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Jacksons: As Tributes Near, Family Leaves Town-Book Sells 25,000 Copies

Roger Friedman
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6
Jacksons: As Tributes Near, Family Leaves Town-Book Sells 25,000 Copies

Michael Jackson‘s immediate family will not be around this week for all the tributes that are about to take place.

As preparations occur at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for Saturday’s Jackson Family Foundation event, fans may be disappointed not to see the main players: Katherine Jackson and her grand kids.

I am told that Katherine has already left the L.A. area has headed to Michael’s birthplace in Gary, Indiana.

And Michael’s kids–Prince, Paris, and Blanket–will also be far removed from the circus planned across the street from their home in Encino, California. There was a plan to take them to London. They may also be somewhere else. But they’re not in California, trust me.

Meantime, Katherine Jackson‘s book publisher, Howard Mann, tells me he’s sold 25,000 copies of her book, “Never Can Say Goodbye,” since Monday. That’s quite an accomplishment. The book will be sold physically at the Bev Hilton event. Otherwise, it can only be obtained online.

But there are issues with that book, and possibly, Mrs. Jackson’s partnership. Stay tuned…

James Franco’s Art Show Opens: Freaks, Geeks, and Tweaks

Roger Friedman
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0
James Franco’s Art Show Opens: Freaks, Geeks, and Tweaks

Thanks to a website called www.onlocationsvacations.com and a writer named Christine, we have some pictures and thoughts on James Franco‘s first curated art show. It opened at the Clocktower Gallery here in New York on Tuesday night. I’ve been on the Other coast, but promise to get over there this week and figure out what our boy is up to with all this. In the meantime, we can ponder these photos.

Franco, by the way, opens soon in Columbia Pictures’ much anticipated “Eat, Love, Pray.” And he’s back on “General Hospital.” His mom, Betsy, a well known children’s book author, will play his character’s mother this time around.

Hollywood Swinging: X Men, Paltrow’s Secret, Liza and Bruce

Roger Friedman
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36
Hollywood Swinging: X Men, Paltrow’s Secret, Liza and Bruce

I told you some time ago — exclusively–that Michael Fassbender, hot as a pistol, had to choose between roles in the new “X Men” and “Spider Man.” I am told he has made his choice, and will appear in “X Men: First Class.” James McAvoy and Benjamin Walker are also cast in Matthew Vaughn‘s upcoming blockbuster. All this news makes me want to see this movie before it’s even made!…

….Jake Paltrow, blue eyed younger brother of Gwyneth, has a secret. Shhhh. Paltrow, an accomplished director, is making a hush hush secret documentary with “Fantastic Mr. Fox” writer-director Noah Baumbach. They’re shooting in Los Angeles this week, after having shot in New York. Paltrow was spotted by yours truly this week at LAX touting a camera tripod off the baggage carousel. He won’t say what the film is about, or even if it’s got a script or a narrator. And what about big Sis, since I know you wanted me to ask? Sad for the tabloids, lovely Gwyneth is still married, living in London, raising her kids. She is not working this summer. That’s all I got! I tried!…Hey–rent Noah’s film, “Mr. Jealousy.” It’s a little gem…

…Bruce Springsteen is a closet Liza Minnelli fan. Well, he knows good showmanship and a set of pipes. So and the family stopped in backstage at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park last week to wish Liza well on her forthcoming album, “Confessions.” and her national tour…

“As the World Turns” wraps 54 golden years this week as the Cadillac of soaps. This means after over five decades, Procter & Gamble has at last exited the world of daytime dramas. What a pity: P&G never respected its shows, and in the 1990s determined to get out of the business altogether. Many generations grew up on “As the World Turns,” “Edge of Night,” “Search for Tomorrow,” “Another World,” “Guiding Light,” and “The Secret Storm.” The shows ranged from the ridiculous to the sublime, and often represented the best acting, directing, and writing in New York. The word is that “World Turns” will air its last week of shows in September with a whimper. I hope this is not true. Everyone deserves better.

Jackson Five Surprise! 273 New Tracks Discovered

Roger Friedman
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61
Jackson Five Surprise! 273 New Tracks Discovered

Howard Mann, the Toronto entrepreneur who bought a warehouse full of Jackson family paraphernalia, has a surprise for Michael Jackson fans and the singer’s estate.

He has the masters to 273 unreleased Jackson tracks. Some are Michael alone, some are duets with superstars like Tina Turner, and some are with the Jackson family.

A good chunk of them come from the 1975 CBS variety series featuring the whole family.

According to Mann, who seems to know his stuff, the Jacksons were between the end of their Motown contract that summer and the beginning of one with Epic Records.

“The recordings belonged to the Jacksons. I bought them with the contents of the warehouse,” Mann says.

