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Showbiz Tonight
Michael Jackson Memorial: A Fitting Farewell?; Debbie Rowe Money Mystery; Peter King`s Explosive Attack on Michael Jackson; Elizabeth Taylor on Suicide Watch?
Aired July 06, 2009 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, breaking developments in the Michael Jackson memorial. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the latest details. Will it go down as one of the most watched events in history? Will it be total chaos? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks you - the Michael Jackson memorial, is it a fitting farewell to Michael?
The shocking Debbie Rowe money mystery. Michael Jackson`s ex-wife and the mother of two of his kids says she`s nearly broke after Michael supposedly gave her millions. So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT asks, where did all her money go? SHOWBIZ investigates the Debbie Rowe money trail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER KING (R-NY): This is insanity, to be given this type of coverage, this type of reverence to this individual who I think was guilty of such a deviant lifestyle which affected innocent young kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: An explosive attack on Michael by a powerful United States congressman. Tonight, the brand-new fired-up debate about Michael Jackson`s controversial past.
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show starts right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Hello. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night from New York City.
And tonight, Michael`s memorial. It has been an absolutely incredible day as preparations were made for an event that is expected to be one of the most viewed events of all time, the historic public memorial in Los Angeles tomorrow for Michael Jackson.
And even as that was going on, there were these huge breaking developments today. Just a day before his memorial, Michael Jackson`s mother today lost control of his estate. We`ve got the late-breaking details.
SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can also now confirm that Michael Jackson did indeed have a second will, but what does that mean for the first will? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT also confirmed today that investigators looking into Jackson`s death have obtained three mysterious search warrants and all of this is making big news right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Michael Jackson`s memorial is shaping up to be the biggest celebrity goodbye so far this century.
MARC MALKIN, "E! NEWS": This memorial service is going to be like nothing we`ve seen before.
HAMMER: SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was there as some of the lucky winners of an online lottery lined up at L.A.`s Dodger Stadium to claim the tickets and the wristbands.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t take this off, OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK.
HAMMER: They`ll need to get into tomorrow`s memorial at L.A.`s Staples Center. 1.6 million people registered online for a chance to win the online lottery. Only 11,000 won a seat to see the memorial live here at the Staples Center. An additional 6,500 will watch it at the Nokia Theater next door.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very excited. I think it`s just going to be a phenomenal experience and hopefully a great tribute.
HAMMER: And as they picked up their tickets, Jackson fans were excited for the once-in-a-lifetime event.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I`ve never won anything in my life. And I won the tickets and it`s so surreal.
MALKIN: I actually did get picked in that raffle. I got two tickets.
HAMMER: "E`s" Marc Malkin tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT he was one of the lucky ones who won the online lottery.
MALKIN: It`s sort of bittersweet. Basically, you`re getting excited about going to someone`s funeral.
HAMMER: The stars are lining up to honor Jackson. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you Oscar and Grammy winner Jennifer Hudson plans to perform at the Jackson tribute.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
As will Mariah Carey who TMZ reports plans to sing Jackson`s early hit "I`ll Be There." John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder and Usher are also expected to be there as well.
MALKIN: I do think it`s going to be a powerful day. We`re talking about a star-studded concert. We`re going to be seeing VIPs in the audience.
HAMMER: One VIP who won`t be at Jackson`s memorial - his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, who may be planning to fight for custody of the two children she had with Jackson. This morning at "Good Morning America," a former Jackson business associate said Rowe would be one of the VIPs at Jackson`s memorial.
MARC SCHAFFEL, EX-JACKSON BUSINESS ASSOCIATE: Debbie will attend. We just got confirmation last night.
HAMMER: But a few hours later, Rowe`s attorney said she won`t be going saying her presence would be a, quote, "unnecessary distraction to tomorrow`s event."
Rowe, along with the rest of us, will have plenty of other places to watch Jackson`s memorial. Several major TV networks, including HLN, plan to air it live. It could draw as many viewers as Princess Diana`s 1997 funeral.
MALKIN: L.A. is bracing for hundreds of thousands of people to descend on Staples Center even though there`s only 17,500 tickets that have been given out.
HAMMER: L.A. cops aren`t taking any chances. They say they won`t let anyone anywhere near the Staples Center unless they have tickets.
On "Good Morning America," Jackson family friend Al Sharpton didn`t say if the Jackson family would pitch in to help defray some of the $2 million cost the city reportedly will incur for the memorial.
