Return to Transcripts main page
Showbiz Tonight
Did Michael Jackson`s Family Try to Stage an Intervention?; Is Dr. Klein the Father of Two of Michael Jackson`s Children?; Startling Details About Michael Jackson`s Two Faces; Laura Ling`s Call
Aired July 09, 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, brand-new Michael Jackson bombshells. And brand-new burning questions. Tonight, breaking new details about whether Michael was taking a deadly drug and whether the Jackson family tried to stage an intervention. Plus, a brand-new bombshell about Michael`s doctor and whether he fathered Michael`s kids.
Tonight, startling new details about Michael Jackson`s two faces.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ARNOLD KLEIN, MICHAEL JACKSON`S DERMATOLOGIST: I think that he believed that his face was a work of art.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, brand-new revelations about why Michael went from black to white and his obsession with plastic surgery. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT with the never-heard-before story of Michael`s bizarre transformation.
Break-dancing babies. Yes, break-dancing babies. What`s up with that?
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, the brand-new Michael Jackson bombshells. This really has been an extraordinary day as breaking development after breaking development came crashing into the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom.
Tonight, the disturbing confirmation from Jackson`s longtime doctor that at one time Jackson used the potentially deadly drug to help him sleep. This is the same drug that is one of the suspected causes of Jackson`s death.
Also, breaking today, the news that that same doctor and at least four others are on a list of doctors who investigators want to speak with about Jackson.
Also brand-new tonight, the shocking revelation that Michael Jackson`s sister Janet tried to stage an intervention to get Michael some urgently needed help.
Joining me tonight from Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." Also from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist.
And let`s begin with that brand-new bombshell about Janet Jackson. CNN has confirmed back in 2007 Janet attempted to stage an intervention for her brother Michael.
Well, sources tell CNN that Janet became alarmed when she went to visit her brother in Vegas. He was extremely thin, really disheveled. CNN reports that Janet then convinced two of her brothers to go back to Michael`s house to help convince him to get help.
And CNN special investigation unit correspondent Drew Griffin explains what happened next.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Reportedly, Michael ordered his new security guards not to let them in. We`ve also learned that Michael Jackson at that time was refusing to take calls from his own mother, Katherine Jackson, who had been repeatedly pleading with her son to get help.
Now, all through this time, the family had been concerned, and according to both our sources, Michael Jackson would simply refuse to see anybody who tried to stop him from using drugs.
One source is saying that if you tried to deal with him, he would shut you out. You just wouldn`t hear from him for long periods of time. Another source was telling us the family had been concerned for a long time, but it was Janet now who tried to force the issue two years ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. Carlos Diaz, over to you first. Does any of this surprise you?
CARLOS DIAZ, CORRESPONDENT, "EXTRA": Not at all. I mean you`ve got a lethal combination of Michael Jackson obviously being in denial about any kind of addiction that he might have had, combined with the fact that Michael Jackson was surrounded by yes-men for, you know, the latter part of his life, people who always said whatever he wanted, sure, no problem.
So, it doesn`t surprise me at all that you would actually have security guards and bodyguards who would say, "Yes, sure, I`ll keep your family out of here when you look so disheveled and you look like you need help yourself."
HAMMER: Yes. And that`s the really sad part, because here, you have Janet, his sister and his brothers, his family, trying to do right by him, trying to help him out on the one hand. And on the other hand, you have the enablers and in his case, security saying, "No can do." Pat Lalama, are you at all surprised by this revelation?
PAT LALAMA, INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST: Absolutely not and I am so with Carlos on this. You have the two-pronged demons here. The Hollywood sycophants - there`s no shortage of yes-people who will do anything to be in the good graces of a celebrity, protect those people, you know, from the wrath of concerned family members.
On the other hand, anyone who has dealt with anyone with an addiction knows how difficult it is to break through the barrier. The people who want to help suddenly become enemies. People build the wall. They don`t want help. Michael Jackson, I don`t think, was ready to get help. And anyone who tried was the enemy even family members.
HAMMER: Yes. From everything we`ve been hearing, this is very typical addict behavior.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Let us move on to the next brand-new bombshell. Michael Jackson used the powerful and dangerous intravenous drug Diprivan so he could sleep.
Now, in a brand-new interview with CNN`s Larry King, Michael Jackson`s longtime dermatologist and friend, Dr. Arnold Klein, confirms that Jackson did use Diprivan, which is supposed to be administered by anesthesiologists, usually in a hospital setting, for surgery. Watch what Dr. Klein said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, CNN HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Did Michael tell you he used Diprivan?