Mann feels the recordings therefore do not belong to the Jackson estate, and he can release them any way he sees fit.

Meanwhile, Mann has gone into business–he tells me–with Katherine Jackson only, and not with Joseph Jackson. “My arrangements have nothing at all to do with Joe Jackson,” he says.

Mann also says he did not pay Katherine Jackson an advance for her book, “Never Can Say Goodbye.” Rather, they are business partners. It does seem that Mann has become The Man in the Jacksons’ life. But he says also his largesse is not responsible for the Jackson brothers reportedly all driving new cars.

“You’ll have to look elsewhere for that answer.” he says.

Michael Jackson’s Mom Comes Out Swinging Against His Accusers

Roger Friedman
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13
Michael Jackson’s Mom Comes Out Swinging Against His Accusers

Michael Jackson‘s mother, Katherine, has come out swinging against her son’s accusers.

In her foreword to “Never Can Say Goodbye,” Mrs. Jackson makes pointed reference to the father of Jordan Chandler, the 13 year old boy who in 1993-94 received a $20 million settlement from Michael after accusations of child abuse.

Mrs. Jackson writes: “Most of what I’ve read or heard about Michael in the media was not the truth–especially the allegations of child abuse.

“Evan Chandler, the father of Michael’s first accuser, recently committed suicide. Though I can’t comment on why, I want to believe his conscience finally caught up with him and he was not able to live with himself after destroying an innocent person’s career and breaking his spirit.

“Michael loved children and he worked diligently and passionately to better the lives of the less fortunate–the last thing he would do is harm an innocent child.”

Mrs. Jackson observes: “Michael often saw the good in people and trusted many in the early part of his career, sometimes leading to pain and betrayal in his life.”

By the way, Mrs. Jackson’s business partner and publisher, Howard Mann, tells me that he has made no deal with website TMZ.com to republish pictures from the book. He says they just copied them and put them up without permission. They are low resolution and stamped with TMZ’s logo.

Katherine Jackson: NBC Buys Only Video Interview with Michael Jackson’s Mom

Roger Friedman
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17
Katherine Jackson: NBC Buys Only Video Interview with Michael Jackson’s Mom

NBC has bought an interview with Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine. The interview will air on Dateline on Friday night, opposite ABC’s big 20/20 piece.

The Katherine Jackson interview was produced by Michael’s former business partner, Marc Schaffel. It’s the only one with Mrs. Jackson made for the anniversary of Michael’s death.

Of course, the interview will promote her new book, “Never Can Say Goodbye” which went on sale today and which we told you about exclusively last week.

The interview covers a range of subjects including Michael’s kids, Debbie Rowe, accusations against Michael that he was a child molester, and of course, Michael’s death.

I’m told the bidding war between ABC and NBC was intense, but that ABC had already wrapped their project and there was no way to insert the material.

Meanwhile, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, some kind of preparations are being made for Saturday’s Jackson Family Foundation inaugural whatever. Mrs. Jackson says in a taped piece that she’ll sign autographs for “Never Can Say Goodbye.” The rest of it should be just as weird. Eveyone grieves in their own way, that’s for sure.

More to come, undoubtedly…

Michael Jackson’s Kids: Spending Time with Debbie Rowe

Roger Friedman
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45
Michael Jackson’s Kids: Spending Time with Debbie Rowe

Michael Jackson‘s kids, Prince and Paris, have been spending time with their biological mother, Debbie Rowe.

Rowe has also included Blanket, aka Prince Michael II, in the visits, according to sources. Blanket’s biological mother is unknown.

This might be the best news to come out of the long year since Michael Jackson died. The anniversary, on Friday, June 25th, is sparking dozens of stories, mostly false, about the Jackson kids and anything to do with Michael Jackson. It’s going to be a wild week, that’s for sure!

The reality is that Rowe, who was married to Jackson when she gave birth to Prince and then Paris, has forged a relationship not only with the children but with Katherine Jackson, their guardian and Michael’s mother. The visits have happened quietly, with no fanfare or publicity.

Rowe–who raises and sells horses in Southern California– retained her parental rights when she divorced Jackson. A family court judge reaffirmed that in 2006.

This week, however, all members of this saga will be out of town as fans descend on various locations to commemorate the anniversary of Michael’s death.

According to my sources, the Jackson kids are doing fine. They will, indeed, attend private school this fall.

But I am also told that it’s incorrect, as was reported Sunday from the British press, that the children have “no friends.” They have plenty of friends among their similarly aged cousins. And once they’re in school, they will undoubtedly make friends.

It wouldn’t have been easy for them in the first place. From June 2005 until last June–four years–the children were dragged by Jackson from one locale to another–Bahrain, Ireland, Japan, France, Las Vegas, northern Virginia, suburban New Jersey, and then finally a rented house in Beverly Hills.

