Paris Jackson

Arnold Klein who? Michael Jackson's good friend Mark Lester looks at the late King of Pop's daughter Paris and is convinced he is her real dad.

Lester recently said in an interview that he secretly donated sperm to help the singer have kids - and that Paris looks just like his own daughter Harriet.

Until two weeks ago the child star of Oliver, the Oscar-winning classic adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel, had not told anyone this, even his wife.

But Mark Lester is now going public with this theory and is willing to take a DNA test to prove paternity, saying, "It's been a secret for so long."

"In 1996 Michael asked if I would give him my sperm. I said yes. It was a gift to him, no money was paid. I was honored to. He wanted children so badly."

Lester, an osteopathic doctor and acupuncture specialist, is only speaking out now because after Jackson's death he fears he will be cut off from her life.

"With Michael's mother Katherine now their legal guardian it's like the kids are being isolated," said Mark, who is the godfather of all three of Michael's kids. "Up until Michael's memorial I was in touch with them on a weekly basis.

"I'm the Godparent to them and Michael was Godparent to my four kids. Our families spent a lot of time together, had a lot fun together. Now I'm not able to have any communication with the children. This isn't what Michael would have wanted."

Mark Lester said he has spoken to lawyers to establish his rights to contact the children. He then revealed in detail how Jackson:

• Hatched the sperm donor plan because he was scared to have sex.
• Joked about making donor babies using a "turkey baster."
• Booked Mark into a special London clinic for the procedure.
• Shared holidays and intimate moments with the Lesters.

The plan for Mark to donate sperm to Jackson all along. Amazingly, he is not the first close friend to be the subject of paternity rumors involving the children.

Dr. Arnold Klein, a dermatologist who treated Michael and also spent a great deal of time with the star as a close friend, also donated sperm "at some point."

Asked if he is the father of Paris Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson, Klein has offered only strange non-denials, saying he's not, "to the best of my knowledge."

There is also the unrelated, yet equally puzzling rumor of whether the star's "close friend" Omer Bhatti, 25, is really the secret (and biological) son of Jackson.

Follow the link to keep reading Lester's paternity story ...

Now why would the late Michael Jackson's dermatologist want a say in how the King of Pop's three children - Paris, Prince and Blanket - are raised?

If you know what's already been rumored about Dr. Arnold Klein, it's not too hard to connect the dots here. A man's gotta look after his own offspring!

That hasn't been confirmed, of course. But acting on behalf of Dr. Arnold Klein, lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan made a surprise appearance in court Tuesday to express his client's concerns at the Michael Jackson custody hearing.

Kaplan said he was there to represent Klein's interest in the "education, health care and welfare" of Jackson's two eldest children, Prince Michael and Paris.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, who awarded Katherine Jackson custody of the three children and agreed to visitation rights for Paris and Prince's biological mother Debbie Rowe, said that Klein had no standing to object.

Klein is said to be the biological father of the children. He has never denied this, saying only that he is not the father "to the best of my knowledge" and even admitting that he was a sperm donor "at some point" if not to Michael directly.

These Us photos show how close Dr. Arnold Klein was to Michael Jackson and his kids ... but was it more than a friendship? His court maneuver yesterday suggests so.

Arnold Klein had objected to Katherine being awarded custody as per Michael Jackson's last will. But later, the doctor said in a statement via his attorney that he does not have any problem with Katherine Jackson taking care of them.

According to Mark Vincent Kaplan and co-counsel Bradley P. Boyer:

"Arnold Klein is merely acting on promises he made to Michael with respect to ensuring the long-term health and stability of the children and their ability to enjoy as normal of a life out of the spotlight as could be reasonably possible."

"Dr. Klein has always had a special relationship with Paris and Prince, loves and cares deeply for these children and is looking out for their best interest."

"Dr. Klein has been involved with the children in sharing holidays and other special events and wishes to have the ability to continue his involvement as a very close associate of their father and offers his guidance and protection forever."

The judge said Klein can file court papers pertaining to his guardianship concerns, and his legal team says it plans to do just that on September 1.

So Kaplan essentially explained why Dr. Arnold Klein wants to stay in the mix without actually explaining anything. For about $500 per hour, too.

Do you think Arnold Klein is the children's biological father?