AL SHARPTON, JACKSON FAMILY FRIEND: Clearly, no one in the family are happy that the city is incurring any expense at all. You`re talking about a historic figure that will have a historic celebration.
HAMMER: As the world and fans gather to say goodbye to Jackson, in this L.A. courthouse, attorneys for Jackson`s mother, Katherine, squared off against two of Jackson`s associates for control of Jackson`s estate.
MALKIN: Shortly after Michael Jackson died, Katherine Jackson and her lawyers went to court to argue that she should be the administrator of his will.
HAMMER: But just last week, Jackson`s 2002 will surfaced and it names his attorney, John Branca, and Jackson`s friend, John McClain, as executors of his estate. And today, the judge ruled they should be the ones to administer Jackson`s assets.
MALKIN: I think the legal battles over Michael Jackson`s estate, over his children is going to get messy. This is a guy that everyone`s going to want a piece of.
HAMMER: But for now, everyone seems focused on saying goodbye to the King of Pop.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
So as we get ready for what is surely expected to be the most watched memorial service in history, there were also huge breaking developments in court today.
Joining us from Hollywood tonight, Carlos Diaz. He`s a correspondent for "Extra." In New York is Midwin Charles who`s an attorney with the law firm, Midwin Charles and Associates.
So, Carlos, let me go to you first. You were right there at the Staples Center all day, hanging out and working hard.
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Yes.
HAMMER: And the preparations are getting underway for the big memorial tomorrow. Give us a sense of what it`s like there. Does it seem like everything`s pretty much under control and that it will stay that way?
DIAZ: I was very impressed with the way they have things set up right now at the Staples Center. I went down today. First off, it looks like a normal Staples Center until you turn the corner between Staples Center and Nokia Theater.
And I was blown away by - it`s basically a media wall of stanchions that go up, you know, 40, 50 feet into the air with different media outlets stacked on top of each other.
But it`s very well-organized for now. And let me just reiterate, if you do not have a ticket, you are wasting your time if you try to get close to the Staples Center because the cops have got a perimeter around that thing that will be unbreakable tomorrow if you don`t have a ticket or one of these wristbands.
HAMMER: Yes. A real smart move setting up that perimeter. What a daunting task organizing and trying to keep control over this situation. And it does appear that they`re doing a terrific job.
Also new right now, big developments in court today. A judge decided that Michael Jackson`s mother, Katherine, will no longer have control over Jackson`s assets. The judge decided that the men who were named in his 2002 will, Attorneys John Branca and John McClain will now be in control. Midwin, are you surprised that Michael`s mother lost control?
MIDWIN CHARLES, ATTORNEY, MIDWIN CHARLES AND ASSOCIATES: I`m not because the judge is doing exactly what Michael wanted. Just as Michael set forth that he wanted Katherine to be the person to watch over the children, he wanted these two people to be the executors of his estate. So the judge is really going to have a difficult time if he had decided otherwise.
HAMMER: And by the way, John Branca, a long-time attorney for Jackson, John McClain, a long-time friend of Jackson and a bigwig from the music industry.
All right. Our next big Michael Jackson development. New right now, a second will has surfaced. Just today, we did learn that in that court hearing that a 1997 will was given to the court for safekeeping. Midwin, let me go back to you as the attorney here. This will from 1997, will it have any bearing whatsoever on the one signed in 2002?
CHARLES: Probably not. I mean, you could look to it and see what was Michael thinking in 1997. But it really has no bearing at this point because there was another one in 2002 which would clearly supersede that one. So it would have no bearing at all.
HAMMER: All right. And also new right now, the investigation into Michael`s death. Of course, this is ongoing even as we await the big memorial service tomorrow. We learned today that three search warrants have been executed. It`s not clear at this point who they were aimed at.
Now, Carlos, I`m thinking - once we get past this big memorial service tomorrow, would you agree that it`s fair to say things are really going to start getting fired up in this investigation here?
DIAZ: And well, they should. Well, they should, because we need to look at Michael Jackson and use him as an example of what needs to never happen to another celebrity. We lost Heath Ledger this way. It looks like we lost Michael Jackson this way.
We need to stop prescribing celebrities prescription medication that they do not need and watching them waste away and die in certain situations. We need to use this as an example for doctors to stop prescribing these painkillers that these stars might not need.
HAMMER: And if we go back in time, a week and a half, the day that Michael Jackson passed away - and we`ll never forget that day. But immediately after we heard that he went into cardiac arrest and was taken to the hospital, people started talking about the prescription drugs. The search warrants started going out. They started doing this death investigation.
