Katy Perry has become the first woman to have five number one singles from the same album on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Katy Perry has matched Michael Jackson's record of having five number one hit singles from the same album on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
The brunette beauty's latest release 'Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)' made history as it became her fifth single from platinum record 'Teenage Dream' to reach the top spot, following the success of 'California Gurls', 'Teenage Dream', 'Firework' and 'E.T.', which has left the singer feeling "proud".
The 26-year-old star took to her twitter account to announce the news earlier today (17.08.11), tweeting: "What a way to wake up! SO proud to announce that the little-engine-that-could of a song 'LAST FRIDAY NIGHT' is officially #1 & made HISTORY! (sic)"
Katy then praised her fans for helping her become the first woman to achieve the feat.
She wrote: "& u know, I couldn't have done it with out ya, really I owe u guys BIG... so take this moment to give yourself a high FIVE!!! #all because of u (sic)"
The exploit was last achieved by Michael - who died in 2009, aged 50 - when his 10-track album 'Bad' featured five number one singles, 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You', 'Bad', 'The Way You Make Me Feel', 'Man in the Mirror' and 'Dirty Diana', between 1987 and 1988 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Michael Jackson is getting his own tribute attraction in Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino, which will include a recreation of his Neverland Ranch.
Cirque du Soleil are to recreate Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch in Las Vegas.
The Canadian entertainment company plan to turn the Mandalay Bay resort into a tribute attraction to the late 'King of Pop' which will include a lounge inspired by the singer, a museum of memorabilia and a theatre which will be a replicate of the pop legend's famous home.
In an announcement made at the hotel and casino on Wednesday (28.04.11) - which was attended by Michael's brother Jackie - Cirque du Soleil President Daniel Lamarre said: "This place, Mandalay Bay, is going to become the home of Michael Jackson in many, many ways."
John Branca, co-executor of the Jackson estate, has also revealed the attraction will contain items from the star's home.
He said: "Very few fans would ever get to visit Michael's Neverland Ranch because of its remote location. Now they can."
The Las Vegas tribute to the 'Billie Jean' hitmaker is set to open in 2013, and is the latest collaboration between the circus troupe and the Jackson estate.
Cirque du Soleil's new show, 'Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour' - which cost $57 million to create - is set to open in Montreal, Canada, in October and will then tour 30 cities across North America, including New York, Miami, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
When the show hits the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in December it will coincide with a fan convention which will launch the permanent tribute to Michael.
'Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour' contains many of Michael's greatest hits, clips of his iconic music videos and several as-yet-unreleased songs.
Late pop legend Michael Jackson's "unsettled" spirit has apparently begged ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley to forgive him at a seance, her friend Karen Fayehas revealed.
Faye, who was Jackson's make-up artist, said she and Marie Presley, 42, contacted the King of Pop using a psychic last week where he asked for forgiveness for his wrongs to her, reports thesun.co.uk.
"He seemed to be on a mission to reach out to people in his life and be forgiven. Michael spent his time explaining his faults and wanting us to forgive him. He seemed unsettled," said Faye.
Faye insisted the medium had "no idea" of their link to Jackson, who died aged 50 last June.
"There were definite, deep insights that would have been difficult to make up. It was detailed on the inner dynamics of his family and his levels of pain and emotional inability," she said.
She further informed Jackson would not discuss manslaughter charges faced by his doctor Conrad Murray in Los Angeles.
"He said he was detached from things," he said.
Jackson married Marie Presley in 1994 before splitting after 18 months.
Union bosses at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) have warned members not to take part in the documentary about Michael Jackson's doomed This Is It tour.
Sony Pictures have purchased rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage from concert promoters AEG Live, filmed at Los Angeles' Staples Center, as Jackson prepared for his residency at London's o2 Arena.
Sony has planned a two-week run for the film beginning 28 October (09); however, SAG bosses have announced that the film's producers have not agreed to the minimum basic terms and conditions for performers and background actors employed on the project.
