Lisa Marie Called "Love of" Jackson's Life

Biographer Also Sheds Light On MJ's Marriage to Debbie Rowe; Calls Pop Icon's Final Years His Happiest

(CBS)  Michael Jackson's final years were also his happiest, as he focused on his children for the first time without pushing himself as much to always be No. 1 in his career and on the music charts. He was also very excited about the London comeback tour he was rehearsing for when he died.

But the last years of Jackson's life were tainted by a painkiller addiction that grew from a mere dependency due to Jackson's inability to cope with the trauma of his 2003 child molestation trial.

The revelations from Jackson biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli came on "The Early Show" Monday from his newly-updated book, "Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story."

It was 40 years ago when, Diana Ross introduced Taraborrelli, who was president of her fan club at the time, to a 10-year-old Michael Jackson. They became friends long before Taraborrelli penned what many consider the definitive biography of the pop icon.

Taraborrelli also told co-anchor Julie Chen Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, has never met Debbie Rowe, the mother of Jackson's children -- though that might happen Monday in a Los Angeles courtroom as custody of Jackson's three kids, and the fate of his potentially enormous estate, are taken up.

Complete coverage of Jackson's life and death
Jackson never intended to marry Rowe, Taraborrelli says, and only did under pressure from his family and fans. He only meant for Rowe to be the surrogate mother of his children.

Taraborrelli says Jackson was indeed the biological father of the kids.

But the real "love of" Jackson's life, he said, was a previous wife, Lisa Marie Presley. Jackson wanted her to have his children, but Presley resisted, feeling the marriage wasn't strong enough and fearing a custody fight if they were to divorce -- which they did.


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[swayed]

People who have been close to Michael Jackson say that you wouldn't think he's weird, crazy or anything like the public persona once you really get to know him well. Even Lisa had said that " I always believe he's greater, bigger than his image. I think the image did him an injustice." and she said something like, "he thought that this image of him being weird and wacky worked for him, maybe for a time it did, but eventually it's working against him".
Now what made Lisa think or feel she was used by Michael & worse tell the world about it? when from the time they were married until around 2002 or 2003 she didn't say anything. Well, I think, because she has an album to promote during that time (2003? 2004?) and if she felt any bitterness towards her ex then that would be the best time to spill it out, to spark the public's interest. On the other hand, I think that there really was a more serious, personal reason. What reasons could make a woman feel that her ex just used her? Well, maybe she found out that her ex has a new girl whom he treats differently in the way that he treated her. which made me think...probably MJ did have a secret girlfriend around that time whom he didn't flaunt, & didn't pressure to bear a child for him. His securities did actually say he had a secret girlfriend.

[swayed]

I think that, maybe Lisa wasn't the only one in his life, and he may have used her at some point, but I don't think he did it deliberately. I don't think he needs her name just to come out clean or normal whatever. She says herself she was there with him even before the Chandler case. In Taraborelli's analysis, the first child molestation accusation was actually one of the things that strengthened their friendship which eventually led to something more than friendship. It was because Michael became emotionally dependent on Lisa so that he was able to "open up" to her and break his "wall" or bring down his inhibitions. I think that Michael have been around girls flirting with them but not eventually forming a romantic and really serious bond because he had this "wall" around him (search Michael Jackson phone conversations in youtube). And, as his mother, Katherine once said, Michael used to say " if the love bug bites me, it'll be the time that I'll marry" & that he says " but she has to have a lot of money herself so that I'll be sure she's marrying me for love and not for because of money". There was also an interview with Michael when he was like 25 years old, he was asked what are your future plans, he said "To marry someday and have my own children". So there, need I say more?
I think he wasn't prepared for how complicated his life will gonna be because of stardom. Taraborelli also quoted him as saying "Oh, I never thought it was going to be like this, I just wanted a simple life". He was basically a very simple person, as his sister Janet said, he used to wear his loafers down- until they have small holes. And, Matt Fides said something like this, I think he was never made for stardom, most superstars are strong & hard but not Michael, he was very compassionate, simple, & naive at times.
At a very young age he has to learn the meaning of PR and learn all about how to promote oneself, & one's image for the sake of popularity. So, I think he loved Lisa Marie, but at the same time she came in handy for him to flaunt her around. Though I think that Lisa knows well, she did it because she wants to do it, she doesn't have to be forced by Michael. She definitely did want to be with Micahel- hey she wasn't too famous before she became his wife. She is just as equally stubborn, and strong-willed to be dictated. The fact was, she wanted Michael, too for some reasons. I agree that in most of their pohotographs and videos together, there really was a special glow in their faces, the love they had really showed. They did have sex, I think. Tehy look intimate, anyway, in every way. Plus, the people around them have also been interviewed by Taraborelli, like the friend of Lisa, Donald Trump, and some associates of Michael and workers at Neverland. These people (workers at Neverland) when asked when they realized that the relationship was serious, they said, when they saw Lisa one morning going down from his room in a bathrobe, and then Michael followed in his mickey mouse pyjamas,with a big grin on his face.