But Midwin, would you agree as we move forward now, things are going to start to get really heated up in the investigation? The toxicology reports are due to come back soon. And I think some people are going to be looking out for themselves.
CHARLES: They totally will. And I would add Anna Nicole Smith to that list of celebrities who have passed away this way also. But we have to remember it`s not just the doctors. Oftentimes, celebrities themselves have pseudonyms in order to try to acquire these medications.
So what I think is going to be the fallout of this after we determine what happened to Michael is a policing of sorts of the industry of prescription drugs and how prescription drugs are given out by whom and what sort of check mechanisms are in place to ensure that they aren`t given to people who don`t really need them.
HAMMER: Yes. It really does feel like we`re just at the tip of the iceberg of this whole thing. Carlos Diaz, Midwin Charles, I appreciate you both being here.
And you definitely do not want to miss our live coverage of Michael Jackson`s memorial. A special live edition of SHOWBIZ TONIGHT happens tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. Eastern, 8:00 a.m. Pacific.
And now, over to you - here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Jackson Memorial: Is it a fitting farewell?"
You can vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. Or you can E-mail us more of your thoughts, showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, I know one guy who definitely would vote no in our poll. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving him this much coverage day in and day out - what does that say about us as a country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: This guy`s name is Peter King. He is one of the most powerful United States congressmen. But there`s no Michael Jackson on his iPod. Tonight, the startling attack on Michael. Is this guy way out of line? It is the fired-up debate about Michael`s controversial past.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEBBIE ROWE, MICHAEL JACKSON`S EX-WIFE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is incredible, a very mad Debbie Rowe going off. Tonight, Michael Jackson`s ex-wife and the mom of two of his kids says she`s nearly broke after Michael Jackson supposedly gave her millions. Where did all her money go? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Michael Jackson was working on two album, one pop, one classical, at the time of his death. Beyonce honors Michael Jackson at Essence Music Festival in New Orleans.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
NEYO, R & B SINGER: The thing that made Michael Jackson a legend was passion. He was a very passionate person about everything in his life, from his music to his appearance, whatever the case may be. He did everything to the fullest. He did it with passion. And I mean, I think the stamp that he`s left on this planet will never, ever fade.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
MADONNA, POP STAR: Come on everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Madonna paying tribute to Michael Jackson in one of her London concerts over the weekend. She had an M.J. impersonator come out and dance to a mix of Jackson`s songs. All this went down at the O2 arena - that`s the same place where Michael was scheduled to perform his comeback concerts beginning next week.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, Neverland tributes. The massive public memorial for Michael Jackson all set to start about 14 hours from now at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and all over the country. From New York`s famed Apollo Theater to Jackson`s boyhood home in Gary Indiana, the fans have been gathering since Jackson died for unofficial tributes.
And many other fans from all over the world making a big pilgrimage to Neverland Ranch to celebrate Jackson`s life and his music.
Here`s CNN`s Sandra Endo for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson bringing the world together even though he`s no longer with us. Visitors from faraway lands coming to the United States just to pay tribute to the American icon. From Montreal, a head-to-toe Jackson look-a-like.
THIERRY MARCEAU, MICHAEL JACKSON LOOK-A-LIKE FROM MONTREAL: I wanted to be at the center of Los Angeles moving around Michael for the past week. And yes, I was in Montreal and I was too far. So yes, I needed to be here.
ENDO: And from Brazil, sporting four tattoos of the King of Pop, this fan made his first international trip to California just to say goodbye.
LEANDRO LAPAGESSE, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN FROM BRAZIL: I can`t believe he died. You know, this is one of the reasons of my life. My love for him is forever.
ENDO: Europeans are showing their love, too. A fan from Ireland says he had to be here.
DENNIS DINGIVAN, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN FROM IRELAND: I`ve loved his music. I loved everything about him. And now that he`s passed away, I wanted to come and show my respect.
ENDO: Flags from all over the world graced the Neverland Ranch memorial, a tribute to Jackson`s global stardom.
FABIO BORGES, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN FROM BRAZIL: He was a superstar and maybe no one will be like he was.
HELENA VERES, MICHAEL JACKSON FAN FROM MALAYSIA: I think he`s number one in Malaysia. He`s very famous. Everybody knows Michael Jackson. We will never forget him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: That was CNN`s Sandra Endo for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. Well, I`ve got to tell you, we`re still getting tons and tons of calls into "Showbiz on Call." Everybody is speaking their mind about Michael Jackson. One thing in particular that`s happening, there`s a lot of debate over whether it`s the right time to be talking about all of Michael`s controversy.