A statement from the union reads: "Guild members are reminded of their obligation not to accept employment on any non-signatory project, as well as their obligation to confirm with the guild that a project is signatory.
"Employment on any non-signatory project within the guild's jurisdiction may subject a member to a Rule One violation."
The union did not have jurisdiction over rehearsals and behind-the-scenes footage during filming, which it expects to be a feature release.
Jackson was set to take the stage in July (09), just weeks after he died from cardiac arrest on 25 June (09).
Michael Jackson's estate has raised a staggering $90 million (£60 million) since his death in June (09).
Jackson passed away less than eight weeks ago after suffering a cardiac arrest in Los Angeles, prompting a renewed interest in the singer's music back-catalogue.
The executors of his estate, John Branca and John McClain, have negotiated a number of deals that have helped pull in millions - and, after signing new merchandising and film deals, they expect to earn another $90 million before the end of the year (09).
Branca says, "That is a new record for estates that is unlikely to be broken."
He has also predicted that Jackson's estate will in the future continue to make up to $90 million a year - topping the posthumous profits generated by Elvis Presley's estate, which took in $50 million (£33 million) in 2008.
Branca adds, "When you look at what the Presley estate has done, you see the opportunities here."
But Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for Mr Branca and Mr McClain, points out that much of the money will be used to pay off the star's debts.
He explains, "We are very optimistic about the revenue we will generate. But we also have to be sober about the debt the estate has."
The Thriller legend died with debts amounting to approximately $398 m illion (£265 million).
Police have been called in when millions of pounds of Michael Jackson memorabilia has been stolen from Las Vegas.
Business man Henry Vaccaro was involved in a legal dispute with Jackson in the 1990s and the late singer settled the case by handing over items from his personal collection which he kept locked up in Las Vegas.
The treasure - believed to be worth over $1 million (£625,000) - is said to include lyrics, notebooks and costumes, as well as 60 unreleased master tapes, which contain 26 previously unheard Jackson songs.
Shortly before the music icon's death in June (09), Vaccaro agreed to hand eight items back to Jackson, following a request from the star - and after Jackson's death he offered to return the belongings to the estate.
But when he went back to the storage space in Las Vegas with two of Jackson's lawyers in July (09), he reportedly discovered 114 items missing, including the eight he had agreed to return to Jackson.
Vaccaro alleges the missing items were subsequently sold by Clark County Public Auction owner Mario Trabado, who claims to have acquired the items legally from a private seller.
He sold 277 lots for approximately $37,000 (£23,00) at the end of June (09).
Vaccaro has lodged a complaint with the Las vegas police, who are believed to be investigating his claims.
Michael Jackson's final ever 'concert' is being released as a "gift to his millions of fans".
Sony Pictures Entertainment has confirmed it will piece together highlights from hours of footage of the late pop legend rehearsing for his sold-out 'This Is It' London concerts.
The hotly-anticipated film - which shares its name with the never-performed shows - will feature 3D segments, behind-the-scenes footage and a host of classic songs Jackson was perfecting leading up to his sudden death on June 25.
Music executive John McClain - who along with Jackson's long-time attorney John Branca was named as an executor of his estate in his will - said: "This film is not only a tribute to an artist who created excitement every moment he was on stage, but also is a fitting gift to the millions of fans worldwide who loved him and who he devoted his professional life to entertaining."
This film is not only a tribute to an artist who created excitement every moment he was on stage, but also is a fitting gift to the millions of fans worldwide who loved him and who he devoted his professional life to entertaining.
Kenny Ortega, who was creative director for the 'This Is It' shows, is delighted the world will get to see Jackson's vision for the residency.
Ortega said: "Everyone will see what our team was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion and creativity that Michael put into this project. He was the architect of 'This Is It', and we were his builders. The footage that was captured from the early stages of the production to our technical rehearsals at the Staples Center in Los Angeles will show Michael as he truly was, creatively involved with every aspect of the production.
