I find it SO INTERESTING that Omer Bhatti is still hanging around the legitimate MJ kids … so many months after MJ’s death. I understand that Omer has been in SoCal since MJ’s untimely death in June and has been treated just like one of MJ’s kids ever since. I’ve been pretty convinced for some time now that Omer is actually MJ’s child … this only solidifies that belief. It’s just a shame that MJ wasn’t able to claim and spend as much time with Omer as he did with his other children when he was alive. At least now, all of MJ’s kids can be together at all times from here on out. He really has become a bona fide member of the Jackson family.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin]

Not only is it great to see the kids spending time with Liz Taylor (who MJ loved dearly in life) but it’s pretty fantastic to see Liz out and about so soon after her recent hospitalization. That woman is amazing … so wonderful to see her out and about. Obvs, she did not ride any of the rides with the kiddies but she was there to share the night with them … something I’m sure MJ appreciated very much wherever in the ethos he is right now. MJ’s kids may enjoy a happy Hallowe’en after all, despite their painful loss. It really looks like they have a great support system taking care of them … let’s just hope the exploitative people who have access to them are kept at bay. Don’t they all look great?

[Photo credit: Splash News]

The Jacksons are at odds over the inclusion of Michael Jackson’s three children in an upcoming A&E reality show about the famous family, Us Weekly reports in its latest issue (on newsstands now). A source tells Us Weekly the buzzed-about program will include Michael’s kids — Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7 — though not everyone’s happy about it. Eldest sister Rebbie, 59, who has refused to be in the series (called The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty, tentatively set to air in December), “feels Michael would spin in his grave if he knew his kids would be on this show.” While Janet, 43, is on board, mom Katherine “is just going along with things,” the source continues. Still, one of the creators of the program — which will be either five one-hour episodes or 10 half-hour episodes — says the family shines on the series. “We have 23 cast members with the last name Jackson,” executive producer Jodi Gomes tells Us Weekly. “They’ve done a great job opening up about losing a brother.” (A Jackson family rep couldn’t be reached.)

The only part of this story that makes me believe it is not true is the bit about Janet Jackson being “on board” with featuring the children on the TV show. I refuse to believe that she would agree with the decision to exploit the children in this way. But, truth be told, I can absolutely believe that the rest of the family (Rebbie Jackson excluded) are more than happy to exploit the children in this way … if those kids are on the show, the ratings will be much higher — guaranteed. I, personally, am seriously disgusted by more decisions made by the Jackson family … but this takes the cake. If this report turns out to be true and they do decide to use these children to promote their reality TV series then I suggest they change the titled of the show from The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty to The Jacksons: A Nasty Family. They get a HUGE poop sandwich from me!! :(

UPDATE: TMZ is reporting that Katherine Jackson, the guardian of MJ’s children, insists that the kids will NOT be featured in The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty:

Katherine tells TMZ Michael would never want his kids to appear on TV, much less on a reality show. She says her son went to great lengths to protect the kids from TV cameras, often shielding them with masks. There are reports A&E’s Jackson reality show will include MJ’s 3 kids. Katherine, who is the legal guardian of the kids and ultimately makes the decision, tells us it will NOT happen.

I really hope this is true … I would never put anything past the Jacksons. I’ll believe it when I DON’T see them on the show.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

Less than four months after the death of their father, Michael Jackson’s three children are learning to smile again. Currently living with their grandmother Katherine Jackson and a host of cousins at the Jackson family compound in Encino, California, the three youngsters are experiencing a whole new life. While Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, seven, are still gradually coming to terms with the singer’s sudden death, their family have been making sure they are kept occupied. n contrast to their days with their father, where they wore masks and scarves to cover their faces, the kids are experiencing a lot more freedom. The three children were spotted on a family day out to a local karate class in Los Angeles yesterday, where they were joined by their young cousins, family friend Omer Bhatti and bodyguards. Following Michael’s death, reports claimed 25-year-old dancer Omer was the singer’s biological son. While Omer is yet to confirm if he is related to Jackson, he has certainly been treated like one of the family. Omer sat front row with the Jackson family at the singer’s memorial concert in July and has frequently been spotted with Jackson’s children. Picking up the children after their martial arts session was nanny Grace Rwaramba, 42, who has been reinstated in their lives following Jackson’s death … Meanwhile, a Los Angeles court said last week the children were ‘doing wonderfully with their grandmother guardian’. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff said he was ‘very pleased’ with an report on the children’s progress as they adjust to life without their father. Since she was awarded custody of Prince, Paris and Blanket in August, Katherine has been paid a monthly allowance of £37,600 from her son’s estate.

