Dr. Conrad Murray Shares Same Jail Block as Michael Jackson’s Ex Brother-in-Law

Sometimes the world can feel super small.

Surprisingly, Dr. Conrad Murray and Michael Jackson’s former brother-in-law – James DeBarge who is Janet Jackson’s ex-husband – are in the same jail and are seeing a lot of each other these days. Both of them are being held in the L.A. County Men’s Jail which is home to almost 4,000 inmates at the time, yet they see each other daily. As a matter of fact, Dr. Conrad Murray is in a cell that is just a few feet away from James DeBarge.

James DeBarge is serving time for an assault with a deadly weapon and miscellaneous drug charges. However, since he was the lead singer in “El DeBarge” he is in the Administrative Segregation which houses famous inmates.

Murray has also been staying in Administrative Segregation since he was convicted of manslaughter in November 2011. It has been said that they run into each other quite often in the unit. The last time they saw each other was when they were both visiting with their lawyers on Monday.

According to DeBarge’s lawyer, Spencer Vodnoy, DeBarge is furious that he has to be so close to Murray. He feels that even though Janet and him were married briefly he still thinks of Michael as a brother.

Be sure to visit trendpk.com where this article was originally published for more celebrity gossip and celebrity news.

Michael Jackson’s children cement his legacy

LOS ANGELES: Late pop star Michael Jackson was immortalized in cement on Thursday when his three children stamped the “Thriller” singer’s glove and shoe prints in the hallowed concrete courtyard of Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood.

Well over a hundred fans of the King of Pop and celebrities including Justin Bieber and Jackson family members watched the song and dance spectacle and listened to the three children talk about the legacy of their father.

“My dad won the lifetime achievement award. It was an award he strived and worked the hardest to get but for me, and I think for him as well, this right here is his lifetime achievement award. This is what he strived to get and this is what we are giving him now today,” said Prince Michael, 14, Jackson’s eldest son.

Jackson’s daughter Paris, 13, imprinted her father’s iconic silver sequined glove and scrawled his name into the cement, adding a heart in between Michael and Jackson. Prince Michael and his brother Blanket, 9, put their father’s shoe into the cement, and all three left their own handprints next to dad’s.

The hour-long ceremony included spoken tributes and musical performances from Jackson’s friends and family, including his brothers Tito and Jackie, who were part of the Jackson 5, and mother Katherine who called the event “a very very solemn occasion for my son.”

“Michael, we miss you, that’s for sure. There’s hardly a day that goes by without him going on in my mind somehow, some way, and I know he is here today with us,” said Tito Jackson.

Musical producer Quincy Jones, who worked with Jackson on one his most successful album, “Thriller,” Motown singer Smokey Robinson and comedian Chris Tucker, a friend of Jackson’s, shared their personal memories of Jackson while Canadian pop sensation Bieber called him “an inspiration.”

“People are going to remember him for his dancing and his singing, but people need to remember him for who he was,” said Bieber.

“Everything I do, I look at Michael and I want to be as good as he was,” said Bieber, 17, whose rise to fame was compared to the late singer by Paris as she introduced him.

Jackson gained success with songs such as “ABC” and “I’ll Be There” as a child singer with his brothers, and later pursued a solo career that earned him worldwide fame and fans with hits such as “Rock With You,” “Bad,” and “Beat It.”

His sudden death from a drug overdose in 2009 aged 50, sent shockwaves around the world. Late last year, Jackson’s doctor at the time was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering a surgical anesthetic to Jackson as a sleep aid.

Jackson’s glove and shoe imprints will be placed alongside Hollywood screen legends such as Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Sidney Poitier outside the iconic Hollywood theater that has been a tourist attraction for decades.

Notably absent from the ceremony were Jackson’s sisters Janet and LaToya as well as brothers Jermaine and Randy.

The event, hosted by the late singer’s estate, showcased dancers from Cirque du Soleil’s Jackson tribute show and featured “Glee” cast member Harry Shum, Jr. ahead of the show’s Jackson tribute episode next week. AGENCIES

Jennifer Hudson a no-show for Michael Jackson tribute concert

TrendPK.com: She was scheduled to play this weekend’s “Michael Forever” concert in Wales in a lineup that included Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Gladys Knight and others. So, why didn’t Jennifer Hudson show up? According to TMZ, both Hudson’s and the Jackson tribute show’s rep confirmed Hudson’s stated reason for backing out: the star said that did not have adequate time to prepare.