We got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Belitta in Michigan who says, despite of Michael`s problems she was and shall remain an M.J. fan.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I just wanted to say Michael Jackson was my first crush. I had posters. I had buttons, records, the whole nine. I`m very saddened by his sudden and tragic death. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and to all the fans.
And he is definitely a legend. Despite his troubles, despite his trials, despite his tribulations, he is one of the best entertainment(sic) of all time. He`s just awesome. He is the best worldwide entertainer of all time.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you, Belitta. We appreciate your call. We also heard from Latonya calling from Indiana in to "Showbiz on Call." Latonya is from Michael`s hometown. She wants people to remember the good things about him.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I just believe he was incredible and he was great. And I am from Gary, Indiana. And I wish everyone would just leave him alone and stop remembering him for the bad things, and remember him for the good things that he`s done.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thank you for your call, Latonya. You can call us at "Showbiz on Call." Tell us your thoughts on Michael Jackson or anything else. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time at 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899.
Well, one of the most powerful United States congressmen is launching an incredible attack on Michael Jackson tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving him this much coverage day in and day out - what does that say about us as a country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Tell us how you really feel, congressman. So explosive. Is this guy, Pete King, just way out of line? Coming up tonight, the fired-up debate over Michael`s controversial past.
Also tonight, Liz Taylor and Michael Jackson, they were great friends. And we know Liz was so upset naturally when she heard that Michael Jackson had died. Tonight, is Liz so bothered by this that she`s on suicide watch? Well, the SHOWBIZ truth squad is going to check it out.
And the shocking Debbie Rowe money mystery. Michael Jackson`s ex-wife and the mother of two of his kids says she is nearly broke. And this is after Michael supposedly gave her millions and millions of dollars. So tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has got to ask, where did all of her money go? SHOWBIZ investigates the Debbie Rowe money trail. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi gets married in Maine. Michael Jackson fans line up to sign memorial wall at Staples Center in L.A.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOLLY ROBINSON PEETE, ACTRESS: I was about 6 or 7 years old, and I had the opportunity to meet the Jackson 5 who came to town and played a concert at The Spectrum in Philly. My very first concert. It was the most amazing memory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. And SHOWBIZ TONIGHT was right there at the Essence Festival in New Orleans over the weekend. Tons of stars were there. Beyonce, Lionel Richie, Bill Cosby, Steve Harvey - so many more.
And of course, Michael Jackson was a big topic. You have to got to hear Sheryl Lee Ralph`s story about her Michael memory. You know Sheryl the mom on "Moesha" and from the original version of Broadway version of "Dream Girls." Well, Sheryl reveals to us a very emotional event in Michael`s early years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERYL LEE RALPH, ACTRESS AND SINGER: Now, he spent a day with my mother in Jamaica. My mother said she will never forget how he didn`t want to leave. He wanted to stay. He especially wanted to be able to play because, you know, my brothers are about the same age and all. They were about two to four years younger and he just wanted to play.
And he left her saying, "I wish I had family like that." And she said she`ll never forget that as long as she lives. And she was so hurt, you know, to see all the things that happened and the way that he passed away because she never forgot that day he spent with the family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. What a cool story. We`re also getting so many of your very personal comments on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page.
Rachel B. writes about Michael and his ex-wife and the mother of his two kids. Here`s her comment, "When a mother gives up the rights to her own children, there is no natural affection there. She obviously cannot be the mother that they need. Also, what the kids want should be taken in account. Ultimately, they know the people around them that truly love them."
Thanks a lot, Rachel. There`s also a lot of debate over how much attention is being given to Michael Jackson`s death.
Marce A. thinks we`re going to talk about this for a long time, "M.J. is one of a kind, a tortured artist that we will be discussing, debating, bashing, celebrating, dissecting and mourning for years to come. This is only the beginning."
