The diligent Kardashianologists at TMZ continue their in-depth look into the dark life of Khloe Kardashian’s husband Lamar Odom with a lengthy interview with attorney Polina Polonsky (above), the woman Lamar reportedly lived with for a while after he left the Roosevelt hotel. Polina talked at length about her time with Lamar, admitting among other things that: she did see Lamar doing crack, she often left him at her home when she went to work and it “felt like I was leaving a toddler at home alone,” she asked him to help with her work, and revealed that one time Khloe stormed into her home early in the morning like an “uncaged animal” and took Lamar away.
One thing Polina strangely avoids is any reference to having sex with Lamar. In the interview their relationship sounds more like roommate besties who liked to cook and watch movies together. Somehow I just don’t think that was the case.
On another note, I guess it’s not illegal to witness illegal drug use and not report it? It just seemed odd hearing an attorney admitting to watching someone using crack cocaine and also all but admitting there was illegal drug use in her home!
Anyways, here’s the “TMZ Live” interview video with Polina Polonsky followed by a transcript:
TMZ: So talk to us a little bit about, first of all, the circumstances that led Lamar to your doorstep.
POLINA POLONSKY: Well initially when Lamar and I started hanging out he was staying at the Roosevelt, and a few weeks in it got a little inconvenient for me because I have to go to court every morning and all my stuff is at home and I said — I offered actually for him to come stay at my place, and he took me up on the offer. Next thing I know, he’s living in my apartment.
TMZ: Now, you’re a practicing lawyer, you’re going to work every day. Talk to us about what Lamar was doing.
POLINA: Well, every single time I left the house in the morning it was — I felt like I was leaving a toddler at home alone. Like, I didn’t really know what was going to happen when I would come back.
TMZ: Polina, let’s talk about the 800-lb elephant right now in the room. We have done stories now about Lamar deep into a serious crack cocaine problem. We understand that it happened at your place, and it’s hard to imagine you didn’t see some of it. Can you describe it for us?
POLINA: I absolutely did see some of it, but I can’t imagine that anything was as bad as it is now, just even seeing the photos that you guys put up of him — the photos that are in some of the magazines — I mean he looks like he’s lost at least 20, 30 pounds since he left my place.
TMZ: When he was at your place, and I realize that it’s sensitive, but nonetheless, I mean you’re coming and going — what we’ve reported is that he was doing crack cocaine right out in the open. You couldn’t miss it.
POLINA: Um, you know, like I said, I wasn’t there with him 24/7. Most of the time we were, we did everything together. What I can say is I did feel like it wasn’t as bad — everything was more so under control when he was staying with me than what it seems like it is now, or what it was even at the Roosevelt right before.
TMZ: Look, we’ve reported that he was doing crack cocaine in your house and in the Roosevelt and in other places. Did you see it from time to time?
POLINA: Can I claim attorney/client privilege? [laughs]
TMZ: No! [laughing] He wasn’t — you’re dealing with a lawyer here. Um, you know it wasn’t an attorney thing. Look, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable, but look, we’ve reported it already, and, you know, I know that Khloe and Lamar — when Khloe came to your door, which we’ll get to in a minute — that they were calling you “crack groupie” and whatnot, but this has not to do with you, to do with him. Did you see it from time to time?
POLINA: I did see it.
TMZ: What about the confrontation where Khloe came to your door and pulled Lamar out? Can you describe that?
POLINA: Um, it was about 4:30/5 in the morning. The hotel phone rang. I picked up and it was a female voice asking for Lamar, and that point I realized who it was and I told Lamar, I said, “Hey, I think that was Khloe.” But he really didn’t care, and about 15-20 minutes later is when she came banging, knocking, kicking on the door.
TMZ: And what happened then?
POLINA: She was yelling, you know? She kept asking me to open up the door and that she wanted to talk to me for two seconds calmly. I was like, “No, I’m not going to open the door. Why should I open the door?” And she said, “Because I said so.” Since when is that a good reason? And Lamar ended up leaving, and as he was walking out is when she kind of squeezed in front of him and ran into the room.
TMZ: And did what?
POLINA: She looked like an uncaged animal, just all of a sudden, like, let into the wild. She kind of barged in there, beelined toward me, and I was just, I was shell-shocked! I really couldn’t — I was in disbelief, honestly. I really didn’t expect that. I didn’t think it was actually happening.
