And the "Circus" Gets More Interesting...

Jackson's parents: We'll adopt kids if necessary



(CNN) -- Michael Jackson's parents told a British interviewer they are prepared to adopt their son's children if the entertainer's legal problems put him in danger of losing them.

"That would be really mean to just take his children from him. They're just trying to humiliate him," Katherine Jackson told Daphne Barak in an interview that will be aired next week on the British television network ITV.

"I hope they don't try to take his children; that would be devastating to him, but if they do, I'd be right there," she said.

Joe Jackson, the singer's father, said he had no choice because the children are his grandchildren.

"They have no right to try to take those kids," he said. "There's going to be a big mess over that."

Michael Jackson, 45, surrendered on November 20 and was booked on charges of "lewd and lascivious conduct" with a child under 14. He was released on $3 million bail. His arraignment is set for January 9 in Santa Barbara County, Calif.

Katherine Jackson said Michael denied the charges, but she warned him that "these wicked people" would tarnish his reputation.

"Some people are trying to accuse him of being a pedophile, and that is not true. And they need to stop," she said. "We don't deserve this, we're good citizens, we treat everybody right, so why do we have to go through this? It's not right."

Similar allegations made in 1993, she said, were nothing more than "a conspiracy for money."

Charges were never filed in 1993 after the alleged victim dropped out of any criminal proceedings when his family settled with Jackson for millions of dollars. A second alleged victim reportedly refused to testify.

"He's the biggest entertainer in the world, and they don't like that," Joe Jackson said. "Believe me, they do not like that."

As for her son's children -- Prince Michael I, Paris and Prince Michael II -- Katherine Jackson said she hoped they did not follow their famous father into entertainment.

"If it's going to cause them as much pain as it's caused Michael, I'd rather them not," she said.


Poor Kids...

Ryan

apparently, there was an investigation into this "new" complaint a few months ago, and it found nothing