Alex

O: When [Lisa Marie Presley] married Michael Jackson… Do you remember that time?

RK: I do. I remember… just how much she loved him. She was, really, was, like, obsessed with him. You know, I remember when he would come to the house, she would run to her bathroom, put her make-up on, and panic, and, you know, wanting to get herself all dressed up for him. And she just… adored him.

[…]

RK: I can only speak of my experience of Michael. And my experience was that he was only kind and loving to me and my family. And I saw them in a very, seemgily, happy, loving relationship. I think, probably, our version of normal was a little bit different, but I think for me, in my life, it felt very normal. You know, a lot of the time we were actually stay at our house instead of Neverland. And it was kind of waking up, going into her room, they would take me to school, and, you know, there was a sense of normalcy there. There were extraordinary elements, as well! [laugh]

O: They would take you to school?

RK: Yes.

O: The two of them would drive you to school?

RK: They would have the driver drive, but they would be in the car. [laugh] Yeah.

“[Lisa] was a bit like a little girl, yet at the same time exuded great confidence. […] She would sit right next to Michael - or sometimes in his lap. They would laugh and whisper and call each other silly names, almost like a pair of seventh-graders. […] And they often held hands. They were safe. […] Clearly she was lost for much of her adult life, but the Lisa I knew back in the mid-90's was a kind, sweet and gentle person.”

— Brad Sundberg (inthestudiowithMJ) Facebook tribute to Lisa Marie Presley (January 13, 2023)

Bad + Outro

“The tome “promises shocking revelations about Michael Jackson and a completely new understanding of Elvis,” a source added.”

— Lisa Marie Presley inks massive deal for bombshell book about Michael Jackson, Elvis

An announcement in the aftermath of “Leaving Neverland” (which premiered on January that year) and after years of Lisa’s refusing to collaborate in books about her and Michael’s relationship. In the “documentary”, among his lies, James Safechuck claims Michael told him he was going to get married, but it wasn’t going to mean anything, and that he only married Lisa Marie Presley for PR, so the public wouldn’t get suspicious of “their” relationship.

The announcement that Lisa was writting her own autobiography, actually got a reaction from Adrian McManus (from the “Neverland 5”):

“Adrian said she is shocked that Lisa Marie is deciding to go public with her experiences - saying she thought she'd take her "secrets to her grave".

"I feel the book is her way of getting out the truth about her time with Michael," Adrian said. "This way she can present her explanation of what went down in her own words, rather than have people question her and her mindset at that time. "You have total control of what you want to say and don't want to say with the book. That is why I am writing my book about my life with Michael […] We all saw different things and I am sure Lisa has seen things too, which would shock the world. I am fascinated to read it. "I wonder how much love blinded the truth of what was happening. […] I would want to know what she was going through mentally during her time with Michael. From what I saw she was in love with him, but I was always concerned he was using her."

— ‘HE USED HER' Michael Jackson hid Lisa Marie's bras under his bed so it looked like they had sex - but he shuttled in young boys when she was out, claims former maid (August 6, 2019)

This book would become the posthumous “From Here to the Great Unknown” (2024) (but that’s a topic for another post).

“Somebody had told my mom that Michael was planning on filing for divorce but that it would be better for her if she did it first. […] But the truth was, Michael never intended to file. It was Romeo and Juliet, the poison mistakenly drunk. Michael was incredibly hurt, and my mom tried and tried to reach him, calling and writing him. But he refused to speak to her. My mom always said that was how she learned to ice people, from Michael.”

— Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough, from “From Here to the Great Unknown” (2024)

“I told him I wanted a divorce. Then, he didn't talk to me for a couple of weeks.”

— Lisa Marie Presley: Rolling Stone Interview - April 20, 2003 (via rollingstone)

“In the months that followed, I know that she reached out to Janet, Rebbie and Mother for their advice on how to best get through to Michael, to see if there was any way back. For me, that illustrated the love she had for him. But when my brother built those walls, he built them high.”