KLEIN: I knew at one point that he was using Diprivan when he was on tour in Germany. And so he was using it with an anesthesiologist to go to sleep at night. And I told him he was absolutely insane. I said, "You have to understand, this drug you can`t repeatedly take because what happens with narcotics, no matter what you do, you build a tolerance to them."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Wow. I mean, we`re hearing it now from a guy who was part of Michael`s inner circle, using an anesthesia to go to sleep. Now, this latest bombshell coincides with the exclusive information from CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who reports that Jackson did travel with this mini-clinic when he was back on his concert tour in 1996 and `97.
Carlos, given the history, isn`t it shocking that no alarms were sounded? These were doctors working with him.
DIAZ: And we did see the signs, though. We did hear the alarms. You know, we saw it at the trial several years ago. I mean, when he showed up to the trial in pajamas, people laughed it off and said he`s being eccentric and this and that.
I mean, Michael - his big excuse was if he canceled a concert or if didn`t show up someplace or if he was acting unusual, that`s just Michael being Michael. And we should have seen these alarms because, as I`ve heard from several doctors, Diprivan has no place in someone`s home.
HAMMER: No, it doesn`t sound like it belongs anywhere outside of an O.R. Now, we were talking about enablers a moment ago. And Pat, I want to ask about this. And I don`t want to discuss any specific doctors here.
But clearly, Michael Jackson had doctors who were among the many enablers in his life given what we`ve just learned. Would you be surprised at all if we see arrests coming down the line here?
LALAMA: I wouldn`t be surprised. And by the way, let`s not forget the doctors in the Anna Nicole Smith case. You know, take a page from that. This is what`s happening now - big-time federal and state investigation.
Let me tell you how this works. Every doctor has a DEA number, and every time they dispense medicines, narcotic, pharmaceuticals, it goes on their record. You can`t erase the record. Now, allegedly Michael Jackson had $100,000 of debt at a particular pharmacy in Beverly Hills called Mickey Fine.
Are you telling me that doctors - and I`m not going to accuse Arnie Klein, but his office is three floors up in the same building. Are you going to tell me that nobody was aware of how incredibly critically dangerous this person`s life, the state of his life was in? It`s impossible, absolutely impossible. And I hope someone has to pay the price for it.
HAMMER: Yes. And if the reports of that debt at a pharmacy are accurate, that wasn`t TheraFlu. It goes well beyond that, I`m certain.
LALAMA: Absolutely.
HAMMER: That leads us to our next big bombshell that`s breaking today. CNN has learned that two of Jackson`s doctors are being investigated.
Take a look. Dr. Conrad Murray, who was there when Jackson went into cardiac arrest, and Dr. Klein, whom we`ve mentioned, are among the five doctors that investigators do want to speak with.
Now, Dr. Murray talked with them after Jackson died, and Dr. Klein confirms he has handed over files that he had on Michael Jackson.
Carlos, does this seem routine to you -- investigators possibly just want to make sure they gather all possible information -- or is there something more?
DIAZ: Let`s make one thing perfectly clear. If you have a "Dr." or an "Rx" anywhere your name and you`re associated with Michael Jackson, you`re going to be investigated over the next few months. And well, you should be.
We should look back on the death of Michael Jackson and look at that as a turning point in Hollywood where that`s the way Hollywood used to be, that doctors, that these concierge doctors used to give out drugs whenever a star would want it. We need to say, "OK, it all changed with Michael Jackson."
HAMMER: Yes. Well, sadly, we thought that it all changed with Anna Nicole Smith. And perhaps, here we are again talking about a very, very similar situation. It`s just so incredibly sad that this probably could have been stopped. Pat Lalama, Carlos Diaz, thank you both for being here. I really appreciate it.
Now let me turn it over to you. Here`s our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day. Love to hear your response - "Michael Jackson`s Kids: Are you worried about them?" Here`s where you go to vote, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight. If you have more to say, well, by all means, e-mail us at showbiztonight@cnn.com.
Well, one of the talked about aspects of Michael Jackson`s life over the years has been the bizarre transformation of his face. But why did he do it?
Well, tonight, you`re not going to want to miss this. We have got the startling new details on Michael Jackson`s looks. Why did he go from black to white? What was behind his plastic surgery obsession? Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the never heard before story of Michael`s two faces.
And the burning questions in the Michael Jackson bombshell. Who`s the real daddy of Jackson`s kids? And will Debbie Rowe fight for custody of the kids?
