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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
November 21, 2002, Thursday  
11:08 Central European Time

SECTION: Culture, Entertainment

LENGTH: 744 words

HEADLINE: FEATURE: Michael Jackson peers at primates, shuns human peers

DATELINE: Berlin

BODY:
It could hardly be more ironic: Throngs braved freezing temperatures 
outside Michael Jackson's hotel in Berlin in the hope of glimpsing 
him through his window as meanwhile the star himself slipped off to 
the zoo to peer into the primate paddock.

Bundled against the cold, the 44-year-old King of Pop and two of this 
three children were whisked out the rear of the posh Adlon Hotel at 
Brandenburg Gate to visit the monkeys at the world-famed Berlin Zoo 
on the other side of the Tiergarten park.

Accompanied by a relative dearth of photographers, Jackson doffed his 
surgical mask to smile and laugh at the antics of gorillas, one of 
whom pounded on the compound wall as the star approached with his two 
toddlers in tow.

While he pointed and smiled, it was impossible to gauge the small 
children's reactions since their faces were covered in rose-tinted 
veils which trailed down to their shoulders. In the wake of 
embarrassment earlier this week, Jackson did not bring along his 
infant third child - the one he dangled out of a fourth-floor window 
upon his arrival at the Adlon to the stunned shock of fans below. The 
star later issued an apology, saying, "I made a terrible mistake."

The 44-year-old star has two children by former wife Debbie Rowe. 
They are a boy Prince Michael, 5, and a girl Paris Michael Katherine, 
4. In addition, he has another child, the mother of whom has never 
been revealed. That infant is a 9-month-old boy called Prince Michael 
II - dubbed "No. 3" by the tabloid press.

Jackson has been sighted all over Berlin meanwhile, as lookalike 
Jackos have converged on the German capital to capitalise on his 
presence. A person or persons resembling Jackson - complete with 
surgeon's mask - was variously seen at a major record shop, a big 
department store, several restaurants, a cafe and a popular night 
spot.

A lookalike Jacko also periodically strides through the lobby of the 
Adlon Hotel, though Jacksonologists say they are not fooled - the 
skin colour and body build are all wrong.

Jackson, who made front-page news last week with photographs of his 
unmasked face, is being sued for 20 million dollars by Marcel Avram, 
a Belgian-based promoter who alleges that Jackson backed out of four 
planned millennium concerts.
The star denies the claim and maintains that Avram cancelled the show 
because of poor ticket sales.

Jackson reportedly is upset at pictures released last week by a court 
photographer which showed him with a plaster over his nose, several 
scars, swollen lips and heavy make-up around his eyes.

The picture attracted widespread attention in the media, prompting 
speculation about the negative effects of years of plastic surgery.

But one German family that got an up-close view of Jackson said the 
photographs did not do justice to the King of Pop.

"He looks just like a regular guy and certainly did not have a 
plaster on his nose," said Susann Wolf, who along with her husband 
and two children were invited up to Jackson's digs in the Adlon's 
Presidential Suite for a friendly chat over soft drinks and snacks.

--
Carrie McLaren
Editor, Stay Free!
718.398.9324
www.stayfreemagazine.org
www.illegal-art.org