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Flash! From Liz Smith | 07/01/2009 1:45 pm

LIZ SMITH FLASH! Diana Ross Backup Mom for Michael Jackson's Kids?

Liz Smith
Now comes word that Michael Jackson’s will stipulates that if his mother, Katherine Jackson is "unable or unwilling" to fulfill her role as guardian to Michael’s children – page Miss Diana Ross!

Before you start giggling, please remember that Diana has raised five – count ‘em – five beautiful children who have never been in a spit of trouble. Diva she may be to coworkers, but she has been an exemplary mother. This is an intelligent choice, actually.

62 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Deniseann Taylor

Victoria,  Mrs. Jackson has not been in the best health.  If she has live in help that would be different, her divorce took alot out of her, and just like any other woman who’s been abused mentaly and maybe physically, the divorce took it’s toll.

All I really care about on this topic is that the children are safe and taken care of, and as for their mother, she wants to split the sibling up and only get custody of her children. Michael paid her 8 million dollars to get sole custody. If she willing to sell her children she doesn’t deserve them.

All I was saying I think one of the sisters or brothers would be best for them for the simple fact these kids have a family life with the Jackson’s, there the only family those children know. they have cousins to hang with and the all share a common factor Michael.

yes Ms. Ross has raised her children well, but is she up for the challenge. 

Victoria what would you do if you were in their shoes??

By Deniseann Taylor on 07/02/2009 7:28 pm
Lila Kuh
The only concern I have is with the ages of the grandparents and Ms. Ross.  Suffering the loss of their parent once is one time too many already.
By Lila Kuh on 07/01/2009 5:21 pm
Andrea Brandon

The grandmother is older than Ross, who is currenly 65. I sure wouldn’t want to be taking on 3 kinds.

But what about Ross’ drug and alcohol addiction.

n 2002 Diana booked into a rehab clinic in California to deal with long-running problems with drug addiction and alcohol abuse.

In February 2004, Diana was sentenced to two days in jail, 36 hours of counselling and one year probation after pleading guilty to a drunk-driving charge in Tucson, Arizona, in 2002.

Maybe she’s learned her lesson?

By Andrea Brandon on 07/01/2009 6:23 pm
Lizzie R.
When she had her drunk driving charge here it was tantrums and high drama.
By Lizzie R. on 07/02/2009 12:42 am
Lucinda Herbert

Andrea,

Diana Ross’ 3 daughters attended excellent high schools and 2 went on to graduate from Brown University and the youngest from Georgetown.  One of her sons has a learning disability and attended another first class school that gave him the tools to succeed and he is scheduled to graduate from college next year.  Her other son is making his way in the entertainment business.

While I don’t personally know Diana Ross, I thought I’d share a story about her that I think sheds even a bit more light on the type of mother she is.  One winter, when my son was about a year old, I spent a sleepless Saturday night because he had the flu and was running high fevers.  When I phoned my pediatrician early Sunday morning, I was told to bring him in. A minivan was the only other car parked in the parking lot that grey day and when I walked into the dark waiting room (most of the lights were off because it wasn’t a regular day) there was a tiny exhausted looking woman in a beige pair of pants and sweatshirt with 2 little boys — and yes, she was accompanied by a nanny, who didn’t look nearly as tired. The doctor walked out and asked me to fill out a form and beckoned the other mother to come in with her kids. One of little boys rushed ahead and stepped in front of me, and his mother grabbed his hand and very calmly said, "Let the lady go ahead of you."  Once I had completed the form and left it on the desk for the doctor’s staff to process on Monday, my son and I were moved into a room alongside the other family.  The mother smiled at me and said, "You look like you had a long night too."  That mother was Diana Ross.  And what impressed me was that she was truly a mother, who, like me, had had a bad night caring for a sick child. There were no "airs" or diva-like behavior and her little boys were as sweet and cute as could be. 

By Lucinda Herbert on 07/02/2009 10:03 am
Andrea Brandon

I think yours is a wonderful story and it certainly does point to a devoted mother.

But two things:

1 -  Very controlled alcoholics can be perfectly sober, function normally all day, then drink a quart or more of alcohol at night and black out.

2 -  She’s 65 now. I’m 62 and no way would I have the energy to deal with 3 kids.

