Michael Jackson’s members of the family are reportedly “bewildered” by Debbie Rowe’s claim that she stood by as a physician unethically prescribed the superstar dangerous painkillers.
Rowe, who was married to Jackson from 1996 to 1999, appears in the brand new documentary “TMZ Investigates: Who Really Killed Michael Jackson,” detailing how she once worked for famed Hollywood dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein, who gave the pop king Demerol — an addictive and powerful opioid.
“I used to be principally as bad as [Klein],” Rowe, 63, shockingly states within the doc — airing tonight on Fox. “I regret that. I’ll regret it. And I’m so sorry that I participated in it.”
The ex-wife’s eyebrow-raising comments have reportedly distressed Jackson’s elderly mom, Katherine, 92, and his brother Randy, 66.
“Debbie’s decision to talk to this show about what she knew about Dr Klein . . . has dumbfounded a few of the older Jackson members of the family,” an anonymous insider told the Sun on Tuesday. “Debbie has not been this open with a few of the brothers obviously, so for her to talk on a TV show is bewildering.”
“I used to be principally as bad as [Klein],” Rowe, 63, shockingly states within the doc — airing tonight on Fox. “I regret that. I’ll regret it. And I’m so sorry that I participated in it.”FOX
Jackson met Rowe at Dr. Klein’s offices in Los Angeles within the mid-Nineties, before they began a relationship and wed in 1996. They’re pictured together in 1997.
The source, who describes themself as a “Jackson family friend,” says Katherine is especially aggrieved.
“She may be very upset,” they declared. “She and her aides cannot understand why Debbie has decided in any case these years to interrupt her silence on that a part of her life.”
The insider added: “The sensation all the time was that Debbie was there to assist Michael as his nurse. Now her comments have made a few of them take a look at her differently.”
The Post has reached out to reps for Michael Jackson’s estate for comment in regards to the recent claims.
For years, Rowe worked as an assistant to Dr. Klein, a dermatologist who was known for treating a bevy of Hollywood’s biggest stars — including Elizabeth Taylor.
Rowe first met Jackson within the mid-Nineties at Dr. Klein’s Los Angeles offices, where he was being treated for vitiligo.
Klein purportedly prescribed quite a few patients powerful drugs which they didn’t need.
Rowe lifts the lid on her relationship with the doctor in the brand new documentary, saying: “There have been times he would write prescriptions for things that had nothing to do with what we were treating them [patients] for.”
Dr. Klein (center) treated Jackson and a slew of other A-list stars, including Elizabeth Taylor. The trio are pictured together in 2002. WireImage
She further claims that Klein was “a person who you desire to hang with since you’re going to find a way to get something in return.”
Meanwhile, the documentary also claims that Jackson and Klein’s relationship became more of a friendship somewhat than that of doctor and patient, with the dermatologist allegedly keeping fraudulent documents on the singer.
Katherine Jackson is alleged to be bewildered by Rowe’s decision to look in the brand new doc. The fiercely protective mom is pictured with Jackson in 2005. AFP via Getty Images
TMZ Executive Producer Harvey Levin —who interviewed Klein in November 2009 — says it was “routine” for Jackson to go get high on Demerol “for hours at a time” at Klein’s office.
Levin, who appears in the brand new doc, states: “Dr. Klein was greater than completely satisfied to oblige and he justified with minor procedures. And he did this again and again and another time.”
Jackson purportedly created 19 false aliases to gather different drugs, and Klein had kept a special book noting which prescriptions went to every fake identity, in keeping with Ed Winter, the assistant chief coroner for LA County.
Klein died at age 70 of natural causes in 2015.
Rowe, 63, now keeps a low profile. Her decision to talk out in the brand new doc has raised eyebrows, nevertheless she doesn’t specifically disclose details about her three-year marriage to Jackson. FOX
Rowe is pictured within the early 2000s. She had two children with Jackson, who had sole custody after their split in 1999. AFP via Getty Images
Nonetheless, Klein is just one in all many doctors who prescribed dangerous medications to Jackson over the course of his profession.
The “Bad” singer first became hooked on painkillers after he suffered each second- and third-degree burns to his scalp during a pyrotechnic disaster while filming a Pepsi industrial in 1984.
Jackson died in June 2009 after suffering cardiac arrest brought on by the anesthetic propofol — a drug reportedly routinely administered by his then physician, Conrad Murray.
The death was ruled a homicide, and Murray took all of the blame. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 4 years in prison, serving just below two behind bars.
After their marriage, Rowe claimed she never had sex with Jackson, saying their two children were the product of IVF. Getty Images
Rowe doesn’t talk about Murray in the brand new doc. She also doesn’t disclose any further details about her relationship with Jackson.
The couple wed in 1996, before welcoming two children together, Prince and Paris. They split in 1999, with Jackson receiving full custody of the 2 kids.
Rowe later claimed that the she had been artificially inseminated and never had sex with the King of Pop. She now purportedly has a friendship with Paris, now aged 24, however the status of her relationship with Prince, 25, is unknown.
