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Nancy Bass: The Day I Met Michael Jackson

2009-07-06T01:18:14Z

I was sitting with a friend as she glanced at her BlackBerry, "Michael Jackson is dead," she read. Then she added, "This must be a joke from my friend." But a few seconds later her grandma sent her another text. "It must be true," she concluded.

What flashed through my mind was: "Wasn't he dead already...a long time ago?" It was a strange thought, because I had met Michael Jackson, however briefly, in the flesh. I watched as he sang to himself. I saw him be a father. I played with his kids and cooed at his newborn son. That was 7 years ago, Friday April 30th 2002.

Perhaps the reason I thought he had already died is that I remember watching him on the Ed Sullivan Show with my parents. He was cute as a button, lively with an Afro. But eventually I could no longer recognize that little boy. His ghostly white skin, hair that looks like a glossy wig, rosy lipstick on his mouth, hidden behind dark glasses and a surgical mask: he had become a stranger. I saw a picture of him lying in his oxygen tank, looking like a glass corpse. I remember a porcelain life-sized Jeff Koons sculpture of him that I saw in a museum. Don't they memorialize people that way after they die? His existence had turned into myth as he retreated into a bubble; didn't he show up to court in his pj's? He was a prince; he was an icon; he was Peter Pan; he lived in Neverland.

It all started mysteriously.

I received a phone call in the afternoon. The husky voice said, "I am representing a VIP who would like to come to the Strand." (The Strand is a bookstore that was founded 82 years ago by my grandfather and is run by my dad and me.) The voice continued, "I work for Michael Jackson. He would like to come to the store without customers around." I was directed not to tell anyone that Michael was coming. There was a contact telephone number at the New York Palace hotel, and I received updates from his representative throughout that day. It was decided he would come to the store at 10:30pm, after the Strand closes. And I kept the visit a secret, except to a few managers whom I asked to stay late with me; in turn I asked for their vow of secrecy.

By nightfall the air was swirling with electrical excitement. I piled copies of Moon Walk, Michael's memoir (edited by Jackie Onassis,) in the store for him to see. I remembered from reading it how kind his voice was as author.

And then there was Michael walking (not moon-walking) through the door of our third-floor rare books department. His skin was bleached white, he had orange rouge on his lips and his hair was straight. But he was still Michael. I had watched him grow up.

The first thing Michael said when he walked into the room was, "Are there any cameras?" I said no. I knew that ruled out my having a picture taken with him; I had brought a camera just in case. I felt his paranoia. I could hear the crowd shouting at street level "We love you, Michael!" He asked that I pull down all the shades in the oversized windows. I was later told that some fans were climbing the gates that protect the store windows.

Despite my conscientious effort to keep this event a secret on Michael's behalf, somehow news had spread. But how did they find out? Maybe because Michael and his entourage were traveling in a motorcade that included a huge white stretch limousine, a white stretch Lincoln and a black Suburban truck. I was told that they had just come from Times Square. The curious onlookers must have followed them, and word got out.

In filed his entourage: two security guards, three nurses all dressed in crisp white uniforms, and four children varying in age, some Hispanic, some African-American. There was such a sweetness to Michael in how he interacted with them. They seemed like nice, polite, appreciative kids; I wondered if he took them under his wing because they'd had a hard life.

Then there were his beautiful children; they looked like magical Disney characters. They seemed as doll-like as their names: Paris and Prince Michael I. Both were dressed in matching royal blue velvet. Paris, who was 4 years old, was wearing a tiara with diamonds, like a real princess. Prince Michael, 5 years old, had straight blond hair cut in a page-boy; Paris had flowing brown hair and big blue eyes. Their skin was pure white...they looked Scandinavian. The effect was adorable: I wanted to keep them, to take them home.

I knew he covered them with shawls when cameras were around, and he did so when he later continued his shopping downstairs. Draped in cloth, his children walked around looking like Cousin It from the Addams family. The kids seemed well adjusted. We gave them a wind-up doll of a tan dog in a red bow tie and a suit, and they played on the wooden floor. Prince Michael brought over an oversized book on collectable toys, barely able to carry it. He said in the cutest little voice; "Dad, can I have this" Michael lovingly smiled and asked if he was going to read it. He replied, "Yes."

One nurse was holding an adorable newly born baby with dark hair. I hadn't heard that Michael had three children nor was it public knowledge at the time. I wondered if Michael had a new baby, or could the child be borrowed? Months later, I found out that he was Prince Michael II.

