In the years since Michael Jackson passed away in 2009, his eldest son, Prince Michael Jackson, has mostly kept a low profile. These days, Prince is trying his hand at acting and stepping behind the camera to direct music videos for up-and-coming artists, but it's his work with an important organization inspired by his father's generous spirit that got him to sit down with Robin Roberts on GMA this morning. Prince has started an organization called Heal LA, it's name inspired by his father's song “Heal the World.” He describes the group's endeavors in the clip below: “We have partnered with a charity called 'A Sense of Home,' which supports foster kids who have aged out of the system in a sort of preempt against homelessness because it's very hard to get on your feet once you've gotten out of the system,” Jackson says. Though his main reason for giving the interview was to promote Heal LA, but also took time to offer some insights into his feelings toward his iconic father. Asked for his favorite video from the King of Pop, Prince answered: “Personally I love 'Moonwalker,' and I know it's kind of an easy way out — it's so many different videos into one — but if I had to pick one specific, I would choose 'Smooth Criminal,” Asked how his father would feel about his kids' career choices, Prince answered: “As we were growing up my dad always said, 'I really don't care what you do in life, as long as you're happy doing it and you're the best at what you do. If you want to be a janitor at a high school, you should be the best janitor that you can be.'” Watch the full interview below:
Prince Michael says his father wanted all his children to pursue whatever they wanted in life. He chose a video production company entitled “King’s Son.” He gave the reason why: “So, I was born as Prince and that was the name my dad had given to me, but my dad had earned the epithet King of Pop and that’s through hard work and years of training and everything that he worked so hard to get. So it’s a form of motivation because my name is Prince, but for all intents and purposes I am the King’s son — working to get my own epithet.” GMA
For all that is negatively written about Michael Jackson, he was without a doubt a loving, caring father who cherished every moment with his children. A collection of never-before-seen private family photos and home videos were shown in court Thursday, and they truly show MJ at his absolute best. Michael Jackson Home Videos The two videos, shot by Michael on Christmas 2006 and a few years earlier, were played for the jury in the family’s wrongful death lawsuit against AEG. It’s pretty wonderful, yet bittersweet as Michael asks each of his kids what they want to be when they grow up, and clearly loves every second of it. The idea behind releasing this material is to showcase the immeasurable loss the children suffered when Michael died (which they say AEG is to blame for ). Legal battle aside, Prince Jackson testified about MJ and how loving he was, and the videos and photos shown in court clearly drive that point home. Check out the Michael Jackson family photos after the jump:
Paris Jackson’s suicide attempt came after she was told she does not have the same biological father as her brother Prince, according to a new report. The alleged revelation by the Sun (UK) says that she knew Michael Jackson “could not be” her natural dad, yet believed she and Prince had the same one. Paris Jackson believed Debbie Rowe was their mother and an unnamed man their dad, but if this report is to be believed, she’s learned this is untrue. She was just recently given the news, the Sun reports, to prepare her for harsh grilling during the $40 billion Michael Jackson wrongful death trial . A major identity crisis followed, along with a string of devastating fights between Paris and Prince, 16, and eventually led to Paris’ attempt on her life. Whatever the reason, Michael’s only daughter has plunged into depression and is still in an L.A. hospital. She OD’d on Motrin and cut herself June 5. A family friend said of the paternity bombshell: “Paris has always wanted to believe Michael was her dad, but was aware that wasn’t really the case. But she was convinced her and Prince were full siblings.” “She always idolized him. Hearing she wasn’t started a downward spiral .” She’s said to be feeling better but will stay in hospital for up to 30 days. She will then spend more time with mum Debbie, 54, at her ranch in California. Paris Jackson is said to hate the “circus” that is the Jackson household, but she remains close to her guardian and grandmother, Katherine Jackson. There have long been reports that Michael Jackson was not the biological father of any of his three children, and a series of men have claimed that role. The most frequently mentioned name is Dr. Arnold Klein, MJ’s doctor and friend, who’s even admitted giving the late King of Pop a sperm sample. Another Jackson friend, Mark Lester , says the same thing, while numerous others – including Macaulay Culkin – have been rumored by the tabloids.
