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Archive for June, 2010

Michael Jackson Rocks the Maytag & Veils the Kids

Posted in Michael Jackson, PEOPLE, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on June 26, 2010| 7 Comments »

Little Michael Jackson, age 3, ca. 1961 (Lisa's History Room)

Yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson‘s death. In her only TV interview, mother Katherine Jackson reminisced on “Dateline” about her internationally famous son.

She remembered the day she realized Michael had talent:

We had a Maytag washing machine, and it was rickety when the agitators would go, you know how they go [imitates sound]. This one was so rickety that it had a [imitates sound] kinda like that, and Michael was there on the floor wearing his diaper and his little bottle, and he just was dancing to the rhythm of what the washing machine made.” 

Katherine Jackson went on to say that she had never met Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of Michael’s two oldest children, Prince (b. 1997) and Paris (b. 1998), until Michael’s death. Katherine, who raised nine children, is now mother to Paris, Prince, and Blanket, Michael’s third child, born in 2002.

Katherine didn’t always agree with the way Michael (1958-1009) was raising his children:

I never did like the fact that he put, um, scarfs or veils over their faces….” 

Michael Jackson with daughter Paris (l) and son Prince (r), circa 2001-02 (Lisa's History Room)

Michael Jackson covered son Blanket's face with a mask, ca. 2004-05 (Lisa's History Room)

Katherine says the children are doing fine except that they have no friends. Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, have previously been tutored at home. Katherine is trying to give her grandchildren a more normal upbringing, free of the bizarre restrictions imposed by their father. In September, the three children will be enrolling in school for the first time in their lives, reports the Daily Mail.   Below are pictures of the children enjoying their first carefree Hawaiian vacation a few days before returning to the continental U.S. for a Gary, Indiana, hometown memorial for their father.

Michael Jackson's eldest son, "Prince," 13, whose full name is Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. Hawaii, June 1010. (Lisa's History Room)

Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris, age 12, whose full name is Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson. Hawaii, June 2010. (Lisa's History Room)

Michael Jackson's youngest son, "Blanket," 8, whose full name is Prince Michael Jackson II, enjoys a water chute at a Hawaii resort, June 2010 (Lisa's History Room)

Readers: Click here for more posts on Michael Jackson.

sources: Dateline, The Daily Mail

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Michael Jackson: Pepsi Burn Photo

Posted in Michael Jackson, PEOPLE, tagged , , on June 24, 2010| 3 Comments »

Michael Jackson is seen visiting burn victim Keith Perry in the burn center at Brotman Medical Center in Culver City, Calif., on Feb. 4, 1984. The pop star was recuperating in the hospital after suffering from a burn to his head while filming a commercial for Pepsi-Cola. (Lisa's History Room)

Readers: Click here for more posts on Michael Jackson.

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Michael Jackson’s “Blue Eye”

Posted in Michael Jackson, PEOPLE, tagged , , on June 24, 2010| 3 Comments »

Michael Jackson's "Blue Eye" - a never-before-seen photograph of Michael Jackson that was considered but rejected as the cover for Jackson's 2001 album "Invincible" (Lisa's History Room)

“As the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson‘s death approaches, a very special picture of the pop star will be up for grabs at a memorabilia auction to take place in December, reports The Daily Mail.

The portrait, taken in 1999, is an uncommonly subdued shot of the late King of Pop, who was as known for his extravagance as he was for his music.

Titled “Michael Jackson’s Blue Eye,” the photo features Jackson dressed in a black suit jacket with small mirrors scattered across his chest. His eyes are closed, with one covered with a brilliant patch of blue makeup. His hair is pulled back behind his head, and the makeup makes the singer appear healthy and vibrant.

The portrait is a stark contrast from the image of a painfully skinny Jackson most commonly associate with his death, and serves as a reminder of Jackson’s enduring appeal as a larger-than-life figure.

The portrait was reportedly shot by then-23-year-old French photographer Arno Bani, who told the paper that Jackson was a fan of his fashion photography and commissioned him for the shoot.

The portrait was on the short list to make the cover of Jackson’s 2001 album, “Invincible” (his final studio album), but ultimately lost out to a similarly themed (but less eerie) Warhol-esque photo of Jackson’s face.

