Dirty Laundry

I like to think that Janet Jackson has more class than what’s being touted by the gossip rags this week. I mean she certainly doesn’t need the money. Of all the Jacksons she was the only one not relying on Michael as a means of support. But the truth is the Jacksons are just like any other Black family after a loved one departs…we lose it. If you haven’t seen the scene from the movie Kingdom Come where Jada Pinkett’s character throws herself on the casket of her late father-in-law and sobs “Aw lawd, take me…take me”, you should. Not only because it’s a really funny and highly underrated movie but because it clearly demonstrates what happens to Black folks when somebody dies. Besides the attention seeking, look at me I’m grieving loud enough to wake the dead, actors and actresses who attempt to make the funeral all about them, if there’s money involved people tend to lose their minds…and it doesn’t have to be millions. Somebody could leave behind a $1,000 savings bond and a fight could break out with relatives taking sides like a scene from the Beat It video. And don’t get me started on those who come by to “clean” the house of the dearly departed and abscond with old moth eaten furs, that leftover couch from 1972, dime store jewelry and even food from the freezer…but nobody else was gonna eat that leftover Gumbo from last January anyway, so she can have it.

So imagine then if you were set to possibly inherit the close to a billion dollars the Michael Jackson estate has accumulated since his death. You too might kidnap your mother and her mother as well and pack their asses off to Arizona to “rest”. Especially if it meant you would no longer have to roll out of bed every morning put on your glad face and trot off to that job where you start counting the hours to quitting time five minutes before you arrive…seriously how can it only be 8:05 AM, I could swear I’ve been here 12 hours already. Of course you would go back for that last check (you earned it) and give them your “y’all can kiss my ass!” speech… really, I’m not kidding I have my “I just won the lotto and y’all can all go to hell...immediately” speech written out and ready to go. Or just imagine you had gotten used to Michael’s millions taking care of you all those years, living the life of Riley, not a care in the world unable to spend it fast enough and then suddenly it was gone. I’m pretty sure I’d rather never have had it, than to have it taken away.

Who knows maybe the Jackson’s claims that Michael’s will is fake are actually true. Like I said before, Janet certainly doesn’t need the money and just how far fetched would it be for some non-related businessmen or trustee to steal billions from the estate. Or maybe the others are just pissed that Michael had gotten sick of taking care of them while he was alive and didn’t feel pressed to do it in death. Hmm, maybe Janet is sick of forking out cash herself to these leeches so she figures she can help them get it from Michael. Or maybe he just wanted them to go out get a job and take care of their damn selves. At any rate, Michael certainly had the right to leave his money to whomever he chose, although anyone who needed an IV full of drugs stuck in his arm to make him sleep clearly wasn’t in their right mind.

On the other hand, Paris Jackson, Michael’s daughter (I’ll save that for another post) needs a good old-fashioned butt whooping and from the looks of the video shot by TMZ, Randy had to stop Janet from doing just that. In this age of electronic messaging and social networking she should know that anything she tweets about her family is going to be picked up by all the news sites, which have never been exactly sympathetic to her family. Little girl needs to sit her ass down somewhere and quit tweeting family business out for the world to view. Part of the problem between Janet and Paris began when Paris tweeted about becoming an actress and Janet told her she should concentrate on being a teenager first which coming from a former child actress is pretty good advice. Paris didn’t appreciate the advice so Janet offered to kick her ass instead…well not really but I’m sure she thought it and they did exchange words. And why are people listening to her anyway? She’s 14! As far as Tito’s (it’s even funnier when you type it) son getting involved, well what are his motivations and what does he stand to gain. Somebody needs to check his ass out as well.

So as the drama continues, according to Michael’s will Diana Ross is next in line for custody of the kids. Now say what you will about Miss Ross, anyone who knows me would know I’m not exactly impartial (ok, I love the woman, is it a crime?) but you never hear anything about her children airing dirty laundry.