Katherine Jackson says she will not press charges against her kids after she was allegedly tricked into spending about 10 days shacked up at a luxury spa in Arizona without her phone in what some believe was an attempted coup against Michael Jackson’s estate. Her attorney Perry Sanders said, “This chapter of chaos is closed, and we are supportive of family unity in spite of recent events and arguably poor decisions.” Katherine first went missing from her home in Calabasas, Calif., on July 14. In a sworn declaration filed last week, the 82-year-old Jackson family matriarch claimed she planned to drive to see her sons perform in New Mexico on that day, but a doctor advised her to fly instead. She did as instructed. When she got off her private plane, she found herself in Arizona. There, she was put up at a luxury spa, cut off from technology and kept in the dark about the state of Michael’s children – Prince Michael, 15, Paris, 14, and Blanket, 10 – for days while they had no clue what was going on either. That bizarre incident followed a letter sent by Janet Jackson and four of her siblings to the executors of Michael’s estate, accusing them of making bad decisions and putting Katherine – the kids’ legal guardian – in harm’s way. While she was missing, Katherine’s legal custody of Michael’s children was temporarily suspended in favor of her nephew, TJ Jackson, 34. Katherine was reinstated as guardian last Thursday.
All babies are beautiful. All celebrity baby names, however? Let’s just say some are better than others. Below, we rank our favorite weird ones of recent years. NOTE : We are defining weird as in unusual, not in a negative sense. If you don’t know anyone else with said name, it qualifies as unusual, even if you love it. The birth of Beyonce’s baby Blue got us thinking: Where does that little one rank? Without further ado, give it up for the (possibly stoned) parents of … 10. Pilot Inspektor. Overcompensating for your own boring name, Jason Lee? 9. Kal-El. The son of Nic Cage. Yes, Kal dash El. 8. Track and Trig. Todd and Sarah Palin’s daughters, Piper, Willow and Bristol Palin , have downright normal names compared to their brothers. 7. Blue Ivy Carter. This one’s kinda cool, but still out there. 6. Sparrow. We liked this name for Nicole Richie and Joel Madden’s second child more when we thought Sparrow was a girl. He is not a girl. 5. Jermajesty. Jermaine Jackson’s son. Yes, Jer-effing-majesty . MJ is exempt, barely, since Blanket is merely a nickname … for Prince Michael II. 4. Spec and Hud. The latter of John Cougar Mellencamp and Elaine Irwin’s sons may be sponsored by the Dept of Housing and Urban Development. 3. Bronx Mowgli. Borough of New York City + Jungle Book character = perfect baby name … at least if you’re Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz. 2. Suri. The apple of Tom and Katie’s eye. Speaking of … 1. Apple. Gwyneth and Chris take the cake on this one. What’s your favorite weird celebrity baby name?