Also this.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
And break-dancing babies. Hey, could you move like that without your diapers falling off? I didn`t think so. You definitely need to stick around for this. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Janet Jackson asked Donatella Versace to outfit her family for Michael`s memorial. Kelly Preston to break silence about losing her son at Women`s Conference in October.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: That`s a young Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney just kind of goofing around in the video for the 1983 smash hit "Say Say Say." The two weren`t as close before Jackson died. So, did Michael really leave Paul the rights to the Beatles catalogue? We will answer that, coming up.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, Michael Jackson`s kids unveiled. Now, before Jackson`s death, we knew very little about Prince, Paris and Blanket. Until recently, they were very rarely seen in public without being masked.
Well, now, with Jackson`s passing, the masks are off, and their very private lives have been pushed right into the spotlight. SHOWBIZ TONIGHT gives you a revealing look into life with Michael`s kids.
Here`s CNN`s Erica Hill for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ERICA HILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Suddenly thrust into the spotlight with poise far beyond her years.
PARIS JACKSON, DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine.
HILL: Eleven-year-old Paris Jackson`s brief eulogy at her father`s memorial was spontaneous, raw, and a rare window into this very private family.
GOTHAM CHOPRA, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Michael is the only parent that those kids ever knew. He took them everywhere with him, and he was the world to them, and they were, of course, the world to him.
HILL: Mostly home-schooled, they not only traveled extensively but lived in a number of different places, including Bahrain. They were rarely seen in public, and only recently did they start appearing without masks and veils.
Sources close to Michael Jackson and his children, seen here in happier times in photos obtained by TMZ, tell CNN their lives were filled with love and laughter and, of course, music.
CHOPRA: The kids are incredibly well adjusted, and they`re very comfortable around other people. And I think this is the one thing in his life that really, you know, brought him the kind of comfort and the type of just ecstasy that, you know, is being a parent.
HILL: The closeness of this family goes beyond a father and his children, something psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere was quick to point out.
DR. JEFF GARDERE, CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST: From what I saw with those children at the memorial service, there seemed to be, really, a natural fit with the other Jackson family members. There was an outpouring of love, and that it seemed to be a very strong family unit.
HILL: A support system that will be essential as these three children adjust to their new normal.
(on camera): Friends tell CNN Paris, who`s also taken the lead among her siblings, is mature, sensitive and the most outgoing of the three. She reportedly wants to be a fashion designer. Twelve-year-old Prince is interested in film and reminds many of his famous father.
CHOPRA: Prince in particular, hugely mischievous like his father, you know, calls everyone by a nickname, loves to play games, loves to play pranks, you know, loves water-balloon fights, I mean, all things that his father, you know, enjoyed, like, literally to the day he died.
HILL: Blanket, just 7, may appear quiet, but sources say he has a big personality. All three children, though, now have an enormous voice.
But with the love of those around him, Dr. Gardere is confident they will find their way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: It`s amazing how we knew them so little before, and now we know so much about them. CNN`s Erica Hill there for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
And I`ve got to tell you we have been just overwhelmed with calls coming into the "Showbiz on Call" phone lines from so many people just wanting to share their thoughts about Michael Jackson`s memorial.
We`ve got a call into "Showbiz on Call" from Rebecca, who thinks that Michael wasn`t just a pop star, he was a legend.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I just realized that it hit so many generations when we watched - as we watched the funeral. I watched it with my mother and my son and myself. That`s three generations there.
Plus, he is not as small as Elvis Presley. He is much larger. He`s all over the country, all over the world, everywhere. And so I just felt he`s a legend, not a pop star like Elvis Presley was the rock star. He is a legend.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Thanks a lot for your call, Rebecca. We also heard from Jose calling in to "Showbiz on Call" sharing his thoughts on where Michael should be laid to rest.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: I`d like to say that I would hope that Michael`s family and friends get together and save Neverland and have Michael buried there and turn it into an amusement park for kids and a museum for adults. My prayers are with you, and I`ll miss you until the end of time.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: Jose, we really appreciate you calling. Why don`t you call us at "Showbiz on Call" with your thoughts about M.J. or anything else at all? The "Showbiz on Call" phone lines are open all the time, 1-888-SBT-BUZZ. That`s 1-888-728-2899.
Just leave us a voicemail and we`ll play some of your calls here on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. And post some, too, right there on our homepage, CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, I have to say, it is amazing how Michael Jackson changed his look over the years. But no one really knew why he changed his face so much.
Well, tonight, the fascinating new revelations behind Michael Jackson`s dramatic transformation. Why did he go from black to white? And what was behind his obsession with plastic surgery? SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the story of Michael`s two faces.
