A top concert promoter testified yesterday that he never wanted to hire the doctor who eventually caused Michael Jackson’s death, and only did so because MJ demanded the quack be brought on board.
AEG Live co-CEO Paul Gongaware said he was opposed to bringing Dr. Conrad Murray into the mix, saying it would have been cheaper to hire a tour doctor in London for Jackson’s planned 2009-10 “This is It” concerts.
Gongaware, under the friendly questioning of his company’s lawyer, said he only conceded to taking on Murray after Jackson insisted that he needed the Doctor Feelgood.
“‘This is the machine. We have to take care of the machine,’ ” Gongaware quoted Jackson as telling him in 2009, during planning for “This is It.”
“‘I want Conrad.'”
Jackson died on June 25, 2009 after Murray gave Jackson lethal doses of an anesthesia, used as a sleep medication.
Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is serving four years behind bars.
Jackson’s family is suing AEG concert promoters, claiming that the company should be held civilly accountable for Murray.
The King of Pop’s loved ones are also claiming that AEG knew Jackson was sick in the final months leading to his death, but didn’t do anything about it.
Gongaware, in his fifth day on the witness stand, insisted that he believed Jackson was in good physical shape.
AEG lawyers showed an e-mail Gongaware sent to the tour’s publicist, Alan Edwards, on May 27, 2009, telling the rep to ignore media reports that Jackson was ailing.
“I love this. We will see more and more of this. The kid is healthy and rehearsing every day,” Gongaware wrote about Jackson.
“Our redemption will be when he does the shows. This makes all this buildup so damn sweet. We don’t have to sell tickets so we can just sit back and prove them wrong by just doing it.”
Gongaware testified he had any doubts Jackson was in good health and poised to deliver show-stopping performances at London’s O2 Arena.
“When Michael Jackson got on stage, he was going to be a knockout,” Gongaware told jurors.
“The show was so spectacular, it was going to shut up all these guys.”