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MICHAEL JACKSON’s insurance company forced the late King of Pop to pay a reported $20 million (GBP13.3 million) to his first child molestation accuser, rather than challenge him in court, according to a new book which sets out to clear the pop superstar of his bad name.
The cash deal left many feeling sure Jackson was guilty and had something to hide, but investigative journalist Ian Halperin’s new tome Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson claims the singer was not a paedophile who preyed on children.
And Halperin suggests Jackson would have been acquitted of any wrongdoing, had his first child molestation case in the mid-1980s gone to trial.
A second accusation two decades later ended with Jackson being acquitted in 2005 - after a long and embarrassing trial.
Many believe the case took so much out of the King of Pop and he never truly recovered.
An insider, who has read the upcoming book, tells In Touch magazine, "The book shows documents proving that Michael’s insurance company forced the (Jordy) Chandler settlement on him against his will and against the advice of his lawyers. He collapsed in hysterics when he found out he had to do that." Halperin’s new tome is sure to enrage family and friends who are still mourning Jackson’s untimely death, because the journalist also suggests Jackson was secretly gay and once picked up a construction worker in Las Vegas.
The insider tells the publication, "They then regularly met at a motel. Michael would dress up as a woman. The lover admitted Michael made him sign a confidentiality agreement."

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Outspoken forensic pathologist DR. CYRIL WECHT has called for the doctor who allowed MICHAEL JACKSON to self-medicate with powerful anaesthesia drugs to be tried for manslaughter.
Propofol and Diprivan were reportedly found in Jackson’s bedroom during a police sweep of his rented Los Angeles home following his death last month (Jun09) - and Wecht, who consulted in the investigation of Anna Nicole Smith and her son Daniel’s deaths, insists the drugs should never have been found outside a hospital.
And, while the world awaits the results of toxicology tests, which will determine exactly what killed Jackson on 25 June (09), the doctor insists police in Los Angeles should get ready to arrest the medic who gave the King of Pop access to killer drugs that potentially killed him.
Dr. Wecht says, "They’re drugs to be administered by an anaesthesiologist or a trained anaesthetist; it is to be given only in a hospital setting… also it must be given under highly aseptic technique because it is susceptible to bacterial contamination.
"For all of these reasons, if any doctor prescribed Propofol for Michael Jackson to take at home himself… in my opinion, that is gross wanton negligence and really approaches a question, legally, of manslaughter."

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MICHAEL JACKSON was high on painkillers when he announced his 50 comeback dates in London in March (09), according to a shocking new tell-all book.
Journalist Ian Halperin has spent years researching the late King of Pop and getting close to his inner circle of confidantes - and now his Unmasked: The Final Years of Michael Jackson is about to blow the lid off the secrets of the pop superstar.
Reports suggest Jackson died from a cardiac arrest, brought on by an accidental overdose of prescription medication, and Halperin claims the late star’s drug habit was extreme.
The writer suggests friends and business associates were forbidden from talking to Jackson about his drug use.
An insider, who has read Halperin’s new book, tells In Touch magazine, "Nobody dared bring it (drug use) up to him. It was taboo." And the author suggests the singer had taken far too many drugs before taking the stage at a London press conference to announce his 50-date This Is It comeback tour.
The source adds, "He did a huge round of painkillers and injections before he arrived. He was 90 minutes late and blamed his tardiness on traffic. It was a complete fabrication."

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MICHAEL JACKSON’s body was "lily white" and emaciated when paramedics arrived to try to save the superstar, who had slipped into a coma at his rented home in Los Angeles on 25 June (09).
The King of Pop was pronounced dead hours later after medics at UCLA Medical Center were unable to revive him - and now reports about his condition just before he passed away are hitting news networks.
One unidentified source tells CNN that Jackson had track marks all over his arms and there were bottles of prescription pills and other "dangerous drugs" all over his bedroom.
But his appearance shocked the medics, with one telling CNN Jackson’s body was "lily white from head to toe", adding the star’s "paper-white skin" was as "white as a T-shirt".
The singer’s veins in both arms were reportedly collapsed, suggesting heavy intravenous drug use.
Other reports suggest Jackson had been self-medicating with strong anaesthesia drugs Propofol and Diprivan in an effort to sleep.
The drugs should only be given in a hospital environment by a trained professional. It is known to produce respiratory apnoea.
Toxicology reports, which will help investigators fathom what killed the King of Pop, will be available in the coming weeks.

