Netflix’s documentary miniseries The Kings of Tupelo focuses on Paul Kevin Curtis, a Tupelo native and Elvis impersonator who was involved in a major scandal involving a poisoned letter sent to President Obama. Netlfix’s catalog of documentary series keeps growing, and among its most recent (and wildest) additions is The Kings of Tupelo. This three-episode docuseries takes the audience to the town of Tupelo, Mississippi, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, to explore a series of wild events that led to a scandal about a murder attempt against President Obama.
At the front and center of The Kings of Tupelo is Paul Kevin Curtis, born and raised in Tupelo. At first, Kevin Curtis became widely known in town for his performance as an Elvis impersonator, but a shocking series of events led him to spend years investigating a very disturbing business. This earned him some powerful enemies, as well as one who went to extremes to make sure he wouldn’t bother him again. Kevin Curtis went from Elvis impersonator to “public enemy #1” as he puts it, to a suspect in a major scandal and finally a free man.
Paul Kevin Curtis Is An Elvis Impersonator, Author, & Activist
Kevin Curtis Is Unlike Any Other Elvis Impersonator
Kevin Curtis describes himself at the beginning of The Kings of Tupelo as having been a shy “geeky” kid who was constantly bullied. His mother, Elois, called him “little Elvis”, and he says he was raised on “Jesus, Elvis, and cornbread, in that order.” At a young age, Kevin started playing Elvis’ music on the piano and working on his Elvis voice and movies. At age 14, his mother got him his first Elvis Presley jumpsuit, and he started taking part in various Elvis impersonator contests, winning various prizes.
Kevin was looking for a drink and opened the morgue’s freezer, where he found severed body parts.
After his older brother, Jack, also became an Elvis impersonator, they began performing together in a show they called “Double Trouble.” Together, the Curtis brothers found great success, but when Kevin became a father, he started working as a janitor. While working at the North Mississippi Medical Center, a thirsty Kevin was looking for a drink and opened the morgue’s freezer, where he found severed body parts, including the head of a man he had seen in the ER not long ago, and some of these body parts were wrapped in plastic with a bar code (via GQ).
This led to Kevin being banned from the hospital and sent him into a spiral of conspiracy theories as he was convinced the hospital was involved in black market organ harvesting. Kevin spent years investigating the harvesting and selling of human body parts and even wrote a book about it and the corruption in Mississippi titled Missing Pieces. Kevin was so relentless in his quest to make his investigation and discoveries known that he earned some enemies, including local politician Everett Dutschke.
After Kevin went too far and tried to imitate Dutschke, including photoshopping himself in Dutschke’s wedding photos, Dutschke took things even further.
The rivalry between Kevin and Dutschke began when the latter gave Kevin false hopes about publishing his investigation in his own newspaper, and later Dutschke started working for Jack and got very close to Kevin’s ex-wife, Laura. Dutschke wanted to take the place of state representative Steve Holland and led an aggressive campaign against him to no success, and after Kevin went too far and tried to imitate Dutschke, including photoshopping himself in Dutschke’s wedding photos, Dutschke took things even further.
In April 2013, President Obama, Senator Roget Wicker, and Judge Sadie Holland received letters with ricin, a highly toxic protein. The initial investigation led to Kevin’s arrest, but investigators found no real evidence that linked him to the letters. Further investigation led them to Dutschke, and after searching his house, they found the evidence they needed. Kevin was set free and got a lot of attention from the media, while Dutschke was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2014.
What Happened To Kevin Curtis After The Poisoned Letters Scandal?
Kevin Curtis Went Back To His Old Ways
According to Kevin himself in the final episode of The Kings of Tupelo, his arrest and everything that happened with the poisoned letter scandal led him to realize what the real “missing piece” was: his family. Kevin decided to drop his years-long investigation of the black market and the harvesting of human body parts and focus on his family and fixing his relationship with them – however, The Kings of Tupelo has a final twist right at the end.
Kevin now believes that Dutschke had been working as a CIA operative and thus was framed.
Catching up with Kevin nine months later, The Kings of Tupelo shows Kevin going back to his old conspiracy theory days and believing that Dutschke had been working as a CIA operative and thus was framed. Dutschke confirms that he was working with the CIA and also believes he was framed, but he also insists that it has nothing to do with Kevin Curtis. The Kings Of Tupelo leaves Kevin Curtis’ next moves open to interpretation, as he might be focusing on investigating Dutschke’s possible framing or not.
Source: GQ.
An Elvis impersonator becomes ensnared in a conspiracy theory, reflecting on small-town challenges and the perils of online misinformation. Set against the backdrop of Southern life, the series delves into themes of identity and the search for meaning amidst swirling rumors and digital age conflicts.
Release Date December 11, 2024
Directors Maclain Way , Chapman Way
English (US) ·