Well put. Please do join us on Facebook. I`m posting new stuff up there all the time. And as you can see, your comments could end up right here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You can sign up by heading to our Web site, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Time now for the SHOWBIZ lineup. Here`s what`s coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out - what does it say about us as a country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. An explosive attack on Michael by a powerful U.S. congressman. Tonight, the brand-new, fired-up debate about Michael Jackson`s controversial past.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: That is Michael`s ex-wife and the mother of two of his kids going off. Tonight, is Debbie Rowe on the warpath? And what happened to the millions Michael reportedly gave her? And will she fight for custody for money? This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: One of poor child stars of "Slumdog Millionaire" moving into a new home. `80s TV series "T.J. Hooker," which starred William Shatner, is being made into a movie.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him day, in and day out - what does it say about us as a country?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Now, on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, the brand-new attack on Michael Jackson. A powerful United States congressman calls Jackson a pervert and a pedophile. Is he way out of line? It`s the great debate over Michael Jackson`s controversial past.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Debbie Rowe goes off. Brand-new video of Michael Jackson`s fuming ex-wife. Will the mother of two of Jackson`s kids collapse under the pressure of the spotlight? And will she try to get custody of his kids?
Plus, more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment news show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It`s 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting and every night from New York City.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT`s bringing you the big breaking developments today in the death of Michael Jackson. A judge ruled today that Michael Jackson`s long-time lawyer and his long-time friend will be the co- executors of his will. Jackson`s mother, Katherine, wanted to be named a co-administrator, but was denied.
Also tonight, Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of Jackson`s three kids now says she will not be attending his memorial tomorrow at the Staples Center in Los Angeles because of the media frenzy. The city is bracing itself for what could be tens of thousands of fans.
And there is absolute outrage over controversial brand-new comments from a powerful United States congressman who posted a YouTube video demanding that people stop making such a fuss over Michael Jackson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: All we hear about is Michael Jackson. And let`s knock out the psychobabble. This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. Congressman Peter King`s comments have sparked a fired-up debate as you might well imagine. But is it wrong to criticize Jackson and his troubled past so soon after his death?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood, Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." Tonight in New York is Midwin Charles who is an attorney for the law firm Midwin Charles and Associates.
So, you just heard a part of that outrageous controversial YouTube video made by New York Republican Congressman Peter King. He is demanding that people stop glorifying Michael Jackson. Here`s more of his rant. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: This guy was a pervert. He was a child molester. He was a pedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him day, in and day out - what does it say about us as a country? I just think we`re too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say, "We don`t need Michael Jackson."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Carlos Diaz, this guy was way out of line, wasn`t he?
DIAZ: I don`t think he should be talking about political correctness at all. He`s politically being incorrect. Because I mean, if you believe in the judicial system, as most elected officials should, you would know that Michael Jackson was acquitted. He was not found guilty of child molestation charges.
So what are you basing your facts on that Michael Jackson`s a child molester? And I can`t believe that he would come out and say this on the days before his memorial. It`s bad timing and it`s just badly put.
HAMMER: Yes. And just because you pay a settlement to somebody doesn`t mean it`s an admission of guilt. He did pay a settlement in another case and that was pretty much to make it go away. So you know - I don`t know.
DIAZ: Yes. I`m perplexed.
HAMMER: I`m pretty horrified by what he said. And today, the congressman was defending his comments to CNN. He tells that says he stands by his decision to speak out. He says a lot of people feel exactly the same way he does. Watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
P. KING: It`s hard to get a lower deviancy than Michael Jackson`s, yet we`re building him up to this glorified level. I just felt it was time for somebody to say, "Hey, this is going too far. This is enough." I think the media has gone too far. The people in politics have gone too far. And you know, if I`m one voice, I just felt being in public life, I do have the forum.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. And I think he`s digging himself a deeper hole. Midwin Charles, to you, again, this is a United States congressman. Was he not out of line?
CHARLES: It`s not so much that he was out of line. I just think that in this day and age, as a Congress person, he ought to be tending to the business of being a Congress person and not debasing someone who just passed away.
HAMMER: I`m right there with you. Well, the great debate continues now on whether it`s wrong before Michael`s even buried to talk about his controversial past at all.
We have these brand-new comments from the Rev. Al Sharpton who`s on the exact opposite side of New York Congressman King. He says the media isn`t honoring Jackson enough. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHARPTON: I have seen other musical icons die where there were serious questions about them and I`ve never seen it dominate the news before their funeral and dominate it to the point that people forgot their greatness.
And even now, a lot of those answers never came about, about allegations of their life and we still exalt their artistry. All we`re asking for is fairness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: See, I appreciate what he`s saying. I don`t think we`re losing the point of Michael`s greatness. Carlos, what do you think? Does Al have a point there? Is it wrong at this time for anyone in the media to cover the whole Michael Jackson story which, as we all know, has the good, the bad, and the ugly?
DIAZ: Yes. I know, I mean, that`s what we do. We`re suppose today cover all angles. But I honestly think that people are being kind to Michael. One thing that I can say is that when most musicians die, no matter how popular they are, it`s not two weeks before we have a memorial service.