Not only does Paris Hilton share a name with Michael Jackson’s daughter, the ho-tel heiress says the King of Pop asked her mom's permission to use it.

Right. Because the Hiltons have a famed European capital trademarked.

“My mom and Michael went to high school together and they were best friends since they were 13,” the useless celebutante said in an interview with Extra.

“So I grew up knowing Michael Jackson very well and when he had his daughter, he always loved the name Paris and grew up being an uncle to me."

"So he asked my mom if it was okay and of course she said yes and I think she’s such a beautiful little girl and I’m proud we have the same name.”

Paris Hilton would be a great role model for her namesake. [Photo: Fame Pictures]

If it's somehow true that Paris Jackson can credit this infamous Hollywood celebrity for her name, boy did that decision come back to bite Michael.

You think you're naming your daughter after the most beautiful city in the world, then some worthless socialite goes and sullies it by starring in a sex tape and serving time behind bars for DUI. Sometimes, no good deed goes unpunished.

As for the derivation of Michael's sons' names, Prince Michael Jackson and Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., those pretty much speak for themselves.

No word on who Omer Bhatti is named for.

Just when you think OK! Magazine cannot lower the celebrity gossip bar any further, then come out with a new cover that proves you wrong. Kudos, guys.

While Michael Jackson’s mom, Katherine Jackson, was named guardian of the three children of the late singer in his will, it’s Michael’s sister Janet Jackson who has emerged in the eyes of many as their favored caregiver.

“All three want Janet Jackson to read to them at night,” a Jackson family friend says. “They just melt into her arms when she walks into the house.”

So much so, the magazine reports, that adorable Prince and Paris Jackson, 12 and 11, plus little Blanket, 7, have reached out to Janet and said ...

“Janet has completely bonded with those children in the last two weeks,” the friend continues. “She has been the rock for [Paris, Prince and Blanket]."

"It’s clear to everyone that they are looking to her for comfort and guidance.”

It's clear to everyone? Really? No one's doubting Janet Jackson is probably an awesome aunt, but do the kids even know her? Do they love Katherine less?

We also enjoy the trumping up of Debbie Rowe and her role in all this, as if she is trying to break up the family. While that would be good drama, it's untrue.

One semi-legitimate point raised is that at 79, caring for three kids might be too much for Katherine Jackson, a problem eased by Janet Jackson’s presence.

“Janet is not only willing to raise those children, she is also the only relative of Michael's who really knows how to protect them,” an insider tells OK!.

“Janet knows the value of a private life and knows how to keep her personal life out of the news. She is determined to do that for Michael’s children. She says that he would want no less for them, pointing out how far he went to shelter them.”

It does sound nice. But just in case you forgot the publication that is reporting this, here's a look back at their previous two Michael Jackson covers ...

According to various reports, Debbie Rowe has been offered at least $3 million from Michael Jackson's family if she does not fight for custody of her two biological children with the late music icon, Prince Michael and Paris Jackson, 12 and 11.

"One family member said $3 million, another said $5 million. My guess is that it will be somewhere in between," Jackson family friend Stacy Brown told ABC.

As part of the settlement, Debbie Rowe would get visitation rights to the two kids. Katherine Jackson, the star's mother, will remain the children's legal guardian, as specified in Michael Jackson's last will, written in 2002.

Michael is also father to Prince Michael Jackson II, a.k.a. Blanket, who was born to an unknown surrogate. His parents' identities have never been revealed.

Rowe has not accepted any deal, her attorney says. But numerous reports suggest there are offers on the table and ongoing negotiations.

Another report says the proposed deal would not prevent Michael's father Joe Jackson from seeing the kids, and multiple sources told ABC News that Debbie Rowe is insisting on a clause that prevents him from ever being named guardian.

Debbie Rowe is considering fighting for custody because she felt Katherine was too old to care for them and concern about Joe being around them. [Photo: Fame Pictures]

A custody hearing that had been scheduled for yesterday was recently postponed until July 20. Rowe's attorney says she will attend the hearing.

The New York Post, which reported that Debbie Rowe was to receive about $4 million in a settlement, says the proposed agreement "takes away any rights she has to challenge custody at any given time... this would be it."

