Adam powers on alone in his quest to convince the world Elvis Presley was probably a cop. This time around, the topic of discussion is an FBI operation that might hold the answer to what really happened to Elvis in 1977.
Show notes: https://youdontshow.link/ctselvis3
00:00:21,760 –> 00:00:25,040
From the Imperial Palace Hotel
and Casino and the Legends in
2
00:00:25,040 –> 00:00:29,240
Concert showroom in Las Vegas in
a television exclusive, The real
3
00:00:29,240 –> 00:00:33,040
story behind the event that
shocked the world, The Elvis
4
00:00:33,040 –> 00:00:36,040
Files.
Maria Columbus is the president
5
00:00:36,040 –> 00:00:40,680
of the oldest Elvis fan club.
30-40 minutes later, Vernon
6
00:00:40,680 –> 00:00:43,040
Presley called.
US Monty Nicholson is an
7
00:00:43,040 –> 00:00:45,640
investigator for the Los Angeles
Sheriff’s Department.
8
00:00:45,880 –> 00:00:48,960
The body may very well not have
been Elvis Presley.
9
00:00:49,200 –> 00:00:52,480
GAIL Brewer Giorgio is the best
selling author of his Elvis
10
00:00:52,480 –> 00:00:56,480
Alive and The Elvis Files.
The only place it’s misspelled
11
00:00:56,520 –> 00:01:00,000
is it the plaque embraced from
the final resting place.
12
00:01:00,280 –> 00:01:03,480
Paul Wiest is an internationally
renowned handwriting expert.
13
00:01:03,720 –> 00:01:06,040
And handwriting notations were
made on them.
14
00:01:06,520 –> 00:01:07,880
And now we’ll build his own
handwriting.
15
00:01:08,360 –> 00:01:11,600
Luke Dion is an author and
political advisor to the Quebec
16
00:01:11,600 –> 00:01:13,480
government and a foreign
consultant.
17
00:01:13,760 –> 00:01:16,120
But Elvis Presley was a federal
agent.
18
00:01:16,120 –> 00:01:19,560
There’s no doubt about that.
All these men and women share
19
00:01:19,560 –> 00:01:22,280
one thing.
They believe that Elvis Presley
20
00:01:22,280 –> 00:01:25,080
may still be alive.
They will tell you why.
21
00:01:25,800 –> 00:01:30,360
And now our host on The Elvis
Files, Bill Bixby.
22
00:01:41,120 –> 00:01:46,240
Welcome to Conspiracy The Show,
the world’s most trusted
23
00:01:46,240 –> 00:01:52,080
conspiracy theory podcast, with
your hosts Adam Todd Brown and
24
00:01:52,080 –> 00:02:05,360
Olivia Hydar.
Hey everybody, welcome to
25
00:02:05,360 –> 00:02:08,560
conspiracy the show.
I’m your host Adam Todd Brown.
26
00:02:08,840 –> 00:02:11,920
Joining me is Co host this week.
Oh my favorite Co host of all.
27
00:02:11,920 –> 00:02:14,240
No Co host.
I don’t even have any guests
28
00:02:14,360 –> 00:02:20,280
because I am once again go on it
alone to bring you the third and
29
00:02:20,280 –> 00:02:26,960
final public episode of my deep
dive into the death of music
30
00:02:26,960 –> 00:02:31,120
legend Elvis Presley.
On the 1st episode, I covered a
31
00:02:31,160 –> 00:02:35,840
1988 book called Is Elvis Alive
written by an investigative
32
00:02:35,840 –> 00:02:37,880
journalist named GAIL Brewer
Giorgio.
33
00:02:38,080 –> 00:02:42,760
On the second episode, we
covered in ABC 2020 News report
34
00:02:42,920 –> 00:02:47,200
about all the weirdness in the
medical examiner’s report that
35
00:02:47,320 –> 00:02:49,000
was released after Elvis’s
death.
36
00:02:49,000 –> 00:02:51,240
It’s got a lot of Geraldo in
that episode.
37
00:02:51,400 –> 00:02:54,840
Sorry about that.
And on this episode we are
38
00:02:54,840 –> 00:03:00,320
covering the follow up to the
1988 book Is Elvis Alive?
39
00:03:00,440 –> 00:03:05,200
This book came out in 1997.
It’s called Elvis is Alive and
40
00:03:05,200 –> 00:03:08,520
he’s coming Back.
Except shit gets weird
41
00:03:08,520 –> 00:03:13,120
immediately in that the title on
the cover and the title inside
42
00:03:13,120 –> 00:03:17,960
the book are not the same.
Again, the cover says Elvis is
43
00:03:17,960 –> 00:03:21,440
alive and he’s coming back.
But when you open that cover,
44
00:03:21,600 –> 00:03:25,160
the title page says the Elvis
cover up.
45
00:03:25,360 –> 00:03:27,040
Is that normal?
Maybe it’s normal?
46
00:03:27,040 –> 00:03:29,400
I don’t know.
What I do know is that this
47
00:03:29,400 –> 00:03:32,240
version of the book that I’m
going to be referencing
48
00:03:32,240 –> 00:03:35,040
throughout this episode is
really hard to find.
49
00:03:35,200 –> 00:03:38,640
Once again, the cover says Elvis
is alive and he’s coming back.
50
00:03:38,800 –> 00:03:43,240
The bottom third of the cover is
blue and the title is in orange
51
00:03:43,240 –> 00:03:45,920
text.
The rest of the cover is a black
52
00:03:45,920 –> 00:03:49,680
and white photo of early days
Elvis on stage.
53
00:03:49,840 –> 00:03:53,600
We had a guest on a recent
episode, an author named David
54
00:03:53,600 –> 00:03:56,400
Whelan.
He asked me about this book and
55
00:03:56,400 –> 00:04:00,320
I went out on the Internet and
could not even find a picture of
56
00:04:00,320 –> 00:04:03,560
the cover of this book anymore.
I promise I own it.
57
00:04:03,600 –> 00:04:05,960
I can post a picture.
Hell, I’ll send it to you if you
58
00:04:05,960 –> 00:04:08,320
want to copy with all my
scribbles and highlights in it.
59
00:04:08,400 –> 00:04:12,400
That said, there is another Gale
Brewer Giorgio book out there
60
00:04:12,400 –> 00:04:16,360
called Elvis Undercover.
Is he alive and coming back?
61
00:04:16,519 –> 00:04:20,040
That seems like it’s maybe the
hardcover version of this book.
62
00:04:20,200 –> 00:04:23,560
It’s about 50 pages longer, but
the text in the book I’m
63
00:04:23,560 –> 00:04:26,840
referring to is kind of
gigantic, so that could be a
64
00:04:26,840 –> 00:04:28,480
font thing.
I reckon.
65
00:04:28,600 –> 00:04:32,000
Whatever the case, it’s been
more than 1/4 century since this
66
00:04:32,000 –> 00:04:36,480
book was published and almost
half a century since Elvis is
67
00:04:36,640 –> 00:04:40,320
alleged to have died.
And you might have noticed that
68
00:04:40,360 –> 00:04:43,840
in that time, Elvis in fact did
not come back.
69
00:04:44,040 –> 00:04:49,760
I believe GAIL Brewer Giorgio is
correct in her theory that Elvis
70
00:04:49,760 –> 00:04:54,240
assisted the FBI in a massive
criminal investigation and
71
00:04:54,240 –> 00:04:57,120
joined witness protection
afterward, and we’ll get to
72
00:04:57,120 –> 00:05:00,840
that, obviously.
That said, I’m equally confident
73
00:05:00,960 –> 00:05:05,440
that Gale Brewer Giorgio was fed
a lot of fake information that
74
00:05:05,440 –> 00:05:09,720
was meant to discredit her.
But also, this is that rarest of
75
00:05:09,800 –> 00:05:13,880
conspiracy where I’m kind of on
the side of the conspirators.
76
00:05:14,080 –> 00:05:17,560
And I think they had a damn good
reason to try and knock Gale
77
00:05:17,560 –> 00:05:19,920
Brewer Giorgio’s work off
course.
78
00:05:20,120 –> 00:05:23,320
Because if she’s correct when
she claims Elvis joined witness
79
00:05:23,320 –> 00:05:26,040
protection, this book could have
gotten him killed.
80
00:05:26,240 –> 00:05:29,600
Which brings us to another piece
of Elvis maybe faked as death
81
00:05:29,600 –> 00:05:33,160
media that we’re going to talk
about throughout this episode.
82
00:05:33,320 –> 00:05:37,400
Bill Bigsby Television’s The
Incredible Hulk, against all
83
00:05:37,400 –> 00:05:43,240
odds, was also highly interested
in the circumstances surrounding
84
00:05:43,240 –> 00:05:45,440
Elvis’s death.
Part of that has to do with the
85
00:05:45,440 –> 00:05:49,560
fact that they were friends, of
course, but also so Bill Bixby
86
00:05:49,560 –> 00:05:56,000
hosted 2 separate televised
documentary programs, both about
87
00:05:56,200 –> 00:05:59,040
Elvis’s death.
I believe they were both live.
88
00:05:59,360 –> 00:06:02,640
They were definitely both
broadcast on national
89
00:06:02,640 –> 00:06:05,600
television.
And throughout this episode, I’m
90
00:06:05,600 –> 00:06:09,160
going to be dropping in some
moments from the first of those
91
00:06:09,160 –> 00:06:13,520
two Bill Bixby specials because
it’s very much in line with
92
00:06:13,520 –> 00:06:16,560
what’s in GAIL Brewer Giorgio’s
book.
93
00:06:16,640 –> 00:06:19,640
Also, the first of those Bill
Bixby specials is called The
94
00:06:19,640 –> 00:06:23,360
Elvis Files, and that’s the one
I’ll be talking about here.
95
00:06:23,560 –> 00:06:28,040
I’m also going to do another
bonus episode, a fourth bonus
96
00:06:28,040 –> 00:06:32,920
episode about the second Bill
Bixby special, and I’ll probably
97
00:06:32,920 –> 00:06:34,960
have a guest on that one.
I don’t think I’m going to do
98
00:06:34,960 –> 00:06:40,040
that one by myself, but I bring
that up here because Bill Bixby
99
00:06:40,040 –> 00:06:43,600
acknowledges the exact thing I
just said about GAIL Brewer,
100
00:06:43,600 –> 00:06:48,720
Giorgio, in that if he’s right
about the conclusion he comes to
101
00:06:48,720 –> 00:06:51,480
in this episode, he could very
well be getting his friend
102
00:06:51,480 –> 00:06:52,640
killed.
Here goes.
103
00:06:52,920 –> 00:06:56,240
Bill, isn’t this show exploiting
Elvis’s death?
104
00:06:56,880 –> 00:07:00,440
Yes, was my feeling.
In fact, when I was first asked
105
00:07:00,440 –> 00:07:03,840
to host this program, I said no
for exactly that reason.
106
00:07:04,640 –> 00:07:07,320
But then a body of evidence was
presented to me that made the
107
00:07:07,880 –> 00:07:12,160
circumstances of August 16th,
1977 debatable.
108
00:07:13,000 –> 00:07:17,000
The more I considered what was
in front of me, the more I felt
109
00:07:17,000 –> 00:07:20,680
that this was an opportunity to
present to the world information
110
00:07:20,800 –> 00:07:22,120
which had never been brought to
light.
