Bill Whitfield, happy to hear you, my man. Finally made it happen. And for the people that may not be familiar with you, can you let the people know who you are? >> My name is Bill Whitfield. I’m one of Michael Jackson’s former personal security. >> Yes, indeed. There’s so much I want to talk to you about, man.
There’s so much to get into. I don’t know where to start, but I do want to ask you, I had no idea that that movie, Searching for Neverland, that was based off of your book? >> Yes, sir. Well, certainly from the book, you know, we Well, we decided to to write the book. The idea of writing the book came from while we were at the memorial services when Mr. Jackson passed away.
And um just the outpour of all the celebrities that were there, um it made me question how well did they really know him or even how much did they really even care about him. And um that’s where the idea of writing the book, or I just thought about writing something. I knew there was a there was something I could share um with his passing, his no longer being here.
I knew there was something that I that from what things I’ve witnessed about him that I felt I almost felt like an obligation to to speak up on his behalf um as he left a a a void of parts of who he really was. And um my di- my directive was really to focus on what I I felt his fan base really needed. Um so you know, it took us about almost 4 years to uh to get the book the way we wanted it.
Um certainly we got some kickback um from his estate, but um we did have the um the right to tell our story. So, that’s pretty much where the book came. And um my my agents in New York pitched it pitched the movie to a couple of outlets. And um Lifetime picked it up. >> When did you start doing security for Michael? >> Well, I had been doing personal security for almost 20 years at that time.
Um I’ve been doing certain uh security details handling Las Vegas. And I received a call from someone that I I did several security details with, asked me was I interested in a security detail. Um it was explained to me that it was only for one night. Um he didn’t explain to me who the who the uh client was, which I really didn’t need to know.
Um cuz I’ve done these type of details before, receiving an individual at the airport and bringing them into a location uh where they need to go, whether it’s a a new residence or they were just visiting. And um he asked me was I available? Certainly. But what I was taken back on, one, he never did tell me who the client was. Fine.
But we went through a almost a 2-week preparation for him coming to town. You know, we certainly do pre-detail, what we call it. You know, that uh we we met we mapped out about three different routes. Routes. Um >> [clears throat] >> to from the airport to the location of his address. And just going through the security procedures that we go through to ensure a safe passage from point A to point B.
Um so the night of the uh the detail we were to re- uh receive him at the airport. We went to the executive air terminal just off of Las Vegas Boulevard. It was it was cold that night. Exactly was December 22nd. 06. And it was it was it was cold that night. It was it was freezing. So when the plane came in Stairwell came down.
We pulled the vehicles as close to the the stairwell as possible. And first the the three kids came down with the nanny. Um the assistant gentleman and then this figure came walking down the stairwell. And um I I couldn’t see who it was cuz they had a mask on not a mask but a scarf covering their face cuz it was cold. And I honestly thought it was a chick.
Uh I really did. Um but we get in the vehicles and we’re headed to the our to the resident and my partner asked me said did you see who it was? I said nah. I just saw some chick and three kids. He said nah that was Michael Jackson. I was taken back because I thought Michael Jackson would be traveling with a huge entourage.
Someone of his status. And um and I it didn’t set in on me that that’s who it really was. I really thought my man was playing with me. I really did. Cuz you know I told him I’m not in the mood for this. You know I’m not trying to do no Michael Jackson impersonators. I’m not uh-uh. But we get to the house.
I help bring the luggage in the house. And I said to him I said yo we done? Cuz I’m you know I told my daughter I’ll be right back. And um he said nah hold up. Client wants to meet you. I said okay cool. So I go in the house and he came from around this like this pillar. And when I seen him that’s when it hit me. This is Michael Jackson.
This is the real the real thing. And Listen, I’ve been around a lot of celebrities. >> [snorts] >> Um No one can tell me otherwise. Michael Jackson is the top of the top. And um That That was it. That was, you know, the introduction was made. And uh he introduced me to his kids. But what took me back was when he said uh This is Bill, our new head of security.
That’s when I’m like wondering, okay, what What is going on here? I looked at my man that introduced me to the detail. And he just looked at me. And Mr. Jackson said Um so you used to work for Motown. Cuz prior to me uh accepting the detail, I had to send my resume a copy of my resume and a copy of my driver’s license to this number.
It was It was a It was out of the country number. It was a foreign number. And um Obviously, I knew now it was him that was receiving the information. And on my uh resume, it stated that I I used to work for Motown Records. I used to be head of security when uh Andre Harrell was president of Motown. And um so he seen that on my resume.
