Prince’s home, Paisley Park, was opened to his fans after the legendary artist’s death earlier this year, making them privy to things they might not have seen before. But GQ reports that the late icon already had something just as potentially illuminating in the works—a Netflix reality show about his compound. The publication amassed stories from Prince’s friends and colleagues, including one from photographer Maya Washington, who befriended the artist late in life. Washington says Prince asked for her help with the project, but balked at appearing in it himself.
He was supposed to do something with Netflix, a reality show on Paisley Park. He’s, ‘Why don’t you help me?’ I’m, ‘I’d love to, but you’d have to be in it.’ And he’s, ‘No, no, no, I’m not in it.’ I’m, ‘Why not? You’re so funny—why don’t you want anyone to see your sense of humor?’ And he would shut it down: ‘Maya, I can’t be funny. I have to save the world.’
It sounds like the show would have focused on the inner workings of Paisley Park, and would not have provided a glimpse at Prince’s life. And that’s probably for the best, because who could have really handled such a thing? It might have been like opening the Ark of the Covenant—that, or Prince would have been seen serving up pancake breakfasts. Vulture confirmed with Netflix that such a thing was in the works; a spokesperson said “We did have discussions about it, but sadly for all of us it did not come to fruition prior to his passing.”