Controversy over payment Joe Jackson received to attend Michael Jackson tribute

Michael Jackson's father on Friday found himself at the center of a controversy in the family's hometown of Gary, Ind., over allegations that the city paid Joe Jackson's airfare for a Jackson memorial tribute.

At issue is a memorial concert last month in Gary -- home to the Jackson family childhood home where Michael Jackson grew up .

There were reports over the last few days that Joe Jackson, who is now living at the family's Encino compound, received a payment to attend the concert. But the Chicago Tribune reports that Gary's mayor, Rudy Clay, strongly denies that:

Records released by the city show that Joe Jackson and 1970s soul group The Chi-Lites were paid $5,000 from a fund of donations set up by Clay for the concert in the city where Michael Jackson was born and spent his early years. But Clay and The Chi-Lites say the payment was only for Joe Jackson and the band's airplane tickets from California. "Anyone who says Joe Jackson was paid to attend his son's memorial is telling the biggest lie ever told in the history of the world," Clay said.

Earlier this week, Joe Jackson said he supported the idea of building a Neverland Ranch-style attraction in Las Vegas to celebrate his son's life.

--Shelby Grad

Photo: Los Angeles Times file

Comments

[alice]

Gary wanted him there they should pay. Furthermore, they only paid his air fare. Reportedly, Joe paid for everything else. They could easily have streamed him via satellite for the event. But Gary wanted the publicity from having a Jackson there. The tribute was aired on CNN and was streamed on the internet. Gary got it’s money's worth in exposure and now they want to whine. They can't have it both ways.

[MJ Conspiracy]

So once again Joe Jackson needs money; it was a memorial for his son. I'm sure the $5000 could of been used elsewhere. How much longer is he going to use his son's death to make money. The Bet Awards he plugs his record label. On Larry King he plugs a tribute concert. Now that the great Billy Mays is dead, maybe Joe Jackson could take his place - he is turning the death of his son in to a marketing opportunity.

www.mj-conspiracy.com

[Obtuse]

So it's OK if Joe Jackson's airline ticket was paid for, but not if he was paid to attend his own son's funeral?

What, he couldn't afford a plane ticket to attend his most-famous offspring's funeral??? Why did someone have to pay for his airfare?

[roy rogers]

ya gotta love this guy

[Judith]

I just read that Joe Jackson is living in the Encino home. I pray someone is watching the children so he can't influence them at all or say negative things to them. I thought he was living in Las Vegas. What gives?? Where' s Janet, La Toya, Rebbie or Jermaine, to name four of the children's aunts and uncle..?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

"Anyone who says Joe Jackson was paid to attend his son's memorial is telling the biggest lie ever told in the history of the world," Clay said.

No, actually, anyone who said that Obama would help our country was telling the biggest lie ever told in the history of the world.

[janice byrne]

Whether or not this is true, don't you think it's time to let Michael rest in peace? He got no peace whatsoever when he was alive, please let him finally rest. RIP Michael. Greatly misunderstood,greatly loved and greatly missed. Always.

[R Taylor]

No comment on the alleged payment, but Mr. Clay's categorization of the charge as "the biggest lie ever told in the history of the world" lays him open to being accused of a woeful ignorance of world history.

[MJ4ever]

If Joe Jackson wants to build a Neverland in Vegas, why don't the family purchase the home that Michael was planning to buy before his death? The one he intended to call Wonderland, and the one the arbitrators of MJ's will received $5 mil from? Michael loved the place, and so did his children; this might also solve the problem of where to lay Michael to rest, because I don't think he would want to be buried at Neverland.

[Laci Nicole Bloomingdale]

I thought Joe Jackson who beat his children were to stay away from Michael's small 3 children and he is living in
the same house in Encino!
Michael would be moon walking and NOT in a good way if he
knew of this
It's so sad that all Joe ever wanted was $$$ from Michael.
Why isn't anyone doing a thing about this ?

[whoisit?]

Its a shame that some bad people are critisizing of Michael's father. Dont forget he loved his son and his children loved him no matter what they said. Its a shame Michael never got the chance to have more children as he probably would have had he survived the trappings of the AEG live schedule. What counts is that he was murdered. Someone gave him sonmething. Someone he trusted so well with his life. If he knew that it would kill him, he would never had been there with him. If his family had been allowed regular access to him as it used to be, his dad would have talked the 'nonsense' he was into out of him probably as he always did which was what made him successful in the first place. Without his dad's pushiness he would have been just Michael and never the international star everyone got to know. Everyone had their own interests. No doubt as Michael became 'grown up' he would have had other kids especially if that Aeg live show had gone well and someone somewhere among the people he mingled with would have been up for it. Rumour has it he asked the big lipped dark haired octopulets mum to take her children from her and look after them. It may suprise you if he did later have children as he wanted, they may have been his and they could have been any race. Michael had no preference. His last 'girlfriend' as rumour says which ended in december if she was the last, was black. What they did together only she can say. Debbie didnt even get to sleep with him. Also WHY did he not use his own sperm for debbie's two children? she would have loved it as it aid she didnt ven know the child was not biologically his and she worked at the same clinic. Dr Klein is happy. Michael said to Martin Bashir in the interview his next child's mother could be any race even black. His skin change was a mistake a lot of people do when young. A lot of black girls and guys bleach or tone. And a lot of white girls and guys also tan and for a long time that you'd find it hard to tell which is unless they told you so. Same thing. How many white people 'tan', even babies get the treatment on the beach in the name of UV screen protection lotions. And how many black,asian, and latimo bleach? So what if Michael felt insecure and did the same about his vitilago. People die. By some chance Michael did and his parents and loved ones could do nothing. One thing is for sure, Latoya was right when she said someone stole money. Some people had kill for a million dollars what more of someone leaving it lying around and not at the bank. And how are we sure some of the monies being returned by people was the full amount? Michael is not there to say how much he gave to whom. There are a lot of interests from different people in one man's money which his artistry made him. Michael may have been able to buy a hush from surrogate mothers who were unknown, not in media limelight before that and afford to pay them off. But he may not have been able to if he were in a relationship with a known person or a media face and doubt he had have suggested it, nor would he be able to arange other people's sperm implants were it a known person.

[Marian]

Leave Joe Jackson alone, people! . . . We know, and it is "well-documented" as Michael mentioned in his lecture at Oxford, that they had their rough times . . . but what you might not know is that Michael forgave any hardships incurred . . . and explicated how his father showed love in the best way he knew . . . and that he was a genius when it came to taking them into the spotlight and training them for the life of a showman. If MJ has forgiven any shortcomings, let everyone else!

[Natalie DeJohn]

Wow. I was really surprised at all the comments defending Joe Jackson. That guy gives me the creeps. But in the end, Michael and his dad were probably two people who did want good things for each other. They're just a little messed up. The whole situation is just sad.

[osafanmwen]

i think that everyone should just leave joe alone. i mean michael loved his father and forgave him of anything bad that he did. i say let joe be because he has been getting a lot of bad press lately and i, for one, dont think its nice. another thing, everyone thinks its terrible how michael had to deal with the press, so dont put it on his father becuase he did some bad things in the PAST. thats where it is, where it happened, and lets just leave it there.