Prince Michael Jackson, 15, has posted on Twitter a direct message he sent to family members demanding to speak to his grandmother. Janet Jackson responded to the message: “Don’t let them please.” Prince had texted Rebbie, her son Austin and Janet Jackson: “This is enough. So I am texting you for the simply fact that WE DEMAND TO SPEAK TO MY GRANDMA NOW!!!”http://www.twitlonger.com/show/ihrprh
Prince Jackson, 15, just Tweeted: “I would first like to start off this tweet by thanking the fans that have always stood by me and my family, my dad really appreciated your support and I still treasure it to this day. As I am sure everyone is well aware of the events that have been going on. I have been holding off on backing up my sister and her tweets avidly because I was waiting for the time to reveal my side. As long as I can remember my dad had repeatedly warned me of certain people and their ways. Although I am happy my grandma was returned, after speaking with her I realized how misguided and how badly she was lied to. I’m really angry and hurt. The following image is of a group chat I had started to several family members. This group text message I had started was replied to but they didn’t know that I could see the responses. For this whole time, they denied us contact to our grandmother. “If you continue with your lies I will continue with the truth”
Prince also Tweeted a picture of a direct message in which Janet Jackson told her other family members not to let him speak to Katherine, his guardian: https://twitter.com/princemjjjaxon/status/228452630400225280/photo/1
Now that Katherine Jackson is home, will she understand what really happened? That she was lured out of her home for concerts and wound up in a spa, isolated from the world? That because of this she lost custody of her grandchildren, who were frightened? That her grown children are trying to unseat Michael Jackson’s executors in order to get their hands on his money? And that the two usually most vocal Jacksons–La Toya and father Joseph– have been conspicuous in their silence?
Maybe not. Katherine has lived a life in denial. “Ignorance is bliss” has been her motto. Well documented: how Joseph beat and tortured her children over the years. She did nothing to stop it. Michael spoke about it often. It informed his life.
Jermaine, now part of the cabal that brought Katherine away from the grandchildren, wrote this in his autobiography last year: “over time, Randy and Janet got to know what the belt felt like, mainly for disobedience…There is no denying that Michael was terrified of our father.”
But Jermaine also lives in denial. He wrote: “If he [Joseph] had truly abused us, we wouldn’t still be speaking to him…”
Joseph himself told me about his abuse on September 10, 2001. I wrote in my old column, Fox411:
We did not ask Joe Jackson about allegations in the past from his children, specifically LaToya, about abuse in their household when they were growing up. I did ask him though about his parental philosophy. “You have to be strict with kids,” he said. “There’s nothing wrong with punishment as long as you know how to punish.”
What would be a typical punishment? “Beat his back,” Joe Jackson replied before I could even get the question out.
If Katherine Jackson let all that go on for more than twenty years, how she will now, at 82, rationalize the behavior of the last ten days?
It seems like Katherine Jackson finally was returned to her home in Calabasas, California, a Los Angeles suburb, sometime in the middle of the night. Granddaughter Paris, 14, Tweeted at approximately at 3:30am Pacific Time: “grandma’s here ! #thankyougod <33″ She added in subsequent Tweets: “time to #hibernate” and ” 5 hours of sleep last night , been awake for 23 haha goodnight everybody<33.” Earlier, she’d written: they promised my grandmother would be home YESTERDAY . why isn’t she home ?”
Good question. For some reason, after insisting that Katherine fly to Tucson, Jermaine, Janet and Randy sent their mother home by car. They could have put her on a commercial flight or chartered a plane right back to Burbank Airport. Instead, they sent their 82 year old mother on an arduous road trip of seven hours or more.
She could have flown home with the “Nightline” crew.
Also last night, after seeing “Nightline,” Marlon Jackson Tweeted: “Hello everyone Thank you for your support. I’m tired of not knowing where my mom is. I did speak with her last night but she didn’t sound like herself. I was told by Janet, Randy and Jermaine that I could not see my mom. Doctor’s order. But I see them on television with her. How come they could not call me so I could be with her as well.”
Katherine had been at Miraval Spa in Tucson for more than a week, cut off from her family and the world. Someone–either Jermaine, Randy, Janet, Rebbie or all of them–or assistant Janice Smith–took her cell phone and laptop from her. Evidently the phone in her room was removed, too, as Miraval says it has phones in every room.