[swayed]

I wasn't really been a big fan of Michael Jackson, since I was still too young then to experience his earlier albums. It was just out of curiosity that I read a book about him. I was curious because he was so controversial, so different. I never expected that by doing so, I will appreciate the person that he was. Moreso, when I learned about his book "Dancing the Dream". This book is not his autobiography, it's a collection of his poems and reflections about life, God, the environment, animals, children and his mother. I can feel through this that he was a sensitive, sentimental, deep, caring person and a true artist. But, of course I don't really know him personally, so I also rely on the comments of people who were close to him or have worked closely with him like Quincy Jones, Teddy Riley, Elizabeth Taylor, Karen Faye, Ne-yo, Macaulay Culkin, Gotham Chopra,Brooke Shields, Stephanie Mills, Donald Trump, Matt Fides, Frank Tyson, Whoopi Goldberg, to name a few. I don't think he has to pay each of these people just to say something positive about him. And, if you know somebody well, and if a lot of people are talking trash about this person you know, you will definitely feel compelled to speak up, especially at times, when the person being trashed about doesn't know well how to explain himself or doesn't bother to explain himself (and now he's dead, he can't explain himself). I feel sad that up to this day, a lot of people see him as just "weird", etc etc. Apparently, I pity these people because I think they don't know basically anything about to him, to start with. They didn't bother to research. I hope that people will read more, and analyze things with an open mind before judging.
Ok, I don't want to "sugarcoat" everything about him, he had his faults. Even his friends also speak of his negative sides like "he was stupid enough to let those people in his life (Arvizos and Chandlers)", that he was generous to a fault, that he wasn't really good at explaining himself or communicating & that he lived his life somewhat detached from reality (this is according to Macaulay), that he was obssessed with childhood, he was too sensitive, too trusting, & he was dependent on prescription drug medications, & so on.
I personally think he was stubborn, once he gets his mind on somehting he wants, he makes up his mind to get it or achieve it. Like when he said way back in the early 80's that he has 2 goals in life, to be the greatest & wealthiest entertainer. Well, he did became that (at some point he was the wealthiest). Then, when he became obssessed with childhood, he did what he did with Neverland. Though I think he never was a pedophile, he just enjoyed being with children a lot, 'coz that made him feel like a child himself, and that's when he can act and be just himself, not the superstar. So, when it came to Lisa Marie, I think he did fell for her but was deeply hurt when she doesn't want to have his children. In the beginning, I supposed they were both willing to compromise certain things for their relationship but in the end, they did not. There were some conflicts between them to start with. she's a Scientologist, he was not. She's upfront and faces reality, I think Michael was not; he wasn't ready or was too stubborn to give up his obssessions (prescription drug dependence & childhood), or maybe he didn't want to give these up 'coz anyway Lisa won't have his children (you know, in exchange for this, I'll do that kind of thing).
As for Michael being gay, you can check out a video in youtube, search "craxy fan (you are not alone), and also the various comments of the guys who've been with him (the names I mentioned previously).
Just because he didn't have many serious relationships, doesn't automatically mean he was gay. It might just be that he poured all of his energy unto his art/music/performances, so he didn't have much time to spend on building relationships. Plus, there really wasn't substantial evidence that he was attracted to men until some guy with the name of Ian Halperin released this book after his death, why after his death only? well, you guess. And when I knew that this same guy had written about Barack Obama & Tom Cruise being gay, well that says it all. Perhaps he's the one who's gay (I have nothing against being gay, that's not the issue here, ok, I just don't like Halperin, I think he's just desperate to come up with a bestseller book).