111
00:07:22,120 –> 00:07:26,600
Now the next question asked of
me, if you’re his friend and he
112
00:07:26,600 –> 00:07:30,080
is alive, aren’t you
jeopardizing that same life?
113
00:07:31,360 –> 00:07:34,360
Well, anybody interested in
using the information presented
114
00:07:34,360 –> 00:07:38,400
in this program, Information
which has been available for at
115
00:07:38,400 –> 00:07:41,640
least four years, would have
done so a long time ago.
116
00:07:42,480 –> 00:07:46,640
So if Elvis is alive, he’s
obviously well protected.
117
00:07:47,040 –> 00:07:51,560
Now, we’ll get into the details
more a bit later, but when it
118
00:07:51,560 –> 00:07:55,280
comes to Gale Brewer Giorgio, in
her book, she actually names a
119
00:07:55,280 –> 00:07:59,400
city and a state where she
thought Elvis might have been
120
00:07:59,400 –> 00:08:04,040
living, and even a specific
location in that city and state
121
00:08:04,280 –> 00:08:07,280
where he might be living.
Two locations, actually.
122
00:08:07,360 –> 00:08:10,960
So if she’s correct, of course,
people were trying to discredit
123
00:08:10,960 –> 00:08:13,160
her.
At the end of the day, this is
124
00:08:13,160 –> 00:08:15,800
not a nefarious conspiracy
theory.
125
00:08:15,920 –> 00:08:18,720
It doesn’t involve innocent
people getting hurt.
126
00:08:18,840 –> 00:08:22,440
There’s no huge money swindle,
at least not on the part of the
127
00:08:22,440 –> 00:08:25,920
conspirators.
There’s really nothing to be mad
128
00:08:25,920 –> 00:08:30,320
about if Elvis faked his death
in the manner and for the reason
129
00:08:30,320 –> 00:08:32,280
GAIL Brewer Giorgio claims he
did.
130
00:08:32,720 –> 00:08:35,080
Yeah, of course people were
trying to discredit her.
131
00:08:35,240 –> 00:08:40,000
I think the And He’s Coming back
part of this book title is a
132
00:08:40,000 –> 00:08:44,120
great example of the author
being LED astray by way of false
133
00:08:44,120 –> 00:08:46,720
information.
She got the notion that Elvis
134
00:08:46,720 –> 00:08:50,200
would be coming back primarily
from a phone call from Elvis
135
00:08:50,200 –> 00:08:52,960
himself.
I believe a lot of what GAIL has
136
00:08:52,960 –> 00:08:57,040
to say, but I do not believe a
person in witness protection who
137
00:08:57,040 –> 00:09:00,600
is hiding from real criminals
who would love to murder them
138
00:09:00,720 –> 00:09:04,880
would call a journalist and tell
her how right she is about his
139
00:09:04,880 –> 00:09:07,440
disappearance.
Don’t get me wrong, the phone
140
00:09:07,440 –> 00:09:10,360
call definitely happened.
You can hear it in its entirety
141
00:09:10,360 –> 00:09:12,520
on YouTube.
I’ll link to it in the show
142
00:09:12,520 –> 00:09:14,680
notes.
But also, here’s a little bit of
143
00:09:14,680 –> 00:09:15,560
it right now.
Well.
144
00:09:16,000 –> 00:09:21,360
I believe at least I’m
descending the drug story.
145
00:09:21,360 –> 00:09:24,360
I was on with Geraldo Rivera.
I yelled at him.
146
00:09:24,920 –> 00:09:27,840
Oh my God, did I say I was?
I guarantee you I won’t be.
147
00:09:27,840 –> 00:09:34,160
Honey, do you I?
I when I was on the show with I
148
00:09:34,160 –> 00:09:39,040
went on actually Sally Jesse
Raphael show Rick Stanley was
149
00:09:39,120 –> 00:09:41,920
on.
Do any of the Stanley boys know?
150
00:09:43,560 –> 00:09:44,680
I can’t.
I can’t.
151
00:09:44,840 –> 00:09:47,240
Come on.
I just wondered if they knew.
152
00:09:48,840 –> 00:09:56,920
I just say Ricky does not know.
Now, I don’t think that is
153
00:09:56,920 –> 00:10:01,320
actually Elvis, I couldn’t find
any record of it in my limited
154
00:10:01,320 –> 00:10:04,240
amount of Googling I did.
But it’s mentioned in the
155
00:10:04,240 –> 00:10:07,800
comments under that video that
an impersonator came forward
156
00:10:07,800 –> 00:10:11,480
shortly after GAIL went public
with his detail and said he was
157
00:10:11,480 –> 00:10:14,480
the voice on the call.
And that would not surprise me
158
00:10:14,560 –> 00:10:16,440
one bit.
But who knows?
159
00:10:16,880 –> 00:10:20,080
Whatever the case, I don’t think
Elvis ever called GAIL Brewer
160
00:10:20,080 –> 00:10:23,000
Giorgio.
But that doesn’t mean I think
161
00:10:23,000 –> 00:10:26,200
she’s wrong about what happened
to Elvis.
162
00:10:26,200 –> 00:10:29,280
If anything, that she was
constantly being fed fake
163
00:10:29,280 –> 00:10:32,680
information probably speaks to
her being onto something.
164
00:10:32,760 –> 00:10:35,960
And on that note, the
introduction to this book opens
165
00:10:35,960 –> 00:10:38,040
with the following sentence.
Quote.
166
00:10:38,120 –> 00:10:42,400
What book about Elvis Presley
did Tudor Publishing receive one
167
00:10:42,400 –> 00:10:46,320
and a half million orders for
during its first three weeks on
168
00:10:46,320 –> 00:10:49,480
the market?
And quote, of course the answer
169
00:10:49,480 –> 00:10:53,640
is her 1988 book Is Elvis Alive?
I mentioned that just to point
170
00:10:53,640 –> 00:10:56,840
out that there was a point in
history when the questions
171
00:10:56,840 –> 00:11:00,640
around Elvis’s death were a
thing that the general public
172
00:11:00,800 –> 00:11:06,280
meaning beyond the spectacularly
open minded listeners of niche
173
00:11:06,280 –> 00:11:10,240
but shockingly high quality
conspiracy podcasts, we’re at
174
00:11:10,240 –> 00:11:13,120
least willing to listen to and
consider.
175
00:11:13,280 –> 00:11:17,880
I think that ship has sailed now
that well is way too poisoned at
176
00:11:17,880 –> 00:11:20,120
this point.
Now for me, though, let’s dive
177
00:11:20,120 –> 00:11:23,360
in right up top.
In chapter one, a chapter called
178
00:11:23,440 –> 00:11:26,800
Agent Presley, GAIL Brewer,
Giorgio reminds us that Elvis
179
00:11:26,800 –> 00:11:31,400
was, quote, a bona fide agent at
large with the DEA.
180
00:11:31,600 –> 00:11:33,720
End Quote.
And that’s true.
181
00:11:33,800 –> 00:11:37,880
There’s documents that prove it.
There’s paperwork that you have
182
00:11:37,880 –> 00:11:40,920
to fill out to be made an agent
at large.
183
00:11:41,080 –> 00:11:43,040
And the world has seen that
paperwork.
184
00:11:43,240 –> 00:11:47,840
I think the general line of
thinking in regards to that time
185
00:11:47,920 –> 00:11:52,160
Elvis stormed the Nixon White
House and came away from it with
186
00:11:52,160 –> 00:11:56,480
ADEA badge is that it was more
comedy than anything and just a
187
00:11:56,480 –> 00:12:00,440
means for Elvis to get drugs
through the airport or
188
00:12:00,440 –> 00:12:02,640
something.
But if you’ve ever dug into the
189
00:12:02,640 –> 00:12:06,520
details of that story, you know
it starts with Elvis writing
190
00:12:06,520 –> 00:12:11,280
Nixon a six page letter all
about how he agrees that drugs
191
00:12:11,560 –> 00:12:15,280
and commies are destroying this
country and that he wanted to
192
00:12:15,280 –> 00:12:19,600
help in any way he could.
Again, I know we have come to
193
00:12:19,600 –> 00:12:22,280
view this meeting with Nixon as
a joke, but listen to this
194
00:12:22,280 –> 00:12:26,440
snippet from the letter he wrote
Nixon and tell me in your own
195
00:12:26,600 –> 00:12:30,600
quiet, to yourself, in your own
head kind of way.
196
00:12:30,800 –> 00:12:33,200
If it sounds like he’s joking,
here we go.
197
00:12:33,320 –> 00:12:37,760
I talked to Vice President Agnew
in Palm Springs 3 weeks ago and
198
00:12:37,760 –> 00:12:39,880
expressed my concern for our
country.
199
00:12:39,960 –> 00:12:44,480
The drug culture, the hippie
elements, the SDS, Black
200
00:12:44,480 –> 00:12:49,640
Panthers, etcetera, do not
consider me as their enemy or as
201
00:12:49,640 –> 00:12:53,920
they call it, the establishment.
I call it America and I love it,
202
00:12:54,040 –> 00:12:57,640
Sir.
I can and will be of any service
203
00:12:57,640 –> 00:13:01,800
that I can to help the country
out and quote, think about what
204
00:13:01,800 –> 00:13:05,120
he’s saying there.
It really boils down to these
205
00:13:05,120 –> 00:13:08,160
groups don’t see me as the
enemy, but I am the enemy.
206
00:13:08,280 –> 00:13:10,560
And again, we think he’s joking
because that would be an
207
00:13:10,560 –> 00:13:14,680
absurdly risky joke to make at
that point in history.
208
00:13:14,840 –> 00:13:17,960
Especially the part where he put
it in writing somewhere.
209
00:13:17,960 –> 00:13:20,760
There isn’t Everything
Everywhere all at once.
210
00:13:20,800 –> 00:13:24,440
Alternate universe where instead
of meeting with Nixon, that
211
00:13:24,440 –> 00:13:27,760
letter just ends with its
contents being released to the
212
00:13:27,760 –> 00:13:33,560
public and Elvis getting 1970s
cancelled for being a huge
213
00:13:33,560 –> 00:13:36,120
fucking narc.
Also, and this is mostly a
214
00:13:36,120 –> 00:13:39,800
sidebar, but here’s another
quote from the Elvis Nixon
215
00:13:39,800 –> 00:13:41,640
letter.
I was nominated this coming
216
00:13:41,640 –> 00:13:44,840
year, one of America’s 10 Most
Outstanding Young Men.
217
00:13:45,000 –> 00:13:47,640
End Quote.
Now, I thought that was just
218
00:13:47,640 –> 00:13:51,440
some sort of silly flex at
first, but then there’s this
219
00:13:51,440 –> 00:13:55,200
quote from GAIL Brewer.
Giorgio’s book Elvis received
220
00:13:55,200 –> 00:13:58,200
his commendation as one of the
10 Outstanding Young Men on
221
00:13:58,200 –> 00:14:04,120
January 18th, 1971 in Memphis.
Notably, another soon to be U.S.
222
00:14:04,120 –> 00:14:07,960
President presented this award
to Elvis George Bush.
223
00:14:08,200 –> 00:14:10,560
End Quote.
There it is.
224
00:14:10,800 –> 00:14:17,600
It is not a conspiracy until
GHWB makes the scene.
225
00:14:17,800 –> 00:14:20,320
Anyway.
