The King of Pop's mother, Katherine, has formed an alliance with Toronto entrepreneur Howard Mann. The estate's lawyers are monitoring releases from his Vintage Pop Media.
For someone trying to sell a book, it couldn't get much better than this: Oprah Winfrey, the nation's reader-in-chief, was holding up a glossy volume of Michael Jackson photographs for her vast ویژن ٹیلی audience while tossing softball سوالات to its co-author, the late singer's 80-year-old mother.
The gauzily shot moment of marketing سونا last ماہ was not the work of the official Jackson estate but of a little-known Toronto businessman, Howard Mann, a brash, goateed 38-year-old who cut his teeth in the titillation trade — nude online gambling, a naked women's wrestling league — and is now pursuing an unorthodox plan to profit from what he calls "the most valuable name in history."
That plan is a direct challenge to the Jackson estate, the behemoth quasi-corporation whose carefully strategized promotion of the pop star's legacy and ironhanded crackdown on unlicensed merchandise have translated into hundreds of millions in posthumous earnings. The brewing fight between the estate and Mann is the latest wrinkle in the settling of his affairs and another reminder that even in death, nothing involving the King of Pop is ever simple.
Mann is taking on the estate armed with two weapons — a legal loophole that he says gives him carte blanche to flout intellectual property laws and an unlikely alliance with Jackson's mother, Katherine. Frustrated with the size of her allowance from the estate, the family matriarch has entered into a business partnership with Mann in which she has دیا her blessing to the book and other projects and he has paid her what he کہا was "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
"I'm very pleased working with Howard. He's been very good to me," she کہا recently.
These joint endeavors are becoming a headache for estate administrators, who seem reticent to offend Katherine Jackson, the guardian of the singer's three children and a much admired figure to fans. A lawyer for the estate dismissed Mann's novel legal theory as flawed, but the administrators have not moved to stop sales of his unauthorized Jackson products as they have others who tried to cash in on Jackson's name یا likeness. For the past five months, the estate has sat silent as Mann's company, Vintage Pop Media, has touted its ownership of a trove of Jackson memorabilia — photos, personal papers, costumes and موسیقی — and hawked the book, calendars and other items on its website.
Asked to explain, the estate's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, کہا of Mann: "His دن is coming. The estate will be taking appropriate legal action."
In the scope of the Jackson empire, with its $273-million deal with Sony and the $260-million کنسرٹ movie, Mann's ventures — the $39.99 book and the $27.98 calendar — are small-time. However, his projects have hit a nerve in the delicate relationship between Jackson's beloved mother and the two موسیقی veterans he tapped in his will to control his business affairs.
Under the terms of a private trust set up سے طرف کی the will, the singer's children and his mother each get a 40% share of the trust with the remainder going to charity. Upon Katherine Jackson's death, her portion passes to the children. Jackson owed creditors about half a billion dollars at the time of his death. The estate remains in the red although massive موسیقی and merchandise deals as well as financial restructuring have significantly reduced the debt.
In a telephone interview, Katherine Jackson praised administrators John Branca and John McClain for doing "a very good job" managing the estate but criticized her monthly cash allowance of $7,000 to $8,000 as inadequate and کہا it left her dependent on Mann to cover her expenses.
"I wish they would leave Howard alone and I wish they would leave me alone for working with Howard. I'm not greedy like people say. It's need not greed," she said.
The estate disputes the suggestion that administrators are not meeting her living expenses. Weitzman, the lawyer, noted that the allowance was approved سے طرف کی a probate judge and کہا the cash payments were only one aspect of the financial support that administrators provided. The estate also paid off the mortgage on the family ہوم in Encino and foots the bill for household staff, security, vehicles, food, tuition and vacations.
"The estate has spent millions of dollars for Mrs. Jackson's benefit and on the direct living expenses of both Mrs. Jackson and the children," Weitzman said.
But for Katherine Jackson, it is not enough. "I think I should be getting more," she said. She declined to specify why she needed the money. Her husband, Joe, sought an allowance from the court but was denied. Several other grandchildren also reside at the family home.