"It will also show Michael as one of the greatest entertainers in the world. The footage will show that he was on his way to another theatrical triumph."
A percentage of the proceeds will go directly to Jackson's estate for the benefit of the Michael Jackson Family Trust.
Branca said: "Our goal is to work with partners who treat Michael's legacy with dignity and respect, while allowing us to substantially build the value of his estate for the benefit of Mrs. Katherine Jackson, Michael's three children and the charitable causes that meant so much to him during his life."
The 'Billie Jean' singer's mother Katherine has been granted full custody of her son's children - Prince Michael I, 12, and Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, also known as 'Blanket'.
Sony Pictures reportedly paid £36 million for the rights to the exclusive rehearsal footage from AEG Live and the movie will hit cinemas worldwide on October 28.
The final resting place of the late U.S. pop singer
Michael Jackson has yet to be determined by his mother Katherine, one of his brothers says.
Jermaine Jackson said in an interview for CNN's "Larry King Live" Friday his mother had not decided where the "Thriller" star's remains will be buried. Jermaine said he would like to see his brother's body buried at Neverland Ranch in California.
"I'm just concerned about security and being secure in a peaceful setting," he said of his preference of a burial at Michael Jackson's former home.
Jermaine also downplayed suspicions his brother was addicted to drugs prior to his June 25 death at age 50.
"I have never seen him act abnormal around me or never known anything like that," Jermaine told King.
Jermaine also voiced support for John Branca and John McClain, the two individuals who have control of his late brother's estate holdings.
"These are people we have known for many, many years," he said. "They are doing an incredible job. They have raised a lot of money, close to $100 million for the estate. They are following out Michael's wishes accordingly."
Michael Jackson thought 'Bad' was a flop.
The pop icon - who died of a suspected cardiac arrest last month - was unhappy the album failed to match the success of its predecessor, 'Thriller', despite selling over 25 million copies.
His friend and collaborator Quincy Jones - who produced Michael's biggest three LPs, 'Off the Wall', 'Thriller' and 'Bad' - said: "He sold 25 million copies of 'Bad'. That's a lot of records. But Michael wanted to sell 100 million. In his bathroom he had written '100 million' on the mirror in lipstick.
Every city I go to, at midnight, I hear 'Billie Jean', I hear 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough', I hear 'Wanna Be Starting Something'
"I said, 'Michael, nobody's going to convince me that 25 million is a bomb."
Although Michael is classed as one of the greatest musicians of all time by critics, Quincy admits he is still amazed by the enduring popularity of the 'Smooth Criminal' hitmaker.
He added: "He was inventive and experimental. He'd try anything.
"Every city I go to, at midnight, I hear 'Billie Jean', I hear 'Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough', I hear 'Wanna Be Starting Something'. His music is still dominant. It's astounding."
According to a report accompanying the pictures, Jackson spent hours studying the ankle, heel, and toes to "glide like he was on ice" across the stage.
His friend Dr. Steven Hoefflin has revealed that the late ‘Thriller’ hitmaker had once seen some children doing an unusual "walking forward while moving backwards" dance in 1982.
He says that he even took the star to a dissection at UCLA Hospital so that he could gain some understanding about the anatomy of the feet.
"When you think of Michael Jackson, you think of the Moonwalk. That dance was Michael’s obsession and passion, we spent weeks practising in my living room," British tabloid The Sun quoted Dr. Hoefflin as saying.
Michael finally unveiled his Moonwalk dancing to hit Billie Jean at the 25th Anniversary of Motown concert in Pasadena in May 1983.
Dr. Hoefflin admitted he was "overcome with pride", saying: "Michael wanted to blow the world away with his dance. He achieved that."
Michael Jackson's death left a huge void in the music world. His brothers may be trying to fill at least one of them with the rebirth of the Jackson….four.