This has been a long time in the making because, you know, Michael`s such a big star, having to plan this thing. So usually when someone dies, it`s the next week they`re put in the ground or have a memorial. So that`s why people don`t talk about it before the memorial.
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: I think though people are being very fair with Michael Jackson.
HAMMER: What do you think, Midwin? Congressman King is demanding that we stop glorifying Michael Jackson and the Rev. Al is saying we`re not doing enough to honor his legacy. What about you?
CHARLES: I think we`re doing more than enough to honor his legacy. Look, Michael Jackson was a star like none other. He was an icon. He changed the rules, and was a pioneer, right, when it came to music and dance and fashion and the like. We are honoring him. We are talking about him, and it`s what we ought to do.
HAMMER: Sean Puffy P. Diddy Combs is also weighing in on this great debate. In fact, we caught up with Puff over the holiday weekend. He was throwing his annual Hamptons bash. And he says he totally understands why the Rev. Al isn`t happy with the media coverage. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN COMBS, RAP ARTIST: I just wanted to say my piece just for the mead media just to look at the other side. I`m not like sitting at home - I understand the media game, you know what I`m saying? Michael used it to his advantage. I`ve used it to my advantage. It`s a double-edged sword, you know what I`m saying?
But at the same time, it needs to be fair. At the same time when somebody dies, we need to give him a day of respect, just a day. So you know, and I think that - I want to applaud CNN. I saw (INAUDIBLE). I saw it in Don Lemon. I saw it in (INAUDIBLE).
You know listen to the people and at least give that man his due respect. But you know, there are other things that people don`t want to hear about and that`s just the way life is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Yes. Carlos, I think he has a great point here. If you`re in the spotlight and you do use the media to your advantage, as he pointed out that Michael Jackson always did, it might not all be positive attention and the people surrounding, in this case, Michael Jackson have to be prepared for that.
DIAZ: The term "freak" was used a lot of times when Michael Jackson was alive to describe him. And it`s being used in death as well.
A quick little story - I mean, I was at a Fourth of July celebration over the weekend. One of my aunts came up to me, you know, 70 years old. And she said, "Tell me what`s really going on with Michael Jackson. Was he really a freak?"
HAMMER: Yes.
DIAZ: You know, that`s the thing. It`s like, that`s what people are talking about. So, as media members, we`re just reflecting what people are talking about in society.
HAMMER: I`m right there with you. The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines - no question about it, they`ve been in overdrive. Listen to Cindy from Ohio who thinks everybody`s being too negative about Jackson. Roll that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I think people need to focus more on the positive than always being so negative towards Michael Jackson. You know, this man hasn`t hurt a soul. Let`s talk about the positive. Let`s talk about all the charities he`s had.
And that scandal about that 13-year-old boy? Oh, that`s full of baloney. They just wanted some money. So let`s see a little bit more courtesy of his family and of him. You know, let`s know a little bit (INAUDIBLE).
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Well, thank you for your call, Cindy. Midwin, the fans have spoken there. But seriously, Michael Jackson was a big story. There are a lot of elements to it.
CHARLES: Tons of elements of it. I mean, this is someone who had to undergo a trial for about two, three months where at least 70 or 80 witnesses got on the stand and said despicable things about him and allegations.
But despite that, you know, he went unscathed. Those allegations were proven to be untrue by a jury of his peers.
HAMMER: And people will continue to talk about these aspects of his life. We`ll wrap it up there. Midwin Charles, Carlos Diaz, thank you guys.
And you definitely do not want to miss our live coverage of Michael Jackson`s memorial tomorrow beginning at 11:00 a.m. Eastern, 8:00 a.m. Pacific.
And we`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Jackson Memorial: Is it a fitting farewell?" Keep voting at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. E-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, I`ve got to say Debbie Rowe has stayed pretty clear of the media since her divorce from Michael Jackson. So what made her flip out in front of cameras now?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Holy molly. Jackson`s ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, goes off. It`s all caught on tape. Is the mother of two of Jackson`s kids collapsing under the pressure of the spotlight?
And the Debbie Rowe money mystery. Did Rowe totally blow through all the millions Jackson reportedly paid her? And will she fight for custody of the kids just for the money?