These are great photos … it is SO nice to see MJ’s kids living a relatively normal life. I always felt so bad for the kids when we’d see them out and about wearing masks and other head coverings meant to hide their identities. I’m sure MJ took those precautions out of concern for his children but kids need to thrive and grow. They look so happy … it’s great that they are adjusting to their new lives in, what looks to be, a nice and normal fashion.

[Photo credit: Matrix; Source]

Michael Jackson’s family and about 200 of their closest friends gathered on a hill Thursday evening for their final farewell to the pop singer, who died 10 weeks ago. Jackson’s burial may lay to rest some of the mystery and controversy that erupted with his sudden death on June 25. His large family was divided over where the superstar’s final resting place should be, but matriarch Katherine Jackson settled on a crypt inside the well-guarded and ornate Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California. Thursday’s service began 90 minutes past the announced start time, leaving dozens of celebrities — including Elizabeth Taylor — waiting in their seats for the 26 cars carrying the Jackson clan to arrive. It began with Jackson’s five brothers — each wearing a single sequined glove — carrying his flower-covered bronze casket onto the outdoor stage among six large bouquets of white lilies and white roses, along with green topiaries. His three children, led by daughter, Paris, 11, placed a crown atop their father’s coffin, which a family spokesman said it was “to signify the final resting place of the King of Pop.” Jackson’s children, parents and siblings took their seats in the front row, while his nieces and nephews filled several rows of white chairs behind them.

After an opening prayer by Pastor Lucius Smith, soul music legend Gladys Knight sang the gospel hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” Clifton Davis sang “Never Can Say Goodbye,” a hit he wrote for The Jackson 5 — the group that featured a young Michael and his brothers. What was said by Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, and others who took the lectern is not publicly known, because the family barred news cameras from the ceremony. A family statement issued afterward said close friends and family, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, spoke “spontaneously to celebrate Michael’s life.” News helicopters hovering above captured video from a distance, but without sound. Lisa Marie Presley, one of Jackson’s former wives and the daughter of Elvis, attended the service, according to the family statement. It did not mention Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s second wife and the mother of his two oldest children. Macaulay Culkin, the “Home Alone” actor who spent time with Jackson during his Neverland Ranch days, was there with his girlfriend, actress Mila Kunis. Actors Corey Feldman and Chris Tucker were also seen arriving for the service. Motown founder Berry Gordy, who gave Jackson and his brothers their first big record deal, and Quincy Jones, who produced Jackson’s “Thriller” album, were there. Music producer Teddy Riley, who helped with Jackson’s 1991 “Dangerous” album, attended. The guest list included TV executive Suzanne de Passe, who produced a miniseries about Jackson’s family, and Kenny Ortega, who was producing Jackson’s comeback show. Thomas Mesereau, the lawyer who successfully defended Jackson in a child molestation trial, sat just behind the Jackson family. When the hour-long service ended, his brothers lifted Jackson’s casket for a final time to carry him inside the Great Mausoleum, where he was placed in his crypt at 9:43 p.m. PT (12:34 a.m. ET Friday). The family statement said it was “his final resting place.” The family and friends then drove to an Italian restaurant eight miles away, in Pasadena, California, for “a time of celebration.”

I watched most of the service as it aired live on CNN last night and found it a much more pared down service compared to the lavish service that took place at the Staples Center last July. I have to admit, I found the placing of the crown on the casket a bit odd but, that seems pretty de rigeur for any service honoring the memory of Michael Jackson. After all these weeks and months, tho, Michael Jackson is finally laid to rest … where he belongs.