Contrary to popular belief,
226
00:14:20,480 –> 00:14:23,600
which is that the Nixon
administration treated this
227
00:14:23,600 –> 00:14:27,720
moment where Elvis showed up as
a curiosity more than anything,
228
00:14:27,840 –> 00:14:30,560
there was actually a lot of
support within the White House
229
00:14:30,800 –> 00:14:35,200
for making Elvis an agent at
large with the DEA.
230
00:14:35,320 –> 00:14:39,800
Also, that outstanding young man
commendation, he got it in early
231
00:14:39,800 –> 00:14:44,480
1971 and it was, at least
according to one of the White
232
00:14:44,480 –> 00:14:49,360
House memos about Elvis’s
invasion of the White House, he
233
00:14:49,360 –> 00:14:53,520
was awarded it for quote, his
work in the field of drugs.
234
00:14:53,800 –> 00:14:56,720
End Quote.
Now, I can’t find one to one
235
00:14:56,720 –> 00:15:01,440
proof of that, but I did find a
1971 article about those awards
236
00:15:01,760 –> 00:15:04,840
that mentions that he was
sponsored for the award by
237
00:15:04,920 –> 00:15:07,840
former Memphis Sheriff Bill
Morris.
238
00:15:08,280 –> 00:15:10,400
So I don’t know, keep that in
mind.
239
00:15:10,560 –> 00:15:13,760
What was he doing for Bill
Morris that warranted that
240
00:15:13,760 –> 00:15:15,880
nomination?
Was it something in the field of
241
00:15:15,880 –> 00:15:18,400
drugs?
Barring the distant possibility
242
00:15:18,600 –> 00:15:21,840
that they mean he liked to
party, it sounds like Elvis was
243
00:15:21,840 –> 00:15:25,600
doing side hustle cop work well
before he asked Nixon to put a
244
00:15:25,600 –> 00:15:28,320
badge on it.
Now I know what you’re thinking,
245
00:15:28,680 –> 00:15:31,320
but Adam Elvis did a ton of
drugs himself.
246
00:15:31,560 –> 00:15:34,000
For one.
Not really to the extent you’d
247
00:15:34,000 –> 00:15:38,000
think by this point in history.
This was 19701971.
248
00:15:38,160 –> 00:15:41,040
The drug stuff starts a little
later than that.
249
00:15:41,200 –> 00:15:43,360
Also, he didn’t do illegal
drugs.
250
00:15:43,520 –> 00:15:47,200
Elvis took prescription drugs,
and whether he was actually
251
00:15:47,200 –> 00:15:51,160
doing all of the drugs we’ve
been told he was doing isn’t a
252
00:15:51,160 –> 00:15:53,720
thing I’m convinced is true
anymore.
253
00:15:53,880 –> 00:15:56,800
But we’ll get to that later.
Also consider this.
254
00:15:57,000 –> 00:16:00,280
There was a little over a year’s
delay between Elvis meeting
255
00:16:00,280 –> 00:16:04,440
Nixon in December 1970 and when
he actually got that badge.
256
00:16:04,600 –> 00:16:09,800
He received his DEA badge on
January 27th, 1972.
257
00:16:09,800 –> 00:16:12,880
What do we think was going on in
between those two moments?
258
00:16:13,040 –> 00:16:15,840
Was Nixon just thinking about it
while Elvis was out without
259
00:16:15,840 –> 00:16:19,760
living a normal Elvis life?
Or did Elvis somehow prove his
260
00:16:19,760 –> 00:16:21,880
worth to the government in that
time?
261
00:16:22,280 –> 00:16:25,680
Interesting thing to note here.
I consulted a few different
262
00:16:25,680 –> 00:16:28,640
timelines of Elvis’s career.
I’ll link to him in the show
263
00:16:28,640 –> 00:16:31,360
notes so you know I’m not lying.
Guess what he was doing from
264
00:16:31,360 –> 00:16:35,800
1971 to 1973 career wise?
Nothing.
265
00:16:35,800 –> 00:16:39,560
Nothing at all.
Those two years are fucking
266
00:16:39,840 –> 00:16:44,920
blank spots in the Elvis career
timeline, unless you count
267
00:16:45,400 –> 00:16:48,440
apparently becoming an asset in
the war on drugs for the Nixon
268
00:16:48,560 –> 00:16:51,560
administration.
Reminder from episode one.
269
00:16:51,720 –> 00:16:56,520
In 1982, a woman named Maria
Columbus, who was president of
270
00:16:56,520 –> 00:17:00,320
the longest running Elvis fan
club, was also looking into the
271
00:17:00,320 –> 00:17:03,640
claims of Elvis faking his death
and at one point she got a
272
00:17:03,640 –> 00:17:07,560
letter from the Department of
the Treasury that said this
273
00:17:07,680 –> 00:17:10,240
quote.
During the period of 1974
274
00:17:10,240 –> 00:17:14,520
through 1976, Mr. Presley
provided one of our undercover
275
00:17:14,520 –> 00:17:17,680
agents who was a musician, a job
cover.
276
00:17:17,760 –> 00:17:20,880
Mr. Presley confirmed to anyone
inquiring that the agent
277
00:17:20,880 –> 00:17:24,200
musician was a member of one of
his traveling bands.
278
00:17:24,400 –> 00:17:27,520
Although Mr. Presley was not
actively involved in any of the
279
00:17:27,520 –> 00:17:32,080
investigations, his assistants
in this regard made it possible
280
00:17:32,080 –> 00:17:35,160
for our agent to develop a
number of quality
281
00:17:35,160 –> 00:17:37,040
investigations.
End Quote.
282
00:17:37,200 –> 00:17:40,360
And then there’s a follow up
correspondence between Maria
283
00:17:40,360 –> 00:17:44,160
Columbus and the feds that said
the file she was asking for that
284
00:17:44,160 –> 00:17:47,560
they could not give her were,
quote, criminal investigative
285
00:17:47,760 –> 00:17:49,560
files.
Interesting.
286
00:17:49,640 –> 00:17:53,680
Another reminder, a huge chunk
of Elvis’s FBI files are still
287
00:17:53,760 –> 00:17:58,360
classified on national security
grounds and in her fan club
288
00:17:58,360 –> 00:18:02,480
newsletter at the time, Maria
Columbus asked a pretty solid
289
00:18:02,480 –> 00:18:03,680
question.
Here goes.
290
00:18:03,880 –> 00:18:09,440
If Elvis had a federal agent in
his group from 1974 to 1976,
291
00:18:09,560 –> 00:18:12,600
when did he find time to do
drugs himself?
292
00:18:12,880 –> 00:18:15,320
End Quote.
I think that’s a good question.
293
00:18:15,720 –> 00:18:19,280
Also, here’s a really fun detail
from GAIL Brewer, Georgio’s
294
00:18:19,480 –> 00:18:22,560
first book, that I didn’t
mention on the first episode.
295
00:18:22,760 –> 00:18:24,840
It’s one that comes up again in
this book.
296
00:18:25,040 –> 00:18:29,720
Apparently, more than a few of
Elvis friends suspected that he
297
00:18:29,720 –> 00:18:35,200
was sometimes pretending to be
high on drugs when he actually
298
00:18:35,360 –> 00:18:38,160
wasn’t.
And GAIL Brewer Giorgio’s
299
00:18:38,160 –> 00:18:42,720
thought is, was that part of it?
Was that part of his
300
00:18:42,840 –> 00:18:47,160
investigative work with the DEA?
And let me ask you a question.
301
00:18:47,200 –> 00:18:50,680
What’s more likely, that in the
years after he voluntarily
302
00:18:50,680 –> 00:18:55,520
enlisted in the war on drugs,
Elvis A chose that point in life
303
00:18:55,680 –> 00:18:59,720
to start taking a ton of drugs,
or B Started pretending to be a
304
00:18:59,720 –> 00:19:03,360
drug user so he could spy on
drug dealers for the government?
305
00:19:03,520 –> 00:19:07,120
I know that sounds absolutely
insane, but so does becoming a
306
00:19:07,120 –> 00:19:09,920
junkie after the DEA joins your
band.
307
00:19:10,120 –> 00:19:13,080
Also insane having the DEA join
your band.
308
00:19:13,280 –> 00:19:16,800
And hey, this is a point where I
would certainly appreciate some
309
00:19:16,800 –> 00:19:19,200
noise from the Occam’s Razor
crowd.
310
00:19:19,360 –> 00:19:22,280
Because if you’re being
completely honest with yourself,
311
00:19:22,440 –> 00:19:28,320
what is the simplest outcome and
or explanation when it comes to
312
00:19:28,320 –> 00:19:33,080
Elvis being given a DEA badge?
It’s that he starts doing DEA
313
00:19:33,080 –> 00:19:37,840
stuff because he’s a DEA agent.
Everything else you want to say,
314
00:19:38,120 –> 00:19:39,280
oh it’s because he’s a
celebrity.
315
00:19:39,280 –> 00:19:41,800
They coddle celebrities.
OK, name all the other
316
00:19:41,800 –> 00:19:44,640
celebrities with DEA badges.
You think he’s the only one that
317
00:19:44,640 –> 00:19:47,920
fucking love cops?
No, how come he’s the only one
318
00:19:47,920 –> 00:19:50,640
that has a badge because he’s a
DEA agent?
319
00:19:50,720 –> 00:19:53,880
Sorry, sometimes Occam’s razor
is going to work for me too.
320
00:19:54,080 –> 00:19:58,720
And that he became at least the
DEA agent at large is not even a
321
00:19:58,720 –> 00:20:01,480
question anymore.
The only question is, how
322
00:20:01,480 –> 00:20:05,760
serious was he about it?
Well, it’s also worth noting, in
323
00:20:05,760 –> 00:20:07,760
addition to the Nixon White
House.
324
00:20:08,080 –> 00:20:13,000
Elvis visited FBI headquarters
in 1970 and a week later was
325
00:20:13,000 –> 00:20:16,400
sent a letter from J Edgar
Hoover thanking him for his
326
00:20:16,400 –> 00:20:19,080
offer of confidential assistance
to the FBI.
327
00:20:19,240 –> 00:20:23,080
Just another jokey joke moment
of latter day Elvis buffoonery,
328
00:20:23,240 –> 00:20:25,920
I suppose.
As is that time when two months
329
00:20:25,920 –> 00:20:30,800
prior to the meeting with Nixon,
Elvis was presented with a CNOA
330
00:20:30,960 –> 00:20:33,160
membership certificate.
What’s that mean?
331
00:20:33,400 –> 00:20:36,000
Means he was a member in good
standing of the California
332
00:20:36,000 –> 00:20:38,520
Narcotics Officers Association
creation.
333
00:20:38,640 –> 00:20:41,440
It’s also mentioned in a bunch
of his biographies that he
334
00:20:41,440 –> 00:20:45,280
carried a Memphis Sheriff’s
Department badge in his wallet.
335
00:20:45,360 –> 00:20:49,640
There is a story in a lot of
those biographies about him
336
00:20:49,640 –> 00:20:54,440
using his federal agent
credentials to stop a flight on
337
00:20:54,440 –> 00:20:58,840
the tarmac in Las Vegas because
he thought a guy who stole from
338
00:20:58,840 –> 00:21:01,240
him was on it.
That’s real.
339
00:21:01,320 –> 00:21:05,720
It happened in 1974, such an
important year.
340
00:21:06,000 –> 00:21:09,720
He was chasing a guy named
Hamburger James.
341
00:21:09,920 –> 00:21:11,320
Google it if you don’t believe
me.
342
00:21:11,400 –> 00:21:14,960
He was also a member of the
National Sheriff’s Association.