Hudson’s camp cited “production issues,” saying the singer was provided with details about the Michael Jackson song she would be covering a bit too late to master the requested performance. According to the tribute show’s camp, Hudson’s last minute cancellation was a shock, particularly since she had already been paid.

Dirty Dancing is Set for a Remake

Lionsgate has announced that they plan to remake the hit film ‘Dirty Dancing’. Some fans will be overjoyed but others will shudder at the news. Kenny Ortega, who choreographed the original film, will direct the remake. Ortega also directed the Michael Jackson movie ‘This Is It’ and also ‘High School Musical’.

Ortega spoke to film magazine Variety about the news of the remake;

“The opportunity to direct Dirty Dancing is like returning home for me,” Ortega also said “Patrick Swayze set the bar for men dancing in movies as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire did before him.”

The original film from 1987 starred Jennifer Grey opposite Patrick Swayze. It has maintained a strong fan base and has also been a huge economic success. The original film was made for $6 million and went on to gross $214 million worldwide, spawning a stage adaptation and a TV series.

In fact this is not the first attempt at a remake. In 2004, ‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights’ was released, it told a similar story but set the action in Havana on the eve of the Cuban Revolution, it was not successful. Let’s hope they do the original justice this time round.

It has been reported that Lionsgate was inspired to consider a remake due to the popularity of the Facebook page for ‘Dirty Dancing’, which has more than nine million fans.

‘Dabangg’ wins four awards at ‘Bollywood Oscars’

TORONTO: Screen tough guy Salman Khan’s corrupt cop romp “Dabangg” (Fearless) led with four wins at the Indian International Film Academy awards, held on Saturday for the first time in North America.

The film won in the hugely important music categories for best female playback singer, best male playback singer and best music direction, as well as best screenplay.

“My Name is Khan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan as a Muslim suffering from Asperger’s syndrome who is detained at a US airport after his disability is mistaken for suspicious behaviour, followed with two nods for best story and best lyrics.

The award for best dialogue went to the thriller “Ishqiya.”

Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor (“Slumdog Millionaire”) and the Deol family were among the dozens of Bollywood superstars in attendance, along with Oscar-winners Hilary Swank and Cuba Gooding Jr.

Salman Khan, however, could not make it to Toronto as he was reportedly shooting his next film “Bodyguard,” a romantic action movie with Kareena Kapoor.

“I love you so much,” said Mamta Sharma over and over, after winning the award for best female playback singer for the song “Munni Badnam.”

A tense moment followed when a fan grabbed Shah Rukh Khan onstage, leading the “King of Bollywood” to complain that he was hurting his leg.

“This is the problem, only men grab my thighs,” Khan quipped as his assailant was escorted off stage.

Khan’s return to the awards show after a six year absence had earlier been put in doubt by a knee injury that had required “a couple of injections” and it being taped up at a hospital.

He said he had fractured a part of the bone and the ligament was swollen “to three times the size it should be,” but he vowed to perform a dance number at the IIFA show.

Khan last attended the IIFA in Amsterdam in 2005, and last performed at the show a year earlier in Singapore. He was nominated this year in the best actor category for his role in “My Name Is Khan.”

A three-day festival leading up to awards night saw flash mobs of Indian dancers, gala movie premieres, a fashion show and Indian cultural events.

Jermaine Jackson performed his late brother Michael’s hits with Indian pop singer Sonu Nigam at an IIFA concert on Friday to commemorate the second anniversary of Michael’s death.

Ontario has the second-largest Indian diaspora in the world, topping 600,000 out of a total population of 13 million, “and their passion for Indian cinema has become ours (all Ontarians) too,” said Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

Launched in 2000 at the Millennium Dome in London, the annual IIFA awards have been held in 11 cities around the world, including Colombo, Macao, Bangkok, Dubai, Amsterdam and Johannesburg.

It is designed to celebrate the popular Hindi-language film industry and win new audiences abroad.

Bollywood gangster movie “Once Upon a Time in Mumbai” had led the field in the nominations with 12 in categories including best film and best male lead for Ajay Devgan, one of Bollywood’s leading actors.

“Dabangg” was close behind with 11 nominations.

Other movies still in the running for a clutch of awards include the drama “Ishqiya” (Love) with nine nominations. Romantic comedy “Band Baaja Baaraat” (The Wedding Planners) and the thriller “Rajneeti” (Politics) both had eight.

The nominations came from more than 1,500 votes from the Indian film fraternity.

