Just In: Michael Jackson was to direct movie about foster children

According to OMG!, three months before his death, Michael Jackson committed to co-directing and financing a movie — a poignant drama about foster children — and planned to get started as soon as he completed his London concerts.

The news is the latest in a series of revelations that are helping to shed light on the pop star’s passions and projects, even as the investigation into his abuse of prescription drugs and a tussle over custody of his children rage on.

The movie project also is eerily keyed to one of the most haunting aspects of Jackson‘s life: his apparent feeling that the Jackson 5‘s huge success robbed him of his childhood.

“He was very excited about making movies and wanted his hands on everything, from working on screenplays to producing, to writing the music. However, he never showed any interest in acting,” B-movie producer, writer and director Bryan Michael Stoller said of Jackson, who starred in the 1978 pic “The Wiz.”

Stoller said he had a 23-year friendship with the pop star and was his partner in the film company Magic Shadows. He was to have co-directed the movie, called “They Cage the Animals at Night,” which Stoller said they had been developing for seven years.

INSPIRED BY BOOK

The project was based on a 1985 book about the real-life experiences of author Jennings Michael Burch, who bounced around foster homes as a child. Jackson showed the book to Stoller in 2002 at his Neverland estate and asked if he wanted to produce and co-direct a movie version.

“Michael told me often he felt like he grew up as an orphan, like a foster kid, because he never was in one home,” Stoller said. “To him every hotel was like a different foster home. He said he used to sit in the window and see kids playing outside and cry because he couldn’t be part of that.”

Stoller optioned the book for $1 — initially without telling Burch about Jackson‘s involvement. When he did tell him, Stoller said the author was excited to work with the singer.

Jackson, meanwhile, was concerned that Burch, then 67 and suffering from cancer, might not survive to see the movie made. So Stoller suggested bringing Burch to Neverland in 2003, where Jackson turned the tables and interviewed him for what was to be a TV special and for the eventual DVD.

During their highly charged conversation, Jackson asked the author if he had ever considered suicide. Burch said he had, and Jackson said he too had considered it during his darkest days. (A clip from this footage is available at THR.com.)

Stoller recorded their meeting, an addition to a collection of videos he made with Jackson over the years, and to hours of audio recordings from their meetings.

Stoller told The Hollywood Reporter he has now come forward because he believes this material humanizes his friend at a time when much myth-making about Jackson is taking place. The producer also is marketing his video, audio and photos either for outright sale or as a project he would produce and direct.

He said he already has had interest from NBC, CBS and E!

But insiders in the Jackson camp said there was no formal deal in place for any Jackson involvement in “Cage”; discussions between the artist and Stoller occurred when Jackson was without management, which may have frowned on any distractions as he prepared for the London shows.

‘CAST AWAY’ CAST OFF

Jackson‘s last film foray was a 2005 comedic farce, “Miss Cast Away and the Island Girls,” produced, written and directed by Stoller and starring Eric Roberts. Jackson is briefly in the movie as Agent M.J., who comes to the rescue of various characters on a beam of light. The movie was a direct-to-DVD release sold briefly at Blockbuster stores.

When Jackson was indicted on child molestation charges shortly after its release, Blockbuster pulled the film from its shelves. “Miss Cast Away” has been sold overseas by Showcase Entertainment, and Stoller said he has offers for a new domestic video release for Jackson‘s last movie appearance.

“They Cage the Animals” also was affected by the molestation charges, Stoller said. In 2003 the producer arranged a three-hour meeting in a Universal City hotel between Jackson and Mel Gibson, who besides being an actor is a producer and partner in Icon Prods. “They got along great,” Stoller said. “It was kind of funny. Mel was a little nervous. He was hugging a pillow the whole time, kind of playing with it. Michael was kind of shy.”

Icon signed a deal to develop the project with a budget of $12 million-$20 million, according to Stoller, who was paid by Icon to write the screenplay. A couple of months later, when Jackson was indicted in Santa Barbara, Calif., Icon dropped the project, and Gibson stopped returning Stoller‘s phone calls. There were news reports in 2005 that Icon had dropped the project. A spokesman for Icon said the company briefly was involved in developing it in 1995 but had lost interest by 1997. Stoller has a copy of his contract with Icon dated 2002.

