Are Michael Jackson’s Parents Illegally Profiting Off Their Dead Son?
SodaHead Music
2010/05/27 19:23:58
Joe and Katherine Jackson are using their dead son’s image in order to sell commemorative belts at $1500 a piece.
Michael Jackson’s parents have apparently teamed up with Jerry Olivarez, a public relations executive and a longtime friend of the family, to design and sell the pricey – and possibly illegal – belts. The belts are all emblazoned with images trademarked by the Michael Jackson estate, such as MJ’s official crest and his famous moonwalking feet, that may not be used for commercial purposes without the approval of the estate.
And the estate most definitely does not approve.
Making matters worse is the apparent coercion of Jackson’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, into participating in the dubious scheme. According to the website set up by Olivarez to sell the belts, all three children, as well as Joe and Katherine, have autographed one of the belts that will be auctioned off separately, with an opening bid of five thousand dollars.
Howard Weitzman, the attorney for the estate, didn’t even know about the belts until contacted by gossip website TMZ. “The Trustees of the Estate of Michael Jackson did not authorize the making or the sale of the Michael Jackson Tribute Belts. We would never condone the use of Michael’s children’s signatures to promote the sale of merchandise.”
Should MJ’s parents be allowed to use images of their own son however they want? Or is this just sleazy profiteering off the dead?
Michael Jackson’s parents have apparently teamed up with Jerry Olivarez, a public relations executive and a longtime friend of the family, to design and sell the pricey – and possibly illegal – belts. The belts are all emblazoned with images trademarked by the Michael Jackson estate, such as MJ’s official crest and his famous moonwalking feet, that may not be used for commercial purposes without the approval of the estate.
And the estate most definitely does not approve.
Making matters worse is the apparent coercion of Jackson’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, into participating in the dubious scheme. According to the website set up by Olivarez to sell the belts, all three children, as well as Joe and Katherine, have autographed one of the belts that will be auctioned off separately, with an opening bid of five thousand dollars.
Howard Weitzman, the attorney for the estate, didn’t even know about the belts until contacted by gossip website TMZ. “The Trustees of the Estate of Michael Jackson did not authorize the making or the sale of the Michael Jackson Tribute Belts. We would never condone the use of Michael’s children’s signatures to promote the sale of merchandise.”
Should MJ’s parents be allowed to use images of their own son however they want? Or is this just sleazy profiteering off the dead?
Top Opinion
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BloodMist 2010/05/27 21:28:05
Or is this just sleazy profiteering off the dead?
I really love mike i really do! nad when he died i was just so sad! R.I.P! LOVEYOUMIKE
Before you slam Katherine and Joe, do some research on who is (wrongfully)in control of the estate now and how they are treating MJ's immediate family. Michael appointed his mother and children to be the beneficiary of his fortune and they have not received a penny from the record-grossing film This is It, or the multi-million dollar Sony deal. (to name a few)
If you knew the truth about what's happening with the estate, you'd be sick...frankly, so would Michael.
God might forgive them, but I think their a pair of a**holes!
R.I.P Mikey!!!
http://www.contactmusic.com/n...
The children are obviously innocent in this.
The father has less shame than the mother of MJ...sheesh, when will it be enough. Their children didn't have childhoods of their own, and the parents have been treated them all as cash cows, and now they're making a profit using the image of one of their deceased children. They are sick. Sick, I tell you. Sick!
Are they that desperate for money?