TMZ: Was he under the influence of crack when she came?
POLINA: Ummmmmm… He wasn’t sober.
TMZ: And we’re not talking alcohol, because he didn’t really drink that much?
POLINA: I don’t know Lamar to be a big drinker.
TMZ: Am I wrong to assume this was crack cocaine that he was under the influence of when she walked in?
POLINA: You wouldn’t be completely off the map.
TMZ: You got a text from Lamar shortly thereafter, presumably when — we’re told — when Lamar and Khloe were driving home, calling you a “crack groupie” and other things. What’s your reaction to that?
POLINA: I don’t believe for one second that that was actually Lamar texting me. I don’t think that he would ever in his life call me any of the things that were said in those text messages. I’m one hundred percent confident that that was Khloe using his phone.
TMZ: Did you ever see drug dealers interact with Lamar while he was staying with you?
POLINA: No, I did not.
TMZ: You said that Lamar, during the time that he stayed with you, pretty much stayed in the house and was almost like having a child there where he stayed in the house. Other than doing drugs during the day — and night — what else did he do?
POLINA: We did everything together! It really felt like I was living with my best friend. We cooked, we ordered food, we watched movies, you know? He actually helped me — I made him help me with some of my work.
TMZ: Your legal work?
POLINA: I would give him a file and say, “Here, can you please summarize this for me?” I don’t think he actually did it, but I asked him to.
TMZ: [laughing] Like giving a child something to keep him quiet for a minute?
TMZ: Polina, I wanted to ask you, I’m sure you’ve seen the video of Lamar when he grabbed — attacked a photographer and grabbed his equipment, threw it out into the middle of the street in Hollywood. Was he staying with you at that time?
POLINA: Lamar left my apartment on July 8, which happens to be literally around the corner from where that incident happened.
TMZ: So do you think he was on his way — was he waiting to see you?
POLINA: He told me that he was on his way to my apartment to pick up his phone, which I’m hesitant to believe simply because he knows I’m normally gone during the day.
TMZ: Did he ever tell you about playing basketball, professional basketball, while under the influence of drugs?
POLINA: No, he didn’t. We did discuss Dallas and how, just simply, how bad a time in his life that was. He was going through some things at that time. But we didn’t specifically discuss him being under the influence during game time.
TMZ: How bad was his drug use while he was with you, Polina?
POLINA: I don’t know. I guess that’s a subjective question, or depends on what you’re comparing it to. I guess, compared to other times in his life, I would imagine that he’s worse than he’s been.
TMZ: Did it escalate over time while he was with you?
POLINA: No. It was absolutely — I highly doubt that he would be in the condition, or even in the physical condition that he looks like he’s in now had he still been staying with me.
TMZ: Why do you think you had him more under control than he is now?
POLINA: I just… Cause it… I’m an attorney. I work. I have to wake up every morning whether I like it or not. I have clients in custody. I need to be in court. I — it just wasn’t — there was no that it would have spiraled out of control under my watch.
TMZ: What about the Roosevelt? You’re aware of some of the antics at the Roosevelt, right? Where he was using almost — he was using the room almost as a flop house, and people were coming in and out. You’re familiar with that?
POLINA: Um, I don’t think it was Lamar so much using the room as a flop house as other people staying in the room.
TMZ: You’re aware of the drug use that was going on in the room at the Roosevelt?
POLINA: I’m not blind.
TMZ: How bad was it there? Because we’re told at that point he was out of control with crack.
POLINA: I mean, it was bad, but I can’t say necessarily “out of control.”
TMZ: But it sounds like what you’re saying is there is such a thing as “controlled crack use.”
POLINA: I think that there’s such a thing as controlled use of any controlled substance. I mean, I think there is tons of people who do it recreationally and that doesn’t necessarily make them addicts.
TMZ: Final question. Lamar Odom is a rich man. He has played basketball for multiple teams, had a successful, long career. How does a guy — and this is what baffles so many people — how does a guy with means like that end up with a drug like crack?
POLINA: I don’t know. Maybe you guys can ask him when he gets on the show.
TMZ: [laughing] I guess we’ll end there and make the invitation. Hey Polina, listen, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate it.
POLINA: Thank you.
