Michael Jackson, as told by Frank Dileo

Frank Dileo was Michael Jackson’s tour manager from 1984 to 1989. This year, when Michael decided to shake the world again with his London concerts and break records once more, Frank returned as his tour manager after twenty years. He took over for Dr. Tom and stayed by his side until the very last moment. In a new interview with Hits Daily Double, he talks about Michael and his physical condition, rehearsals, his death, and what happened afterward:

“A few years ago, when Michael had returned from Bahrain, he called me. We talked about film-making projects. There were a few scripts we wanted to pursue and produce. Then he got involved with the concert contract. He called me in March and said, ‘Frank, I need someone with experience. Do you want to manage my plans again and take care of all these matters?’ I said, ‘Yes, of course.’ When I got on the scene, the contract was already in place. Dr. Tom—who I don’t want to talk about in this interview—had made mistakes in the daily planning of the concerts, and that’s what I had to fix. Because Michael didn’t want to perform concerts more than twice a week.”Michael was aware from the beginning of how many concerts he was going to perform. (In response to claims by some sources that a contract for 50 concerts had been signed without Michael’s knowledge.)

“I read the contract. I knew the minimum and maximum number of concerts that had to be performed. Three lawyers had read this contract for Michael. Michael wanted to break the ‘Prince’ record and have his name registered in the Guinness World Records. He himself chose 50 concerts. For the sale of tickets for 85 concerts, there were enough applicants. But he chose 50. That’s what he wanted, and that’s what happened. The schedule Dr. Tom had set was 3 or 4 concerts per week. I was moving dates around so the concert schedule would suit Michael’s preferences.”

Frank was present at all rehearsals.

“He was in good shape. He worked out with Lou Ferrigno and every day after exercising he would rehearse dancing for more than three hours. He was ready. He spent a lot of time checking and overseeing things. The songs he was going to sing—he had been singing them his whole life, so he didn’t need to rehearse them every day. In the last week or two, he increased his rehearsals. The night before his death (June 24), after performing 10 or 11 songs on stage, he came down the stairs. Kenny Ortega was standing by the bottom of the steps. We all hugged each other, and Michael put his hands around us, and we put our hands around him to walk him to the dressing room. He said, ‘Frank, I’m ready. I’m going to perform all 50 of these concerts. Don’t even think about it—I’m not going to do anything else.’ We talked about the possibility of holding concerts in a stadium after the 50 concerts were finished. He said, ‘Frank, I’ve never been this happy. Since you came back, everything has been going well. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We did it once. Now it’s time to do it again.’ And that was the last time I saw him alive.”

He dismisses the rumor that Michael’s weight was below normal—around 50 kilograms—and that he wasn’t in good physical condition.

“That’s all nonsense. He wasn’t 50 kilos. His weight was about 63 kilos. His highest weight was around 70 kilos.”

A confident man, ready for a challenge

“He knew he was 50 years old and that his team’s dancers were all young. To the extent that he thought he could handle it, he showed stamina. Michael is a competitive man. Whether you’re 4 years old or 40 years old, you can’t beat Michael in dancing, and he will remind you of that sooner or later. And he prepared himself to that extent.”

How did Frank find out?

“One of Michael’s fans called and said an ambulance was parked in front of Michael’s house. I had just sat down at the lunch table. I called Michael’s assistant and asked what was going on. He told me things weren’t good and that he was on his way to the place. I got in my car and went there (Michael’s house). When I arrived, everyone was gone. I turned my route and headed to the hospital. On the way, Catherine called me, and I told her she needed to come to the hospital. I entered the hospital through the back entrance, and they were working on Michael in the room. So I thought he would be okay. But then the nurse came out of the room. She looked at me, and I looked at her… I almost fainted. That look told me it was too late. But they continued their efforts until his mother arrived. Also, all the kids were there in another room. I had to go into that room with a doctor and a caretaker and tell them what had happened. And these are the two incidents I never want to experience again. Please forgive me—I’m crying. Let me take a sip of water.”

What was the kids’ reaction?