It appears that the King of Pop's passing may spurn a mini-reunion tour for the surviving members of the Jackson 5.
Jacksons Tito, Randy, Marlon and Jermaine are reportedly in talks with concert promoters AEG to perform at the O2 Arena in London, according to the Los Angeles Times.
That would be the same venue where the King of Pop was set to stage his comeback with 50 shows, before he died June 25.
While a rep for AEG has yet to comment, according to the L.A. Times, any show put on by the brothers would not be a one-off: They are reportedly negotiating for several dates at the U.K. venue.
Countdown to when Jermaine calls the paper a liar in 3...2...1..
Michael Jackson's body has been moved amid fears fans would break into the crypt where it was stored.
The late 'Thriller' star's coffin was taken to a private tomb belonging to Motown records founder Berry Gordy after the memorial service last week, but thousands of people have flocked to the spot since the location was leaked last weekend.
The Jackson family have now moved the coffin to the basement of the main building at Forest Lawn Cemetery - where the singer's private funeral took place - until his final resting place is decided.
A source said: "The Jackson family was not pleased and ordered the casket to be placed in the basement for security reasons."
The Jackson family was not pleased and ordered the casket to be placed in the basement for security reasons.
Michael's sister LaToya Jackson - who supplied information for the star's death certificate - was reportedly responsible for choosing what he wore to be buried in.
The 50-year-old star is believed to have been dressed in black studded trousers, an oversized gold belt and two black gloves. His trademark single white glove was also placed in the coffin with him.
It is believed that Michael's family want him to be laid to rest in his Californian ranch Neverland.
However, his mother Katherine is said to be blocking their wish because she believes it is not what the late star - who moved out of the property when he was acquitted of child abuse charges in 2005 - would have wanted.
Katherine has failed in another bid to be "treated like a third trustee" of the singer's estate, after originally being refused to be legally named as co-administrator last Monday (06.07.09).
Documents filed at Los Angeles Superior Court yesterday (13.07.09) contained details of the dispute but Judge Mitchell Beckhoff signed off papers for the singer's two existing trustees - attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain - to begin doing business on behalf of the estate.
Katherine had been named temporary administrator in the aftermath of Michael's death last month.
A new court date has been set for August 3.
Meanwhile, toxicology results that could help establish the cause of the 'Bad' singer's death may be available this week or early next week, an official from the Los Angeles County Coroner's office has claimed.
It is expected the office will announce they have the results and then release the details the following day.
While much of New York left town for the sandier, quieter Hamptons scene, a small but dedicated faction of Michael Jackson fans paid tribute to the late singer over the weekend...by bar-hopping all over Manhattan's East Village and Union Square neighborhoods. Saturday's "King of Pop Pub Crawl" was a mostly frat-tastic affair held at various watering holes where fans came to dance, sing, and drink (natch) in tribute to the late singer.
When the event was first announced on July 1, it caused a stir on the Internet. "This is parasitic gutter PR at its most vile," cried Time Out New York's Feed blog, which redacted the locations from its post, while New York Magazine's Grub Street had a sarcastic, albeit less offended take on the matter. I'm not really sure why there was such an outcry. It's understandable that some people might have seen this as a tacky marketing plot to drum up liquor sales, and it's easy to see why some participants would just use the event as an excuse to wear cheesy fedoras and get drunk in the middle of the day.
But while the event felt not unlike the countless themed frat parties I attended in college (one sunglasses-clad bargoer even brought along a baby doll and a blanket, waving it over the dance floor railing at one bar -- get it?), the mood was largely celebratory. People -- it didn't matter if they were old friends or just met that day -- were just having a good time, whether they were dancing to "Billie Jean" or singing "Man in the Mirror" with the entire bar. Many came dressed in typical Michael Jackson fashion (that is, if Michael Jackson had worn madras shorts) like white gloves, and for the particularly dedicated fans, black fedoras. Some simply jumped up and down to songs like "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," while others clearly had spent considerable time at home mastering the King of Pop's nimble footwork. New York resident Nick Lorenzen, 28, was one such bar-hopper. "My buddy is a huge Michael Jackson fan," he said. So where did he get those dance moves? "I don't know; I like to dance, especially Michael Jackson-specific," he said.
