Griffin O’Neal bashes his father, Ryan O’Neal, on Larry King Live.

It seems that Griffin wants to set the record straight. His father was not a kind, caring man, but instead, a selfish, jealous, “faithless”, bitter old man who was angry about the attention Farrah received at the end of her life.

In the beginning of the interview, Griffin accuses his father of refusing to let him say goodbye to Farrah during her last days and says he even banned him from her funeral. He says he calls his father “Ryan” these days because he doesn’t consider him to be a father.

He goes on to say that Ryan was angered when he found out Farrah had cancer. Ryan himself had been battling leukemia, but the disease has been in remission for quite sometime. Griffin quotes his father as saying, “NO! You’re not dying! I’M dying!” Because, he says, that would mean all attention would go from him to Farrah, and he didn’t like that.

In regards to an interview Ryan gave about Farrah and their long term love affair, Larry asks, “Do you think those were crocodile tears?” To which Griffin responds, “I haven’t seen a tear yet!” Even Larry seemed to be taken aback by this response.

Larry later reads a statement written by Ryan O’Neal’s publicist, obviously meant to bash and discredit his son, in order to make himself look better. But I don’t know, I tend to believe Griffin over Ryan. I don’t trust Ryan AT ALL. And besides, what exactly does Griffin have to gain here? Nothing much. I believe him and think he is telling the truth and exposing his narcissistic, greedy father.

At the end of the video Griffin tells his side of the story about what happened the day that he, his pregnant wife, Redmond and his father were involved in that crazy altercation with the fireplace poker, and when Ryan pulled a gun on him.

Watch the video, and judge for yourself. But I am on Team Griffin here.

Vanity Fair has put both Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson on it’s September 2009 cover.

Farrah’s has the title, “Fallen Angel”, and Michael’s says, “Fallen King”.

Vanity Fair’s editor Graydon Carter says here was no other way to do it. “Two covers seemed like the sensible thing to do, given the passing of two major American icons on the same day.”

“Beautiful People, Ugly Choices,” the Farrah Fawcett story, discusses her sudden rise to stardom, her turbulent love affair with Ryan O’Neal (and drugs), and her painfully sad death.

Of course a lot of the article focuses on O’Neal and his version of things, which, I’m sorry, but coming from a drug addict may be a bit skewed. Don’t forget, it wasn’t only his son Redmond who was caught with methamphetamine, it was also Ryan who was busted with the powerful, dirty drug.

To show just how “out of touch” O’Neal is (whether it be because of the drugs or just simply that he is a natural born simpleton), he willingly admits that he didn’t recognize his own daughter, Tatum O’Neal, at Farrah’s funeral. But wait…not only did he not recognize her, he also practically hit on her!

O’Neal has often said his parental skills were sub-par, and this scenario, as played out at Farrah’s funeral service, pretty much supports that.

He tells Vanity Fair:

“I had just put the casket in the hearse and I was watching it drive away when a beautiful blonde woman comes up and embraces me. I said to her, ‘You have a drink on you? You have a car?’ She said, ‘Daddy, it’s me—Tatum!’ I was just trying to be funny with a strange Swedish woman, and it’s my daughter. It’s so sick.”

Yes, it is sick, but I think it is more sad than anything. Sure, one may be at odds with their daughter, but to not recognize her? Unthinkable. And then for him to hit on a woman while at his lover’s funeral? WTF? He must have been smoking some good sh*t that day.

Then there is Michael Jackson’s story, “The Boy Who Would be King.”

Michael’s Vanity Fair story seems to be comprised mostly of interviews done with the singer in the late 70’s. A time when many of us prefer to remember him. Before the surgeries, before the scandals and before he was the biggest star in the world.

A few excerpts of the Michael Jackson interviews:

L.R.: As for reality, do you still enjoy meeting your fans?
M.J.: I enjoy all that sometimes, seeing people who love me, or buy my records. I think it’s fun, and I enjoy meeting my fans and I think it’s important. But sometimes people think you owe your life to them; they have a bad attitude, like “I made you who you are.” That may be true—but not that one person. Sometimes you have to say to them, If the music wasn’t good, you wouldn’t have bought it. Because some of them think they actually own you.

In another interview in 1984, the singer was asked about his album Thriller. He disclosed that just before it’s release that he thought it had “sounded like crap”.

L.R.: What?
M.J.: Oh, it was terrible. And I cried at the listening party. I said, “I’m sorry—we can’t release this.” I called a meeting with Quincy [Jones], and everybody at the [record] company was screaming that we had to have it out and there was a deadline, and I said, “I’m sorry, I’m not releasing it.” I said, “It’s terrible.” So we re-did a mix a day. Like a mix a day. And we rested two days, then we did a mixing. We were overworked, but it all came out O.K.

Vanity Fair’s latest issue will be available on newsstands in New York and Los Angeles on August 5th,  and nationwide on August 11th.

[VF]

Ryan O’Neal on The Today Show talking with Meredith Vieira about his longtime love, Farrah Fawcett and her final days.

Farrah Fawcett’s funeral photos and the program from the service.

A poem inside the program is James Joyce’s “At That Hour”:

Play on, invisible harps, unto Love,
Whose way in heaven is aglow
At that hour when soft lights come and go,
Soft sweet music in the air above
And in the earth below.

They chose a beautiful photo of Farrah for the cover.

[Photos: Louise Barnsley, Pedro Andrade, Gaz Shirley, PacificCoastNews.com/ ©Axelle/Bauer-Griffin.com]

Farrah Fawcett’s funeral is taking place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in L.A. today.

