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Q&A: LaToya Jackson Talks “Apprentice,” Star Jones and MJ

Q&A: LaToya Jackson Talks

Michael's older sister on becoming a reality television diva.

LaToya Jackson is holding her own on the craziest season of Celebrity Apprentice. Star Jones, Gary Busey and Nene Leakes are just a few of the massive personalities on Donald Trump’s hit reality show. Through all the madness, LaToya has been one of few contestants to impress Mr. Trump.

In LaToya’s first BET.com, she sounds off on Michael Jackson and lessons learned—and makes it clear that Star Jones will never be invited to the Jackson compound for dinner!

Is the Celebrity Apprentice as vicious as it seems on television?

I have to be honest with you. What you're getting is what's really happening and what's taking place. What you see is what you truly get. There is a lot left out as well—it’s even more intense than what you are seeing.

Did you have any hesitation about doing the show?

When I was approached in the beginning, I was a bit hesitant. After a while I decided this would be good because it will add awareness to the charity I’m working with.

Tell us about your charity, AIDS Project Los Angeles.

AIDS Project Los Angeles is a charity that my brother Michael was involved in. He is in the Guinness Book of World records for giving to the most charities in the entire world. He had donated $400 million of his own personal money to charity. I decided to move forward and try to help those charities that he was involved with. By AIDS Project Los Angeles being right here in my backyard, I decided to cling to them more. I’ve been working with them ever since Michael passed.

Allegedly, Nene and Star have reconciled. Do you think you’d ever invite Star Jones to the Jackson family house for dinner?

Absolutely not! My family doesn’t need to be around anything of that nature.

You said in a recent interview that we are going to see the Joe Jackson come out of you during Celebrity Apprentice. How do you think Joe Jackson would react to Star Jones?

He would immediately shut her down and put her in her place. I put as much Joe Jackson as I could in there, but it’s the strength that he has and how he protects his children. People don’t understand that and they take it the wrong way. That’s why we are where we are today—because of my father.

Who is the next Jackson that would be good for Celebrity Apprentice?

My brother Jermaine. It’s something that he would like to do. The Jacksons, as you all know, we’re all shy and very quiet and reserved people. I think Jermaine would just settle in there and it would bring a lot out of him.

We interviewed RuPaul a couple months ago, and he said this about you, "She's always been my favorite Jackson because she has made her mistakes and worn them on the outside. I think people who have made mistakes, who have bumped their head, are the most interesting." What's your reaction to that comment from RuPaul?

That’s very kind of RuPaul, I appreciate that. I love RuPaul, he’s a wonderful person. This is what life is about, walking the path and making mistakes. No one is perfect. We’re thrown into this world, there’s no guidebook for it. You just figure out the best way you can. You learn and you move forward.

Of course, you know the BET audience loves Michael Jackson. Can you share with us a special moment you had with your brother?

Michael and I would go for drives all the time. One day, Bubbles came with us. He put Bubbles on his lap and let Bubbles do the driving. I said, “You’re going to wreck us!” [Laughs] He says, “No, I’m controlling him.” Bubbles was just driving away. I think it’s hilarious when I look back on that ... I want to thank everybody who really stood by my brother and supported him. They knew what we had lost—a legend, especially when it came to the music industry. We were so grateful for the public. All of the fans who are supportive, it’s wonderful to see that. It lets you know there is a lot of love out there.

When you get to heaven, what is the DJ playing?

I love that question! I think he’s probably rejoicing. Maybe “Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin.

You can catch LaToya Jackson on Celebrity Apprentice Sundays night at 9pm on NBC.

Follow LaToya Jackson on Twitter.com/LaToyaJackson.

Posted

Reality TV Recap: Latoya Jackson On Celebrity Apprentice,' Nene & Star Jones Beef, Paris, Michael, Blanket

Why is your charity on Celebrity Apprentice so important?

When I first was asked to do the show, I was a bit hesitant about doing it I but after evaluating it with my business partner I thought this was wonderful because my brother set up this charity with whom I had worked with⎯AIDS Project Los Angeles⎯and I decided this will bring awareness to this charity so why not do the show, which is why I got involved in it.

