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[Josh Greenman <joshg1973 AT yahoo.com>]

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/articles/18573425?source=Metro#

12/05/05

Jacko used chimps as cleaners
By Metro

Michael Jackson used his pet chimpanzees to clean Neverland ranch, his trial 
heard
yesterday. 

The creatures would help the star by dusting, cleaning windows and brushing 
the toilets,
the jury heard. 

In a clip of outtakes from Martin Bashir's ITV1 documentary Living With 
Michael Jackson,
the singer described how he got his animals to help with household chores. 

'They are very smart. Their DNA is identical to humans when you look under a 
microscope,'
he said. 

He also revealed his beloved pet chimp Bubbles was moved to a monkey 
sanctuary after he
became too strong and started to rebel against him - like a teenage child. 

He said: 'They are very, very strong. They are very powerful.' 

In the video, which showed a relaxed looking Jackson sitting on a floor 
cushion in an
emerald green silk shirt, he laughed and joked with British journalist 
Bashir. 

He said that although the upkeep of Neverland cost him 'millions' each year, 
it was worth
it for the happiness it brought visiting children. He said he employed 
between 150 and
200 people to run the ranch. 

'That costs a lot of money,' he added. 'I get it all back if I see them 
[children] smile.
That's all worth it.' 

Asked why he wanted to make children happy he told Bashir: 'I've always just 
felt that
they are very special to me. I see God through them. Everything I do is 
inspired by the
children. I'm a nut for innocence. I love innocence. If it wasn't for the 
children. I
would throw in the towel.' 

And he invoked the memory of Princess Diana to explain why he felt he had to 
provide fun
for youngsters. 

He added: 'Especially now that Mother Teresa is not here, Princess Diana is 
not here,
there's no voice for the kids.' 

Jackson also joked about the Pope - saying he had trouble telling the 
difference between
the various Catholic leaders. 

'Why do they all look alike? That confuses me.'