Debbie Rowe, the former wife of the late Michael Jackson, has reportedly sold her children for a third time, reliquishing her custody rights to Jackson’s mother, Katherine, for a cool $4 million.

“It’s one final payday,” said a source close to the family.

The Jackson family “isn’t happy” about the large exchange of cash, according to reports, but they were willing to go through with it because they consider it to be a “necessary evil”.

A pal explained: “[The Jacksons] felt it was like a ransom-type thing. [Rowe] jumped back into the picture because she wanted money.”

Before Jackson’s June 25 death, Rowe – a former dental nurse – had previously given up all parental rights to her two biological children, Prince Michael I and Paris Michael Katherine, in exchange for a lump sum of $8 million plus $900,000 annually for the first five years.

However, when Jackson was accused of child molestation in 2001, Rowe attempted to regain custody of her children, threatening to drag the matter through the courts and further tarnish the King of Pop’s name. That never happened, and Rowe walked away – for the second time – with another $4 million in cash and a $900,000 home.

This time – the third time Rowe has threatened to reinstate her parental rights over the Jackson children – the onetime wife of the pop star has said she is “forfeiting her restored parental rights” to Katherine Jackson in exchange for another near $4 million sum.

“This would be it,” the source said. “This takes away any rights she has to challenge custody at any given time.

“If something happens to Katherine, [Rowe] can’t challenge the next [guardian], whether that be Diana Ross or someone in the family.”

Reps for neither Rowe or the Jackson family were available for comment at the time of this article.

[Source]

Simon Cowell’s American Idol contract is up, and the infamously snarky judge wants more than last year’s $36 million to stick with the series – so Fox has reportedly offered the British national a whopping $144 million per year!

Contract negotiations between Cowell and Fox’s co-producers has been leaked to the press, and the figures involved – a sum too great to comprehend for most of us – are believed to be 100 % accurate.

Fox has declined to comment about the salary negotiations, but a source close to the Idol set has revealed that the sum Cowell is expected to receive is “only a fraction” of the estimated $900 million that the reality television show rakes in yearly. The source labeled Cowell as the “lynchpin of the show,” and said that without his “dramatic tension” with fellow judge Paula Abdul, Idol wouldn’t be the hit it is today.

“[Cowell is] due for a raise,” the source added.

Cowell’s current contract with the Fox-produced reality show expires in May next year.

[Source]

Vanessa Hudgens is being sued!

The Disney starlet’s former manager, Johnny Viera, has filed documents with the Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming that Hudgens owes him $5 million of her fortune.

According to Viera, he and Hudgens “entered a financial agreement” back in May 2005 to launch her career. It was agreed that both would take a 50/50 share in her earnings.

However, when High School Musical became such a success, Hudgens went her own way, giving Viera the boot and a payout settlement, something which Viera says was far below what he should have received.

Hudgens’ father, Greg, has quite a different take on the issue. He labeled his daughter’s former manager as a “predator,” and has allegedly been trying to set up a Website or phone line to stop more “unsuspecting talent” from falling victim to his “predatory nature.”

Hudgens’ rep is yet to comment on the lawsuit.

[Source]

The bidding war between high profile gossip magazines for the exclusive “first” rights to publish baby pictures of Brangelina’s newborn twins has just reached epic new heights, with the current bid standing at $16 million!

And the price is still rising!!

Sixteen million kinda makes Levi McConaughey’s measley $3 million look like chicken feed…

Another celebrity baby, another multi-million dollar “first” pictures deal!

It’s been a little over a day since news of the birth of Matthew McConaughey’s son Levi first broke, and already the Fool’s Gold actor has brokered a deal with OK! magazine.

According to a source, OK! has paid $3 million for the first pics of baby Levi. However, the source has it on good authority that the deal includes not only his newborn pics, but also a juicy little spread of Levi’s first Christmas. Two for the price of one: what a bargain!

But that’s not all, folks! As well as the baby pics, Matthew and Camila have reportedly given OK! the exclusive “first” rights to their wedding album — assuming they actually do tie the knot. Of course, if they want to print those photos, the mag will have to pay handsomely again..

[Source]

Wanna be the first to display pics of Brangelina’s newborn twins? Then be prepared to cough up the $$$!

TMZ.com is reporting that the bidding for the exclusive “first” has reached the insane amount of $15 million – and is expected to go higher still, as the bidding war continues between two of the top gossip magazines in the world.

According to a source, only gossip heavyweights People and OK! have been left standing, with a spy from one of the magazines revealing that they would “print blank pages” for the rest of the year if it meant they would get the exclusive rights to the photographs.

The deal is apparently still up in the air, with Brad and Ange holding out to get the most money possible for the baby snaps. Rumour has it the millions will be donated to charity.

When contacted, Brangelina’s peeps refused to comment, but a rep for People magazine admitted: “We’d love to see the photos in People. We wish the family well.” A rep for OK! added that they would be “foolish” not to make a bid.

Recently, People paid a whopping seven-figure amount to Ashlee Simpson for the exclusive photographic rights to her May 17 wedding to rocker Pete Wentz.

[Source]

Pimp Daddy Joe Simpson has been out on the streets, busy doing what he does best – pimping his daughters for all they’re worth.

This time, he’s managed to sell-out younger daughter, Ashlee, cutting a deal with gossip giant People magazine for the exclusive rights to the littlest Simpson’s forth-coming wedding to Fallout Boy rocker Pete Wentz.

A source close to the mag has revealed that Papa Joe has cut a HUGE deal for the exclusive picture rights, with People reportedly having to dish out “well over” one million dollars – seven figures – in order to print the glossy photographs first.

Of course, the magazine – who Staralicious has recently had a run-in with – refused to comment on just how much they paid for the cheezy pics, but stated they were thrilled that celebrities “continued to choose” them for exclusive cover shots.

A rep for People said: “We’re thrilled that celebrities continue to choose PEOPLE as the place to share their most intimate photos. We don not comment on specifics of any deals.”

[Source]