Her son Redmond, 24, will be allowed to attend thanks to a Superior Court judge allowing him to do so. He will be able to wear plain clothes, but will be escorted by sheriff’s deputies. He is currently serving time for drug related charges. Afterwards he will head back to the clink.

Farrah died last Thursday after a long battle with anal cancer. She was 62.

I wonder if Ryan will show up to the funeral all geeked out. This guy reminds me of Joe Jackson a little bit – just more subtle. Probably because he’s an actor. Didn’t he treat Farrah like hell and get her all into coke? Oh yeah, and his son Redmond might be serving time, but from what I remember Ryan was busted with a little crystal meth at the same time his son was.

Maybe after Ryan realized Farrah was terminal he felt bad for the way he had treated her his whole life. But then again, maybe he also saw it as an opportunity, an opportunity to finance HIS drug habit.  I’m not sure which, but I don’t trust this guy.

[LAT]

After fighting a long and very public battle with cancer, Farrah Fawcett, known by most as one of CHARLIE’S ANGELS, has died at the age of 62.

Rest in peace, Angel.

During Farrah Fawcett’s battle with cancer, her best friend Alana Stewart has been there with her every step of the way.

Stewart has accompanied her friend to Germany multiple times and has been a constant during Farrah’s illness. It was even Stewart’s idea that Farrah begin filming her doctor visits in order to remember everything the doctor had said. The footage led to the making of a 2-hour documentary, “Farrah’s Story” which airs Friday night on NBC, May 15th at 9:00 p.m.

The women met in the 70’s and have continued a lifelong relationship since then. Alana was married to George Hamilton from 1972-1975 and then to rocker Rod Stewart from 1979-1984. She had two children with Rod, Kimberly Stewart and Sean Stewart. You’ve probably heard of them.

Alana recently opened up to Entertainment Tonight about her best friend, updating us on her condition and proudly telling of Farrah’s courage. She says throughout treatment Farrah has been fortunate enough to have kept her hair. Until recently, that is.

“I think it was surprising because she’d gone through almost two years of treatment without losing it. Then when she did start to lose it, it was very surprising in the beginning and then shocking. Then she kind of joked about it. I mean she took it like she did everything else. She took it in her stride.”

Alana confirms that Farrah is NOT aware that Redmond is in jail.

“She was so happy to see him I think it just gave her new inner strength. She’s using all her strength to battle cancer. There’s no reason that she should know that her son is in jail. She thinks he’s in rehab.”

As for Farrah’s state of mind, Alana says it is healthy. Farrah is trying to remain strong and is determined to beat the disease.

“She has talked about dying. She’s said many times ‘all I want to know is if I have two months left to live that the doctors tell me because I need to know. There’s a lot of things I need to do.’ So far no one’s told her that.”

“She hasn’t cried a lot. There’s times during these last two years where she has broken down and cried, and then she’ll say, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry I don’t mean to be a baby.’ And I’ve said, ‘baby, are you kidding? I couldn’t go through one tenth of what you’ve gone through.’ And I’ve said to her, ‘you’re the most amazing, the strongest person I’ve ever known,’ And she is.”

“Farrah’s Story” is an NBC special that will air next week starring Farrah Fawcett, who takes you along beside her during her courageous battle with anal cancer.

As we reported back in January 2008, Farrah has been filming her trips to Germany throughout her treatment. She initially started recording her medical visits so that she would remember everything the doctors told her. She has had a camera alongside her since the beginning of her journey. She has since turned the footage into a documentary of sorts with the help of NBC.

In one clip Farrah explains,

“This film is very personal. At the time, I didn’t know if anybody would ever see it. But at some point, the footage took on a life of its own and dictated that it be seen.”

Farrah’s longtime BFF Alana Stewart did most of the filming and traveled with Farrah back and forth to Germany.

“Farrah’s Story,” will air on NBC May 15, 9-11 p.m.

As for Farrah’s current condition, our initial reports that Farrah is doing fine were correct.  (We had disputed Baby Huey blogger’s story) But Harvey Levine (of TMZ) later had me scratching my head about a mention on his Twitter that people “were saying their goodbyes” to Farrah at her home last week. But thank goodness that was NOT true. She really is hanging in there and doing as well as she can be.

Farrah’s longtime partner Ryan O’Neal recently opened up to People magazine and said the cancer has been absolutely heartbreaking.

He says, “It’s a love story. I just don’t know how to play this one. I won’t know this world without her. Cancer is an insidious enemy.”

He says Farrah’s treatments are over and that she is staying comfortable.  “She stays in bed now…Farrah is on IVs, but some of that is for nourishment. The treatment has pretty much ended.

“At about the halfway point in our trips the news started to get darker and darker and darker. The hope started to fade. But not for Farrah. She continued fighting. There was always a courage there, and a quiet dignity. Farrah never changed. I fell in love with her all over again because of how she handled this.”

As for all the drama with her son, Ryan says she has been shielded from all of that. “Farrah doesn’t know Redmond’s in trouble, and Redmond is terrified for his mother. ‘I don’t want to be in jail and have some guard tell me she is gone,’ he said to me. I told him, ‘She’s rebounding.’ I lied to him. I lie to her. It’s the best thing.”

[Source 1, 2]

Ugh. I hate it when I am wrong, and especially in this case.

On Monday I reported that Farrah Fawcett was doing fine despite reports stating otherwise. Farrah’s rep swore that her condition had not changed. But about an hour ago Harvey Levin of TMZ tweeted that her close friends and family are starting to say their goodbyes to the actress at her home. It looks like she may have taken a turn for the worse. (This is not confirmed, however.)

Terrible news. Our thoughts are with Farrah and her family during this terrible time. Cancer sucks.