Speculation that a Norwegian dancer is Michael Jackson’s love child is swirling after photos showed him sitting in the front row with family at the pop idol’s memorial service.

Omer Bhatti, 25, sat between Jackson’s father, Joe, and the singer’s sisters and brothers at the star-studded July 7 farewell at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Bhatti, who performs under the stage name O-Bee, is rumored to be the result of a one-night stand Jackson had with his mother, Pia Bhatti, in 1984.

Pia Bhatti’s husband, Riz, told the London Sun he knew there would be questions when he saw where he was sitting during the service.

“Yeah, yeah, I know because I was watching,” he was quoted as saying. “I told my wife, ‘Just wait until the press see this. It’s not a small thing.’”

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/michael_jackson/2009/07/23/2009-07-23_speculation_swirls_that_omer_bhatti_norwegian_dancer_is_michael_jacksons_son_fro.html#ixzz0M60S3Qde

This, however, is a ruling Debbie Rowe and other people may challenge in the future. The two older children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. and Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, were born when Rowe was still married to their father, making her their legal mother. Rower reportedly signed away her parental rights to the children after the divorce, but an appeals court reestablished her parental status in 2006. California attorney Gloria Allred commented, “Katherine would have to show it would be detrimental to the kids for Rowe to have custody. That’s a very heavy burden.” (source)

It seems that even though Jackson most likely has his wishes stated in his will (which will be filed in California courts later this week), those wishes would still only be used as a suggestion and not be legally binding. Not legally binding? Why on earth do we even have wills? We can only hope that whatever happens, it is truly what’s best for the children.

Some argue that what Michael did to keep his children unknown was too extreme. But after all we’ve seen with children dealing with the media, were his actions really that bad? Something as invasive as media attention can really hurt a child’s development.  I’m sure just reading this you’ve already thought of at least 3 incidents of children who grew up in the spotlight, then as adults completely lost it.

Only time will tell if Paris’ heartfelt speech will cause any media uproars, or result in paparazzi stalkings. Perhaps, for once, the press can just back off and let three children mourn their father. Then continue their lives as children, free to grow up with out being constantly hounded.