What about you, PopWatchers? Was anyone celebrating MJ's life in your hometown?
A few weeks before his death, Michael Jackson reportedly advised Britney Spears to retire from the music industry to focus on life with her family.
The late 'Thriller' star - who died of a suspected cardiac arrest on June 25 - reportedly telephoned the 'Toxic' hitmaker and warned her not to 'end up' like him.
"Michael told her, 'Don't end up like me.' His warning was eerie, like he was trying to tell Britney he was going to die," Contactmusic quoted a friend of Britney as saying.
The source told Britain's Look magazine, "I think Michael's warning sent shivers down Britney's spine. He was emphatic in warning her she should leave showbusiness in order to maintain her sanity. He thought she should retire after the 'Circus' tour so she could focus on the things that mattered - her sons and family. Britney must have taken Michael's words to heart as she promised him she would at least take a long break after she finished the tour," the source added.
Jackson and Spears had remained friends since they famously performed 'The Way You Make Me Feel' together at Michael's 30th anniversary celebration concert in New York's Madison Square Garden in 2001.
Grace Rwaramba, the woman closest to Jackson and his three children, was in London when news of the tragedy broke on Thursday.
As she prepared to board a plane to fly home and comfort the orphaned kids Grace got the call from one of the Jackson family which shocked her to the core.
She told interviewer Daphne Barak: "The relative said, 'Grace, you remember Michael used to hide cash at the house? I'm here. Where can it be?'
"I told them to look in the garbage bags and under the carpets. But can you believe that? They just lost Michael a few hours ago and already one of them is calling me to know where the money is!
"They also told me the children were crying and asking about me. They can't believe their father died."
This is the first time Grace, 42, has broken her silence on her 17 years with Jackson - five as his secretary and 12 as nanny.
In candid conversations she revealed sensational details of the pop king's secret life, how he:
* DOWNED so many drugs she had to pump his stomach on many occasions to prevent a fatal overdose. * SPONGED off generous pals' handouts and loans.
* SPENT weeks living in the basement of a former employee's cramped home recently because he was BROKE.
* TERRIFIED his children who actually HATED the masks he forced them to wear in public.
Choking back tears, Grace spelled out her fears over the orphaned kids - Prince, 12, Paris, 11 and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known to the family as Blanket - and admitted: "I'm really distraught for them. Michael hadn't been eating and the kids have been so scared for him.
"Now the youngest has been saying,'Why Daddy? God should have taken me not him.' "
Uganda-born Grace, 42, revealed she fled America to join TV interviewer Barak at her Swiss holiday home after she was abruptly sacked by ailing Jackson just two months ago. And on Thursday she screamed with shock as she learned of his death.
Grace now finds herself at the centre of the billion-pound custody battle for the children - now being looked after by Jacko's mum Katherine, 79.
Trembling with panic MJ's little daughter Paris screamed: "Where's Daddy?" as a team of paramedics burst into their palatial Hollywood home on Thursday.
Her thick brown hair matted with tears, the 11-year-old clutched her brothers Prince Michael and Prince Michael II and together they cried for their father who was lying unconscious in the bedroom.
These were the chaotic moving scenes that faced emergency services when they raced into Jacko's £100,000-a-month rented pad in upmarket Carolwood Drive, Los Angeles.
The three children, who led sheltered lives as part of the King of Pop's entourage, were suddenly thrust into a nightmare their superstar dad would not survive.
