson albums that perhaps had the most stock available in stores.
The three aforementioned albums, along with Jackson's classic studio sets "Off the Wall," "Bad" and "Dangerous," all will likely zoom into the upper region of Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart next week.
Initial reports of Jackson's album sales from June 25 alone indicate that one of his albums -- possibly "Number Ones" -- will easily fly to No. 1 on the chart next week. Last week, the set, which also was his top-selling album of the week, was at No. 20 on the Catalog chart with 4,000 sold.
To compare, last week's No. 1 on the Catalog chart was TobyMac's "Portable Sounds" with 9,000 copies sold. Sources say that at least one of Jackson's albums sold more than double that amount just on June 25.
Industry sources report that the demand for Jackson's albums were so high, many brick and mortar retailers quickly ran out of whatever Jackson material they had on hand on the night of his passing.
As for Michael Jackson memorabilia, more than 15,500 MiJac-related items were being offered for sale at press time Sunday at online auction house eBay.com, ranging from Web domain names at prices of one million dollars or more to copies of US newspapers featuring front-page news of his death for as little as 99 cents.
EBay's home page displays a special "Remembering the King of Pop"
category offering "Memorabilia, Music, Autographs, Records." The collectibles for direct sale or auction include Michael Jackson posters, dolls, ticket stubs, concert programs, newspapers, magazines, tote bags, pins, badges, stickers, T-shirts and other clothing.
Thousands of items of Michael Jackson memorabilia are also being offered for sale on online classifieds site Craigslist.
CONCERT MAGICIAN DISCUSSES MIJAC'S FINAL HOURS: Ed Alonzo says he 'looked fantastic.'
*Us Magazine caught up with magician Ed Alonzo, who was hired by Michael Jackson to help design some of the illusions for the singer's London shows, and was with the singer at rehearsals for his concert the day before his death on Thursday.
The entertainer, who also worked as a concert magician on Britney Spear's Circus tour, said the King of Pop seemed completely fine. "Michael was on stage performing the numbers, singing and dancing with the cast," he told the magazine. "It was a privilege to be able to watch the concert that no one will see now."
He said Jackson -- wearing a white shirt and pants -- arrived at the Staples Center in L.A. around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
"By the time that Michael came in, all we had to do was just show [the plan] to him. He was such a quick learner," he said. "He would learn this stuff in seconds. And jump right into it! The choreography, all of it... He looked fantastic."
When it was time to sing, Alonzo said Jackson mentioned a seemingly minor ailment.
"He claimed that he felt he had a little bit of laryngitis. He said 'I'm not going to sing this full-out because I have this laryngitis.' But he looked great and these pop-locking moves that he was doing on stage with the crew were just breathtaking... He didn't seem tired. He went from one move to the next. It was an unbelievable experience to be with him and to see it all come together."
Mentally, Jackson seemed completely fine.
"He was joking with the crew on stage," he said. "There was a cameraman on stage ... that was a foot away from him that was kind of crouched down and Michael said some kind of funny gesture like, ‘Oh you're very close, look how close you are.' And he reached down and touched the cameraman on the top of the head in a joking manner. You could see on the screen how big Michael's image was on these projection screens. He was playful and light-hearted."
Alonzo spent the rest of the evening watching him perform.
"I just thought, 'Wow, he still has it,'" he told Us. "When he did 'Thriller,' I was just in awe. I stayed for a while, probably until about midnight. And then they started to rehearse the 'Thriller' number with a gigantic spider on stage and I thought, 'Well, it's getting late...' Had I known, I would have stayed another half hour and watched more."
He said that Jackson, who appeared to weigh only 120 pounds despite his over-6-foot-tall frame, rehearsed with the dancers until 1 a.m.
BEYONCE, ALICIA, TIMBALAND OTHERS SALUTE MIJAC: ASCAP Awards observe moment of silence; Keys, Smokey, Gordy talk about his legacy.
