15, June 1997

Oils on canvas

Nilanthi Karunaratne's artistic flair has found expression in many forms.

In the past few years she has dabbled with patchwork, fabric painting and the like with considerable success.

She now returns to her artistic roots with an exhibition titled "Events" which focuses on her paintings, mostly oils on canvas.

Nilanthi's exhibition to be held from June 23 to 27 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery will centre on scenes and events in contemporary Sri Lankan life.

So we will find paintings on familiar themes such as Vesak, Avurudu, Kavadi, the fisherfolk etc, presented with her customary harmonious use of colour.

Her previous exhibitions include two in Bombay in 1990, 1991 at the Cymroza Art Gallery and in 1992, 1993 at the Westchester College of Art and Craft. In Sri Lanka she held exhibitions for the past three years also at the Wendt.

She is happy that her paintings now repose in as far off places such as Vienna, the States and Pakistan having been snapped up by eager collectors.

The King of Pop and the Little Prince

In his first interview since the King of Pop became a pop Michael Jackson paints a rosy picture of his life as a new father and his relationship with the child's mother Debbie Rowe. But behind the scenes there is the REAL story - including Debbie's anguish as she is shut out of her son's life.

Q. Michael, how does it feel to be a father?

A. It was an incredibly joyful experience. I'm in bliss 24 hours a day.

Q. Can you talk us through the birth of your son?

A. It's hard to take it step-by-step, but the snapshots in my mind from the birth show our excitement and nervousness. Debbie was so strong throughout the delivery. There were shouts of joy when the baby was born. I couldn't believe the miracle I had just witnessed. It was unbelievable!

Q. Michael, describe the relationship between yourself and Debbie.

A. Debbie and I love each other for all the things you will never see on-stage or in pictures. I fell for the beautiful, unpretentious, giving person that she is — and she fell for me just being me.

Q. Debbie, what are your current feelings for Michael?

A. I love him even more now than before our son was born. Fatherhood has brought out a very protective streak in him. He is so loving and strong.

Q. What is the boy's name? Why is he so named — and which of you does he look like the most?

A. His name is Prince Michael Junior. My grandfather and great-grandfather were both named Prince so we have carried on the tradition and now we have a third Prince in the family. Debbie adds: He's so beautiful! I think he has my eyes!

Q. Michael, among all your life's glittering achievements, how does fatherhood rate?

A. Words can't describe it. There is no miracle in life that can compare with watching your son come into the world.

Q. Has the baby smiled or responded in any way to the two of you yet?

A. He smiles all the time and his eyes twinkle when I sing to him. He definitely knows my voice. Debbie tickles his chin and he giggles.

Q. Debbie, does Michael change the baby's diapers, get up in the middle of the night to feed him and do his share of the chores?

A. Yes, Michael does everything. He loves being involved in every aspect of caring for the baby. He is such a wonderful father, feeding him, holding him and, of course, singing to him.

Q. Debbie, you have married and had a baby with the most famous man on earth. What effect has that had on you?

A. I have married and had a baby with the man I will always love and I am on top of the world. The only time I feel sad is when I see quotes attributed to me that I never said or when I hear late-night comedians taking cheap shots at my husband when they are not true. Don't believe 99 percent of the garbage you read or hear. I know that we will be under increasing public scrutiny and I don't look forward to that, but I know that will always be a part of being married to Michael.

Q. Michael, you so rarely give interviews. What is the one thing that you would like to say to your fans at this time?

A. Thank you to all my fans for understanding how important it is to me to protect my family from the public eye. I have lived in a "fishbowl" all my life and I want my son to live a normal life. You've stood by me throughout my career and now you share my greatest joy. I love you. (Courtesy Enquirer)

So what is the real story? While the interview at left paints indeed a rosy picture, other reports indicate that Debbie Rowe has been left out in the cold.

Debbie Rowe, the mother of Michael Jackson's baby, has seen the child only twice - once when she gave birth and again when she posed with Michael and the boy for an official photo session.

And now the star has convinced his own mother to move in and help him raise the child - leaving heartbroken Debbie completely out in the cold!

"To the rest of the world I may be Mrs. Michael Jackson. But if Michael's the king, then I'm the queen in exile," Debbie told a friend. "I'm not allowed to see my husband or son!"

Michael called Debbie and told her to show up at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills for a photo session with him and their 6-week old son Prince. And when Debbie went to the hotel, "it was the most bizarre scene," her friend disclosed.

"Debbie was smuggled into the hotel. Michael was driven up in a van and ran into one hotel entrance, while the baby was brought by another van and rushed in by a nurse through a different entrance.

