MICHAEL JACKSON

Gig shambles: Lazy Jackson’s 2-week effort Michael Jackson comeback shows 05/07/2009 JACKSON was LAZY and only put in a few hours of rehearsals for his comeback shows, says the concerts' promoter. AEG boss Randy Philiips said Jacko ducked out of more than two and a half months of preparation for the 02 shows and only put in any effort in the last two weeks before his death. Speaking exclusively to the News of the World, Phillips said: "The public have to understand - Michael wasn't the hardest worker in the world. "A lot of the rehearsals had been for the dancers, musicians and backing singers, he wasn't actually participating." But Phillips said the final rehearsal before the star died of a cardiac arrest was "magnificent". He told how the star - who at first had doubts about the 50-long run of shows - said afterwards: "I now know I can do this." The AEG boss also denied his firm pushed Michael into committing to the 50 shows. He said: "The original deal was 30 shows. We started with 10 - putting 30 is a disincentive for people to buy early." But he said the unprecedented demand - and the spiralling £15millin costs of the extravagant production - meant they would need more dates. He said: "Michael did everything bigger and better than everyone else."