Maggie Ekberg
Tue, October 28, 2025 at 9:04 AM PDT
3 min read
[/img]Before pop stars were nailing eight-counts on TikTok and Gap had the whole internet copying KATSEYE’s “Milkshake” dance, one man set off a national meltdown just by moving his hips. Elvis Presley didn’t need choreographers, denim deals, or viral sound bites. He had rhythm, rebellion, and a wiggle that made half the country scream and the other half call the cops.
On October 28, 1957, the “Love Me Tender" crooner, who was just 22 at the time, performed at the Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. Thousands of fans packed the venue, with some reportedly fainting before he even hit the first note. His hip-shaking performance sent the crowd into chaos — and some parents and officials into outrage.
According to Variety, police met with Presley after the show and told him to “clean it up and tone it down” before he performed again the following night. When he returned for night two, the LAPD’s vice squad showed up and filmed the show, just to make sure his moves didn’t cross the line.
But years later, Hollywood publicist Gene Schwam revealed that the so-called “police crackdown” was staged. He and Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker, had planted the story in the press to boost slow ticket sales. The fake scandal worked like a charm. That second night sold out, the cameras rolled, and Presley walked away even more famous than before.
The timing couldn’t have been better. The press was already obsessed with his “sex show” reputation. The San Francisco Chronicle quoted Mirror-News editor Dick Williams calling his act “not basically music, but a sex show,” the kind of line that made newspaper sales spike as quickly as ticket sales. America was split between those who adored him and those who thought he was single-handedly destroying morals.
According to TIME, people even complained to the FBI, calling his concerts “the filthiest and most harmful production” they’d ever seen. Meanwhile, Presley shrugged it off. "…My pelvis had nothin' to do with what I do," the “Burning Love” singer said in 1956 per PR Newswire's archival coverage. "I just get kinda in rhythm with the music, I jump around to it because I enjoy what I'm doin', I'm not tryin' to be vulgar, I'm not tryin' to sell any sex, I'm not tryin' to look vulgar and nasty.” That genuine honesty was what made him so powerful — he wasn’t trying to start a movement, but he became one anyway.
Today, the King of Rock and Roll’s influence still pulses through pop culture. His records continue to sell, his estate at Graceland remains one of the most visited homes in America, and his story keeps inspiring new generations — from Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 biopic Elvis to Sofia Coppola’s 2023 drama Priscilla.
This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.