Also tonight, the SHOWBIZ truth squad getting to the bottom of whether or not Elizabeth Taylor`s on suicide watch after the sudden and dramatic death of Michael Jackson. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: YouTube singing sensation Susan Boyle records first song for new album. Divorcing reality stars Jon and Kate Gosselin spend July 4th together with eight kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBIN THICKE, SINGER: I did a Christmas video for my parents. My brother had reminded me of this. I did a Christmas video for our family. And I was dancing "Smooth Criminal" in the white outfit. I was like 11 years old, doing all the Michael Jackson moves "Smooth Criminal" out in my backyard. It`s me in an all-white outfit in the backyard doing "Smooth Criminal." So that was my first music video.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROWE: Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: An angry Debbie Rowe firing back after being asked about Michael Jackson`s kids. But will she fight for custody?
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. I`ve got more on that Debbie Rowe showdown in just a moment. It is wild. But first tonight, the Debbie Rowe factor. And what in the world happen today the millions of dollars Michael Jackson reportedly gave his ex-wife when they got divorced?
These days, Rowe says, she`s nearly broke and Jackson cut her out of his will. So what the heck`s going on? Here`s CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the start, their marriage seemed more like a business deal. Michael Jackson wanted children. Debbie Rowe wanted to provide them.
In the end, Jackson got his kids, and Rowe became a very rich woman. How rich? $8.5 million rich. That was the deal the couple cut after their brief marriage ended and after Rowe agreed to give up parental rights to the children, seen here in photos from TMZ.
(on camera): Where did that money go?
JIM MORET, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT, "INSIDE EDITION": That`s the $64,000 question, I suppose.
KAYE: Court documents show Rowe was to be paid $1 million up front, then another $1 million paid over three years. On top of that, payments of $750,000 for the next six years.
(voice-over): But in 2006, Rowe went back to court, describing herself as deep in debt and claiming Jackson had missed payments.
MORET: Jackson is notorious for going into a deal and then cheating the person out of whatever they`re owed.
KAYE: The same documents show Rowe received $265,000 from Jackson in 2005 and used part of it to pay off, get this, a $168,000 American Express bill. As she put it, by the end of 2005, the entire $265,000 was long gone.
This man says he and Rowe were friends for about seven years. He showed us pictures of them together.
(on camera): Did she spend a lot of money?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I can tell you this much - it sure looked like there were no restraints on any spending, you know. That`s for certain.
KAYE (voice-over): Rowe`s attorney says she hasn`t decided whether to seek custody of the two children. If she does, some speculate money may be her motivation.
MORET: The kids will ultimately get 80 percent of Michael Jackson`s estate. And there will be child support. There are hundreds of millions of dollars at stake here. So there`s a great temptation to say, it`s all for the money.
KAYE: After Rowe and Jackson split, he set her up in an expensive Beverly Hills home. CBS filmed her dogs swimming in the backyard pool. Today, with money tight, she lives in a modest ranch house on a farm outside Los Angeles where she breeds horses.
MORET: Debbie Rowe doesn`t lead a life that suggests opulence. She lives in the community that`s moderate to low income. She leads what should be a very humble lifestyle.
KAYE: Certainly not the lifestyle she enjoyed at Neverland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: And I thought she had all that dough. That was CNN`s Randi Kaye for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. So is Debbie Rowe eyeing Michael Jackson`s kids as a payday or is she just trying to do what`s best for them?
Rowe`s attorney tells us that Rowe has not made a final decision on whether to seek custody. But Debbie herself told an L.A. reporter that she wants her kids back.
And new tonight, Rowe said today she has canceled plans to attend Tuesday`s memorial service for Michael. Her rep tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT that Rowe does not want to frenzy surrounding her to take away from the tribute to Michael.
With me tonight in New York is Ashleigh Banfield who is an anchor for the legal network, "In Session."
All right. We have got to play this video. You`ve got to see this. It shows Debbie Rowe just being swarmed by paparazzi and a whole bunch of reporters as she`s just trying to leave an L.A. restaurant.
And at one point, it seems like a reporter bumps her and wow, she just loses her cool. You`ve got to watch how the whole angry confrontation plays out here. Roll that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Debbie, are you ready to fight for your kids, Debbie? Are you ready to fight for your children.
ROWE: Don`t touch me. Do not touch me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody touched you here.
ROWE: You just did. Don`t.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you ready to fight for your children?
ROWE: Are you ready to get your butt kicked? Don`t (EXPLETIVE DELETED) touch me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Now, looking at it realistically, Ashleigh, you almost can`t blame her for flipping out, seeing how she was just swarmed by the paparazzi. That has to be impossible to deal with.
