Queen of Pop Janet Jackson will be the opening the 2009 American Music Awards with an 8-minute performance next Sunday (Nov. 22)  on ABC at 8PM. Janet has also recently shot a music video for her new single, “Make Me,” and probably has some choreography for the track which she most likely will be performing at the AMAs.

After her compilation album Number Ones is released in stores on November 17th Janet will sit down with exclusively with ABC’s Robin Roberts Wednesday night (Nov. 18) at 9PM  to talk about the sudden tragic death of her brother Michael Jackson.

Make sure you tune in to the AMAs and look out for Janet’s Wednesday night interview!

Well, we know at least 1 Jackson can hold her own!

It turns out Michael Jackson’s series of lavish funerals were definitely a home going fit for a king! After three different ceremonies following his death in June, Michael Jackson was finally laid to rest in September. Everything combined ended up costing at least $1 million!

The only other person in the family with a cash flow like Mike would be his little sister Janet Jackson, who graciously covered some of the cost of the funeral bill, which was a whopping $103,578.50 and she put up $49,372.50 initially. Documents state that MJ ’sestate was granted permission to pay Janet back the money though and they picked up the remainder of the tab.

Reported by TMZ here are the general cost of the funeral:

As for itemized costs, the internment was $590,000. As for upkeep of the mausoleum — $88,500.

The casket coach — $295

Private security, lighting, baby grand piano, fan rentals — $176,020.31.

And there’s this — Framing of a photo of MJ which was placed next to the casket — $3,682.66

Wardrobe for the family — $1,975.50

Flower van — $125

Invitation programs–$11,716

Wardrobe cost of family–$1,975

Flowers–$16,000

Joe Jackson is rambling on again. This time he is seeking reparation from his late son Michael Jackson’s estate.  The latest court document says he receives a $1,700 monthly Social Security check and has relied on his son for many years … and now that he’s dead and gone, Papa Joe wants $15,000 per month!

“He does not have a regular or steady source of income, and he was dependent upon the money provided by his son, Michael Jackson, through his wife, Katherine Jackson, for his support,” the filing stated.

The late singer’s private trust calls for $26,000 to be paid a month to his mother, $60,000 a month for his three children, and several different charities.  There was no mention of his father in the will.

Howard Weitzman, an attorney for the adminstrators of the MJ estate says, “It was quite surprising to learn of the request…Mr. Jackon’s petition will be considered as are all requests for money from Michael’s estate.”

According to the filing, Joe Jackson suffers from diabetes and had a stroke in 1998. He has been married to Katherine Jackson for 50 years, but he lists his home in Las Vegas. She lives at the family home in Encino, north of Los Angeles.” All the family payments need to be reevaluated due to Joe Jackon extensive request for $15,000 a month; even mother Katherince Jackson has another hearing for early 2010.

Now that Michael Jackson is gone there is a heightened interest in the Jackson family as a whole, and the A&E network has decided to showcase the Jackson: A Family Dynasty on Sunday, Dec. 13th, at 9 p.m.

A&E will have a six show run and two-hour episodes. The show will include brothers Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and Jackie as they prepare for a reunion tour across the U.S. with what was supposed to also include a performance Michael Jackson in Texas next summer. The shooting of the TV show started up again after the death of MJ in June and these episodes will talk about their personal reaction and emotion to the situation of their brother’s sudden death.

In a 30 second preview of the show, tagged “You only think you know them,” the brothers can be heard in voiceover discussing their comeback.

“It’s been 20 years since we were in the studio,” one says. “How are we going to make this happen?” another replies.

“I never wanted to hurt y’all; I never wanted to be separated,” a third pleads over stock footage of their modest upbringing in Gary, Indiana, as the phrase “The wait is over” flashes on the screen.

“We’ve never forgotten where we come from,” another says. “What do we got? Each other. Let’s show them who we are.”

This touching footage of the Jacksons living their American Dream will give us an inside look of these superstars’ reality. No word on whether or not Jackson’s three children (Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II) will be included the show.  In the meantime, peep the trailer after the break!