*Celebrities stunned by the death of Michael Jackson continue to pay tribute to his legacy in the days following his death on Thursday.
"The reason I am here is due to Michael Jackson," Beyoncé told her concert audience Friday night at Philadelphia's Wachovia Center. In honor of the King of Pop, she sang his 1979 hit "I Can't Help It."
In Beverly Hills, the 22nd Annual ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards – honoring songwriting achievements in the R&B, soul, rap, hip-hop and gospel genres – became a total memorial to Jackson, as the audience observed a moment of silence and presenters and award-winners alike spoke of Jackson's unparalleled influence on the industry.
Winner Alicia Keys thanked Jackson for breaking "all the rules" and "inspir[ing] us all to hopefully break the rules, because we have to break the rules in order to reap the benefits."
Timbaland, who was about to work with Jackson on his scheduled London shows, spoke of feeling "down" about missing the chance to collaborate with the pop legend, but uplifted in knowing that "his music lives on."
But it was Motown founder Berry Gordy who offered the night's most touching tribute as he recalled how he spent the first surreal hours after learning of Jackson's death.
"At home last night, I was looking at some of my old pictures with him, from the early rehearsals to ones with he and my son on the baseball field as we played our weekly Gordy-Jackson baseball games," he said. "For the world, Michael's legacy will always be his music and his artistry. But for me it will be so much more. The memories of watching him grow from a mere 9-year-old kid with boundless determination and talent to become perhaps the greatest entertainer of all time – it is a bittersweet moment."
Before the show, artists – and ASCAP honoree, R&B legend Smokey Robinson – shared their fondest memories of Jackson with People.com:
• Alicia Keys: "I did meet him one time, and it was amazing. "He was just an awesome dad, great with his kids. His kids were so smart and attentive. They were there in the conversation as well. We had a great time. We threw around paper airplanes his son was making – like these really cool ones that were just brilliant. It was just beautiful to meet him. I'm glad I got the chance."
• Wyclef Jean: "He came to see me at the studio and he spent a whole hour with me," Wyclef Jean said. "We talked Haiti, we talked about Jamaica and we talked about music, and that was one of the greatest times ever in my life"
• Smokey Robinson: "He was 10 years old, and he had just come to Motown, and [Motown artist and Jackson 5 mentor] Bobby Taylor and I used to take Michael to the golf course with us. He would ride around in the cart with us and critique our golf game, and when we'd hit a bad shot, he'd laugh. I was absolutely flabbergasted when I saw how talented he was when he was 10 years old. He was 10, but he was 30! He sang like he was 30, he danced like he was 30. He was awesome."
WHAT ABOUT MICHAEL'S KIDS?: TMZ says they want to live with grandma Katherine; mother of oldest two has legal parental rights.
*Entertainment columnist Roger Friedman is reporting that Michael Jackson’s final will was drawn up in 2002, and contains his wishes for the disposition of his assets and the appointment of guardians for his children
"The word is that Jackson’s longtime attorney and adviser John Branca, the man who kept Jackson out of many calamities in the 1980s and 90s, is the executor," Friedman wrote in his Friday column, adding that Branca may share the contents of the will with the people named in it sometime during the weekend.
Perhaps the most pressing issue to be addressed is the matter of Jackson's three children – 12-year-old Michael Joseph, Jr., 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine and 7-year-old Prince "Blanket" Michael II.
Debbie Rowe is the biological mother of the two oldest, and as their legal parent can gain custody of them if she chooses, according to her former attorney, Iris Finsilver.
During the custody fight between Rowe and Jackson in 2005, Rowe sought to give up her parental rights, and lauded Michael as a good father.
Retired Judge Stephen Lachs, who presided over the hearing, at first agreed to terminate them, but then Lachs changed his mind and returned the rights to her. (Blanket's mother has yet to be identified.)
