Christian Audigier, the French fashion designer close to Michael Jackson, plans to purchase his last home (the home Jackson died in), and expects to have the keys within two weeks.
Audigier said he had been unable to receive permission to turn the home in a museum like he hoped, but instead would open it every June on the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death.
“I can have the house in one month now,” Audigier, who said he is worth 250 million dollars, told AFP in an interview. “I get the keys two weeks from today.”
The Holmby Hills mansion, believed worth over 30 million dollars, currently belongs to Audigier’s associate and the boss of his fashion company Hubert Guez.
Jackson had been “in great shape” in the weeks before his death, Audgier stated.
“He was very skinny but he was a dancer too,” he said. “He was very involved with the London concert. What happened was very sad.
“The guy was very happy to come back on stage.”
Audigier, who was in Paris the day of Jackson’s funeral, regrets having to miss the burial.
The jeweled white glove Michael Jackson threw to an Australian fan over ten years ago sold at auction on Sunday for $48,400. Read more on this story below.
Warwick Stone, a buyer for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, beat out five other bidders for the late King of Pop’s glove, said Charlotte Stanes, spokeswoman for the Melbourne auction house Bonhams and Goodman.
“We are very happy with the result,” Stanes said. “It’s the first glove we know about in Australia.”
This was the first auction of a Michael Jackson glove since his death on June 25 this year at age 50.
Jackson visited Australia in 1996 as part of his HIStory world tour. While Jackson was in Australia, he attended a premiere for the film “Ghosts,” in which he had a starring role. After the screening, Jackson tossed the glove at audience member Bill Hibble, who has since died, said national head of collectables Giles Moon.
Michael Jackson was finally buried two months after his death. Jackson’s funeral was attended by the Jackson family and many celebrity guests. Read more and see video of Jackson’s burial service below.
Michael Jackson’s burial service was held Thursday night at a highly guarded mausoleum in a Los Angeles suburb.
Family and guests arrived for Jackson’s burial in a private mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
There were around 200 people in attendance for Michael’s funeral and burial service which included Elizabeth Taylor, Lisa Marie Presley, Macaulay Culkin, Quincy Jones and many others.
After the service, the family released a statement, saying, “Michael Jackson reached his final resting place tonight at 9:43 pm PST in The GreatMausoleum at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park.”
“The pallbearers were Michael’s five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy Jackson,” the statement continued. “At the beginning of the ceremony, Michael’s children placed a crown on their father’s coffin to signify the final resting place of the King of Pop.”
Gladys Knight sang the gospel hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow,” the statement said, and songwriter Clifton Davis sang “Never Can Say Goodbye,” the hit he wrote for the Jackson 5.
The investigation into Mr. Jackson’s death continues. The coroner has ruled that he died from a mix of the anesthetic propofol and another sedative, and the focus seems to be still on Dr. Conrad Murray.
* JACKSON IS LAID TO REST AMONG THE STARS Stars including ELIZABETH TAYLOR, MACAULAY CULKIN and LISA MARIE PRESLEY turned out to honour MICHAEL JACKSON as he was laid to rest in a private ceremony in California - ten weeks after his sudden death. The King of Pop passed away at his Holmby Hills home on 25 June (09) and a week later he was remembered with a family funeral and a star-studded public memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. It has taken over two months for the star’s body to buried following a reported disagreement among his family over a suitable burial ground. The Jackson clan eventually decided to inter the singer at the Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park and on Thursday evening (03Sep09), the star’s family and friends came together once more to pay their respects. Jackson’s family, including his mother Katherine and father Joe, his siblings, and his three children Prince Michael, Paris, and Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket, were driven to the memorial park in a fleet of Rolls Royce limousines - arriving over an hour late for the planned 7pm (local time) start. The star’s close friends including Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend Mila Kunis, actor Chris Tucker, and Elizabeth Taylor attended the outdoor ceremony, which saw around 200 guests seated on white chairs on the lawns outside the crypt and signing a book of condolence for the fallen King of Pop. Taylor was left devastated by her close friend’s death and refused to attend his public memorial service because she didn’t want to be part of the “whoopla,” but agreed to attend the private ceremony on Thursday. Jackson’s ex-wife Presley also turned out to honour her late former husband. Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight were both reportedly ask to sing at the tribute, ahead of Jackson’s $30,000 (£20,000) gold casket being lowered into a concrete burial pit close to stars including Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and his idol Walt Disney. Security was tight at the service, with police setting up a wide perimeter around the park to stop fans getting anywhere near the private ceremony. Helicopters with thermal imaging devices also circled overhead to detect any unwanted intruders. Two fans reportedly attempted to gatecrash the event in the hours leading up to the service, but they were swiftly apprehended by security guards and then removed by police, according to Sky News. The family reportedly planned to hold a private celebration following the service at an Italian restaurant in Pasadena, California. (LR/WN/LR)
Oprah is firing right back at Chris Brown after he said that her show on domestic violence inspired by his assault on Rihanna felt like a slap in the face. Damn… you don’t want to piss off Oprah! Read what she had to say below.