Michael picked out a young Hispanic employee to help him. He had his name, Jesus, written in black magic marker on his plastic oval Strand name tag. I would think this was the thrill of the young man's life. Michael handed the books that he wanted to buy to Jesus, who then gave it to us in a basket to be sent to the cash register to be added and packed. Occasionally, Michael had requests. He wanted books on black folk music, books by Roald Dahl (including James and the Giant Peach), and something on Versailles. I would send my troops to look for the books and hand the findings to Jesus. On a previous visit, my dad had helped him, and he picked out books on Howard Hughes, dictionaries and first edition children's books.

Of course, I'm fond of anyone that shares my love of books, and I was impressed with Michael's selection. He sang quietly to himself and focused on photography and art books for a while, climbing on a ladder when necessary. All told, he spent $6,000 in books and allowed anyone in his group to take books. Although the people in his entourage did choose some, they did not seem as excited about shopping for books.

Michael was hands off when it came to the transaction. I asked a security guard about getting paid when they were nearing the end. He handed me a cell phone, and I was given a credit card number, in a different person's name. The next day a black town car was dispersed to pick up Michael's purchases, all packed in doubled shopping bags.

Michael and his entourage piled in the cars and, despite his desire for secrecy, his paranoid nature, you could tell he loved his fans waving and yelling, and he told them that he loved them. He craved love just like the rest of us, or maybe even more so.

It was after midnight. They had been at the Strand for 2 hours. Michael's security guard told me their next stop was FAO Schwartz, which like the Strand was open just for them. I felt like jumping with excitement, and thought to myself, I want to go with them. I wanted to be a kid again. I didn't want to stay in a crammed bookstore worrying about personnel, inventory, customer complaints. I WANT TO HAVE FUN. I want to shop for toys and dance on the giant piano like Tom Hanks did in the movie Big. I want to ride in the big white limousine with Michael and the kids bopping to loud music. I want to follow Tinkerbell, be sprinkled with fairy dust, open the window, and fly through the night sky.

But 7 years later, I now have kids and I read them fairy tales. And as we all know, fairy tales can also have a dark side. Even Peter Pan said, "To die will be an awfully big adventure."

Tom, Katie And Suri Go To The Theater (PHOTOS)

2009-07-06T00:02:04Z

The Cruise family is down under at the moment, and Sunday Tom, Katie and Suri went to the stage production of 'Jersey Boy' in Melbourne, Australia.

Bundled against the Australian winter, Tom carried a camera shy Suri to and from the car. According to a local paper, the Cruises are in Melbourne as guests of James Packer. The paper also reports Suri was well-behaved throughout the play.

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Jon & Kate Gosselin Together For July 4

2009-07-05T23:59:30Z

Although divorce papers have been filed, Jon and Kate Gosselin have made good on their pledge to focus on their children, reuniting for a July 4 picnic with their eight kids.

Roger I. Abrams: Changing of the Guard

2009-07-05T23:56:40Z

The announcement last week that Donald Fehr would be leaving his post next spring as Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association offers an opportunity to reflect on the role of labor unions in professional sports, in particular in the National Pastime. Fehr said that he would propose Michael Weiner as his successor, an absolutely splendid choice.

First, some disclaimers. I have known Don and Mike for 20 years and their counterpart, Rob Manfred on management side, for almost as long. They are all remarkable men who have transformed labor relations in Major League Baseball from guerilla warfare into a thriving partnership. Collectively, they should be acknowledged as among the finest labor relations professionals in the country's history. Don Fehr and Rob Manfred came to my Sports Law class when I taught at the Harvard Law School, and I recently appeared on a sports business panel with Mike Weiner at Seton Hall Law School.

Friendships aside, sports labor unions, like the MLBPA, have achieved their goal of giving voice to the interests and concerns of those talented athletes who make a living as entertainers. Under the leadership of Marvin Miller and Donald Fehr, the Players Association has become the strongest trade union in America at a time when unions are hurting. The PA's success was not the result of weak leadership on management side. If anything, club owners resisted facing the reality of union solidarity far longer then they should have.

At first, club owners could not believe that the players would follow Miller, a Brooklyn-born economist who came to the PA from the Steelworker's staff. The owners resisted all calls to loosen the reserve system that had kept player salaries comparatively low for a century until, in 1975, an arbitrator "interpreted" their system out of existence. It was Miller's greatest triumph, bringing the free market to the setting of player salaries. (Fans who complain about the size of players' paychecks should remember that it is the owners who negotiate those salaries, not the union. Also, studies prove that high salaries do not cause high ticket prices. In fact, clubs charge what they can for tickets and free agent players then negotiate their salaries.)

Don Fehr's greatest success came in pressing the PA's case against the collusion of the club owners which management used as a way to hold down free agent salaries. Two arbitrators found that management had repeatedly violated their agreement with the union.