The autopsy details of pop star Michael Jackson gives a horrifying picture of the singer at the time of his death - he was a virtual skeleton as he was barely eating, there were only pills in his stomach. He was bald, bruised and also had broken ribs and needle wounds.
His hips, thighs and shoulders were riddled with needle wounds believed to be the result of injections of narcotic painkillers, given three times a day for years.
And multiple surgery scars were said to be the legacy of at least 13 cosmetic operations. Experts found the distressing evidence of Jackson's physical decline while investigating his startling death here last week, reported thesun.co.uk.
The examination showed the 5'10" star, once famed for his on-stage athleticism, had plunged to a "severely emaciated" state. It is understood anorexic Jackson had been eating just one meagre meal a day.
Pathologists found his stomach empty aside from partially-dissolved pills he took before the painkiller injection which stopped his heart. Samples were sent for toxicology tests.
Having lost virtually all his hair, the pop legend was wearing a wig when he died and pathologists said little more than "peach fuzz" covered his scalp.
A scarred section of skin above his left ear was entirely bald, apparently the result of a 1984 accident when his hair caught fire as he filmed an ad for Pepsi.
Jackson suffered several broken ribs as frantic rescuers pumped his chest after he collapsed in cardiac arrest. Four injection sites were found above or near the King of Pop's heart. All appeared to result from attempts to pump adrenaline directly into the organ in a failed bit to restart it.
Three of the injections had penetrated the heart wall causing damage, but a fourth missed and hit one of the 50-year-old star's ribs.
The autopsy also found unexplained bruising on Jackson's knees and on the fronts of both shins. And there were cuts on his back, indicating a recent fall.
Jackson's once handsome face bore a network of plastic surgery scars, while the bridge to his nose had vanished and its right side had partially collapsed.
As inquiries into the tragedy focussed on the star's personal physician Conrad Murray, a source close to the Jackson entourage said: "Michael's family and fans will be horrified when they realise the appalling state he was in. His doctors and the hangers-on stood by as he self-destructed. Somebody is going to have to pay."
Murray, a cardiologist, was thought to have given Jackson the final injection of painkiller Demerol.
A second autopsy demanded by the Jackson family was carried out at a secret location Saturday after the first ruled out foul play.
Murray was hired just 11 days ago by AEG Live, the firm masterminding Jackson's 50 concerts at London's O2 Arena, earlier scheduled to start next month.
Sources claimed the family was preparing a multi-million-dollar lawsuit against the cardiologist.
Michael Jackson has announced his "last ever" London shows.
The singer kept thousands of fans waiting for several hours before taking to the stage in the UK capital's O2 arena today (05.03.09) to confirm a 10-night residency at the venue in July.
Appearing on stage for around three minutes, Michael - clad in a black military style jacket and sunglasses - said: "This is it. I just want to say that these will be my final show performances in London.
I love you so much. This will be it. When I say this is it, it really means this is it. I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is the final curtain call.
"I love you so much. This will be it. When I say this is it, it really means this is it. I'll be performing the songs my fans want to hear. This is the final curtain call."
Prior to appearing on stage, British TV presenter Dermot O'Leary had introduced a short video clip of the 50-year-old 'Thriller' star's biggest hits, which was met by rapturous cheers from the fans who had flocked to get a glimpse of their idol.
It was not made clear if Michael, 50, plans to take his stage show anywhere else when his London residency ends.
Tickets for the shows - which open on July 8 - go on sale on March 13 priced between £50 and £75.
A website, www.MichaelJacksonLive.com, where fans can register for a pre-sale crashed within an hour of the announcement.
Michael Jackson will not appear in a London court on Monday after the U.S. pop star reached a settlement "in principle" with a Bahraini prince suing him for reneging on a recording contract.
The reclusive 50-year-old had agreed last week to testify at the High Court.
"As Mr. Jackson was about to board his plane to London, he was advised by his legal team to postpone his travels since the parties had concluded a settlement in principle," a London spokeswoman for Jackson said on Sunday.