343
00:21:15,040 –> 00:21:18,760
The same sheriff who nominated
him for that Outstanding Young
344
00:21:18,760 –> 00:21:24,200
Man Award accompanied Elvis on
his visit to FBI headquarters.
345
00:21:24,360 –> 00:21:29,200
There’s also a really curious
story in the book If I Can
346
00:21:29,200 –> 00:21:32,560
Dream, Elvis’s own story,
written by his friend and
347
00:21:32,560 –> 00:21:36,840
spiritual advisor Larry Gellen.
He mentions a time when, on
348
00:21:36,840 –> 00:21:41,760
Elvis’s last tour in 1977 at a
hotel in Cincinnati, Elvis
349
00:21:41,760 –> 00:21:45,600
showed him a little black book
that was issued each year by the
350
00:21:45,600 –> 00:21:49,640
Justice Department that lists
what federal narcotics agents.
351
00:21:49,880 –> 00:21:55,400
And Elvis was psyched to show
his friend that his name was in
352
00:21:55,520 –> 00:21:58,240
that book.
Geller also claims Elvis told
353
00:21:58,240 –> 00:22:01,200
him, Quote, President Carter is
planning to create a special
354
00:22:01,200 –> 00:22:03,880
post for me.
I promised him I would serve my
355
00:22:03,880 –> 00:22:08,200
country and use whatever
influence I had, especially with
356
00:22:08,200 –> 00:22:10,400
the war on drugs.
End Quote.
357
00:22:10,440 –> 00:22:15,320
Listen, I’m sorry folks, but I
think Elvis was a fed in the
358
00:22:15,320 –> 00:22:19,200
70s.
I don’t think he got all of
359
00:22:19,200 –> 00:22:23,640
those badges and certificates
just because he was Elvis and he
360
00:22:23,640 –> 00:22:27,360
loved cops.
If he loved cops that much.
361
00:22:27,520 –> 00:22:31,360
He loved cops enough to do shit
for them, obviously.
362
00:22:31,480 –> 00:22:35,360
And even in his regular life,
Elvis was constantly doing weird
363
00:22:35,480 –> 00:22:38,560
spy cop type stuff.
In chapter three of her book, a
364
00:22:38,560 –> 00:22:41,960
chapter called The Thinker, Gale
Brewer, Giorgio gets into some
365
00:22:41,960 –> 00:22:44,040
of the stories about that.
One example.
366
00:22:44,040 –> 00:22:47,760
During a radio interview, TV
personality Marty Allen said
367
00:22:47,760 –> 00:22:50,600
this quote.
Elvis had this ability to read
368
00:22:50,600 –> 00:22:52,640
lips.
He would be listening to you and
369
00:22:52,640 –> 00:22:56,200
talking and also reading the
conversation across the room.
370
00:22:56,320 –> 00:22:59,440
He often shocked people by
knowing what was going on all
371
00:22:59,440 –> 00:23:01,240
around him.
He used to play down his
372
00:23:01,240 –> 00:23:05,040
intelligence, preferring that
people did not know how smart he
373
00:23:05,040 –> 00:23:07,200
really was.
End Quote.
374
00:23:07,280 –> 00:23:09,680
He was also apparently really
good at disguises.
375
00:23:09,680 –> 00:23:13,640
But didn’t really need to be on
account of the countless Elvis
376
00:23:13,640 –> 00:23:16,880
impersonators of the world that
were already in business by the
377
00:23:16,880 –> 00:23:19,000
70s.
All Elvis had to do to hide in
378
00:23:19,000 –> 00:23:21,720
public was look aggressively
like Elvis.
379
00:23:21,880 –> 00:23:24,520
Big sunglasses, big sideburns,
the whole bit.
380
00:23:24,600 –> 00:23:26,520
When he did that, people would
just assume he was an
381
00:23:26,520 –> 00:23:29,960
impersonator, provided he wasn’t
walking directly out of
382
00:23:29,960 –> 00:23:32,360
Graceland.
He was also a big fan of pulling
383
00:23:32,360 –> 00:23:35,680
pranks where he pretended to be
sick or dead.
384
00:23:35,920 –> 00:23:39,320
According to one associate named
Red West in the book Elvis, What
385
00:23:39,320 –> 00:23:43,160
Happened, Elvis once, while
performing, started looking sick
386
00:23:43,160 –> 00:23:45,600
and staggered off stage.
When he got off stage, he
387
00:23:45,600 –> 00:23:47,720
collapsed was rushed to the
hospital.
388
00:23:47,800 –> 00:23:50,000
The doctors told everyone to
leave him and go back to their
389
00:23:50,000 –> 00:23:52,760
hotel to wait for word on his
condition.
390
00:23:52,960 –> 00:23:57,040
Not long after they get back,
Elvis shows up at the hotel fit
391
00:23:57,040 –> 00:24:00,680
as a fiddle, or as Red West puts
it, healthier than a herd of
392
00:24:00,680 –> 00:24:03,120
calf, and tells everyone it was
just a joke.
393
00:24:03,280 –> 00:24:07,360
In that same book, Red West also
talks about a time when at a
394
00:24:07,360 –> 00:24:11,480
hotel in Colorado, Elvis called
Red and asked him to come to his
395
00:24:11,480 –> 00:24:13,840
room.
But when he got there, Elvis was
396
00:24:13,840 –> 00:24:17,200
passed out on the floor.
So Red assumed he was just high
397
00:24:17,200 –> 00:24:20,400
or whatever, undressed him, put
him in bed, went back to his
398
00:24:20,400 –> 00:24:22,320
room.
But then he adds this quote.
399
00:24:22,440 –> 00:24:25,480
But later I got to thinking when
he spoke to me on the telephone,
400
00:24:25,480 –> 00:24:28,840
he was completely straight, like
he hadn’t taken a thing.
401
00:24:28,960 –> 00:24:31,880
And I got to that room in less
than a couple minutes now.
402
00:24:31,880 –> 00:24:35,560
No drug hits you that hard.
So then I suspected he wasn’t a
403
00:24:35,560 –> 00:24:38,440
sleeper out of it at all.
He was wide awake and just
404
00:24:38,440 –> 00:24:41,280
faking it just to see how I
would handle him.
405
00:24:41,360 –> 00:24:44,240
He tested us a lot of times like
that.
406
00:24:44,400 –> 00:24:47,120
End Quote.
So Elvis was an undercover cop
407
00:24:47,120 –> 00:24:48,720
even before he was an undercover
cop.
408
00:24:48,720 –> 00:24:52,120
It seems like there’s also a
famous story about a time when
409
00:24:52,320 –> 00:24:57,400
Elvis orchestrated a fake
gunfight, including loaded guns
410
00:24:57,520 –> 00:25:00,800
that were loaded with blanks,
fortunately, where it appeared
411
00:25:00,800 –> 00:25:04,000
that he and everyone else in the
room had been shot dead.
412
00:25:04,200 –> 00:25:06,840
All in the name of pranking a
friend of theirs.
413
00:25:07,000 –> 00:25:11,120
So Elvis, he didn’t just love
law enforcement in America, he
414
00:25:11,120 –> 00:25:15,760
also loved shenanigans and plots
and plans and covert
415
00:25:15,760 –> 00:25:18,720
surveillance and pretending to
be someone else.
416
00:25:19,400 –> 00:25:23,680
It was also clear that in 1977,
Elvis had some big changes
417
00:25:23,880 –> 00:25:26,160
planned.
Case in point, told several
418
00:25:26,160 –> 00:25:29,360
members of his entourage that
they should look for other work
419
00:25:29,760 –> 00:25:32,520
because he wasn’t going to be
touring as much the year after
420
00:25:32,520 –> 00:25:34,040
that.
When one of them asked what he
421
00:25:34,040 –> 00:25:36,040
meant, he just said look for
other work.
422
00:25:36,160 –> 00:25:39,760
He was also slowly starting to
fire the members of the Memphis
423
00:25:39,760 –> 00:25:43,200
Mafia, which was the name given
to his inner circle of family
424
00:25:43,200 –> 00:25:45,000
members and friends and
employees.
425
00:25:45,160 –> 00:25:48,160
He’d also taken to ending his
shows on his last tour by saying
426
00:25:48,160 –> 00:25:50,880
adios, which I get seems like a
minor thing.
427
00:25:51,160 –> 00:25:53,400
It’s still not a thing he’d been
doing up to that point.
428
00:25:53,480 –> 00:25:57,640
He added a cover of My Way by
Frank Sinatra to his set list on
429
00:25:57,640 –> 00:26:01,440
his final tour, which is very
much a song about a person
430
00:26:01,800 –> 00:26:04,960
reflecting on the work that
they’ve done and accomplished.
431
00:26:05,160 –> 00:26:08,160
He also said this to his
stepbrother Rick at one point on
432
00:26:08,160 –> 00:26:09,600
that last tour.
Quote.
433
00:26:09,640 –> 00:26:12,760
Know what, Rick, I may not look
good for my television special
434
00:26:12,760 –> 00:26:14,760
tonight, but I’ll look good in
my coffin.
435
00:26:15,200 –> 00:26:17,720
End Quote.
And Speaking of all that, there
436
00:26:17,720 –> 00:26:21,040
are a few chapters in this book
that cover Elvis’s fascination
437
00:26:21,040 –> 00:26:25,040
with numerology and symbolism
and things of the like and how
438
00:26:25,040 –> 00:26:27,560
it could have played into his
decision to fake his death.
439
00:26:27,760 –> 00:26:30,560
But it’s all sounds like
gibberish to me and I’m not
440
00:26:30,560 –> 00:26:33,280
going to get into it.
Not that I think GAIL is wrong.
441
00:26:33,320 –> 00:26:36,760
If Elvis was into numbers the
way people say he was, then the
442
00:26:36,760 –> 00:26:40,520
date he is alleged to have died
does work out from a long,
443
00:26:40,960 –> 00:26:45,680
convoluted numerology standpoint
that I just do not feel like
444
00:26:45,680 –> 00:26:49,640
talking about on this episode.
Instead, let’s talk about
445
00:26:49,640 –> 00:26:54,600
Kalamazoo, MI.
Against all odds, the bulk of
446
00:26:54,600 –> 00:27:00,040
the claimed post death Elvis
sightings happened in and around
447
00:27:00,400 –> 00:27:03,440
Kalamazoo, MI.
Before we get into them, please
448
00:27:03,440 –> 00:27:07,040
make note of this exchange Elvis
had with the audience at a show
449
00:27:07,040 –> 00:27:11,000
in December 1976, less than a
year before he died.
450
00:27:11,200 –> 00:27:14,080
Elvis, honey, I don’t even live
in Tennessee.
451
00:27:14,160 –> 00:27:18,120
That’s all a joke.
I live in no audience.
452
00:27:18,360 –> 00:27:21,680
LA, Alabama, Honolulu.
Elvis.
453
00:27:22,280 –> 00:27:25,000
No, I don’t know that place in
Michigan.
454
00:27:25,120 –> 00:27:26,680
Audience.
Lansing.
455
00:27:26,800 –> 00:27:28,160
Really.
They went Lansing first.
456
00:27:28,480 –> 00:27:30,960
Pontiac, Detroit.
Grand Rapids.
457
00:27:31,240 –> 00:27:32,960
Elvis.
No, not Lansing.
458
00:27:32,960 –> 00:27:35,320
Not Panic, not Pontiac.
What’s that place?
