Michael Jackson’s estate has generated more than $310 million in the two years since the pop singer died deeply in debt.
Now his executors plan to distribute a preliminary payment of $30 million to Jackson’s mother and children, and to unnamed charities, according to recently filed court documents.
Executors also disclosed that Jackson’s mother, Katherine, is putting the family’s fabled Encino compound up for sale and wants the executors to negotiate the purchase of a new residence for her and the children, Paris, Prince and Michael Joseph Jr., known as Blanket.
The Encino property, where Jackson grew up and where several of his siblings lived in a cottage near their parents’ home was appraised at $4.15 million in 2010 but has since undergone extensive renovation.
Katherine Jackson and the children moved out and have been living at a leased Calabasas home that is for sale for about $10 million.
The executors said they were able to refinance and secure the estate’s interest in the Michael Jackson music catalog, Mijac, and the Sony/ATV publishing catalog, which includes portions of the Beatles catalog.
They said they reduced debt obligations by more than $90 million and refinanced loans at lower interest rates. they also benefited from the release of the posthumous concert film, “This is it,” and said they were able to pay off dozens of approved creditors’ claims as well as Jackson’s income taxes.
McBride takes train to release new CD
Country star Martina McBride is on track to release her new album, “Eleven,” in October with a cross-country train ride.
The four-day, exclusive trip will take her from Los Angeles to new York and make 11 stops along the way. She’ll perform intimate concerts for fans in Albuquerque, N.M., Chicago and new York.
The tour is called, “‘Eleven’ Across America Powered By Amtrak.” it begins Oct. 10.
“Eleven” is McBride’s 11th studio album.
McBride has sold more than 18 million albums. She’s had six No. 1 hits including, “Wild Angels” and “A Broken Wing.”
Cooper’s debut tanks in ratings
Ratings for Anderson Cooper’s talk show premiere were nothing to giggle about.
Monday’s premiere drew a 1.1 household rating, according to Nielsen, which put him well below established shows such as “Regis and Kelly” (2.9 rating), “Ellen” (2.6), “Dr. Oz” (2.0) and “The Talk” (1.9).
However, syndicated talk shows can take a while to build, and Warner Bros., which is syndicating “Anderson” through its Telepictures division, points out that the premiere was pre-empted in several markets and aired against U.S. Open tennis coverage.
Winehouse’s father says he fought drug dealers
Amy Winehouse’s father says the fight to get her off drugs often turned physical, as he tussled with the drug dealers and gangsters who were supplying his daughter with them.
Mitch Winehouse said his daughter finally budged once she saw how hurt her family was.
Amy Winehouse, who had struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, was found dead at her London home on July 23. Her father launched a youth charity, the Amy Winehouse Foundation, on Wednesday, which would’ve been the singer’s 28th birthday.
Book claims Bristol Palin wanted to get pregnant
Levi Johnston writes in his upcoming book that his ex-girlfriend Bristol Palin was so angry about her mother’s pregnancy with son Trig that she wanted to get pregnant, too.
Johnston says when Bristol found out her mother, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, was expecting a baby she responded she should be having a baby, not her mother. He says she told him in March 2008, “let’s get pregnant.”
His book, “Deer in the Headlights: My Life in Sarah Palin’s Crosshairs,” comes out Tuesday.
In Bristol Palin’s book, “Not Afraid of Life: My Journey so Far,” she says she lost her virginity to Johnston on a camping trip when she got drunk on wine coolers.
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