Joe Jackson Proves He’s a Schmuck

I really didn’t think about Joe Jackson, Michael’s dad, too much before Michael’s death. I think, thankfully, most of us had forgotten about him once the spotlight turned full-force on the King of Pop. But ever since Michael’s death, Joe Jackson has been front and centre. We’ve heard more from him than anybody else in the Jackson family and there was that big kerfuffle when Michael left his dad out of the will. Something Michael did that I can actually agree with. But now, it seems as though Joe has learned nothing from his tumultuous relationship with his son because he’s planning on doing the exact same thing to Michael’s kids.

We all know that Joe pressed Michael, and all his kids, to go into show business. When they didn’t perform well or weren’t ‘trying hard enough’, he would beat and belittle them. To Joe Jackson, the only thing that matters is that he’s able to live off someone else’s fame and someone else’s talent. It’s disgusting. There really is no other word for it. From Contact Music,

“Michael Jackson’s father Joe Jackson reportedly plans to take the late pop star’s children on a world tour as The Jackson Three.

Michael Jackson’s children are to tour the world as The Jackson Three.

The late pop star’s father Joe Jackson - who managed the Jackson Five, the group that launched Michael’s glittering music career - has reportedly lined up Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II to perform at a series of concerts next year.

Michael’s unofficial biographer Ian Halperin said: “Joe wants the children to go on a world tour in 2010. He has already offered recording contracts to two of Michael’s kids. Now he is talking about getting them the world’s best backing band and taking them on tour as The Jackson Three.”

However, the rest of the ‘Thriller’ singer’s family are reportedly furious about the idea and claim Joe, 79, is trying to exploit the grieving youngsters.

Ian added to Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “One of the family members is livid. He is saying Joe seems intent to do this no matter what. He wants to exploit the kids the same way he did Michael.”

Yesterday (12.07.09) it was reported Michael’s mother Katherine was in secret talks with her son’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe to exclude Joe from the children’s lives.”

First, let me say something. I must applaud Katherine Jackson. I have been going back and forth on whether or not she’s a good mom and if she’s too old to take care of Michael’s kids. I realized shortly after Michael’s death that she’s certainly not too old to take care of them. I mean, any 79-year-old woman who can handle the Michael Jackson Trust and see to his affairs after his death, is certainly not a frail and weak being and she obviously knows a thing or two. I then attacked her for staying with her husband and wondered why Michael’s kids should be subjected to the same kind of home environment that Michael was. That’s where I was wrong again.

Katherine and Joe Jackson split up many years ago, although the exact date I cannot find. So obviously she realizes that the man is severely flawed. And the fact that she wants to keep the kids away from him makes me want to cheer her on even more. Someone has to stand up for these kids and fight for their right to have as normal a childhood as they’ll be able to have. No child who has just lost their parent should be thinking about going on tour. No child should be thinking about going on tour at all!

I’m amazed that Joe has the gall to show his face in public anymore. The more I hear about him, the more I hate him. And I’d bet a Buffalo nickel that I’m not the only one that feels that way.

I Knew Michael Jackson Would Have a Will!

Yeah, that really didn’t take no dummy, now did it? Of course with the teams of lawyers that Michael Jackson has worked with over the years and all of the legal advice that he has undoubtedly heard, someone along the way surely would have mentioned the man might want to make a will! That’s why when all of the court proceedings and questions regarding who would get his kids were circling, I was very perplexed as to why they would just not go to the will and see what it said? Oh, and now someone has done just that! The questions now are, who will get what and what are the real facts behind the will?

There have been crazy stories going around since yesterday, when it was reported that the last will Michael had written was in 2002. The media was almost trying to make it sound as though Michael and his dad, Joe, practically hated each other and that Joe was completely cut out of the will. That, combined with the stories that Michael wasn’t the biological father of any of his children, and things started to get really crazy. But some facts - actual facts - have been released to give us some more insight on what Michael actually wanted. From the Daily Blabber,

“Yesterday reports began to swirl that Michael Jackson’s will had surfaced, and that the pop star had intentionally left nothing of his fortune to his dad, Joe Jackson.