459
00:27:35,560 –> 00:27:37,880
Kalamazoo.
I know that could be and
460
00:27:37,880 –> 00:27:41,040
probably is just a joke, but
weirdly, the Kalamazoo
461
00:27:41,120 –> 00:27:43,200
connections don’t even sort of
end there.
462
00:27:43,200 –> 00:27:47,400
For starters, the day after he
died, the Kalamazoo Gazette ran
463
00:27:47,400 –> 00:27:50,760
a story with the headline that
said quote, Elvis saw Kalamazoo
464
00:27:50,760 –> 00:27:54,320
Incognito and quote, that was
all about how he talked about
465
00:27:54,320 –> 00:27:57,360
how much he loved Kalamazoo and
the way people treated him
466
00:27:57,360 –> 00:27:58,720
there.
That’s all, though.
467
00:27:58,800 –> 00:28:00,600
Just joking.
Have you ever heard of Muhammad
468
00:28:00,600 –> 00:28:03,560
Ali?
Turns out he and Elvis were
469
00:28:03,600 –> 00:28:06,840
really close friends.
Now guess who owned a huge ranch
470
00:28:07,200 –> 00:28:09,600
in Kalamazoo, MI around this
time?
471
00:28:09,760 –> 00:28:11,520
God damn right it was Muhammad
Ali.
472
00:28:11,800 –> 00:28:15,680
Here’s a quote from a 1979
interview with Modern People
473
00:28:15,680 –> 00:28:17,920
magazine with Muhammad Ali.
Quote.
474
00:28:18,040 –> 00:28:21,680
My close personal friend Elvis
came to my Deer Lake training
475
00:28:21,680 –> 00:28:24,160
camp about two years before he
died.
476
00:28:24,320 –> 00:28:27,400
He told us he didn’t want nobody
to bother us, he wanted peace
477
00:28:27,400 –> 00:28:29,520
and quiet.
And I gave him a cabin in my
478
00:28:29,520 –> 00:28:32,720
camp and nobody even knew it.
When the camera started watching
479
00:28:32,720 –> 00:28:35,720
me train, he was up on the hill
sleeping in the cabin.
480
00:28:35,800 –> 00:28:38,680
End Quote.
Worth noting Deer Lake is just
481
00:28:38,680 –> 00:28:42,040
outside Kalamazoo.
There’s also the strange case of
482
00:28:42,040 –> 00:28:44,560
Wayne Newton.
He’s actually going to come up
483
00:28:44,560 –> 00:28:48,320
later also.
But at a Kalamazoo show in 1990,
484
00:28:48,360 –> 00:28:51,320
Wayne Newton addressed the
audience and asked if anyone had
485
00:28:51,320 –> 00:28:54,960
seen him walking that day.
When no one responded, he said,
486
00:28:54,960 –> 00:28:58,000
quote, do you mean no one saw me
out walking today?
487
00:28:58,440 –> 00:29:02,000
See, that’s how Elvis does it.
In fact, Elvis was with me.
488
00:29:02,200 –> 00:29:05,880
He loves this brisk weather.
End Quote And, yeah, that’s just
489
00:29:05,880 –> 00:29:08,160
jokes.
But then also, there’s that time
490
00:29:08,160 –> 00:29:10,720
Wayne Newton went on a radio
show a year later.
491
00:29:10,840 –> 00:29:13,840
And when someone asked him about
Elvis, he said, quote, there is
492
00:29:13,840 –> 00:29:17,320
no doubt in my mind that Elvis’s
soul is not fulfilled yet.
493
00:29:17,440 –> 00:29:19,880
And we will be seeing him again,
too.
494
00:29:20,080 –> 00:29:23,400
End Quote.
Once again, Wayne Newton does
495
00:29:23,400 –> 00:29:28,280
have ties to the FBI
investigation that Elvis is
496
00:29:28,320 –> 00:29:31,040
alleged to have participated in.
We’ll get there.
497
00:29:31,360 –> 00:29:33,960
But back to Kalamazoo.
There were a bunch of reported
498
00:29:33,960 –> 00:29:37,800
sightings of a guy who called
himself John Burroughs who
499
00:29:37,800 –> 00:29:42,200
looked a whole lot like Elvis,
spotted in and around an office
500
00:29:42,200 –> 00:29:46,120
building in Kalamazoo, MI.
A woman named Kelly Burgess, who
501
00:29:46,120 –> 00:29:50,720
worked as an editorial feature
writer and columnist at Detroit
502
00:29:50,720 –> 00:29:55,240
News, claims she looked into the
Kalamazoo sightings and ended up
503
00:29:55,240 –> 00:29:59,720
face to face with Elvis himself.
This is Kelly talking about it
504
00:29:59,840 –> 00:30:03,800
on the Billy Goodman Show.
You know the one in 1988.
505
00:30:03,880 –> 00:30:07,240
It’s time now to find out what
Elvis Presley looks like today,
506
00:30:08,000 –> 00:30:09,800
Kelly.
Everybody’s on the edge of their
507
00:30:09,800 –> 00:30:11,640
seats.
They’re waiting to hear you
508
00:30:11,640 –> 00:30:15,680
describe Elvis Presley when you
saw him in August of this year,
509
00:30:16,800 –> 00:30:21,400
1988.
Kelly, what does Elvis Presley
510
00:30:21,400 –> 00:30:23,560
look like?
He was about 6 foot.
511
00:30:24,320 –> 00:30:29,120
He maybe 195 lbs, was still with
a small pot going.
512
00:30:29,360 –> 00:30:33,840
He looked real good.
He had a head, a very thick head
513
00:30:33,840 –> 00:30:40,200
of white hair without sideburns.
His hair was kind of done up in
514
00:30:40,200 –> 00:30:45,480
a kind of a boyish haircut.
His same mouth, same high
515
00:30:45,480 –> 00:30:48,400
cheekbones.
I mean, it was Elvis.
516
00:30:49,400 –> 00:30:55,760
Anyway, I followed him into the
construction office and he sat
517
00:30:55,760 –> 00:30:59,360
down at his desk and he put his
head down.
518
00:31:01,800 –> 00:31:05,600
He, he still didn’t, he spoke
very little in the, in the short
519
00:31:05,600 –> 00:31:10,800
time that I saw him, I thought
he was looking for a pen to, to
520
00:31:10,840 –> 00:31:12,320
give me so I could write my
number down.
521
00:31:12,320 –> 00:31:16,640
And evidently he didn’t find one
that I didn’t, a fine one.
522
00:31:16,640 –> 00:31:22,080
So I ripped out a deposit slot,
a slip from my checkbook and
523
00:31:22,080 –> 00:31:27,360
handed it to him and he said all
right Kelly and I left.
524
00:31:27,760 –> 00:31:32,160
And after that I did get several
hang ups and hold ONS on my
525
00:31:32,160 –> 00:31:35,520
answering machine.
It was quite an experience.
526
00:31:35,520 –> 00:31:38,120
I will never forget it the rest
of my life.
527
00:31:38,920 –> 00:31:42,000
I wouldn’t think you would.
I mean, his presence was just
528
00:31:42,000 –> 00:31:44,680
electrifying like everybody
else, yes.
529
00:31:45,080 –> 00:31:47,800
We knew it was in the vibrations
and everything that goes with
530
00:31:47,800 –> 00:31:48,680
it.
It was Elvis.
531
00:31:49,360 –> 00:31:52,240
What a great story.
Kelly, I understand that you’re
532
00:31:52,240 –> 00:31:54,000
writing a book.
Yes, I am.
533
00:31:54,240 –> 00:31:57,720
And what’s it going to be about?
It’s going to be about Elvis
534
00:31:57,720 –> 00:32:00,760
Presley from 1977 to 1988.
You.
535
00:32:01,400 –> 00:32:02,880
Want to tell us what he’s been
doing for the Pat?
536
00:32:03,160 –> 00:32:05,000
How about giving us some inside
information?
537
00:32:05,280 –> 00:32:06,320
No, I’m sorry, I can’t.
Oh.
538
00:32:06,520 –> 00:32:11,040
Boy, there you have the story.
Elvis is alive and well in
539
00:32:11,040 –> 00:32:13,480
Kalamazoo, MI.
At least he was in August of
540
00:32:13,480 –> 00:32:15,800
1988, according to Kelly
Burgess.
541
00:32:16,440 –> 00:32:19,360
I’ll link to that full interview
in the show notes if anyone
542
00:32:19,360 –> 00:32:21,640
wants to hear it.
Did Elvis really flee to
543
00:32:21,640 –> 00:32:24,040
Kalamazoo?
I don’t know, I doubt it.
544
00:32:24,320 –> 00:32:27,560
If anything, I could see this
being a red herring meant to
545
00:32:27,560 –> 00:32:31,080
send people looking in the wrong
direction, but maybe not.
546
00:32:31,200 –> 00:32:33,840
Did you catch the part in that
interview where Kelly Burgess
547
00:32:33,840 –> 00:32:38,240
said she was writing a book
about Elvis’s life from 1977,
548
00:32:38,680 –> 00:32:41,560
1988?
Well, GAIL Brewer Giorgio says
549
00:32:41,560 –> 00:32:44,280
she talked to Kelly Burgess
about this interview and her
550
00:32:44,280 –> 00:32:45,920
book.
She asked Kelly if she got a
551
00:32:45,920 –> 00:32:48,720
picture of Elvis that day.
Kelly said she didn’t want to
552
00:32:48,720 –> 00:32:52,920
say, which obviously means yes.
But Gale says Kelly also told
553
00:32:52,920 –> 00:32:55,840
her that in the course of
researching her book, she
554
00:32:55,840 –> 00:33:00,320
uncovered information that was
frightening and dangerous, and
555
00:33:00,320 –> 00:33:04,240
that she felt like the best
course of action was to not get
556
00:33:04,240 –> 00:33:07,360
involved anymore.
Gale says she asked Kelly if the
557
00:33:07,360 –> 00:33:10,000
information she uncovered
involved the mob.
558
00:33:10,200 –> 00:33:12,280
She says Kelly confirmed that it
did.
559
00:33:16,320 –> 00:33:20,720
Now, GAIL leaves us on that
cliffhanger and then moves on to
560
00:33:20,720 –> 00:33:24,920
a couple of chapters about that
medical examiner’s report and
561
00:33:24,920 –> 00:33:26,960
the alleged phone call from
Elvis.
562
00:33:27,160 –> 00:33:29,640
Most of that is either stuff
I’ve already talked about in the
563
00:33:29,640 –> 00:33:33,280
series or in the case of that
phone call, something I don’t
564
00:33:33,280 –> 00:33:35,720
find all that compelling as far
as evidence goes.
565
00:33:35,920 –> 00:33:39,600
Also, when it comes to the
inconsistencies with the medical
566
00:33:39,600 –> 00:33:42,960
examiner’s report and the
conflicting accounts of what
567
00:33:42,960 –> 00:33:46,360
position the body was in when
Elvis was found, stuff like
568
00:33:46,360 –> 00:33:49,240
that, it’s kind of a meaningless
talking point.
569
00:33:49,360 –> 00:33:53,480
If Gales theory here is correct.
For one thing, it would raise
570
00:33:53,480 –> 00:33:58,240
the obvious question of who was
in that autopsy room when that
571
00:33:58,240 –> 00:34:01,480
report was done.
And I think, again, if Gail’s
572
00:34:01,480 –> 00:34:04,280
theory is correct, the most
obvious answer is no one.
