Michael Jackson's sister La Toya has defended her father for launching his own King of Pop tribute perfumes, insisting the late superstar would not have prevented his dad making money off his celebrity.
Joe Jackson teamed up with his business partner Franck Rouas and unveiled the fragrances Jackson Tribute and Jackson Legend last year (11).
The Jackson family patriarch has since taken to flogging the scents at a kiosk in a mall in Las Vegas in a bid to turn a profit - a move which has drawn criticism from fans of the Thriller hitmaker.
But his daughter La Toya has urged detractors to back off, reminding them that her ageing dad was the one who discovered Michael's talent and turned him into a pop icon.
During an appearance on The Wendy Williams Show, which aired in the U.S. on Friday (24Feb12), she said, "We wouldn't have a Michael if there wasn't for Joseph Jackson (sic). He gave Michael to us... He is wonderful, so when you say, 'He's Joe Jackson, he's Michael Jackson's father, how could he do this (profit off his son's name)?' That's his father, that's his son."
La Toya Jackson admits she was unaware of her father's attempts to sell the perfumes in a mall, but that shouldn't deter the King of Pop's fans from purchasing a bottle.
She added, "He did have a big opening (for the fragrances) and I guess the next day he decided to go out and sit there (at the mall kiosk). After all, come on, he's 84 years old...
"Michael wouldn't have minded at all... He really wouldn't. He would say, 'Go for it.'"
The tribute fragrances have not been sanctioned by Michael's estate executors and Joe is facing legal action over the products from executives at Bravado, a firm which retains the commercial rights to sell products under the Thriller icon's name.