TMZ.com is quoting sources close to the Jackson family who say none of the kids have a relationship with Debbie Rowe, and all three want to stay with their grandparents, specifically Katherine, at the family's Encino home.
"We're told the family is 100 percent behind this -- feeling that Katherine and Joe Jackson are the only people who can help the children understand who their father was, help them grieve, and teach them to deal with life in the spotlight," TMZ reported.
"Katherine is the logical choice – she has all the grandkids and nieces around her but it will be up to the courts," Michael's former lawyer Brian Oxman tells People.com. "I wouldn't be surprised if there are more proceedings regarding the children."
As previously reported, a source close to the family tells TMZ if Debbie Rowe reaches out to them, and wants to see her kids, they won't stand in the way.
DEEPAK CHOPRA SAYS MIJAC HAD LUPUS: Spiritual adviser says disease may have caused his vitiligo.
*Spiritual adviser and medical doctor Deepak Chopra says his longtime friend Michael Jackson, who died on Thursday after a cardiac arrest, suffered from the autoimmune disease lupus in addition to the skin disorder vitiligo for many years.
Chopra told People.com: "There's some recent research that suggests that if children have experienced either physical or verbal, mental, emotional or sexual abuse, then 20, 30 years later they can develop these autoimmune diseases including lupus."
He adds, "Michael, he was never sexually abused but according to him, he was traumatized verbally and physically in his childhood, and it was a big issue with him."
Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body, and Chopra said it can also cause skin discoloration known as vitiligo. "He had a lot of blotches on his skin, huge white patches all over his body. So he would cover up his body and that of course gave food for fodder to the press," Chopra says.
Chopra's son, Gotham, who was also close to Jackson, said the singer was bothered more by the skin disorder than the lupus that may have caused it.
"It was very disturbing to him that people thought he always wanted to be white and he was bleaching his skin. [But] he identified as being a black person and so it was troubling to him that everyone thought that he was a hater of his own race," Gotham explains. "And the lupus, why he didn't just come out more clearly and say that was the problem, I'm not sure. But I know it was something that bothered him a lot."
JACKSON FAM TRIED INTERVENTION ON MICHAEL: Source says family blamed a MiJac aide for fueling singer's prescription drug addiction.
*People magazine is quoting a source close to Michael Jackson's family who says they had been trying to deal with the singer's escalating dependence on prescription drugs since at least 2006, the year they staged an intervention.
"The family believes Michael is addicted," a family insider told People.com at the time. "There was an intervention in Las Vegas. Janet was on the phone, but Randy, Jackie and Rebbie were there in person," the source said, referring to several of Michael's eight siblings.
"Michael got pissed off. He said he wasn't on drugs. But they didn't believe him."
At the time of the Vegas intervention, another source close to the family blamed a Jackson aide for supplying him with drugs from prescriptions acquired from multiple doctors.
After Jackson's death Thursday, family attorney Brian Oxman and Jackson's longtime friend Deepak Chopra, in separate interviews, raised the possibility that the late singer's drug abuse remained a critical factor in his life.
"If you think that the case of Anna Nicole Smith was an abuse, it is nothing in comparison to what we have seen in Michael Jackson's life," Oxman told CNN.
Sources close to the singer’s entourage tell Britain's The Sun that he was injected three times a day with Demerol - the potent painkiller given to him before his collapse at home in LA on Thursday.
The source also said he was taking the painkiller Dilaudid and had recently been prescribed yet another narcotic pain reliever, Vicodin. His other drugs included muscle relaxant Soma, a sedative called Xanax and anti-depressant Zoloft. He also took Paxil for anxiety and heartburn pill Prilosec.
Los Angeles County Coroner Craig Harvey has ruled out foul play in Jackson's death. But he would not comment on specific drugs taken by the entertainer until the results of tests in four to six weeks.
MIJAC'S PERSONAL DOC SAYS HE'S NOT A SUSPECT: Dr. Conrad Murray, at singer's side when he died, says he was questioned and cleared.