[Photo credit: Getty; Source]

There may be conflicting opinions over whether Omer Bhatti really is Michael Jackson’s secret fourth child, but he certainly looked like part of the family as he enjoyed a shopping trip with the singer’s other sons in Santa Monica yesterday. The 25-year-old dancer, who was dressed in a bright yellow T-shirt, jeans, hi-top Nike trainers and a baseball cap, joined Prince Michael, 12, and long-haired Blanket, seven, on a trip to a book store. With another friend and minder in tow, the group looked in good spirits as they headed home after their outing. Prince Michael and Blanket were free of the masks their father always insisted they wore on public outings and both were dressed like average boys in shorts and T-shirts. Jackson’s father Joe insists Bhatti is the King Of Pop’s child, saying last month: ‘I knew Michael had another son – yes, I did. ‘He looks like a Jackson, he acts like a Jackson and he can dance like a Jackson. This boy’s a fantastic dancer – as a matter of fact, he teaches dance.’ According to reports, Michael told friends in 2004 that Bhatti was his son from a one-night stand. Bhatti attended Michael’s memorial service and has been staying with the Jacksons ever since. He is said to be planning a DNA test. However several other sources say that claims Bhatti is Jackson’s biological son are inaccurate. Several insiders, including musician and Jackson friend Ricky Harlow, say Jackson took him under his wing after they met in Europe in the mid-1990s, when Bhatti was around 11. ‘They had a father-and-son type of connection,’ Harlow told America’s People magazine, ‘but I never thought he was his biological father.

I dunno y’all … Omer Bhatti seems to have been as close to MJ as his own children, it only makes it seem even more likely that there is some familial relationship there. Whatever the case may be, it’s really great seeing MJ’s kids look so normal … and happy. They’ve only just lost their father less than 2 months ago … so it’s really fantastic seeing them look so happy. Whether Omer is their big blood brother or not, it’s clear that he is very close to the young Jacksons nonetheless.

[Source]

Michael Jackson’s mother will get custody of the late pop star’s three children after reaching a agreement with her son’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe, a lawyer for Katherine Jackson told CBS News on Thursday. Rowe will have “meaningful visitation rights” with her two biological children with Jackson — Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11 — U.S. television networks CBS, ABC and NBC reported. The biological mother of Jackson’s third child, Prince Michael II, 7, also known as Blanket, has never been revealed. Jackson’s mother, Katherine, 79, was granted temporary custody of the children after his death on June 25. “It’s an agreement, an agreement for the best interests of the children. This is not a money deal. This is not about money,” Londell McMillan, Katherine Jackson’s attorney, said in a an interview on CBS News’ “The Early Show.” “All of the parties are resolved. There is no situation better for these children than for them to be raised and reared in the loving care of Mrs. Katherine Jackson,” he said. A court hearing in Los Angeles on custody of the children is scheduled for Monday. Jackson said in his 2002 will he wanted his mother to care for the children if he died. The “Thriller” singer left his estate, valued at $500 million in an attachment to his will, to a family trust that benefits his children, his mother and charities. “That estate is worth, in my estimation, a couple of billion dollars,” McMillan said, referring to the value of the estate if it achieves its potential earnings. “You hear $500 million. Don’t buy it.” The coroner’s report on the cause of the singer’s death is still awaiting toxicology and other test results. His burial arrangements have not been announced.

