Wonderwall

La Toya Jackson Hits Back At 'Gold-Digging Diva' Reports

The Associated Press, Monday, March 4, 2013, 4:00pm (PST)

Billboard -- La Toya Jackson is firing back at The New York Post, calling a recent article on her relationship with Michael Jackson's three children “false” and “derogatory.”

On Sunday, the publication reported that the 56-year-old had quietly begun to profit on the showbiz ambitions of the late singer's children, signing them as the only clients of her Ja-Tail Enterprises talent agency and collecting a 15% commission on Paris Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson's respective deals.

While Paris recently inked a movie deal that will have her shooting in London this year, Prince Michael has been named a correspondent on Entertainment Tonight and will make his acting debut on The CW's recently canceled "90210."

Prince Michael Jackson Now Works for 'Entertainment Tonight'

The article referred to La Toya as a “gold-digging diva” and claimed that she “pounced” while the rest of the family was engaged in a bizarre feud last summer.

It also was reported that La Toya is in the process of shopping a Jackson family reality series and that Oprah Winfrey's OWN was thought to be the front-runner in a $10 million bidding war.

Below is La Toya's response in full, submitted to The Hollywood Reporter by publicist Juliette Harris:

“The story in The NY Post is completely and unequivocally false. Neither La Toya nor her company represent any of MJ's children in any legal capacity nor has she received any commissions or payment as a result of their individual ventures. As a loving Aunt, when the children ask for help or advice she supports them 100%, and will continue to do so.

Furthermore, there is no shopping of a reality show for the children. Paris did her movie deal over a year ago directly with the production company and La Toya had nothing to do with it. Over the past year, Prince has continuously asked his Aunt for her help in starting his career because of the infrastructure she has. When she asked her nephew what he wanted for his birthday he replied, "He just wanted to work," It was at the time that she diligently started to assist him with his career and that's when Entertainment Tonight was booked and then 90210.

La Toya is currently consulting with her attorneys on how to proceed against these false and derogatory statements made by The NY Post and other participating publications.”