Michael Jackson`s children become web stars after leaks
The once sheltered children of the late Michael Jackson have become Internet sensations after home-made videos of two of his three children playing up for web cameras were leaked and appeared on YouTube.
|Last Updated: May 14, 2010, 09:18 AM IST|Source: Bureau
Los Angeles: The once sheltered children of the late Michael Jackson have become Internet sensations after home-made videos of two of his three children playing up for web cameras were leaked and appeared on YouTube.
Jackson, who died aged 50 last June of an overdose of powerful medications, went to great lengths to keep Prince Michael, 13, Paris, 12, and Prince Michael II, 8, out of the public eye, even making them cover their faces when out.
But less than a year after his death, two of the youngsters -- last seen in public at the Grammy awards in January -- have hit the spotlight with up to nine video clips of Paris and Prince Michael II appearing on the Internet.
Their grandfather Joe Jackson told celebrity website Popeater that the family was upset by the leak, having adhered to Michael Jackson`s wish to keep them out of the spotlight and did not want these videos out in public.
He confirmed that it was not the children who posted the clips. The account owner of French-language fansite KingofPop-Kids.com, which posted many of the clips, said Jackson fans were responsible for hacking into family web accounts.
"We don`t know who (the hacker) was but we`re trying to find out," Joe Jackson told Popeater.
CNN said the videos were on the Internet for two weeks in April before older members of the Jackson family realized and had them removed but by then other YouTube users had made copies and have republished them, drawing hundreds of thousands of views.
Calls to representatives of the Jackson family went unanswered.
The video clips show the two youngsters messing around like another other children.
In one clip on YouTube, Paris raps for the camera while in another short clip she comes up close to the camera and just says: "Monkey, please help."
Prince Michael II, who is also known as Blanket, is shown with his cousin Donte in several videos, reenacting scenes from "Star Wars" with a pretend lightsabre, and singing.
The videos were welcomed by some fans.
"I just think it`s nice to see (Prince Michael II) happy. He`s playing normal games that normal kids play," said one Internet comment posted by "Judyr."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.