Friday, January 11, 2008

The Neverland Ranch Saga Continues

Dead on gossip king Roger Friedman, who writes the Fox 411 column Fox News, is once again slinging fascinating real estate dirt about Michael Jackson and his once beloved, now shuttered and forlorn Neverland Ranch.

If something does not happen quick, and Your Mama means really quick, the storied and infamous Neverland Ranch will slip into foreclosure next week. According to Mister Friedman, there are in fact efforts underway to refinance the $23,000,000 loan that was secured against the 2,700 acre (Friedman says 2,900 acre) property. However, no lender seems to want that hot potato and no person or entity has yet stepped up to give the wacky singer turned tabloid freak show a financial assist.

Mister Friedman also reports that cash poor Mister Jackson and his three kiddies are currently cloistered in the Palms Hotel as non-paying guests of the Maloof brothers, who of course own the hotel. Your Mama aches to know if the Maloofs have also generously provided a room for Mister Jackson's always entertaining spokesperson Raymone Bain. We worry about the fate of this krazy talking ladee if and when Mister Jackson's financial house of cards finally crumbles.

Stay tuned kids, because it's looking more and more like Neverland Ranch will be sold at auction marking the end of a long and drawn out nightmare for Mister Jackson. Perhaps it's what's needed to right his boat. Ever the optimist are we today.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

it really would be the end of an era.

unless they turned it into a museum!!

Anonymous said...

It already is . . . "The White Lady Memorial Park", complete with rides and a haunted house . . .

alex the sea turtle said...

The end of a nightmare? I think his nightmare is only just starting. He has made a mess of everything in his life. There is no way for him to slip into obscurity with what he has done with his face and money.

I mean even crazy ass Britney could wake up tomorrow and be normal and live out her life quietly. But there is no turning back for this sad but amazingly talented little white boy - middle-aged black man - white lady.

Anonymous said...

I guess someone has to say so (with a big sigh):

Yes, it's an end to an era, hopefully. An end to an era of innocent children being molested, and especially an end to the money-grubbing parents of some of them who pointed their innocent children at the White Lady knowing full well what would happen . . .

Just a sad legacy when all is said and done.

Anonymous said...

Can't he sell a few vases?

Anonymous said...

Little buddie,

You said it well. People draw conclusions; yours mirror mine on this one. Sure, I don't need this stuff in my head. Sometimes the power of money is truely a frightening thing.

Anonymous said...

Sandpiper, you got class and a good heart; Mama should put you front and center as the lifestyle reporter . . .

Anonymous said...

Didn't this disturbed person have some poor animals in some sort of zoo - I hope they have all been found good homes.

The whole Michael Jackson story is a very sad one. Very few child stars have happy lives - will poor Briteney even get to his age?

Anonymous said...

The less I hear about Michael the better. Losing Neverland is one more step in the right direction.

Anonymous said...

Maybe his refinance dances are done. How many times CAN you rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic?

Anonymous said...

I think what everyone hear has failed to comment on is the fact that there is a such a large mortgage on a prperty he has owned for quite some time. My thoughts are he pulled out what he could and had every intention of the property falling into foreclosure. If the property were to go into foreclosure what is there to lose if he has not been currently residing there? Heck people are doing it in the lower dollar range why can't Michael get his moonwalk on?


Gabe C

numonemofan said...

I dont think they will allow his mortgage to go into foreclosure. Remember before when his workers were not paid what happened? Baby sis Janet stepped up and paid them. Forbes recently listed her net worth at being around 200+ million dollars. Shes obviously more financially wise and stable than he is. He doesnt want this property. Michael Jackson could book Madison Square Garden and Staples for 3 nights each, and it would sell out in mere MINUTES. This is fact, fans would fly in from all around the world. Michael Jackson is not a proven child molester, so lets not speak on what we have no proof about. What is proven is, that Michael Jackson is the biggest selling artist in the history of Music, more than likely the most famous man in the world, and a musical icon, legend & genius. Thats my piece

Anonymous said...

Oh Bruce. You're so cute.

First of all, this is not a mortgage, it's a loan secured against the ranch...not the same thing.

Secondly, Jackson has indeed made a tremendous and genius mark on the music business, but his time in the sun has long since passed. LONG sinced passed.

Thirdly, You are correct again that Jackson's fervent fans would likely sell out any concerts quickly. However, this is an unstable, 50 year old man with a face made of plastic. It's highly unlikely he could pull something like that off with any real finesse.

And really, why would you want do see a 50 year old has been repeat the dance moves of his youth? It's unseemly and cheap.

There's a reason he's not continued to make music..when was his last record? Hmm. Think about that.

And forth, he may have been the biggest selling artist n the history of music, but he fucked up his money, didn't know a con man from a shit hole, and he manage to tarnish his reputation and turn himself into a joke among everyone BUT his most fervent fans.

And fifth, as for being a child molester, well, you're right, he's never been convicted. But he's sure been charged enough so it makes it a little tough for a lot of people who are not rabid fans to believe he's innocent. Unfortunately, for many of those not on the MJ worship train, where there's enough smoke, there's likely at least a little fire.

AND in my book, an innocent man does not pay upwards of $50M to a family that accused him of being inappropriate. That's Jordy Chandler's family. They're rich now because Michael paid them so much money to go away. Why?

Remember Mister Jackson as he was...a living doll with the voice of an angel, a gloved performer with all sorts of crazy hot moves...but be realistic...he's not the man anymore. He's not. Just look at him as he wanders around the world living in other people's houses because he doesn't have two coins to rub together.