Stoller said Icon still owns the screenplay, but an Icon representative rebutted that, saying the company has had no involvement or ownership for 10 years. Gibson declined comment for this report.

WATCHING MOVIES

Jackson lost contact with Stoller for about two years during the period when the singer was on trial. But after his acquittal, Jackson reached out to him. They had watched dozens of movies in the Neverland theater; Stoller said Jackson‘s favorite was “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and that they also discussed doing a remake of the comedy musical “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.”

“When Jackson called in 2007, he still had movies on his mind,” Stoller said. “He had begun to purchase movie production equipment. He was always asking how things work, but I never saw him really work things. But he wanted all the toys. He bought a dolly and wanted me to show the kids how to use it because they were using it as a play toy, riding around on it.”

Jackson wasn’t interested in making a blockbuster. “He wanted to do movies the Academy would like,” Stoller recalled.

Three months before Jackson‘s death, he and Stoller had “a pretty serious meeting” about reviving “They Cage the Animals” as an indie feature, the producer said.

“Michael was going to put up $8 million and not have to deal with any studios or producers and then take it to the studios afterward,” Stoller said. “He was very passionate about being a director. He was determined to make this movie.”

Source: OMG!

.¸¸.·`¯`·.¸¸.ஐ:

“Too bad, that we never got to see that side of Michael Jackson. It sounds like it would have been a great movie to watch.”

Wire Talk: La Toya Jackson to Dress Michael Jackson for Burial

In addition to making “the most incredible outfit” for Michael’s burial, the songstress reportedly has called her longtime stylist to help her styling her late brother.

Playing good and caring sister, La Toya Jackson reportedly will dress late brother Michael Jackson for his burial. Per Access Hollywood as being informed by a source close to the Jacksons, La Toya will have the King of Pop being laid to rest with his single signature white glove. “La Toya had Michael’s rhinestone glove laid in the casket,” confirms the source. “Michael wore a black leather glove on each hand [in the casket].”

As for Michael‘s final attire, La Toya will take care all the details. “She wanted him to look incredible. She called in his longtime stylist and had the most incredible outfit made for him,” says the source. “He looked wonderful – like an angel.”

On top of all, La Toya is said to have also been “extremely instrumental in every aspect and every detail” of the funeral arrangements, as well as watching after Michael‘s three children since he passed away last month. Besides, she has been “heavily involved” in the investigation conducted by authorities to determine the cause of Michael‘s death, which isn’t something new for her as she herself is a trained law enforcement official. “She’s still working around the clock with detectives until this case is resolved,” the source adds.

Despite the report, there has been no official word from Michael‘s family regarding plans of burial. In the meantime, there have been reports saying that he won’t be laid to rest until authorities finish examining his brain and before they can come to final conclusion on the cause of his death.

According to the NY Post, Michael Jackson is stored in LA Crypt as family squabbles.

Over his dead body!

Michael Jackson‘s family is bitterly divided over how best to profit off the King of Pop‘s remains — so his body has been stashed in Motown maestro Berry Gordy‘s crypt until the clan stops bickering, The Post has learned.

Jackson‘s gold-plated casket was last seen at his public memorial service, and its whereabouts have been shrouded in mystery — until now.

His remains were brought back to the white marble, above-ground crypt the Motown record-label founder bought for his family in the Court of Remembrance section of the sprawling, celeb-filled Forest Lawn Cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Jackson‘s body is still missing his brain, which coroners are temporarily keeping for testing.

Aside from Jackson, the simple mausoleum is empty and marked only with a distinctive swooping letter “G.”

For the time being, Jackson lies with a who’s who of Hollywood heavyweights. Next door is the final resting place of American sweetheart actress Sandra Dee, who died in 2005.