*A rep for the doctor who was with Michael Jackson when he collapsed and died on Thursday says he is not considered a suspect following a three-hour meeting with police.
Miranda Sevcik, a spokeswoman for Dr. Conrad Murray, said in a statement Saturday night that the doctor met with police to "clarify some inconsistencies," reports the Associated Press. The statement also says investigators believe "the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness."
Police said Murray was cooperative during questioning, and that his attorney "answered every and all questions." Police also said Murray will continue to cooperate with the investigation.
Murray was with Jackson when the singer stopped breathing Thursday, and reportedly performed CPR until paramedics arrived.
Another personal doctor to Jackson, Tohme R. Tohme, was reportedly questioned at the hospital as well.
FULL REFUNDS FOR MIJAC LONDON TICKETS: AEG Live offers 'deepest condolences'
to family, promises refund instructions shortly.
*AEG Live, the group behind Michael Jackson's scheduled 50-date concert run in London, expressed its condolences to the late singer's family on Friday and said all tickets would be refunded.
"On behalf of the entire AEG organization, we extend our deepest condolences to Michael Jackson's family and friends during this tragic time," the company stated. "Full ticket refund information and procedures will be released next week for all Michael Jackson 'This Is It' shows. Fans are advised to hold onto their ticket vouchers/proof of purchase."
AEG Live had scheduled 50 Jackson concerts at London's O2 Arena beginning on July 13, with an estimated 750,000 tickets sold at a price of 50-70 pounds ($80-$110) per ticket. Estimates have put AEG's overall refund bill at about $85 million.
Those who bought tickets from secondary sites such as Seatwave and Viagogo should also get a refund, although the picture is less clear for those who bought from private sellers on the likes of eBay.
AEG Live had already invested $20 million in Jackson's hi-tech sets and now has the added worry of filling the dates previously occupied by the concerts. One idea already being floated is an all-star tribute concert to Jackson at the 02 Arena sometime in July as a way for AEG to recoup some of their costs.
There were reports that Madonna was being mentioned as a possible performer for the proposed tribute, but AEG execs refused to confirm or deny those plans.
MIJAC ITEMS SELL BIG IN FRIDAY AUCTION: June 26 sale was planned before singer's death the day before.
*Michael Jackson memorabilia that hit the auction block less than 24 hours after his death took in $205,000, exceeding original estimates of $10,000 to $12,000, reports Bloomberg.net.
The June 26 auction was planned before the entertainer’s death on Thursday, by Julien's Auctions, the same company that planned an April sale of about 2,000 items owned by Jackson before a lawsuit scuttled that effort.
Friday's auction included a sheer, long-sleeve shirt worn on his 1984 “Victory” tour and a handwritten letter, according to Darren Julien, chief executive officer of the West Hollywood, California-based auction house.
“Michael was highly collectible in the first place,” Julien told the Web site. “We actually contemplated pulling the lots after his death. We didn’t want anyone to think we were taking advantage of the situation, but a fan told us, we need to celebrate Michael’s life.”
The custom long-sleeve shirt was expected to sell for $1,000 to $1,500, but fetched $52,500, Julien’s said. It has a white spandex lining and is completely covered in small pearls on one side and a combination of pearls and Swarovski crystal on the other. It was created by designer Bill Whitten and was once part of the collection of David Gest, former husband of Liza Minnelli, according to the auction house.
The handwritten letter had a presale estimate of $200 to $300 and sold for $12,500, the company said. Other items included a pencil drawing of a boy by Jackson, the company said previously.
Other Jackson items sold include an acrylic on cardboard painting of Mickey Mouse conducting Pluto singing, Julien’s said. The board is signed in the lower right, first in black paint “Michael Jackson” and then in white paint “Mike Jackson” over the first signature, the company said. The painting, measuring 25.5 inches by 19.5 inches, had been estimated by Julien’s to sell for $1,000 to $1,500 and ultimately went for $25,000.
