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Exclusive: Michael’s Missing Doctor, Revealed

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The doctor who left his BMW at Michael Jackson’s house yesterday and rode with him in the ambulance? His name is Dr. Conrad R. Murray.

Dr. Murray, who has offices in Las Vegas and Beverly Hills, had been hired by Jackson to accompany him to London and be there for the balance of Jackson’s shows at the O2 Arena.

A cardiovascular expert, Dr. Murray, 56, was educated at Meharry Medical College in Nashville and trained at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

The Los Angeles Police are looking for him, because Dr. Murray saw Jackson every day, insiders say, even though that doesn’t mean he was giving him daily injections (as charged, broadly, by the Jackson family).

“Dr. Murray is not the problem,” says a source who feels yet another doctor may be at the bottom of the tragedy.

Murray was summoned to the Jackson home Thursday when either a security guard or one of Jackson’s children found him unreponsive. Still, there is uncertainty about what exactly happened. But then Murray was summoned, and he was the one who performed CPR.

Michael Jackson’s Last Will Was Completed in 2002

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The issue of Michael Jackson’s will’containing disposition of assets and appointment of guardians for his children’can finally be addressed.

Sources say that Jackson’s final will was drawn up in 2002, after the delivery/birth/acquisition of baby Blanket aka Prince Michael II. The word is that Jackson’s longtime attorney and adviser John Branca, the man who kept Jackson out of many calamities in the 1980s and 90s, is the executor.

As early as sometime this weekend, Branca may share the contents of the will with the people named in it.

Jackson’s will’if it wasn’t updated at all since 2002’would then not include his feelings about people and events that came later, including his 2003 arrest and 2005 child molestation trial. That could cut both ways for certain people in Jackson’s inner circle. Some of them were helpful when Jackson was in trouble, some were not.

It’s possible that codicils address Jackson’s more recent financial issues including his monstrous debts and mortgages, as well as ownership of his intellectual property.

As far as guardianship of the three children, I am pretty amused by the rampant speculation serving as “news” right now on various blogs. The three children are currently with their nanny at the home of Michael’s mother, Katherine, in Encino, California. She may or may not wind up with them. But Mrs. Jackson’who stood by Michael through thick and thin’is too old to care for three rambunctious children even with assistance. There may yet be people Jackson considered better caretakers of his kids.

And still, the vultures keep circling, going from one useless TV interview to another. Still in the lead is Brian Oxman, a man who barely knew Michael Jackson, was not his lawyer, and was fired from his legal team in 2005 by Thomas Mesereau. I sat and watched, with other members of the press, as Oxman napped during many court sessions. That’s right: he fell asleep in open court, as I reported on April 26, 2005.

Even more unbelievably being used as “experts”: people like Diane Dimond, the ex-Court TV reporter who hated Jackson, sided from the beginning with Santa Maria prosecutor Thomas Sneddon. Dimond’s only sources were in the prosecution. She knew nothing about the defense side of the case, and wound up with egg on her face.

Even worse, if possible, Vanity Fair’s Maureen Orth, who told The Huffington Post’s Katherine Thomson: “I think this ending is great for Michael. He would have wanted to go out this way.” Does she really think Michael Jackson would prefer to have a gigantic celebrity death than to see his children grow up? Surprisingly insensitive considering her own public personal life, I’d say.

One thing’s for certain: Orth, Dimond and Oxman are not in Michael Jackson’s will.

Oscars Succumb to ‘Batman’ Effect, Expand Nominees

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It’s not a happy day in Movieville, at least for some. Yesterday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences surrendered to the big studios. They expanded the list of Best Picture nominees from five to ten.

This you can call “The Batman Effect.” It stems from Warner Bros. abandoning all reason and trying ‘ and failing– to get “The Dark Knight” nominated for Best Picture. They went so crazy for this idea that they all but ignored Clint Eastwood’s fine “Gran Torino,” which should have gained a spot in the top five.

The rule of thumb has been for the last thirty years: blockbusters, movies based on comic books, and cartoons, not to mention sci-fi, are not Oscar worthy material. The unwritten law in Oscar land was, if you made hundreds of millions of dollars, that was reward in itself. Sometimes, a blockbuster sneaked, in, like “Lord of the Rings.” But for the last fifteen years or so, indie pictures, movies of merit with artistic integrity, vied for Oscar nominations.