And that’s where he said, I see you you worked for Motown. I said, yes, sir. And he said, yeah, that’s where a lot of uh that’s where it all began. Again, I’m still in shock. I I really am I’m really I’m This is This is It’s almost like a surreal moment that I’m standing in front of Michael Jackson. You know, um But when he said that Um yeah, we had a long flight.
So me and the kids are going to get some rest. Um You’ll be staying He asked me would I would I be staying the night. All I can do was say yes. You know, this is Michael Jackson. So, you know, so all I could do was say yes and I was not prepared. Um So, it was a long night. It was a long night. >> And Michael, he started living in Vegas, right? >> He moved to Vegas to he was he was supposed to do a residency in Las Vegas.
There was a lot of negotiating going on. He was expected to Well, they were expected to build an arena for him. Um he felt certainly that his you know, he got a little older and traveling around the world doing, you know, getting back into tour mode. I think the the idea came a couple of executives here in in Las Vegas that he would do a residency here and he would no longer have to bring his show to to to the to the fans of the people.
And um he would they would come to him and they would come to Vegas. So, that was the idea that um going back to Vegas. >> I remember you making a comment about how Michael, he personally told you that once he announced it, the vultures was going to come out. >> Well, he made that he did make that comment.
I remember when he signed off that it was finalized that he would be doing the This Is It show in London. And when that that started to format itself, that’s when he said to me, he said, “Bill, now you’re going to see the vultures coming.” Um I didn’t understand what that meant at the time, but as things progressed, he was talking about people that he hadn’t heard from in years.
Um cuz this was it was a big thing for him to put together a tour. So, everybody and anybody wanted to be part of it. And there was going to be people trying to outdo one another. Um whether whether it was choreographers, managers, engineers, musicians, everybody and anybody wanted to be part of that tour. Um so, I did see it, you know, I received the phone calls from so many people that were trying to reach him.
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So, I understood it then what he meant by that. >> So, you was the windows taking the calls for Mike? >> Yes. Well, for a time, my phone was his direct connection to him. You need You want to reach him, you had to call me. So, and certainly I would be screening calls, but there was so many people trying to reach out trying to reach him that would call me.
Um I mean, a lot of a lot of important people that he dealt with. Um Nelson Mandela was one of them. And um I got a call from Nelson Mandela’s people, and I didn’t believe it I didn’t believe it that it was Nelson Mandela’s calling, and I hung up on him. I said, “Yeah, right.” and hung up. And um Mr.
Jackson was coming to the vehicles. He got As soon as he got in the cars, he said, “Bill, pay attention to the phone. I’m expecting a very important phone call from from uh South Africa.” That’s when I knew oh uh I I may have messed up here. But, thankfully, they called back. And um and they had their conversation. >> Who was the people that truly had love for Michael that would call him and check up on him? >> It was mostly business.
Most calls I received was about business. Um on a personal level, other than his mom would call often, and there were times she would call not even to speak to him, just to ask me how he’s doing, you know, and you know, just let him know I love him. Um and she was thinking of him and those those were the sincere phone calls.
certainly from his mom um though his family has did visit the the house a few times, but they they showed up unexpectedly. And he definitely didn’t like that. You know, I you know, back then I didn’t know what was going on with the with the Jackson family. I mean, you know, there was there was a lot going on with his family showing up unexpectedly to the house.
Um but again, I always looked at that as that’s the that’s family business. You know, I I wasn’t really trying to get involved in that, but unless I got the okay for them to be welcomed into the home, they would not be let in. But there were times they were not let in. You know, after you know, from what I witnessed as well as several conversations with him, after the trial and after the ac- the accusations, it changed a lot within him.
I I did I know that. It changed him. Um and I think he lost a lot of friends. Yeah, you know, people were I think a lot of people were stuck in between, did he or didn’t he? You know, um so a lot of people certainly took some back steps in whatever relationship they had with him. So, the level of trust people it was hard to say.
Again, a lot was business. A lot of phone calls I received was about business. Personally, I can’t say there were people friends calling him um not the ones that I see out here now talking about how much they loved him and you know, that they idolized him. On the level of friendship, I didn’t see any of them speaking up on his behalf, so the level of trust in anyone was was was difficult.
>> So, a lot of the people showing him love now, they was nowhere to be found when he was alive. >> Never. No, by no means. None of them. I I can’t think of one any particular celebrity that showed sincere care and concern. Not saying that they didn’t, they just didn’t show it. I didn’t see it. >> I heard that Michael, he would do little things to test y’all loyalty.
