Daily News Feed 6.29.2009/Vocab: clandestine

Janet Jackson Thanks Fans at BET Awards
Michael Jackson’s sister Janet Jackson and father, Joe Jackson, attended the BET Awards Sunday to thank fans and celebrate Michael. “We’re doing fine, thank you,” Joe Jackson said on the red carpet. “It’s a fantastic thing. It’s a great thing. I just wish (Michael) could have seen this celebration. It’s hard. He’s gone, but … I’m here to celebrate.” Jackson, wearing sunglasses and shaky at times when he spoke, continued: “He was the biggest star in history. I feel sorry that the biggest star in the world is gone.” Later, backstage speaking to reporters, Jackson said Michael is “larger than he ever was before. Michael gave his love to everybody. We hope his record will never be broken.” BET dedicated the awards, held at the Shrine Auditorium, to the memory of Michael Jackson. (Continue Reading…)

Tyler Perry on Jackson: ‘Give the Family Room to Breathe’
Atlanta film director Tyler Perry phoned into Q100’s The Bert Show Friday morning to discuss his thoughts on Michael Jackson’s passing and pleaded for fans and the media to give the Jackson family “respect and room to grieve.” Perry is set to direct Jackson’s younger sister Janet Jackson here in the sequel to his 2007 hit “Why Did I Get Married?” Perry confirmed that Jackson was on her way to Atlanta to begin production on the film Thursday when she got word of her brother’s death. Her plane was immediately re-routed to Los Angeles, Perry said. “I spoke to her yesterday,” Perry said. “She’s a wonderful, wonderful, wonderful girl. There’s no pretense. She’s a regular, beautiful human being. I just ask that people pray for her and her family.” (Continue Reading…)

Plans for Michael Jackson’s Funeral Remain Unclear for Now
A judge has granted Michael Jackson’s mother, Katherine, temporary guardianship of his three children. The guardianship papers were filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday. A hearing has been set for Aug 3. Jackson left behind three children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. The youngest son was born to a surrogate mother. The filings show that Katherine Jackson is also petitioning to take over the children’s estate. Its value is listed as “unknown” in the filing. The filing lists the children as living at the Jacksons’ family compound in the San Fernando Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. (Continue Reading…)

clandestine \klan-DES-tin\, adjective: