Malnik with Blanket in 2003 (Courtesy Malnik family)

Michael Jackson friend Al Malnik, the Ocean Ridge businessman who opened his $20 million-home to Jackson for months in 2002-03, said Monday he won’t attempt to gain custody of Jackson’s youngest son, Blanket, unless a custody battle erupts over the dead singer’s three children.

Malnik, 76, told Page2Live in an exclusive interview last week that Jackson asked him to be Blanket’s guardian should something happen to him. Malnik, who got special props from Jackson on his Greatest Hits CD, said the two signed a document in 2003 in which Malnik swears to raise the 6-year-old Blanket (Prince Michael II) as his own.

“If there’s a custody battle, then I’ll pull out the document and make it public,” Malnik said Monday. “It’ll be my legal responsibility to get involved. But as long as people are getting along, I will not budge. I don’t want to break up the kids. All three should be at the same place.”

Jackson’s two oldest, Paris and Prince Michael I, are his children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, who has kept her parental rights. Blanket came from a surrogate who gave up those rights.

On Monday, a Los Angeles court granted the three kids’ custody to Katherine Jackson, their grandma. Another hearing in August could make the arrangement permanent although Rowe may seek to take her two kids.

Who should really have them?

“Clearly, the most qualified is (Jackson’s pop star sister) Janet,” Malnik said. “Michael loved Janet. He thought of her as the nicest, the most responsible, and he admired her tremendously.”

Wait, there’s more! For the rest of the story and our poll, look below or click (Read more…)

Anna with little brother Allan (Courtesy Palm Beach Daily News)

– Sorry I missed it! Miami Beach tennis retiree Anna Kournikova got into a fight in Las Vegas over the weekend, the kind of fight not sanctioned by the WBC. The beautiful Ms. K was partying in the nightclub Lavo inside The Palazzo Resort when, according to the New York Post, an unidentified woman threw a drink at the Russian hottie for “invading her space.” A shoving match ensued, but the woman was kicked out before inflicting more damage to Kournikova, who’s nursing scratches to her neck. Invading someone’s private space? How so Commie!

– And it sounds like West Palm Beach Olympic swimming hero Dara Torres may be on her way to becoming a gay icon. NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg had a bunch of gay activists over at Gracie Mansion last week when he invited everyone to play a Hollywood Squares-style game, according to the New York Daily News. One question: Which lesbian athlete has a New York sports facility named after her? One player blurted out Torres’ name. Trust me on this, people. Torres is as hetero as they come. She broke up not too long ago a long-term relationship with the fertility doctor who treated her and her ex husband, WPB surgeon Itzhak Shasha. And then she seemed enthralled with Marley and Me star Owen Wilson in April at the recent Sony Ericsson. The answer to Hizzoner’s question, btw: Billie Jean King, of course!

Torres with Owen Wilson at the Sony Ericsson Open in April (Storms Media Group/Special to Page2Live)

Bobbleheads of Henry and bride (Courtesy Boston Herald)

– And if this wasn’t so darn gaudy, it’d be funny. You won’t believe the party favors for the 450-or so guests at Boca resident and Boston Red Sox owner John Henry’s wedding at Fenway Saturday night. First, according to the Boston Herald, there was a silver-framed picture of the lovebirds — the half-his-age-bride is suburban Boston developer Linda Pizzuti — posing by the Green Monster with a World Series trophy. And the icing on this cake: The newlyweds also distributed bobblehead figures of themselves! Sheesh, Henry’s been spending too much time in Boca.

How about an eviction notice with the garlic flatbread?

West Palm Beach’s Clematis Social was popular. It was fun. The punch bowls with, like, 15 kinds of liquor were great. The food was tasty. And the prices were just right.

But it didn’t last.

This eviction notice on the place opened in January by Boca star restauran-trepreneur Burt Rapoport on Clematis in West Palm Beach, greeted passersby over the weekend.

The joint’s being taken over by the owners of three neighboring restaurants. To find out who, click here.

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Felicia Rodriguez, the personable WPBF-Channel 25 sunrise weatherwoman, has been assigned permanently to double duty.