Catherine Zeta-Jones is Given a Royal Honor

Catherine Zeta-Jones was honored by Prince Charles for her service to the film industry and charity work on Thursday at Buckingham Palace. The Oscar-winning actress was accompanied by her husband, Michael Douglas and their two children Dylan and Carys. The royal honor has made Catherine Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).

“As a British subject I feel incredibly proud,” she said. “At the same time it is overwhelming and humbling.”

Catherine was born in Swansea, Wales in 1969. She was reportedly nervous and emotional to be receiving such an honour but also overjoyed that her husband, Michael was able to join her for the trip to London. He has been fighting throat cancer but it has been reported that he has recently been given the all clear. The actress also said that Prince Charles expressed his sympathy and he was “happy to hear” that Michael Douglas is recovering well.

Discovery cancels Michael Jackson autopsy TV show

LOS ANGELES: The Discovery television network on Friday said it canceled plans to air a reenactment of the autopsy on Michael Jackson”s body, citing an upcoming court hearing and concern by the late pop star”s estate.

The show, “Michael Jackson”s Autopsy: What Really Killed Michael Jackson,” had been set to air in several countries of western Europe and in the United Kingdom on Jan. 13.

“Given the commencement of legal proceedings beginning next week, and at the request of Michael Jackson”s estate, the scheduled broadcast of the medical documentary related to Michael Jackson”s official autopsy has been postponed indefinitely,” Discovery Networks International said in a statement.

A Discovery (DISCA.O) spokesman declined comment beyond the statement. Co-executors of the estate responded in their own statement saying they were “pleased” with the decision.

The “Thriller” singer died suddenly of a prescription drug overdose on June 25, 2009, age 50, only weeks before beginning a series of comeback concerts. An autopsy by Los Angeles officials showed Jackson died chiefly of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol that he used as a sleep aid.

Discovery”s show, which was not scheduled to air in the United States, was an unofficial, fictional account of what the autopsy must have been like and its results.

But Jackson fans worldwide protested in an online petition launched earlier this month, and the co-executors of his estate sent a letter this week to Discovery Networks calling the program “insensitive” and “in shockingly bad taste.”

A print advertisement for the program shows a body covered by a sheet, with one hand poking out wearing the singer”s well-known sequined glove.

Following Discovery”s decision, McClain and Branca released a statement saying, “we are hopeful that this show will never run in any market in the future.”

“While Discovery cited legal proceedings and our request as the reasons for its decision, none of this would have happened had it not been for the incredible passion displayed by countless Michael Jackson fans worldwide who knew they stood as one and that their voices could not be ignored,” the statement said.

Jackson”s physician at the time of his death, Dr. Conrad Murray, has admitted giving the singer propofol, which is often used in surgery, and Murray has been charged by authorities with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson”s death.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and a preliminary hearing to determine if enough evidence exists to make him stand trial begins in Los Angeles on Jan. 4.