And also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA LING, SISTER OF LAURA LING: It was a tremendous relief to hear Laura`s voice last night. It`s only - it was only the first time I had heard her voice in weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Tonight, dramatic new deals from Lisa Ling about the call she got from her sister jailed in North Korea. Laura Ling`s urgent message to the U.S. government and Lisa`s emotional words after hearing from her sister.
Break-dancing babies. Need I say more? Stick around. You`ve got to see the moves on these little guys. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Hope Davis replaces Julianne Moore in new film playing the role of Hillary Clinton. Madame Tussauds unveils new Michael Jackson wax figure.
It is time now for the SHOWBIZ buzz list. Here are the top five most buzzed-about things this week the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT staff simply cannot get enough of.
We are loving Michael Jackson`s music. Obviously, so is everyone else. Jackson`s "Number Ones" is number one on the Billboard`s comprehensive album chart.
And remember the little boy who sang "Who`s Loving You" at M.J.`s memorial and on "Britain`s Got Talent?" Well, write this name down. His name Shaheen Jafargholi. We think he`s going to get a hit record deal in no time. My stage manager writing the name down right now.
And we can`t wait for "Entourage" to debut its new season this Sunday on HBO. It`s going to be a busy weekend because we`re all heading out to see Sacha Baron Cohen`s new film, "Bruno." It hits theaters Friday.
And we showed you a little bit of our favorite video of the week, the break-dancing babies. Well, stick around because we`re going to be playing the entire thing for you. That is coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer. Tonight, Paul McCartney is speaking out about Michael Jackson`s will. Now, after Jackson died two weeks ago, reports were floating around claiming Jackson left McCartney his rights to the Beatles catalogue.
Well, tonight, McCartney says, not true. In fact, in a brand-new statement on his Web site Paul says, "The media came up with the idea that Michael Jackson was going to leave his share in the Beatles songs to me in his will, which was completely made up and something I didn`t believe for a second. Now, the report is that I am devastated to find that he didn`t leave the songs to me. This is completely untrue."
Tonight, Lisa Ling gets a call from her jailed sister in North Korea. Lisa`s sister Laura and fellow journalist Euna Lee were arrested four months ago while doing a story on North Korea for Current TV.
The two women were sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean prison after being charged for hostile acts and illegally crossing the country`s border. Lisa says she had not heard from her sister in weeks until late Tuesday night.
Here`s what Lisa told CNN affiliate KOVR about what it was like to hear from Laura and what they talked about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LISA LING: A tremendous relief to hear Laura`s voice last night. It was only the first time I had heard her voice in weeks. And she said, "Look, you know, we violated North Korean law and we need our government to help us. You know, we are sorry for everything that has happened. But now, we need diplomacy."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Of course, Lisa`s former colleagues at "The View" have been following the story very closely. Here`s how Barbara Walters interpreted the whole situation on the show this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, "THE VIEW": What they wanted her to say was, "We are guilty." In other words, the North Koreans didn`t arrest two innocent people who did this. We are guilty of - what did they say - violating the law, which is the only way, the major way that the U.S. government or that they will then negotiate with the government - to admit guilt. This is not new.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Well, Lisa said this is only the third time that she`s heard from her sister and that the past few weeks have been both terrifying and deafening.
Well, now, it`s time for the SHOWBIZ lineup. This is what we`ve got coming up at the bottom of the hour on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT.
Michael Jackson`s two faces. Why he went from black to white. Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT has the never-before-heard story of Michael`s two faces.
Michael Jackson burning questions. So, who is the real daddy of Jackson`s kids? Will Debbie Rowe fight for custody?
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: And break-dancing babies. Hey, who needs a stroller when you`ve got roller skates? This video, which you do not want to miss, is coming up. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
It is time now for the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Robin Williams returns to HBO in December with one-man show. Barbara Walters to receive lifetime achievement award from TV Academy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Now on SHOWBIZ TONIGHT, burning questions about the Michael Jackson drama. Who is the daddy of Michael`s kids? Tonight, brand-new developments that could blow the case wide open.
The truth behind Michael`s shocking transformation. How did his skin go from black to white? Tonight, Michael`s doctor reveals the real story behind the King of Pop`s changing face.
And break-dancing babies on roller skates. Need I say more? It`s the amazing new video that is sparking an all-out sensation.
Plus more stories breaking from the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker."
TV`s most provocative entertainment show continues right now.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. It is 30 minutes past the hour. I`m A.J. Hammer, broadcasting tonight and every night.