You know why he does not go back to Neverland right? It's not just the location of his bad memories, but he does not have the money to run a household, to pay the electric, the sewer, the groceries. And you don't think he's going to mow his own lawn, do you? Landcapers are expensive.

He makes a lot of money from his Sony/ATV catalog, but he's servicing 200 and some million in debt. He's tapped.

That's who MJ is. And it's who he's been for a long time and unless he does a full 180 on the tips of his toes, it's who he'll be until he dies or until his children get old enough to take things over and turn his boat around.

That's my piece.

Anonymous said...

Bruce, I give you credit for an open mind and non-judgemental attitude, both highly commendable personal qualities. It's important to be realistic too however, critically so where children are concerned. Proving what happens in private is extremely difficult, and given the "proving beyond a reasonable doubt" criteria a jury has to abide by in making a determination, nearly impossible. Even setting aside the question of sexual abuse, the instances of Michael's inappropriate behavior involving children are numerous and well documented. Would you permit a child of yours an unsupervised sleepover with him? There's too much smoke to discount the very real potential threat he poses to children just because you can't prove there's a fire.

Anonymous said...

To "hi there".. I think the big reason Michael won't return to Neverland is because his attorney has wisely advised him not to. If you thought law enforcement there was out to get him before, you better believe they'd watch him 24/7 ready to pounce at the slightest provocation if he returns.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why he just doesn't sell it? Is he so attached to the property? or does he have a huge collection of kiddie porn that would be too difficult to move?

Anonymous said...

Good take on the situation, Hi There; I too think Bruce is just being kind and a little naive. "Where there's smoke, there's fire" may ofttimes seem a facile comment, but let's get serious folks; millions of dollars in lawyers fees and payout money must indicate something going on.

Also, last thing I read is that the debt he's servicing is closer to $340M, more than even his sister Janet could help him out with, although I don't think she'd be inclined to.

But some of that debt is on their parents house and I don't think she'd let them go homeless - so perhaps she'll step in there - she may be worth $200M on paper but how much of that is liquid?

The White Lady is a sad, once-talented man who through bad planning and even worse advice has backed himself into a financial corner; he was astute enough to buy the Beatles catalog and 2,700 prime acres for the ranch, then ran them into the ground with his frankly wacky behavior. Bad marriages and three children who will probably be in therapy for the rest of their lives (who knows, maybe he is a GOOD father, but would you invite your playmates home to meet him?)

Stick him with a fork - he's done.

Anonymous said...

On that ITV interview he was filmed spending 250 thousand per vase,he should start by selling them and everything he owns.It would be like the Jackie O auction,all his fans would spend millions.That would give him some liquid,then he could go on to sell all his property and song books,move into a 2 million house in Beverly Hills,drive just a simple car have one maid and just drop out,and live on royalties.

Anonymous said...

C'mon, Pickles, certainly not of the same class as Jackie O; I mean, really, a man with the taste for collecting things like The Elephant Man's BONES?

I seriously doubt he's collected $340M in possessions; so just where did all the money go?

And who were the idiots to extend him such credit?

You can bet that if Kitty Kelley ever gets around to an "unauthorized" biography of The White Lady" (which, by the way, would be a GREAT title!), it won't be pretty . . .

Anonymous said...

Just my 2 cents -

1) Just because he *paid* 250k for the vase doesn't mean it was ever worth it. IF those items are even still around (they may have already quietly been sold), they are probably worth less, not more.

2) Janet is smart in a way that seems to have escaped her siblings. I can see her making sure no one ends up homeless but I bet she isn't covering their crazy debts.

3) I wonder if the reluctance to sell Neverland is because of the secrets that will be exposed. We're heard of some of the weird shit (secret passageways, escape routes, etc)..What if that is just the tip of an iceberg?

Anonymous said...

yup, i think that tv show had the gloved one buying that crap, vases included from a mall in vegas, so, ya, i'm pretty sure they might have been overpriced worthless shlock.

Anonymous said...

Mama for the halloween edition of realestalker TV maybe a creepy tour of Neverland?

Anonymous said...

i guess i'm the only person who has read every piece of trash written about the man...he did not actually buy those vases...it was all for show. He "bought" them on the show, but never actually paid for them and so they remained for sale in that crazy store. He essentially put them on hold...that's it. He didn't have that kind of money to be tossing around on vases like that even then. But he sure liked people thinking he did.

Anonymous said...

After all that has been said here, "Hi There" royally nailed it. And, touche, "Little Buddy."
We are media sponges, left to draw our individual wonky conclusions. Why else would the jury selection process exist. With that, I stick my nose way up in the air and own my beliefs on this tragic tale. Oh, and Bubbles, you're a better monkey for having moved on to a better life. Heal, and be safe.

Anonymous said...

I said it before, Sandpiper, you are one classy lady . . .

Anonymous said...

Little Buddy... WTFs going on in FL? No arrests? No allergies from the dust? Give us a 411 on what's happening.

I was tied up as speaker at a Stager conference. Ergo, Clooney wouldm't cut me free. Dammit. He knew I had pre-existing commitments. I think he has a rivalry with Burt ... rightly so. (Not!)

Anonymous said...

If I'd had my druthers Burt's "home" would be a smouldering hole in the ground by about now.

Anonymous said...

I thought Brangelina were in talks to buy it?

That place would make sense for the circus that is Brangelina.

Anonymous said...

what is the address??