A copy of a Motown Records LP produced to coincide with the Jackson 5’s September 1971 “Goin’ Back to Indiana” prime-time ABC-TV special sold for $33,750, compared with the Julien’s estimate of $400 to $600. It is signed in black permanent pen by Tito, Marlon, Jackie, Michael, and Jermaine Jackson, who are all featured on the cover, the auctioneer said. The album also includes the signature of Randy Jackson, who officially joined the band when he replaced Jermaine in the 1970s, Julien’s said.
SIRIUS/XM MIJAC TRIBUTE CHANNEL ENDS TONIGHT: Quincy Jones to discuss 'Thriller' and 'Off the Wall' track by track.
*SIRIUS XM Radio launched The Michael Jackson Tribute Channel on Saturday at 12:01 am ET, dedicated to the King of Pop's extensive musical career.
It will air through tonight, June 29 at 11:59 pm ET on Heart & Soul, SIRIUS channel 51 and XM channel 62.
With Quincy Jones as the channel's Executive Advisor, content programming includes Jackson's solo work, as well as recordings from The Jackson 5, interviews and stories from other artists and more. In addition, Jones will discuss two Jackson albums he produced – "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" – taking listeners track by track in a special program set to air Monday at 9 p.m. ET.
The Quincy Jones special will also air on Tuesday, June 30 at 3 p.m.
ET, Wednesday, July 1 at 9 a.m. ET and Thursday, July 2 at 9 p.m. ET on Heart & Soul, SIRIUS channel 51 and XM channel 62.
NAOMI CAMPBELL REMEMBERS MIJAC: Supermodel starred with King of Pop in his
1991 video 'In the Closet.'
*British supermodel Naomi Campbell, who played Michael Jackson's love interest in his 1991 music video "In the Closet," said she was devastated to hear of his death on Thursday and is calling the pop icon an "all time great."
"I grew up with Michael Jackson, he was a good friend and the most exciting and innovative entertainer to have lived," she tells Vibe.com. "No artist has connected to their audience like Michael and no one will ever be able to match what he has achieved. He gave back to people through his charity work and was an amazing father and human being.
"Michael touched people of every race, nationality, age and was the first truly global superstar. He is one of the all-time greats and his role in popular culture will never be surpassed and never ever be forgotten.
"The video is smoldering in its simplicity, and is devoid of the special effects and super-embellished wardrobe that had become his trademark, showcasing a new confidence in Michael, his hair pulled off his face in a simple straight ponytail.
"This confidence to be able to simplify and step away from what people expected from him struck a particular chord with me, at the time a young woman growing up in London, and it is something I hold true to this day. Thank you, Michael."
CONGRESS HAS MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR MIJAC: Plus, President Obama writes letter to the family expressing condolences.
*The House of Representatives on Friday – initiated by members of the Congressional Black Caucus – observed a moment of silence to mourn the death of Michael Jackson.
Reps. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) said a few words about Jackson before calling on the Congress to rise and honor his memory.
"Madam Speaker, if there is a God — and I believe there is — and that God distributes grace and mercy and talent to all his children, on Aug. 29, 1958, he touched Gary, Ind.," said Jackson.
Jackson said the singer's "heart couldn't get any bigger," adding: "I come to the floor today on behalf of a generation to thank God for living in his era."
Across town at the White House, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked how President Obama reacted to Jackson's passing.
"Look, he said to me that obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer, a music icon," Gibbs told reporters. "I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary."
"But the president also said, you know, look, he had aspects of his life [that] were sad and tragic," Gibbs continued.
He added that the president's "condolences went out to the Jackson family and to fans that mourn his loss."
Many fans are wondering why the president hasn't issued a formal statement about the loss of Jackson. Gibbs hinted to reporters during Friday's briefing that Obama prepared to comment on Jackson’s death had he been asked about it earlier at the news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But no one asked, so Gibbs said he asked the president himself.
