Former bodyguard: Michael Jackson staged his appearances to grab headlines, including nose tape trick

Michael Jackson, a figure perpetually shrouded in controversy, continues to be a subject of fascination years after his death. His former bodyguard, Matt Fiddes, has shed new light on the singer's elaborate strategies for maintaining public interest, suggesting that even his most distinctive physical appearances were carefully orchestrated.

Fiddes, a martial arts instructor who served as Jackson's personal bodyguard, revealed in a podcast interview that the singer masterfully manipulated the media. According to Fiddes, Jackson's use of facial masks, fedoras, sunglasses, and notably, the tape on his nose, was all part of a calculated performance. The intention, Fiddes claims, was to foster a public perception that his nose was deteriorating, thereby keeping him in the headlines.

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He knew how to play the media game and stay relevant. Sticky tape, tape on his nose, makeup, fedora, mask, and sunglasses... It was all staged. He wanted people to think his nose was falling off. That's why he wore a plaster on his nose, and it was actually allergy tape.

"He knew how to play the media game and stay relevant," Fiddes stated. He elaborated that the tape on Jackson's nose was actually an allergy strip, but the singer deliberately used it to fuel speculation. Jackson himself acknowledged undergoing two nose surgeries, the first following a dance injury in 1979 that caused breathing difficulties. However, Fiddes's account suggests that the public's enduring curiosity about Jackson's physical appearance was, in large part, a testament to the singer's own strategic efforts to remain a subject of global intrigue.

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He knew how to manipulate the media. He knew exactly how to get on the front pages. In 90 percent of cases, it worked. He would put a mask on his face, sticky tape on his hands, or tape on his nose, which was one of his favorite tricks. He said he wanted his life to be the biggest mystery in the world.