Mark Lester; Paris Jackson

Sources Deny Report That Mark Lester Fathered Jackson’s Daughter
August 9, 2009



Longtime Michael Jackson friend Mark Lester is not the father of Jackson’s daughter, nor is he claiming paternity, despite a tabloid report indicating Lester says he's Paris Jackson's biological dad, sources tell PEOPLE.

Although Lester could not immediately be reached for comment, sources very close to the Jackson family say that Lester has donated sperm for Jackson and is a longtime friend, but he has never claimed to be the father of Paris Jackson, 11.

"They twisted his words around. He's not claiming to be the father of Paris Jackson," says one close family source.

Jackson family attorney Londell McMillan adds that the story is just another unproven and meaningless claim, and the probate court has no reason to go against its finding that the late King of Pop is father to all three of his kids.

"These are just merely claims with no legal standing whatsoever," McMillan tells PEOPLE.

Sources say Lester, 51, best known for starring in the Oscar-winning classic Oliver!, and Jackson are longtime friends, and Lester did donate sperm for Michael – although one source says the timing doesn't line up for that sperm to have been used to conceive Paris.

"He has known Michael for many years and his children play with Michael's children," says longtime Jackson family associate and past lawyer Brian Oxman. But in all the years he has known Lester, Oxman says Lester never indicated he was Paris's father.

Jackson made Lester godfather to all three of his kids in Oct. 2003 at a small, private ceremony where all three Jackson children were baptized Catholic with Debbie Rowe's permission, says longtime Jackson associate Marc Schaffel, who claims to have been among the handful of people present.

Schaffel added that Debbie Rowe has always maintained that Michael is Paris's father.

http://www.people.com/peo...36,00.html

I've never seen this pic

anyone watch geraldo, he said there was a private screening of the MJ concert/movie and people left the screening in tears. i'm gonna be a mess when i see it
[Edited 8/9/09 21:04pm]

Behind the Mask
The Private Life of Michael Jackson
As Told to Stephanie Wilson by Alvin Malnik










As soon as the untimely and sudden death of superstar Michael Jackson hit the airwaves, the rumors began flying. From the highly suspicious to the utterly ludicrous, falsehoods spread through the media like wildfire. Michael Jackson-a superstar with unmatched talent and charisma, a national treasure under a glaring global spotlight from the time he was 10 years old-was an incredibly private person. And though millions revered the man behind the pop-king mask, few really knew him.

Al Malnik, the famous lawyer, businessman, and restaurateur whom Haute Living referred to as a “Living Legend” during our cover profile in the January/February 2008 Miami edition, was one of the few people whom Michael trusted wholeheartedly. In fact, Malnik is the godfather of Michael’s youngest son, Blanket, a piece of reality that got twisted and misconstrued in the weeks following his death.

The rumor mill warped the truth so much that it was claimed that Malnik was actually the biological father of Blanket-a completely fabricated falsehood. Malnik appeared on The Today Show to answer the claims, which he called a “Ripley event,” considering he didn’t meet Blanket until the boy was a year old. Speaking out for only the second time since Michael’s passing, Al Malnik shares his personal history with Michael Jackson with Haute Living in hopes of setting the record straight about the private life of this public figure.



I first met Michael about nine years ago. I was told that he had heard about me and was interested in meeting, and in particular wanted to request a tour of my house in Palm Beach. Michael was an architecture buff, and he had admired the property from afar. He was in L.A. at the time, and expressed interest in discussing several different business ideas and plans. He finally asked [director] Brett Ratner, whom I refer to as my 11th son, to call me and ask to meet with him. I initially said no because I was not a fan, so I really didn’t see the point in inviting him to come over and entertain him.

When I told my wife Nancy about it, she raised holy hell! She said, “Are you kidding? Michael Jackson! I grew up with him! His posters were on my wall! You have to let him come over, I want to meet him.” So to please her, I invited him to the house, and from that first meeting we all developed a beautiful friendship.