“I asked the president what he thought about it today, and as his spokesman, passed that along to you,” explained Gibbs.
White House adviser David Axelrod on "Meet the Press" Sunday said President Obama has "written the family and shared his feelings with the family. He felt that was the appropriate way to go."
CBS' White House correspondent Mark Knoller wrote a piece that further examines the way President Obama has handled Jackson's death. Click here.
(http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/26/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry511
7497.shtml)
WILL JANET REMAIN IN PERRY'S 'MARRIED' SEQUEL?: Announcement of her casting was released just hours before Michael's death.
*At about midday Thursday, it was announced that Janet Jackson had signed on to reprise her role in Tyler Perry's comedy sequel "Why Did I Get Married Too," again paying a successful author/psychologist who's quick to analyze other's relationship woes rather than deal with her own.
However, the passing of her brother Michael hours later may impact Janet's involvement in the film, as well as any other projects she had scheduled for the near future.
The singer flew to Los Angeles from a shoot in London to be with her family, according to her management. She arrived Saturday and drove directly to her brother's Holmby Homes estate Saturday in a Bentley and wearing dark glasses. At the time, about eight movers had taken dollies and packing equipment through the gates, reportedly to move the kids' belongings to the family home in Encino.
"Married Too" has a release date of April 2, 2010. Because Perry's films usually go into production quickly, the shoot is likely to begin in late summer – which may be too soon for Janet. So far, the actress and Perry himself are the only returning cast members who have been announced.
MIJAC-RELATED SCENE CUT FROM 'BRUNO': Universal decides to remove character's interview with unsuspecting LaToya.
*Jackson's sudden death on Thursday prompted a series of discussions at Universal Pictures that resulted in the studio cutting a Jackson-related sketch from "Bruno" only hours before its Los Angeles premiere.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the studio removed a scene in which Bruno, the flamboyant Austrian journalist played by Sacha Baron Cohen, interviews an unsuspecting LaToya Jackson about a number of topics, including her famous brother.
Among the gags is a joke about the King of Pop's high-pitched voice, as well as a reference to his trademark white glove, all done in Baron Cohen's characteristically absurdist tone.
The scene played at press screenings earlier in the week, where it did not stand out as unusually outrageous in the context of Baron Cohen's other antics. But after Jackson's death on Thursday, the studio and filmmakers decided to remove the scene for the premiere screening out of sensitivity to the Jackson family.
On Friday, the studio announced that the scene would also be cut out of the theatrical version of the movie, and said removing it won't be expensive because the prints have not yet been made or shipped.
The film now cuts directly from Baron Cohen's gonzo interview with Paula Abdul to a focus-group for his faux reality show.
LIZ TAYLOR 'MY HEART AND MIND ARE BROKEN': Michael Jackson's dear friend releases statement on his passing.
*Elizabeth Taylor says she is still in shock over the death of her close friend Michael Jackson.
"My heart … my mind are broken. I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him," Taylor, 77, said in a statement Friday.
"We had so much in common and we had such loving fun together."
Taylor says she was looking forward to attending Jackson's concert run at London's O2 arena in July. "I was packing up my clothes to go to London for his opening when I heard the news. I still can't believe it," she says. "I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
The legendary actress, who supported Jackson through the good times as well as the difficult ones – including when he faced allegations of child molestation – says her friend "will live in my heart forever, but it's not enough. My life feels so empty."
"I don't think anyone knew how much we loved each other. The purest, most giving love I've ever known. Oh God! I'm going to miss him. I can't yet imagine life with out him.
"I guess with God’s help ... I'll learn. I keep looking at the photo he gave me of himself, which says, 'To my true love Elizabeth, I love you forever.' And, I will love HIM forever."
