Friend With Benefits

Michael Jackson’sconsigliere and alleged enforcer Frank Cascio may soon berewarded with a songwriting career--if he can manage to keep his mouth shut. Afrequent overnight guest at Neverland with his younger brotherVincent when they were in their teens, the 24-year-old Cascio,a.k.a. Frank Tyson, has already been well compensated for his loyalty to thedeposed King of Pop. As Fox411 columnist Roger Friedman previously reported, Jackson loaned Cascio’s father Dominic $600,000 to open Aldo’s Restaurant in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. (We stopped in for a bite recently. Although the decor—particularly the photo shrine to the Gloved One—is noteworthy, the menu's no Thriller.) But in view of Cascio’s current status as an unindicted co-conspirator in Jackson’s child-molestation trial (for reportedly trying to silence the star witness), the cash-strapped moon walker may be looking for other ways to keep his old pal happy. A source tells us that radio legend Frankie Blue, a close confidante of Jackson and a former program director for New York’s WNEW, has been asking his contacts to hook Cascio up with a songwriting contract. Two music-industry managers who have met with Cascio concede that his songs are “pretty [expletive] good.” Better than his testimony would be for Jackson’s defense, we presume. Jackson’s representatives did not return calls or e-mails, and neither Blue nor Cascio could be reached for comment.

Photos: NYDN