Sounds like a good deal to me … the kids get to stay with the only mother figure they’ve ever known and their biological mother gets to check in on them from time to time to ensure that they are being taken care of. I’m most pleased with the fact that Rowe wanted no monetary settlement as part of the deal (tho, the cynic in me isn’t totally convinced — Katherine’s lawyer says, “This is not about money”, but that doesn’t expressly mean that money isn’t involved in secret — but I’ll give Rowe the benefit of the doubt). My concern is that at 79 (going on 80) years, Katherine will not be able to care for the children for as long as Debbie might … but something tells me that Debbie doesn’t really want to be a full-time mom anyways. We learned last week that the eldest Jackson sibling, Rebbie Jackson, will be the one to actually care for the children and help raise them … she sounds like the best option of all. Altho the homicide investigation into MJ’s death has yet to be completed and the toxicology report from his autopsy has been released, at least we can take comfort in the fact that matter of custody of his children has been settled in a fair and equitable manner. On that account, MJ can finally rest in peace.

[Photo credit: Getty; Source]

His was a tumultuous life and a chaotic death, but Michael Jackson’s funeral and memorial Tuesday were orderly and celebratory, moving and bittersweet, as family, friends and fans around the world joined in lamenting the loss of the King of Pop. It was one of the most-watched celebrity sendoffs in history, telecast across multiple channels and streamed across the Internet. But the predicted traffic and crowd-control nightmares did not materialize. Thousands of police officers helped keep the ticketless crowd to a minimum — about 1,000 people vs. the 250,000 feared — and the motorcade with Jackson’s hearse encountered few problems traveling blocked-off freeways to downtown. The goodbye to Jackson started early with a private service for family and close friends at Forest Lawn in the Hollywood Hills. (A crash was heard as drivers slowed to watch the procession leave the cemetery). A star-crowded memorial program followed, at the downtown Staples Center, that was spiritual, smoothly entertaining and jubilantly roof-raising as Jackson was hailed as a superstar and humanitarian. “The King of Pop has gone to meet the King of Kings,” intoned the Rev. Lucious Smith, pastor of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena. It was a day filled with touching moments, perhaps the most poignant when Jackson’s daughter, Paris, 11, took the microphone. “I just want to say ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much,” she said, breaking into tears. That followed two hours of farewell tributes from musicians, athletes and friends of Michael Joseph Jackson, who died suddenly June 25 at age 50. The crowd of 20,000 was alternately reverent and boisterous. They watched in solemn silence as the likes of Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Mariah Carey sang sweetly, and older brother Jermaine crooned Smile, the theme from Charlie Chaplin’s classic film Modern Times. Usher sang Jackson’s sadly prescient Gone Too Soon as he caressed the golden casket spotlighted in front of the stage and draped in flowers. But when Kobe Bryant walked in, many jumped to their feet and started cheering and taking pictures; some reached over for high-fives. They cheered loud approval for the Rev. Al Sharpton’s fiery eulogy and laughed at a story Magic Johnson told about fried chicken. And they snapped photos with phones and rained shout-outs of “I love you, Michael!” during lulls … Other celebrities in the crowd: Cicely Tyson; P. Diddy; Rick, Kathy and Nicky Hilton; Lil Kim; Chris Brown; and Tatum O’Neal. Diana Ross and Nelson Mandela sent messages. Also absent: Jackson’s longtime pal Elizabeth Taylor, who said in a Twitter post she couldn’t bear to be part of the public hoopla, and Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s ex-wife and mother of Jackson’s two oldest children. Outside the Staples Center, the mood was festive. Vendors hawked T-shirts, buttons, photos and other memorabilia … As the memorial service ended, Jackson’s three children and eight siblings — his brothers were all wearing one beaded white glove in his honor — gathered onstage to say thanks. “We will never understand what he endured … being judged, ridiculed,” said brother Marlon, choking up. “Maybe, now, Michael, they will leave you alone.” The Rev. Smith closed by noting: “All around us are people of different cultures, different religions, different nationalities. And yet the music of Michael Jackson brings us together.” After the memorial, the family went to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for a private reception. It was unclear whether Jackson’s casket would be returned to Forest Lawn for burial or taken to another final resting place.