Boxing Day Test: England rout Australia for 98

England tour of Australia, 4th Test: Australia v England at Melbourne
Australia 98
England 157/0 (47.0 ov)
England lead by 59 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the 1st innings
It was meant to be Boxing Day, not Boxing Australia Around the Ears Day. Within three sessions of complete England dominance at the MCG, they moved to within touching distance of retaining the Ashes by dismissing Australia for 98 and passing their total with no wickets down, leaving Ricky Ponting requiring a late Christmas miracle to avoid leading Australia to three Ashes series failures.
Chris Tremlett and James Anderson collected four wickets each, backing up Andrew Strauss’s decision to send the hosts in, before Strauss and Alastair Cook showed that with discipline, batting wasn’t that hard on a pitch with a little juice in it. The day could not possibly have gone better for England, who finished at 0 for 157 with Strauss on 64, Cook on 80, a hefty first-innings advantage in prospect and a 2-1 series lead on the horizon.
For Australia, it was up there with the opening day at Headingley against Pakistan this year, in terms of disastrous cricketing dates. Back then they chose to bat and managed only 88, but this time there was one slight difference – their dismal performance will probably cost them the Ashes. Not since 1936 had they scored a lower Ashes total at home, and that was in the days of uncovered pitches. It took Tremlett, Anderson and Tim Bresnan less than two sessions to run through the order as they hit consistent lines and kept the runs tight. They also exposed Australia’s team-wide inability to handle seam movement and swing, which is no great revelation but could not be ignored in front of 84,345 fans on the biggest day in the Australian cricket calendar. Every batsman fell to an edge caught behind the wicket, six to the wicketkeeper Matt Prior, two to slips and two to gully. Too many men played with hard hands away from their bodies, and they struggled to work out which deliveries to leave and which ones to play. The questions that the batting coach Justin Langer must consider surround not only technique, but also judgment. England picked up four wickets before the first break and in one particularly impressive patch they collected 3 for 0, as Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson all failed to make solid contact with the face of the bat. A rain delay had extended lunch by nearly an hour, but even that wasn’t enough to help the Australians survive until the scheduled tea break. But England’s bowlers certainly earned their wickets, especially the early strikes. Shane Watson was dropped twice on 0, as Paul Collingwood at slip and Kevin Pietersen at gully denied Anderson an early breakthrough. It was a sign of things to come, and Watson had only made 5 when he was surprised by sharp bounce from Tremlett and fended a loopy catch to Pietersen. Soon afterwards, Phillip Hughes (16) tried to cover-drive and edged to gully to hand Bresnan his first Ashes wicket, and without further addition to the score the Australians also lost Ricky Ponting. Again it was the rising ball from Tremlett that did the job, and this one nipped away significantly off the pitch, so much so that Ponting, on 10, did well to even get bat on ball as his edge flew to second slip. Australia’s recent saviour, Michael Hussey, joined the procession in the last over before lunch, when Anderson produced a pearler that moved away from Hussey and found a thin edge through to Prior. Then came the rain, an early and prolonged lunch, and after the break the dismissals got a bit softer, as Australia’s middle order failed to exercise due caution. The hosts want Steven Smith in the side for his energy and all-round talent, but as a Test No. 6 his technique needs a lot of work, and all it took was a probing delivery outside off stump from Anderson to draw an edge behind when Smith had 6. The top scorer Michael Clarke, who made 20, also wafted outside off at a ball he could have left, and edged behind off Anderson. And 5 for 77 soon became 8 for 77 when Haddin drove at Bresnan and gave Strauss a catch at first slip, before Johnson tickled a catch to Prior off Anderson. A few late runs came via Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle before Tremlett finished off the tail to finish with 4 for 26, a much deserved return after he was the best of the bowlers early, extracting bounce from a pitch expected to be as stodgy as leftover Christmas pudding. By the time Australia bowled, it looked like any spice in the pudding had lost its kick. In reality, they just didn’t bowl well enough, while Cook and Strauss defended solidly and left the right balls, also ticking the score along by chasing the bad deliveries, like an uppish cut to the vacant third-man area from Cook when he was given width. That Strauss and Cook both registered half-centuries before stumps was the perfect finale for the visitors, and Cook was already within sight of his third hundred of the series. Australia’s four-man pace attack had little impact – Michael Beer was made 12th man again – and by the close, Smith had tossed up a few overs of unthreatening legbreaks, including one that was slog-swept almost for six by Cook. Smith wasn’t born last time England won the Ashes in Australia, in 1986-87. He’s about to see it happen first-hand.

Australia win toss and bat against Sri Lanka in T20

PERTH: Australian captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 international at the WACA Ground in Perth on Sunday.

It is the first international match of the Australian season.

Clarke, who is under pressure to retain his spot in Australia’s Twenty20 side despite being skipper, leads a home team missing many of the players likely to be key in the upcoming Ashes series against England.

It will be retiring spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s final appearance at the WACA Ground.

After the one-off Twenty20 clash, Australia and Sri Lanka play three one-day matches, starting at the MCG on Wednesday.

Teams

Australia: Michael Clarke (C), Cameron White, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, David Hussey, Clint McKay, Dirk Nannes, Peter Siddle, Dave Warner, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, Steven O’Keefe (12th

Australia win toss and bat against Sri Lanka in T20

PERTH: Australian captain Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat against Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 international at the WACA Ground in Perth on Sunday.

It is the first international match of the Australian season.

Clarke, who is under pressure to retain his spot in Australia’s Twenty20 side despite being skipper, leads a home team missing many of the players likely to be key in the upcoming Ashes series against England.

It will be retiring spinner Muttiah Muralitharan’s final appearance at the WACA Ground.

After the one-off Twenty20 clash, Australia and Sri Lanka play three one-day matches, starting at the MCG on Wednesday.

Teams

Australia: Michael Clarke (C), Cameron White, Brad Haddin, John Hastings, David Hussey, Clint McKay, Dirk Nannes, Peter Siddle, Dave Warner, Shane Watson, Steven Smith, Steven O’Keefe (12th

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