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Funnyman SACHA BARON COHEN had to hire ENRIQUE IGLESIAS’ British minder for a comedic interview with a real-life terrorist - because no one else would take on the potentially life-threatening job.
The star thought it would be hilarious if his outrageous Austrian fashionista, Bruno, filmed a chat with a wanted Middle Eastern killer for his new movie - but he realised the stunt wouldn’t be all funny when security agencies refused to work with him.
Cohen says, "We called around some security firms and everybody said no way and eventually I found one guy… who had done the Enrique Iglesias Hero tour.
"His main job had been protecting Enrique from flying underwear. I knew, if it came to it, this guy would take a bra for me." To make sure he was safe at all times, Cohen and his security guard came up with a weather-related code, which would alert the star if weapons entered the location - but the minder forgot the code and the interview started with an awkward discussion about the weather.
Cohen might need the services of his forgetful minder again, however - if the unnamed terrorist ever sees new film Bruno.
He says, "I pray to God (they won’t see the film)."

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Irish rockers ASH have vowed never to record another album - and release new singles every other week instead.
Fans of the band presumed they were planning to quit when they made the vow back in 2007 - but the Girl From Mars rockers actually plan to make more music than ever.
Frontman Tim Wheeler explains, "We’ve already recorded 44 tracks and we’re going to do more as well, because we’re experimenting a lot.
"About half of them (songs) are at the level we need them to be. When we’re releasing that many songs in a year, we need to be pleased with them. We’ll probably have done about 55, or so, by October".

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Fans who couldn’t get tickets into MICHAEL JACKSON’s memorial on Tuesday (07Jul09) were rewarded when the late star’s sisters JANET, LA TOYA and REBBIE JACKSON came out to thank them for their support.
Scores of people packed into Los Angeles’ Nokia Theater, where they watched the Staples Center service across the street broadcast on giant screens.
And their loyalty to the King of Pop, who died on 25 June (09), was rewarded when the Jackson sisters filed into the auditorium to personally express their gratitude.
Rebbie, the eldest Jackson sibling, stepped up to the microphone and told fans, "We’re extremely grateful for the support and we love you all. Thank you." La Toya then added, "I just wanted to let you all know that you have been very, very supportive and, as you well know, Michael loved his fans more than anything in the world. He has always said that his family is first and his fans are second.
"I know that he is so happy that you are here supporting him and he’s watching every last one of you. And I just want to thank you all for being here for him. He loves you very, very much." Michael’s little sister Janet, who chose not to speak at the televised service at Staples Center, then took to the microphone, prompting fans to give her a standing ovation.
Janet told the crowd, "Once again, thank you for all of your love and all of your support. Michael will forever live in all of our hearts. Thank you so much."

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Moviemaker ROBERT RODRIGUEZ has confirmed reports he and his PLANET TERROR star ROSE MCGOWAN are engaged.
The father-of-five and the actress reportedly split earlier this year (09), months after McGowan cooed about her plans to wed the director after he divorced his wife Elizabeth last year (08), but Rodriguez insists the couple is still engaged.
In an upcoming interview in Latina magazine, Rodriguez says, "Yes, I’m engaged. No info on that. That’s very personal. But it’s been great." In October (08), McGowan told the press about her marriage plans, revealing, "I just want to go to an island and pay someone else to deal with it (ceremony)." When the pair does wed, Rodriguez insists his ex-wife and filmmaking partner will remain a big part of his life.
He tells Latina, "We’re great partners and we’re great parents. She’s so solid. In a lot of ways, we’ll be together forever. I can see her right now. She still works right next to me; we have an office together."

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HAYDEN PANETTIERE was left aghast when she saw the final version of her new movie I LOVE YOU, BETH COOPER - because she didn’t realise just how much flesh was captured on camera during her nude scene.
The 19-year-old actress bares all for the new comedy, but didn’t expect to see much of her naked body on screen due to the U.S. PG-13 rating, which allows kids under 13 to see the movie when accompanied by an adult.
But Panettiere was left cowering in her seat when she attended a recent preview of the film, because her "side boobage" filled up the entire screen.
She says, "It’s one of those things that you forget how much of your flesh is in it, until I saw it again and then I was like, ‘Duck, duck!’. I knew they were doing it (filming a nude scene), but I didn’t know it would be so big on the screen!"

