Michael Jackson’s bodyguard reveals why he wore tape and masks in public: “He knew how to...”
Apart from having a successful music career, Michael Jackson was equally popular for keeping an air of mystery around him. As expected, Jackson's move only made the public even more curious about him, inviting relentless coverage by the media. However, Jackson and the media shared a complex relationship, where the King of Pop wanted to maintain the mystery around his life; the media was tireless in busting it. Speaking about Jackson’s fascination with secrecy, his bodyguard made surprising claims that explain why the star frequently wore tape and masks.
Jackson’s former bodyguard, Matt Fiddes, revealed that the singer deliberately maintained an air of mystery to keep public fascination alive. According to Fiddes, Jackson wore surgical masks and taped his nose to spark curiosity, as per Metro.co.uk. Defending Jackson after 'Leaving Neverland,' he claimed the star was "just a normal guy at home." He added, "He knew how to manipulate the media. He knew exactly how to get the front pages."
Fiddes further revealed that Jackson carefully crafted an aura of secrecy to maintain public intrigue. "90% of the time it worked, by putting a mask on his face, or sticky tape on his hands—or tape on his nose was a favorite one. He would say he wanted his life to be the greatest mystery on Earth." However, Fiddes acknowledged the unintended consequences, stating, "It backfired on him, though; that's the sad thing." He further claimed that Jackson deliberately kept his personal life ambiguous. "He didn't want the media to know if he was gay or straight because he knew the fascination would stop with the newspapers printing about him."
Additionally, he asserted that Jackson, who had a devoted fanbase, "didn't want to upset any fans" by dispelling the mystery surrounding him. Fiddes, who spent 10 years with Jackson, recalled, "He never used to live with makeup on. I remember one time we were watching TV at the [St Pancras] Renaissance Hotel in London, and he wanted to go to [illusionist] Uri Geller’s house for a curry. He asked for the cars in an hour, and he's off getting ready, getting his hair done, and he comes out in the whole image, the mask and fedora, the whole works."
However, Fiddes emphasized that Jackson was different in private as he said, "Back at home, Michael was more about a glass of wine, a bottle of wine; he'd be swearing; he'd be a normal guy." He further added, "He was super intelligent; he couldn't sit down and watch a movie because he'd analyze every angle, every mistake the director made." Fiddes concluded, "The public thought they knew what Michael was like, but unless you knew him, you had no idea." Fiddes also responded to the 'Leaving Neverland' documentary in another interview. He told Metro.co.uk, "We knew the guy; we knew him so well. He spent time with my children. He's not the man he’s portrayed as by James and Wade."
He further added, "I felt after that, for my own legacy, it was time to speak out. This whole pedophile thing is complete nonsense." Fiddes continued, "The guy had girlfriends and had a legitimate marriage to Lisa Marie [Presley]; that was the way he lived his life." Fiddes noted, "We were the people sneaking the girls into his room." Regarding the claims made in the Emmy-winning HBO documentary, Fiddes insisted it was "impossible" for Jackson to have done what he was accused of, mainly because he was "hardly" at Neverland Ranch, where the alleged incidents took place.