Felicia Rodriguez hoofing it up in March at a dance competition against other media personalities (Meghan McCarthy/Palm Beach Post)

She’s now also the ABC affiliate’s main morning anchor on an all-female cast that includes news woman Kristin Hoke and traffic reporter Nathalie Pozo.

Rodriguez, 36, started the gig back in March with the departure of morning guy J.P. Hervis. With prime-time anchor Jon Shainman, Hervis was among several high-profile departures at the station for what insiders say are economic reasons.

“Felicia’s done well at that position,” said news boss Kyle Grimes. “There’s good chemistry on those newscasts.”

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Lucas in Miami Beach Saturday (Storms Media Group/Special to Page2Live)

– Uh, uh, here is Port St. Lucie hottie Megan Fox‘ competition! The producers of Transformers 2 sent franchise newbie Isabel Lucas to work the blockbuster’s coming out party in Miami Beach Saturday. Lucas plays a possible love interest of star Shia LaBeouf ’s character, and she seems to have a special relationship with Transformer Bumblebee. In real life, btw, Lucas was riding shotgun in LaBeouf’s real car a year ago when it crashed, injuring LaBeouf seriously. Lucas and her pretty face came out intact, a fact that partyers at nightclub LIV appreciated.

– There’s been much speculation in the world press after Page2Live’s Friday scoop about Ocean Ridge resident Al Malnik’s contention that Michael Jackson and he signed a document in 2003 that gave Malnik custody of Jackson’s little one, Blanket, if Jackson were to die. Jackson passed away Thursday of an apparent heart attack. Here’s an interesting take from the area’s alternative weekly New Times, or this one from London’s Daily Mail and yet another from India’s The Telegraph.

– The wedding of Boston Red Sox owner (and Boca resident) John Henry went without a hitch, according to Beantown’s papers. Fireworks exploded over the stadium Saturday, after Henry, 59, wed Boston real estate investor Linda Pizzuti, 30. (The team played in Atlanta over the weekend, and Henry had the hallowed grounds to himself and 450 friends and family members). Among the notables was comedian Larry David. Henry’s 12-year-old daughter Sara , whose mom is the woman Henry recently divorced, Peggy Sue, blew guests away with her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The newlyweds immediately jetted off to South Africa for the honeymoon.

Henry and bride

A Palm Beach County man may be holding some of the keys to the future of Michael Jackson’s family.

Al Malnik, an accountant and lawyer and sometime host to Jackson, says he and Jackson signed an agreement in 2003 that makes him the executor to Jackson’s multi-million dollar estate.

Another document they signed makes Malnik the godfather, and guardian, of Jackson’s little one, Blanket, in case Jackson were to die.

Malnik at home, with wife Nancy and three of their children (Michele Sandberg/Special to Page2Live)

The King of Pop unexpectedly passed away at age 50 from an apparent heart attack Thursday.

“I am surprised because he couldn’t be revived,” Malnik said from his sprawling $20 million-mansion in Ocean Ridge. “A 50-year-old man should be able to survive something like this.”

Malnik knew Jackson for nearly 10 years. Although he won’t confirm that, word is the two met in the waiting room of a famed Beverly Hills plastic surgeon.

Since then, when Jackson needed to fly below the radar like he did in when his strange behavior with young children became an issue in 2003, the star secretly sought refuge at Malnik’s beachfront property.

For months at a time. With children and entourage.

For more on this story, and the legal bonds between Jackson and Malnik, look below (Read more…)

In August 1980, Farrah Fawcett starred in Butterflies Are Free at the now-closed Burt Reynolds Dinner Theater. Check out this archive photo by legendary Palm Beach lensman Bob Davidoff. The actress died of cancer today at 62.

(Courtesy Davidoff Studios)

If Jenny Sanford, the wife of the philandering governor of South Carolina, puts her mouth where her money goes, then there’s no doubt she’ll glue that marriage back together.

Jenny Sanford

Why? According to public records, she obviously was raised a devout Catholic. For many Catholics, divorce isn’t an option.

