The problem is, when a legendary rock performer checks out early, desperate fans sometimes build such fables. From Jim Morrison to Tupac, enthusiasts who can’t let go (and Jackson had more than a few of those) insist their beloved musical icon is hiding in Iowa, not in heaven.
No fandom built its “faked death” mythology with more richly honed detail than the followers of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll whose untimely passing seems eerily similar to the death of the King of Pop. Jackson’s unexpected passing at 50 makes one pine for the late 1980s and The Elvis Conspiracy specials.
Hosted by the late Bill Bixby, and featuring such unshakable sources as Gail Brewer-Giorgio and Elvis impersonator Johnny Harra, The Elvis Conspiracy used uncanny re-creations of post-death Elvis sightings and grainy photo evidence to “prove” Presley faked his demise to escape the limelight.
The most entertaining “evidence” presented during the “Elvis is alive” craze was a 1980s phone conversation recorded by Brewer-Giorgio with a man claiming to be Elvis. The tape “proves” that, when you want to go into hiding to escape endless fame, there’s always time to make a phone call and check in with the media every so often.
The Elvis survival craze blew over in the ’90s, but fragments of it still exist: A mystery man publishes Elvis-ish YouTube videos and an unknown voice from just west of Memphis checks in for 60 Seconds with a King.
Now that Jackson’s is the rock star death du jour, it’s only a matter of time before a similar conspiracy mess gets rolling. If you want to cash in on the ugly circus to come, start recording your fake “Jackson in hiding” videos now. Bixby is no longer with us, but I’m sure we’ll find another B-list celebrity to host The Jacko Conspiracy ©.
www.wired.com
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