LIZA MINNELLI - GEST BLASTS DELUDED JACKSON

LIZA MINNELLI's estranged husband DAVID GEST has blasted troubled pal MICHAEL JACKSON, insisting he is deluded about his fame.

The producer, who enlisted Jackson as his best man when he married the CABARET star in 2002, claims the THRILLER singer is unaware about how much trouble he is in - and is wrongly convinced he is still a major superstar.

Gest says of the singer, who is currently standing trial on seven charges of child molestation, "Michael isn't always sure what is going on around him. He still thinks he is a big star that everybody worships. I don't think that's the case anymore."