Throughout the past decade or so, Michael would come and stay at the house quite a bit, sometimes with the children, and sometimes alone. It was an extraordinary time. Michael was an amazing houseguest because he really didn’t require any attention. He liked to clean his own room and make his own bed, and he taught his kids to do that, too, much to our amazement.

Michael soon became close friends with my son Shareef, along with Brett Ratner and Chris Tucker. The four of them spent a great deal of time together at our house, always having a ball, filled with a lot of laughs. I also have triplets that are around the same age as Michael’s two older children, Prince and Paris, who are 12 and 11 now. We would travel often with Michael and the family, going down to Acapulco or other family vacation spots. We also have fond memories of our times out at Neverland Ranch. The most important bungalow there is called the Elizabeth Taylor suite, which is where we stayed. The first night, he had Elizabeth Taylor herself call me, welcoming me to her suite at Neverland Ranch! The kids, of course, loved Neverland; they went around with Michael’s children and saw the zoo and rode the train. It was such a magical time.



One year, at a birthday party that Nancy was having for the triplets, Michael came to the theater and surprised not only us, but the birthday guests as well. Everyone thought it was a Michael Jackson impersonator. They couldn’t believe it was really him! Come to think of it, some of the people may still think it was a lookalike.

All of our children spent a lot of time together, and Michael’s children especially enjoyed it. When they were with us, they were able to go out with Nancy and I and our family and not be haggled. They didn’t have to wear their veils because no one knew who they were. When they spent time with us they got to experience normal situations that were lacking in their daily lives, like visiting St. Andrew’s school or going to the movies. When they were with my family, they literally were able to take off the masks and no one bothered them. Michael was able to do the same. We worked to create everyday experiences for him, like going shopping. One time we rented out a Publix supermarket so that he could do what ordinary people do on a regular basis.

Michael was able to relax when he was with us and let his guard down. We live on the beach, and he and I would go down to the water together after the sun went down where he was just an ordinary guy, kicking his feet in the surf.

When it comes to my history with Blanket, Michael asked me to be Blanket’s godfather when the boy was a year old. My relationship with Blanket is limited, because he was just a baby at the time, and I did not really participate in his upbringing. But I think that in the event something happened, Michael really wanted me to be a sort of safety net. He wanted to know that I would be willing to raise Blanket as though he were one of my own children, and that’s what the legal document says.


I haven’t spoken with the family since Michael’s passing. I am not used to being in the media spotlight so when the stories came out, I was shocked. I know if I go to the funeral, the press will besiege me again. So instead, our family will just pray for Michael, and wish him bon voyage from this Earth. Our family loved Michael very much, and we will always be respectful, and always extend our hand of friendship to any of his children, should they ever need our help.

Michael had such an amazing energy and such talent. He was always composing new songs and singing them a cappella. One day, he was walking around the house in his pajamas, singing some new pieces that he was working on. He was walking up one set of stairs, and then down another. I asked him, “What are you doing?” He said, “I’m doing two songs at once! I am walking up this set doing one song, and when I walk down the other, I do the other song.” He could write a song in five minutes, it was unbelievable.

I know he did end up recording some of these new songs. He planned on making his comeback by doing an outrageous concert tour, starting in Europe and ending in the United States. At the same time, he wanted to simultaneously publish some of the new albums that he had been working on while he was staying at our house-all new, never-been-heard stuff.

He was so excited to do this tour, so prepared for it. One of our friends who had seen his rehearsal one or two nights before his death, called me and said, “You ought to come out and see Michael before he does his concert. He is unbelievable. It’s like you have never seen him before.” I did have the opportunity to see him perform before, at our house. While visiting, he asked if we could get him a portable dance floor, so of course we did. When I saw him move around on that floor, I was wowed. I had never seen anything like it. I knew he was unbelievable, and it’s nice to know that five years later, he was equally impressive.

