Lisa Marie Presley’s interview with Oprah aired yesterday. The 42 year-old singer spoke for the first time since the death of her ex husband, Michael Jackson. Presley explained that she wanted to process the King of Pop’s death before granting an interview about it. On the day after MJ died, Presley posted a heartfelt entry on her blog explaining that she was “gutted” and defending their marriage. To Oprah, Presley repeated the claim that her marriage with Michael was a real one in every sense, and went on to say that she was very hurt by the end of their one and a half year marriage in 1996. I found her sincere and it was obvious that she was still upset about Michael’s death. He had a lot of people who cared about him and apart from his children he seems to have pushed so many people out of his life.
Popeater has a good overview of the interview, which I’m partially excerpting below. You can also watch the interview on YouTube. Part 1 is below, and here are links to Part 2 and Part 3.
On why she’s talking now
“Every time I’ve ever had an interview in the past, I tend to get very defensive because I was usually promoting something and it would always cross into my personal life.”“I wanted to sit and really have a conversation about things that are more on a personal level, before I do have an album coming out,” she said.
On how their marriage was real
“I honestly can tell you, it was every sense a normal marriage.”“One of the very highest points of my life was when things were going really well and he and I were united together and he and I had an understanding about some of the people and things that could go on around him and he was with me on those things and we were a unit and I could take care of him,” she told Oprah.
“For some reason, I don’t know what happens when someone passes away and this is what’s come of it. But I’ve come to have all this love again and understanding for him. I don’t know why it had to take all that to have this happen. That upsets me a bit,” Presley opined.
“Were you angry with him before?” Oprah questioned.
“I was very angry. I was so angry. I felt that we were so united and then at some point he pushed me out.”
On not figuring out that MJ was addicted to drugs until the end of their marriage
“I didn’t really suspect and catch on until just before I filed for divorce. There was just an occasion, an incident where he had collapsed and he was in the hospital,” she described of the scene in 1995 when Jackson collapsed while rehearsing for an HBO concert and doctors blamed it on a viral infection.“It was very confusing what was wrong. Every day there was a different report. And I couldn’t tell what was happening,” she added. “I couldn’t really get a straight answer about what was happening with him and I think we were all a little bit in the dark. At that point, I think I got from various indications that that was going on then.”
“There were times that I would pick him up from certain doctors’ offices and he would not be coherent,” Presley remembered.
On why her marriage with MJ ended
“There was a very profound point in the marriage when he had to make a decision — was it the drugs and the sort of vampires or me? And he pushed me away.”
[From Popeater, subheaders added]
One thing that Lisa mentioned that is not in Popeater’s recap is that she was crying all day before she even heard that Michael had passed. She said it in a very matter-of-fact way, as if it was factual and she wasn’t attributing anything supernatural to it. It’s clear that her experience with Michael really affected her and that she’s still dealing with it 15 years later. There are very strong parallels between Presley’s father Elvis’ life and Michael’s life and she realizes that. She said “[The comparison] really blows me away to be honest with you. I still try to figure out, what is it that I had to go through it twice where these two incredible people… who had the same fate. What is it about me? I went through it once, that was painful, and I went through it again. I don’t quite understand it, you know?” She’s much more well spoken and self aware than I would have assumed. I believe her, and I think she helps clarify that Michael was in throes of addiction for well over a decade before it ultimately took his life.
Lisa Marie Presley on Oprah Part 1
