Celebrity Gossip from Hollywood World News

Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, and his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, are said to be working out a secret deal which would allow them to avoid a custody battle and ensure Joe Jackson would never have custody of the three children. Read more below. Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe are attempting to make a deal regarding custody of Michael Jackson’s children. ABC News reports that Katherine and Debbie are in talks to to allow Rowe time with the children, and for Joe Jackson, whom Michael has accused of abuse, to never be allowed to be named guardian of the kids. A custody hearing that had been scheduled for today has now been postponed until July 20. “We are pleased that the child custody hearing has been continued over until July 20 to further our progress and allow us to privately and amicably resolve this most important matter in a dignified manner for the benefit of the children first and all involved,” Katherine Jackson’s lawyer, L. Londell McMillan, said in a statement to The Associated Press. In Michael Jackson’s will, written in 2002 and filed in court the week after his June 25 death, Michael Jackson left custody of his three children, aged 7, 11 and 12, to their grandmother Katherine Jackson, 79. Debbie Rowe has been out of the children’s lives for the past ten years but spoke to a Los Angeles television station four days after Jackson died that she wanted custody, saying: “I want my children.” Her lawyer Eric George has stated, “Debbie has not reached a final decision on the pending custody proceeding.” Media sources have said Debbie Rowe was seeking custody because she believed Katherine Jackson was too old to care for the children and because she did not want them near Joe Jackson. “There is concern about Joe Jackson being around the kids,” the source said. Some speculate that any deal to be reached would involve money for Debbie Rowe. Court records indicate that Rowe has been compensated in the past for giving up her parental rights. If Debbie Rowe is just in it for the money… as it appears and has been in the past…let’s hope Katherine Jackson or one of Michael’s sisters will be awarded custody of his three beautiful children. What are your thoughts? Images :Wenn.com

Debbie Rowe is clearly at the end of her rope. Michael Jackson’s ex-wife – and probably the mother of his children – is being hounded by the media regarding her plans to fight for custody of the kids. Rowe lost it on a reporter yesterday and threatened to beat him up, and frankly I don’t blame her. She’s not a celebrity and it’s clear being famous didn’t agree with her. She never adapted to this kind of scrutiny and attention, and it’s clearly taking a serious toll on her.

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe was in a feisty mood on Sunday. While leaving a restaurant in Lancaster, Calif., Rowe snapped back at a photographer who was peppering her with questions about the custody of her kids with the late pop star. “Are you ready to fight for your children?” one reporter asked repeatedly. After he got a little close, Rowe lashed out: “Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don’t f—-in’ touch me!” Rowe, the biological mother of two of the children, told a NBCLA reporter last week that she’ll fight for custody. She’s planning on seeking a restraining order against Michael Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson. “I am stepping up. I have to,” Rowe said. …Though a nasty court fight for custody of the kids remains a possibility, Rowe and the Jackson will have to keep things civil at least for the first half of this week. Rowe has been confirmed for VIP seats at Jackson’s memorial service on Tuesday in Los Angeles, former Jackson associate Marc Schaffel told ‘Good Morning America.’

[From PopEater] It’s clear Debbie can’t deal with the press and was never really able to. Several years ago Michael Jackson made a rebuttal video to Martin Bashir’s documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” The footage is Bashir’s, and was edited out of his documentary. Debbie is interviewed over the course of the program, and she comes across as remarkably normal and fairly rational. She says she finds it amazing that anyone wanted to pay $500,00 for a picture of her pregnant with Michael’s baby. She also says the children were conceived the natural way and that “Michael and I will always be a family unit… I did not leave my children. My children are with their father, where they’re supposed to be.” The thing about the kids being conceived “the natural way” doesn’t seem possible, since it’s generally acknowledged that Michael isn’t their biological father – his dermatologist Arnold Klein is. Which isn’t to say Michael and Debbie didn’t have sex, and perhaps that’s what she was alluding to. But unless Klein turns out not to be their biological dad, I don’t see how that statement could be true. Debbie also says the real reason she and Michael broke up was that she couldn’t handle the attention and living under the microscope of fame. “We split up because I got to a point where I couldn’t deal with it. I couldn’t go to the grocery store. I couldn’t get followed. I wasn’t used to it.” She said that Michael was always very generous and helpful and he’d say things like “You don’t have to go to the grocery store, I’ll get someone to go,” but he just wasn’t able to understand that she likes doing things for herself and wanted to keep up regular activities. She even seemed uncomfortable at times during the interview, noting: “Doing this is very uncomfortable for me. Talking about these things is extremely uncomfortable for me.” That could have a lot to do with why Debbie has been a little wishy washy on her custody plans. She clearly isn’t happy living with the Jackson fame, and would have to do that for several more years – maybe even the rest of her life. Obviously the kids should come first, but they’re not going to be happy if they’re living with someone who’s miserable. From her interview, Debbie sounds like she agreed with most of Michael’s parenting choices and would probably choose to keep the kids living a relatively sequestered existence. But for now, she’s going to have to get used to the spotlight again.