573
00:34:04,440 –> 00:34:08,239
Because the explanation a lot of
fans have come up with, and one
574
00:34:08,239 –> 00:34:11,360
that GAIL references a few times
in both of the books I’ve read,
575
00:34:11,520 –> 00:34:15,560
is that Elvis was approached by
a man who was dying of cancer
576
00:34:15,679 –> 00:34:18,480
who also happened to look
exactly like Elvis.
577
00:34:18,480 –> 00:34:22,120
And in exchange for making sure
that that man’s family was
578
00:34:22,120 –> 00:34:26,120
financially secure for life, he
agreed to be the body double in
579
00:34:26,120 –> 00:34:29,880
Elvis’s plot to fake his death.
Shut the fuck up.
580
00:34:30,040 –> 00:34:34,840
There is no way that happened.
If it did, it kind of implies
581
00:34:34,840 –> 00:34:39,199
Elvis and his team consensually
killed a guy to make this plot
582
00:34:39,199 –> 00:34:41,320
work.
Either that or he died on the
583
00:34:41,320 –> 00:34:45,679
exact day they needed him to,
which also seems unlikely.
584
00:34:45,800 –> 00:34:49,560
That whole part of the story is
obviously highly unlikely.
585
00:34:49,719 –> 00:34:53,639
The way easier course of action
here would be to just pay people
586
00:34:53,639 –> 00:34:55,960
to lie.
Elvis could afford that, the
587
00:34:55,960 –> 00:34:59,000
government could afford that,
and the people of Memphis
588
00:34:59,160 –> 00:35:01,040
fucking loved Elvis.
All this.
589
00:35:01,200 –> 00:35:05,440
There would be no shortage of
people, especially in his inner
590
00:35:05,440 –> 00:35:09,480
circle, people who knew him, who
would be more than willing to
591
00:35:09,480 –> 00:35:13,640
get paid to lie about what
happened at Graceland or in the
592
00:35:13,640 –> 00:35:17,080
autopsy room or anywhere.
Also, we’re talking about the
593
00:35:17,080 –> 00:35:19,640
American government.
They can always just blackmail
594
00:35:19,640 –> 00:35:23,080
people into complying,
especially if a lot of them are
595
00:35:23,080 –> 00:35:26,360
deeply involved in illegally
buying and distributing
596
00:35:26,360 –> 00:35:29,720
prescription drugs as we know
they were on account of that
597
00:35:29,720 –> 00:35:32,160
2020 report.
I can’t prove that’s what
598
00:35:32,160 –> 00:35:35,520
happened, but it’s obviously a
thing that could happen.
599
00:35:35,560 –> 00:35:36,800
And I know what you’re going to
say.
600
00:35:37,160 –> 00:35:39,280
OK, but someone would have
talked eventually.
601
00:35:39,360 –> 00:35:40,640
For starters.
Are you sure?
602
00:35:40,760 –> 00:35:42,560
What makes you so sure someone
would have talked?
603
00:35:42,760 –> 00:35:46,480
Especially if this was a
situation where Elvis genuinely
604
00:35:46,480 –> 00:35:49,280
feared for his and his family’s
safety?
605
00:35:49,320 –> 00:35:53,200
Who among this icons inner
circle would be willing to spill
606
00:35:53,200 –> 00:35:57,000
the beans for whatever piss Ant
sum of money the National
607
00:35:57,000 –> 00:36:00,440
Enquirer would be willing to pay
them if they knew it meant
608
00:36:00,440 –> 00:36:03,480
putting his life at risk?
Just a reminder, the Elvis
609
00:36:03,480 –> 00:36:07,320
machine generated way more money
after he died than it ever did
610
00:36:07,320 –> 00:36:10,000
when he was alive.
There was enough money to keep
611
00:36:10,000 –> 00:36:12,280
people quiet and follow up
question.
612
00:36:12,280 –> 00:36:14,840
If someone did come forward and
talk, would you believe him?
613
00:36:15,000 –> 00:36:18,640
Here’s Gene Smith, Elvis’s
cousin, talking about what Elvis
614
00:36:18,640 –> 00:36:21,600
looked like in his casket during
that public viewing.
615
00:36:22,080 –> 00:36:25,880
Silently, mourners passed by to
say their final farewells.
616
00:36:26,440 –> 00:36:30,200
Elvis’s cousin Jean Smith felt
he had to personally say goodbye
617
00:36:30,280 –> 00:36:36,480
to the man he had loved so much.
When we did the body for the
618
00:36:36,480 –> 00:36:43,200
last time, I stood there quite a
while looking at looking at his
619
00:36:43,200 –> 00:36:48,800
hands and of course he was
always breaking bricks with his
620
00:36:48,800 –> 00:36:52,400
hands.
He had calluses on the bottom of
621
00:36:52,400 –> 00:36:55,480
his hand and big old rough
looking knuckle.
622
00:36:56,640 –> 00:37:01,720
His nose would look kind of
polio looking and his right
623
00:37:01,720 –> 00:37:06,480
sideburn was sticking out
straight out about look about an
624
00:37:06,480 –> 00:37:15,080
inch and his hairline was looked
as if it had been hairpiece
625
00:37:15,360 –> 00:37:20,360
something glued on somewhere.
It just didn’t look right and
626
00:37:21,720 –> 00:37:30,840
his hands was just as smooth as
a a newborn’s baby’s behind, you
627
00:37:30,840 –> 00:37:36,720
know, and it seemed like it was
sweating on his round his
628
00:37:36,720 –> 00:37:41,400
hairline.
It could have been sweat, it
629
00:37:41,400 –> 00:37:42,760
could have been glow.
I don’t know.
630
00:37:43,840 –> 00:37:47,520
But I just didn’t believe it was
him.
631
00:37:48,280 –> 00:37:50,960
So do you believe him?
Because that’s someone coming
632
00:37:50,960 –> 00:37:54,120
forward and talking, and he
seems to have some serious
633
00:37:54,120 –> 00:37:57,640
reservations about what Elvis
looked like in his coffin.
634
00:37:57,760 –> 00:38:02,160
I think the part about his hands
not having any calluses or
635
00:38:02,160 –> 00:38:04,800
bruises is actually pretty
fucking huge.
636
00:38:05,000 –> 00:38:08,200
Why weren’t there calluses?
Why weren’t there bruises?
637
00:38:08,400 –> 00:38:11,200
Or is Gene Smith lying?
You decide.
638
00:38:11,560 –> 00:38:15,160
And if you do think Elvis Cousin
is just lying about that, who
639
00:38:15,160 –> 00:38:18,320
would it have to be for you to
accept their story is true?
640
00:38:18,440 –> 00:38:20,560
Priscilla.
Priscilla Presley said it.
641
00:38:20,600 –> 00:38:22,560
Would you believe that?
Or would you think Priscilla
642
00:38:22,560 –> 00:38:26,400
Presley is just old and Joe
Biden and out a little bit?
643
00:38:26,520 –> 00:38:31,160
What if it was a retired FBI
agent or retired military?
644
00:38:31,640 –> 00:38:34,680
Retired law enforcement?
Because those people show up in
645
00:38:34,680 –> 00:38:37,720
documentaries about conspiracy
theories all the time.
646
00:38:37,840 –> 00:38:39,760
Especially if you’re talking
UFOs.
647
00:38:39,960 –> 00:38:42,080
Do you believe in UFOs yet?
Probably not.
648
00:38:42,280 –> 00:38:46,680
So yeah, someone would have come
forward if everyone was paid to
649
00:38:46,680 –> 00:38:49,840
lie, and they probably have.
And no one believed him.
650
00:38:50,000 –> 00:38:53,600
Reminder, Elvis was actually
able to go out in public as long
651
00:38:53,600 –> 00:38:57,520
as he just looked like the Elvis
the public knew and loved
652
00:38:57,720 –> 00:39:01,000
because no one would ever
believe it was really him.
653
00:39:01,360 –> 00:39:04,040
And that’s when he was alive.
Do you think any of those same
654
00:39:04,040 –> 00:39:08,840
people would believe it if, say,
his former touring bassist or
655
00:39:08,840 –> 00:39:11,960
some shit came forward and said,
you know what Elvis did actually
656
00:39:12,080 –> 00:39:14,200
fake his death?
No, you wouldn’t.
657
00:39:14,320 –> 00:39:17,000
So yeah, when it comes to the
medical examiner’s report, the
658
00:39:17,000 –> 00:39:20,560
sightings in Kalamazoo, the
phone calls to GAIL, all of that
659
00:39:20,560 –> 00:39:24,240
seems like it would just be
smokescreen stuff if Gail’s
660
00:39:24,240 –> 00:39:27,280
theory is correct.
Also, it’s been pointed out a
661
00:39:27,280 –> 00:39:29,960
bunch of times over the years
that there were no photographs
662
00:39:29,960 –> 00:39:33,200
taken to the body, there were no
fingerprints taken, there were
663
00:39:33,200 –> 00:39:37,600
no dental prints made, and there
was no analysis of the stomach
664
00:39:37,600 –> 00:39:40,960
contents.
Again, let’s Occam’s razor that
665
00:39:41,080 –> 00:39:44,760
is that because the person who
did the autopsy is a sloppy
666
00:39:44,760 –> 00:39:47,520
Doctor Who just doesn’t pay
attention to detail.
667
00:39:47,720 –> 00:39:51,080
No, he was actually known to be
a very competent medical
668
00:39:51,080 –> 00:39:52,960
examiner.
I think the really simple
669
00:39:52,960 –> 00:39:55,400
explanation for all that is
there was never a body to
670
00:39:55,400 –> 00:39:57,760
autopsy.
There was no autopsy done.
671
00:39:57,880 –> 00:40:02,240
I think all involved parties to
Elvis’s autopsy are lying.
672
00:40:02,320 –> 00:40:07,240
That again strikes me as.
The easiest and most obvious
673
00:40:07,440 –> 00:40:10,160
explanation I know Human error
happens.
674
00:40:10,240 –> 00:40:14,440
The Doctor Who was overseeing
this did not have a history of
675
00:40:14,440 –> 00:40:17,560
being a sloppy Dr., and if he
did, I don’t think it would have
676
00:40:17,560 –> 00:40:22,080
started with his work on the
most famous Rockstar of all
677
00:40:22,080 –> 00:40:23,840
time.
That said, the medical
678
00:40:23,840 –> 00:40:26,520
examiner’s report isn’t
completely unimportant.
679
00:40:26,640 –> 00:40:30,920
The date it was released,
October 21st, 1977, matters a
680
00:40:30,920 –> 00:40:32,760
whole lot.
We’ll get there in a second.
681
00:40:32,800 –> 00:40:36,880
First, let me run a name by you,
Frederick Peter Pro.
682
00:40:36,960 –> 00:40:40,560
There’s a document somewhere in
the Elvis FBI files, according
683
00:40:40,560 –> 00:40:45,240
to GAIL, where Frederick Pro’s
name is listed as Frederick N
684
00:40:45,360 –> 00:40:48,800
Pro.
Someone corrected this on the
685
00:40:48,800 –> 00:40:52,160
file in question, so it
reflected the name Frederick
686
00:40:52,160 –> 00:40:54,800
Peter PRO.
According to GAIL Brewer,
687
00:40:54,800 –> 00:40:58,240
Giorgio’s claims and the
handwriting expert she
688
00:40:58,240 –> 00:41:02,560
contacted, the handwriting on
that document correcting that
689
00:41:02,560 –> 00:41:08,120
name matches the handwriting of
none other than Elvis Presley
690
00:41:08,200 –> 00:41:10,680
himself.