The 1994-95 strike put the union's mettle to the ultimate test. Commissioner Bud Selig led the owners into what turned out to be one final test of economic strength and fought the union to a draw. It was only through the intervention of the National Labor Relations Board and Judge Sonia Sotomayor's enlightened and informed ruling that the game recovered its equilibrium.

When the collective bargaining agreement came up for renegotiation in 2002, everyone was sure that another work stoppage was inevitable. I was the only person who suggested on national television that I thought they would reach an agreement, and that was because I knew that Mike Weiner and Rob Manfred were representing the parties at the negotiating table. Bargaining through the night, they charted a new course for baseball labor relations, one that has produced increased profits and revenue sharing for the owners and an increasingly healthy labor relations system. While the "scandal" over performance enhancing drugs has sidetracked the media, most fans are simply delighted with the state of the National Game and pleased that the future looks promising.

Thanks, Don.

'Transformers' Rakes It In Over Holiday Weekend

2009-07-05T23:37:10Z

LOS ANGELES — Prehistoric creatures and robots were in a photo finish for the Fourth of July box-office crown Sunday, with "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" and "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" tied with $42.5 million each.

Final numbers Monday will sort out which movie actually came in first, Paramount's "Transformers" or 20th Century Fox's "Ice Age." Numbers reported during the weekend are estimates based on the studio's projections for how much business the movies will do on Sunday.

"I've seen squeakers before in my time, but never one like this," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

In past close finishes, studios have accused each other of inflating their Sunday estimates to gain first-place bragging rights, only to have another movie take the No. 1 spot once final numbers are reported the next day.

"This shows a lot of respect between the two studios," Dergarabedian said. "They're just saying `Look, as of right now, it's too close to call.'"

Universal's crime saga "Public Enemies," starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale, debuted a solid No. 3 with $26.2 million.

It's rare when box-office rankings are so close, particularly in summer, when movies typically have huge opening weekends then trail off to make way for the next blockbuster.

But the action adventure "Transformers" held up well from its $109 million debut the previous weekend, while the animated sequel "Ice Age" packed in family crowds.

With a $293.5 million domestic total after just 12 days, "Transformers" shot past Disney and Pixar Animation's "Up" to become the year's highest-grossing movie. The sequel reunites human stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox with shape-shifting robots in a war against evil machines.

"Ice Age," the third installment in the cartoon franchise, brings back voice stars Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo and Queen Latifah as the gang of extinct animals encounter a lost world of dinosaurs underground. Since opening Wednesday, "Ice Age" has taken in $67.5 million.

Other studios generally were tracking "Transformers" and "Ice Age" within a few hundred thousand dollars of each other.

"It's just so close," said Bert Livingston, Fox distribution executive. "It all comes down to Sunday for us. We are elated to be in that rarefied air with one of the biggest event movies ever."

With the Fourth of July falling on Saturday, usually Hollywood's busiest day, revenues trailed off as people skipped movies to watch fireworks and go to cookouts or other outdoor activities.

"Public Enemies," starring Depp as 1930s gangster John Dillinger and Bale as FBI man Melvin Purvis, pulled in an audience of older adults who often do not pack theaters for summer's action tales, family flicks and comedies.

"We felt this was going to be the right moment to insert something with a little bit more substance into the mix," said Adam Fogelson, Universal's president of marketing and distribution.

"Up" reached a milestone of its own, its $6.6 million weekend lifting its domestic haul to $264.9 million, passing "The Incredibles" ($261.4 million) to become No. 2 on the Disney-Pixar hit list behind "Finding Nemo" ($339.7 million).

With $10.4 million, the Warner Bros. bachelor-party comedy "The Hangover" became the year's fourth movie to cross the $200 million mark, climbing to a domestic total of $204.2 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1 (tie). "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs," $42.5 million.

1 (tie). "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," $42.5 million.

3. "Public Enemies," $26.2 million.

4. "The Proposal," $12.8 million.

5. "The Hangover," $10.4 million.

6. "Up," $6.6 million.

7. "My Sister's Keeper," $5.3 million.

8. "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," $2.5 million.

9 (tie). "Year One," $2.1 million.

9. (tie). "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," $2.1 million.

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On the Net:

http://www.hollywood.com/boxoffice

___

Universal Pictures and Focus Features are owned by NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co.; Sony Pictures, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; Paramount and Paramount Vantage are divisions of Viacom Inc.; Disney's parent is The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is a division of The Walt Disney Co.; 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox Atomic are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros. and New Line are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Rogue Pictures is owned by Relativity Media LLC; Overture Films is a subsidiary of Liberty Media Corp.