[janeil88]

Oh please, people. Although it doesn't actually matter since Mj loved these kids as his own & they loved & recognized him as their father, they DO look bi-racial to me--i have bi-racial grandchildren & other family members are multicultural & bi-racial, too. My grandson, whom i absolutely adore, is born from a black mother--and i mean black, too, honey-Island Girl black-, not milk chocolate like Michael was even BEFORE His alledged "skin-lightening"--& a white father (of something like 1/8th Native American heritage). While he (my grandson) is pale & his hair is straighter, in comparison to his mom & her side of the family, he does still take a lot of his other features from her side of the family. I think this is true of Michael's children, too. And remember, JOE JACKSON HAS HAZEL EYES, TOO so apparently there is some caucasian genes in their family (?), in addition to the mother being caucasian. I mean, i am no gene expert but i can see it myself, esp. with Blanket. he has eyes just like Michael & i have been watching Michael Jackson grow up for over 40 years.

[rollinsg]

Haters die, Michael's Guinness records will not. Who has the last say?

[jdabaker]

I looked for a byline and didn't see one so I have to address this to CBS in general. They obviously did not consult a professional when they wrote this story. The idea that the terms "mere dependency" and "addiction" exist are ignorant. There is no such thing. That is why the clinically correct term for addiction is "chemical dependence". I assume that the author meant that at some point Jackson was dependent on drugs because of pain.

[ConservaBarb]

OK... let's say you are right Agrapina... we'll forget the color of the kids. Do they resemble Michael (as he was before he messed with himself?) NO! Also, you may be light skinned because your black father wasn't dark. Michael was a very dark black man.

I work in a school and we have a lot of kids with mixed heritage... so I know how they look. Michael's kids are not his biological kids.

I bet you anything he never slept with Lisa or the mother of his kids.
I don't think Lisa loved Michael romantically... he promised to promote her singing career. When that didn't pan out... she left. You call that true love?

[ConservaBarb]

OK... let's say you are right Agrapina... we'll forget the color of the kids. Do they resemble Michael (as he was before he messed with himself?) NO! Also, you may be light skinned because your black father wasn't dark. Michael was a very dark black man.

I work in a school and we have a lot of kids with mixed heritage... so I know how they look. Michael's kids are not his biological kids.

I bet you anything he never slept with Lisa or the mother of his kids.
I don't think Lisa loved Michael romantically... he promised to promote her singing career. When that didn't pan out... she left. You call that true love?

[whatithink-2009]

ConservaBarb - Are you saying very dark men are never genetically mixed? You are confused. Look at his sister Latoya Jackson. She is very light. A mixed race black couple can have very light children AND very dark children. The very light children and the very dark children are STILL genetically the same. Your skin color DOES NOT tell the whole story.

[whatithink-2009]

Please do a Google on Victoria Rowell's daughter. Does she look mixed to you? Chances are if they are mixed and don't look it, you wouldn't know it. PERIOD. You are taking kids who clearly look mixed and assuming it is the case 100% of the time. Have you heard of a thing called PASSING? It is where mixed blacks lied about being white in order to have a better life. If they looked black or mixed, do you think they could have lied about it?


Please go back to school...as a student.

[whatithink-2009]

ConservaBarb - Please do a Google on Victoria Rowell's daughter. Does she look mixed to you? If a person is mixed but appears white, you wouldn't know they were mixed, so your comment is MUTE. White people are not all white and blacks are not all black. It could be that the white person in this mixed relationship is also mixed through generations (or the black person) and that could affect how the child will look. Nothing is set in stone. If you are teacher, I feel really sorry for your students.

Have you heard of a thing called PASSING? It is when blacks pretended to be white to have a better life. It happened often. Do you think these blacks could have pretended IF they looked black or mixed?

GO BACK TO SCHOOL...!!!

[whatithink-2009]

ConservaBarb - For you - Youtube - v=eRbVzXEBTTg

[Agrapina]

For the record, MY FATHER IS BLACK AND MY MOTHER IS WHITE AND I LOOK WHITE. People are always shocked to find out that I'm half black and have mistaken my white mother for my sister. Sometimes the reactions I get when I tell people my heritage borders on insulting. I have had people use the "N" word in front of me and then were completly shocked when I told them I was half black. Let's not forget that Mariah Carey also has a black father but many people thought she was all white. Other examples are Jennifer Beals from Flashdance (black father), Rashida Jones from The Office and Parks and Rec (black father -Quincy Jones). I could go on and on but I hope you are getting my point. So please stop the ignorance. By the way, you probaly run into mixed people that look white all the time, you just don't know it.