Her apparent abandonment of her custodial grandchildren and her absence caused Mrs. Jackson to lose temporary guardianship of Paris, Prince, and Blanket. Judge Mitchell Beckloff noted that Mrs. Jackson lost it as her absence was the cause of “third parties.” Beckloff is not stupid, knows what’s going on, and may not be so quick to restore Mrs. Jackson.
Marlon, Tito, and Jackie Jackson may also now take more of an interest in their mother’s well being. Marlon and Tito have never asked for Michael Jackson’s money. And Jackie works for Michael’s estate. Tito, father of TJ, who’s now the temporary guardian of the children, works as a jazz musician full time.
UPDATE: I am told that Trent Jackson and the security team in Calabasas are employed by the estate of Michael Jackson. They can’t be fired by a family member.
EARLIER: First of all, the ABC News report on “Nightline” with Katherine Jackson reminded me not just a little bit of a hostage reading her kidnapper’s message to the press. Janet and Jermaine Jackson stood behind their mother as she read from a script. It was an orchestrated event, and ABC News– which sources tell bought footage from Randy Jackson for “Good Morning America’–just went along with it. The interviewing producer wasn’t allowed to ask questions! How completely unprofessional! That ABC has allowed itself to become the network of Janet, Jermaine and Randy just to grab access and ratings is very very disappointing.
Then: the hostage crisis. The warring Jacksons each have someone they want gone from the others’ camp. Randy, Jermaine, and Janet want their cousin Trent fired. Michael Jackson hired Trent personally, and Joe Jackson’s nephew has been a loyal and devoted assistant and caregiver to Katherine Jackson. Sources say that Randy in particular hates and resents Trent. Indeed, the “minor scuffle” at the house this week was between them. Trent, they say, put Randy in a headlock. Randy happily Tweeted today that Trent had been fired by his mother. But the reality of that remains to be seen.
Of course, the insiders in Calabasas want someone on the other side gone, too: Janice Smith, Katherine’s assistant. In the reading of the “hostage statement,” Katherine mentioned Janice Smith. From what I know, everyone in the Calabasas house hates Janice Smith. And here’s where it gets interesting. The children say that Janice helped arrange for Katherine’s fake trip to Arizona by telling everyone Mrs. Jackson would be attending her sons’ concerts in Arizona, Nevada, and California. In fact, it was Janice Smith who set up the visit to Miraval Spa in Tucscon, and knew that Mrs. Jackson would not be going to those shows.
Here’s how the whole thing went down according to those in Calabasas: The kids thought their grandmother was going on a road trip to see the shows with Trent. They said their goodbyes. Then Jermaine and Randy managed to axe Trent from the trip, and Janice went on the plane with Mrs. Jackson. In the next day, the infamous letter asking for the resignation of Michael Jackson’s executors appeared.
In the letter, Randy Jackson said his mother had had a “mini stroke.” Seeing this was what inflamed Paris Jackson, who knew no such thing had happened. That’s when she panicked and began Tweeting. It was probably also the moment she realized something was not right with her father’s family.
Now we see Katherine Jackson on ABC News flanked by certain members of her family who want Michael Jackson’s money. She says she’s returning to Los Angeles. It’s not like she’s in Bora Bora. Instead of reading that statement, why hadn’t she simply gone home? What is stopping her? Who? Hopefully once she is home, her advisors will explain what happened. The real question is, Will she listen and understand? Watch the ABC News Nightline video. It’s revelatory.
Someone is not telling the truth. Katherine Jackson was at the Miraval Spa in Tucson, Arizona. Her lawyer, Perry Sanders, just said in a press conference that he went there and was told Mrs. Jackson was in a room where there were no phone and no cell phones. I’m not sure he was told the truth.
I just spoke to Miraval, and cell phone use is allowed in EVERY room and there are landlines in EVERY room. If Mrs. Jackson wasn’t allowed to use the phone, something is very very wrong. Sanders wasn’t allowed to see Mrs. Jackson, prevented by Jermaine and Janet Jackson from making contact. And he’s her lawyer. Randy Jackson now says Mrs. Jackson is on her way home to Los Angeles and will regain custody. But wait until she’s told what really happened.
Somebody has a lot of explaining to do– to Mrs. Jackson and to Perry Sanders.