Scott Mendelson: Ice Age 3 and Transformers 2 Tied, Public Enemies Opens Strong: The 4th of July Weekend Box Office

2009-07-05T20:35:33Z

Due to the fact that the top two films (Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen) are literally tied at $42.5 million, I'm ignoring the rankings and just concentrating on the numbers. Regardless, it looks like everything did moderately well according to expectations. The big opener of the weekend is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. At this point, it appears that the third Ice Age film did in five days ($67.5 million) exactly what Ice Age: The Meltdown accomplished in three days ($68.3 million). Granted, the calendar necessitated a Wednesday opening for part 3 (July 4th, not a good day for box office, was on a Saturday this year), and the second Ice Age film opened on March 30th, 2006 with next to no competition. I'm not even going to try to estimate the final domestic gross here, but this is a terrific opening for this sure-to-be-continued Fox franchise.

Transformers 2's 61% drop is bad, but I was expecting quite a bit worse (it seems the general moviegoers aren't as averse to it as the critics and hardcore geek crowd... not a surprise). None the less, it's already at $293 million after twelve days, which is $20 million ahead of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest at the same juncture (The Dark Knight was at $333 million after twelve days). At this point, Transformers 2 is running 7% ahead of Pirates 2 and 13% behind The Dark Knight. Should this continue (and that's highly speculative), than Transformers 2 will end up with a domestic total of $450 million and $469 million.

The other major opener, Public Enemies, had a bigger three-day opening weekend ($26.1 million) than any gangster film outside of The Departed and American Gangster. Plus, its five-day $41 million gross is in striking distance of American Gangster's $43 million three-day take. This is Michael Mann's biggest opening and Johnny Depp's third-biggest three-day opening involving Captain Jack Sparrow (behind Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Sleepy Hollow). The word of mouth was expectantly mixed (the Cinemascore grade was a B), while the demos were pretty evenly split. It was 53% male/47% female, with a pretty much even number of over-25 and under-25 audience members in attendance. If this film actually cost the $80 million that Universal is claiming, than this should be a solid long run investment for the beleaguered studio. After a run of under performing and/or over budgeted adult, star-driven vehicles (State of Play, Duplicity, The Taking of Pelham 123), this has to be a sigh of relief for those who fear the death of adult counter programming.

The Hangover crossed $200 million and had a $10 million+ weekend in its fifth round (it lost 455 theaters and still only dropped 39%). The Vegas comedy that will not die is now the 9th highest grossing R-rated film of all time (it's less than $1 million behind Terminator 2: Judgment Day) and it should be fifth or sixth place by the end of next weekend. I sincerely doubt that it will pass The Passion of the Christ's $370 million, or even The Matrix Reloaded's $291 million, but ending up number 3 (ahead of Beverly Hills Cop's $234 million) is all but certain at this point. Despite losing most if not all of its 3D screens to Ice Age 3, Up still only dropped 49% in its 6th weekend. It's $264 million total just surpassed The Incredibles as Pixar's second-highest domestic grosser of all time. And The Proposal is just $6 million shy of the $100 million mark after just three weekends.

The Hurt Locker grossed another $127,000 on nine screens. It will start expanding next weekend and (I think) go wide on July 24th. Away We Go has quietly amassed $6 million as it seems to be the breakout indie of the summer season. X-Men Origins: Wolverine is still trying to reach $180 million and Monsters Vs. Aliens is continuing to try for that $200 million milestone (current respective grosses are $178 million and $196 million). And that's all the news that's fit to print for now. Next weekend should be a comparatively quiet one, with only Bruno and I Love You, Beth Cooper opening wide.

For a rundown of what grossed what over last fourth of July weekend, go here. For a review of last year's 4th of July weekend champion, go here. And for a review of Public Enemies, go here. For thoughts on the rare franchise success of Ice Age, go here. All of this and more can be found at Mendelson's Memos.

Scott Mendelson

Johnny Depp's Pocket Watch And Necklace (PHOTOS)

2009-07-05T14:21:09Z

Johnny Depp has been known for his accessories for years now, from his gold teeth during the "Pirates" years to ring-laden fingers.

On the junket for his latest film, "Public Enemies," Depp has been consistent with two other pieces of man jewelry, his pocket watch and watch chain and a gold necklace with what appears to be a sapphire stone and a diamond ring hanging on it.

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Matthew DeBord: Wimbledon Tennis: In Final, Roger Federer Has No Chance

2009-07-05T14:00:44Z

Andy Roddick will win the 2009 Wimbledon final 7-6 6-7 7-6 6-7 9-7, defeating Roger Federer in his bid to reclaim his All England Club crown and surpass Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles. You heard it here first!

