This is all too convenient

Essence.com is reporting a novel allegedly written by Michael Jackson himself is being shopped around to publishers. The novel contains illustrations conceptualized by Jackson and tells the story of a rock star at the pinnacle of his career who begins to obsess about death and becomes disillusioned with his fame and money. That plot line sounds eerily familiar doesn't it? It sounds like the image of Michael's life painted by the media in the wake of his death. I just find it awfully convenient a thinly-veiled memoir has suddenly surfaced and just happens to be completed. Perhaps I'm being cynical.

Double standard much?

Please tell me why it was okay for Pink to wear a pasty during her entire MTV VMA performance on Sunday and for Lady Gaga to freaking bleed out onstage but somehow Janet's pasty was so offensive they had to kill her career (but not Justin's)?

Unsealed Court Documents Reveal Allowance From Michael Jackson's Estate to Mother and Children

Michael Jackson's mother is receiving $86,804 per month from her son's estate to support herself and her three grandchildren, according to court records released Thursday.

Katherine Jackson is one of the primary beneficiaries of her son's estate along with the late pop singer's three young children and unnamed charities.

Over the course of a year, Jackson's mother and children are slated to receive more than $1 million in support from the estate. Katherine Jackson's monthly allowance is $26,804; the children's allowance is $60,000 per month.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a monthly stipend for Katherine Jackson and her three grandchildren in August. The amount of the payments had been sealed until Thursday.

Katherine Jackson has been named the children's permanent guardian. They are currently living at the Jackson family home, Hayvenhurst, located in the San Fernando Valley.

Katherine Jackson's $26,804 per month pays for an assistant, housekeeper, driver, utilities, clothing, grooming and other expenses.

Oprah dedicated her entire show yesterday to Michael Jackson

Oprah feels guilty she did not reach out to Michael while he was alive. On a lighter note, Oprah looks great in that archival footage, colored contacts aside. Neverland looks like a child's paradise and Michael looks so happy...

La Toya Jackson is still grieving

La Toya Jackson is still grieving terribly from the loss of her brother, Michael Jackson. She recently visited Millions of Milkshakes to promote their store (and pay some bills). Matching foundation is your friend. Lil' Kim, this is your future if you don't make some changes.

Joe Jackson past his bedtime...

on the red carpet at the VMA's

y'all know he a O.G. playa

Janet Jackson and Madonna pay tribute to Michael Jackson at the 2009 MTV VMA Awards

Janet Jackson's tribute to her brother Michael was the highlight of the show.

Michael Jackson brought the house down with his performance at the MTV VMA's in 1995.

Kanye posted an apology on his website

Kanye posted an apology for his heckling during the VMA's:

"I'M SOOOOO SORRY TO TAYLOR SWIFT AND HER FANS AND HER MOM," Kanye wrote on his site, AP reported. "I SPOKE TO HER MOTHER RIGHT AFTER AND SHE SAID THE SAME THING MY MOTHER WOULD'VE SAID. SHE IS VERY TALENTED!"

Others aren't really buying his apology:

Pink tweeted about her annoyance with Kanye. "Kanye West is the biggest piece of sh-t on earth. Quote me," she wrote. "My heart goes out to Taylor Swift. She is a sweet and talented girl, and deserved her moment. She should know we all love her." She later said on the Today Show that the incident never would have happened if she had won because she had a cute Alexander McQueen purse with brass knuckles on it.

Now, I'm going to be honest here. I had heard Taylor Swift's name before but couldn't pick her out of a lineup before last night (and maybe still this morning). When I saw Kanye run up next to her on stage I thought it was part of the night's skits. After listening to what he had to say, I felt sorry for the girl. That was her first VMA and she is only 19. To her credit, Beyonce looked shocked and embarassed (though some are saying she and Kanye orchestrated the event). Maybe this was another Eminem-Sascha Baron Cohen type scam. If so, it was in poor taste just like so much of the awards show (Russell Brand's jokes, Lady Ga Ga's 'performance', etc.).

As far as Bey goes, it was just good PR for her to 'graciously' give up her award acceptance time to Taylor. If she hadn't, the backlash would have extended to her. Her PR team was just earning their keep. The same applies to her pre-show statement that Janet Jackson was one of her inspirations. This after her quote earlier this year: “I grew up upper class. Private school..My dad had a Jaguar. We’re African-American and we work together as a family, so people assume we’re like the Jacksons, but I didn’t have parents using me to get out of a bad situation.” Um, yeah. It doesn't sound much like she idolized her. More like just swaggerjacked her style and kept it moving.

