Roger Friedman continue ses chroniques sur son blog et bien sur MJ reste son sujet favori.
Dans son dernier article il déclare que MJ aurait viré Dr Tohme, son manager depuis un an, suite au fiasco de la vente aux enchères Julien's Auction.
Par ailleurs Friedman ajoute que MJ a commencé les répétitions des concerts dans un hangar de la vallée de San Fernando et que Karen Faye (sa maquilleuse de 1982 à 2005) serait de retour.
JACKO’S MANAGER PAYS PRICE FOR MISTAKE
23.04.09 Michael Jackson’s most recent manager, Tohme Tohme, sometimes known as “doctor,” has paid the price for his big mistake.
I’m told that Jackson—whose SUV had a fender bender of little importance the other day in Los Angeles—has kicked Tohme to the curb.
“He won’t return his calls, and he’s changed all his numbers,” says one source close to the situation. Another source confirmed it.
Tohme has paid big time, though, for making the mistake of putting Jackson’s Neverland Ranch tchotchkes up for auction. I’m told that Tohme himself put up more than $2 million to stop the auction with Julien’s Auction House. Today would have been the final day of the auction, with the really juicy stuff going up on the block including Macaulay Culkin’s artwork and gifts from Elizabeth Taylor.
A couple of weeks ago a judge ruled in favor of Julien’s, when Jackson tried to sue to stop the auction. Another court date had been set for last week, but the parties settled in advance of that. It was fairly certain that the second court date would have ratified the first, in which case Julien’s was set to go ahead.
Instead, Tohme—in a panic—came up with the necessary dough to satisfy Julien’s for the money they’d already spent and pay them their commission. Where he got the money is another story. Some say it may have come from Colony Capital, Jackson’s partner in Neverland. Tohme—who’s been disproved as a physician and also as an ambassador at large to Senegal– has been their agent in the Jackson story for over a year. Still unresolved is where MusiCares, the Grammy charity, received their due and promised percentage.
As part of the deal with Julien’s, all the Neverland items have been on display at the former Robinson May store in Beverly Hills. The exhibition goes on all this weekend, with a $20 admittance fee. Next week, Jackson’s people will come and haul all the Neverland souvenirs away. It’s uncertain whether they’ll be unpacked back at the ranch or put into storage in nearby Buellton, California.
What is certain is that Tohme caused a rift between himself and Jackson. And at the same time, Arab investors are circling to close their deal on buying Neverland with all those souvenirs – as I told you in my old column a few weeks ago. That deal should be coming to a close soon. Sources say that there’s recently been a lot of activity at Neverland, with what look to be construction workers coming in to do renovations. Considering the seedy conditions the Julien’s staff found the place in last summer—the descriptions in their depositions were not pretty—this may be required before the imminent sale.
So is there any good news for Jackson? I am told that despite the auction action,
the faded pop star has been rehearsing for his London concerts out in the San Fernando Valley, working out, hiring dancers and musicians, and is generally pumped right now to get his 50 shows ready. He’s already brought back long time show director Kenny Ortega, and the word is loyal ex-make up artist Karen Faye is coming back to the fold, too.http://www.showbiz411.com/?s=michael+jackson