>> You know, he he done that um to my partner, Javon. Um Javon had let me know one day, he said, “Yo, man, I think the boss tried to uh just tried me.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “Some dude came up to me. I was out with my girl and having dinner, and some dude came up to him and told him, ‘Yo, I know you work for Michael Jackson.
And um if I can get a a good shot of him and his kids, I’ll give you 50,000.'” And um Javon told him like, “Yo, man, get up out of here.” And um we believe that Mr. Jackson had set that up. >> Yeah, I heard he was always on the move. >> We We traveled a lot. Um but a lot of his traveling was business reasons, meeting with different producers, different uh choreographers, certainly a lot of attorneys.
Still he was still doing depositions for other legal matters that he had going on. Um so, we did we did some traveling. Um but we did stay in certain places for several months. But um moving around, we did move around from time to time, but it was more of a vacation cuz we was we had the kids and we would go visit museums, um the Smithsonian, um just taking rides throughout the country.
>> He used to disguise himself and use fake names, right? >> We certainly disguised him several times or even snuck him in and out of places by using certain different techniques. Um certainly the disguises he used, I know I put him in a all motorcycle outfit. You know, helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves.
And we walked he walked the down the Las Vegas Boulevard just looking at things and people and the entertainment out there. Um but there are several times that we used you know those big giant crates that they use at tours and concerts that they store equipment in. We’ve used those to escort him in and out of places, you know, unbeknownst to the public.
So, we used several decoys and several disguises, several techniques to move him to and from places without anyone knowing. >> I can only imagine, man. I know that had to be tiring. >> No, he loved it. That part he loved. He liked that that that sneaky undercover movements. Um he liked that. Um because we knew had we just went the regular route park in front of places and and escort him, we knew it would be bad.
Cuz we we we operated on a two-man team. And um so we wanted to stay as secluded and covert as we could cuz we knew once people seen him it was going to be it was going to be bad. It was going to be hard to get him in and out of places cuz that’s when all the the paparazzis would show up, you know, the media outlets or people just want to take pictures and see him.
So, moving him without anyone knowing um he he enjoyed it. We enjoyed it because we didn’t want that craziness either.
“No Celebrity Cared About Michael Jackson” — Michael Jackson’s Bodyguard Says the Love Today Is Fake
Bill Whitfield, happy to hear you, my man. Finally made it happen. And for the people that may not be familiar with you, can you let the people know who you are? >> My name is Bill Whitfield. I’m one of Michael Jackson’s former personal security. >> Yes, indeed. There’s so much I want to talk to you about, man.
There’s so much to get into. I don’t know where to start, but I do want to ask you, I had no idea that that movie, Searching for Neverland, that was based off of your book? >> Yes, sir. Well, certainly from the book, you know, we Well, we decided to to write the book. The idea of writing the book came from while we were at the memorial services when Mr. Jackson passed away.
And um just the outpour of all the celebrities that were there, um it made me question how well did they really know him or even how much did they really even care about him. And um that’s where the idea of writing the book, or I just thought about writing something. I knew there was a there was something I could share um with his passing, his no longer being here.
I knew there was something that I that from what things I’ve witnessed about him that I felt I almost felt like an obligation to to speak up on his behalf um as he left a a a void of parts of who he really was. And um my di- my directive was really to focus on what I I felt his fan base really needed. Um so you know, it took us about almost 4 years to uh to get the book the way we wanted it.
Um certainly we got some kickback um from his estate, but um we did have the um the right to tell our story. So, that’s pretty much where the book came. And um my my agents in New York pitched it pitched the movie to a couple of outlets. And um Lifetime picked it up. >> When did you start doing security for Michael? >> Well, I had been doing personal security for almost 20 years at that time.
Um I’ve been doing certain uh security details handling Las Vegas. And I received a call from someone that I I did several security details with, asked me was I interested in a security detail. Um it was explained to me that it was only for one night. Um he didn’t explain to me who the who the uh client was, which I really didn’t need to know.
Um cuz I’ve done these type of details before, receiving an individual at the airport and bringing them into a location uh where they need to go, whether it’s a a new residence or they were just visiting. And um he asked me was I available? Certainly. But what I was taken back on, one, he never did tell me who the client was. Fine.
But we went through a almost a 2-week preparation for him coming to town. You know, we certainly do pre-detail, what we call it. You know, that uh we we met we mapped out about three different routes. Routes. Um >> [clears throat] >> to from the airport to the location of his address. And just going through the security procedures that we go through to ensure a safe passage from point A to point B.
