My Friend Michael: An Ordinary Friendship with an Extraordinary Man

Frank Cascio

Nov 2011 · Harper Collins

About this ebook

Everyone knows Michael Jackson—the myth. This is the revealing true story of Michael Jackson—the man.

To Frank Cascio, Michael Jackson was many things—second father, big brother, boss, mentor, and teacher, but most of all he was a friend. Though Cascio was just a few years old when he first met Jackson in 1984, at the peak of the pop star’s career, Jackson was at the center of his life for the next twenty-five years, allowing Cascio to observe firsthand the greatest entertainer the world had ever seen. In that time, he became the ultimate Michael Jackson insider, yet remained publicly silent about his experiences. Until now.

In My Friend Michael, Cascio refutes the rumors, lies, and accusations that have accumulated over the years, providing a candid look at the Michael Jackson he knew for more than two decades. Offering an uplifting and definitive account of the legend, Cascio details how he grew up alongside Jackson, traveling the world with him on concert tours and eventually working for him. Through this lens, Cascio captures Jackson’s most private and tumultuous moments, while also setting the record straight on the entertainer’s notorious and misunderstood lifestyle—from his Peter Pan reality and his sexuality to the false allegations against him.

As Cascio shows, there was a great deal more to Michael Jackson than the headlines about him have suggested. Cascio reveals his friend in all his complexity, bringing to light his passions and joys as well as his flaws and eccentricities. Including stories about Jackson that have never before been made public, Cascio creates a balanced, human look at the pop star, one that shows Jackson as the very real person he was—a lively friend with an endearingly juvenile sense of humor.

What emerges is a clear-eyed yet deeply respectful portrait of Jackson—a man who was at times unremarkably average but also terribly scarred by his life in the spotlight. Packed with never-before-seen photos, anecdotes, and insights, My Friend Michael is a trove of Michael Jackson lore that both celebrates his life and redefines our understanding of the man behind the myth.

Ratings and reviews

After finishing this wonderful book, one thing is clear: if you REALLY want the truth of the life and times of Michael Jackson, it is a must read! There is so many untruths about the life of a man, that for some reason, we all think we know. The only way to find what is truth and what is fiction, is to hear it from someone who was there. Frank Cascio's account of his time with Michael kept me riveted! It is well written, and the love and respect he shows on every page was touching. Finally, a true account of the ups and downs of The King of Pop! Thank you Frank, for sharing some very personal memories with those that loved him from afar!

As things were unfolding on TV its actually a insight of the TRUTH of what was happening. I NEVER BELIEVED THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM. I ALWAYS THOUGHT LEAVE HIM ALONE ALREADY!!!! RIP MJ LOVE AND MISS U MORE!!

I have read every book written about Michael Jackson. Most are trash. This book was excellent. Very well-written and interesting. Most importantly it was written by somebody who actually KNEW Michael Jackson. Every fan should read this book. And anybody who does not like Michael Jackson and reads this book will become a fan. I guarantee it.

About the author

Frank Cascio is an entrepreneur whose expertise ranges from business finance to music entertainment. His friendship with Michael Jackson began in 1984, when Frank was just a few years old. At the age of eighteen Frank was hired by Jackson to be his personal assistant, eventually being promoted to personal manager. Cascio was a producer of The Michael Jackson Interview: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See as well as the creative consultant and one of the producers of Michael Jackson’s Private Home Movies, which aired on Fox in 2003. Cascio divides his time between New York City and Europe, specifically Germany and Italy, two other places he calls home.