It wouldn't be the first time Rowe - who insists she is the biological parents of Paris and Prince despite reports circulating that she is not their mother - was paid for for giving up custody of the children she had with her ex-husband.

In a 2005 hearing - around when Jackson was acquitted on molestation charges - his lawyer says Rowe got "about $4 or $5 million up front," and a mansion in Beverly Hills, plus $900,000 a year for a number of years if she abided by the terms.

ABC says child welfare officials recently interviewed the children at Katherine Jackson's Encino, Calif. home, which is standard in cases such as this.

Older, never-before-seen pictures of Michael Jackson at home with his two older children, Prince Michael and Paris Jackson, have just been published by OK!

To sum them up in a word: Awww! It's so sad that their father is gone, and our hearts go out to these adorable children and their younger sibling Blanket.

The King of Pop was a music icon and a deeply troubled individual in many ways, but he was without a doubt a loving dad, and the children his top priority.

Paris Jackson's speech about him at his memorial service Tuesday said it all.

Click to enlarge the pictures below, showing MJ at Neverland, celebrating Prince's birthday in 2003, and posing with Debbie Rowe and baby Paris in 1998:

[Photos: OK! Magazine]

Carefully planned as it was, Tuesday's Michael Jackson memorial service was defined by the impromptu, closing moment when the late pop star's 11-year-old daughter, Paris Jackson, took to the stage of Los Angeles' Staples Center.

The adolescent girl, who has rarely if ever been seen by the public as the pop star's children were always shrouded in mystery, declared her love for her dad.

Paris's brief appearance "was not planned," Ken Ehrlich, producer of the tribute, said in an interview with CNN. "In fact, a lot of the show was not scripted."

"Music was laid out, but most of the speakers really spoke from their heart – people who knew Michael well – and I think that's what gave the show its heart."

Barely able to eke out the words as she trembled in front of the mic, the tearful Paris Jackson said before being enveloped by her many aunts and uncles:

"I just wanted to say ... Ever since I was born ... daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just want to say that I love him so much."

Paris Jackson's brief speech was the most poignant moment in an event full of them. Here she is with her aunts, uncles, and brothers Prince Michael I and II (Blanket).

Ehrlich also said that going into the tribute the Jackson family's request had been that "we don't want to do a TV show, we want to do a memorial service."

"We hope you got the feeling you were watching a memorial service."

We did - at least as much as we possibly could, given that it was a tribute for arguably the most famous person on the planet. May he rest in peace.

Here's the video of Paris Jackson's tearful goodbye to her father ...

Paris Jackson Speaks

Michael Jackson celebrated his final Christmas with his three children - and Prince Michael Jackson I, 12, Paris Jackson, 11, and Blanket, 7, Us Weekly reports.

That was assumed even before they unearthed the photo below - but one new and interesting fact is that, apparently, Dr. Arnold Klein, was there as well.

Klein also brought Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher, a close friend, as a surprise guest for the kids to Jackson's $100,000-a-month Holmby Hills, Calif. home.

Fellow guest Stephen Price, another close friend of Arnold Klein, says that Jackson told Klein that Paris, Prince and Prince Michael II were fans of Star Wars.

Arnold Klein, bottom left, with Michael Jackson and kids in December 2009.

Around 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve, "Michael brought the kids down in their pajamas and said, 'This is Princess Leia,'" Price recalls. "They were so excited! She did her famous speech for them - the 'Help me, Obi-Wan' speech."

Price says of Jackson's kids, "They are the greatest kids you'll ever meet."

Dr. Arnold Klein employed Paris and Prince's mother, Debbie Rowe, for 23 years at his dermatology office. He is rumored to be their biological father. Us Weekly has even stated this has fact. However, neither he nor other sources have confirmed it.

"I just wanted to say ... ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father ... you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him ... so much."

With these words just moments ago, Michael Jackson's daughter Paris spoke at the end of his memorial service, providing its most touching moment and best quote.

Flanked by Michael Jackson's brothers and his sister Janet Jackson, 11-year-old Paris took the microphone, voice trembling, and bid farewell to her dad.

Here's the video of Paris Jackson's poignant goodbye ...

Paris Jackson Speaks

Follow these links for a full recap of Michael Jackson's memorial service as well as a photo gallery of the music and star-filled tribute to the iconic music great.