Michael Jackson was a good father but was ridden with drug problems, his former personal photographer claimed. Ian Barkley said that while the late King of Pop's parenting skills was unquestionable, his behavior was sometimes riddled with medication problems.
Barkley revealed in an interview with E! News that Jackson was a doting father to his three children, 12-year-old Prince Michael, 11-year-old Paris, and 7-year-old Blanket.
He told the showbiz website, "His kids totally love their dad and he was extremely protective over them. Even when we were just around his staff, he was protective."
Jackson's protectiveness to his kids were sometimes over-the-top, but it was just normal for the "Thriller" hitmaker.
The photog continued, "We would baby-proof everywhere, like really expensive suites. They would tape up every corner with cardboard and make sure the kids couldn't hurt themselves and they were very strict on what the kids would eat to make sure they didn't have allergies."
"To some it was odd, but under the circumstances it was understandable."
However, Jackson - who died last week after suffering cardiac arrest - was sometimes mentally sound, depending on whether he had used drugs that day.
"There were two sides to him. When he wasn't dosed up on pills, he was extremely mentally sound, very business-like, very smart, but when he was on drugs, he would do some really odd things."
"It was basically flipping a coin and depending on what it was, was how he was."
Barkley also said that he believes that Jackson was a drug addict.
The music icon's memorial service will be held on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
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