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GOSSIP GIRL star KELLY RUTHERFORD has revealed she was scared to leave her husband because he’s so "litigious".
The actress was three months pregnant with her second child by Daniel Giersch when she decided to leave the German businessman after a series of professional problems put a strain on their marriage.
New mum Rutherford, who is now in the middle of a messy divorce and custody battle with her estranged husband, tells Life & Style magazine, "I found out I was pregnant, and I thought, ‘Oh, maybe things will be nice, maybe it will be calm, but it wasn’t. Things only got more intense.
"He (Giersch) was very litigious. He says he’s an entrepreneur, but I think he just sues people. It was very angry (behaviour). I was kind of scared to leave." The actress, who gave birth to baby daughter Helena Grace last month (Jun09), started scheming with a close friend and the pair planned her "escape".
And now she’s more than happy to be a single mum to her two kids: "A lot of great men, presidents even, were raised (only) by their mothers under those conditions. The most important thing is that the children have love and stability in their lives, whether that comes from a mother or a father."

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Tennis ace RAFAEL NADAL has been left "shocked" and saddened by the death of his childhood pal and fellow player MATHIEU MONTCOURT, who was found dead in France early on Tuesday (07Jul09).
Montcourt was discovered slumped on the stairwell of his Paris apartment building by his girlfriend. Emergency services were called, but by the time paramedics arrived on the scene, the 24 year old was dead. His cause of death has yet to be determined.
The budding French tennis star, who was ranked 119th in the world, hit the headlines in May (09) when he was fined $12,000 (£8,000) and handed a five-week ban from the sport for betting on other matches. The ruling by the French tennis federation came into effect on Monday (06Jul09).
The tragic news has stunned former world number one Nadal, and the Spanish star has issued a statement on his website detailing his disbelief.
He writes, "This morning I woke up with one of the worst news anyone can receive (sic). I heard about the death of our friend Mathieu Montcourt. I am still under (sic) shock for this. I can’t believe it."

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SWEET HOME ALABAMA star JOSH LUCAS has been left scarred by sex scenes in his new movie after spending a day with nine naked women he’d never met.
The actor had to simulate sex for montage footage at the beginning of Death In Love and admits the seedy scenes left him feeling dirty and "strange".
Lucas, who plays a con man who craves crazy sex in the film, tells WENN, "One of the weirdest days of my life was the day my character put an ad on (website) CraigsList for 20 women from the ages of 19-65 for the sex montage scene.
"I filmed nine very hardcore sex simulation scenes with women I never met with all of us completely naked. At the end of the day I felt crazy! It’s something that I think only porn stars actually do in their life when they come in contact with that many people on that level.
"You’re sharing body fluids whether you like it or not, sweat and sensation. I could never be a porn star. I was shook up. I did not walk away from that thinking, ‘Oh, that was fun.’ It was very strange." Lucas is now desperate to shoot a family-friendly film after playing his latest character: "I was a mess for 30 days. He’s so full of pain and self-hatred. I was living that every day and rage and guilt and traumatic things and my body felt pretty whacked.
"At the end of the day I’d crawl away and my dreams were pretty weird."

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American football star STEVE MCNAIR was murdered by his girlfriend SAHEL KAZEMI, who then turned the gun on herself, according to Tennessee Police.
The body of the married former Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens quarterback, 36, was found with two gunshot wounds to the head and two to the chest on Saturday afternoon (04Jul09) in a downtown Nashville condominium.
Kazemi’s body was found nearby, with just one gunshot, prompting speculation she killed her lover before turning the gun on herself.
In a police statement issued on Wednesday (08Jul09), cops revealed Kazemi was suicidal because she faced financial difficulties and believed McNair was cheating on her.
Autopsies carried out on the two bodies, lab reports and tests on the semi-automatic weapon recovered from beside Kazemi’s body suggest she fired the weapon.
A police spokesperson says, "After nearly four days of intensive investigation, the police department has determined that Mr. McNair was murdered by Sahel Kezami."

