LOS ANGELES — Michael Jackson might have been the most famous man on earth — but the King of Pop somehow believed no one would show up at his press conference.
A top concert promoter made that claim to jurors yesterday, as they weighed a lawsuit brought by Jackson’s family.
The superstar “was really concerned there was not gonna be anyone there,” AEG CEO Randy Phillips said. “That people didn’t care and maybe this was gonna be a bust.”
Phillips made the comment while being grilled about a nasty e-mail he wrote at the time of the 2009 press conference, in which he described Jackson as an “emotionally paralyzed mess riddled with self-loathing.”
Phillips’ harsh words came after Jacko had showed up two hours late for the media event in London, which was meant to announce his “This Is It” concert series there.
But on the witness stand yesterday, Phillips tried to explain away the e-mail and convince jurors that Jackson was only a little nervous that day.
Phillips claimed he was the one really freaking out that day and not MJ: “I was so nervous, I created so much tension. You could cut the tension with a knife.”
Jackson’s family is suing AEG Live, claiming the concert promoters knew he was in declining health but did nothing to help.
The defense needs to paint a picture of a healthy Jackson so jurors don’t blame the promoters for missing obvious signs.
Phillips recalled going out with Jackson and his kids to see “Oliver Twist” the next night, and said Jacko felt great about getting an ovation there.