However, Ashleigh - are you with me? If she decides to go ahead with the custody battle, she`d better get used to this.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": Well, she`s already used to it. This woman was married to Michael Jackson. So I`m actually going to say the opposite. I don`t think this is an appropriate kind of reaction, especially if you manned up in family court where a judge is going to ask you about your wholesome and stable environment.
HAMMER: Yes. And without context there, I`m thinking, that`s not the woman I want taking care of my kids.
BANFIELD: That`s right.
HAMMER: That was my reaction to that. When Michael and Debbie split, by the way, she did strike that deal for a boatload of money, reportedly as much as $8.5 million.
Do you think that it`s going to be an uphill battle, Ashleigh, for Debbie to convince the judge that she`s not in it just for the money or does that even matter?
BANFIELD: Well, it matters a lot. Again, the whole standard here is what`s best for the children. And someone who has already been willing to sell her, shall we say, access to her own children, reportedly twice, A.J. - that does not look good to a family court judge, no matter whose biological claim is more straight.
HAMMER: OK. So the judge might actually look at that and say, "I don`t want the kids with you." Rowe even canceled plans just today to attend Michael Jackson`s memorial service because of all of this hysteria that has been surrounding her.
Listen to what reps from Rowe tells SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, "The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael`s legacy. Debbie will continue to celebrate Michael`s memory privately."
I actually think this was a pretty smart move on her part, Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: Well, it was a smart move just to sort of stop the circus mentality from at least attaching to her. Because if she is going forward with this, I mentioned before, a wholesome environment, nothing so far is suggesting a wholesome environment.
But A.J., there`s something very few people are talking about and that`s an ongoing relationship with them. It`s key if she wants this children. She has to prove that A, she`s had it or B, she`s planning to have it. That`s a huge road to hoe.
HAMMER: Yes. Huge road in her case, for sure. Ashleigh Banfield, thank you so much.
There are big concerns tonight about Elizabeth Taylor and how she`s coping with the death of her dear friend, Michael Jackson. Well, we are dispatching the SHOWBIZ truth squad to get to the bottom of if Dame Elizabeth is on suicide watch after the dramatic and sudden loss of her longtime friend. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Harrison Ford set to play "Indiana Jones" for a fifth time. "Harry Potter" star Rupert Grint recovering from a mild case of swine flu.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
Tonight, is Elizabeth Taylor so distraught over Michael Jackson`s death that she`s actually on suicide watch? This story is so disturbing we have to call in the SHOWBIZ truth squad to find out.
Taylor and Jackson have been close friends for decades. When Jackson died, naturally, Taylor was very upset. She issued a statement saying how her life is so empty without him.
Well, now brand new reports from the tabloids say Liz is in such shock over Jackson`s death, she might be contemplating suicide. Well, the SHOWBIZ truth squad found an angry Dame Elizabeth on her Twitter page denying these claims.
Here`s what she tweets, "Although my grief over Michael could not be any deeper, I am not on suicide watch as some of the `rags` would have you believe. I am a survivor, not only for myself, but for my family and for Michael, too. I will always love Michael form the depth of my being and nothing can separate us."
Well, thank goodness she is OK. Another case closed by the SHOWBIZ truth squad.
And I`ve got to tell you, there`s a great debate going on the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT Facebook page over the powerful U.S. congressman who went on a Michael Jackson rant, New York Rep. Pete King calling Michael a pervert and a child molester and adding that we shouldn`t spend so much time talking about him.
Here`s just some of the reaction posted by you. Lauren D. saying, "I think the congressman was out of line. If you remember, Jackson was acquitted of all charges."
Terri M. says there is too much focus on M.J., "I feel very bad for his family for sure, but there is too much attention being paid to this. After all, he was just a human being the same as the rest of the world."
Please keep your E-mails and your Facebook comments coming. You can write to us at showbiztonight@cnn.com or let us know what you think at Facebook. You can sign up for that at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, Friday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Jackson`s Kids: Should Debbie Rowe get custody?" And you don`t think so. Only 25 percent of you said yes; 75 percent said no.
Here are a couple of the E-mails we got. We heard from Janette in California who writes, "Debbie needs to get out of the picture. It`s not about her, it`s about what the kids and what Michael wants."
And Kathy from Georgia writes, "Those kids have just had a major loss in their lives (ph) that will greatly affect them. They do not need another great loss by being torn away from the only family they know and have left.
Thank you so much for your e-mails and thank you for watching. This is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here on HLN.
END