Jackson’s dermatologist, director and children have moved on as Dr. Conrad Murray is tried for involuntary manslaughter. By Gil Kaufman Michael Jackson with his kids and friends Photo: Handout/ Getty Images For months after Michael Jackson ‘s death, his inner circle became headline news. From his dermatologist and his assistant to the heads of the concert promotions firm that was mounting the This Is It Tour, his estate executors and Jackson’s mother, even casual Jackson fans knew more about those in his orbit than ever before. Many of those names were front and center during the six-week involuntary manslaughter trial of Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray. With closing arguments completed Thursday and the verdict looming, we take a look at where those players are now: Arnold Klein MJ’s longtime dermatologist was the subject of endless rumors in the wake of his most famous patient’s death, including allegations that he might have been the sperm donor for one or more of the singer’s children. His name was back in headlines during the second week of the prosecution’s case, when it emerged that in a June 27, 2009, interview with police, Murray told investigators Klein was one of the doctors who regularly prescribed drugs to the pop icon behind the cardiologist’s back. TMZ reported that MJ’s production team often complained about the star’s visits to Klein’s office, saying his worst days on set were often after those trips. Klein, whose client list has included Elizabeth Taylor and Dolly Parton, continues to practice, but the dermatologist said the constant negative online chatter has hurt his feelings and reputation. “I don’t like to be called a bad doctor,” he said in early October. Kenny Ortega The longtime Jackson friend and choreographer has moved on from his role as director and choreographer for This Is It (and the blockbuster posthumous documentary) and is now working on a big-screen adaptation of the Broadway hit musical “In the Heights” and a remake of “Dirty Dancing,” both of which he will direct. AEG Live The mega-promoter has barely been a story in the Murray trial after making lots of headlines in the wake of Jackson’s death. It has marched forward with some of the biggest tours of the past two years by the likes of Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Justin Bieber, Paul McCartney and Carrie Underwood. Katherine Jackson MJ’s 81-year-old mother was living her quiet life when she was suddenly thrust into the spotlight in the wake of the custody battle over Jackson’s three young children. She reached a custody agreement with the mother of the two eldest children (Prince Michael and Paris Michael) and has been raising them ever since. And, unlike their sheltered (literally shrouded) lives under their father’s care, Katherine Jackson has allowed the children to be a bit more public, helping them celebrate their father’s legacy with fans. John Branca and John McClain Jackson’s two confidants, attorney Branca and music exec McClain , were named executors of the icon’s estate in the months after his death. In their role, the two men have deftly turned around the Jackson estate’s foundering fortunes, helping to wipe out much of the hundreds of millions in debts that Jackson owed at the time of his death and raking in more than $300 million to date. Prince Michael, Paris and “Blanket” During his lifetime, Jackson’s three children were fiercely kept from the spotlight by their doting dad, who would often put masks or scarves on their faces to avoid having them in tabloid reports. Paris famously eulogized her father at his funeral, and since his death, all three have been pictured in the press attending public events, conducted interviews and appeared at the recent tribute concert to their pop in Wales. Stick with MTV News for full coverage of the Michael Jackson involuntary manslaughter trial, through the verdict and beyond.
Prince, Paris, and Blanket Jackson, the children of the late Michael Jackson, have decided to instill a self-imposed boycott of Dr. Conrad Murray’s trial. The physician, accused of involuntary manslaughter, faces a long prison term if convicted. The trial, which began last week, is expected to last weeks. Sources say that for the kids, especially Prince and Paris, rehashing the details of how Michael died is just too hard, and they’re trying to tune it out . Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother and the kids’ guardian, is said to be relieved that kids aren’t more curious and desperate to pay close attention. After prosecutor David Walgren displayed the body of Michael Jackson in the opening statement of the Dr. Conrad Murray trial , the stakes were high. Katherine was unhappy and disturbed the shocking pic was displayed, and the 911 call placed after MJ was found unresponsive was also unnerving. At this point it’s unlikely that the kids will be called as witnesses against Murray, as the prosecution feels it has plenty of others to prove its case. The children certainly do not wish to be involved whatsoever. However, if asked to take the stand, Prince Michael will testify without complaint. [Photo: Fame Pictures]
Texas Republican Rick Perry, the nation’s longest-serving governor, is running for President and will announce his bid in the coming days, according to reports.
Michael Jackson must be smiling from above. Two years after his death, his once-veiled children Prince, 14, Paris, 13, and Blanket, 9, are facing the world and adjusting to their new life with flying colors. “They are really happy kids now,” a source says . Paris, Blanket, Prince and some other person we don’t know. Monday, they made a public appearance with their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, and aunt, Latoya Jackson, at a ceremony to donate some of MJ’s artwork. They were also spotted at Six Flags Magic Mountain last week with their cousins, Jermajesty and Jaafar, plus Prince Michael Jackson’s girlfriend Niki (sp?). As summer winds down, the Jacksons – like any kids – will focus on school. “Prince and Paris are going back to [private school] this year. They love the social aspect of it,” says the source of the long home-schooled kids. Blanket, on the other hand, will stay home to receive his education, at least for now: “He’s still very, very shy. He’s still home-schooled.” [Photo: Fame Pictures]