And nearby are ornate crypts for iconic actress Bette Davis, flamboyant pianist Liberace and ’70s “Chico and the Man” star Freddie Prinze.

Gordy — who discovered the Jackson 5 — offered the family use of the crypt until they sort out what to do with the superstar’s remains, sources said.

On one side are Jackson‘s brother Jermaine and father, Joseph, who are insistent the Gloved One be buried at Neverland Ranch so the family can profit off a proposed Graceland-style museum there — a process that could take years.

On the other are Jackson‘s mother, Katherine, and most of the rest of the siblings, who want his body laid to rest elsewhere out of respect for his wish, following his acquittal on child-molestation charges, to never return to Neverland.

“Jermaine is the one that wants him at Neverland — he and Joseph — because of the whole Elvis thing and the money potential,” a family source said. “They are seeing dollar signs.”

Her son’s physical purgatory has left Katherine shaken.

“She is still upset that Michael isn’t buried and he is at Gordy’s spot in Forest Lawn, the source said. “This fighting has to stop. We can never unite, and that’s an injustice.”

The fight had become so contentious that Jermaine rode in a separate Rolls-Royce limousine to Jacko‘s public memorial at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, even though his mother had wanted all the brothers to ride together, the source said.

But the fight hasn’t stopped the family from agreeing on other ways to turn Jackson’s death into a financial boon.

Most of the kids and Katherine are onboard with a proposed documentary about the family that could bring in $20 million, the source said.

“They’re doing this documentary because with the kids, they will get $20 million,” the source said, adding Katherine is pushing all her children to be a part of it.

But if Jermaine and Joseph Jackson prevail, it would be a long legal road — permits would be needed — before a Graceland-like museum could be built at Jackson‘s one-time fantasyland home north of Santa Barbara.

Meanwhile, LAPD Chief William Bratton told CNN last night that detectives are looking at Jacko’s prescription-drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors.

The coroner will determine the cause of death — whether it’s homicide or an accidental overdose.

The coroner’s office has subpoenaed “any and all” medical records pertaining to Jacko’s care, the LA Times reported.

Bratton said the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and the state Attorney General’s Office, which keeps a database of prescription drugs, are assisting investigators.

Source: aceshowbiz

All On The Cover: Michael Jackson Covers Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone

(left to right) Michael Jackson singing at home in 1972, on the set of the “Thriller” video in 1983, in a portrait taken in 1983 and performing in New York City on Sept. 10, 2001.

The news media has been buzzing (to put it mildly) about the unexpected June 25 death of Michael Jackson. Newsstands are overflowing with magazines featuring the King of Pop on the cover, including gossip magazines like Us Weekly and news glossies like Time. While it may be tempting to snatch up every cover as MJ memorabilia, there is one tribute cover that, for me, rises above them all: Entertainment Weekly.

Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Jackson tribute issue is an absolute must-have for any music fan. Four different covers are available, all depicting Jackson and, inevitably, his transformation throughout the years. The issue features pages of photos in a “His Life in Pictures” section, an in-depth look at MJ’s Jackson 5 and solo albums and an “ultimate playlist” of his songs (I was inspired to compile my own Michael Jackson playlist, myself). The issue also ranks his top 10 music videos, with 1979’s “Rock with You” coming out on top, and includes a touching essay written by Steven King about his memories of briefly working with Jackson on a never-released music video for “Ghosts,” which King described as the “scariest music video ever.”

The issue gets bonus points for having multiple covers. I love when multiple covers are released and I get to choose my favorite – in this case, the Thriller cover.

But EW is going to face some competition soon enough. Rolling Stone’s MJ tribute issue hits newsstands on July 10, and is sure to be a similarly memorable issue. It is currently available for preorder for $8.99. So keep your eyes peeled, but in the meantime, enjoy your issue of EW (you can order copies at EW.com).

Music News: Celebrities Speak Out About Michael Jackson

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE

Justin – I mean, you know is the thing about Michael is the memories, I’m lucky enough to have memories actually physically with him on stage and off. But I think, you know, it’s a testament to how big of a deal it is obviously because, you know, he’s created so many cultural photos in peoples minds with his music, that, he really was and always will be the King of Pop.