Sanford is a director of her family’s foundation, the Stuart-based Susan R. and John W. Sullivan Foundation.

And according to latest filing of the non-profit, the family supports dozens of Catholic causes. Its 2008 filing shows it gave more than $63,000 to the church. That included $1,000 to the diocese of Palm Beach; $10,000 to the College of Holy Cross; $11,000 to Georgetown University, where Jenny went to college; $2,500 to Jesuit charities; and $3,000 to two orders of nuns.

Most members of the family of Jenny Sanford, whose husband Mark Sanford virtually abandoned South Carolinians to fly to Argentina to deal with a paramour, live in the area. A brother, Bolton Sullivan, lives in Jupiter. Her parents, golf course management company owner and developer John W. Sullivan and mom Susan, live in Hobe Sound.

The elder Sullivans, whose homestead is a $2.6 million-home at Loblolly Pines, are among the most generous people in the Stuart area. Their foundation last year gave a total $290,000, mostly in Martin County. Earlier this year, for example, they wrote a check for $140,000 to implement environmentally-friendly renovations in a low-income housing project in Indiantown.

Neither John nor son Bolton nor business partner Robert Kramer, a Stuart lawyer, returned calls for comment on Jenny’s problems.

No doubt, they must be all embarassed by these e-mail exchanges between the gov and his tango partner.

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– Some guys have all the luck. Hairdresser Cosmo DiSchino got to spend quality time with Playboy centerfold Melissa Jean the other day. He doctored her up in his Palm Beach salon for her appearance at the nightclub Monarchy on West Palm’s Clematis.

Playboy cover girl Melissa Jean and Palm Beach hairdresser Cosmo (AlexiShields.com/Special to Page2Live)

Rosie at home (SplashNews.com/Special to Page2Live)

– Speaking of hotties. She was silenced from The View in 2007, but it seems no one can get Miami Beach resident Rosie O’Donnell totally off-the-air. The porky comic, who lives on Star Island, is getting her own radio show on satellite’s Sirius/XM right on time for the fall’s back-to-work traffic jams. O’Donnell tells the Associated Press that the deal came together after she appeared on the network’s Howard Stern show earlier this year. “They called and asked if I was interested,” said the 47-year-old. “I asked if they possibly do it at my house because that would really make it convenient for me and four kids. and they said yes.”

– And speaking of lesbian love, former Boca resident Martina Navratilova is entangled in a nasty lawsuit filed in Sarasota by her former lover. The ex, Toni Layton, wants her piece of millions in investments that Navratilova made during their 8 years together. The tennis legend dumped her earlier this year. They’d been married in New Hampshire but Florida, where they live, doesn’t recognize same sex unions.

Martina at Key Biscayne in 2006 (Allen Eyestone/Palm Beach Post)

It was a one-two punch by Riviera Beach police smack dab in the middle of a local election campaign.

Masters

The driving habits of the incumbent, Bishop Thomas Masters, bubbled up as an issue after two incidents with police and three tickets from the same officer.

But now that the dust has long settled on the campaign he eventually won, Masters’ tickets have been dismissed, the last one Tuesday afternoon.

“My faith in the justice system is intact,” Masters said. “I am humbled by the judge’s decision.”

A first incident occurred Jan. 2 when Masters, at the wheel of his Lincoln, was pulled over near the Blue Heron Bridge about 2:45 a.m. Cops, including P.O. Jennifer Thornton, accused Hizzoner of going through a red light, speeding and not pulling over quickly enough. An argument with the mayor ensued — I sign your paychecks, he reminded the officers — but he escaped without a citation.

He wasn’t so lucky three weeks later, when P.O. Thornton found Masters’ car allegedly illegally parked in front of his campaign headquarters. That night, Masters was cited for three violations: expired license tag, no proof of insurance and parking.

Masters took care of the first early on, and he was just found not guilty on the parking job.

When asked today if he believes the police were targetting him, Masters said: “I just want to put this past me so that I can be the best mayor I can be. As for the tickets, I’m vindicated.”

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