Joe Jackson’s exploitation hopes

Joe Jackson is at it again. He wants to take Michael Jackson’s kids on the road as “The Jackson Three.”

Joe managed the Jackson Five, the group which launched Michael’s career and has reportedly lined up Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II to perform at a series of concerts next year.

Michael’s unofficial biographer Ian Halperin said: “Joe wants the children to go on a world tour in 2010. He has already offered recording contracts to two of Michael’s kids. Now he is talking about getting them the world’s best backing band and taking them on tour as The Jackson Three.”

However, the rest of the “Thriller” singer’s family are reportedly furious about the idea and claim Joe, 79, is trying to exploit the grieving youngsters.

Ian added to Britain’s The Sun newspaper: “One of the family members is livid. He is saying Joe seems intent to do this no matter what. He wants to exploit the kids the same way he did Michael.”

Reports have circulated that Michael’s mother Katherine, to whom he left the kids, was in secret talks with her son’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe to exclude Joe from the children’s lives.

A custody hearing which was due to take place Monday has been rescheduled for July 20 to allow the women time to come to an agreement which will reportedly see Katherine raising them at the family home in Encino, California, with frequent visits from Debbie.