It was great fun in those days, but we also shared some hard times. I helped Michael out financially in a lot of different areas when he needed it. At that time, we managed to resolve all of his financial problems. After that period, which was shortly after I was requested to guarantee his bail, I felt it was not in our best family interest to spend all of the time that was required to get Michael on the right track again, because at that point he had capable people around him. And, of course, geography was a big problem because Michael’s business interests are essentially in California or out of New York or Europe. I really just didn’t have the time to continue to devote myself to trying to resolve the many considerations that were in his life. The last time I saw Michael was right before his trial, although we spoke many times after that. He was a bit meaner at that time; he was so furious and so disappointed at the charges being hurled at him. He swore to me that he was absolutely innocent of each and every charge that was made against him. And that’s the way it turned out.

I think the legacy of Michael Jackson will endure for many years to come. Ultimately, the negativity surrounding him in the press will dissipate. He will be more acknowledged and respected for the musical genius that he demonstrated, and that legacy will survive our decade and the ones to come. Our children will rediscover Michael Jackson again many years from now, and be amazed that he created the music that he did, the style of dancing that he did, and more importantly, the wonderful charisma that he generated. His death is another piece of history that we are all experiencing right now, and unfortunately, it’s taken his demise for us to have a wake-up call about the real importance of Michael Jackson.


http://www.hauteliving.co...-the-mask/

mimi07 said:

oh noooo

dearmother said:

How could they have edited it all together so soon? Curious and curiouser.

I would have hoped that they would have given it some time to do a proper job with a real flow and not just quickly piece it together. Hopefully the former is true.

Swa

dearmother said:

How could they have edited it all together so soon? Curious and curiouser.

I would have hoped that they would have given it some time to do a proper job with a real flow and not just quickly piece it together. Hopefully the former is true.

Swa

Listen to this. Michael Calls up a LA radio station and They have Michael Really...seriously cracking up Laughing. I love hearing him laugh!

tangerine7 said:

There is only one thing that I love more than his smile,and that is his laugh.

EmeraldSkies said:

Yes most definetly also his eyes,they smile too and have a warmth

i know! lookin at those beauties makes me want to run and floss

First off i want everyone to Know that i am not condoning what my dad did or ‘supporting’ him..i just feel there is a bit more to the story than people realise and want everyone to have all the facts. (Also i didn’t know that this story was released and found out how everybody else did, i did not have any input or knowledge of this interview and so do not want to be personally attacked.)
My dad went to Michael’s memorial and Paris was very upset that me and my sister’s did not join him, he did not have the heart to tell her Katherine had told him we couldn’t come even though she specifically told Katherine to invite us (the children), so my dad told her we unfortunately could not make it. Paris then made my dad promise that he would bring us to the private service as she desperately wanted to see us again.
Since Katherine has gained full custody of the children my dad’s phone calls have gone unanswered and his emails ignored, and he is devastated that he cannot see his own god children who is loves dearly. (Again, i am not saying what my dad did was a good way to get attention from the family.) Other Jackson family members have been in contact with my dad to say that Katherine is isolating the children from their friends and the people that they want to see, in their words ‘Katherine thinks that the best thing for the children is to isolate them from the world (including friends) as this will help them deal with things better’ these family members also expressed their concern to my dad that they think this is not correct. Jermaine is quoted in an interview saying ‘I have no say in how the children are raised’. Even close friends of Michael’s for years such as Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross have been snubbed by the family and are in despair. My dad and other’s feel that at times like this they need to be seeing friends to get their minds off the tragedy which has happened, instead of being reminded by everything by being isolated, they need to do things and see people like they did when Michael was still alive. Michael would not have wanted his children to be isolated from their friends, he often said that that is what happened in his upbringing and was often ‘lonely’, and would never let his children go through it. Katherine refused Paris’s request to have us at the memorial and it upset me that people such as Shaheen attended the funeral and hadn’t even met him, yet his own goddaughters were refused. Not saying Shaheen had no right to go, i just feel it was unfair he was picked over me and my sisters. When my dad got back from the memorial someone asked him why he did not make a speech and he replied ‘I was asked to make one, but there was a sort of pecking order of who had priority and higher status (fame) that went first and my dad ended up near the bottom of the list.’ My friend told me (as i don’t follow MJ as a fan) that she found it hard to pick out one person that made a speech that hadn’t betrayed Michael in some way in the past, even Brooke Shields who i felt so sorry for with her teary speech i was shocked to find out she hadn’t been too nice to Michael at times. These people had priority over my dad because they were famous over somebody that yes, alot of people had never heard of before but had never uttered a bad word about Michael nor his children in the 30 years they were friends. The speeches were organised by the Jackson family as to who should talk.
My dad feels he is being unfairly treated as Michael’s own family members have turned on him in the past, with LaToya going as far as saying in the trial that she believed Michael had molested children, when my dad stood by him through everything and offered a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen. So family members that turned on Michael when he needed them the most are allowed contact with the children but my dad who was a loyal friend of Michael’s is kept out in the dark?
The other issue raising concern is religion. Katherine clearly favours Jehovah’s Witness, where as Michael wished the children to be Christian and had the children baptised, my dad went to the children’s christening. My dad said that he felt so sad when he saw the picture of Paris clutching the Jehovah’s Bible as he could see in her eyes that she did not wish to do this, but wanted to please her grandma. As my dad said ‘These children are young, Blanket wants to be playing with his action figures, Paris wants to read her books and watch Disney movies, and Prince wants to play his computer games, they don’t want to be going to Jehovah’s meetings.’ (I do not want to offend any Jehovah’s Witnesses). My dad feels strongly that Michael would have wanted his children raised as Christians as he so often said to him yet Katherine is having none of it. Many people have said to me how does your dad know how Michael would have wanted his children raised? If you are aware of the duties of a godparent, then you know they are appointed as the children’s guardian should anything happen to them, i feel that if Michael trusted my dad with this honour, then he would have also shared information with my dad on how he wished the children to be brought up. People are worried and can see a similarity of how Michael was raised and how the children are being raised, and don’t want them to do what they did to Michael by trying to isolate them. Something which people have tried to bring to my attention is the fact that Michael knew his mother’s beliefs, but put her as the children’s guardian none the less. I believe that Michael knew his mother would take good care of the children but however could not have anticipated leaving the children fatherless at such a young age, if he had lived to even 80, the children would be in their 30’s, possibly even married, have children and have their own house and own lives when he passed away, Katherine would only need to be there for support, therefore there would be no need at that age to push her religious beliefs onto the children.
Michael broke free from his family and lived his own life with his own mind, so many people wanted to control him and they couldn’t do it in life, so are now doing it in death. Joe hit Michael as a child, LaToya and other family members have turned on him and my dad was not allowed to make a speech as one of his closest friends as he wasn’t famous enough? This is not a family that sticks together when the worst happens, all these comments about Katherine saying ‘'All Katherine wants is what’s best for the children, she only wants to make them happy', after what the public know the family is capable of, i would not say this statement is 100% true. People say that the family are going through a difficult time but everyone knows those children are like dollar signs, whoever has them is fully aware money will be rolling in and none of the family have done much career wise in the past few years, Jermaine and LaToya were on big brother? My dad has lost a dear friend too and many people commented that just watching interviews of him on Michael’s death they could see in his eyes how heartbroken and pained he was.
My dad said that no matter what happens Michael will ALWAYS be their father and no one can bring them up the way he did. He does not want to split them up or take them away from their family, all he wants is a say in his best friend, and godchildren’s upbringing if he knows it would have done Michael proud. Maybe Michael would have wanted my dad to speak up for him when he can no longer speak for himself?

I picked this up from MJJC. I thought that it was very interesting. Apparently one of the members has been conversing with Lucy Lester via Facebook.

StillDirrty said:

IMHO this reads more like a fan inspired piece of writing than an actual email. But I may be wrong. It just reads like its been taken from articles and has more fan conjecture in it.

Just my initial reaction.

Swa