These films rarely came from the big studios. And the studios didn’t like it. This past year, 20th Century Fox was upstaged by its own Fox Searchlight, which won the Oscar for “Slumdog Millionaire.” In recent years, Miramax took Disney’s steam, Paramount Vantage (now deceased) did the same to big P, Focus clobbered parent Universal, and so on.

What to do? Remember a few years ago the big studios tried to stop screeners being sent to Oscar voters? The idea was that, without screeners, voters wouldn’t see the indie films. It didn’t work, and the screeners all went out.

Now what? The studios have forced the Academy to expand the list of Best Picture nominees to ten from five. If that had been the last year, “The Dark Knight” ‘ a bad, convoluted film that made scads of money ‘ would have neen nominated.

This means that this year, along with five or six well crafted Oscar-obvious films, we’re going to have some fun movies that are no more worthy of a nomination than “Dark Knight.” I’m sure the Paramount art department has already got posters ready for “Star Trek,” Fox is laying out the “Avatar” campaign as we speak, etc. I’ve no doubt the Warners marketing people are high fiving each other with grandiose expectations for “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.”

Look, it’s not going to happen. Academy voters are smarter than that. And this isn’t the Golden Globes we’re talking about. Indeed, I’m afraid the Academy has done nothing here but imitate the reviled Globes. The Academy did not expand any of the acting categories, for example. They couldn’t: those four or five extra movies don’t include award winning performances. (Chris Pine as Captain Kirk for Best Actor? No way.)

So the new expansion is simply a commercial bid to include blockbusters with the real Oscar fare. That way, on Oscar night, maybe more movie fans will tune in. This should be interesting. My guess is, it will last one season. One season of “Twilight: the New Moon” and “Zombieland” up against, say, “Precious,” “Nine,” “Shutter Island,” “Amelia,” and “The Lovely Bones” and that should bring everyone back to their senses, tout suite.

Jacko Rehearsals Move to L.A. Arena

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Michael Jackson: his rehearsals for his London shows have now moved, full throttle, to the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The Jacko crew had to wait until the L.A. Lakers were done with their season. The Lakers won the NBA championship last week. Now it’s time for Jacko.

My sources say that, despite rumors and potential lawsuits, the Jackson extravaganza is taking shape nicely. Michael, they say, is determined to be in shape for the shows. The occasional doctor’s visit or odd public outing is just for publicity.

In preparing for the 50 London shows, Jackson has at last signed former manager Frank DiLeo to oversee the proceedings. DiLeo was Jackson’s manager during the “Thriller” era. He’s also pretty much the only associate of the singer’s who didn’t rip him off, hasn’t sued him, or written anything bad about him.

The Staples rehearsals will proceed until next Friday, when the whole thing is packed up and shipped to London on July 3rd. That will leave a 10 day countdown until the first show at the O2 Arena. Stay tuned…

‘Guiding Light’ Driven Into Ground

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You know, CBS’ soap “Guiding Light” has been forced into cancellation by its owner, Procter & Gamble. The last episode, after 72 years, is on Sept. 18.

P&G used to own several soaps. But they’ve wanted out of the business for a long time. Little by little, they’ve whittled their stable down to two shows. After “GL” is canceled, they’ll just have “As the World Turns.”

One trick for not turning viewer anger into displaced resentment toward P&G brands like Crest and Pringles: Turn the fans against the show so they won’t miss it. In the last few weeks, maybe thinking no one’s watching, the “GL” producers have made the remaining episodes unwatchable. They’ve allowed the actors to use coarse language generally unsuitable to network TV. You can only imagine older fans wincing when they hear “pissed off” or “douchebag” uttered by their favorite characters.

For the last 18 months, P&G has also given “GL” substandard producing. There is constant loud rock music — sort of MySpace reject stuff — playing over dialogue. Most of it is in direct contrast to the scene being played on the screen. (Maybe considering the new low standards of language, it’s a good thing!)

There is also no attention to detail. Yesterday, veteran actor Peter Simon returned to the show playing Dr. Ed Bauer. Behind him, hanging on the wall of his “office” (the soap no longer uses sets, but real locations) was a medical school diploma for some other doctor–maybe the real life physician whose office cheaped-out P&G used for the shoot. If the producers don’t care, why should the viewers? By Sept. 18, P&G must hope, none will be left.

Sad, after all these years. Me, I’ve switched to Colgate Total.