“Exactly what you’re thinking. They ran toward me, clung to me, crying, screaming. Finally Jermaine and Latoya arrived, and then Randy showed up. And a caretaker started talking to all of them. Meanwhile I was dealing with the media, trying to get them away from the kids and establish a bit of security and calm. That’s when they said the kids want to see their father. So they moved Michael into another room and covered him. I went in first. I got the chance to hold him, kiss him, and say goodbye. Twenty minutes later, the kids and the rest of the family came into the room to do the same. Everyone forgets. Michael wasn’t only my client. He was my friend. I managed his schedule with that mindset. We were friends in the 1980s. Even after he fired me, we were still friends. We were always friends.”

Frank wasn’t aware of the use of drugs.

“I didn’t know. I think it has been made clear that he tried to stop taking these drugs. I asked him about this in March, and he got very angry at times. He said, ‘Frank, do you think I would do something that would put my kids in danger and leave them alone? Don’t be ridiculous.’ Well, what do you think? Do addicts ever admit their addiction? No. So I had to believe him. He was 50 years old. How much pressure could I put on him? I never heard anything about a drug like propofol that people say he was using. When I heard it on television, I couldn’t believe it.”

He doesn’t know much about Dr. Arnold Klein and Dr. Conrad Murray, who were questioned in connection with Michael’s death.

“Michael had been Dr. Klein’s patient for years. I don’t know how he got to know Dr. Murray. Michael introduced him to me and said that, based on his contract with AEG, the company was required to hire a doctor to care for him in London. And he wanted Dr. Murray, saying he was his family doctor. The salary he requested for Murray was unreasonable. I told Michael that with the money he wanted to pay Murray, you could buy a hospital.”

In the news, it came out that the company was paying him $150,000 a month.

“I agreed to that amount. The amount Michael had requested was astronomical. The company didn’t hire him. He was Michael’s doctor for months. The company only paid the amount that was part of its budget. I had a meeting with him to make sure he was giving Michael the necessary vitamins, and to see what kind of fluids he should receive after each concert—J.T. or Gatorade (Pepsi’s electrolyte drinks). Michael said Murray was a heart specialist, and I said, ‘Michael, that’s great. I’ve had three heart attacks and I’ve opened seven of my heart arteries. If I feel bad in London, this man will be right there.’”

Dr. Conrad Murray was the last person to see Michael alive.

“Yes, he was the last one. Nobody knows what happened in that room. We have to wait for the results of the autopsy and toxicology. I know that the initial autopsy report said Michael’s organs were healthy. His liver was healthy, his heart was working strongly. They said Michael didn’t have a heart attack. It must have been some kind of allergic reaction to something in his body. It was a reaction. That’s what it was.”

“There are things that need to be clarified. I need to tell the things I know. I was appointed by Michael as a member of the board of directors of Sony/ATV publishing. (Michael is a 50% partner in this company.) There I had to carry out my role. Michael wrote me a letter and appointed me. After Dr. Tom was fired, I and Joel Katz were selected for this position.”

Disagreements among Michael’s family members over various issues have been brought to the media after his death.

“The fact that all these false news stories are circulating is upsetting. His family didn’t know what was going on. They weren’t seeing Michael every day like I was. His mother and children were closer to him than anyone else. But I gave him the space to be private with his family. Some of them (family members) talk about issues that I don’t think they have enough information about. These statements are just driven by excitement and emotions. They need to face the facts and make decisions.”

“Joe was his father, and Michael wanted him to be his father. He didn’t want his father to get involved in his business. He wanted his father to be only his father. He wanted his father to love him as his son, not as a commodity.”

But did Michael ever get what he wanted?

“I don’t know. Watch Larry King’s interview with Joe Jackson and judge for yourself. It was very unpleasant.”

Frank is still shocked.

“Michael created one of the biggest shows in history. A $27 million production. I was involved with him every day. It’s upsetting that people will never see it. But the main point is that I lost my friend. That’s what matters to me. Everything else is secondary.”

Source: eMJey / Hits Daily Double