And just before Christmas at that.
Jermaine Jackson’s five-bedroom, six-bathroom setup in Calabasas, Calif., 30 minutes northwest of Los Angeles, is set to be sold for a minimum bid of $2.l million on Jan. 21, 2011, on the step of the Pomona, Calif., courthouse. Jermaine has lived in the home for less than 18 months. Therefore, pursuant to California law, his family has 60 days from the time of the foreclosure to vacate the premises, TMZ reports.
I know what you’re thinking: but, no, Jermaine and his clan cannot go back to mother Katherine’s house. They were kicked out of the Encino, Calif., mansion that the late, legendary Michael bought with his Off the Wall profits after Jermaine’s son Jafaar tried to taser Michael’s son, Blanket.
This continues the wave of negative press that the former teenage sex symbol is receiving, particularly in wake of the King of Pop’s tragic passing in June 2009. Jermaine, 55, was hauled into court for failure to pay back $100,000 in child support. He became a laughingstock when he asked the judge to reduce his $3,000 monthly payments to a mere $215 a month because he claimed he was broke and unemployed.
Jackson is perhaps best known for a late ’70s, post-Jackson Five hit, “Let’s Get Serious” and a Top Ten Billboard duet with Michael, “Tell Me Am I Dreaming” as well as “Do What You Do,” both in 1984. He also scored a moderate hit with Whitney Houston, “If You Say My Eyes are Beautiful.” In all instances, his hits were overshadowed by his younger brother’s transcendent musical fame.
Unfortunately, Jermaine may be more well known for his missteps and wrongful predictions. He told Michael that his follow-up to Off the Wall wouldn’t sell because people were not buying records in the early ’80s. We all know howThriller turned out. He also complained bitterly to his mother that a young Michael looked ridiculous wearing high-water pants with white socks. Another goof. He also, along with his brothers, used to mercilessly tease Michael about his broad nose when they were kids. We can’t begin to calculate how influential that was in Michael’s obsession with his looks and subsequent cosmetic surgeries.
To top things off, Jermaine pursued, had children with, then married youngest brother Randy’s ex-wife, Alejandra Oaziaza. Randy and Alejandra also had children together. Wow.
It’s horribly sad to witness the continued travails of the First Family of Music. And Jermaine’s diva personality and peculiar coif has not won him many fans, supporters or sympathizers.
–terry shropshire