NBC’s Silverman: Big Plans for Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Emma Thompson

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10740 NBCs Silverman: Big Plans for Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Emma ThompsonDon’t believe everything you hear today about NBC’s Ben Silverman. Silverman is safe at his job at NBC, my sources say, despite the agitations of those who don’t like him.

Silverman, whom I saw this week at the premiere of NBC’s “The Philanthropist,” has not been shunted aside. He was deeply involved with “The Philanthropist,” which scored mostly positive reviews and wound up winning its timeslot last night on NBC (though it fell from its lead-in).

Last night, he went to Washington, D.C., to a screening of it with the Creative Coalition. The series is international and about philanthropy. By the way, “America’s Got Talent,” on NBC, which preceded “The Philanthropist” also won its timeslot.

Silverman is back in New York for a couple days to talk to Tina Fey, sources tell me. He needs two more episodes of “30 Rock” next season. In exchange, Silverman is going to build a promotion for Fey and fellow NBC star Steve Carell for their comedy “Date Night,” coming later this fall. Hey, what if Michael and the gang from Dunder Mifflin get tickets to see Liz Lemon’s show? Hmmm…

I’m told that Silverman heads next to the U.K. — not to take a job with ITV as some suggested but to sign Emma Thompson up to write a series for NBC. A great actress, Thompson has also proven her writing chops with “Sense and Sensibility” and the Nanny McPhee movies. Maybe Silverman can talk her into starring in a series here.

Meanwhile, I did get to ask Silverman at the “Philanthropist” screening what was up for Amy Poehler in her “Parks and Recreation” series. He assured me that with the series returning this fall, the show would be “opened up” more to reflect Poehler’s comic gifts and move it away from being a spinoff from “The Office.”

Michael Jackson Rushed to Hospital

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Update: Michael Jackson dies at 50

Pop star Michael Jackson has had a heart attack — and sources say he’s been rushed to UCLA hospital. Sources also say EMS workers gave him CPR.

Sources say Jackson’s mother is on her way to UCLA Medical Center, and his brothers have been called.

More to come …

Michael Jackson Dies at 50

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UPDATE: Sources close to Michael Jackson have confirmed his death. Sources tell me that Jackson, 50, was alone for some time in his home before paramedics arrived. The singer was taken to UCLA Medical Center where, according to a source at the hospital, Jackson was at some point in the early afternoon Thursday taken off life support.

michael jackson Michael Jackson Dies at 50The Jackson family, including his children, had gathered at the singer’s side.

Sources also tell me that Debbie Rowe, the mother of Jackson’s eldest children, Michael and Paris, is “inconsolable” and “very concerned about her children.”

For Jackson’s legions of fans around the world, as well as his family, his death is a tragic blow. In recent weeks as he prepared for a startling 50 shows in London, Jackson was often seen coming and going from doctors’ offices. Now there will likely be questions about his treatments and his history of drug taking.

For Jackson’s three children — Prince Michael, Paris, and Blanket — there are concerns about who will be their guardians. Rowe is the birth mother of the first two. Blanket, as I reported a few years ago, was the product of Jackson picking a surrogate from a catalog.

Confusion will reign over Jackson’s finances. Jackson was up to his ears in debt — almost $400 million.

Despite all the controversy surrounding the pop icon, his legacy will probably now be as resonant as those of Elvis Presley or Marilyn Monroe.

More to come …

Brian Oxman is NOT Michael Jackson’s Lawyer

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Michael Jackson hasn’t been dead three hours and Brian Oxman is on TV everywhere’being identified as the attorney for the singer or ‘his family.

He is not.

Michael Jackson’s attorney, officially, is Joel Katz, the respected music lawyer from Greenberg Traurig of Atlanta.

Please, news organizations: Brian Oxman was fired by Thomas Mesereau from Michael’s trial in 2005. I was there. He has no knowledge of Michael’s life for the last several years. Oxman sued Jackson looking for legal fees, and lost.

Jackson’s attorney just prior to Katz was Peter Lopez. Some of his business has been handled in New York by Londell McMillan. Jackson’s manager, recently re-signed, is Frank Di Leo, who has been in Los Angeles with him the last several weeks.

More to come.

Michael Jackson Rehearsed at Staples Center The Night Before His Death

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Last night Michael Jackson had the “best show ever”’a rehearsal at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Sources tell me he was thrilled about the show and very excited about his upcoming London shows.

That should scotch any rumors about Jackson being unable to perform, or depressed or anything else.

Click here for all Michael Jackson posts on Showbiz411.