Actually, my predicted score line is the only chance Roddick has of taking Federer down this year. Fed is playing very, very well on the vaunted grass courts of England. His serve has been stupendous: When Roger Federer gets his first serve percentage into the low 80s, he's virtually impossible to beat--or even take sets off of.

But Roddick is no slouch in the serve department, either. Among active pros, he owns one of the biggest first and second serves in the game, a deadly combination of terrifying velocity and insane spin. Since losing two Wimbledon finals to Federer, he's modified his game and started to play up to his abilities on grass.

Still, he'll struggle tomorrow to break Federer's serve, as Fed will struggle to break his. So an effective strategy for Roddick would be to guard his own serve fanatically, ignore Federer's, and save his best returns for tiebreakers. Tiebreakers are unpredictable, but Roddick is on a good tiebreak run. If he manages 3-4 aces and focuses on going after 2-3 returns, he can sprint to a quick lead and then try to hold on, edging out tiebreaks by scores of 8-6, 9-7, 10-8. With luck, he'll then be able to eek out a single service break late on the tiebreaker-less fifth set.

Federer isn't ultimately that worried about Roddick because he long ago cracked the American's game. They've met three times in Slam finals (Fed also defeated Roddick to win the 2006 U.S. Open), and in each case, the Swiss has neutralized Roddick's main weapon. This has typically frustrated Roddick, who's accustomed to holding serve easily against most players. Roddick is intelligent and competitive, but against Federer he needs more metal toughness than usual.

He showed this in his semifinal victory against Andy Murray, the Scottish player who had become the best chance for a British Wimbledon champ since Fred Perry in 1936. When he needed the big serves, he came up with them. And when the match became a battle of who could overcome the tightness that a pressure-filled match induces, Roddick demonstrated that he could hit through the anxiety.

He probably has a game plan for Federer, so I don't expect him to take my advice. Playing for breakers isn't necessarily in the big server's playbook; 6-4 6-4 6-4 is how they generally want to beat opponents. However, Roddick doesn't have the game to break Fed's serve even once of twice. So he should push for the breakers and roll the dice. This year's All England final is a great chance for him to win a title he should probably have claimed at least once already. And he can do it if he does what he's currently doing best, which is win tiebreakers.

UPDATE: Pressure's on for Federer! Playing for history with Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Ilie Nastase--and Pete Sampras all in the house! In suits! This could be good.

ANOTHER UPDATE: OK, got the five setter, but Roddick lost both tiebreaks! So much his great tiebreak record. Better off trying to break Fed's serve.

Six People Bruno Duped Talk About Their Experiences

2009-07-05T13:38:00Z

The Post talked to six people involved with the film -- including four victims duped into appearing -- to get their stories and figure out how, even after the massive success of "Borat," there are still people unfamiliar with Cohen's shtick. One didn't even know he was in the film until The Post phoned.

Victim: Dr. Paul Cameron, chairman of the Family Research Institute, Colorado
Scene: Bruno comes to him for advice on going straight.

"I did a German thing a year ago. Is that this? I wondered what had happened to that. I'm in this bloody film? Well, I'll be jiggered. I guess you never can believe when people are in distress.

Allen Klein, Former Beatles And Rolling Stones Manager, Dead

2009-07-05T12:57:23Z

NEW YORK — Music manager Allen Klein, a no-holds-barred businessman who bulldozed his way into and out of deals with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, died Saturday, a publicist for his company said. He was 77.

Klein, who was one of the most powerful figures in the music business in the 1960s but ended up feuding with some of his biggest clients, died at his New York City home of Alzheimer's disease, said Bob Merlis, publicist for ABKCO Music & Records.

An accountant known for his brashness, temper and tenacity in tracking down royalties and getting better record deals, Klein garnered clients including Sam Cooke, Bobby Darin and Herman's Hermits.

But he became most famous _ and later infamous _ for signing on the Rolling Stones and then the Beatles. Both arrangements eventually spurred lawsuits, with some Beatles fans blaming Klein for contributing to the tensions that broke up the group.

Klein was convicted of tax fraud in 1979 and served two months in prison for failing to report income from sales of promotional records by the Beatles and other groups; the records were supposed to be given away. The Rolling Stones grew so infuriated with Klein _ whose company still owns an enormous chunk of their 1960s songs _ that Mick Jagger once chased him down the hall of a posh hotel.

Klein was reputed to be the basis for the slick manager "Ron Decline," played by Jon Belushi, in the parodic 1978 film "The Rutles," and the inspiration for John Lennon's bitter 1974 song "Steel and Glass."