Here’s a clip from the Bill
691
00:41:10,680 –> 00:41:14,880
Bixby TV documentary.
OK, Paul, you have seen these
692
00:41:14,880 –> 00:41:16,400
documents.
What is your conclusion?
693
00:41:17,400 –> 00:41:21,000
Yes, I certainly have, though
this first one I don’t think is
694
00:41:21,000 –> 00:41:27,840
it or not, but we have Frederick
N Prole at El Elvis a Presley
695
00:41:27,960 –> 00:41:31,080
deceased victim.
This little circle down here and
696
00:41:31,080 –> 00:41:34,000
this cross indicates they should
delete this and here’s what was
697
00:41:34,000 –> 00:41:35,640
written above to change it and
correct it.
698
00:41:36,000 –> 00:41:40,440
Nam short for name, they left
off the E Frederick Peter Prole.
699
00:41:40,960 –> 00:41:43,840
This handwriting was compared
with known handwriting of Elvis
700
00:41:43,840 –> 00:41:46,560
Presley and it matches very,
very closely.
701
00:41:46,560 –> 00:41:50,160
All right, what about the one
that says to Memphis?
702
00:41:50,560 –> 00:41:54,400
All right, this is the one that
says to Memphis here and this is
703
00:41:54,400 –> 00:41:59,000
also references Frederick Peter
Paul, Elvis Presley disease
704
00:41:59,440 –> 00:42:06,320
victim and down here on the
bottom we see a 0.73 to Memphis
705
00:42:06,400 –> 00:42:09,760
8/15/78.
I have compared this to known
706
00:42:09,760 –> 00:42:13,680
handwriting of Elvis Presley’s
and find that this also matches
707
00:42:13,680 –> 00:42:16,040
very, very favorably to the
handwriting.
708
00:42:16,040 –> 00:42:18,800
Now to what did you compare all
of this writing?
709
00:42:19,040 –> 00:42:22,440
I had a great deal, great number
of samples of his known
710
00:42:22,440 –> 00:42:24,280
handwriting.
Number one, of course, was the
711
00:42:24,280 –> 00:42:27,440
Nixon letter, the letter that he
wrote 1970, the President Nixon.
712
00:42:27,800 –> 00:42:31,000
I had several cancelled checks
written by Elvis Presley.
713
00:42:31,280 –> 00:42:35,480
I had a Christmas gift list, I
had a letter, some other friends
714
00:42:36,480 –> 00:42:39,640
restaurant check that he had
signed, and numerous other
715
00:42:39,640 –> 00:42:40,760
pieces.
Several documents.
716
00:42:40,760 –> 00:42:42,280
Several.
Documents much enough materials
717
00:42:42,280 –> 00:42:44,760
surely to all.
Authenticated is known
718
00:42:44,800 –> 00:42:46,800
handwriting.
And now that’s on a document
719
00:42:46,800 –> 00:42:50,280
dated four months after he is
believed to have died.
720
00:42:50,480 –> 00:42:53,120
I’m no handwriting expert, so I
don’t know if it really does
721
00:42:53,120 –> 00:42:56,440
match or not, but I will tell
you that Frederick Peter Pro is
722
00:42:56,440 –> 00:43:00,240
an absolutely crucial name here
because you might recall from
723
00:43:00,240 –> 00:43:02,760
when I’ve brought this up
previously that the crime
724
00:43:02,760 –> 00:43:07,240
syndicate Elvis was allegedly
helping the FBI investigate was
725
00:43:07,240 –> 00:43:09,440
called the Fraternity.
One of the most common
726
00:43:09,440 –> 00:43:14,000
objections to this theory is
that the Fraternity is never
727
00:43:14,000 –> 00:43:18,600
mentioned in the Elvis FBI
files, and that is hair
728
00:43:18,600 –> 00:43:23,480
splitting of the highest order.
No, that particular name is not
729
00:43:23,520 –> 00:43:26,400
in the files.
But the name Frederick Peter
730
00:43:26,400 –> 00:43:31,240
PRO, a confirmed member of the
criminal syndicate in question,
731
00:43:31,400 –> 00:43:35,800
is all over those files,
including one that lists Elvis
732
00:43:35,800 –> 00:43:40,240
Presley as the victim of a
conspiracy orchestrated by
733
00:43:40,240 –> 00:43:43,600
Frederick Pro.
So all those articles that want
734
00:43:43,600 –> 00:43:47,600
to tell you that the fraternity
isn’t mentioned?
735
00:43:47,760 –> 00:43:53,280
Sure, but Frederick Peter Pro is
Speaking of those FBI files.
736
00:43:53,680 –> 00:43:57,440
GAIL was able to obtain them
after they were declassified in
737
00:43:57,440 –> 00:44:01,480
1985, and what she says she
found in them is pretty damn
738
00:44:01,480 –> 00:44:03,760
interesting.
For example, guess what year
739
00:44:03,760 –> 00:44:06,720
Operation Fountain Pen started?
1974.
740
00:44:06,920 –> 00:44:10,680
Same year, the DEA says Elvis
started giving an undercover
741
00:44:10,680 –> 00:44:14,280
agent a cover job in his band as
a means of furthering their
742
00:44:14,280 –> 00:44:16,960
investigations.
She says the FBI described the
743
00:44:16,960 –> 00:44:20,640
fraternity as quote being
composed of approximately 30 to
744
00:44:20,640 –> 00:44:24,320
40 of the world’s top
racketeers, with some members
745
00:44:24,320 –> 00:44:26,960
being connected to powerful
mafia bosses.
746
00:44:27,160 –> 00:44:30,240
By the time the investigation
started, it was claimed the
747
00:44:30,240 –> 00:44:34,000
group had already swindled their
assorted victims out of $3
748
00:44:34,000 –> 00:44:37,120
billion.
As for Elvis, I’ve mentioned
749
00:44:37,120 –> 00:44:40,840
before that the gist of what
happened to him is that in 1976
750
00:44:41,120 –> 00:44:44,960
this group swindled him out of
an airplane and $400,000.
751
00:44:45,160 –> 00:44:48,080
The details of how all that
happened are kind of long and
752
00:44:48,080 –> 00:44:51,920
technical and boring.
It involves bounced checks and
753
00:44:51,920 –> 00:44:56,080
failed loans and all sorts of
other non sexy stuff.
754
00:44:56,280 –> 00:44:59,640
I don’t want to get into it.
Let’s let Bill Bixby tell you
755
00:44:59,640 –> 00:45:04,600
how it went down instead.
Our story begins in May of 1976
756
00:45:04,600 –> 00:45:07,000
when Elvis wanted to sell one of
his airplanes.
757
00:45:07,720 –> 00:45:11,640
Besides the famous Lisa Marie,
Elvis owned three smaller jets,
758
00:45:12,000 –> 00:45:16,640
a Lockheed Jetstar, a Jet
Commander, and a Deso Falcon.
759
00:45:17,720 –> 00:45:22,000
In early 1976, Elvis told his
father, who handled all of his
760
00:45:22,000 –> 00:45:25,200
personal finances, that he
wanted to sell the Jetstar.
761
00:45:26,320 –> 00:45:30,120
Vernon was loyal to his son, but
was apparently not a very good
762
00:45:30,120 –> 00:45:32,960
businessman.
Vernon was introduced to a man
763
00:45:32,960 –> 00:45:36,520
named Frederick Peter PRO in May
of 1976.
764
00:45:37,160 –> 00:45:40,080
Pro talked Vernon into getting
involved with a very complicated
765
00:45:40,080 –> 00:45:41,680
leasing arrangement with his
company.
766
00:45:42,240 –> 00:45:45,400
The Jetstar wasn’t airworthy,
and Pro also said he would
767
00:45:45,400 –> 00:45:49,000
facilitate repairs.
But Frederick Peter Pro was in
768
00:45:49,000 –> 00:45:52,600
reality a con man, a member of a
criminal group called the
769
00:45:52,600 –> 00:45:56,360
Fraternity, a group with direct
ties to organized crime.
770
00:45:56,880 –> 00:45:59,760
It has been estimated that the
Fraternity managed to con at
771
00:45:59,760 –> 00:46:03,760
least $2 billion from people all
over the world, and by the
772
00:46:03,760 –> 00:46:07,560
spring of 1977, according to an
attorney familiar with the case,
773
00:46:07,640 –> 00:46:10,800
the Presley estate had lost more
than $1,000,000.
774
00:46:12,000 –> 00:46:16,720
Now, what I do find interesting
is Gail’s explanation for a plot
775
00:46:16,720 –> 00:46:19,040
hole that came up for me in all
of this.
776
00:46:19,240 –> 00:46:23,160
If Elvis was already helping
with the investigation into this
777
00:46:23,160 –> 00:46:27,800
group by 1974, how would he have
still managed to get swindled by
778
00:46:27,800 –> 00:46:31,280
them in 1976?
He should have known about them
779
00:46:31,440 –> 00:46:32,880
by now.
Before we get to the
780
00:46:32,880 –> 00:46:35,280
explanation, I should mention
that, at least according to
781
00:46:35,280 –> 00:46:38,920
Gale, and as you’d expect
anyway, getting witnesses to
782
00:46:38,920 –> 00:46:42,520
testify against this group was a
tall order on account of how
783
00:46:42,520 –> 00:46:44,080
people didn’t want to get
murdered.
784
00:46:44,280 –> 00:46:47,560
Also mentioned Elvis’s airplane
broker.
785
00:46:47,720 –> 00:46:51,560
He had a few planes, was a guy
named Nigel Winfield, who, as it
786
00:46:51,560 –> 00:46:55,120
turned out, was at least
friendly with several members of
787
00:46:55,120 –> 00:46:58,040
the fraternity, including
Frederick Peter Pro.
788
00:46:58,160 –> 00:46:59,920
Now here’s a quote from GAIL
from the book.
789
00:47:00,120 –> 00:47:03,800
Upon discovering that Winfield
is Presley airplane broker, is
790
00:47:03,800 –> 00:47:08,640
it possible that the FBI began
contemplating a setup where
791
00:47:08,640 –> 00:47:13,320
Elvis would become a willing
victim of PRO and his group via
792
00:47:13,320 –> 00:47:16,240
an innocent introduction by
Winfield?
793
00:47:16,320 –> 00:47:19,160
End Quote.
I think that is a reasonable
794
00:47:19,160 –> 00:47:22,320
explanation personally.
What if instead of being a
795
00:47:22,320 –> 00:47:26,200
victim, Elvis and his dad were
just setting these people up
796
00:47:26,320 –> 00:47:30,120
because why Elvis wanted to be a
fucking cop?
797
00:47:30,240 –> 00:47:34,400
Once again, it is a long and
winding Rd. between meeting
798
00:47:34,400 –> 00:47:38,080
Frederick Peter Pro and getting
swindled, and it’s way too much
799
00:47:38,080 –> 00:47:40,280
to go over here.
You can read about it in any
800
00:47:40,280 –> 00:47:43,440
number of Gale Brewer Georgio’s
books out there, but if you dive
801
00:47:43,440 –> 00:47:46,920
into those details, you’ll note
there are several points where
802
00:47:46,920 –> 00:47:51,000
Vernon Presley, Elvis, Dad, and
the man who handled his money,
803
00:47:51,120 –> 00:47:54,200
for lack of a better way to put
it, he should have just known
804
00:47:54,200 –> 00:47:57,520
better.