[Agrapina]

Michael and Lisa Marie got married because they loved each other period. She didn't need the money or publicity because she was the daughter of the second most famous musician to live - ELVIS (only second to Michael). Her estimated worth was just a few million shy of Michael's when they married. Lisa Marie continues to stand by her marriage to Michael as witnessed in her blog upon his passing. She also said that she "loved everything about him" and that their relationship was real. It's a shame that there are those that can't see past the tabloid crap and see their relationship for what it was - True love.

[tmpen]

I agree with you. When I look at the videos and photographs of Michael with Lisa Marie , and of himself during the period when they were married , Michael looked genuinely his happiest. He was so very loving and protective of her, and those photos and videos are evident of a very happy man who has found true love . It is sad that in the society today there are many people who cannot see something so pure.

[ConservaBarb]

LOL! Her too. I stand corrected.

[yoyoinla]

LOL I know...from your friendly blog editor.

[ConservaBarb]

Oh PULEESE! Anyone who thinks those children are Michael's biological kids are idiots. Have you seen them??????

In case you didn't realize, despite his surgeries and bleachings he is a Black man. Bleaching does not change the genes.

Besides, I doubt very much that he can perform with a woman.

The reason he had no children with Priscilla is that she refused to be injected with sperm from an unknown source.

[yoyoinla]

No, actually, the reason that he and Priscilla never children, is because he was married to her DAUGHTER, Lisa Marie.

[Carol1020]

For all the haters saying that LMP has never said her marriage was NOT a sham please go and read her blog on myspace. Stop sounding so ignorant and do some research before commenting.....lastly to those who say these kids are not MJ's....what prove do you have? Do you have the kids DNA to prove it?? and EVEN if they were not his kids which I think its absurd to even consider it...Michael was more of a father and a mother to those children than anybody else on this world....so please quit the winning and go play in traffic xD

[rsmik]

MJ makes Gordon Gekko look like the Geico Gekko. Among other things, he screwed McCartney for the music, he screwed Rowe for the children, he tried to screw Presley for a dynasty. At least Presley didn't fall for it.

[avigil2]

Yeah, cause MJ didn't have his own dynasty. What a crock!

[lucilioness]

THE ONLY WOMEN THAT MICHAEL EVER TRULY LOVED, IS DIANA ROSS, AND HIS MOTHER KATHRYN. PERIOD!!!!!!!!

[rollinsg]

Michael's love for Diana Ross is totally different.

[TheMasses2009]

Michael Jackson is dead!?!?!?!

[avigil2]

Yes, ******** he is.

[yoyoinla]

First of all, because it really bugs me, the name is Presley...not Prestley. If you are going to be WISE, but accurate.

Second, I am amazed at all the expertise we have on Michael Jackson's private life. I have grown up with Michael Jackson's music, and have loved it. I have read books on the Jacksons. I was quite the fan. And not once have I gained the some of the insight into the man that some of these bloggers have.

I wish folks would stick to what they absolutely know, so the conversations could take on a more intelligent vibe.

I don't consider the future of 3 children fluff, there is nothing more important than the future of all children. And you all are debating whether the kids could be his. They WERE his, regardless of what DNA they carry. What difference does it make what how dark their skin is or what color their eyes are?? You simply can not know for sure. And personally, I don't care. They are children.

Also, as far as Lisa Marie is concerned, how can you possibly know FOR CERTAIN how he felt about HER? He is deceased. Let it go and wish the best for the children.

[timaran]

This is one of the best posts made since he died. I wholeheartedly agree.

[whosaid1]

Yes....well done!!

[tunaatlast]

I wonder how much money lm prestly got for her "show"" marriage.
She sure F....ck'd and still didn't get screwed.

[tmpen]

If you look at the pictures of Michael during the years Lisa Marie was married to him, they say a thousand words. Michael looked his happiest. It certainly says that he wanted Lisa Marie to have children with him because he loved her very much , not the bad things that people like to say about him.

[tunaatlast]

I wonder if lisa was going have kids by insemination from another man.

[andie52]

MJ did want Lisa Marie to have his children but she wouldn't agree to it,smart move on her part.however I doubt that they had se* by any method that would have produced children.

[toldyouso29]

Yeah ...righto--we really believe that. At best, Michael was some sort of misfit--unable to face or be with a real woman which is why his kids were carried by a surrogate and supposedly did not even use his own spermmmmm. AT worse, he is a homosexual pedophile that was looking for love in all the wrong places and none of them was a coooooochie.

[tunaatlast]

right on brother!

[avigil2]

Okay, your comments were really stupid!