Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Jacko Can't Get Janet for All-Star Single
I told you the other day Michael Jackson was pursuing Usher to be part of his charity single for the Gulf Coast.
Now Jackson has announced, through his publicist Raymone Bain, a roster of singers he claims will participate in the project.
They are: Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, R. Kelly, Wyclef Jean, Lenny Kravitz, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Yolanda Adams, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, James Brown, Snoop Dogg, the O'Jays and Ciara.
It's not clear whether any of this is true, or who's going to round all these people up.
One name not on the released list is Janet Jackson.
Janet is likely to stay far away from her brother right now rather than risk her new album — currently being finished — being tainted. Her last album, "Damita Jo," was destroyed by her 2004 Super Bowl fiasco.
There's also no mention of how money will be collected from Michael's project, or where it will go.
The press release, which this column received late last night, says only that the money will go to victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Everyone should be reminded that Jackson's charity, Heal the World, is no longer in business, and that money collected from a Feb. 14, 2001, Carnegie Hall benefit, co-produced with his then-friend Shmuley Boteach, has never been found.
There's also some question of who will produce or coordinate Jackson's effort. So far, none of his regular people have been called in to help.
I'm told the usual fighting is going on within his family, among brothers Randy and Jermaine and Jackson's make-up artist Karen Faye. Joseph Jackson, Michael's avaricious dad, who's debuting a movie on Thursday, is also said to be jockeying for position.
In other words: The people of the Gulf Coast should not hold their breaths waiting to see this money.
(fox news) :nuts