Was Michael Jackson Drunk During ‘This Is It’ Press Conference?
September 23, 2012 By Brainuser1
*Hmmmmm, we must admit we always wondered if MJ was “a little less than present” as he got off that bus and headed towards his press conference for the “This Is It” concert back in 2009. Remember?
He was wearing his trademark shades, with the black suit accentuated by silver thread embroidery. There was something about the way he swung off that bus; he kind of looked like a combination of ‘rock-star-cool’ and hmmmmm.’
Now, as it turns out, according to emails obtained by the Los Angeles Times, The King of Pop was just coming off a bender.
Holding some 250 pages of messages, most between executives at Anschutz Entertainment Group, which was financing the ill-fated “This Is It” concerts set for London, the L.A. Times messages show that the executives were concerned that Jackson’s planned 50-show stand at AEG’s 02 Arena would be an “expensive bust.” In one exchange, AEG’s Randy Phillips wrote to his boss that Jackson was “an emotionally paralyzed mess.”
Writing from Jackson’s hotel suite in London; just hours before a press conference, Phillips wrote to AEG President Tim Leiweke,
“MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent…I (am) trying to sober him up.”
Jackson arrived 90-minutes late to the press conference, (the one where he did that Nixon-peace-sign-pose at the conclusion… Still weird); And the 350 reporters thought so too; describing the press conference using words like, “odd” and “disjointed.” In the end, the emails show, Phillips and Jackson’s manager had to dress the pop star, the Times said.
But AEG’s attorney, Marvin Putnam, says Phillips exaggerated in his emails, and comes to Jackson’s defense saying the pop star’s behavior was merely a bad case of “nerves.”
The Times said the messages will probably play a key role in two lawsuits set for trial next year. The shows’ insurers are asking a judge to nullify a $17.5-million policy that they say AEG got with false claims about Jackson’s health and readiness to perform.
Additionally, Jackson’s heirs filed a wrongful-death suit that accuses the entertainment giant of pressuring the singer to carry on with a comeback despite indications he was too weak.
AEG has denied any wrongdoing and says the emails were leaked to present them in a negative light.
Watch Jackson below as he gets off the bus. We’re just sayin’…
VIDEO im Bericht http://www.eurweb.com/2012/09/was-michael-jackson-drunk-during-this-is-it-press-conference/ (Archiv-Version vom 25.09.2012)