I mean he’s, to create things that he created with his music it’s really untouchable. It really is untouchable. He opened the minds of the world and to be able to do that through one piece, one medium of art is a feat not accomplished by many people maybe only a handful of people. Even in that handful of people I don’t think anyone ever did it like him.

No one presented a song on stage like Michael. There are many songs that have been written since the beginning of time that are timeless, but there aren’t as many performances that are timeless and you know I would say of the top ten of those performances, probably seven or eight of them go to Michael Jackson.

I think it’s a testament to him as an artist and more so as a performer and someone who understood through the medium of art that he was gifted, that he could change the world. And he really did. He opened the minds of people about music, he opened the minds of people about culture. Even if it was only this much in your conscience, he helped with segregation. And his music did that and not a lot of people can say that. Elvis did that. But I don’t know man, Michael. Michael was the baddest.

=============================================
CRAIG DAVID

I think Michael Jackson in the way in which he came onto the scene through the Jackson 5 which was a little early for me when I was growing up because I was born in 81 so I really knew Michael Jackson as like the solo artist and I think it was just like the magnitude of him being able to have this such tight choreograph dance routines which was taking everything out of the street dancing that you would have seen if you knew your break dancing you would have seen some of the elements he took and utilized and then the way he sang.

I mean I don’t think there’s anyone who has a voice like Michael Jackson. I mean actually closest person would be Janet Jackson funnily enough, when you hear her there is close similarities but Michael Jackson’s vocals were incredible so when you put the 2 together with the great stage presence he became this phenomenon and I don’t know if there’s anyone in my lifetime that I could look back and say you know what there’s anyone like Michael Jackson, you know what I mean? He was an incredible, incredible performer.

I think that not only being able to especially like on MTV being like one of the first black male solo artists to come on and his video shown on TV amongst so many different genres of music that were being played so he kind of very much was ground breaking in that sense. I think Michael Jackson just had the ability to influence everybody with what he did. It didn’t matter what kind of music you were into. He just seemed to have this very, I think because it was very much contemporary pop music, it was music that it defined great melodies, it was good lyrics, it had a powerful vocal and he had a great stage presence so it didn’t matter if you were into rock, pop, soul he represented that era you know.

: Videos were great because he was at the time when people could spend money on videos. There was this, I mean this was the generation, it was all about TV, it was all about seeing the new video so there was a lot of money to be spent but the one thing with Michael is that he didn’t necessarily need the money. I mean I’m still quite dazzled by Smooth Criminal and the leaning over and thinking yo how did you and I don’t even really wanna know how he did do it. Plus some people sit down and say yeah it was this, it was trickery and that but yo that was incredible and it was the way in which he tried to almost take it as if it was a feature film and break it down and you get an extended version. It could be like 10 minutes long but when you saw it you just thought wow this is like watching a film and I want to watch this again and again. So for me growing up that was quite extraordinary because I don’t think anyone else was really doing videos like him. He was very much the cutting edge of that. So Smooth Criminal was definitely one of the most exciting videos that I saw from him.

: Smooth Criminal was one of but I guess it had to be Thriller. I mean Thriller was scared me as a kid growing up. I mean I used to think what is this, this sort of werewolf thing and changing up and it was like the early days of special affects which at the time was like that’s pretty cool. I mean when you look at it now in the light of day you’re sort of thinking not really, it wasn’t as scary as I thought but in terms of choreograph dance routines and having that swagger that Michael Jackson had, again it was all about the creative with him. It was what was behind making those videos as opposed to we can just throw money at this cos obviously the stage set ups were cool but it was like being in the studio and choreographing the dance routine and getting it tight enough that when you film this we can’t be here all day, we gotta capture this and he was very much that man who can get it when the camera goes, bang, lights on, he can make it happen so.