"Debbie met Michael on the floor where he was staying, but he didn't hold her or kiss her. He was more concerned with getting the photo shoot set up, giving instructions to the photographer and lighting technicians on how he wanted the three of them posed.

"Debbie said that when she was able to hold the baby in her arms for the shoot she felt like she was holding someone else's baby. "

'I was smiling for the camera,' she said, 'but inside, my heart was breaking.

"'We were posing with our baby like a regular married couple, but it was all a farce "'As soon as the pictures were taken, Michael gave the baby back to the nurse - and I was pushed out the door!' "After the photo session Michael took off for France with the baby to relax," said the friend.

Shattered Debbie

"My world came crashing down seconds after nurses laid my precious baby boy in my arms. Michael leaned close and whispered in my ear, "Don't get to attached to him, Debbie."

Then he lifted my baby out of my arms- and that's the last time i saw my son.Michael Jackson stole my baby!

Those are the anguished words of Michael's wife Debbie Rowe, who says the King of Pop has left her out in the cold after his son's February 13 birth.

Debbie reveals that Michael ordered her to get out of town and chop off her hair to disguise her appearance. Distraught, Debbie took off for a posh Arizona resort. Then Michael refused to let her see the boy - or even listen to him gurgle on the telephone.

And Debbie hates the idea that Michael is raising their son at his Neverland ranch.

"Neverland is the creepiest place on earth. I get the chills just being there", said Debbie who spent a week in Arizona nursing her shattered heart.

"I feel as if my baby has been kidnapped!

"I knew from the beginning that Michael was going to be our son's primary care-giver and that I was going to take a backseat, but I had no idea that he would cruelly and heartlessly steal my baby away from me - and forbid me from seeing him.

"I married Michael and carried his child for nine months. I want nothing more than to play a part in my son's life. A child needs a mother and a father. Michael can't do it all by himself.

Giving birth to my son was a dream come true.

"But now I realize that all Michael ever wanted from me was to be a baby factory. He doesn't love me or care about me.

"I haven't even seen Michael since I had the baby. And now he's making my life hell by not allowing me to see little Michael!"

In a secret deal, the superstar gave Debbie a whopping $1 million for having his baby - with more money to come, according to an insider.

"They have a contract that governs their marriage and Debbie gets a certain amount of money for every year she stays married to Jackson. It basically amounts to an employment contract between Jackson and his wife!"

But 38-year-old Debbie had no idea Michael would completely shut her out of her child's life, a source close to the new mom disclosed.

"Now Debbie realizes that it was Michael's plan all along to cut her out of the picture and raise their son himself.

"It's like a horror movie for Debbie. Knowing that she can't raise the son she carried in her womb for nine months.

"Just hours after the birth in Los Angeles, Michael insisted that he take the baby to his Neverland ranch, his fortress near Santa Barbara. And he told Debbie that she had to get out of town. He offered to send her anywhere in the world, all expenses paid".

On Saturday, February 15, Debbie drove to Arizona with her two dogs, along with her best friend Penny and Penny's husband, the friend revealed.

"As soon as Debbie arrived she placed a call to Neverland, hoping that maybe Michael would hold the phone up to Michael Jr. so he could atleast gurgle to his mother. But Michael is dead set against Debbie having any contact with the baby now.

"Debbie checked into villa 7154 and Penny and her husband took the adjoining villa. Each villa is a comfortable one-bedroom apartment.

"During the whole week Michael didn't call her once. And every time Debbie called Neverland, Michael refused to let her speak to the baby or listen to him."

Once when they did speak on the phone, Debbie complained bitterly that his staff refused to address her as "Mrs. Jackson", calling her "Miss Rowe" or just plain "Debbie" instead, said another source.

"Michael just giggled. The fact is, he had informed his staff never to call her 'Mrs. Jackson'.

"Debbie screamed, 'People don't treat me like I'm your wife because YOU don't treat me that way!' "

Debbie feels that if Michael did want her as his wife, he'd take her out with him to Hollywood functions - such as Liz Taylor's 65th birthday bash. Instead Michael went alone.

Debbie's friend Penny and her husband went back to California after a few days at the resort leaving Debbie completely alone until she too left Arizona .

"Debbie is now recuperating at a friend's ranch outside Los Angeles, while the baby is at Neverland", another insider disclosed.

"When Michael took the baby to the doctor, Debbie wasn't even allowed to be there for the check-up. He phoned her later and told here the baby was fine and weighed eight pounds.

Said Debbie: "Some women might envy me because of Michael's money and power.

"But I would throw it all away in a minute just to have my baby and my old life back!"

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