MIJAC BITS: Paula on 'SYTYCD?'; 'American Idol' reruns Michael week; special edition of Time; Dodgers Stadium fireworks; landlord Audigier mourns; Grammy Museum; Filipino inmates.
*"American Idol" judge Paula Abdul may soon choreograph a Michael Jackson night on Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance." The former dancer – who choreographed one of Jackson's tours, was sent the informal request on Saturday via Twitter. "SYTYCD" producer Nigel Lythgoe tweeted, "People please use Twitter-Power. Ask @PaulaAbdul to choreograph a Michael Jackson tribute on SYTYCD." Paula tweeted back, "Have your people call my people and let's do it lol."
*Meanwhile, "Idol" will rerun its two-hour Michael Jackson-themed top
13 performance episode tonight at 8 p.m., marking the first time in the show's eight-year history that it has repeated a broadcast. The original episode aired on March 10 with each of the 13 finalists performing a song from the King of Pop's extensive catalog. Eventual winner Kris Allen sang "Remember the Time" and runner-up Adam Lambert did a rousing rendition of "Black or White."
*Time has published a special commemorative issue on Michael Jackson to hit newsstands today for $5.99 (and to be available in addition to the magazine's regular edition). The issue contains interviews with John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Sheryl Crow, Tina Turner, Nancy Reagan, Lenny Kravitz and others speaking about the late pop star. The Jackson issue is the first such commemorative special from Time since its 9/11 edition in 2001.
*Michael Jackson was remembered at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night in their regular Friday night fireworks display, which was accompanied for the first time by a medley of his greatest hits – including "Beat It," "Thriller," "P.Y.T." and "I Want You Back." Also, tributes from stars like Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Britney Spears, Alyssa Milano and Diddy were posted on the scoreboard.
*Jackson's landlord and close friend Christian Audigier, the clothing designer who rented Jackson his Holmby Hills mansion after he moved out of Neverland Ranch and was in need of a place to live, admits the star's sudden death has hit him hard. “I am deeply affected by Michael’s passing," he tells WENN. "Michael was a giant in the entertainment industry and is leaving a great musical legacy for us. He will be greatly missed.” The pair met at Audigier's 50th birthday party in May 2008.
*The Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles (800 W Olympic Blvd, 3rd
Floor) is presenting the redesigned “Michael Jackson: HIStyle” exhibit, which displays many of the signature items of Jackson’s wardrobe such as the white suit worn on the cover of "Thriller," music’s best-selling album of all time.
*The Filipino inmates famous for their elaborate Michael Jackson dance routines have recorded another tribute in the wake of his passing.
The prisoners at the Cebu Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the central Philippines present the following number:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK25cfzdTTg&feature=player_embedded
'JENA 6' CASE ENDS WITH PLEA DEAL: Five of the six avoid jail by pleading no contest to simple battery.
*Five members of the Jena Six avoided jail time on Friday after pleading no contest to misdemeanor simple battery, ending a case that thrust the small Louisiana town into the national spotlight and sparked a massive civil rights demonstration.
The five were sentenced to seven days unsupervised probation and fined $500, according to the Associated Press. It was a far less severe end to their cases than seemed possible when the six students were initially charged with attempted murder in the 2006 attack on Justin Barker, a white classmate. They became known as the "Jena Six," after the central Louisiana town where the beating happened.
As part of the deal, one of the attorneys read a statement from the five defendants — all of whom are black — in which they said they knew of nothing Barker had done to provoke the attack.
"To be clear, not one of us heard Justin use any slur or say anything that justified Mychal Bell attacking Justin nor did any of us see Justin do anything that would cause Mychal to react," the statement said.
The statement also expressed sympathy for Barker and his family, and acknowledged the past 2 1/2 years had "caused Justin and his parents tremendous pain and suffering, much of which has gone unrecognized."
By pleading no contest, the five do not admit guilt but acknowledge prosecutors had enough evidence for a conviction.