"Therefore, he will not be attending court on Monday," said the spokeswoman from PR company Outside Organization.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Khalifa, second son of the king of Bahrain, said Jackson failed to honor a contract to record a new album, write an autobiography and produce a stage play.
He also told the court last week that Jackson owed him $7 million after the prince paid for legal costs, travel and other expenses in 2005 and 2006.
Jackson and his children spent time in Bahrain as a guest of the royal family following a 2005 trial on child molestation charges, but he backed down from plans to work with Sheikh Abdullah in 2006.
He was acquitted of the charges in 2005, but the trial left Jackson's career, reputation and financial status in tatters and he has been a virtual recluse since.
NO VALID AGREEMENT
Jackson's lawyers argued that there was no valid agreement with Sheikh Abdullah, and they have tried to portray the prince as a generous but naive, star-struck pop music amateur.
They also say Sheikh Abdullah's payments to Jackson and his staff were intended as gifts, not part of a business agreement.
Details of the personal and financial relationship between Jackson and Sheikh Abdullah surfaced during the first week of the trial.
The court heard that the prince gave Jackson and his representatives $1 million before he had met the star, and provided $35,000 to pay for utility bills at the singer's Neverland Ranch in the United States.
He paid Jackson $2.2 million in legal fees, and more than $300,000 for the services of a motivational "guru."
Sheikh Abdullah also spent $450,000 on Jackson's brother Jermaine in late 2004 and early 2005, and paid for a Rolls-Royce car for him in California.
Jackson and the prince spoke by telephone and collaborated on songs long-distance during the 2005 trial.
The courts took the unusual step last week of issuing tickets to media outlets wanting to attend the hearing on Monday, in anticipation of the huge press and public interest his appearance was likely to generate.
Pop star Michael Jackson has allegedly left his children's nanny to battle life-threatening cancer alone in California.
Grace Rwaramba - who has been the primary carer for the singer's three children for several years - is reportedly suffering from lupus and has been abandoned by the pop superstar in her time of need.
A spokeswoman for Jackson denied the claims, insisting Grace was in good health.
But a source told the New York Daily News newspaper: "Grace is not doing well. She's ill, and she could use his spiritual, mental and financial support right now.
"I do believe Michael has affection for Grace, but he acts like a child.
"He could at least give her a call and say, 'How are you doing, Grace? Do you need more doctors?' But it's never like that. It's always taking.
"She's not on death's door, but she's like she was at the beginning of his child molestation trial when she took a break.
"Maybe he thinks she's on a similar break, and she just needs time to get well. I hope he can find it in himself to not be so self-centred."
Jackson's spokeswoman Raymone Bain called the claims "a hilarious rumour".
"I can guarantee she is not very ill. I've spoken to her in the last two hours."
Bain refused to disclose the Thriller singer's whereabouts, only saying "he's in the studio finishing up some music, doing vocals with a host of artists."
The spokeswoman also claimed Rwaramba, 40, is still the primary carer to 10-year-old son Prince Michael Jackson II, nine-year-old daughter Paris, and five-year-old Prince Michael Jackson III nicknamed 'Blanket'.
Last month, it was claimed Jackson and Rwaramba had married in Las Vegas but Bain has dismissed the rumours.
The eccentric singer has recently been dividing his time between Ireland and Las Vegas and was rumoured to be planning a residency at a Las Vegas hotel.
In July, Jackson dropped his Las Vegas plans without any explanation.
A song touted as the first new release from MICHAEL JACKSON in four years is a fake, according to the pop superstar's representative.
Radio bosses at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania station 93.1 Kiis FM aired dance track Mamacita, which contains segments sung in Spanish, earlier this week (begs03Sep07), and claimed it was Jackson's work.
However, the King Of Pop's spokesman Raymone Bain denies Mamacita is a Jackson song, telling Eurweb that he "has not released any music yet".