Originally posted May 27th 2010 1:00 AM PDT by TMZ Staff
An extremely fancy belt commemorating Michael Jackson -- and allegedly "sanctioned" by Joe Jackson and Katherine Jackson -- can be yours for the bargain basement price of $1,500 -- problem is ... the whole thing may be illegal.
Check out this picture we got -- showing Joe and Katherine Jackson signing one of the belts ... and according to the official website promoting the belts, MJ's three kids -- Prince, Paris, and Blanket -- also signed their names.
Here's the problem. The belts feature several images trademarked by Michael Jackson -- including dancing feet, MJ's silhouette and the MJ crest -- and MJ's estate must authorize any commercial use of those trademarks, as well as MJ's name or image.
So of course we called MJ estate lawyer Howard Weitzman, who said the belts were news to him and that the executors never authorized the sale. Weitzman says, "The Trustees of the Estate of Michael Jackson did not authorize the making or the sale of the Michael Jackson Tribute Belts." Weitzman continues, "We would never condone the use of Michael's children's signatures to promote the sale of merchandise."
We haven't found out who's behind the website ... but Jerry Olivarez, a PR guy and friend of the Jackson family, has been touting the sale of the belts. We're told the site goes live today and 7,000 belts will go up for sale. And, there will be an auction for the belt signed by Joe, Katherine, and the kids -- opening bid is $5 grand.
Attempts to speak with Olivarez were unsuccessful.
Read more: link
An extremely fancy belt commemorating Michael Jackson -- and allegedly "sanctioned" by Joe Jackson and Katherine Jackson -- can be yours for the bargain basement price of $1,500 -- problem is ... the whole thing may be illegal.
Check out this picture we got -- showing Joe and Katherine Jackson signing one of the belts ... and according to the official website promoting the belts, MJ's three kids -- Prince, Paris, and Blanket -- also signed their names.
Here's the problem. The belts feature several images trademarked by Michael Jackson -- including dancing feet, MJ's silhouette and the MJ crest -- and MJ's estate must authorize any commercial use of those trademarks, as well as MJ's name or image.
So of course we called MJ estate lawyer Howard Weitzman, who said the belts were news to him and that the executors never authorized the sale. Weitzman says, "The Trustees of the Estate of Michael Jackson did not authorize the making or the sale of the Michael Jackson Tribute Belts." Weitzman continues, "We would never condone the use of Michael's children's signatures to promote the sale of merchandise."
We haven't found out who's behind the website ... but Jerry Olivarez, a PR guy and friend of the Jackson family, has been touting the sale of the belts. We're told the site goes live today and 7,000 belts will go up for sale. And, there will be an auction for the belt signed by Joe, Katherine, and the kids -- opening bid is $5 grand.
Attempts to speak with Olivarez were unsuccessful.
Read more: link
Originally posted May 15th 2010 10:14 AM PDT by 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
Dr. Conrad Murray has fans ... with whipped cream on top.
Murray -- who's due in court next month in the Michael Jackson manslaughter case -- was corralled by a fan Wednesday at a Houston Starbucks.
She gave us the pic but asked us to blur her face.
It's all about taking precautions.
More Dr. Conrad Murray
Dr. Murray May Ask to Delay Preliminary Hearing
Joe Jackson: Don't Attack Conrad's Supporters
Conrad Murray Supporters Plan Demonstration
Conrad Murray -- I Will Never Cop a Plea
Read more: link
Originally posted May 13th 2010 5:30 PM PDT by TMZ Staff
Lisa Marie Presley's desperate plea for fans to bring more flowers to Michael Jackson's tomb must have fallen on deaf ears -- because as of today the entrance to the tomb was pretty bare.
Michael Jackson's ex-wife complained about too much "empty space" around the singer's tomb on her MySpace page yesterday -- and urged fans to fill the void with lots of sunflowers ... but obviously that didn't happen.