So, in a way youre honoring Michaels legacy?

Absolutely. And I think its so important to bring light to the different charities that are around the world that people arent familiar with, and thats what we had done. Michael had given his personal money to charities and he was in the Guinness Book of Records for donating millions of dollars of his personal money. He did a lot of that work; a lot of people dont know that. If he saw something like a tsunami or a starving child he would say send them $2 million. He would just pick up the phone and say send them that. And thats what he would do for the kids that were hurting all over the world, people in general, for that matter.

Were there some people on the show are there more for their own exposure instead of their charity?

It depends. I think they forget⎯during the show, I kept saying, Guys, this is for charity, did u forget? Theres so much tension and fighting and yelling and very boisterous and strong-headed women and its like, Wait a second, this is supposed to be out of love and together as a unit.

What helped you get by? It looks stressful.

The entire show is high stress and it gets better each show, meaning there are a lot of fights that go on and you have to just stay focused on what youre doing and thats what I basically did. My strategy was being myself. I didnt have a strategy but some of them came in there and it was like, Im gonna win this show regardless, and its like, what about your charity?

Theres been a lot of drama between Nene and Star Jones. Theyve both been doing interviews throwing verbal darts at each other and Star in particular said she felt that Nene makes Black women look bad because of her attitude. What are your thoughts about that comment and their relationship?

I think that when youre doing a show like this and youre around people⎯I think that were working so many hours a day. Its usually 18 hours or 15⎯somewhere around there⎯and when youre working those many hours it becomes kind of stressful and peoples true personalities come out. I can only stay true to myself but whoever you are, if youre boisterous youre gonna see that, if youre mean and malicious youre gonna see that and thats what you see in these different characters. And if thats the way they represent women as a whole, as a minority⎯black women in general⎯thats not necessarily so. But I would like for us to be⎯and I told this to the girls⎯I said, You guys we must be professional, I said, Listen, were all Black women, and women on top of that so lets make this a great show. Lets all stick together and do a great job and make everybody proud but that went right out the window [Laughs].

You seem pretty lowkey but you are Joe Jacksons daughter so will you have a moment where you have to go to battle or lose your cool?

[Laughs] You know what it was [three episodes ago], Donald had complimented me on my work and the people that we were working for had complimented me and said I was the only one that knew what I was doing and the girls didnt like that and said they had to get me off next. And thats what they did, they all wanted to say dont give her any tasks, dont give her anything to do. It was difficult and they made it difficult but you have to stand up for yourself. But at the end of the day I dont believe in yelling and fighting, I believe in talking things out. Im not gonna yell back but Im not gonna let you run over me either.

What else can we expect from the rest of the season?

I cant reveal too much but you can expect a whole lot, trust me. Ive never experienced anything like being in prison my whole life and thats what its like. Its just like working in prison. I hope they edit so you guys can see because a lot of editing goes on where youre like, wait a minute, that didnt happen that way so I hope they edit so you can see. Its a very interesting show. Youre working with a group of people and youre restricted to a boardroom. Youre in this room with each other all day and people get angry. Aside from the show, theres also the Conrad Murray trial coming up. Can you give us an update? Im definitely gonna be at the trial and I just want to see justice. Its so sad whats taken place and whats happened and I want justice served to the proper individuals.

How are the kids, Paris, Michael and Prince?

Theyre doing extremely well, thanks for asking. Kids are resilient and theyre enjoying their lives.

What are they doing to continue their fathers legacy?

Prince is interested in acting and directing and Blanket is interested in directing and Paris likes singing, so I try to spend time with them as much as I can and make sure theyre on the right path.

What are some of your favorite Auntie activities to do with them?

I did Ellen yesterday and they wanted to come a long, so I brought them with me because theyre interested in directing. We showed them how the cameras work and took them to the booth and control room⎯things of that nature. And Im taking them out today and were going to do some fun things, like go shopping, go to the park and have a bite to eat and well probably get manicures and pedicures together.

Arent you working on a book too?

Im not at liberty to speak about such things.

What else are you working on?

