Conspiracy Theories

But why would Elvis stage such a charade? Well, there seem to be two leading theories floating about. The first holds that Elvis wanted to escape from the pressing oppression of his worldwide fame, this despite testimony from many of those who knew him best that he tended to revel in public adulation.

The second, more romantic theory is that, in the years leading up to 1977, Elvis was working as a secret government agent in an investigation of the Mafia -- and he had to go underground in a hurry, with the assistance of the government, to protect himself and his family.

This charade was so elaborate, and so thorough, that a wax replica of Elvis was placed in his coffin to fool mourners -- not to mention the National Enquirer. The wax Elvis was kept from melting in the Tennessee summer heat by a covert air conditioning unit, which was why the pallbearers seemed to labor under the weight of the coffin.

Giorgio leans toward the first scenario; the Presley commission toward the second. To those who revere Elvis, either theory supporting his faux death would be, of course, much more palatable than the official, established story -- that he was found dead of a drug-induced heart attack, sprawled unceremoniously on the floor of his bathroom.

Perhaps, then, the conviction that Elvis is alive might best be described as a mix of longing, coincidence and rumor -- and seems more than a little reliant on America's fondness for conspiracy theory. One recent poll showed that three-quarters of Americans believe that the government is involved in skullduggery about which the public will never know. Helping Elvis hide would fit right in to that mindset.

"The people who believe in these conspiracies are more willing to accept explanations or context that are much more unusual and much more unconventional," says Miami University Professor Art Jipson.

To believe that Elvis didn't die in 1977 requires one to disbelieve his family, his friends, the police, the coroner and conventional wisdom. To believe that Elvis remains alive today requires accepting the idea that he didn't suffer a massive coronary when he heard Lisa Marie was going to wed the Gloved One.

Is that suspending disbelief just too darn far? Perhaps. But perhaps not, if one really wants to believe.