Um so the night of the uh the detail we were to re- uh receive him at the airport. We went to the executive air terminal just off of Las Vegas Boulevard. It was it was cold that night. Exactly was December 22nd. 06. And it was it was it was cold that night. It was it was freezing. So when the plane came in Stairwell came down.
We pulled the vehicles as close to the the stairwell as possible. And first the the three kids came down with the nanny. Um the assistant gentleman and then this figure came walking down the stairwell. And um I I couldn’t see who it was cuz they had a mask on not a mask but a scarf covering their face cuz it was cold. And I honestly thought it was a chick.
Uh I really did. Um but we get in the vehicles and we’re headed to the our to the resident and my partner asked me said did you see who it was? I said nah. I just saw some chick and three kids. He said nah that was Michael Jackson. I was taken back because I thought Michael Jackson would be traveling with a huge entourage.
Someone of his status. And um and I it didn’t set in on me that that’s who it really was. I really thought my man was playing with me. I really did. Cuz you know I told him I’m not in the mood for this. You know I’m not trying to do no Michael Jackson impersonators. I’m not uh-uh. But we get to the house.
I help bring the luggage in the house. And I said to him I said yo we done? Cuz I’m you know I told my daughter I’ll be right back. And um he said nah hold up. Client wants to meet you. I said okay cool. So I go in the house and he came from around this like this pillar. And when I seen him that’s when it hit me. This is Michael Jackson.
This is the real the real thing. And Listen, I’ve been around a lot of celebrities. >> [snorts] >> Um No one can tell me otherwise. Michael Jackson is the top of the top. And um That That was it. That was, you know, the introduction was made. And uh he introduced me to his kids. But what took me back was when he said uh This is Bill, our new head of security.
That’s when I’m like wondering, okay, what What is going on here? I looked at my man that introduced me to the detail. And he just looked at me. And Mr. Jackson said Um so you used to work for Motown. Cuz prior to me uh accepting the detail, I had to send my resume a copy of my resume and a copy of my driver’s license to this number.
It was It was a It was out of the country number. It was a foreign number. And um Obviously, I knew now it was him that was receiving the information. And on my uh resume, it stated that I I used to work for Motown Records. I used to be head of security when uh Andre Harrell was president of Motown. And um so he seen that on my resume.
And that’s where he said, I see you you worked for Motown. I said, yes, sir. And he said, yeah, that’s where a lot of uh that’s where it all began. Again, I’m still in shock. I I really am I’m really I’m This is This is It’s almost like a surreal moment that I’m standing in front of Michael Jackson. You know, um But when he said that Um yeah, we had a long flight.
So me and the kids are going to get some rest. Um You’ll be staying He asked me would I would I be staying the night. All I can do was say yes. You know, this is Michael Jackson. So, you know, so all I could do was say yes and I was not prepared. Um So, it was a long night. It was a long night. >> And Michael, he started living in Vegas, right? >> He moved to Vegas to he was he was supposed to do a residency in Las Vegas.
There was a lot of negotiating going on. He was expected to Well, they were expected to build an arena for him. Um he felt certainly that his you know, he got a little older and traveling around the world doing, you know, getting back into tour mode. I think the the idea came a couple of executives here in in Las Vegas that he would do a residency here and he would no longer have to bring his show to to to the to the fans of the people.
And um he would they would come to him and they would come to Vegas. So, that was the idea that um going back to Vegas. >> I remember you making a comment about how Michael, he personally told you that once he announced it, the vultures was going to come out. >> Well, he made that he did make that comment.
I remember when he signed off that it was finalized that he would be doing the This Is It show in London. And when that that started to format itself, that’s when he said to me, he said, “Bill, now you’re going to see the vultures coming.” Um I didn’t understand what that meant at the time, but as things progressed, he was talking about people that he hadn’t heard from in years.
Um cuz this was it was a big thing for him to put together a tour. So, everybody and anybody wanted to be part of it. And there was going to be people trying to outdo one another. Um whether whether it was choreographers, managers, engineers, musicians, everybody and anybody wanted to be part of that tour. Um so, I did see it, you know, I received the phone calls from so many people that were trying to reach him.
So, I understood it then what he meant by that. >> So, you was the windows taking the calls for Mike? >> Yes. Well, for a time, my phone was his direct connection to him. You need You want to reach him, you had to call me. So, and certainly I would be screening calls, but there was so many people trying to reach out trying to reach him that would call me.