Songwriter, he was an amazing songwriter but funnily enough even I got taken back by the way in which how powerful other people were playing the mix of things and when you saw Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson you just established that Quincy Jones was mainly involved but then Ron Temperton being involved and actually being Mr songwriter you’d say what he was the guy writing the songs but little did people know that Michael Jackson was involved in a hell of a lot of his songs that he wrote. So to be honest, it was one of those things that was a bit of a, it was a pushed a little to the side because he was such a great performer. It was like he can’t just do everything, this guy can’t be he wrote that song and he performs like that and he sings that way but yeah he could.

One of the songs that really connected with me growing up was Leave me Alone. I can remember I think Bubbles was in the video and it was kind of like this sort of, sort of mosaic cartoonish kind of thing, he was in some boat that was kind of going through the river and it was this pop up kind of video but it was the first sort of 7 inch that I actually bought. This was when I was slowly getting into my dj-ing and it was like, well I wasn’t getting into my dj-ing cos I didn’t even have a record then but mum can I buy this 7 inch, I have nowhere to play it but we’ll work it out later. I think it was the going in and buying a 7 inch piece of vinyl and Michael Jackson having this tiny little box. Some very colorful little record box that I had and it just brings back the moments. It was like the first record I actually bought so an important record as an inspiration for me growing up as being a musician so.

I think the way in which Michael Jackson was able to, I think the casting for his videos was great. I mean he always had good dancers around him but for some reason he still always shone through. It was like you could pick out the best dancers who all they did was dance, focused on that but still he was the one that had that flare and something about him so when you saw the thriller video your eyes were still set on him. I think the styling at the time was great and even if you look back you sort of think you could kind of get away with that stage, I mean I was thinking for the shows that he was about to do: I want to see you rock up in that red little number and do your thing. So I think for me the styling was great, I think the dancers that he used were wonderful. I think when you put that all in the theme of what he was trying to achieve again that sort of Teen Wolf kind of Streets of London kind of Wolf, can’t remember what it’s called but wolfs. Werewolf in London there we go. He was just trying to encapsulate all that and giving it something that was a bit cutting edge cos like I said at the time those kind of special affects and trying having things morphing into another. To be honest even at the cinema there wasn’t many things that were going on like that so again his videos were again very much breaking and cutting edge and I mean but the song I think one thing I’ve learnt with music is that even if it was a blank screen and no disrespect to the video thriller was just an incredible song. You’d hear it and you’d just want to keep requesting that song again and again even if it was a blank screen but the fact that you had a cutting video at the same time, it just sort of again encapsulated what Michael Jackson was about. He gave you everything when he came and he delivered which is why I think everyone is so disappointed and so kind of like taken back by the whole fact that someone like that is no longer with us. He was invincible in that sense. We never thought he could ever, ever pass away in my lifetime that’s the craziness about it. He was almost like, I don’t know, he was immortal. He really was. I’m trying to find the actual character, the character I’m looking for. Peter Pan: all I could think of was Robin Hood but I was thinking he wasn’t stealing from any one or given to anybody.

Michael Jackson for me was one of the best dancers I’ve seen grace the stage and I think since you’ve seen Michael Jackson there’s been a lot of people who have tried to take a little bit of his style and kind of emulate what he did. You’ve seen the Ushers of this world, you’ve seen the Justin Timberlake’s of this world but Michael Jackson had his own thing going on and I mean the Moonwalk was one thing. I mean it was an incredible dance. I mean again it was something that if you knew your break dancing, if you knew your stuff you know where that technique had come from and again he took elements and made it his own. But to have the confidence to do it and pull it off on stage that’s the thing, I mean he was doing that, there was no other, no other dancer who was out there like and I’m gonna sing, and I’m gonna Moonwalk. When I saw him do that I was like who are you, what are you about? It’s one of those things that I thought that’s what you got from Michael; it’s just like where did you, where did you get the confidence to come out and do that but again when you’re a child prodigy in the way that he has, I mean he had been like an entertainer from such a young age, by the time he had hit the stage as a solo artist he was like a veteran you know what I mean. But I think when he did that thing with his leg which I’m trying to show you but the camera was too, I did it so sickly then you couldn’t even like appreciate what I was doing, that and there’s one other I do pretty well on stage, on the dance floor when I’ve had a few shots which is probably again another iconic move from him which is or it’s the kind of the tipping of the cap, and it’s the kind of the shuffling when he’s doing a little shuffle that he did in Smooth Criminal. There’s a few moves that were much you knew were Michael Jackson yeah.