For someone trying to sell a book, it couldn't get much better than this: Oprah Winfrey, the nation's reader-in-chief, was holding up a glossy volume of Michael Jackson photographs for her vast ویژن ٹیلی audience while tossing softball سوالات to its co-author, the late singer's 80-year-old mother.
The gauzily shot moment of marketing سونا last ماہ was not the work of the official Jackson estate but of a little-known Toronto businessman, Howard Mann, a brash, goateed 38-year-old who cut his teeth in the titillation trade — nude online gambling, a naked women's wrestling league — and is now pursuing an unorthodox plan to profit from what he calls "the most valuable name in history."
That plan is a direct challenge to the Jackson estate, the behemoth quasi-corporation whose carefully strategized promotion of the pop star's legacy and ironhanded crackdown on unlicensed merchandise have translated into hundreds of millions in posthumous earnings. The brewing fight between the estate and Mann is the latest wrinkle in the settling of his affairs and another reminder that even in death, nothing involving the King of Pop is ever simple.
Mann is taking on the estate armed with two weapons — a legal loophole that he says gives him carte blanche to flout intellectual property laws and an unlikely alliance with Jackson's mother, Katherine. Frustrated with the size of her allowance from the estate, the family matriarch has entered into a business partnership with Mann in which she has دیا her blessing to the book and other projects and he has paid her what he کہا was "hundreds of thousands of dollars."
"I'm very pleased working with Howard. He's been very good to me," she کہا recently.
These joint endeavors are becoming a headache for estate administrators, who seem reticent to offend Katherine Jackson, the guardian of the singer's three children and a much admired figure to fans. A lawyer for the estate dismissed Mann's novel legal theory as flawed, but the administrators have not moved to stop sales of his unauthorized Jackson products as they have others who tried to cash in on Jackson's name یا likeness. For the past five months, the estate has sat silent as Mann's company, Vintage Pop Media, has touted its ownership of a trove of Jackson memorabilia — photos, personal papers, costumes and موسیقی — and hawked the book, calendars and other items on its website.
Asked to explain, the estate's lawyer, Howard Weitzman, کہا of Mann: "His دن is coming. The estate will be taking appropriate legal action."
In the scope of the Jackson empire, with its $273-million deal with Sony and the $260-million کنسرٹ movie, Mann's ventures — the $39.99 book and the $27.98 calendar — are small-time. However, his projects have hit a nerve in the delicate relationship between Jackson's beloved mother and the two موسیقی veterans he tapped in his will to control his business affairs.
Under the terms of a private trust set up سے طرف کی the will, the singer's children and his mother each get a 40% share of the trust with the remainder going to charity. Upon Katherine Jackson's death, her portion passes to the children. Jackson owed creditors about half a billion dollars at the time of his death. The estate remains in the red although massive موسیقی and merchandise deals as well as financial restructuring have significantly reduced the debt.
In a telephone interview, Katherine Jackson praised administrators John Branca and John McClain for doing "a very good job" managing the estate but criticized her monthly cash allowance of $7,000 to $8,000 as inadequate and کہا it left her dependent on Mann to cover her expenses.
"I wish they would leave Howard alone and I wish they would leave me alone for working with Howard. I'm not greedy like people say. It's need not greed," she said.
The estate disputes the suggestion that administrators are not meeting her living expenses. Weitzman, the lawyer, noted that the allowance was approved سے طرف کی a probate judge and کہا the cash payments were only one aspect of the financial support that administrators provided. The estate also paid off the mortgage on the family ہوم in Encino and foots the bill for household staff, security, vehicles, food, tuition and vacations.
"The estate has spent millions of dollars for Mrs. Jackson's benefit and on the direct living expenses of both Mrs. Jackson and the children," Weitzman said.
But for Katherine Jackson, it is not enough. "I think I should be getting more," she said. She declined to specify why she needed the money. Her husband, Joe, sought an allowance from the court but was denied. Several other grandchildren also reside at the family home.
