Stink over tribute fragrance

King of Pop scent launched despite looming lawsuit
Agence France-Presse
June 13, 2011 1:06 AM
http://www.theprovince.com/entertainment/Stink+over+tribute+fragrance/4936124/story.html
The botched launch of a perfume in memory of pop icon Michael Jackson
has caused a stink, as his father distanced himself from a Frenchman
behind the deal, and a lawsuit disputed their rights.Joe Jackson
signed a contract with French fragrance entrepreneur Franck Rouas
earlier this year to launch eau de parfums "Jackson's Tribute" for men
and "Jackson's Legend" for women.The scents were due to be
presented to the world at a press conference last week in a nightclub at
the Caesars Palace hotel-casino in Las Vegas, with socialite Paris
Hilton and various Jackson family members involved.But the event
descended into chaos when Joe Jackson, backed briefly by his daughter
LaToya, made it clear he wanted to avoid any physical contact with
Rouas, head of the perfume company Julian Rouas Paris.In addition
no release date was announced for the fragrances, presented as inspired
by the aromas of plants in the grounds of Neverland, the late pop
icon's ranch home before his shocking death in June 2009 at age 50."I
don't like the way he does things. But the initiative to create the
scents was mine, and that plan goes ahead," Joe Jackson said, while
saying he did not know when the 50 ml bottles would go on sale.The
Jackson patriarch played down the legal problems with using his dead
son's name, a money-spinning brand owned officially by an estate from
which he was excluded in the King of Pop's will."They can say
whatever they want. I am the father, he was my son and I can decide what
to do on his behalf and in his honour," said the 82-year-old, clad in a
black suit, red necktie, fedora hat and various gold chains."There
are many interests around the legacy of my son, companies that want
everything, but I have a foundation that allows me to launch projects
with his name, the name of my son."The tension between Jackson
and Rouas was obvious even before a press conference at ten ded by more
unknown models than journalists, and no members of the U.S. media.But
more problematic was a lawsuit filed in a Los Angeles court a day
before the botched launch, on behalf of Bravado, the company which holds
the commercial rights to sell products under Michael Jackson's name.The
lawsuit said Rouas and Jackson were "unlicensed distributors who have
been using the Michael Jackson trademark and/or a mark confusing similar
thereto in connection with perfume that defendants are attempting to
sell.