Jackson in Court on Crutches After Spider Bite

ABC News ^ | December 3, 2002 | Dan Whitcomb

[Reaganwuzthebest]

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Reuters) - Superstar Michael Jackson turned up on crutches in a California courtroom on Tuesday after a close encounter with a spider.

Jackson, whose bizarre appearance and baby-dangling antics have made headlines around the world for the past three weeks, was resuming testimony in a $21 million lawsuit over canceled millennium concerts.

But it was the self-styled King of Pop himself, dressed up in a white satin vest and tie, who again provided most of the drama.

Explaining the crutches and the white athletic sock he was wearing on one foot, Jackson told reporters; "It is a spider bite. It is real bad. If I showed it to you, you'd be shocked. It hurts very much right now as I speak."

Jackson, who keeps tarantulas at his Neverland Valley ranch near the central California town of Santa Maria where the suit is being heard, said his foot had swollen up after being bitten by a common spider during a fumigation of his home. The suspect was not one of his pet tarantulas.

Jackson, 44, wearing pink lipstick and rouged cheeks, later got playful with the courtroom photographer whose close-up pictures of the singer last month shocked fans and prompted a media frenzy about the effects of plastic surgery on his nose.

During a lull in testimony, he pulled goofy faces at the photographer and used his fingers to make horns above his head.

Jackson signed autographs and chatted with fans outside the courtroom but brushed aside reporters' questions about the incident in Berlin last month in which he briefly dangled his baby son over the balcony of a fourth-floor hotel to show the boy to waiting fans.

"It is my child. I love my children," said Jackson, who has already termed the baby incident a "terrible mistake."

In court, Jackson was grilled over an alleged telephone call in late 1999 which is emerging as central to the breach of contract lawsuit brought by German concert promoter Marcel Avram. Avram claims that Jackson agreed to headline 1999 charity shows in Seoul, South Korea and Munich, Germany, followed by New Year's Eve concerts in Australia and Hawaii -- but backed out of the millennium events.

Jackson has testified that it was Avram himself who canceled the millennium events in a telephone call. "I definitely know I got that call because it pretty much shook me up," he said. Avram's lawyers say the call never took place.

[dighton]

Sloppy reporting: not a word on the condition of the spider.

;-)

[DainBramage]

We've got to find that spider, the pour guy has got to be suffering.

[DainBramage]

poor spelling

[DainBramage]

lol great minds...

[shaggy eel]

,,, I recall seeing video of this freak years ago when he wore one glove. Now it's the one sock routine.

[SandfleaCSC]

Nah...plastic is hypo-allergenic.

[Exit148]

"poor spelling" by DainBramage? LOL!

(Actually I love your handle.)

[realpatriot71]

This guy just can't catch a break can he?

[pankot]

Too bad it didn't bite his peni$!

[SamAdams76]

My sympathies go out to the spider.

[My2Cents]

The attack was provoked, after Mr. Jackson told the spider to "Bite me!"

[Radix]

Is there a subject verb agreement problem with your handle?



Just kidding, All in fun, ha ha ha!

[DainBramage]

Dang...somtimes its all so hard to dill with.

[Argus]

During a lull in testimony, he pulled goofy faces at the photographer and used his fingers to make horns above his head, then donned a skin-tight bodysuit, projected a mass of sticky, web-like material from his outstretched hand, and used it to swing to the top of the nearest skyscraper.

[GulliverSwift]

He didn't show his foot to everyone because it's black. I believe he's had his face and hands tatooed.

I have never heard of procedures to depress melanin counts, and presumably lighten skin.

[Vidalia]

Somebody's gotta do it, so...

Jackson, 44...after being bitten by a common spider during a fumigation of his home...wearing pink lipstick and rouged cheeks (Jackson or the Spider?)...pulled goofy faces at the photographer and used his fingers to make horns above his head...

[Revolting cat!]

baby-dangling antics

Hold it! I feel another screen name coming on!

[Slyfox]

Hey, look, somebody's dangling Michael!