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But he said some more stuff too… hear him out!

Joe Jackson and LaToya must sit around on the phone with reporters all day. And you know whenever Joe opens his mouth, bullsh*t is expected to come out. We know we can expect 3 things in life. Taxes, death and Joe Jackson saying (or doing) something off the wall (no pun intended).

But he said something in a recent interview that almost pissed us off … until we kept reading.

Michael Jackson’s dad tells Extra in an interview airing tonight that his son is making a bigger impact now than when he was alive. “He’s worth more dead than when he was alive,” Joe, 80, says. “I’d rather have him alive.”

Michael Jackson’s estate has reportedly raked in over $200 million this year alone, which forecasts the tons of cash that will come in over the next several years. And the “This Is It” world premiere brought in over $20 million Wednesday (Oct 28).

Joe also mentioned how he gets “very emotional” when he hears his son’s music.

“When I’m off to myself and I start thinking about things that we went through,” he says. “No one will ever see me, though.”

So we really can’t knock ol’ Joe. Everyone grieves in their own way. Some of us just grieve a little… weirder (?) than the rest of us :)

Hot on the heels of the big Michael Jackson “This Is It” movie premiere, Joe Jackson announced that he has plans to build a performing arts center and Jackson family museum in Gary, Indiana.

Above, the Jackson family patriarch is pictured with Johnny Brenden (President/CEO of the Brenden Theatre Corp.), Gary Mayor Rudy Clay and developer Odie Anderson at a press conference inside the Brenden Theatres at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas Wednesday (Oct 28).

Joe Jackson was presented with a $10,000 check to begin work on the project. All of this the same day Michael Jackson’s movie premieres … how convenient!

Michael Jackson’s brothers (L – R): Jermaine, Tito, Jackie and Marlon arrived together on the red carpet of the King of Pop’s new film, “This Is It,” which premiered worldwide Wednesday (Oct 28) and made $2.2 million on its opening night in North America Tuesday (Oct 27). Here the remaining members of the iconic “Jackson 5” music group are pictured with the director and producer of the film (and the former tour) Kenny Ortega.

The big event drew in a lot of other famous faces, like Paula Abdul, Martin Lawrence, Vivica A. Fox, Will Smith, Tyrese and more. Continue reading for the rest of the pictures from the premiere!

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Singer Melanie Brown (formerly “Scary Spice” of the Spice Girls) and her husband Stephen Belafonte were boo’d up as they arrived on the red carpet of the UK premiere of the Michael Jackson “This Is It” movie at Odeon Leicester Square Tuesday night (Oct 27) in London.

Mel B’s newly toned physique has earned her some praises from gay men, and she says she’s proud to be a “gay icon.”

“I try hard with my body,” adding “I don’t look like a bloke though!”

She also recently confirmed that the Spice Girls will indeed be coming back together soon for a comeback of some sort.

“We are definitely planning something. We haven’t decided exactly what yet – but I can say it will be big.”

Director Spike Lee and his daughter Satchel and his son Jackson attended the Michael Jackson “This Is It” movie premiere at the Regal E-Walk Tuesday night (Oct 27) in New York City.

Other celebrities at the big premiere in NYC were Ice T, Coco, Russell Simmons and more. Continue reading for the rest of the photos!

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LaToya Jackson says her nieces and nephews are taking their father Michael Jackson’s death pretty hard; so hard that the three of them are going through therapy to cope with their loss. She even mentioned how heartbroken Paris is because she’ll never be able to see her daddy perform live in person.

“Paris thinks and talks about her father all the time. She’s doing very well, writes a lot and she wears his shirts every day. They still smell of him and it helps her feel close to him. Her bedroom is covered in posters of Michael and she watches tapes of him all the time. After he passed, the kids went up to the house to get whatever they wanted. Paris took anything with a picture of her father on and brought it back to her new room at my mother’s house. She was so upset that she would never see her father on stage. She said, ‘Now I’ll never get the chance to see Daddy perform live.’

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