The portrait’s unveiling comes amid renewed insistence from Jackson’s family that his death was no accident. According to Us Weekly, Jackson expressed concerns to his mother, Katherine, that people “wanted him dead.”

“He would always say that. For him to say that, he must have known something,” said Katherine, who appears on a “Dateline” special this Friday titled “Michael Jackson: A Mother’s Love.”

The “Blue Eye” portrait, along with 11 other unpublished shots of Jackson and 50 contact boards, will be put up for bidding by auctioneers Pierre Berge & Associates in December.”

source: NYDailyNews.com

Readers, I’ve written many more posts on Michael Jackson. Click here for more.

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Finally! Prince Albert of Monaco is Engaged!

Posted in Grace Kelly, PEOPLE, Prince Albert II and Princess Charlene, Princess Grace (Grace Kelly), tagged , , , , , on June 23, 2010| 9 Comments »

Prince Albert of Monaco is engaged to former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock. (Lisa's History Room)

Prince Albert of Monaco is engaged to Charlene Wittstock, a former Olympic swimmer from South Africa. He is 52, she, 32. Ms. Wittstock will become the first crown princess since the 1982 death of Prince Albert’s mother, Princess Grace of Monaco. Princess Grace was the former American film star, Grace Patricia Kelly.

In this 1974 photo, Princess Grace of Monaco, center, poses with her husband, Prince Rainier III, and their three children. From left to right: Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, and Princess Stephanie. At the time, Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III were the reigning monarchs of the ancient royal House of Grimaldi. Both Princess Grace and Prince Rainier III are deceased. Today their son Prince Albert is the reigning prince.

Perez Hilton calls the announcement a

Pretty big deal considering Albert was a notorious bachelor, causing Parliament to change the constitution in 2002 to allow one of his sisters’ sons to take the throne if he doesn’t produce an heir!

He does have two children, but they were born out of wedlock so they are not allowed to assume the throne.

Looks like Charlene better get ready to make some babies!”

Palace protocol dictates that couples must wait at least six months between the announcement of the engagement and the wedding day. Expect a big “to-do” since this will be the first royal wedding of a reigning prince in Monaco since 1956 when Grace Kelly retired from filmmaking to wed Albert’s father, Prince Rainier III.

Prince Rainier III of Monaco weds American film star and fashion icon Grace Kelly. They wed twice; the civil ceremony was held on April 18, 1956, followed the next day by a religious one. Her Serene Highness the Princess of Monaco, commonly referred to as "Princess Grace," retained both American and Monegasque citizenships.

READERS: Continue the story with “Prince Albert of Monaco: A THIRD Love Child?”

READERS: For more on Grace Kelly here on Lisa’s History Room, click here.

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Queen Elizabeth: Stain Me, Unchain Me, Make Me Write Bad Checks

Posted in PEOPLE, Queen Elizabeth II, ROYALTY/NOBILITY, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 5, 2010| 4 Comments »

Queen Elizabeth II of England suffered two wardrobe malfunctions at a private party in London for her cousin King Constantine of Greece. A fellow guest spilled something on her beautiful blue gown, leaving huge stains running down the right side, then the chain link strap on her silver handbag broke. (June 3, 2010)

Two nights ago, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain helped King Constantine of Greece celebrate his 70th birthday and, at the party, had not one but two fashion mishaps. Someone – a fellow guest, possibly, or a waiter maybe – spilled what is purported to be coffee on the 84-year-old British monarch’s pale blue floor length gown, staining it permanently. Then, on top of that, the metal strap on the Queen’s ever-present handbag broke in half.

Queen Elizabeth clutches the broken strap of her evening handbag at King Constantine's 70th birthday party in a private London home.

Poor Queen! Where were all those ladies-in-waiting when she needed them most? Couldn’t someone have thrown a cloak over the Queen’s dress to hide the stains or stood in front of her to block her from the paparazzi’s unrelenting snaps?

If the Queen was ruffled by being uncharacteristically messy, she didn’t show it. Her Majesty – who is always neat, clean, and fastidiously turned-out – held high the royal chin throughout the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad night and had a very good time, thank you, in spite of her multiple fashion faux-pas. Jolly brave, Elizabeth partied for hours alongside fellow royals — including son Prince Andrew, daughter Princess Anne, Queen Sofia of Spain, and Crown Prince Pavlos of Greece, who hosted the bash at his London home.

