Biographer had claimed singer can barely speak, is almost blind in one eye.
By Reuters
December 23, MSNBC
A spokesman for Michael Jackson released a statement on Monday denying as a “total fabrication” a report claiming that the former King of Pop needs a lung transplant due to a rare respiratory disease.
The statement, attributed to Jackson’s “official and sole spokesperson, Dr. Tohme Tohme” and issued by Los Angeles firm Scoop Marketing, cites an interview with writer Ian Halperin in British newspaper the Sunday Express in which Halperin said Jackson was suffering from Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency.
Halperin, who is at work on an unauthorized biography of the singer, also claims Jackson can barely speak, suffers from emphysema and internal bleeding, and has lost 95 percent of the vision in his left eye.
photo: Dec. 22: Michael Jackson's biographer is reporting that the pop star is in dire need of a lung transplant and is fighting for his life. Msnbc's Courtney Hazlett reports (MSNBC).
