At a press conference on the Monday following Michael Jackson’s death, his father Joe said that Michael’s three children belonged with him and his wife, Katherine, and that “We’re the parents. This is where they belong. We’re going to take care of them and give them the education they’re supposed to have.”

Joe repeats that claim in an interview that will air on ABC on Tuesday, and says “we” should raise the children. As Time reports, Joe and Katherine are thought to have lived apart for years. The question is – if Katherine’s custody is made permanent, will Joe move back in with her to care for the children? Michael explained that his childhood was spent working in the recording studio and practicing, punctuated by his father’s severe beatings. Joe Jackson has already said that Michael’s youngest, Blanket, “can really dance.” It’s not like the guy has changed and he’ll surely exploit Michael’s kids for a buck given the chance and smack them when they don’t toe the line, just like his own kids.

In a partial interview released on ABC on Friday, taken from a longer interview to be aired July 14, Joe says that both he and estranged wife Katherine should take on permanent guardianship duties now that Michael has died. “Their grandmother Katherine and I should raise them,” Joe said. “Yes there’s no one else who can do what we can do for them. We should keep them all together and make them happy. Feed them like they are supposed to be fed.”

Previously there had not been a significant “we” in the children equation. As Michael requested in his will, Katherine has been granted legal temporary guardianship of Prince Michael I, 12, Paris Michael Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II (also known as Blanket), 7. Deborah Rowe, the biological mother of Prince Michael I and Paris Michael Katherine, who had renounced her parental rights years ago, had stated an interest in taking custody of all three children in a recent interview and her lawyer is involved in the guardianship proceedings. A guardianship hearing set for Monday in Los Angeles was postponed until July 20. Katherine’s lawyer said in a statement that the week delay would allow the opportunity to “privately and amicably” resolve the issue.

While still legally married, Katherine and Joe have long been separated, even residing in different states for the past few years. Michael was often vocal about his critique of Joe’s parenting techniques, telling Oprah Winfrey in 1993 that there was “a lot of sadness” in his childhood. He revealed his father would tease him about his pimples and would even beat him. Jackson said his father was “very hard” and that he was “frightened” of him. In the same interview, he referred to his mother as “wonderful” and “perfection.”

Jackson biographer and family friend Stacy Brown says Joe’s re-emergence is not out of character. “No one can put reins on Joe,” Stacy says. “With a potential custody battle and knowing that he would likely be among the negatives discussed [in any court battle], Joe does what Joe wants.”

Mark Lester, godparent to Michael’s children, says he is not concerned by Joe’s statements. “In recent years, Michael and Joe had repaired a lot of the emotional trauma that had gone on before,” Lester told TIME. He says that Joe has a different relationship with his grandchildren: “I’ve seen how Joe reacts with the kids, he’s very loving with them.”

In the ABC extract, Joe was asked if he felt the Jackson children could go into show business. “I don’t know,” Joe responded. “I keep watching Paris. She wants to do something.” He added that Blanket can “really dance.”

[From Time.com]

In case that’s not enough to send a chill down your spine, Time also reports that Joe received an estimated “$200,000 for the use of family films” for that ABC interview. The guy declared bankruptcy just ten years ago and all of Michael’s money is going to be tied up in legal battles for at least a decade. He’s got find to way to get some cash coming in and the only way he knows how to make money is by exploiting children. That’s what he considers “raising” kids – putting them on display and treating them like expendable commodities. No wonder Debbie Rowe wants to take out a restraining order on him and is considering fighting for custody – she wants to keep those kids far away from their grandfather. The next custody hearing is scheduled for July 20, and Rowe is expected to be there.

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