Regardless, Klein remained "very proud of the position he was in and what he was able to do with the different artists he was able to work with," Merlis said.

Klein began building his reputation by auditing record companies' books and finding unpaid royalties for Darin and other artists. After meeting Cooke in 1962, he helped the soul singer secure a then-unusual level of control over his music and finances.

"I never wanted to be a manager," he told The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J., in 2002. "It was going over the books that I loved. And I was good at it."

That helped him win over the Rolling Stones, who hired him in the mid-1960s. He helped the group negotiate a new contract with its label, but the relationship soured after Klein bought the rights to the band's 1960s songs and recordings from a former manager.

He was fired in 1970, but the animosity continued for decades, culminating in dueling lawsuits over rights and royalties and a 1984 trial. Jagger testified in a federal court in New York that Klein "wanted a hold on us, on our futures" _ and that a 1974 discussion about money ended with a shouting Jagger chasing Klein down a corridor at London's Savoy Hotel. The lawsuit was settled soon after, with Klein keeping the song rights but agreeing to pay royalties promptly.

In the meantime, Klein had set his sights on managing the Beatles and saw his chance when their longtime manager, Brian Epstein, died in 1967.

Initially rebuffed, Klein eventually won John Lennon's favor.

"He not only knew my work, and the lyrics that I had written, but he also understood them, and from way back. That was it," Lennon told an interviewer in 1970.

The group hired Klein in 1969 over the objections of Paul McCartney, who preferred his father-in-law, Lee Eastman.

At the time, a New York Times profile referred to Klein as "the toughest wheeler-dealer in the pop jungle." Klein himself once sent out a chest-beating holiday card with a profane takeoff on the 23rd Psalm: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, because I'm the biggest bastard in the valley."

But his relationship with the Beatles was bitter and short-lived. The group broke up the next year, and McCartney sued his bandmates in an effort to break free from Klein, an action once unthinkable among the harmonious foursome. McCartney went on to revile Klein in a 1997 biography, "Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now."

The other Beatles lost faith in Klein and sued him in the mid-1970s. Lennon sent him off in song in "Steel and Glass," which describes how "your mouthpiece squawks as he spreads your lies."

Klein was born in Newark on Dec. 18, 1931, and spent several years in an orphanage after his mother's death during his infancy. He was later raised by a grandmother and an aunt.

Klein graduated from Upsala College and served in the U.S. Army before joining a Manhattan accounting firm, according to his company.

He started his own firm, which later became ABKCO, in the late 1950s. Besides managing music, he co-produced 1971's "The Concert for Bangladesh," a forerunner of modern charity concerts, and films including 1978's "The Greek Tycoon," starring Anthony Quinn and Jacqueline Bisset.

He is survived by a longtime companion, Iris Keitel; his estranged wife, Betty; three children, four grandchildren and a sister.

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Associated Press Writer Hillel Italie contributed to this report.

Jackson Fans Learn Who Won Memorial Tickets

2009-07-05T12:25:37Z

LOS ANGELES — Who's getting the tickets?

Like a modern-day Willy Wonka tale, more than 1.6 million fans waited to learn Sunday whether they were among the lucky few to win access to Michael Jackson's memorial service Tuesday at Staples Center.

On Sunday evening, fans around the world started posting Twitter messages about receiving tickets.

"OMG OMG OMG OMG i got tickets to the Michael Jackson memorial service!!!" tweeted Deka Daye from San Francisco. Other messages came from users in Scotland and Iran.

Fans registered online for free in the random drawing of only 8,750 names. Each person selected will receive two tickets. The odds of getting a ticket were about 1 in 183.

The tickets will admit 11,000 people to the Staples Center plus 6,500 in the Nokia Theater overflow section next door. The streets around the stadium will be closed to prevent those without tickets from trying to attend, police said Sunday.

Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned people without tickets to stay away: "You'll be standing in the hot sun on a city street with a lot of other people ... but not within eyeshot of Staples."

Jackson died at age 50 on June 25 after going into cardiac arrest in the bedroom of his rented mansion. The cause of Jackson's death has not been determined. Autopsy results are not expected for several weeks.

Also Sunday, a judge signed search warrants connected to the investigation of Jackson's death, Los Angeles County Superior Court spokesman Allan Parachini said. The warrants were sealed and Parachini would not discuss any details.

Authorities are investigating allegations that Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and antidepressants. The powerful sedative Diprivan, which is usually administered by anesthesiologists in hospitals, was found in his home. It was not known what drugs, if any, Jackson obtained from doctors.