Charges against Carwin Jones, Jesse Ray Beard, Robert Bailey Jr., Bryant Purvis and Theo Shaw had previously been reduced from attempted murder to aggravated second-degree battery. All but Shaw were assessed $500 in court costs. The judge did not tack that punishment on to Shaw's case because he stayed in jail for almost seven months, unable to raise bail, following his initial arrest.
Each paid the fine and court costs immediately. The payment of restitution to Barker was also part of the deal, but the amount was not released.
The only member of the group to serve jail time was Bell, who pleaded guilty in December 2007 to second-degree battery and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.
EUR FILM REVIEW: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Special Effects Overshadow Cast in Bay’s Bigger-Budgeted Sequel
Film Review by Kam Williams
*This summer blockbuster has hit written all over it, given that Michael Bay freely admits that he makes movies aimed at teenaged boys.
At the very least, his testosterone-sodden spectacular won’t disappoint that targeted demographic either in terms of its eye-popping special f/x or its gratuitous displays of appealing eye candy.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen generally amounts to a worthy sequel for several reasons. First of all, Bay has upped the ante (increasing the budget from $150 to $200 million) in terms of all the bombastic bells and whistles which have become his trademark. The explosions have become bigger, the locales more exotic, the morphing machines more imaginative.
Of equal importance is the fact that he brought back all of the principals, including Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, John Turturro, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Kevin Dunn and Julie White. For it’s the task of the human cast members to give the audience a reason to care about an otherwise impersonal showdown between sentient robots from the planet Cybertron: the good Autobots and their evil adversaries, the Decepticons.
At the point of departure, we find Sam Witwicky (LaBouef) headed east for a normal life at college, but regretting having to leave his girlfriend Mikaela (Fox) behind. But not long after meeting his new roommate, Leo (Ramon Rodriguez), an alien conspiracy buff, our unassuming hero already finds himself being pursued by Alice (Isabel Lucas), an ardent admirer who might be after something other than his bod.
Soon, Mikaela shows up and catches her boyfriend in a compromising position, but not to worry. Turns out Alice is just a Decepticon who is after the shard of the “All Spark,” the precious Transformer lifeblood that Sam had inadvertently brought with him to campus. This confrontation kickstarts a globetrotting adventure during which Sam, Mikaela and Leo team with both Autobots and the U.S. military. .
Since the pyrotechnics and CGI are givens in an action-driven saga such as this, what makes Transformers 2 work, mostly for better, but sometimes for worse, are its humorous asides. Early on, a lot of these arrive courtesy of Sam’s loudmouthed mom (White) who accidentally ingests Marijuana-laced brownies. Later, however, the jokes turn troubling when we’re introduced to Skids and Mudflap, a couple of twin robots who resemble apes.
Not only do these African-American-voiced characters played by a white actor (Tom Kenny) speak street jive, but they boast about being unable to read and one sports a gold tooth. Because they are aliens and not technically black people, perhaps it is an overreaction to complain about what appears to be a case of modern minstrelsy.
Regardless, Revenge of the Fallen earns hig marks as a high-octane, 2½ hour diversion certain to stimulate, titillate and satiate the blood and other lusts of the raging-hormone set.
Very Good (3 stars)
Rated PG-13 for violence, profanity, crude behavior, sexuality and brief drug use.
Running time: 150 minutes
Studi Paramount Pictures
To see a trailer for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb2fUOW1ne4
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change." – Michael Jackson "Man in the Mirror" (written by Siedah Garrett)
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
June 29: Singer Stedman Pearson of Five Star is 45Rapper DJ Shadow is 37. Singer Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Dolls is 31.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
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BLACK HISTORY
June 29, 1970: NAACP chairman Stephen Gill Spottswood told the NAACP convention that the Nixon administration was "anti-Negro" and was pressing "a calculated policy" inimical to "the needs and aspirations of the large majority" of citizens. (source: www.BlackFacts.com)