“Americans may consume a lot of media, but not many want to actually read
books about it,” Broadcasting & Cable says. “While picking over the
remainder table at a Manhattan Barnes & Noble, we were struck by the
prominence of recent books by TV personalities. Martha Stewart, Mike Wallace
and NBC’s Andrea Mitchell — all are half off.”

These are the numbers through Jan. 1, according to Nielsen Media’s BookScan,
“which counts approximately 75% of book sales around the country:”

>Mike Wallace’s “Between You and Me: A Memoir:” 60,000 sales.

>Andrea Mitchell’s “Talking Back: …to Presidents, Dictators, and Other
>Scoundrels:” 26,000 sales.

>Donny Deutsch’s “Often Wrong, Never in Doubt:” 8,000 sales.

>Mary Mapes’ “Truth or Duty:” 7,000 sales.

>Diane Dimond’s “Be Careful Who You Love:” 5,000 sales.

“Some of these books didn’t necessarily sell badly,” B&C notes, “but higher
expectations led publishers to print too many copies.”

Source: mediabistro

An exhibition of over 60 photographic images of Michael Jackson will be on
display at the Sony Ericsson Proud Central Gellery in London next month.

Photographers Lynn Goldsmith and Harrison Funk have contributed the images,
which will be on display from February 17th - April 1st.

Goldsmith’s photographs relate to the beginning of Michael’s solo career,
taken between 1980-85. “Michael is not like anyone else I have ever met,”
said Goldsmith. “Do you know any 5 year old child who could wake up on
Saturday mornings and watch themselves on TV as an animated cartoon? Michael
did.”

Not only a photographer, Goldsmith also directed film and became a recording
artist under the name Will Powers. She has written songs with various
artists including Sting. “No one should expect (Michael) to behave as a
normal person,” Goldsmith explains, “He did not grow up in the same world as
us. Besides, what is the point in expecting a genius to behave as a normal
person?”

Harrison Funk was Michael’s official photographer from 1984-95, and his
contrubutions include images taken from 84’s Victory tour and 87-88’s Bad
tour. “Working with Michael was one of the most amazing creative experiences
of my life,” said Funk.

He has taken photographs of several famous faces, including Madonna, The
Rolling Stones, U2 and Nelson Mandela. Funk is also an award-winning video
director, including 4 MTV Awards. Some of his entertainment clients include
EMI, Warner Records, Universal Music, Univeral Pictures and Sony Music.
“(Michael) has a way of pushing an artist creatively like no one else,”
remembered the photographer.

The exhibition will be on display at the Sony Ericsson Proud Central Gellery
from February 17th - April 1st, the address is below;

5 Buckingham Street
The Strand
London
WC2N 6BP

Entry to see the exhibition is FREE and will be on display 10am-7pm
Mon-Thur, and 11am-6pm Fri-Sun.

Source: MJNI

Michael Jackson was due in court Monday for a civil case in Santa Monica, California, where he’s being sued for non-payment, but the singer got the date postponed until February 15 because he had new counsel in the case.

Source: MTV

Download Michael Jackson Abuse Lawsuit 2006

TMZ has obtained a lawsuit filed by a man who claims Michael Jackson molested him, gave him drugs, alcohol and forced him to undergo unnecessary cosmetic surgery.

The plaintiff in this bizarre suit, claims Jackson “repeatedly and forcefully” sexually molested him from 1987 (when he was two years old) until, “on or about December 21, 1999,” at locations that were “owned, leased or rented by defendants.” Other defendants in the case include various divisions of Sony Music (Jackson’s label). The plaintiff accuses Sony of conspiring with Jackson and allowing the alleged acts to occur.

The suit claims the molestation includes “Michael Jackson sticking his tongue down plaintiff’s throat, masturbating plaintiff, and anally penetrating plaintiff by force.”

The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, claims the plaintiff, now 20 years old, has suffered “severe mental and emotional distress, anguish, anxiety, fear, discomfort, psychological maladjustment, anger and grief…” The man claims he has undergone medical and psychiatric treatment as a result of the alleged misdeeds.

The plaintiff claims Jackson committed a battery by giving him “drugs and alcohol, subjecting plaintiff to unnecessary cosmetic surgery procedures, striking plaintiff, burning plaintiff, torturing plaintiff, and beating plaintiff…” The lawsuit also claims, “on or about December 21, 1999, Jackson beat his mother.” The December 21 date is when all of the alleged misconduct stopped.

Finally, the lawsuit claims Jackson and Sony stole the plaintiff’s song ideas and lyrics.

Lisa Mattern, a lawyer for the plaintiff, told TMZ that the boy’s father knew Michael Jackson even before his son was born. For a time, the father booked entertainers, including psychics, for parties at Neverland. Mattern says her client’s dad would take the boy to Neverland. Eventually, she says, the boy began travelling extensively with Jackson. Mattern says her client has photos to prove he was frequently with the singer. Matern says on December 21, 1999, there was an explosive confrontation between Jackson and her client’s mother. She says during that confrontation, Jackson physically attacked the mom.

