The Mystery Woman Who Ratted Out Jackson’s Doc

By: Roger Friedman   //   Tuesday August 25, 2009

Now a new Michael Jackson mystery. Who was the anonymous woman who turned the DEA onto Dr. Arnold Klein?

In the affidavit that was made public yesterday as part of a search warrant, there was this little fact: an anonymous female called the DEA and turned in Dr. Arnold Klein, Jackson’s dermatologist. The caller gave a number of aliases under which Jackson received prescriptions from the dermatologist. They included Omar  Arnold–a name first revealed in this column two months ago–as well as Fernand Diaz, Peter Madonie, and Josephine Baker. The police found a prescription in Jackson’s house made out to Omar Arnold.

And now I’m told that following the revelations about Dr. Conrad Murray yesterday, Dr. Klein is next. And the evidence concerning him will be much more detailed since Klein has been involved with Jackson for over 20 years. Nearly everyone in Jackson’s inner circles over the years has been involved with him, too.

And who is the mystery woman? The likely candidate, I am told, is Debbie Rowe. The mother of Jackson’s two eldest children worked for Klein in the 90s. She met Jackson in his office. She is said to hold Klein responsible for Jackson’s drug problems. In recent weeks, Klein has even had her barred from his offices. Rowe is said to have been very upset when Klein started suggesting he was the children’s father. “It made her skin crawl,” says a friend. Rowe would be only one of many who’d know what Klein gave Jackson over the years–and certainly an excellent witness in a trial.

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Dr. Murray Left Michael Jackson for 47 Minutes

By: Roger Friedman   //   Monday August 24, 2009

murray conrad 175 Dr. Murray Left Michael Jackson for 47 Minutes  In the affidavit given by Office E.G. Chance of the Houston Police Department, Michael Jackson is quoted as calling propofol, the dangerous drug that likely killed him, his “milk.” Apparently it has a milky appearance.

While propofol was being administered to Jackson at 10:40 a.m. on June 25, his doctor — Conrad Murray — left his side for 47 minutes to make phone calls. When Dr. Murray returned to Jackson’s bedside, the singer was not breathing.

Dr. Murray did not tell this to police when he was interviewed on June 27. But according to Officer Chance’s affidavit, discovered by the Los Angeles Times, Murray lied to police and said he was away from Jackson’s side for not more than two minutes. It was only by going through Murray’s phone records that the police discovered he was lying.

Murray, according to his cell records, was on the phone from 11:18 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. He told police later that he’d realized Michael had stopped breathing at 11 a.m. But the implication in the police report is that he didn’t notice for a full hour. By that time, it was probably too late. And even, according to the report, Los Angeles Fire Dept. Rescue responded to a call at 12:22 p.m., meaning Dr. Murray did not instantly call 911 when he realized what had happened while he was on the phone.

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Jacko Nanny Departs: Grace is Gone

By: Roger Friedman   //   Monday August 24, 2009

The nanny who raised Michael Jackson’s kids, then turned on him and sold him out when she was fired, is finally history.

Grace Rwaramba is out of the lives of Prince, Paris, and Blanket Jackson after having an actual fist fight, sources say, with Rebbie Jackson.

Grace started at Neverland in the administrative office in 1994. Once source says she was introduced to Jackson by Deepak Chopra. She worked her way up to nanny in 1997 when Prince as born, and never let go. For years she was Jackson’s sole confidante.

There are often rumors that she and Michael Jackson were lovers, or some such nonsense. But Grace was married in 1995 to Stacey Adair. Last December 2008, she married again, to a fellow Ugandan who’s in the oil business.

Over the years, Rwaramba appeared to be fiercely loyal to Jackson. But last spring, when she was fired for the last time, by Tohme Tohme, she sold her story to Israeli interviewer Daphne Barak. They taped the interview just before Michael died. She quickly returned to the Jackson home, but the interview was revealed. Since the children have lived with their grandmother, Grace clashed with Katherine Jackson over how to raise them.

I am told Rwaramba is still in London, where she’s been trying to stop Barak from selling her interviews. In the meantime, she’s lost her status as the Jackson nanny.

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Jackson Estate Wins Crucial Victory Over Family’s Objections

By: Roger Friedman   //   Friday August 21, 2009

The executors for Michael Jackson’s estate won a crucial victory today in Los Angeles Probate Court. Judge Mitchell Beckloff has approved a deal with AEG Live to send Michael’s memorabilia on a tour to New York, London, and Tokyo. The exhibition should add $6 million to the estate’s coffers.