Jackson 5 were early, early times. I mean for me it was I delved back and would catch them and stuff but to be honest the Michael Jackson that I knew wasn’t the Michael Jackson necessarily who was the young kid doing his thing with the Jackson 5. It was the Michael Jackson who’d come to his own you know, young man. So Jackson 5 was a bit too early for me when I was growing up.

I think Michael Jackson inspired me in general. It was like you couldn’t help but if you loved music then you can’t help but love Michael Jackson and the music that he was creating. I mean he had a chemistry with Quincy and even going on from then his sound I mean it was so unique and I was like, when you listen to someone, I’m very kind of, I listen to every kind of run of someone and see if are you really doing it? Are you serious? Or are you kind of like, your kind of get it but you’re not quite on it. It’s kind of like Boyz II Men when they sing you know they’re singing you know and Michael Jackson he had that. It was like he could rif all day if he really wanted to but again it was so unique and I think that for me what told me to not try and bite anyone else’s style, just have your own sound and roll with it and hopefully that’s what people will love about you. That’s what I liked about him.

========================================

Michelle Williams FROM DESTINY’S CHILD

Michael Jackson has undoubtedly left a huge legacy to the world, to entertainers to a doctor or a student or a teacher, although I’m not his child at all but I feel like you know how somebody leaves but they still leave something, something’s here that he left for us and I think it’s our duty to pick up where he left off whether that be philanthropy, whether that be through how he was just full out in rehearsals, on stage he would go for it so I think for me that’s what he left for me, it’s like I’ve changed my daily motto of just going for it.

I remember Destiny’s Child performing for him for his 30th anniversary. We performed for him at Madison Square Garden in 2001, we performed ‘Bootylicious’ and we did that song because even in 0our original song in the original video we did a Michael Jackson tribute sort of things, we had the hats we had the high water pants so that was a lot of fun – but in the performance we didn’t have on pants we had on skirts and what not but it was still a great performance and when we got through he stood up and he was doing this (thumbs up) and he was vibing with the performance and we took a picture with him and went to the after reception and I got a chance to actually sit and watch him perform and that’s where I just turned in to a little girl who got ice cream for behaving good or something. It was an absolute dream come true, my heart is defiantly hurting because of his passing, it defiantly hurts too because of the fact that I am here in London as well and he was going to be here to do shows I was just wanting to plan to see him, but that just means that God’s plan supersedes ours.

The impact that Michael had on pop culture, music period – I don’t know if anybody is going to make that impact again. Ones now will come close but that’s because of what he left and it’s kind of like – man do we now step up the game? But there are some great talented entertainers out there, some great musicians, I just don’t know if it will be the same – it will not be the same.

Well what was so great about Michael if I’m not mistaken he was hands on in the beginning process, writing the treatments it looked like he brought us in to his world, it didn’t looked contrived it didn’t look like somebody else just wrote the treatment and he just showed up to the video. Even in his last few days of life we saw pictures of him in rehearsal and I saw a picture of him at the camera where I know when people tour and they film their concerts every night and I just know there are cameras everywhere so it looked like he was at one of those cameras probably trying to make sure the shot is right, trying to make sure I’m standing in the right spot to be in the shot maybe telling the dancers you got to be over here if you want to be seen – it just looked like he was directing too and I think that’s the influence he also had. I know on Destiny’s Child we were very much involved in treatments and being hands on – you don’t want to go through life and be like – man I didn’t put any of myself in to anything I did, and I appreciate that.