Jackson was acquitted on criminal charges of child molestation last year. Jackson’s lawyer Tom Mesereau told TMZ: “The charges are ridiculous on their face. They will be vigorously defended.”

You can now download the plaintiff against Michael Jackson by going to:

Click To Download Document

Source: TMZ

The following report is really interesting. For a long time now there has
been nobody to oppose Tom Sneddon and now that he’s about to retire it was
assumed that his replacement had already been arranged. GD steps up to the
plate, maybe an honest man will be chosen as the new DA. Let’s keep our
fingers crossed.

January 14th, 2006,

Hang on to your underwear. A major Turn of events is about to ignite in
Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Race. Some significant pledges to
support a outside well known DEFENSE Attorney for Santa Barbara District
Attorney, will become known by Wednesday Jan. 18th, 2006. I am not telling
who it is, who will stand for Election to District Attorney of Santa
Barbara, and clean out the thoroughly corrupt District Attorney’s office,
but that persons initials might be… G. D. I would not give you a bum steer
and those of you who read these pages, know I always tell the truth.
Sometimes, I save all the truth, for the book… yes it is coming.

But a chance to elect a DEFENSE ATTORNEY who knows where to investigate and
WHO [who does malicious prosecutions] to prosecute, may be
just a few months away. We are close to our thresh-hold goal of $$ in
pledges, to get G.D. to file for Santa Barbara County District Attorney.
Very close. email me your pledges at (deleted) Don’t send $, just your
pledge of amount of $ you would donate to see SssssSnakes in the District
Attorney’s Office investigated, indicted, and God & Jury willing imprisoned
for abuse of office, malicious prosecution of innocent pop-rock mega stars,
old grandmothers, horse rescuers, latino men who dared to run for office…
etc.

The female version of Thomas SsssSneddon, Christie Stanley, [ boo, hissss ]
who is NOT well known for her lack of prosecuting Porn0-downloading Asst.
D.A. Charles Biely, when he was running in 2002 for a Judgeship against the
lesbian incumbent Judge Diana Hall, who won by a landslide, and then got
outted when she and lesbian lover, Detra Dykeman got into a tizzy, and Judge
Hall ended up with misdemeanor convictions for “drunk driving”. YES
Sneddon’s hand-picked replacement, failed to follow the state requirement to
prosecute THAT Charles Biely, and she thought she had a free RUN for D.A.
without any opposition. If Charles had done it at home, no one would have
cared or found out, but to do it on D.A. of S.B. Office Computer is a
violation of State law.

Well, She, Christie Stanley, was wrong. Not just about failing to indict her
own office mate, Charles Biely, but also about a lot of things, including
MJJ, and whether she would have a free uncontested race for District
Attorney of Santa Barbara, so she, Christie Stanley could continue the
malicious prosecution of lots of innocent folks, one of which has wisely
parked his butt in an Islamic nation to avoid further … shall we say…
“Emperial Entanglements”.

Source: On Second Thought TV

The King Of Pop is in the middle of another child molestation scandal following claims by an unnamed 20-year-old man, who claims the pop superstar plied him with drugs and alcohol during sex sessions.

The plaintiff also alleges the THRILLER hitmaker forced him to undergo unnecessary cosmetic surgery.

He claims Jackson “repeatedly and forcefully” sexually molested him from 1987, when he was just two.

The suit, obtained by news website TMZ.com, also charges various Sony Music staff of conspiring with Jackson and allowing the alleged acts to occur.

The documents recall alleged incidents, which involve “sticking his tongue down plaintiff’s throat, masturbating plaintiff, and anally penetrating plaintiff by force”.

The suit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, claims the plaintiff has suffered “severe mental and emotional distress, anguish, anxiety, fear, discomfort, psychological maladjustment, anger and grief…”

The accuser also alleges Jackson committed battery by giving him “drugs and alcohol, subjecting plaintiff to unnecessary cosmetic surgery procedures, striking plaintiff, burning plaintiff, torturing plaintiff, and beating plaintiff…”

His lawsuit also claims Jackson and Sony stole the plaintiff’s song ideas and lyrics.

Jackson’s lawyer TOM MESEREAU says, “The charges are ridiculous on their face. They will be vigorously defended.”

The pop superstar was acquitted on criminal charges of child molestation last year

Source: Contact Music

US singer Michael Jackson is facing fresh child sex abuse allegations in a civil lawsuit.

A 20-year-old has filed complaints claiming the pop star molested him as a child, made him have cosmetic surgery and stole his ideas, melodies and lyrics for songs, the man’s lawyer said.
The allegations relate to the period between 1987 and 1999.

Michael Mattern said: “It is alleged that my client was present at Michael Jackson’s residences and other places from the age of two to 14 and was molested many times over the course of those years.

“There is also an allegation that my client came up with song ideas, lyrics and melodies which were used by Mr Jackson in his records and made an awful lot of money.”

The man is also alleging that cosmetic procedures were “forced on him”, Mr Mattern said. The complaint states the plaintiff was “subjected to unnecessary cosmetic surgery procedures”.

