Arnold Klein admitted he once donated sperm — but continued dodging questions about being the father of Michael Jackson's two oldest children on Larry King Live last night.
When asked by King about Us Weekly's exclusive scoop that he is the biological dad to Prince, 12, and Paris, 11, Klein said: "Here's the most important thing. Michael loved those children. Those children loved him as a father. As far as I am concerned, that's the most important grouping there is."
King called Klein out, saying: "That's not answering the question."
Replied Klein: "No, because I'm not going to answer it the way you want me to answer it because…I will say no if that's what you want to hear."
When pressed again by King, the dermatologist said: "What I will tell you is I think what's most important about this whole thing, to end this thing, is that the most important thing in who the father is…who the children want their father to be.
"And I will tell you this, I will say no, because the most important person to these children is how Michael loved them and how he loved his children and how they loved him," he went on.
Klein continued that he "can't answer" paternity questions "one way or another.
"I once donated sperm," he admitted, adding that it was "absolutely not" to Jackson, but instead to a bank.
"But I don't think I should go over my legal affairs, because I think to the best of my knowledge, I'm not the father. I want to tell you that this discussion, however, is between Michael, his children and this person. It's not to be discussed who the father is over national television."
On June 30, Klein said through his lawyer that he was "aware of media reports" about the paternity but, "because of patient confidentiality" would "make no statement on any reports or allegations."
Us Weekly has confirmed from multiple sources that Klein is Prince and Paris' biological father. Debbie Rowe, who worked for Klein for 23 years, is the biological mother. In the new issue of Us Weekly, Klein's longtime partner Stephen Price says that the kids called Klein "Uncle Arnold," and came along with Price as a guest to the Jackson house last Christmas.
The new issue also includes a 2003 interview with Debbie Rowe where she told Us Weekly's Ian Drew about her decision to carry Jackson's babies, "[Michael] said no at first. I had to nag him into it if you will. I really wanted to do it for him."