The mega-lawyer who successfully defended Michael Jackson in his molestation case is coming out swinging at Dr. Murray's defense team -- blaming MJ's death squarely on Murray because the singer was "not suicidal."
Thomas Mesereau went on MSNBC today -- and stated, "The defense lawyers have to do something and what they're gonna try and do is reflect attention away from their client and onto Michael Jackson."
He adds, "The reality is Michael Jackson was not suicidal, he was not self-destructive in the way they're trying to say, and hopefully their defense will not succeed."
For the record, Mesereau's "suicidal" statement is not accurate -- because according to our sources, the defense will argue that Michael MAY have accidentally killed himself after trying to self-administer Propofol ... but he was not suicidal.
Perhaps Mesereau's strongest تبصرہ -- "I'm sorry that the defense is going to have to bash Michael Jackson to try and divert attention from their guilty client."
Thomas Mesereau went on MSNBC today -- and stated, "The defense lawyers have to do something and what they're gonna try and do is reflect attention away from their client and onto Michael Jackson."
He adds, "The reality is Michael Jackson was not suicidal, he was not self-destructive in the way they're trying to say, and hopefully their defense will not succeed."
For the record, Mesereau's "suicidal" statement is not accurate -- because according to our sources, the defense will argue that Michael MAY have accidentally killed himself after trying to self-administer Propofol ... but he was not suicidal.
Perhaps Mesereau's strongest تبصرہ -- "I'm sorry that the defense is going to have to bash Michael Jackson to try and divert attention from their guilty client."
I feel so lovely that Michael inspires me even in the most specific ways.
I love آپ مزید than anything.
آپ are my دل and soul.
To see آپ when I die is my goal.
There is no-one I can love مزید than you.
آپ know it's true.
Why did آپ have to go?
I want all my love for آپ to show.
I need you.
This world is a better place thanks to you.
آپ are my life.
When آپ died I thought about cutting myself with a knife.
I love آپ so much Michael...
My دل isn't broken...
I have no دل at all without you.
When آپ died آپ took my دل with you.
I love آپ the most and nothing will ever change that I promise.
آپ are the one I love. <3
آپ are my دل and soul.
To see آپ when I die is my goal.
There is no-one I can love مزید than you.
آپ know it's true.
Why did آپ have to go?
I want all my love for آپ to show.
I need you.
This world is a better place thanks to you.
آپ are my life.
When آپ died I thought about cutting myself with a knife.
I love آپ so much Michael...
My دل isn't broken...
I have no دل at all without you.
When آپ died آپ took my دل with you.
I love آپ the most and nothing will ever change that I promise.
آپ are the one I love. <3
there are alot of things ,That I adore In MJ
but The best is He didn't wait for others to help the sick and dying people, he did it first and was
doing until his death, he visited espcially the sick children ,gave them toys,played them,Just i want آپ To Fancy how they were happy and me too
cause he wanted to change the world and he did it
although he was very busy with songs and tours,but
he went to them ,he did care about Them and us سے طرف کی spreading out the love ,peace and help,MJ I love You
very Much MY sweet angel you're always inside and
my دل god bless you,Rip!!!!!!
but The best is He didn't wait for others to help the sick and dying people, he did it first and was
doing until his death, he visited espcially the sick children ,gave them toys,played them,Just i want آپ To Fancy how they were happy and me too
cause he wanted to change the world and he did it
although he was very busy with songs and tours,but
he went to them ,he did care about Them and us سے طرف کی spreading out the love ,peace and help,MJ I love You
very Much MY sweet angel you're always inside and
my دل god bless you,Rip!!!!!!
Caroline went at his mum's house to see if he was there.. She knocked.. His mum opened.
Caroline:"Hello Mr.s Balzan.. is your son here?"
Mr.Balzan:"Hello Caroline.. Bernard went at the bar اگلے door.. he's probabbly there.."
Caroline said:"Thank u Mr's Balzan"
Caroline froze.. what was he doing at the bar.. why did he lie to her? Was there something to know?