“I have got photos of my client with these red lips just like you see on Mr Jackson and a big old cleft on his chin which he didn’t have previously,” Mr Mattern said.

Jackson was cleared of child sex-abuse charges in June after one of the most high-profile trials in history.

Mr Mattern said his client initially filed the suit in a handwritten format at Orange County Superior Court without a lawyer’s help on July 25 last year before employing him in October.

“I then filed a first amended complaint,” he said.

“The defendants, who include Michael Jackson, his production company MJJ Productions and his corporate entity, Sony, have all been served with a lawsuit.”

The case will then be heard at Orange County Superior Court on February 14.

The complainant was actually interviewed at length before Jackson’s trial after Santa Barbara County authorities appealed for any new accusers to come forward, but no charges relating to his allegations were made.

Law-enforcement sources say that was because authorities did not believe his story would stand up in court, according to the New York Post.

Source: Press Association

Michael Jackson, having licked kiddie-sex charges just months ago, has been quietly fighting molestation claims made by a young man who says Jackson forced him into cosmetic surgery and stole music he composed as a toddler, court documents say.

The accuser, 20, filed complaints against Jackson in a July 25 lawsuit that flew completely under the public radar — in part because the handwritten, paper-thin grievance included no details, or even a lawyer representing the plaintiff.

Then he hired lawyers from nearby Newport Beach on Oct. 11, and his civil action in Orange County Superior Court suddenly picked up new details and several additional co-defendants, including Jackson’s corporate entity, Sony.

The accuser, whose name is being withheld by The Post, claimed he was sexually abused by Jackson from 1987, when he was 2, until Dec. 21, 1999 — and that The King of Pop’s corporate handlers knew it was happening.

The amended complaint filed by lawyer Michael Mattern also alleged that Jackson was “subjecting plaintiff to unnecessary cosmetic-surgery procedures.”

The lawsuit didn’t detail what the accuser allegedly had nipped or tucked at The Gloved One’s behest. But Mattern said the most glaring procedures gave his client noticeably red lips, resembling the garish makeup Jackson often wears in public, and a pronounced cleft chin.

Not only did he attack Jackson as a pervert, he also blasted The King of Pop as an intellectual thief. He said he came up with lyrics and melodies between ages 2 and 12 that Jackson stole.

The plaintiff’s name isn’t new to The King of Pop and cops. When deputies raided Neverland in fall 2003, Santa Barbara County authorities said they wanted to put any past or new Jackson accusers on the witness stand — and he stepped forward.

Santa Barbara County investigators interviewed the accuser at length, but authorities didn’t believe his story would stand up in court, law-enforcement sources said.

Source: NY Post

Janet Jackson’s lawyers are negotiating a settlement in a lawsuit over a warehouse full of memorabilia related to the Jackson family.

A federal judge dismissed Michael Jackson’s part of the lawsuit against Henry Vaccaro last week because Michael had stopped pursuing the case.
However, Janet’s claims remain active, according to Vaccaro’s lawyer. Vaccaro had a warehouse full of memorabilia awarded to him in lawsuit involving a failed business venture. The items including Jackson family costumes, financial documents, letters and awards.

Janet and Michael claim some of the items still belong to them and that Vaccaro was only entitled to the property belonging to Tito, Jermaine and their parents.

Vaccaro sold the items to a European buyer.

Source: ABC News

FINISHING touches are now being put to the final production of Michael Jackson’s Hurricane Katrina relief song - which is being released on Bahraini label 2 Seas Records, according to a statement released by his publicist Raymone Bain yesterday.

The label belongs to Southern Governor Shaikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa, who is reportedly spearheading the project.

Recording artists Keisha Cole, Ciara, Snoop Dogg, Babyface and R Kelly are among singer taking part in the song, I Have This Dream.

It was written by Mr Jackson in response to Hurricane Katrina, which happened at the end of last August and was the most destructive and costliest natural disaster in the history of the US.

“This project is in response to the widespread devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina,” said Shaikh Abdulla in the statement.

“It is my hope that the proceeds from this recording will make a tremendous difference to all individuals affected by this tragedy in the US.”

No release date for the song has been announced, but a spokesman said it is due out “very soon”.

He also said more than 10 additional artistes participating in the production would be named.

Most of the participants recorded their parts in Los Angeles, while Mr Jackson himself recorded in London.

Mr Jackson became friends with Shaikh Abdulla as a result of the latter’s friendship with his brother Jermaine, who has long-standing links with Bahrain and converted to Islam following a visit here in 1989.

It was revealed that Bahrain is currently the pop star’s legal home after he was summoned for jury duty in the US.

His lawyers told California court officials that he would not be able to serve because he was no longer living at his Neverland Valley Ranch fulltime and that Bahrain was his new home.

Mr Jackson first came here on June 29 as a guest of Shaikh Abdulla.

He has been spotted around town several times, including in Bahrain Mall and Seef Mall.

He is also reportedly in discussion with Bahrain-based AJJ Holdings to act as a consultant for possible entertainment projects in the Gulf, including theme parks and music academies.

Source: Gulf Daily News.com