Jackson's family was planning a private ceremony at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills, McDonnell said. He did not provide further details.

More than a week after his death, tributes and accolades keep coming. Madonna had a Jackson impersonator dance to "Wanna Be Starting Something" at her concert Saturday in the same London arena where he was to stage his comeback.

The Rev. Al Sharpton called for nationwide "love vigils" for Jackson, asking people to gather in schools, community centers and churches to watch the memorial service and talk about the pop star's "message" instead of the "mess" surrounding his death.

The memorial service will be broadcast on five television networks, after NBC executives changed their minds Sunday and decided to air the service live. NBC joins ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment.

Before the ticket drawing, AEG would "scrub" the entries to eliminate duplicates and any suspected of being made by automated systems, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said in a statement.

Winners received a unique code and instructions on how to pick up their tickets Monday at an off-site distribution center. When they pick up their tickets, a wristband will be placed on their wrists.

To prevent ticket scalping, fans must have both the ticket and the wristband to enter Staples Center on Tuesday. Wristbands that have been ripped, taped or tampered with will be voided.

City officials are preparing for huge crowds. McDonnell, the assistant police chief, would not say how many police would be on the job, but alluded to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the recent championship celebration for the Los Angeles Lakers at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

The ceremony will not be shown on Staples' giant outdoor TV screen and there will be no funeral procession through the city.

No details were available about the actual memorial events.

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Associated Press Writer Michael R. Blood contributed to this report.

Alex Leo: Bon Jovi Throws Impromptu 4th Of July Concert (AUDIO)

2009-07-05T04:40:17Z

The 4th of July is a hit or miss holiday. I enjoy the parades and free pass to eat nitrates, but I'm kind of over fireworks (so sad) and therefore need another activity for the evening. That, predictably, turned out to be drinking with friends. We went over to the Blue Parrot in East Hampton for sour margaritas and sweeter conversation when Bon Jovi sauntered in with the editor of "Allure." We gawked as we drank and talked about stealing various parts of his wardrobe until he got up, grabbed one of the guitars off the wall and began playing.

After a brief period of tuning he put on an impromptu show that was the highlight of my sad sad life. You see, Bon Jovi was my third grade crush, the love of my young life, and considering I was just dumped, this was an excellent reminder that life has a sense of humor and we live it on its own terms or face peril (aka missing the opportunity to be five feet away from Bon Jovi).

He started off with "Who Says You Can't Go Home?" that had the crowd both gaping in amazement and singing aloud at the top of their lungs. He followed up with a short rendition of "Free Bird" before trying to hang up the guitar to massive jeers. He gave in to his now raucous crowd by playing a soft and sweet version of "Dead or Alive," that I may or may not be the person screaming the lyrics along loudly to in the audio below. Enjoy!

Who Says You Can't Go Home?

Dead or Alive

American Flag Bikini Moments: What's YOUR Favorite? (PHOTOS)

2009-07-04T19:00:53Z

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

The American flag has been painted on bathing suits, bikinis, and directly on skin like a bathing suit for decades. From movies to television to magazine spreads, below are the most famous iconic flag-as-bikini interpretations from the past several decades.

Good use of the flag or bad? YOU decide.

SLIDESHOW

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Courtney Love Trashes Hotel Room

2009-07-04T14:06:48Z

IT only took Courtney Love eight hours to trash her high-end hotel room at The Inn on Irving Place.

While the rocker was visiting New York on June 17 with her 16-year-old daughter, Frances Bean, sources say Love completely ruined her accommodations.

The hard-partying 44-year-old widow of Kurt Cobain left dirty needles and used feminine hygiene products behind, according to sources, and also flooded the floor.

Michael Jackson Remembered As Loving, Attentive Father

2009-07-04T14:01:59Z

NEW YORK — When Rabbi Shmuley Boteach brought his children to play with Michael Jackson's kids at Neverland Ranch some eight years ago, the rabbi's youngsters naturally made a beeline for the fabulous rides _ the Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, the bumper cars.

But when Jackson's own kids asked to go on the rides, he gently reminded them of the family rules, according to Boteach: The rides were only for birthdays or special occasions. "He was very concerned that the kids grow up with the right values," says Boteach, Jackson's former friend and spiritual adviser.

They are the children of one of the most famous men to have walked the planet. But unlike other children of mega-celebrities, whose faces are recognizable around the world, those of Jackson's three kids _ 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael; 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine; and 7-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket _ are barely known.

Home-schooled and often isolated in mansions or hotels, the children have appeared only in rare paparazzi shots, their faces usually covered by scarves or brightly colored masks.