Oprah did a show on domestic violence after the news of Rihanna’s beating came out in the news.
Here’s what Chris Brown had to say about the show and Oprah in People magazine:
“I commend Oprah on being like, ‘This is a problem,’ but it was a slap in my face. I did a lot of stuff for her, like going to Africa and performing for her school. She could have been more helpful, like, ‘Okay, I’m going to help both of these people out.’”
But Oprah didn’t hesitate to comment about what Chris said in a statement through her rep to TMZ:
“Oprah is very appreciative that Chris Brown performed at her school but she takes domestic abuse very seriously. She hopes he gets the counseling he needs.”
Could “Home Alone” actor Macaulay Culkin be the mysterious father of Michael Jackson’s child “Blanket” That is just what sources are reporting. Read more on this story below.
The late Michael Jackson and Macaulay Culkin have been friends since Culkin was a child. And now it’s being reported that Macaulay donated his sperm to an unidentified surrogate mother, who gave birth to Prince Michael II “Blanket”.
“It is well known Jackson and Macaulay shared a unique bond,” the Sun quoted a source as saying.
“Now rumors are spreading like wildfire that Macaulay, who Jackson nicknamed Mack, is actually Blanket’s biological dad,” the source added.
Friends of Michael Jackson’s have revealed he is not the biological father of any of his three kids: Prince Michael II, Michael, 12, and 11-year-old Paris.
“This isn’t just chitter-chatter, even Culkin suspects he’s Blanket’s father,” the source said.
“So many names have been mentioned as prospective dads, and this is probably the wackiest yet.
“But Jackson and Culkin were best friends. He was one of the few people Jackson really trusted and Mack never let him down.
“Really, Jackson idolized him - that’s why he asked Mack to donate sperm.
“Deep down, I think he always wished Mack was his son. Creating Blanket was the next best thing,” the source added.
But… we may never find out the truth because friends of Culkin’s say he will not go public with issue.
Halle Berry is expecting her second child with her model boyfriend Gabriel Aubry. Read more on Halle Berry’s pregnancy below.
Actress Halle Berry, who welcomed her beautiful daughter Nahla last March, is reportedly three months pregnant. So we were correct when we reported Halle’s suspicious baby bump recently.
“Halle is overjoyed,” a source told Life & Style magazine. “The first time, she struggled so much to get pregnant and eventually conceived through in vitro fertilization. This time, the baby was conceived through artificial insemination.
“She’s just ecstatic to be pregnant again.
“She wasn’t sure if she’d have another baby, so she’s very happy!”
Berry said earlier this year that she is “mentally ready” to add to her brood.
“My mind says ‘yes’,” she said. “But the rest isn’t up to me so we’ll see.”
Whitney Houston made an appearance, her first in years, singing on Good Morning America on Monday. Read more on Whitney’s performance and see video below.
Houston’s voice reportedly cracked as she was singing but she blamed it on a taping she did Monday for ‘Oprah.’ “When I’m talking, I should be singing,” she told the audience.
Whitney performed with lots of energy and yelled out “love you!” during the first line of “Million Dollar Bill,” but she danced instead of singing during the first chorus.
“I love you New York,” she announced at end of the song. “I love you Good Morning America. God bless you all. Thank you for coming, you’re making me feel so good.” She then ran upstage to hug host Diane Sawyer, who Houston called “one of my dearest friends.” Sawyer is the journalist who conducted the infamous “crack is wack” interview in 2002 during which Houston disclosed she had struggled with drug problems. “I’m overwhelmed with love and support, your prayers mean so much to me and I love you all for coming,” Houston told the crowd, adding defiantly, “I never left!”
“Seven years ago, looking in each others’ eyes, it was a very different world then. I was worried for you,” Sawyer told her. “Don’t be worried anymore. If you know God, then don’t be worried,” Houston replied, saying it was “my faith” that brought her here now. “The love and support of my family, which I do have. People who care about you in the good and bad times.” In 2002, Houston told Sawyer, “I partied a lot. Trust me: I partied my tail off. You get to a point where you know the party’s over.”
“I Look to You is about them, all of you all, and that one up there,” she said in Central Park, pointing skyward.
Later in the show Whitney said, “I’m going to do something extra for you, from me to you, this isn’t planned, it’s impromptu,” before starting “My Love Is Your Love.” Singing “See, I got my baby, can you give me a mic, y’all” she welcomed her Bobbi Kristina to the stage to sing a few lines.
“I owe this to my mother. This is the title track to my album, y’all,” Houston said next, before turning to face her mother, Cissy, for the ballad “I Look to You.” “You never left, you stayed, I love you,” she said, looking up with her arms stretched to her sides. After another commercial break she returned bouncing up and down and kicked off “I’m Every Woman,” and had hosts Sawyer and Robin Roberts to join her.
What do you guys think of Whitney Houston’s first performance in years?