Note the phone on the desk in this photo:
The Jackson family imploded today, publicly. Judge Mitchell Beckloff has appointed TJ Jackson temporary guardian of Prince, Paris, and Blanket. Katherine Jackson’s guardianship was suspended. The judge almost didn’t hear the motion, and said that Debbie Rowe, mother of Prince and Paris, and Diana Ross, named in Michael Jackson’s will as successor guardian, had to be notified. Ross has never shown any interest in this. Rowe has approved of Katherine Jackson’s raising of her kids, but has expressed concern about the grandmother’s safety and condition. Rowe is said to be engaging a family attorney to represent her so she can support Mrs. Jackson and the kids.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is clamping down even more on Oscar campaigning. Basically, they’re cutting off a necessary supply of free food and drink to Oscar voters who are only wined during a small window of time every year. Some of these voters, older actors, don’t get out much are forgotten. But when Oscar season rolls around they appear, wide-eyed and glad to recognized. A free lunch or dinner with a screening doesn’t sway them so much. But it’s a nice perk in a tough town. Anyway, after nominations are announced on January 15th–early this year–these people will have to brown bag it or hide flasks in those little pouches on their walkers. Here’s the press release:
Campaign Rules Announced for 85th Academy Awards®
Beverly Hills, CA – The Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has updated regulations for how companies and individuals may market movies and achievements eligible for the 85th Academy Awards® to Academy members. The changes pertain to screenings that feature live filmmaker participation, the formats on which members may receive screeners, and limitations on how mail, email and websites may be used in campaigning.
“These rules help us maintain a level playing field for all of the nominees and protect the integrity of the Awards process,” said Academy President Tom Sherak.
After the announcement of nominations on January 15, 2013, and until the final polls close (February 19, 2013), Academy members may be invited to up to four screenings of a nominated film that are preceded or followed by filmmaker Q&As or other such participation. A fifth such event in the United Kingdom will be permitted. All participants must be nominated or have been eligible for nomination. No screening event may include a reception or otherwise offer complimentary food or beverages. These limitations do not apply to screenings held by the Academy, guilds or similar organizations.
The regulations also now stipulate that members may receive the film both on DVD and as a digital download.
Additionally, each week, members may be sent only one piece of mail and one email per film company. The rules maintain the prohibition on sending members links to websites that promote a film using audio, video, or other multimedia elements, but may include links to the videos in the “Academy Conversations” series on Oscars.org.
The Academy has augmented its existing ban on film companies using third parties to distribute materials that they would be prohibited from sending directly. The regulation now specifies that film companies may not have a publication use its subscriber lists to send stand alone materials to members, except in connection with the distribution of the publication itself. This amendment does not affect a company’s ability to place their usual promotional materials in trade publications.
Similarly, while guilds and other awards organizations may hold non-screening events after the nominations announcement, this rule now specifies that film companies may not use such occasions as opportunities to sponsor promotional events that would otherwise violate Academy regulations.
To read the complete Regulations Concerning the Promotion of Films Eligible for the 85th Academy Awards, go to http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/rules/regulations.html.
The 85th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, and will be televised live by the ABC Television Network.
Exclusive: TJ Jackson, 34 year old son of Tito Jackson, is actually named in Katherine Jackson’s will as her successor guardian. TJ is in court this morning seeking temporary guardianship of Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson. Katherine Jackson is still back in Los Angeles. The kids are in summer school this morning and don’t need to be in court, sources say. TJ will likely get the guardianship until Katherine returns to Los Angeles. She may even be compelled to explain where she’s been and if she understood what was going on. If not, TJ may become the permanent guardian. But Randy Jackson and his gang are out in the cold.
Exclusive: Lee Daniels’s “The Butler” started shooting yesterday in New Orleans. And there’s a lot of news I can tell you EXCLUSIVELY about this film starring Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey. First of all, Quincy Jones has signed to compose the soundtrack. That’s a big big deal. And now I’ve heard that Daniels will film a scene for the opening of the film with Mariah Carey and Vanessa Redgrave far removed from the White House setting of the rest of the film. It sounds pretty cool, but I’ve been asked not to give it away.
Mariah is already said to be complaining about her makeup, which — as in “Precious”–she will be de-glamourized. And there’s more: because Liam Neeson is shooting Paul Haggis’s new film in Italy, he had to drop out of the role of Lyndon Johnson. So Liev Schreiber steps in. (The role of Lady Byrd is said to be minor.) And Olivia Washington, daughter of Denzel and Pauletta Washington, will make her screen debut as a civil rights activist. So far the only actress I’d like hear is in “The Butler” but isn’t is LaTanya Richardson. Lee–find her a role!
“The Butler” will be Daniels’ first PG-13 movie after more adult fare with “Monster’s Ball,” “Precious,” and “The Paperboy,” his wild new movie that opens this fall with an Oscar tipped performance by Nicole Kidman.