She went at the bar.. then she had a deep shock.. Bernard was with another girl.. they held eachother's hands.. Caroline was just desperate.. she ran away crying.. not knowing what to do.. She ran away crying... Then she stood on a pave ment thinking.. "what had just happened to me?" she said.. She was still sobbing..
Caroline:"Hello Mr.s Balzan.. is your son here?"
Mr.Balzan:"Hello Caroline.. Bernard went at the bar اگلے door.. he's probabbly there.."
Caroline said:"Thank u Mr's Balzan"
Caroline froze.. what was he doing at the bar.. why did he lie to her? Was there something to know?
She went at the bar.. then she had a deep shock.. Bernard was with another girl.. they held eachother's hands.. Caroline was just desperate.. she ran away crying.. not knowing what to do.. She ran away crying... Then she stood on a pave ment thinking.. "what had just happened to me?" she said.. She was still sobbing..
TMZ has learned tons of Michael Jackson شائقین are descending upon MJ's tomb on the 1-year anniversary of his death -- even though they've been banned from the mausoleum.
As we previously reported, Forest Lawn Cemetery -- where Jackson is entombed -- claims they've adopted a new policy in which security is instructed to remove anyone hanging out in front of the King of Pop's mausoleum.
But a rep for Justice4MJ -- the پرستار group organizing the mass pilgrimage -- tells TMZ they are "absolutely" still going to visit the singer's burial place on the big دن .. June 25th.
A rep for Forest Lawn tells us they have not yet figured out how they plan to handle the MJ anniversary ... but they will work with the Jackson family and abide سے طرف کی their wishes.
As for the MJ fans, one member of the group tells us, "Nothing will stop us from being with MJ on the 25th!"
As we previously reported, Forest Lawn Cemetery -- where Jackson is entombed -- claims they've adopted a new policy in which security is instructed to remove anyone hanging out in front of the King of Pop's mausoleum.
But a rep for Justice4MJ -- the پرستار group organizing the mass pilgrimage -- tells TMZ they are "absolutely" still going to visit the singer's burial place on the big دن .. June 25th.
A rep for Forest Lawn tells us they have not yet figured out how they plan to handle the MJ anniversary ... but they will work with the Jackson family and abide سے طرف کی their wishes.
As for the MJ fans, one member of the group tells us, "Nothing will stop us from being with MJ on the 25th!"
Certainly the will stipulates that the money, the children will get when they reach 30 years of age. سے طرف کی then, of course, the interest amount will exceed 300 million dollars!! Not bad ...
The mother of Michael Jackson gets 40% of its assets, while the remainder will go to charitable institutions.
Naturally, Jacko did not leave anything to his father, which had no good relationships, but none of the siblings.
Originally گیا کیا پوسٹ May 15th 2010 10:14 AM PDT سے طرف کی TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned Dr. Conrad Murray may have saved a life this morning ... 30,000 feet above the ground.
Sources tell TMZ Murray was on a US Air flight from Houston to Phoenix when a flight attendant came over the loudspeaker and asked if there was a doctor on board.
Turns out a passenger fainted and could not be revived. We're told Murray jumped out of his seat, evaluated the female passenger (who was in her 20s and traveling with a baby), and quickly noticed she had a "very weak pulse."
Somehow -- don't ask us -- Murray inserted an IV and was able to stabilize the passenger until the plane made an emergency landing in Albuquerque.
The passenger was taken for further treatment. Her condition is not known.
Read more: link
TMZ has learned Dr. Conrad Murray may have saved a life this morning ... 30,000 feet above the ground.
Sources tell TMZ Murray was on a US Air flight from Houston to Phoenix when a flight attendant came over the loudspeaker and asked if there was a doctor on board.
Turns out a passenger fainted and could not be revived. We're told Murray jumped out of his seat, evaluated the female passenger (who was in her 20s and traveling with a baby), and quickly noticed she had a "very weak pulse."
Somehow -- don't ask us -- Murray inserted an IV and was able to stabilize the passenger until the plane made an emergency landing in Albuquerque.
The passenger was taken for further treatment. Her condition is not known.
Read more: link