They say...

Janet Jackson cried all night at the MTV VMA Awards last night because Kanye's thoughtless antics on stage took the spotlight off her brother Michael's tribute. The whole night was supposed to be an evening in honor of Michael Jackson.

The Egyptians were way ahead of their time

MTV Video Music Awards-MJ Tribute

La Toya opens up to Barbara Walters on 20/20

Michael Jackson's middle sister, La Toya Jackson appeared last night in an interview with Barbara Walters on 20/20. La Toya gave a long and rambling interview full of controversial and sometimes inflammatory statements.

La Toya asserted again she thinks Michael was murdered and claims Michael told her, “La Toya, they’re going to murder me. If I die, they killed me.” She did not clarify who "they" were. Despite Michael's own statements about his estrangement from his abusive father, La Toya insists Michael and Joseph Jackson had repaired their relationship and that Michael's three children had a very good relationship with him.

As far as the children, La Toya says Katherine Jackson has made arrangements for the care of the children in the event of her passing, but she would not discuss those plans. She said even though Michael placed his friend Diana Ross second in line for guardianship of the children they do not know her at all; supposedly Ross and Mrs. Jackson have spoken about the guardianship issue, but said only Katherine knows the details of what was said.

Of course, La Toya took the time to speak about herself. She claims her ex-husband, Jack Gordon, used to lock her in a closet for eight hours at a time, and, said Walters, “forced her to pose for Playboy and several pornographic videos.” Snippets of La Toya's latest single aired during the interview.

La Toya said that Michael "looked fabulous," and that his body was clothed in white with lines of pearls across his jacket and a “big gold belt like a prizefighter would wear...his hair was done beautifully. His makeup was done beautifully.” She said he looked like he had paused to say a prayer just before going on stage to perform. Instead of one white glove, he was wearing two black leather gloves. He was, however, buried with a white sequined glove, shades, and notes and beads from his beloved children.

In a fitting closing, La Toya said of her younger brother, “He wasn't God, but he was godlike. He was the closest to a god that I know.”

ABC's report on the interview ends with a line that says La Toya requested they inform the public she was NOT paid for the interview.

September 11, 2001 Never Forget

People I knew died in the September 11th attacks.

Never forget.

Work tirelessly for peace and freedom.

"We Don't Roll That Way"

I swear this isn't the Ellen blog; I really just wanted an excuse to use this picture.

Representatives from 17 record companies are suing the Ellen DeGeneres Show claiming copyright infringement for more than 1000 songs producers play during Ellen's opening dance segment on the show. For those of you who haven't seen Ellen's daytime talk show (lucky you!), Ellen has a short segment where her black DJ Tommy (?) spins dance, R & B, and hip hop records while the audience dances. Ellen, herself, dances off the stage, through the aisles, and back up to her set. A lot of the songs he plays are pretty good, by the way. Some of the songs cited include "Stronger" by Kanye West and "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder.

Anyway, the record companies gave the show a chance to explain themselves before they filed suit, but the producers just told them, "we don't roll that way." Say what? "We don't roll that way?" I think that's going to be my new anthem.

Client: 'Safari, I know this is 2pm on the Friday before a three day weekend, but I'm going to need you to get this project to me within 72 hours."
Wild Safari: 'I'm sorry. I don't roll that way.'
Client: 'Safari, you know we bring you a lot of business. We'll pay you double. Just submit an invoice after you turn in the project and I'll personally make sure you get the bonus.'
Wild Safari: 'You lie!'

Representative Wilson's career-ending outburst during Obama's Congressional address the other night is my other new anthem. I've been going around all week just yelling out "you lie!" as a non sequitur. It's a good way to get out of awkward conversations. Try it.

The record companies filed suit yesterday in the U.S. District Court in Music City, USA (Nashville, Tennessee). In part, the filing states, "As sophisticated consumers of music, Defendants knew full well that, regardless of the way they rolled, under the Copyright Act, and under state law for the pre-1972 recordings, they needed a license to use the sound recordings lawfully." Can you imagine the clerk that received that filing? Oh-em-gee!

source

Tidbit Roundup

Allen Iverson twittered he's joining the Memphis Grizzlies.



Mike Epps will host this year's BET Hip-Hop Awards show from Atlanta.



Keyshia Knight Pulliam will NOT be posing for Playboy.

Diddy's band Dirty Money covers the latest Rolling Stone magazine.