Tonight, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can now reveal brand-new burning questions that surfaced today about Michael Jackson`s mysterious life and death. Tonight, Jackson`s dermatologist and close friend, Dr. Arnie Klein, gives an explosive interview on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE" and raises brand-new questions. Is Dr. Klein the real father of two of Jackson`s kids?
Also, the doctor reveals his private conversation with Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of Jackson`s kids. Will she try and get custody of the kids?
And where will Michael Jackson`s body be buried? There were brand-new burning questions today. Should he be laid to rest at Neverland?
Joining me tonight in Hollywood is Carlos Diaz, who is a correspondent for "Extra." Tonight in New York, Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL," seen every night of the week, 7:00 p.m. Eastern here on HLN.
And let`s begin with that brand-new explosive interview on CNN`s "LARRY KING LIVE." You have to see how Larry really started grilling Jackson`s longtime dermatologist and friend. Now, Klein had been pretty evasive about whether or not he was the father of two of Jackson`s kids. But watch what went down when Larry King asked him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: You said you couldn`t answer that one way or the other.
KLEIN: I still can`t answer it absolutely way or the other.
KING: That means you donated sperm?
KLEIN: I once donated sperm. I don`t know. But you have to know that.
KING: Donated it to him?
KLEIN: No, absolutely not.
KING: But you donated sperm in a sperm bank?
KLEIN: Once, I donated sperm to a sperm bank. But I don`t think I should go over my legal affairs because I think, to the best of my knowledge, I`m not the father.
But I`m going to tell you that this discussion, however, is between Michael`s children and this person. It`s not to be discussed who the father is over national television.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. So, this brings us to our first burning question of the night, and it`s over to you Jane Velez-Mitchell. Who is the daddy of Jackson kids? Pretty clear Dr. Klein knows a lot more than he`s saying.
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST, "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL": Oh, absolutely. His answer only raises more questions. He donated sperm to a sperm bank. Why? Was it at somebody`s request? Or did he do it because he knew Michael Jackson desperately wanted children and there was some sort of arrangement?
And to me the big question is, was he the only man who did this? Or is there a group of men out there who donated sperm? And we will never know which one is the father. And that was the intention, to keep that a mystery. You know, Michael Jackson loved mystery. He says he`s willing to take a DNA test. I think he should. Let`s settle the matter, once and for all. Those kids are going to want to know, especially as they get older.
HAMMER: Yes. And I want to get into the DNA test in just a moment. You have Dr. Klein here saying he donated sperm once that we just talked about. Doesn`t know who the daddy is.
But watch what he says when Larry asked him if he`s willing to take the DNA test to prove he is the daddy. Charles, let`s look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: You don`t feel you have to take a DNA test to prove anything?
KLEIN: If they want me to take a DNA test, take my DNA. I don`t care.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK. Here`s my take on that, Carlos. This is the first time that Dr. Klein has said publicly he would take a DNA test. I`m thinking perhaps he can`t confirm whether or not he`s the father. He said, "To the best of my knowledge I`m not the father," but he`s not denying it there.
Perhaps, he signed a confidentiality agreement that says, "You can`t talk about this publicly. You can`t answer the question." But you know, if he takes a DNA test, Carlos, he wouldn`t be breaking any kind of confidentiality agreement. Are you with me at all on that theory?
DIAZ: I completely agree with you. In fact, A.J., if he says, "No, I`m not going to take a DNA test," right there to Larry King, then he`s the dad. I mean, you know, so to say, "Yes, sure, I`ll take one. Sure."
Well, the question I have is, if there was a confidentiality agreement that you signed during Michael`s life, now that Michael`s passed on and we want to know who the father could be if it`s not Michael, wouldn`t you want to step forward and take that DNA test? Because if it`s proven that you`re not, everyone gets off your back. If it`s proven that you are, then you have a say in these beautiful kids` futures.
HAMMER: All right. Let`s move on now to another truly remarkable revelation from Dr. Klein. He tells Larry King about one of his private conversations with Debbie Rowe. I thought this was fascinating. Debbie Rowe, of course, the biological mother of Jackson`s two oldest kids of his three. Let`s take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KLEIN: All I told her was this - I want her to get active and be the mother if she is the mother of these children.
KING: You think she should get custody?
KLEIN: I don`t know if she will get custody. But I`m very worried that the custody may go into a situation that is incorrect.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: All right. So, that brings us to our next burning question of the night. Jane, will Debbie Rowe fight for custody of those kids? What do you think?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Or is she trying to negotiate another deal to walk away. Some have speculated that she wanted this week and pushed the hearing back so that she could try to contact the Jacksons and say, "Hey, I might seek custody. I might not. What do you got going?"
