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© St. Petersburg Times, published March 5, 2003
Michael Jackson paid a witch doctor to place a curse on DreamWorks partners David Geffen and Steven Spielberg, and wears a prosthetic tip on his nose, claims an article in Vanity Fair magazine.
A representative for Jackson had no comment Tuesday.
According to the article, Jackson paid a West African shaman $150,000 three years ago to put a voodoo curse on Spielberg, Geffen and 23 other enemies. It was supposed to kill them within a week. The Malian witch doctor, named Baba, reportedly slaughtered 42 cows and had Jackson bathe in sheep's blood to seal the hex.
Spielberg was allegedly included because he did not allow him to star as Peter Pan in Hook. He blamed Geffen for sabotaging his career, the magazine said.
The article also claims that Jackson wears a prothesis for the tip of his nose because of a lack of cartilage due to excessive plastic surgery. It says one person who has seen Jackson without the device says he resembles a mummy with two nostril holes.
The article also says that Jackson bleaches his skin with a cream called Benoquin "because he doesn't like being black" and cites a court affidavit saying Jackson was diagnosed with vitiligo and discoid lupus, which cause skin blotches.
The magazine appears on newsstands beginning this week.
Toby Keith received a leading eight Academy of Country Music nominations Tuesday, including song and single of the year for Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).
The Sept. 11-inspired song also got a mention for video of the year. Keith's other nominations included entertainer of the year, top male vocalist and album of the year for Unleashed.
Alan Jackson had six nominations, including entertainer of the year and top male vocalist, album of the year for Drive and song and video of the year for the title track.
Among other multiple nominees, Kenny Chesney and the group Trick Pony each had five, while the Dixie Chicks and Willie Nelson had three apiece.
Winners will be announced during the 38th annual Academy of Country Music Awards show broadcast May 21 on CBS from Las Vegas.
Western Opera Theater, the touring program of the San Francisco Opera, is shutting down.
It was a frequent visitor to Ruth Eckerd Hall, performing La Boheme in November on the 35th anniversary tour. The company canceled the planned fall tour of Barber of Seville as well as future tours.
The San Francisco Opera is under pressure to cut $10-million from its budget, and the six- to nine-week Opera Theater tour regularly lost $400,000 to $500,000.