That fact alone _ that Jackson sought to hide his children's faces _ would seem to speak of a dark, strange life. But those who've witnessed the family up close paint a brighter picture: a trio of engaging, intelligent, well-adjusted youngsters who adored their father. A father who, despite his eccentricities and the terrible controversy that surrounded him in later life, lived for his children and tried to make their lives as normal as _ well, as normal as Michael Jackson could.

"To the extent that Michael Jackson's kids COULD have a normal life, he wanted them to have it," says Boteach, who eventually fell out with Jackson.

"Listen, I'm not here to whitewash the sins of Michael Jackson _ he was accused of some abominable things," says the rabbi, referring to the pop star's trial and acquittal on molestation charges. "But when it came to being a father, there was much to admire."

Dr. Tohme Tohme, a close friend and adviser to Jackson over the last year of his life, said he had "never seen a better father."

"He was the father and the mother," Tohme said. "He washed them and dressed them. I'm a father but I'm not sure I could do what he was doing with his children. They loved him so much."

Of course, even Jackson's closest friends are at a loss to explain what for many is the single most memorable image of Jackson as a father: the shocking moment when he dangled Blanket, then an infant, over a hotel balcony in Berlin, showing the baby off to fans with a delighted grin.

"What made that incident so inexplicable was that he was an OVER-protective father," Boteach says.

Others who've been close to Jackson in the past agree. When the children stayed in hotels, says one photographer who spent several years working for Jackson, his handlers had long lists of all the foods the children could and could not eat. He was afraid of allergies but also poisoning, says the photographer, Ian Barkley. At the ranch, Jackson would not let the children roam far for fear of coyotes, he says.

When Barkley spoke to the kids himself, he was impressed. "Paris and (the older) Prince really blew me away with how smart they were. They were really well-mannered and nice." And Jackson made sure they kept up with their studies. "Once I heard him ask the nanny if the kids had done their homework that day, and they hadn't yet and he was really not happy."

Yet Jackson also indulged his children in extravagances _ he was known to rent out entire movie theaters so he and his kids could see a first-run movie in peace, said close friend Uri Geller, the entertainer, who accompanied the family on one such outing.

"The times I've seen Michael with his kids, he was simply a great father," says Geller. "When I saw him alone in London, the first thing he said is how much he missed them. I know he loved them, and they loved him."

US Weekly editor Janice Min, whose magazine reported on Jackson's children this week, was surprised to discover how positive an outlook many Jackson associates had on the kids and their lives. "I would have thought it was a very gloom-and-doom picture, but across the board, everyone talked about these nice and seemingly normal kids," she says.

Still, for many people, the hardest thing to get past about Jackson's parenting style was those facial disguises. Geller, for one, is convinced the family saw it as a game. "It was a private joke on the media between Michael and the kids _ the kids loved it," Geller says. "That's what Michael told me."

But others speak of more serious reasons. Stacy Brown, a former Jackson family confidant who fell out with the family at the time of the 2005 molestation trial _ he was a prosecution witness _ says Michael was truly afraid of kidnapping. But also, Brown notes, there was a strategy: If the kids wore masks when they were with Jackson, they could go safely unmasked when they weren't with him.

Still, says Brown, who co-wrote "The Man Behind the Mask," a Jackson biography, "mentally, it was just not right. Why put a mask on these beautiful children?"

There may be another, more poignant reason. "He detested the media interest in whether he looked like his children," says Boteach, the rabbi. "I think that was another concern. Those rumors were hurtful to them."

Such discussion has only increased since Jackson's death, as the world wonders not only who will get custody of the children but also whether Jackson is their biological father. Jackson's ex-wife, Deborah Rowe, the mother of the two older children, says the children were conceived by artificial insemination. The surrogate mother of the youngest has not been revealed.

For now, Rowe is weighing whether to seek custody of her two children, while Katherine Jackson, the singer's 79-year-old mother, has temporary guardianship of all three. Jackson's will asks that permanent custody go to his mother.

Brown, the biographer, recalls running into Jackson and the kids in a town near Neverland shortly before the trial.

"They were the most well-behaved, well-mannered, immaculately groomed children," Brown says. "It was all 'please' and 'thank you,' and 'excuse me.' Little Blanket was wearing a kilt, and Prince a three-piece suit, and Paris a white dress with blue flowers. We chatted. I'm telling you, the guy was tremendous with those kids."

Whatever happens, Boteach says, it was Jackson's greatest wish that his children know how much he loved them.

"Michael often said he knew that when the kids grew up, they'd be asked by biographers what kind of father he was," Boteach says. "He wanted the kids to know that he always put them first."

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AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.