By Andrea Brandon on 07/02/2009 11:59 am
Lucinda Herbert

Andrea,

I’m 53 and wouldn’t want to have to care for small children either. I think, however, that if it fell to Diana Ross she would take the job seriously. And guardian doesn’t necessarily mean day-to-day caretaker.  If Grace the nanny, who from all reports, appears to be a lovely, stable, mother-figure, came with the kids, it might work out well.  And for all we know, it might be exactly what Diana needs now that her career is on the wane and her children are grown — purpose.  Her girls are, I believe, in long-term stable marriages, so they might be active participants too.

I can see what impressed MJ about Diana Ross (nobody in his family, for example, has gone on to pursue any type of higher education), but, I suspect MJ’s mother will end up with the kids — and Grace will probably stay on.

By Lucinda Herbert on 07/02/2009 1:24 pm
Andrea Brandon

Lucinda,

All I know is that those kids are almost assuredly going to have tons of baggage. From what little I have heard about Grace, she may have been the "conscience" under the Jackson roof. I don’t believe she enabled him - I think the only reason she stayed was because she felt she was the best one to protect the children. 

By Andrea Brandon on 07/02/2009 2:01 pm
Lucinda Herbert

I agree with you Andrea.  I might add that despite all the talk about the kids being with their first cousins, aunts, and uncles, there’s no doubt in my mind they’d be better off with Diana Ross — the Jackson Family compund sounds like a study of dysfunction!  And like you said, those kids are going to have tons of baggage.  What a sad state of affairs.

By the way, nobody has ever mentioned schooling … I guess their itinerant lifestyle would preclude attending any kind of school in a community, so I suspect they were home-schooled, if at all, and if so by whom? Grace? 

By Lucinda Herbert on 07/02/2009 2:35 pm
Andrea Brandon

Hey, whaddayaknow. Wowowow just changed the top banner from Target to "Rich Dad’s Education" and now the webpages load instantly.  Get rid of the Target green banner, wowowow. It’s been a pain in the ass since you started using it.

Now, Lucinda……back to business at hand…..your posting.

I turn a deaf ear and the tv station when any news of Jackson comes on. But from what I have read, I don’t recall a word about the kids’ education. Is the youngest school age? I cannot imagine Jackson allowing them out of the house to attend school. The kids look so fair, I wonder if they ever got to play outside. Ever. The hanging over the balcony not withstanding. Poor things.

By Andrea Brandon on 07/02/2009 3:06 pm
Lucinda Herbert

Andrea,

I’m 53 and wouldn’t want to have to care for small children either. I think, however, that if it fell to Diana Ross she would take the job seriously. And guardian doesn’t necessarily mean day-to-day caretaker.  If Grace the nanny, who from all reports, appears to be a lovely, stable, mother-figure, came with the kids, it might work out well.  And for all we know, it might be exactly what Diana needs now that her career is on the wane and her children are grown — purpose.  Her girls are, I believe, in long-term stable marriages, so they might be active participants too.

I can see what impressed MJ about Diana Ross (nobody in his family, for example, has gone on to pursue any type of higher education), but, I suspect MJ’s mother will end up with the kids — and Grace will probably stay on.

By Lucinda Herbert on 07/02/2009 1:24 pm
Victoria J
Do you have a clue how many moms in the suburbs have problems with prescription drugs and alcohol? We just don’t read about them. From what I read, the alcohol problem, NOT DRUGS ,was not a long running problem. That’s why she cleaned up her act so quickly…I think you are mistaking the Diana Ross movie "Lady Sings the Blues" and that story line with Diana’s real life.
By Victoria J on 07/02/2009 12:31 pm
Andrea Brandon

Victoria J,

It doesn’t matter how many mothers in the suburbs or in the city have a "problem" with prescription drugs and alcohol. The point here is Diana Ross. No one else. Whether or not she cleaned herself up, I don’t know. Relapse rates are high among drug and/or alcohol abusers. I DO know that if I had a kid I would not name her as a guardian. I never saw the movie you referred to, so I wouldn’t know.

By Andrea Brandon on 07/02/2009 1:48 pm
Deena B.
Andrea, your points are well taken.  But since it seems to be between Katherine Jackson and Diana Ross (per MJ’s will), I think Diana Ross is the lesser of two evils.  Not that Katherine Jackson is evil, mind you.  But frankly that whole family concerns me.  And, even though they are not together, I would be worried that Joe Jackson would somehow worm his way back into control. 
By Deena B. on 07/02/2009 2:05 pm
Andrea Brandon

I couldn’t agree with you more, Deena.

But what’s curious to me is why on earth Jackson would even name his own mother in light of the very likely possibility that his father might edge in.

By Andrea Brandon on 07/02/2009 2:24 pm