The day was a victory for Michael’s estate and yet another failure added to Katherine Jackson’s legal wranglings. But it’s not Katherine herself who’s incurred these losses, but the lawyers representing the Jackson family. They’ve been spurred on by Joseph Jackson, who’s tried to stop the estate at every turn from moving forward.

Interestingly, the judge refused to let Michael’s brother, Randy, testify. The family’s lawyers argued that Randy was an expert. The judge was incredulous, and said no. If Randy had taken the stand, it would have been a disaster. His short run as Michael’s manager produced nothing but lawsuits and anger. He was eventually fired.

Also not testifying today was Leonard Rowe, the ex-con shady concert promoter who was touted by the Jacksons as their financial adviser.

Even the attorney guardian for Michael’s children approved the AEG deal.

John Branca, executor for Michael and his long time attorney, testified in closed court over the phone from a family vacation. His testimony was said to be most persuasive.

That leaves little more room for Katherine Jackson’s side to keep objecting to the estate’s deals. Sources at the Hayvenhurst house say Mrs. Jackson is barely aware of all this, and that she is still grieving for her son. But someone had better tell her that legal bills are now running into the millions, and that she hasn’t had one victory in court yet. And in the end, despite the court agitations having been brought by other family members, the bill is going to wind up being paid from Katherine’s inheritance. Ouch!

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Who’s Going to Pay for this Jacko Funeral?

By: Roger Friedman   //   Friday August 21, 2009

Michael Jackson, still not buried properly, faces yet another burial postponement.

The most recent announcement was that Michael would be buried on August 29th, his birthday. This seemed odd to this column since Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate birthdays.

But now the date is postponed to September 3rd because the Jacksons say they aren’t ready. Michael is ready, trust me. But the city of Glendale says they’re charging the Jacksons $50,000 for police protection. The question is, who will pay this bill?

It turns out that the big Staples Center memorial and the mishegos that preceded it at Forest Lawn–limos, etc–cost AEG Live $600,000. The Jacksons did not pay for it. In fact, in court today sources say AEG may try and get the money back from the Jackson estate.

The main problem with all this parading around–funerals, services, etc– is that the Jacksons do not have any money. Other than what they’ve managed to exploit from Michael’s death, they have no actual income. For years, the family lived on Michael’s handouts. But now that he’s gone, there’s a crisis, insiders say.

But here’s a solution: why not just have a simple internment at Forest Lawn, unannounced and without any fanfare? That would cost a lot less than $50 Gs.

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Jackson Movie Will Play in Theaters Just 2 Weeks

By: Roger Friedman   //   Friday August 21, 2009

Sony announced yesterday that “This is It,” the Michael Jackson movie of his rehearsals up until the day he died, will get a limited release.

The film—for which Sony paid $60 million—will play in theaters for just two weeks. That’s it, two weeks. Maybe three if it’s really popular. But this way, everyone involved is hopeful of sold-out shows day and night.

And then? A super DVD package for Christmas. That shouldn’t be too difficult. “This is It” will open on Wednesday, Oct. 28, and end its run on Nov. 13. DVDs could easily be ready to ship to stores right after Thanksgiving. The package would be No. 1 overnight.

This is another of the very good moves by Jackson’s estate, led by executors John Branca and John McClain. If only Katherine Jackson’s legal team would step out of the way and let them do their jobs.

Today, Mrs. Jackson’s lawyers are sending everyone back into court to fight yet again over the estate’s agreement with AEG Live over touring a show of Michael’s memorabilia. This is the same show that Julien’s Auctions put on last April at the Robinsons-May store in Beverly Hills.

Hello? In the two months since Michael died, the estate has brought in $100 million or more, including $5.5 million they got back from Tohme Tohme, Michael’s former manager. Mrs. Jackson’s lawyers don’t seem to like this because they’re not in on it. Mrs. Jackson says she wants to go over these decisions with her financial advisers. That’s a team consisting of her son, Randy, daughter La Toya, and Leonard Rowe, the twice-incarcerated concert promoter who was successfully sued by R. Kelly. She might be better off asking strangers!

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Jackson Brothers Reality Series a Go at A&E

By: Roger Friedman   //   Wednesday August 19, 2009

Michael Jackson’s death has been something of a godsend for Michael Jackson’s brothers.

Before Michael died, the brothers filmed a one-hour pilot for A&E that was supposed to include some kind of reunion of them with Michael. But Michael never agreed to it, didn’t do it, and died before it could be discussed again.