Favourite Michael Jackson video? Ok I’ll go from something recent I love ‘You Rock My World’ there’s a part in the video where his shoulders are hunched up and his hat is down – to me Michael just had a way of hand placement, the hat, the way he would just stand straight but that leg would be cocked in, it was just little swag movements were so hot – you know I had a crush on Michael Jackson – it was just little swag movements like that that were just so hot- did I just reveal that darn it. Let me tell you something men have a way when you could just do the slightest movement and it’s not necessarily raunchy, he doesn’t have to do all that you know, Michael would just freaking stand there and you would just want to take off your clothes, I’m serious, not that I was eight years old wanting to take off my clothes, when I got older and realized.

Michael Jackson just had a w ay of, even when he just stood on the stage and would look across the room he just oozed ‘I am the man’ ‘I am the bomb everybody yell, I am here’. He was just excellent and I find myself even if I’m tuning him to him I’m paying attention even more and just like what he him so awesome?

As a songwriter they were deep but for me personally it wasn’t to the point where it went over your head he just wrote from the heart, he wasn’t trying to be philosophical even though some of the songs were, but a simple song like one of my favourite songs ‘Will You Be There’ ‘Will you carry me, hold me like a mother, be like my brother, will you still care’ that’s just like in conversation ‘I’m bad’ I think that was really like ‘I’m bad sha’mon’ I think ‘Sha’mon’ meant ‘come on’.

Earliest memory of Michael Jackson – being scared of the ‘Thriller’ video, I don’t know why and then I felt so scared for the woman in the video – I didn’t know that stuff was fake so I’m like scared for the woman every time I see the video, even though I know the woman’s alive at the end of the video – every time I’m like ‘Oh my God he’s gonna get her’. But I hope we really pay attention not only to…Janet said something so fabulous on the BET awards when she said ‘To you Michael is an icon, to us Michael is family’ and that’s what I don’t want us to forget that Michael did have a heart, Michael did have a soul some people thought he was so divine like that nothing would touch him, he would just walk around without a feeling or care in the world but he did, Michael felt, he hurt like we hurt, he smiled when something was funny, he frowned when something wasn’t funny, people should not forget when you become so great don’t forget that person has a soul.

A dance move that’s more iconic than the moonwalk? Well like I said just placements of hands, I know with what I’m doing in Chicago – I know we’ll touch on that later, but I’m noticing Michael did pay attention to Bob Fossey because that hand on the hat – he always made sure his fingers were like this, from down when he pointed his hands down, it’s little things like that that are so important, I wouldn’t say much more important than moves – oh he could do that one thing, I want to figure out how he could stand up and come back like that – I’m a little upset he didn’t give me that secret.

I think Jackson 5, ‘ABC’ and then of course the cartoon that was cool too, top see every now and then we could catch the cartoon if the channel was playing it.

Michael Jackson to me musically was probably as close to perfection as one could get. Michael Jackson to me meant hard worker – he could not get to where he was able to get without working hard, I’m sure even on a daily basis he had to exercise that instrument, singing, dancing. I was told by producers when they would work with him that even when he was in his performing and it’s like when you hear some of his music you knew he was cutting a step at the point because it makes sense because you eventually have to perform that stuff live and if you’re in the booth like ‘la la la’ and you’re not maybe dancing with it – it kind of makes sense to see if I can dance and sing with this song at the same time. Michael Jackson just meant an angel even as far as how he cared about people that were less fortunate than he was that really, really goes a long way because you can get so big in the world that you really aren’t obligated to help but he just felt obligated.

Source: MTV Base Blog

Just In: Michael Jackson at Neverland will not happen

A plan to bury Michael Jackson at his sprawling Neverland Ranch fizzled Wednesday, leaving details about his funeral undecided as another mystery was solved: His newly unveiled will says his mother should raise his children, or failing her, Diana Ross.

The investigation into the singer’s death, meanwhile, deepened late Wednesday when the Drug Enforcement Administration was asked to step in by the Los Angeles Police Department, a law enforcement official in Washington told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

The changing funeral circumstances thwarted many Jackson fans who had descended on the estate in the rolling hills near Santa Barbara with the hope of attending a public viewing.