I just pray and hope that she does not seek custody. These kids obviously bonded with the Jackson family. We saw that during the memorial service. We saw Paris hugging Janet Jackson. We saw them just really a family unit.
And to destroy that I think would be obscene, frankly. And I do like one point Dr. Klein made that Grace Rwaramba, the nanny, had done a terrific job. And I do believe that she should be brought into the picture. And I wonder, where is Grace? Why aren`t we talking about her?
HAMMER: Yes. And the other point that I thought he made that was terrific, Klein expressed a real concern over the welfare of the kids with certain members of the Jackson family. And let`s keep in mind he has known Michael Jackson for some 25 years.
Specifically, he was talking about Joe Jackson, Michael`s father, and he says that`s why he encouraged Debbie Rowe to be more of an active mother because of the potential involvement of Joe Jackson.
So, Carlos, what do you think? Is Rowe going to fight for custody here?
DIAZ: In a perfect world, Debbie Rowe walks away and these kids stay with Katherine Jackson. We don`t live in a perfect world. So I would just think that Debbie Rowe will be looking for some kind of payment to stay out of the picture.
You know, the things is, we have two pieces of video from this week. We have a video of Paris, precious Paris, on that stage saying the words that she said about her daddy and then falling into Janet Jackson`s arms.
And then, we have video of Debbie Rowe, whether she was justified or not, going off on the paparazzi. If a judge sees both of those videos, who do you think he`s going to put the kids with?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow, I agree with you, Carlos. What a shocker.
DIAZ: Wait a minute, Jane and I agreeing? What`s going on? Wait a minute.
HAMMER: And the truth is, yes, if it was a video courtroom that would be that. At the same time, you know, seeing -and we`ve made this point, seeing Paris get up there and speak as eloquently as she did, if a judge asked to speak with her privately we know she`ll be able to communicate her feelings.
Now, let`s move on. Because as it stands right now, Michael Jackson`s body has not yet been buried. California State officials have said the Jackson family did inquire about burying him in Neverland. Nothing was ever filed. Now, take a look at what Dr. Klein had to say about this idea.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What do you think should happen with Michael`s body?
KLEIN: I believe in the burial. I mean, you have to understand.
KING: Neverland?
KLEIN: Wherever he wants to be buried or wherever he wants to put the body. Because I mean, I believe very firmly that they should go - be buried - if they want to keep it stored in Neverland until they bury it.
I think you have to stop, put an end to this carnival atmosphere. I think it`s time to put the body into the ground and, you know, get on with the rest of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: OK, so this brings us to our next burning question of the night. Where will Michael Jackson be buried? Jane Velez-Mitchell, do you think it makes any sense to bury him at Neverland if they`re allowed to do that?
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I really don`t. Katherine Jackson, I think, expressed it well. She feels that Neverland has been tainted by the police raid and the criminal trial. They waited there with so many squad cars as they cut up his bed.
And we all had these tainted memories. And frankly, it`s a very, very long drive for the kids if they want to visit their dad. There are beautiful, incredible historic cemeteries in Hollywood where the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Valentino and many other famous stars are buried.
HAMMER: Yes.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I think that`s where he should go.
HAMMER: It seems like a lot of reasons why Neverland does not make sense. Jane Velez-Mitchell, Carlos Diaz, thank you guys.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, A.J.
HAMMER: Well, Michael Jackson never really could escape questions about his truly shocking physical transformation. How did Michael`s skin go from black to white?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING: What is vitiligo?
KLEIN: It`s a loss of pigment cells.
KING: Did Michael have it?
KLEIN: Absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: Did he bleach his skin? What really happened that made the King of Pop look downright strange? The untold story is coming up.
Also this.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Break-dancing babies on roller skates? How in the world? Coming up, we have the amazing new video in its entirety. You won`t want to miss it. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scraps resolution in praise of Michael Jackson. Michael Moore reveals new documentary title: "Capitalism: A Love Story."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HAMMER: Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York.
And tonight, the untold story - Michael Jackson`s look. This was one of the great mysteries about Michael Jackson`s life. Everyone wondered what had happened through the years to make him look almost unrecognizable in appearance from the man he once was.
His skin color gradually changed from black to white. His face altered by plastic surgery. Well, now, for the very first time, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT brings you the untold story and the shocking details just revealed by his longtime friend who was also his doctor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): It had been one of the more fascinating aspects of Michael Jackson`s often-bizarre life, his face-altering plastic surgery, his ever- changing noses.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
And how the singer of a song called "Black or White" seemed to go from black to white before our very eyes.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, ANCHOR, "IN SESSION": He just completely transformed from his skin color to his hairline to the shape of his nose. He just became an entirely different-looking man.