Im putting out and album called Starting Over. Its something that Ive been saying I was going to put out forever so I want to do that and get music out of my system and get it over with, so that will be out before the year is over. But my goal is business. Ive always loved business. I run all these companies under Jatail.com. There are several companies that I run and Im happy about it. Weve been doing it for a few years now.

Is there anything you want to add?

No, I think we've covered everything, thank you.

http://www.vibe.com/posts/reality-tv-recap..._medium=twitter

Posted

La Toya Jackson Talks ‘Apprentice’ & Jackson Kids

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- La Toya Jackson weathered quite a few cat fights with her fellow “Celebrity Apprentice” candidates, especially with “The Real Housewives of Atlanta’s” NeNe Leakes – but has the duo made amends?

“NeNe is NeNe, that’s her character and what she does,” La Toya told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Tuesday’s Access Hollywood Live, when asked about her boardroom brawls on the hit NBC series.

“I kind of overlook it. I try to the best I can, sometimes she kind of gets to you. Because if you don’t defend yourself, she will come after you even harder, thinking that she can really take over and take advantage of you,” she explained. “We’re doing this for charity, but I think everybody forgets about that!”

Competing to be Donald Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” felt more like being behind bars to La Toya.

“It’s like being in prison actually, when we were doing this show. I love Donald, I think he’s fabulous, I love everything he’s been doing, but I had to get on the show with these girls, such strong personalities, who do anything to get ahead! And I believe in playing fair,” she continued.

Despite their on-screen antics, La Toya said she and NeNe have come to an understanding.

“Oh NeNe and I [have made up], yes, absolutely. I have definitely forgiven her,” she told Billy and Kit. “Actually, she apologized while we were doing the show. When [the cameras] were not rolling.”

La Toya also gave Billy and Kit an update on her late brother, Michael’s, children, Prince Michael, 14, Paris, 13, and nine-year-old Blanket.

“They’re doing very well, children are so resilient, I’m so proud of them, I’m just very happy… they help me a great deal with my brother. I couldn’t listen to the music, I couldn’t listen to the songs, if they can get over it then I have to too,” she said.

Billy asked if the King of Pop’s children were able to now lead more conventional lives.

“Oh yeah, absolutely. And they go shopping, they do things of that nature, but they’re with security of course. And they enjoy themselves, they have fun,” La Toya said, explaining that her mother Katherine put a stop to the kids wearing masks in public.

Adding, “For the first time they have gone to school and they really like it, so I’m very happy for them. It’s taught something totally different about people and life. They’re just enjoying themselves.”

La Toya is also prepping for the release of her new book, “Starting Over,” which will contain stories about her famous brother.

“Michael is such a lovely person, you will see a lot of wonderful moments [about him],” she said.

  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

La Toya Jackson writes of brother's death in book

By ALICIA RANCILIO, Associated Press Alicia Rancilio, Associated Press – Thu Jun 16, 4:54 pm ET

NEW YORK – La Toya Jackson writes in her new book "Starting Over" that the first question that ran through her mind after she learned of her brother's death was, "Who killed Michael?"

The book is scheduled to go on sale next week, two years after the pop star's death of a sedative overdose. Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, and trial is set for September.

La Toya Jackson says her brother often predicted he would be killed over his estate and music publishing catalog.

She also says she learned a lot about Michael's well-being in the days before his death. His daughter Paris told her that "Daddy was always cold" and that "he would always cry."

La Toya Jackson writes that she confronted Dr. Conrad Murray in the hospital shortly after her brother was pronounced dead to find out what happened and that he gave her only "evasion and excuses."

She also writes that she searched Jackson's bedroom and found it "torn to pieces," with furniture overturned and items scattered about. They included notes she believes were written by Michael indicating that he needed his father Joseph's help to get "these people out of my life" and that he "only agreed to 10 shows."

When he died on June 25, 2009, Jackson was a few weeks away from kicking off a string of 50 shows at The O2 Arena in London. Originally only 10 concerts were announced, but tickets sold out in less than an hour and 40 more shows were added.

La Toya Jackson writes that she heard from other people in Michael's life who were suspicious of his final days, including friends and fans.

She won't be the last of her family to share their story. Brother Jermaine Jackson has a book coming out in September.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110616/ap_en_...la_toya_jackson

  • 2 weeks later...

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