Bebe Buell Hits the Roxy Tomorrow Night

Roger Friedman
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0
Bebe Buell Hits the Roxy Tomorrow Night

Bebe Buell, long time rocker, former model and mother of actress Liv Tyler still has a lot of rockin’ left in her. She’s just put out her first new full length album in over a decade, on Koch/E1 Records. “Sugar” is full of radio-friendly singles including the title track, “Air Kisses for the Masses,” and “Trunk of Dreams.” The album is her equivalent of Marianne Faithfull‘s “Broken English.”

On Tuesday, June 22nd Bebe and her band–featuring husband Jim Walls and Twin Engines–make a rare appearance at the Roxy on Sunset in West Hollywood. This has turned into a must-see gig, with lots of A listers threatening to appear. Over the years, Buell has counted among her friends and lovers Steven Tyler, Elvis Costello, Todd Rundgren, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Rod Stewart and Jack Nicholson. They’ll all be plenty surprised when they see Buell, who’s 55 and a grandma, rock the Roxy like never before.

PS If you’re in town tonight–Monday, June 21– Bebe has an in-store signing at Second Spin, 1332 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica. www.bebebuell.org

Tom Cruise New Film: So-So Reviews, Sold Out Sneak Preview

Roger Friedman
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5
Tom Cruise New Film: So-So Reviews, Sold Out Sneak Preview

The Tom Cruise movie “Knight and Day”–his first real big budget action flick in four years–may be an accident waiting to happen.

Reviews from the two main trade papers, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, are not good.

The estimable Kirk Honeycutt writes in the Reporter: …”laziness permeates the film from the inexplicable escapes to the neglected romance…”

Justin Chang had mixed feelings in Variety. calling “Knight and Day” a high-energy, low-impact caper-comedy that labors to bring a measure of wit, romance and glamour to an overworked spy-thriller template.” Chang concludes the movie should better overseas than in the U.S.

All the advance word indicates that the film makes little sense, and that director James Mangold makes little use of a solid supporting cast.

The word I’ve gotten from those who’ve seen it is that “Knight and Day” — is a B minus/Cplus movie.  At $100 million, it also costs about a million dollars per minute. For that kind of budget, not counting promotional budgets–another $25 million–that’s not what anyone wants to hear.

I haven’t seen “Knight and Day” because it screened simultaneous to the Songwriters Hall of Fame dinner on Thursday. Like the rest of the public, I’ll catch up to it on Wednesday.

But here’s the good news: on Saturday night in at least one location–Stamford, Connecticut–the theater manager tells me the sneak preview sold out. He said, “It was an older crowd, no teens and no kids at all. They really, really liked it.” The only caveat? The manager says that many members of the audience asked him why the movie was called “Knight and Day.”

“I told them those were the characters’ names,” the manager replied. In fact, the main characters are named Roy Miller and June Havens. But it was a good on the spot response.

“You know they liked the movie because everyone stayed through the credits,” he added. Maybe to find characters named Knight and Day!

The New Man in Katherine Jackson’s Life is A Gambler

Roger Friedman
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24
The New Man in Katherine Jackson’s Life is A Gambler

There’s a new man in Katherine Jackson‘s world. Or make that, Mann.

Howard Mann is Mrs. Jackson’s new business partner. He tells me bought the assets of Henry Vaccaro out of bankruptcy, including the New Jersey warehouse filled with Jackson family memorabilia.

The warehouse included many personal items from the family including letters and some things that might have caused embarrassment had they made it into an auction.

Mann quickly contacted Mrs. Jackson and made a deal with her. He returned personal possessions, and in exchange started to develop projects. The first is Mrs. Jackson’s book of photographs coming this Monday, called “Never Can Say Goodbye.”

Mann, who is from Toronto, made his money with online gambling. His 121 Gaming company –described as a celebrity driven, erotic content provider–.got so successful that in 2006 he introduced online “nude” gambling. He created a site called GrandNevada.com and told a gaming website: “Online gaming will never be the same. Why would anyone choose to play against a boring online video based game that could be altered to drastically favor the house? Now people can play real casino games in real time, with real live sexy dealers, just like in a real casino, except at GrandNevada.com, the dealers are either wearing bikinis or are topless.”

Mann continued: “We have booked several adult film stars to deal live and in the proverbial flesh.”

Mann also created Carmen Electra‘s Naked Women’s Wrestling league. Unfortunately, that ended in tears. And a lawsuit.

Sadly, GrandNevada.com is no more. I always find out about these things too late!

Since then, Mann says he’s gotten out of that business and turned his 121 Ventures into a high end video production and online company. He’s aiming to take the Jackson site, jacksonsecretvault.com, and create a place where music fans can download their favorite tunes and bands– his own version of ITunes.

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