Fan Fare

Gran, Mom or Aunt? Who should get Jacko’s kids?

The thorny question of who should raise Michael Jackson’s three young children goes back to the Los Angeles courts next week — and there could be three women now vying for custody.

Jacko said in his will that he wanted his Mom Katherine (pictured right) to look after them (with his good Motown friend, singer Diana Ross, as second choice).

But ex-wife Debbie Rowe (pictured left) appears to be considering staking a claim to at least the two kids ( Prince Michael I and Paris) that she gave birth to, if not also young Blanket, whose parentage has never been clarified.

Rowe this week slapped a defamation lawsuit on a woman who claimed she was willing to accept millions of dollars to give up her custody rights.

Now there’s news of a possible third contender — Jackson’s younger sister Janet (pictured right) , who has no children of her own and who according to OK! magazine has formed a special bond with the kids and is willing to raise them.

(It was Janet, remember, who comforted young Paris after she made her heart-felt tribute to “the best father you could ever imagine” at the singer’s public memorial last week.)

So we have a loving but 79 year-old grandmother, a mom who has barely had any contact with her children for 10 years, and a superstar aunt (aged 43) who may be best-known for her “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 halftime Super Bowl show.

Joe Jackson speaks about son at BET Awards

The family of Michael Jackson began to appear in public Sunday night at the BET Awards. Father Joe Jackson and sister Janet Jackson turned up at the Los Angeles awards show, sponsored by the BET television network, that annually gives out honors to African American singers, actors, actresses and athletes.

Janet Jackson did not answer any media questions or even approach the media. She appeared on stage, thanking the audience for turning out and showing their love for her brother. You can read about that here.

But Joe Jackson did walk the red carpet and talked to a few reporters, and he came backstage to answer two questions in front of cameras. Below is a two-minute video of Joe Jackson.

Eyes turn to Lil’ Kim’s costume on “Dancing”

Rap star Lil’ Kim had a near wardrobe malfunction on “Dancing with the Stars” Monday night that forced host Tom Bergeron to stand between her and the judges as she adjusted her top while judge Len Goodman critiqued her performance. It was quick, which has led to speculation about how much the rapper, who is known for sexually explicit lyrics, might have actually shown to viewers of the ABC program?

The accident happened after Lil’ Kim and her professional dancing partner Derek Hough performed a jive dance to the tune of “Jailhouse Rock,” a song made famous by Elvis Presley in 1957.  The performance was slightly ironic, since Kim was sentenced to prison for a year in 2005 following her conviction on conspiracy and perjury charges for lying to a grand jury about her friends’ involvement in a 2001 shooting.

Her “wardrobe malfunction” on Monday night’s “Dancing with the Stars” called to mind singer Janet Jackson’s half-time show at the 2004 Super Bowl, when Jackson upset many viewers by exposing a breast at the end of a performance with Justin Timberlake. Jackson blamed it on a “wardrobe malfunction,” but at the time it looked more like a publicity stunt gone awfully wrong and it angered many viewers. Lil’ Kim’s apparent gaff was edited out for “Dancing” viewers on the West Coast.

Derek Hough joked with US Weekly that his partner ”desperately tried to pull a Janet Jackson,” but Lil’ Kim interrupted him during the interview. “Don’t say that!” she said. “That’s a whole other show! I’d have to get paid a lot, a lot of money!” 

Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough got a judges score of 28 out of 30 for their dancing. But will her costume problems hurt her chances with the show’s voters? Or will it help? The show’s elimination round is Tuesday.

Elsewhere on ”Dancing,” French actor Gilles Marini told E! News that when he is finished competing on the show he will undergo surgery for a separated shoulder suffered during his run as a contestant. “I don’t really like to talk about it,” Marini told E! News. “I don’t want people to pity me.” Marini’s shoulder problem was one of several injuries this season on “Dancing,” which has lead to speculation of a “curse” affecting contestants.

Fashion guru Wintour tops fashion faux pas of 2008

Anna Wintour may be all-powerful in the world of fashion as editor of Vogue magazine but it seems even the almighty can get it wrong when it comes to frocks. Wintour topped a list in Time magazine of the fashion faux pas of 2008, wearning a silver dress to the Met Costume Gala that “makes her look like she’s encrusted with ammonoid fossils.”

But the stylish Wintour had some good company on the list. Coming in second place was Janet Jackson in a gold jumpsuit she wore to open the concerts on her RockWitchu tour which Time said did not seem to fit quite right and made her look like she came from another planet.

Christian Siriano, who won the fourth season of “Project Runway,” came under fire for wearing a gold, ruffled satin shirt while others in the firing line included Gwyneth Paltrow, Beyonce, Paula Abdul, Katie Holmes, and Kate Bosworth whose Chanel ensemble looked “like stacked muffin tins.”

Think of any others?

Wassup with Janet Jackson?

Janet Jackson’s Rock Witchu North American concert tour is turning into a wash-out, and no-one is saying why.

 The kid sister of Michael Jackson postponed yet another concert, set for Monday night, and hasn’t performed at all since her show in Montreal was called off at the last minute on Sept 29.

Jackson was rushed to hospital in Montreal but quickly released and no details have been released on what health issues the singer is suffering from.

  A statement on the Web site of the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, New York, announced Monday’s postponement. Meanwhile, Jackson’s planned show in New York City has been postponed from Thursday to Nov. 1. 

 Scheduled shows in Boston, Philadelphia, Greensboro, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale and Uncasville have all been postponed this month,  in some cases only a day after looking set to go again.

The 42-year-old singer launched her Rock Witchu tour in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 10 in a show that the Vancouver Sun called a “high-voltage performance.” Jackson’s concerts in Los Angeles and Las Vegas sold out last month. The tour was originally scheduled to end in Dallas on Oct. 22.      Jackson’s people have repeatedly declined to release any information on what is ailing the famed singer.  Janet Jackson’s career has also hit a crossroads, since during the tour she announced that she and her record company, Island Def Jam, were parting ways.   (Writing by Alex Dobuzinskis)