But sources tell me that A&E has approved going forward with a series of further episodes that will show the Jackson brothers grappling with Michael’s death and their own lives. And that should be interesting since it’s unlikely any of them had seen Michael for much more than a few minutes at their parents’ bogus 60th wedding anniversary party this year.

An A&E spokesman declined comment; sources close to the network say the deal for a series isn’t done yet. But the original A&E deal was a pilot with provisions for a series, so it’s going to happen. It hasn’t been decided whether the footage that exists will be shaped into a number of half hour or hour long sessions. It certainly has all the promise of “Being Bobby Brown,” that’s for sure.

Meantime, the pilot—which may include at least a reference at its end that Michael has died–will be aired on A&E within the month, sources say. The deal, by the way, was put together by Danny O’Donovan, who has faithfully managed the group since they left Motown in the late 70s.

By the way, you can read an earlier, excellent piece about Jodi Gomes, producer of the pilot, by THR’s James Hibberd here.

Meantime, don’t dismiss the idea that NBC won’t try and do something with the Jacksons. Even though insiders say there are no plans right now, my sources say the network is “desperate” to find a few blockbuster lead-ins to Jay Leno this fall. A Jackson special might just do the trick.

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Michael’s Latest Funeral May Violate His Mother’s Religion

By: Roger Friedman   //   Wednesday August 19, 2009

Michael Jackson’s next funeral may be in violation of his mother’s religion.

The new funeral is set to take place on August 29th, which would have been Michael’s 51st birthday. The problem is, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate birthdays. It’s one of the reasons Michael left the religion in 1987.

But his mother has been a member of the sect for over 30 years. So have several of Michael’s siblings. (Jermaine, who became Muslim, is not.)

According to the group’s online site, The Watchtower:

“The only two birthday celebrations spoken of in the Bible were held by persons who did not worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20-22; Mark 6:21, 22, 24-27) The early Christians did not celebrate birthdays. The custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions. True Christians give gifts and have good times together at other times during the year.”

So choosing Michael’s birthday as a day of celebration is a little odd, and may cause some trouble for Katherine.

Here’s what The Watchtower has to say about funerals in general:

“Throughout the years, Jehovah’s Witnesses have thoroughly exposed unscriptural funeral customs. Such customs include wakes, the pouring of libations, talking to and making requests of the dead, ceremonious observances of funeral anniversaries, and other customs based on the belief that something in a person survives death. Such God-dishonoring customs are ‘unclean,’ an ‘empty deception’ based on ‘the tradition of men’ and not on God’s Word of truth. Isaiah 52:11; Colossians 2:8.”

This latest funeral will launch a number of birthday celebrations for Michael around the world. Spike Lee has already announced one that’s supposed to take place in Brooklyn.

Religion is a sticky issue. And it may come up in the Jackson house soon. Michael did not raise his kids as Jehovah’s Witnesses. But if they’re living under the guardianship of Katherine Jackson, one wonders whether or not Prince, Paris and Blanket will be allowed to celebrate their birthdays anymore.

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Jackson Family May Be Entertaining Big Bucks TV Offer

By: Roger Friedman   //   Tuesday August 18, 2009

The winds of commerce are blowing over the Jackson family’s Hayvenhurst home.

Sources have been telling me for a couple of weeks that the Jacksons—ever productive in making money since Michael died on June 25th—are saying that ABC has made the family an offer it probably wouldn’t refuse: a stunning $25 million to turn over all their home movies, let the whole clan be interviewed exclusively by either Barbara Walters or Diane Sawyer, and let the public see Michael’s children be interviewed.

According to the sources, a written offer has been made, and the family has been hashing it out. What certain members don’t want, though, is the participation of Joseph, Jermaine, or La Toya.

At ABC News, spokeswoman Cathie Levine says no one knows anything about this or has ever heard of it. Of course, ABC News does not pay for interviews. At Hayvenhurst, however, they do say it’s happening. Sources there say ABC will funnel it through another Jackson programming deal at A&E—in which ABC parent company Disney has an ownership stake—and then repurpose the material so it shows up on ABC News.

As for that $25 million figure: it does seem a tad high, even if the family produced for viewing Michael’s original nose.

Read the rest of this entry »

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Jackson Doc Conrad Murray Sends Video Message

By: Roger Friedman   //   Tuesday August 18, 2009

Dr. Conrad Murray, currently the subject of a manslaughter investigation regarding the death of Michael Jackson, has posted a video on YouTube, “Dr. Conrad Murray Thanks Supporters.” It’s a message to his supporters, bucking them up in this difficult time.

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