Michael Jackson was a Prankster and Loved "Nerdy Women" Says New Book

A new novel written by one of Michael Jackson's long-time friends, Frank Cascio, reveals little known facts about the King of Pop. Titled, 'My Friend Micheal: An Ordinary Friendship With An Extraordinary Man', the novel talks about "the Michael most people never heard about."

Jackson's former friend spent twenty years with the Thriller singer on the road and in the writer's New Jersey home. But the book also chronicles a darker side of the pop star, including his reported drug use.

The new book claims Michael Jackson was taking Propofol--the drug that eventually killed him--as early as 1999.

Cascio makes the stunning claim that Jackson had been taking Propofol, the drug that claimed his life, as early as 1999. The novel also alleges the singer was high on drugs ahead of his 30th anniversary concerts, which were staged in 2001.

Cascio, who became a family friend to Jackson at age five, says he first noticed the star taking the drug Demerol while accompanying him on his Dangerous tour in 1993.

He also claims that Jackson started one of his anniversary shows an hour late because the star was high on drugs.

'My naive belief that Michael wouldn't let his medicine interfere with the show blew up in my face,' Cascio writes.

Author Frank Cascio at a press conference.

The AP reports that the book, which was released on November 15, says Jackson was first introduced to Demerol in 1984 after he burned his head during a Pepsi commercial shoot.

Cascio says Jackson also took Propofol in 1999 in Munich when the singer was 50 feet in the air and instead of coming down slowly, the platform Jackson was on fell down.

Cascio also writes that Jackson had taken Demerol to treat the skin disease vitiligo, and grew worried about his drug use.

Michael Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray being taken into custody.

'It had become clear to me that Michael's drug use was escalating,' he wrote. Cascio said sometimes he paid doctors in cash 'because all of Michael's medical issues had to be kept from the public and their cost off the books.'

He also said he had some of the prescriptions written out in his name.

'Over the years, I had grown accustomed to seeing doctors coming and going, particularly in late tours, when Michael was under great stress and needed help falling asleep.'

Cascio said he wanted to seek out help, but didn't know who to turn to. Ahead of Jackson's 2001 anniversary shows, he said he spoke to Janet, Randy and Tito about their brother's drug use. He writes that Jackson's siblings approached him, but the singer 'simply pushed them away.'

The pop star's doctor, Conrad Murray, was convicted earlier this month of involuntary manslaughter for supplying the insomnia-plagued Jackson with the powerful operating-room anaesthetic Propofol to help him sleep as he rehearsed for his big comeback.

My Friend Michael also takes a look at some of Jackson's personal and professional moments with Cascio writing that he and Jackson 'had gotten stoned on a few occasions up in the mountains,' and that Jackson would drink wine out of juice bottles and soda cans.

Jackson invited Cascio to work as his personal assistant a year after he graduated high school. He later became his personal manager.

Throughout the book, Cascio writes that Jackson had a love for them and wanted to father 10 kids in total.
Cascio says Princess Diana was at the top of Jackson's list of women he wanted to date, and that Jackson made out with one of his fan club members.

'He tended to like tall, slender women whom I'd describe as nerdy in a sexy way,' he writes.