The leeway and the trust Elvis
805
00:47:57,560 –> 00:48:01,640
and his dad extend to this
relative stranger who shows up
806
00:48:01,640 –> 00:48:05,560
in their lives, writes a bunch
of bad checks, and then flies
807
00:48:05,560 –> 00:48:09,200
away with an I’ll gotten
airplane is astounding.
808
00:48:09,280 –> 00:48:14,880
It’s almost as if they wanted to
get swindled and again, it was
809
00:48:14,880 –> 00:48:19,120
this crime that led to the
evidence that the feds needed to
810
00:48:19,120 –> 00:48:21,480
start arresting the members of
this group.
811
00:48:21,640 –> 00:48:25,160
In the penultimate chapter of
Elvis is Alive, Gale Brewer,
812
00:48:25,160 –> 00:48:28,760
Georgia runs through a timeline
of both the last years of
813
00:48:28,760 –> 00:48:32,000
Elvis’s public life and the
events of the government’s case
814
00:48:32,080 –> 00:48:35,720
against Frederick Peter PRO.
There is a lot of weirdness.
815
00:48:35,720 –> 00:48:38,320
There are a lot of dates that
line up, including.
816
00:48:38,480 –> 00:48:40,320
Remember when Wayne Newton came
up earlier?
817
00:48:40,440 –> 00:48:42,760
The part where he told an
audience in Kalamazoo that he
818
00:48:42,760 –> 00:48:45,960
was out walking with Elvis
earlier that day, even though
819
00:48:46,120 –> 00:48:49,880
was the 90s by then?
The part where Wayne Newton said
820
00:48:49,880 –> 00:48:53,200
he did not believe Elvis’s soul
is fulfilled and that we will
821
00:48:53,200 –> 00:48:55,120
see him again?
Well, here’s another weird
822
00:48:55,120 –> 00:48:56,960
coincidence.
At one point during the
823
00:48:56,960 –> 00:49:01,160
investigation, the FBI finds out
that Frederick Pro tried to have
824
00:49:01,160 –> 00:49:04,680
an associate who’d stolen money
from him killed, and the person
825
00:49:04,680 –> 00:49:08,240
he contracted for the hit was a
guy named Melvin Weinberg.
826
00:49:08,480 –> 00:49:13,080
Unbeknownst to him, Weinberg was
already cooperating with the FBI
827
00:49:13,520 –> 00:49:16,320
on account of how he’d been
caught in a scheme very similar
828
00:49:16,520 –> 00:49:20,880
to the one pro polled on Elvis,
except Weinberg’s target was,
829
00:49:20,960 –> 00:49:23,880
among others, Wayne Newton.
Small world.
830
00:49:24,040 –> 00:49:26,600
I won’t go through the entire
timeline as laid out in the
831
00:49:26,600 –> 00:49:30,120
book, as it’s several pages
long, but among the weird
832
00:49:30,120 –> 00:49:33,240
details, for some reason,
starting a few months before he
833
00:49:33,240 –> 00:49:37,440
died, Elvis was in contact with
President Jimmy Carter a bunch.
834
00:49:37,600 –> 00:49:40,960
Please note, that’s not Nixon.
It’s not the president he met up
835
00:49:40,960 –> 00:49:45,320
with to get his DEA badge.
No, this is another
836
00:49:45,320 –> 00:49:50,600
administration in the midst of a
huge FBI investigation and just
837
00:49:50,600 –> 00:49:54,800
months before Elvis dies.
He’s on the horn with Jimmy
838
00:49:54,800 –> 00:49:57,680
Carter.
White House logs confirm this.
839
00:49:57,840 –> 00:50:02,600
One of those calls happened on
June 14th, 1977, a day after
840
00:50:02,600 –> 00:50:04,920
Elvis tried to call the White
House twice.
841
00:50:05,240 –> 00:50:08,840
In this case, it was President
Carter calling Elvis.
842
00:50:09,120 –> 00:50:12,600
They talked for about 6 minutes.
The next call Carter received,
843
00:50:12,800 –> 00:50:15,880
again according to White House
logs that you can see in this
844
00:50:15,880 –> 00:50:21,480
book, was from Peter Bensinger,
administrator of the DEA, the
845
00:50:21,480 –> 00:50:26,200
law enforcement outfit that made
Elvis an agent at large.
846
00:50:26,360 –> 00:50:28,640
There were also calls between
Elvis and the White House on
847
00:50:28,640 –> 00:50:32,720
June 15th, 1977.
So that’s all interesting.
848
00:50:32,800 –> 00:50:34,720
Yeah.
There’s also the disparity
849
00:50:34,720 –> 00:50:38,840
between how Elvis looks in his
infamous TV special, which was
850
00:50:38,840 –> 00:50:42,760
filmed on June 21st, 1977, and
how he looked at his final
851
00:50:42,760 –> 00:50:47,040
concert a few days later on June
26th, 1977.
852
00:50:47,240 –> 00:50:51,400
On that TV special.
Everyone has commented on it in
853
00:50:51,400 –> 00:50:53,640
the years since.
He looks bloated, he looks
854
00:50:53,640 –> 00:50:56,280
sweaty, looks like he can barely
move.
855
00:50:56,520 –> 00:50:58,200
He looks like he’s in a really
bad way.
856
00:50:58,360 –> 00:51:00,840
Well, I’ll link to it.
You can also find video of that
857
00:51:00,840 –> 00:51:03,520
Indianapolis concert for
yourself on YouTube.
858
00:51:03,640 –> 00:51:08,840
And he looks remarkably
healthier. 5 short days later,
859
00:51:08,920 –> 00:51:13,640
go watch that TV special.
Not the whole thing, but just
860
00:51:13,640 –> 00:51:17,600
the part near the end where
they’re really tight in close on
861
00:51:17,600 –> 00:51:20,200
his face while he’s singing.
I’m sorry.
862
00:51:20,200 –> 00:51:23,600
It kind of looks like someone
who’s dolled up to look like a
863
00:51:23,600 –> 00:51:25,560
fat person.
Like he looks like he’s wearing
864
00:51:25,560 –> 00:51:28,760
prosthetics.
Also worth noting, the Operation
865
00:51:28,760 –> 00:51:33,080
Fountain Pen investigation
originated with the FBI field
866
00:51:33,080 –> 00:51:36,960
office in Indianapolis.
So many complete and total
867
00:51:36,960 –> 00:51:40,320
coincidences here, huh?
How about this one where from
868
00:51:40,320 –> 00:51:45,520
June to August 1977, memos and
reports between the Memphis FBI
869
00:51:45,520 –> 00:51:49,200
field office and FBI
headquarters involving the Elvis
870
00:51:49,200 –> 00:51:52,000
case are going back and forth.
One of them mentions that
871
00:51:52,000 –> 00:51:56,600
they’re looking to present the
Elvis V Frederick Pro case to a
872
00:51:56,600 –> 00:52:00,560
grand jury on or before August
15th, 1977.
873
00:52:00,920 –> 00:52:05,640
That is precisely one day prior
to the day Elvis died.
874
00:52:05,840 –> 00:52:08,680
Again, just another shocking
coincidence.
875
00:52:08,880 –> 00:52:13,600
On August 18th, 1977, Elvis was
initially laid to rest in a
876
00:52:13,600 –> 00:52:16,080
secured mausoleum at Forest Hill
Cemetery.
877
00:52:16,320 –> 00:52:20,120
On October 2nd, the bodies moved
to Graceland and put under tight
878
00:52:20,120 –> 00:52:23,600
security after someone attempts
to break into that mausoleum.
879
00:52:23,720 –> 00:52:26,600
Was that just vandals or was it
someone looking to confirm Elvis
880
00:52:26,600 –> 00:52:28,400
was actually dead?
Who knows?
881
00:52:28,800 –> 00:52:34,000
What we do know is that on
October 18th, 1977, Frederick
882
00:52:34,000 –> 00:52:37,880
Peter PRO was arrested in
connection to the Elvis case.
883
00:52:38,080 –> 00:52:43,440
On October 19th, 1977, news of
that case becomes public, and
884
00:52:43,440 –> 00:52:48,200
before anyone can even ask if
his death and that case are
885
00:52:48,200 –> 00:52:54,520
related, On October 21st, 1977,
two days later, after news of
886
00:52:54,520 –> 00:52:58,840
this case breaks, Doctor Jerry
Francisco very conveniently
887
00:52:58,960 –> 00:53:02,800
finally releases his
controversial report claiming
888
00:53:02,800 –> 00:53:07,320
Elvis died of a drug overdose.
And the question of whether that
889
00:53:07,720 –> 00:53:12,400
is true becomes the whole entire
controversy for a long time
890
00:53:12,400 –> 00:53:16,840
after that, thanks in large part
to a news report by the always
891
00:53:16,840 –> 00:53:21,280
reliable and trustworthy Geraldo
Rivera, working for the American
892
00:53:21,280 –> 00:53:25,200
Broadcasting Company.
Again, none of this is
893
00:53:25,520 –> 00:53:29,200
conclusive proof, but I think if
you’re being honest with
894
00:53:29,200 –> 00:53:32,960
yourself, you have to admit
there is a little bit of fire to
895
00:53:32,960 –> 00:53:36,800
go along with the smoke when it
comes to the idea that Elvis
896
00:53:36,920 –> 00:53:42,360
maybe participated in a law
enforcement investigation and
897
00:53:42,360 –> 00:53:45,680
had to fake his death over IT.
People aren’t just making this
898
00:53:45,680 –> 00:53:48,520
shit up out of thin air, you
know?
899
00:53:48,760 –> 00:53:51,280
Oh, this was long for a solo
episode.
900
00:53:51,440 –> 00:53:53,440
My God.
And we’re not even done.
901
00:53:53,440 –> 00:53:58,200
Again, There’s another Bill
Bixby special that I want to
902
00:53:58,200 –> 00:54:00,680
cover on the next episode.
I think I’ll probably have a
903
00:54:00,680 –> 00:54:02,440
guest on.
Maybe they’ll watch both of them
904
00:54:02,440 –> 00:54:05,680
and we’ll see how they feel
about Gale Brewer, Giorgio’s
905
00:54:05,920 –> 00:54:09,880
opinions and theories.
But until then, that’s where we
906
00:54:09,880 –> 00:54:12,360
stand.
I am sorry.
907
00:54:12,360 –> 00:54:17,680
I think Elvis was just a cop at
the end of his public life.
908
00:54:18,040 –> 00:54:21,880
Set it at the top of the episode
and I will say it again, Occam’s
909
00:54:21,880 –> 00:54:24,880
razor, baby.
Elvis got a DEA badge and became
910
00:54:24,880 –> 00:54:27,480
a DEA agent.
That’s what happened I think.
911
00:54:27,600 –> 00:54:31,760
Anyway, that’s it for now.
Thank you everyone for listening
912
00:54:31,800 –> 00:54:34,400
to me yell at a microphone for a
solid hour.
913
00:54:34,600 –> 00:54:37,280
Check out Adam
toddbrown.substack.com and
914
00:54:37,360 –> 00:54:40,520
thanks, we love you.
Goodbye weehoo, me and Elvis,
915
00:54:45,840 –> 00:54:49,240
people of earth.
Your planet has to be destroyed.
916
00:54:59,240 –> 00:55:01,040
Your planet has to be destroyed.