PEOPLE

By Belinda Luscombe

THE KING OF POP'S HAVING A GLOVE CHILD

Which would be worse: Having a dad who wears mascara or having LaToya as your aunt? MICHAEL JACKSON, whose life must be considered one of the most bizarre of the 20th century, is going to be a father. Exactly how this happened is unclear. The mother, DEBBIE ROWE, 37, a longtime friend of Jackson's (snapped here attending a play with him in April), was reported in the London tabloid News of the World as saying she had been artificially inseminated, but Jackson denies this. He also insists she isn't being paid for carrying Jacko Jr., though there's speculation she's getting as much as $500,000. "I am thrilled that I will soon be a father and am looking forward with great anticipation to having this child," the singer said in a statement from Asia, where he's currently on tour. "This is my dream come true." Ah, if only one could buy psychotherapy futures.

WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO DIRECT

"We made a deal," says CHARLIE MATTHAU of directing his dad WALTER in The Grass Harp. "He'd listen to my directions. However, at any time, if so ordered, I'd put on a sweater." Such are the compromises one has to make as the offspring and the director of a star parent. Still, it can't be that horrid, since a spate of families have taken to the set together with happy results. NICK CASSAVETES wrote and directed Unhook the Stars as a "love letter" to his mom GENA ROWLANDS, and, he says, "she sent me one with her amazing performance." Meanwhile, EMILIO ESTEVEZ directed and starred with dad MARTIN SHEEN in The War at Home. All three offspring admit, however, that it did mean they were a tad anxious about the finished product. "My other forays into directing were not fruitful," says Estevez (Remember Men at Work?). "I couldn't hit less than a triple on this one." Fortunately, Sheen was moved to tears when he first saw the film. "He agrees it was the best work he has done for 20 years," says Estevez. The elder Matthau was similarly impressed with his son's performance. "He was a great baby, never complained about anything. He was the same kind of director. Very cute."

SON OF TED

Fret not over ROBERT E. ("Teddy") TURNER IV, who was downsized by his dad Ted Turner, when Ted's biz merged with Time Warner. ("You're toast," dad said over dinner.) Teddy has two new jobs: one at his own company, which is developing an enhanced form of cable delivery; another with Forest Hills Cos., a nascent entertainment concern. He may one day even offer his pa some competition.