“We’re terribly disappointed,” said Ida Barron, 44, who arrived with her husband Paul Barron, 56, intending to spend several days in a tent.

“We were going to listen to music and watch Michael Jackson DVDs and party all night long, not just to have fun, but in memory of Michael Jackson,” Paul Barron said. “Now we’re going to have to just go home.”

Jackson‘s 7-year-old will, filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, gives his entire estate to a family trust and names his 79-year-old mother Katherine and his children as beneficiaries. The will also estimates the current value of his estate at more than $500 million.

Katherine Jackson was appointed their guardian, with entertainer Diana Ross, a longtime friend of Michael Jackson, named successor guardian if something happens to his mother. Ross introduced the Jackson 5 on the Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1960s and was instrumental in launching their career.

Meanwhile, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said a public memorial was in the works for Jackson but wouldn’t be held at Neverland. In addition, it appeared more likely that a funeral and burial would take place in Los Angeles, a person familiar with the situation told the AP.

But the person, who is not authorized to speak for the family and requested anonymity, said nothing was planned for Neverland, at least through Friday.

The person said billionaire Thomas Barrack, who owns Neverland in a joint venture with Jackson, sought an exemption to bury the singer at the ranch. But the person says it’s a complicated process and it couldn’t be done for a burial this week.

“The family is aware a Neverland burial is not possible. They are expected to make decisions about whatever funeral and memorial service” will take place, the person said.

Heavy construction equipment and workers were seen passing through the wrought-iron gates of Neverland on Tuesday. It wasn’t clear what they were doing. The property is about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

At once a symbol of Jackson’s success and excesses, Neverland — nestled in wine country — became the site of a makeshift memorial after his death.

In Los Angeles, Jackson’s lawyer John Branca and family friend John McClain, a music executive, were named in the will as co-executors of his estate. In a statement, they said the most important element of the will was Jackson‘s steadfast desire that his mother become the legal guardian for his children.

“As we work to carry out Michael’s instructions to safeguard both the future of his children as well as the remarkable legacy he left us as an artist, we ask that all matters involving his estate be handled with the dignity and the respect that Michael and his family deserve,” the statement said.

The will doesn’t name father Joe Jackson to any position of authority in administering the estate.

The executors moved quickly to take control of all of Michael Jackson‘s property, going to court hours after filing the will to challenge a previous ruling that gave Katherine Jackson control of 2,000 items from Neverland.

Paul Gordon Hoffman, an attorney for the executors, told Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff his clients are the proper people to take over Jackson‘s financial affairs. He called Katherine Jackson‘s speed in getting limited power over her son’s property “a race to the courthouse that is frankly improper.”

Judge Beckloff urged attorneys from both sides to try to reach a compromise.

“I would like the family to sit down and try to make this work so that we don’t have a difficult time in court,” the judge said. A hearing on the estate was set for Monday.

The will, dated July 7, 2002, gives the entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. Details of the trust will not be made public.

The documents said Jackson‘s estate consisted almost entirely of “non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalog of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities.”

Jackson owns a 50 percent stake in the massive Sony-ATV Music Publishing Catalog, which includes music by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, Lady Gaga and the Jonas Brothers.

Jackson was recently in shaky financial health. In the most detailed account yet of the singer’s tangled financial empire, documents obtained by The Associated Press show Jackson claimed to have a net worth of $236.6 million as of March 31, 2007.

Jackson, who died June 25 at age 50, left behind three children: son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7. Debbie Rowe was the mother of the two oldest children; the youngest was born to a surrogate mother, who has never been identified.

Katherine Jackson was granted temporary guardianship Monday. A judge held off on requests to control the children’s estates.

Rowe, who was married to Jackson in 1996 and filed for divorce three years later, surrendered her parental rights. An appeals court later found that was done in error, and Rowe and Jackson entered an out-of-court settlement in 2006.

Neither Rowe nor her attorneys have indicated whether she intends to seek custody of the two oldest children.

Source: Yahoo!