I have to tell you that I was touched by the service more than I thought I would be. As I’ve tried to make clear, I’m not the biggest Michael Jackson fan in the world (there are plenty of uberfans all around the globe who are more fitting of that title than I) but I really wanted to pay respects to such an icon of pop culture. I didn’t count in being as affected by the memorial service as I was. Mariah Carey’s performance brought the first tears to my eyes … Brooke Shields’s eulogy brought them back. When Paris Michael Katherine, MJ’s 11 year old only daughter, spoke at the end of the service I absolutely burst out crying. There wasn’t a dry eye anywhere in our vicinity. Paris’s comments were so heartfelt, so honest … so raw. I’m sure it was difficult for most to keep from crying as she declared her love for her daddy. She said, “I just want to say… ever since I was born…. daddy has been the best father you can imagine. And I just want to say I love him so much.” In case you missed it, you can watch Paris’s short speech after the jump …

I realize that this clip has been played over and over again all day long yesterday and even today … but, for me, it was THE most touching and humanizing part of the entire memorial service. If you see anything from the service, it should be this:

Those of you who remember this period in MJ’s life know that he was absolutely private and generally out of public eye for some time. It was ages before we saw him out and about with his children. It was not until he agreed to do the interview with Martin Bashir, Living with Michael Jackson, (after the birth of his third child) that he really opened himself up to the media (and, as you may recall, it was one of the young boys who was featured in that interview that leveled the second round of child molestation charges against him). The home video comes from an earlier, more innocent time. It really is something to see — after the jump, check it out in full …

… but eventually allowed his kiddies to show their faces, completely unmasked:

Since Michael Jackson’s children were first unveiled from their masked existence a year ago, they haven’t been seen since without their face covered. But yesterday Prince Michael I, 12, and Paris Michael, 11, were seen enjoying the fresh air with their faces revealed to the world as they joined their famous father at a Los Angeles recording studio. Not realising they could be seen from the street, Prince and Paris looked like regular pre-teens as they strolled through the car park. It was only when they left the studio two hours later, they were wearing masks again. Also joining the Jacksons at the building was High School Musical director Kenny Ortega, who is creative director of the star’s This Is It UK tour. Michael has been hard at work in recent weeks preparing for his 50-date residency at London’s O2 Arena, which kicks off on July 13. He recently upset fans when he postponed the first four dates by a week, meaning many are frantically trying to rearrange travel plans. The Thriller singer has kept his children’s lives shrouded in mystery since he first became a father in 1997. As well as fathering Prince and Paris with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, Michael also has a seven-year-old Prince Michael II, aka Blanket. While the physical similarities between the elder Prince and Paris is striking, Blanket is much darker than his older siblings in skin tone and hair colour. Blanket was the child famously dangled off a hotel balcony in Germany in November 2002. In an interview last year, former nurse Debbie insisted it was her choice to have the children’s faces covered. She said: “The veils were my idea, not Michael’s. I had kidnap threats when they were babies. I did not want them to be recognised.” Despite widespread belief the children are not biologically his, Michael insists he is the father of all three. During his infamous 2003 interview with Martin Bashir, he said: “I used a surrogate mother (for Blanket) and my own sperm cells. I had my own sperm cells in my other two children. They are all my children but I used a surrogate mother and she doesn’t know me, I don’t know her.” Debbie reiterated in 2008: “Of course it was artificial insemination. Paris was conceived in Paris, that’s how she got her name. I turned out two pretty good-looking kids. For that I am proud.”

Previously, we’ve gotten to see glimpses of the children’s faces sans masks but these new photos how the clearest view of what Michael Jackson’s eldest children look like when they are not waring Mardi Gras feather masks. After the jump, check ‘em out …

Okay, I have to admit … Jacko’s eldest son does look a lot like him. Without the mask, I can see how Prince Michael Joseph looks very much like Michael Jackson. Of course, he’s got Jacko’s old nose but the resemblance is striking. It also appears that Paris Michael looks a lot like her mother Debbie Rowe. I suppose it’s pretty safe to say that the kiddies (at least these two) are really his after all. I still contend that the Jackson kids live very odd and potentially scarring lives but, going by resemblance alone, it appears that the kids are Jacko’s and he is free to raise them as he wishes. Poor dears.

[Photo credit: Splash News; Source]