Jackson's Father Says Stress Over Concerts Did Not Kill His Son

In a Fox News interview scheduled to air Sunday night, Michael Jackson's father Joe told Geraldo Rivera that he does not attribute his son's death to stress over the 50 upcoming concerts in London he had planned, MTV reports.

"Michael was the biggest superstar in the world and in history," Joe Jackson said. "He was loved by everybody, whether poor or wealthy or whatever may be. We're going to miss the great superstar, the biggest known in the world."

According to MTV, when Joe Jackson was asked whether Michael would be more well known in death than in life, he responded that the attention "should have been done while he was alive so he could enjoy it."

Jackson described his family as "pretty strong" and said they are coping with their loss. He added that his grandchildren, Michael's three children Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II, are "fantastic" and are "enjoying themselves with the other kids."

A statement on behalf of the Jackson family was released on Saturday regarding the "sudden tragedy" that the family has encountered. The statement expresses how "speechless and devastated" the Jackson family is, and how Michael's unexpected death has left them in a position "where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible."

The "King of Pop" passed away on Thursday, apparently as a result of cardiac arrest. However, the official cause of his death is still being investigated.