HAMMER: Now SHOWBIZ TONIGHT can tell you, Michael Jackson`s own doctor is revealing the untold story behind Jackson`s changing appearance. In a bombshell interview, Jackson`s friend and dermatologist of 25 years, Arnold Klein, confirmed to CNN`s Larry King that Jackson had the skin disease vitiligo.
KING: What is vitiligo?
KLEIN: It`s a loss of pigment cells.
KING: Did Michael have it?
KLEIN: Absolutely.
HAMMER: Jackson`s doctor also claims that all those rumors that Michael actually bleached his skin to look white simply were not true.
KING: Let`s throw up something. He was not someone desirous of being white?
KLEIN: No. Michael was black. He was very proud of his black heritage.
OPRAH WINFREY, HOST, "THE OPRAH WINFREY SHOW": Is your skin lighter because you don`t like being black?
HAMMER: Jackson tried to put those bleaching rumors to rest during a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: This is the situation - I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin. It`s something that I cannot help, OK? But when people make up stories that I don`t want to be who I am, it hurts me.
BANFIELD: Despite the fact that Michael told Oprah Winfrey he was suffering from this condition, many people just didn`t believe it.
KLEIN: It`s most disconcerting, not in white people but in black people because you begin to see it.
HAMMER: On "LARRY KING LIVE," Jackson`s doctor, Arnold Klein, said the disease started dotting Jackson`s skin with white blotches, forcing him and Jackson to use creams to completely lighten the pop star`s skin.
KING: Your decision there was he would go light?
KLEIN: Well, yes, that`s ultimately what the decision had to be because there was too much vitiligo to deal with.
KING: Otherwise, he would have looked ridiculous?
KLEIN: Well, he would have to wear heavy, heavy makeup on stage, being ridiculous and he couldn`t go out in public without looking terribly peculiar.
KING: Did his color change a lot over the years?
KLEIN: No, because once we got it more uniform, it remained stable. He had to also be extraordinarily careful with sun exposure because of a lot of things. That`s why the umbrellas all the time.
HAMMER: Dr. Klein said that when he first began treating Jackson 25 years ago, the pop star was dealing with a variety of problems that affected his appearance. In addition to vitiligo, Klein said Jackson suffered from the autoimmune disease lupus.
KLEIN: He had red - the butterfly rash. And he also had severe crusting. You could see it on the anterior portion of his scalp.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Jackson continued to suffer from the serious burns he received while filming this 1984 Pepsi commercial. And Klein says something else was taking its toll on the pop star, years of plastic surgery.
WINFREY: You had your nose done obviously.
M. JACKSON: Yes.
HAMMER: In his 1993 Oprah interview, Jackson didn`t deny having plastic surgery.
WINFREY: Are you pleased now with the way.
M. JACKSON: I`m not pleased with anything. I`m a perfectionist.
KLEIN: I think that he believed that his face was a work of art.
HAMMER: Dr. Klein tells Larry King that Jackson was taking the cosmetic surgery too far. And the doctor put a stop to it.
KLEIN: I spent the last part of the year doing - is rebuilding a lot of things, what I thought were done poorly.
KING: Was he still working at that?
KLEIN: No, because I think we got to the point where he was very happy with the way he looked.
HAMMER: Dr. Klein has found himself caught up in the controversy over Jackson`s death. And he`s refused to answer outright questions about whether he may have donated sperm to father Jackson`s children.
Still, Klein`s words show that maybe there is a lot we didn`t know about the King of Pop and perhaps never will.
BANFIELD: The rumor and the lore will continue.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HAMMER: All right. So you heard it straight from the doctor`s mouth. But wait a second. Isn`t the doctor going on television and revealing Jackson`s medical secrets unethical?
Joining me tonight in Chicago attorney Tamara Holder. And tonight, from Hollywood, Pat Lalama, who is an investigative journalist.
Tamara, I don`t get it. Isn`t Dr. Klein violating the doctor/patient privilege here by going on national TV and talking about all of Jackson`s medical issues?
TAMARA HOLDER, ATTORNEY: Of course, he is. Doctor-patient privilege is one of the most important things that doctors are taught in med school. And this doctor should be sitting next to Larry King with his attorney because he is under investigation right now. And so he needs to be very careful about what he says and what he discloses.