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Hollywood actress CHARLIZE THERON spent four nights in a Los Angeles hospital last week (ends03Jul09) after contracting a painful stomach virus, according to a U.S. tabloid report.
The Monster star is alleged to have suffered severe abdominal pains, which she attributed to food poisoning.
But when the sharp stomach pangs failed to go away, her boyfriend Stuart Townsend took her to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center to seek treatment.
According to the National Enquirer, doctors ran a series of tests on Theron and diagnosed her with a serious virus, thought to have been contracted during her travels overseas.
And Townsend was left shaken by Theron’s health scare, reportedly telling pals, "I was scared to death. I had no idea what was happening to her, but this is a woman who never complains, so I knew it had to be serious." The publication claims the actress was discharged from hospital after being given a series of antibiotics and is now back to full health.

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KATE WALSH’s TV bosses will be forced to reveal the actress’ wages and future earning potential to her estranged husband ALEX YOUNG as he fights for a share of her assets.
The Private Practice star has been embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with Young since separating from him last year (08) and ending their 14-month marriage.
The split has turned ugly in recent months as Walsh attempted to block her ex from claiming alimony and Young pushed to expose the true value of the actress’ assets in a bid to swing the judge’s decision in his favour.
On Wednesday (08Jul09) he won his battle after a Los Angeles judge ruled ABC president Stephen McPherson must give a deposition at Young’s request, and detail Walsh’s wages and financial prospects, including upcoming pilot episodes and development deals.
A lawyer for ABC admits network bosses are displeased with the ruling: "It’s as if (baseball player) Manny Ramirez was getting divorced and the first deposition they want to take is the president of (sports network) ESPN."

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HARRY POTTER stars EMMA WATSON and RUPERT GRINT struggled to film their sizzling onscreen kiss for the new boy wizard movie - because they couldn’t stop laughing.
The actors - who play Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley in the hit franchise - lock lips for the first time in the latest instalment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Watson and Grint were desperate to get the nerve-wracking scene out of the way, but when it came to shooting, the pair was struck with a fit of the giggles.
Watson says, "I was quite terrified. We weren’t looking forward to it really. The thing is, it could potentially sound like we are putting each other down but we were both in the same boat. It was a horrible thing to have to do because we are just like brother and sister, so it’s really weird.
"He (director David Yates) did spring it on us. We didn’t really know. We had problems with laughing - we kept laughing. We would get there, and we just couldn’t take it seriously. It was awful. But anyway, it’s done now, and it was good. We have watched the playback and it’s good."

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Actress EMMA WATSON suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction at the latest HARRY POTTER movie premiere on Tuesday (07Jul09) when the daring split in her designer dress opened to reveal her underwear.
The 19 year old braved the heavy rain to hit the red carpet in London with her co-stars Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint for the world premiere of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
But, as Watson gathered up the flowing skirt of her long dress to avoid stepping on the hem, she was snapped accidentally flashing her panties to the throng of fans and paparazzi - leaving her red faced.

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TORI AMOS credits her husband and the birth of their daughter with helping her to finally get over a brutal sexual assault 25 years ago.
The singer/songwriter was attacked at knifepoint when she was 21, and co-founded RAINN - The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network - ten years later to help survivors of sexual assault.
The incident left her unable to maintain a healthy relationship with a man until she married her husband, sound engineer Mark Hawley, in 1998.
And she credits Hawley with helping her overcome the attack, admitting it was the birth of their daughter, eight-year-old Natashya, that finally ended her anxieties.
She says, "I don’t think I had a healthy, intimate relationship until I was with my husband… The birth of my daughter was my healing. I claimed my body back. I stopped being a victim. And I happened to marry a man who, because he’s British, was not ingrained with that religious seed that America can scatter. He believes in a woman’s right to her own sovereignty. It took the love of a good man.
"When I was reverting back to my, let’s say, perversions, he would say: ‘Let’s go get an ice cream. I am not going to enable you. If you can only come as a wanton woman for hire, because you feel dirty and shamed, then no. Women are goddesses.’ And I know that and I believe that. I chose a man who believed that too."

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