Um I mean, a lot of a lot of important people that he dealt with. Um Nelson Mandela was one of them. And um I got a call from Nelson Mandela’s people, and I didn’t believe it I didn’t believe it that it was Nelson Mandela’s calling, and I hung up on him. I said, “Yeah, right.” and hung up. And um Mr.
Jackson was coming to the vehicles. He got As soon as he got in the cars, he said, “Bill, pay attention to the phone. I’m expecting a very important phone call from from uh South Africa.” That’s when I knew oh uh I I may have messed up here. But, thankfully, they called back. And um and they had their conversation. >> Who was the people that truly had love for Michael that would call him and check up on him? >> It was mostly business.
Most calls I received was about business. Um on a personal level, other than his mom would call often, and there were times she would call not even to speak to him, just to ask me how he’s doing, you know, and you know, just let him know I love him. Um and she was thinking of him and those those were the sincere phone calls.
certainly from his mom um though his family has did visit the the house a few times, but they they showed up unexpectedly. And he definitely didn’t like that. You know, I you know, back then I didn’t know what was going on with the with the Jackson family. I mean, you know, there was there was a lot going on with his family showing up unexpectedly to the house.
Um but again, I always looked at that as that’s the that’s family business. You know, I I wasn’t really trying to get involved in that, but unless I got the okay for them to be welcomed into the home, they would not be let in. But there were times they were not let in. You know, after you know, from what I witnessed as well as several conversations with him, after the trial and after the ac- the accusations, it changed a lot within him.
I I did I know that. It changed him. Um and I think he lost a lot of friends. Yeah, you know, people were I think a lot of people were stuck in between, did he or didn’t he? You know, um so a lot of people certainly took some back steps in whatever relationship they had with him. So, the level of trust people it was hard to say.
Again, a lot was business. A lot of phone calls I received was about business. Personally, I can’t say there were people friends calling him um not the ones that I see out here now talking about how much they loved him and you know, that they idolized him. On the level of friendship, I didn’t see any of them speaking up on his behalf, so the level of trust in anyone was was was difficult.
>> So, a lot of the people showing him love now, they was nowhere to be found when he was alive. >> Never. No, by no means. None of them. I I can’t think of one any particular celebrity that showed sincere care and concern. Not saying that they didn’t, they just didn’t show it. I didn’t see it. >> I heard that Michael, he would do little things to test y’all loyalty.
>> You know, he he done that um to my partner, Javon. Um Javon had let me know one day, he said, “Yo, man, I think the boss tried to uh just tried me.” I said, “What do you mean?” He said, “Some dude came up to me. I was out with my girl and having dinner, and some dude came up to him and told him, ‘Yo, I know you work for Michael Jackson.
And um if I can get a a good shot of him and his kids, I’ll give you 50,000.'” And um Javon told him like, “Yo, man, get up out of here.” And um we believe that Mr. Jackson had set that up. >> Yeah, I heard he was always on the move. >> We We traveled a lot. Um but a lot of his traveling was business reasons, meeting with different producers, different uh choreographers, certainly a lot of attorneys.
Still he was still doing depositions for other legal matters that he had going on. Um so, we did we did some traveling. Um but we did stay in certain places for several months. But um moving around, we did move around from time to time, but it was more of a vacation cuz we was we had the kids and we would go visit museums, um the Smithsonian, um just taking rides throughout the country.
>> He used to disguise himself and use fake names, right? >> We certainly disguised him several times or even snuck him in and out of places by using certain different techniques. Um certainly the disguises he used, I know I put him in a all motorcycle outfit. You know, helmet, jacket, pants, boots, gloves.
And we walked he walked the down the Las Vegas Boulevard just looking at things and people and the entertainment out there. Um but there are several times that we used you know those big giant crates that they use at tours and concerts that they store equipment in. We’ve used those to escort him in and out of places, you know, unbeknownst to the public.
So, we used several decoys and several disguises, several techniques to move him to and from places without anyone knowing. >> I can only imagine, man. I know that had to be tiring. >> No, he loved it. That part he loved. He liked that that that sneaky undercover movements. Um he liked that. Um because we knew had we just went the regular route park in front of places and and escort him, we knew it would be bad.
Cuz we we we operated on a two-man team. And um so we wanted to stay as secluded and covert as we could cuz we knew once people seen him it was going to be it was going to be bad. It was going to be hard to get him in and out of places cuz that’s when all the the paparazzis would show up, you know, the media outlets or people just want to take pictures and see him.
So, moving him without anyone knowing um he he enjoyed it. We enjoyed it because we didn’t want that craziness either.