If Michael Jackson wanted everybody to know about his plastic surgery, about his lupus, about his skin disease, he would have talked about it. And his privacy rights survive him in death. This doctor is stupid, flat- out stupid for talking about these things on TV.
HAMMER: That was something that Michael Jackson was clearly very concerned about. He talked about his skin condition in the past, and we saw him do it on "Oprah" back in 1993. Look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M. JACKSON: I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin. It`s something that I cannot help, OK? But when people make up stories that I don`t want to be who I am, it hurts me.
I don`t want to go into my medical history because that`s something that`s private, but that`s the situation here.
HAMMER: All right. So, Jackson himself said that he didn`t want to go into his medical history because it was a private matter. Dr. Klein is out there talking about it on "LARRY KING LIVE."
Dr. Klein, by the way, not specifically under investigation. The police do want to speak with him. He is cooperating. He has given them some records on Michael Jackson.
But Pat, I am sure you have a Lalamanian theory about this. Is there anything you can think of that would have made it OK for Dr. Klein to go on TV and talk about Jackson`s past and his medical history?
LALAMA: Well, not OK for me but OK for him. I think it`s a preemptive strike because he knows that the feds and state are going to be looking at him. And this is all about spinning it his way.
But he didn`t answer anything clearly. And let me make one other point, something to think about for the future. The right of privilege, at least in California, is for the patient. In the patient`s death, the right goes to whoever is representing the patient.
I`m going to bet that the family will go to court and say, "You know what? We waive that right because we want these doctors to be forced to talk, be forced to tell us what I know." Watch for that, A.J. I think that just might happen. And the judge could buy him (INAUDIBLE) rule that he waives the right and demand that these doctors talk.
HAMMER: All right. So, very quickly, Tamara, theoretically Dr. Klein could go, let`s say, to the estate and say, "Yes. Is it OK if I talk about this?"
HOLDER: Well, yes. And they do have to give permission. But I disagree. I respectfully disagree. The family has never openly talked about Michael Jackson. And if they want him to disclose certain aspects of his medical history, that`s because they want it for their own personal reasons or if there`s going to be a criminal investigation.
HAMMER: Got it.
HOLDER: But not to share it with the public.
HAMMER: Got to end it there. Tamara Holder, Pat Lalama, I really do appreciate you sounding off on this tonight.
We`ve been asking you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day - "Michael Jackson`s Kids: Are you worried about them?" Vote at CNN.com/ShowbizTonight.
Well, I`ve seen babies dance - never like this. Tonight, break- dancing babies.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
The amazing brand-new video that is sparking an all-out sensation. We`ve got the video in its entirety. Wow, it is coming up next. This is SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on HLN.
Now, the "SHOWBIZ News Ticker" - more stories from the SHOWBIZ TONIGHT newsroom making news right now.
TEXT: Brooke Shields returns to the big screen in "Furry Vengeance" after 10-year film hiatus. "Transformers" becomes the first film of 2009 to him $300 million at box office.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
HAMMER: Did you see this? It is a dancing baby bonanza. An amazing new ad is sparking an all-out break-dancing babies sensation. Wow.
Welcome back to SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And yes, tonight, it`s break-dancing babies. Everybody is very, very excited about this. I said break-dancing, roller skating babies. They couldn`t be more than - I don`t know - six months old.
But I`ll tell you what, these babies - they can truly rock out. Evian Water just posted this brand-new commercial online. And in a matter of days, well, more than two million people have watched these break-dancing babies. You`ve got see it to understand why we cannot stop talking about it.
(VIDEO CLIP -- EVIAN WATER COMMERCIAL)
I`m just mesmerized by the break-dancing babies. I can`t get enough. It took 96 very cute and talented babies to make this digitally produced ad. Moms and Dads, please do not let your babies try this at home. These stunt babies had a little digital help. That`s what`s going on about.
Wednesday, we asked you to vote on our SHOWBIZ TONIGHT question of the day, "Michael Jackson`s Daughter: Was it OK to have her speak at his memorial?" Ninety percent thought it was a good idea; 10 percent didn`t.
Here are some of the e-mails. Robin in Iowa: "Michael Jackson was famous, but he also was human, and a father at that. Paris had every right to speak at her father`s memorial service."
Olga from Oklahoma writing, "Michael Jackson`s daughter needed to get out her feelings. It`s good that she could express herself."
Well, thank you so much for watching. I`m A.J. Hammer in New York. And that is it for SHOWBIZ TONIGHT. You can always catch SHOWBIZ TONIGHT on the 11:00s - 11:00 p.m. Easter and Pacific and in the morning, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern And that`s here on HLN.
END