But People.com has gotten the real details on the document, which was written in 2002. The Jackson family is still reviewing Michael’s last will and testament, but here’s what we know so far:

- Michael left all of his assets to the Michael Jackson Family Trust

- He named his mother Katherine as guardian of his children - Prince, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7.

- Attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain are named as executors of the will

- No charities are named as beneficiaries

- Joe Jackson was not specifically left out of the will

“There are no numbers in the will,” says a source said. “The assets are going into the family trust.”

So I’m guessing that what probably happened was that Michael left the bulk of his assets to the family trust and to his mother, Katherine, knowing that everyone would still be provided for and that they would get what they needed. Michael Jackson did certainly have issues with his dad. As their dad managed the Jackson 5, he was extremely hard on his kids and expected perfection from them. He did completely control their lives and  Michael has admitted several times that his dad was physically and verbally abusive.

Yep, this family’s got issues, there’s no doubt about it. But even with everything that they have gone through, I still don’t think that leaving Joe out of his will was a way to strike back at him one last time. Michael did desperately want to be a different kind of dad than his dad was, and I think he managed to do that. That may have been all the closure and peace that Michael needed in order to move past his issues with his dad. I really don’t think Michael used his will to get revenge.

But as far as what else the will says, I would think that this would definitely seal the deal on Katherine being made the permanent legal guardian of the kids at the hearing in August. And may I just say, that this is a woman that I highly underestimated! I automatically assumed that because she’s 79 years old that there may be problems with her taking care of small children. Clearly, this woman can handle just about anything!

Janet Speaks about Michael at the BET Awards

I didn’t watch the BET Awards last night but gathering from what I’ve read in the blogs and online dailies, it was all about Michael, Michael, Michael, as it should have been. It started with Jamie Foxx doing a montage of Michael Jackson moves while dressed in full Michael gear, complete with a red leather jacket and white glove. Later in the ceremony, Janet Jackson got up to speak about her brother.

I have to admit, I’m not a huge Michael or Janet Jackson fan but when she spoke last night, it was not about being a celebrity or having a professional music career. It was all about a sister talking about her brother who passed away far too soon. And there’s something wrong with you if you weren’t touched while she was speaking. You can view her speech, courtesy of the Daily Blabber, here. During the speech, it’s obvious that Janet is trying extremely hard to keep it together as she says some very touching words about Michael and about how her family is dealing with the loss. As Janet prepares to leave the stage, it’s almost as though it’s just too difficult for her to speak anymore, which I imagine it was, and she is escorted off the stage.

Michael’s dad, Joe Jackson was also present at the ceremony and spoke to the press before and after the event. Although he appeared very strong at the event and from the sounds of it, held it together amazingly well for a man who lost his son a few days ago, Jesse Jackson, a family friend has also recently spoken about what a difficult time this has been for Michael’s parents. From Contact Music,

“Family friend Reverend Jesse Jackson, who is not related to the family, said: “Katherine and Joe are strong but they are grieving. Michael is the first loss of any of their children, which compounds it. They are grieving over the suddenness of the loss of Michael. It was so sudden. And I say ’sudden’ because he had passed his health test, he was rehearsing every day for his UK concerts and was in full training for the big tour. The tour was sold out.

“There was a real joy with Michael in recent months. So there is real grief now. He was at the top of his art. He was the best who ever did it.”

Michael - who is survived by three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was due to perform 50 comeback shows in London, beginning next month.

Jesse added Michael’s family are “concerned” about the manner of his death.

Although he does not point the finger at Michael’s personal physician Dr. Conrad Murphy, he admits the family were worried by his behaviour.

Conrad has undergone a three-hour interview with the Los Angeles Police Department, with his representative later saying: “Investigators say the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy.”

No parents should ever have to bury their children, no matter the circumstance. I think that’s one of the most devastating things about the entire story. Our thoughts go out once again to the family as they continue to move through the grieving process and try to make peace with losing their father, their son, their brother, and their friend.