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By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special CorrespondentSun May 15, 1:49 PM ET
In the grand theater that is the Michael Jackson courtroom, a celebrity cast is lining up in defense of the pop singer, testing whether star power can help persuade jurors.
Actor Macaulay Culkin of "Home Alone" fame was first among the famous witnesses, followed a few days later by celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos. Elizabeth Taylor is on the list of possible witnesses along with Jay Leno, Chris Tucker and many others.
But there is no greater star in this tableau than Jackson himself.
An intensely personal, three-hour video interview of the singer shown to jurors has been the showstopper so far in his child molestation trial and may have supplanted the need for him to take the witness stand.
On a big screen, jurors watched Jackson in scenes left out of "Living With Michael Jackson," the Martin Bashir documentary that aired on ABC in which Jackson and the alleged victim appeared holding hands and the pop star acknowledged having innocent, nonsexual sleepovers with children.
In what can only be described as a stroke of luck, Jackson decided to have his own videographer record a backup of the interview. While Bashir's edited version brought a firestorm of bad publicity, the outtakes show Jackson as a man hurt by criticism of his lifestyle.
In the footage, Jackson occasionally powdered his famous nose or was tended to by a makeup artist. But mostly he just sat and talked. And talked.
He described his lonely childhood, his ascent to the pinnacle of superstardom and his realization that once he got to the top it was even more lonely.
He spoke of creating his Neverland ranch fantasy world as an escape to childhood.
"It's like stepping into Oz," he said. "Once you come in the gates, the outside world does not exist."
"When I was under contract to Motown," Jackson recalled in the interview, "I had to go make these albums. Across the street from the studio was a ball park. I could hear the kids playing ball and sometimes I wanted so passionately to go over there and play and I couldn't. It made me sad, very sad."
At another point, he said, "I wanted to know what it's like to have a slumber party or a buddy or a birthday party. That's why I do it now."
Jackson also talked about his bond with former child stars.
Of Taylor, he said, "We've been through the same things. She's a little girl inside. She's a wonderful person. ... It's like when I met Shirley Temple for the first time. She said, 'You're one of us, aren't you?' And I said yes."
The video was buttressed by the testimony of three young men, including Culkin, who said they visited Neverland many times and slept in Jackson's room. But it was all innocent, they said, insisting under harsh cross-examination by a prosecutor that Jackson never touched them inappropriately.
Culkin, who was 10 when he met the pop star, told of forming a special bond with Jackson that exists only among current and former child stars. Culkin said he knew he and Jackson were "part of a unique group" and it was "a very comforting thing."
Geragos also provided Jackson support, saying he discussed with his former client his practice of having children sleep in his bedroom.
"He said nothing happened. He said he didn't do anything untoward or sexual and if anyone spent the night in his room it was unconditional love," Geragos said.
Loyola Law School Professor Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor, said the Culkin testimony followed by the video was like a one-two punch.
"Michael Jackson is no dummy," she said. "He knows the courtroom is his theater. No one would pay to see (prosecutor) Tom Sneddon on Broadway."
Levenson said celebrity witnesses have an advantage in that they are great communicators. Jurors will always say they are not influenced by celebrities, but certain stars can outshine others on the witness stand, she said.
"Elizabeth Taylor is a legend," she said. "If you call a legend to the stand, well, it's like calling Elvis."
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