King Constantine of Greece escorts his cousin Queen Elizabeth down the steps at the end of his 70th birthday party. Despite the obvious food stains running down the Queen's dress and the broken strap of her glittery evening bag, the Queen maintained her always noble demeanor.

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Fergie & Di: Royal Daredevils

Posted in PEOPLE, Prince Charles of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, Sarah, the Duchess of York (Fergie), tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 2, 2010| 8 Comments »

Sarah Ferguson watches polo at Windsor with Princess Diana, in 1985, the year before she married into the British Royal Family and became the Duchess of York

Sarah Ferguson –  “Fergie” –  and Princess Diana (1961-1997) knew each other for six years before Fergie married Prince Andrew in 1986 and became a member of the Royal Family. The two women had first met on the polo circuit, as Diana’s husband Prince Charles was an avid player and Fergie’s father, Sir Ronald Ferguson, was the Prince’s polo manager.

Soon after meeting, Diana and Fergie (b. 1959) became fast friends. The timid and reserved Diana was intoxicated by Fergie’s loud and breezy energy:

“The two girls would burn up the telephone wires trading gossip and irreverent royal tidbits they could share with no one else.” (1)

Since Diana’s 1981 wedding to Charles, she had been starved of fun. Diana thought about how lovely it would be to have Fergie as a mate in the Royal Family. In June of 1985, Diana decided to play royal matchmaker and make it happen. She wangled an invitation for Fergie to not only attend the Queen’s Ascot Week house party at Windsor Castle , but managed also to get the boisterous redhead seated next to the Queen’s second son, the 25-year-old Prince Andrew, a very eligible bachelor and second in line for the throne.

Sarah, the Duchess of York ("Fergie") and Diana, Princess of Wales, 1987

Within an hour of meeting Fergie, Andrew was “chatting her up” and “flirtatiously coaxing a merry-eyed Ms. Ferguson to eat every one of the chocolate profiteroles [cream puffs] on her plate.” (1) A year later, Fergie and Andrew were married at Westminster Abbey as the Duke and Duchess of York. Di had gotten her ally in the family.

This commemorative stamp was issued in Great Britain in 1986 to commemorate the Royal Wedding of Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferguson. They became the Duke and Duchess of York.

 
Encouraged by Fergie’s wildness, Diana began to loosen up publicly. She became a bit of a royal daredevil. Memorably, in June 1987, she and Fergie were photographed at Royal Ascot poking Fergie’s old school friend Lulu in the behind with their umbrellas, called “brollies” in England.  (2) 

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York (l), and Princess Diana (r) attend the Royal Ascot, June 1987.

The Ascot Umbrella Caper – dubbed “the Brolly Folly” – drew public scorn. Woodrow Wyatt recorded in his memoirs that his wife saw Diana at Ascot

fooling about in the most childish manner, pulling people’s hair and tweaking them.”

The Sun reported the incident, referring to Fergie and Diana caustically as “silly, simpering girls.” It was the first of many desperate attempts Diana and Fergie made to “unstiffen” royal protocol. 

Over time, the fallout from the bad press would affect Diana and Fergie differently. Diana would weather the public criticism better than Fergie. With Diana’s tragic death, charity work, and sad marriage, the public has been more forgiving of her wild days. The late Princess Diana is lovingly remembered today as the People’s Princess.

Fergie, however, at age 50, continues to court disaster with her impetuous ways and money woes. Matter of fact, with the latest bribery scandal and “Oprah” TV appearance, the Duchess of York is being referred to in the press as the Duchess of Disaster. 

 
 
 

An image made from video shows the Duchess of York apparently selling access to ex-husband Prince Andrew for 500,000 British pounds to an undercover reporter from the UK tabloid, "News of the World." (foxnews.com_May 24, 2010)

(1) Brown, Tina. The Diana Chronicles. New York: Doubleday, 2007.

(2) “Births, Deaths, & Marriages.” Thirty Years of Majesty. Vol. 31, No. 5.

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