Fans have since fired back, claiming they've been faithfully doing their part flowers-wise since MJ died last year.
Read more: link
Lisa Marie Presley's desperate plea for fans to bring more flowers to Michael Jackson's tomb must have fallen on deaf ears -- because as of today the entrance to the tomb was pretty bare.
Michael Jackson's ex-wife complained about too much "empty space" around the singer's tomb on her MySpace page yesterday -- and urged fans to fill the void with lots of sunflowers ... but obviously that didn't happen.
Fans have since fired back, claiming they've been faithfully doing their part flowers-wise since MJ died last year.
Read more: link
"Ben"
Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me
(You've got a friend in me)
Ben, you're always running here and there
(Here and there)
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
(Anywhere)
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(You've got a place to go)
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(A friend)
Like Ben
(Like Ben)
Like Ben
Ben, the two of us need look no more
We both found what we were looking for
With a friend to call my own
I'll never be alone
And you my friend will see
You've got a friend in me
(You've got a friend in me)
Ben, you're always running here and there
(Here and there)
You feel you're not wanted anywhere
(Anywhere)
If you ever look behind
And don't like what you find
There's something you should know
You've got a place to go
(You've got a place to go)
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
I used to say "I" and "me"
Now it's "us", now it's "we"
Ben, most people would turn you away
I don't listen to a word they say
They don't see you as I do
I wish they would try to
I'm sure they'd think again
If they had a friend like Ben
(A friend)
Like Ben
(Like Ben)
Like Ben
(Originally posted May 6th 2010 12:23 AM PDT by TMZ Staff)
Dr. Arnold Klein's office manager -- who claims he was Michael Jackson's lover -- is facing such intense death threats that he's moving from place to place ... hiding out from angry MJ fans.
A source close to Dr. Klein and Jason Pfeiffer tells TMZ incensed Jackson fans have walked right up to Pfeiffer's home and knocked on his door -- and they've also tracked him down at his friends' houses.
Since Jason went public last week with allegations of an affair with Michael, we're told violent and homophobic threats have poured into Dr. Klein's office by phone, fax, and email. According to the source one voicemail said, "I'm gonna put a bullet in your heads."
Klein and Pfeiffer have hired bodyguards, and reported the threats to the FBI. We're told Pfeiffer is currently at a private location with friends.
Read more: link
Dr. Arnold Klein's office manager -- who claims he was Michael Jackson's lover -- is facing such intense death threats that he's moving from place to place ... hiding out from angry MJ fans.
A source close to Dr. Klein and Jason Pfeiffer tells TMZ incensed Jackson fans have walked right up to Pfeiffer's home and knocked on his door -- and they've also tracked him down at his friends' houses.
Since Jason went public last week with allegations of an affair with Michael, we're told violent and homophobic threats have poured into Dr. Klein's office by phone, fax, and email. According to the source one voicemail said, "I'm gonna put a bullet in your heads."
Klein and Pfeiffer have hired bodyguards, and reported the threats to the FBI. We're told Pfeiffer is currently at a private location with friends.
Read more: link
Like a comet
Blazing 'cross the evening sky
Gone too soon
Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon
Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night
The loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon
Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon
Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon
Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night
Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of a moon
Gone too soon
Gone too soon
!THESE LYRICS ARE COMPLETELY CORRECT!
Blazing 'cross the evening sky
Gone too soon
Like a rainbow
Fading in the twinkling of an eye
Gone too soon
Shiny and sparkly
And splendidly bright
Here one day
Gone one night
The loss of sunlight
On a cloudy afternoon
Gone too soon
Like a castle
Built upon a sandy beach
Gone too soon
Like a perfect flower
That is just beyond your reach
Gone too soon
Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight
Here one day
Gone one night
Like a sunset
Dying with the rising of a moon
Gone too soon
Gone too soon
!THESE LYRICS ARE COMPLETELY CORRECT!