Lisa Marie Presley 'Didn't Understand' Her Relationship With Michael Jackson

By PopEater Staff Posted Oct 21st 2010 05:00PM

Lisa Marie Presley and Oprah Winfrey sat down in the English countryside to discuss her ex-husband Michael Jackson after his shocking death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs last year.

Presley explained why she wanted to talk about Jackson 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.

"I didn't understand my relationship with him," Presley admitted of how she felt when she was with the King of Pop from 1994 to 1996.

She realizes now why people though their relationship was a sham. "To some degree, he was a master at manipulating a little bit with the media. I understand that nobody really knew who I was. They just assumed I was going along with something he would be doing."

"He was conditioned to get himself where he needed to go for his career and with his talent. He became very good at making and creating and pupeteering and manipulating to some degree," Presley continued. "I always confused that manipulation thinking that that manipulation meant that he didn't love me. I understand it better now. The manipulation was because it was a survival tactic for him."

Lisa Marie said she was in England when she heard the news and John Travolta was one of the first to break it to her.

When Oprah asked what she felt, she replied, "Real honest to goodness shock, not even tears. I was floored, honestly floored."

On Jackson's drug problem, she claims she didn't notice until the very 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.

Something she wanted to make clear, their romance was for 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."

"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."

She compared Jackson to her father, Elvis Presley. "The one thing that correlates with Michael and my father on this subject, they had the luxury of creating whatever reality around them they wanted to create."

Winfrey brought up the similar way in which both her father and her ex-husband lived and died.

"It really blows me away, to be honest with you. I still try to figure out why? What is it that I had to go through this twice?" she recalled. "I went through it once, that was painful and I went through it again."

She reveals that she wished she had reached out to Jackson before his death. "I know it's naive to think that I could have (saved him) but I wanted to. Had I made a call, had I stopped being so shut off from him, had I just said 'How are you?' I really regret that I didn't."

Tags: lisa marie presley, michael jackson

Comments

(231)

Thursday 21 October

By vivi

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Um she's gorgeous. Not a "hot mess". Have you seen her throughout the years? How old are you? She has always been a beauty and a firecracker. Smart and giving. Just love her.

By joe

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

L.M. dumped this country, like she did MJ. MJ needed her to sell a few more songs. When she discovered he was after a few bucks of her dad who by the way went out the same way, she said no way, snd so long KING OF POP them young boys.. YOU DO REMEMBER SHE DID SAY, THEIR MARRAIGE WAS NOT ABOUT SEX.. In a way, I dont blame MJ, she does look like her father.. And check out her size, 21+ I bet.

By me

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and who cares? she's trying to ride the tide

By dick slocum

As I recall at the time of their breakup the explanation was that they had irreconcilable differences: "She's sort of a stay-at-home type and he's sort of a homosexual pedophile."

By Grace

I hope Michael Jackson's doctor is charged and put in prison for not being able to say "no" - to a super-star. Also - I think Michael Jackson was a talented singer, a gifted performer, a loving father, and a pathetic drug user.

Friday 22 October

By Chatsworth

Normal marriage haaa. This child man could not fuction as a normal man in any way . mentally he was 12////////

By pam

elvis is still turning in his grave,...or maybe he kicking jackson but now

By God

George you are right. I yanked michael off this planet because he was a child molesting weirdo. lisa marie is stoned and doesnt remember they never had sex. normal relationship? please, he pushed you away because you werent 10 years old and didnt have a penis. She is a strange person too. Maybe I'll yank her next.

By john L.

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

This little girl is in need of some major medication...and therapy......if she isn't the poster child for needing mental help.......nobody is!

By Bill

Now thats a Freak, describeing another Freak!

By Elaine

I watched the whole interview with Lisa and thought she did a good job. As far as being fat no way. As far as her being on drugs no way. As far as Michael being a child molester no way (people blackmailed him for money) He loved children. I thought she gave a honest interview and did say she won't give anymore and good for her as all people do on here is put people down. She is a very rich lady and did not have to do that inverview and it was nice of her to give one.

By Larry W. Bruce

Lisa Marie "didn't understand her relationship with Michael jackson ??? neither did anyone else. That has got to be the strangest marriage on record , not to mention the gross and forced (not natural) kiss on live television at the MTV awards.

By dog

she knew
thats all there is to say
just listen, she knew

By rainerluck

What can one say? A very confusing Women who could do with a little entlightening. Taking care of Him? Or is it taking care of him in order to help take care of herslef? When we purchase a Car and in order to keep it doing what we want it to do, like keeping it running smoothly and relaibly. It is to meet our personal needs. Age brings more knowledge and wisdom and she is not there yet.

By auramac

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Lisa has always told it like it is, so it's interesting to hear her perspective. No, she's not stoned. But her eyes have seen a lot. I wonder how her marriage is doing...

By Joyce

I watch Oprah everyday and this was, by far, one of my favorite interviews! Oprah always asks the best questions! There was a time when I thought Lisa Presley was not one bit personable. I see a BIG change in her. She's matured and turned out to be a really nice person. I can sympathize with her and all she's been through. I see her in a totally different light.

By Dal

Lisa Marie: An aging has-been that virtually no one cares about; Oprah: An over-the-hill charlatan who continues to pull the wool over the eyes of her credulous flock.

By allstarace

Who cares? Surely we have bigger things to focus on in our individual personal lives.........

By Diandra

Regret is so painful. I could tell by her actions after his death and the statement she released that she truly loved him and that too many people and situations got in the way of that. Sometimes poor people have a better chance of keeping who they love near than people who supposedly have everything.

By chckpope

He was a manipulator, he used her to get the rights to Elvis' songs and when he had that he dumped her. A fool and their money are soon parted. She still doesn't know what hit her, what a con.

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