Debbie Rowe has definitely stated that Prince, 12, and Paris Jackson, 11, the two children she carried for Michael Jackson, are biologically hers. There had been several reports earlier this week that the children were not Debbie’s and she was essentially a surrogate (she was Jackson’s wife at the time, and most people thought she was their biological mother). However Debbie and her lawyer had been very wishy washy about seeking custody of the children until today, when she told an L.A. NBC affiliate that she is going to try to get guardianship and custody - and says that she is definitely their biological mother. Debbie also says that while she is currently allowed visitation with them, it’s a “difficult process.” Almost as noteworthy as the custody issue is her statement that she will also be seeking a restraining order against Joe Jackson to keep him away from the children.

Debbie Rowe wants custody of the two children she had with Michael Jackson. “I want my children,” Rowe said during a 90-minute phone conversation Thursday morning with NBCLA’s Chuck Henry. Rowe said she was willing to submit to any testing, including DNA to prove that she is the children’s true biological mother. Rowe also said she would submit to psychological testing. She also said she would seek a restraining order to keep Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, away from the children. The agreement does allow for visition [sic], but Rowe said it’s a very difficult process. “I am stepping up,” Rowe said. “I have to.” Rowe said she was still grieving. She said she decided she had to seek custody after Jackson’s death. Jackson, who died at age 50, left behind three children: son Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; daughter Paris Michael Katherine, 11; and son Prince Michael II, 7. Rowe was the mother of the two oldest children. The youngest was born to a surrogate mother, who has never been identified. Rowe said she was concerned about splitting up the children. She said she did not expect the court to grant custody of the third child, but added that she would be willing to accept custody. …[Michael Jackson’s] will also specifically leaves Rowe out of any inheritance. “I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson,” the will states.

[From NBC Los Angeles via TMZ] Boy nothing will help you get your butt in gear like the thought of Joe Jackson anywhere near your kids. And that whole creepy thing he said about how Michael’s kids “belong” with him – the way he said it, you could tell by “with,” he really meant “to.” To be fair, Debbie also didn’t make a public announcement on seeking custody until Michael’s will revealed that he’d excluded her from it. I did find that sort of surprising, as it seemed like they had an alright relationship and from most accounts he was appreciative of her giving birth to two of his three children. Obviously if she takes care of them Debbie would have access to money she otherwise would not. I’m not saying that is her motivation at all, but it’s a factor people are going to wonder about. I do think her statement about being in grief and unable to make a decision is valid. We all grieve in our own ways and it’s a hard time to make huge, life-changing decisions. I couldn’t do that after less than a week. Nonetheless, I’m sure it’s been much harder for the kids – as will being split up, since it’s safe to assume that Blanket, 7, will probably stay with Michael’s mother Katherine. The custody hearing is this Monday.

Several interesting developments happened this afternoon regarding Michael Jackson. Earlier today we told you that Michael is not his oldest two children’s biological father – his dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein is. (In related news, police want to question Klein about any drugs he may have given Jackson). It was reported that presumed biological mother Debbie Rowe was in fact a surrogate and also not the children’s biological parent. This explained why she didn’t seem as attached to them as one would expect – and added another foot to the already mile-high legal issues. However an hour ago Debbie’s lawyer told Radar that she is indeed the children’s biological mother.

Reports that Debbie Rowe is not the biological mother of two of Michael Jackson’s children have been presented as fact by numerous outlets. But in an exclusive interview with RadarOnline.com Rowe’s lawyer Marta Almli sets the record straight and says without a doubt Debbie is the mother. Almli told RadarOnline.com exclusively:”We refuse to be drawn into addressing the various rumors and speculation swirling in the media. The vast majority of what is out there is untrue. “Particularly hurtful and insidious is the most recent rumor — which is entirely false — concerning the maternity of the children. Ms. Rowe is the biological mother of the two oldest children.” And there you have it.

[From Radar] The custody of the children is getting incredibly complicated. Obviously a great deal of it will hinge on whether or not the children have a living biological parent that wants custody. Presumably Dr. Klein signed away his rights when he donated sperm, but everything’s completely up in the air in regards to Rowe. Another part of the custody issues that Michael never legally adopted the children – who knows what could happen if they’re legally declared not to be his kids?

We’ve learned Michael Jackson never adopted his three children, even though he’s not the biological father. We broke the story that neither Jackson nor Debbie Rowe are the biological parents of Michael Jr. and Paris. And Michael was not the biological parent of Prince Michael II either. Now here’s the rub. We’ve learned Jackson never filed legal papers to adopt any of his children. Legal experts tell us Jackson would be presumed the father but it’s not conclusive by any means. As for why Jackson didn’t formally adopt — we’re told at the time the kids were born there was no third party whom he believed would try and claim custody. For some reason, Jackson never thought Debbie Rowe would mount a custody challenge.

[From TMZ] There have been several reports floating around about Jackson fans committing suicide since he died – I’ve read anywhere from one to a dozen, depending on the story. The reports seem like they’re embellished, and stories of this nature tend to come out when someone as famous as Michael Jackson dies. So far it’s mostly internet rumor. Michael’s body will be returned to Neverland Ranch of Friday for a public viewing and service. Often the families of celebrities just have a private service – which the Jacksons are also doing on Sunday. It’s nice of the Jacksons (some would say good business strategy, but I’m going with optimism here) to give the public a chance to be a part of the mourning process. It sounds like he’ll likely be buried in his hometown of Gary, Indiana, but it hasn’t been decided yet. Jackson had such a funny relationship with his fans, alternately pulling closer and pushing away. But it seems like he ultimately wanted to connect with them and felt an immense pressure because of that. I’m sure his final memorial will be a fitting tribute.