Randy: Hell Yes

WITH FRIENDS LIKE RANDY: "They asked me, would I do this again, given everything that's happened, would I do it again?" says AEG Live chief Randy Phillips in this 2009 interview after Michael Jackson's death, "and the answer is, 'Hell yes.'" Given that "everything that's happened" included the star's untimely demise due to an overdose of Propofol, how could Phillips say this? Perhaps this is what Deadline's Nikki Finke meant when she referred to "the ghouls at AEG." You'll also note that on the stand, Phillips rather blithely attempted to duck all responsibility by saying he was merely a promoter and "not responsible for [Jackson's] medical needs." But in this video interview, Phillips says "As soon as I bury my friend" he can return to his corporate duties, and describes himself as "devastated" by the star's passing. Was he just his promoter, or his friend? And given Phillips' troubled relationship with the truth—well understood by most people who've dealt with him—does he have any credibility whatsoever on the stand? (6/7p)