Jul 9, 2009 10:49 am US/Pacific
Doctor: Michael Jackson Was An Addict
Long-Term Dermatologist Says Jackson Battled Addiction, Used Anesthetic To Sleep; Dodges Paternity Question
(CBS)
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Dr. Arnold Klein arrives for Dame Elizabeth Taylor's 75th birthday party at the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas on February 27, 2007 in Henderson, Nevada.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
A long-time dermatologist and friend of Michael Jackson told CNN's Larry King that the singer battled drug addiction, and that he advised him it was "absolutely insane" to use Diprivan, an anesthetic as a sleep aid.
"Michael at one time had an addiction," Dr. Arnold Klein told King. "He went to England and withdrew from that addiction in a secure setting where he went off drugs all together."
Klein said that he knew that while Jackson was on tour in Germany, he was using Diprivan, with the help of an anesthesiologist, to go to sleep at night.
"I told him he was absolutely insane," Klein said. "This isn't a drug you can repeatedly take."
When King asked Klein how he thinks Jackson obtained the anesthetic, Klein replied, "The rich and famous can buy anything they want to buy."
Klein saw Jackson the Monday before he died, and said that the King of Pop was dancing in his office.
"He was in very good physical condition," Klein said. "He was mentally aware when we saw him and in a very good mood."
The dermatologist was helping Jackson "rebuild his face" before his fall tour.
"He had severe acne scarring and scarring from a lot of the cosmetic surgery," Klein said. "He looked much more normal … the way he looked at his face, he wanted it to be absolutely perfect."
King asked why Jackson, as an attractive young man, wanted to have so much plastic surgery.
"I don't know why he started," Klein said. "Family members had made fun of the size of his nose. He was very sensitive to that."
King asked Klein if he was the sperm donor for Jackson's three children. Klein said that he has donated sperm to a sperm bank in the past, but, "to the best of my knowledge I'm not the father."
"Here's the most important thing: Michael loved those children as a father … I'm not going to answer that the way you want. The most important is who the father is, who the children want their father to be … how he loved them and they loved him."
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Usher Pays Emotional Tribute To Jackson
MJ Memorial: Mariah Carey Gives Stirring Tribute
Jermaine Jackson Sings Michael's Favorite Song
Brooke Shields Shares Intimate MJ Memories
Musician John Mayer Covers MJ Song At Memorial
Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson Pay Tribute To Jackson
Texas Rep. Jackson Calls Jackson 'Good Samaritan'
M.L.K. III, Bernice A. King Offer MJ Condolences
Jackson's Gold Casket Carried Into Public Memorial
Al Sharpton To MJ's Kids: Your Dad Wasn't Strange
Britain's Got Talent Star Sings Jackson 5 Hit
Pastor Lucious Smith Holds Prayer At MJ Memorial
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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