Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? He was relatively healthy. You can change your choices at any time by clicking on the 'Privacy dashboard' links on our sites and apps. He's fortunate that there were no injuries to his face," Dr. Steve Hoefflin told reporters at the time of the accident. As a result of the accident, Pepsi gave Jackson $1.5 million, which he donated to a burn center named after him. His body was found covered in track marks consistent with intravenous drug use. The performer's image was dealt a severe blow when he was accused of abusing Jordy Chandler at his Neverland ranch in 1993. Jan. 27, 1984: Michael Jackson Burned in Pepsi Spot. In this Jan. 27, 1984 file photo, singer Michael Jackson looks out from an ambulance as he arrives at Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, after suffering second-degree burns on his scalp while filming a Pepsi commercial, according to officials. I was dancing down this ramp and turning around, spinning, not knowing I was on fire. It didn't go well: At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, in front of . The then 25-year-old Jackson was taken by ambulance to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Michael Jackson, seen here in 2005, was taken to UCLA Medical Center in cardiac arrest Thursday. Jackson, who was photographed in an ambulance with a bandage on his head and his trademark sequined white glove on his right hand, required several surgeries and needed skin grafts to treat the injury. 1984: Michael Jackson burned in Pepsi ad Michael Jackson has received hospital treatment for serious burns to his head after his hair caught light during a freak filming accident. However, tragedy struck in 1984 during a $5 million deal with Pepsi to work on a promotional campaign. In ultimate secrecy, Jackson was switched with his clone. Jackson, 25, was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where a spokesman said Jackson was "fine" despite the burns. It is believed to be the real Michael Jackson, who was injured during this time period. The multimillionaire's album "Thriller" has just entered the Guinness book of records as the best selling LP of all time. It was an IV he pulled out his leg. The accident, witnessed by thousands of stunned fans at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, came at the height of Jackson's fame, about a year after the release of his best-selling "Thriller" album. A kid (Alfonso Ribeiro) dances with Michael Jackson and The Jacksons. Speaking for a new documentary, police told of the scars and lack of hair on his body, but added: This isnt a man who should have died.". You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. His hair never grew back properly either, which reportedly led to Jackson wearing wigs. Authorities confirmed they are questioning several physicians who treated Jackson in the past, including Murray, the cardiologist who was in Jackson's home when he died. Jacksons doctor at the time, Steven Hoefflin, commented that the star was noted to be quite shaken up with palm-sized area of second-degree and small area of third-degree burns. This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Coleman was not at the shoot, but said the accident made front-page news and the ads were run on the television news weeks before they officially ran as paid spots beginning in February 1984. But it was also made up of unfortunate events that were, quite frankly, out of Jackson's personal control, and which, some have argued, would shape the course of his life. "Something went wrong and it exploded and Michael's hair caught on fire," said Jackson spokesmen John Branca. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter for having administered anaesthetic drugs without being qualified to do so. All rights reserved (About Us). "If you talk to anyone who knew him, well, they'd tell you the same thing -- he was a really good guy," Brando said. "It's hard to say," Miko Brando, a Jackson friend and son of the late actor Marlon Brando, told "Good Morning America." Jackson rose to fame in 1966 when he joined his brothers' pop band, The Jackson 5. On January 27, 1984, Michael and his brothers were doing just that. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A long check list: Microphones, wires, wardrobe changes, towels, song list, ice, Gatorade, fans, grease paints, powder. During the sixth take a firework went off too early and set his hair on . DON'T MISSMichael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley: When did they marry? On January 27, 1984, Michael and his brothers were doing just that. More recently, Giraldi reportedly denied making Michael wait on stage. Hardly any hair at all on the sides. This medication was initially prescribed to sooth the excruciating pain that I was suffering after recent reconstructive surgery on my scalp," the singer said at the time in a statement. A lot of people say that the 1984 Pepsi incident was one of the major factors that changed MJ's life forever, however people don't really remember this incident that well. He also was taking Flurazepam, for his pain which was later marketed as Dalmane. In the fall of '83 he and his Jackson Five brothers signed a $5 million endorsement deal with PepsiCo that would include, among other promotions, Michael appearing in commercials pushing the soft drink. Virginia Watson, a casting agent, said Jackson appeared calm and smiling as he was taken out. Lewis first met Jackson on the set of his "Thriller" music video in 1983. Michael is calling upon all networks to pull the video." MJ was born on August 29, 1958, and died on June 25, 2009. It was an IV he pulled out his leg. Their relationship paved the way for Pepsi's ongoing association with pop stars on world tours, including Beyonc and Britney Spears. "I remember being stage left, watching him rehearse that particular segment," Brando said, saying he saw Jackson's hair burst into flames and thought, "Oh my God, my friend is on fire.". Addiction to painkillers is not uncommon in show business, a fact that became abundantly clear when Jackson's musical contemporary and friendly rival Prince also passed away due to an overdose in 2016. Michael Jackson was at the height of his fame in the 1980s as he released some of his biggest and best-selling albums - including Thriller, and Bad. If you would like to customise your choices, click 'Manage privacy settings'. The magazine has not said how it obtained the Pepsi footage. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? This material may not be republished, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. As the fireball grows around his head, he is set upon by members of the crew who tamp out the flames. July 15, 2009 -- Never-before-seen footage of a 1984 commercial shoot shows Michael Jackson's hair accidentally catching fire, an incident that would lead to a decades-long addiction to sedatives . More than 50 fans were waiting outside the facility, and some of them broke into tears as Jackson was wheeled into the emergency room. Former LA City Fire Department Capt. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. "He was just an extraordinary human being.". Three thousand fans saw a firework display erupt behind the . Pepsi paid Jackson $1.5 million in compensation. The explosion was much larger. When Michael Jackson's hair accidentally caught on fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in early 1984, the resulting 2nd and 3rd degree burns foreve. During the filming of a commercial, Jacksons hair and face caught fire, leaving him with second and third degree burns. During this time, Jackson was at the peak of his career. A senior law enforcement official confirmed to ABC News that Jackson was "heavily addicted" to the painkiller Demerol and received "daily doses" of OxyContin. The newly released footage of the harrowing events of Jan. 27, 1984, when Michael Jackson caught on fire while shooting a spot for Pepsi, has raised new questions about who may be responsible for the accident. SARAH NETTER, RUSSELL GOLDMAN and SABINA GHEBREMEDHIN, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Michael Jackson's head engulfed in flames, prescription painkillers Jackson was said to be taking. 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"He was wonderful. She added, "LA investigators asked us not to share any information about any substance food, drink, or otherwise that Jackson may have taken. Peter Carrette Archive/Getty Images. Us Weekly magazine has obtained video it says shows never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's head catching on fire during filming of his 1984 Pepsi commercial. When Michael Jackson emerges from the pile of people trying to help him, the top of his head is bald. Latest news, government notices, sports and entertainment website. 'Overtaken'[NEWS]Michael Jacksons Neverland Ranch sells for $78M below asking price[INSIGHT]. View our online Press Pack. Jackson suffered second and third-degree burns, which were treated at the nearby Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and where he was prescribed strong sedatives as well as Darvocet, a powerful painkiller which, according to BT, was later banned because of its adverse side effects. He was also prescribed a number of different painkillers, as well as a powerful sedative which was used to calm his nerves, and help him sleep. He was known to wear wigs in public after the mishap. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Michael Jackson's hair accidentally catching fire. According to BT,Jackson danced too close to the stage pyrotechnics, which ignited his hair, full of product, including the highly flammable pomade. Plastic surgeon Steven Hoeffin said Jackson, who was voted America's entertainer of the year, could need surgery to his head. It was the only tour with all six Jackson brothers, even though Jackie was injured for some of it. He reassured people even as he was being taken away on a stretcher", she said. Michael Jackson is wheeled into Brotman Merorial Hospital after he was burned filming a soft drink commercial featuring fireworks, which set his jacket and hair on fire. Jacksons brothers quickly helped to extinguish the flames and Michael seen by his fans with his scalp glowing and smoke billowing from his head. July 15, 2009— -- Never-before-seen footage of a 1984 commercial shoot shows Michael Jackson's hair accidentally catching fire, an incident that would lead to a decades-long addiction to sedatives that may have played a role in his death last month. The singer's "Thriller" album topped the charts last year, placing an unprecedented six singles including "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" in the top 10 and spawning a spectacular video. No hard feelings, though: Jackson later signed another deal with Pepsi, this time for $10 million. There would, of course, also be legal action. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. Some absolutely atrocious accidents have befallen musicians over the years, including Jackson. But in 1984, his hair and scalp caught fire during the filming of a Pepsi commercial, causing the celebrity to have permanent hair loss. He had become hooked on the drugs after a being burned in a 1984 accident. Elvis bedroom: Graceland upstairs SECRETS shared by Linda Thompson, Elvis Presley final years pictures shared by Linda Thompson, Michael Jackson suffered second and third degree burns during a commercial, Michael Jackson suffered the burns during filming, Elvis Presleys 86th birthday celebrated by Linda Thompson, Michael Jackson was at his most famous during the 1980s, Elvis and Priscilla: Sex games, role play, threesomes and polaroids, One Direction: Niall Horan announces he is writing 'lots' of music. "Michael is quite shocked. The clip shows . Yes, the doctors gave him medicine," but told the interviewer that to say this incident alone was the cause of what came later was not justified. Nearly a decade later, Jackson admitted in a video statement that he had entered rehab after getting hooked on the medication meant to ease his pain while he healed from the burns. Michael Jackson, standing behind one of his brothers, at the moment his hair caught on fire (Photo via YouTube). Yes, he took medicine. Whatever, Giraldi told TMZ on Thursday. Eminem mocked the singer's accident in the video for his song Just Lose It, dressing as Jackson in a video where his hair caught fire before sitting on a bed surrounded by young children. Many believed that Jackson would sue Pepsi for the accident, which also left him partially bald and relying on wigs for the rest of his life. The 25-year-old entertainer was singing his hit "Billie Jean" for a Pepsi Cola commercial in Los Angeles when the special effects went wrong. Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? The source also added the star had injection marks all over his body and the disfigurement caused by years of plastic surgery show hed been in terminal decline for some years. Emmanuel Lewis' Family Took Michael In When He Was Recovering From His Pepsi Commercial Accident. Coleman said he did not believe the accident spurred the singer to begin abusing drugs, but a decade after the fire Jackson, himself, said it did. Amazingly, there were no hard feelings between Jackson and Pepsi. Jackson was at the pinnacle of his career around the time of his accident. Pepsi and the family talked and they all came to the conclusion that it would be better not to because when you watch it, its frightening.. The coroner would not name the other doctors who his office has subpoenaed. Police have confirmed that several doctors who treated Jackson and are believed to have prescribed him drugs are being questioned or will be questioned. Michael Jackson was taken to hospital where he was treated for second degree burns. "We have not addressed the use of Diprivan," Sevcik said. He was actually under the pyrotechnics when they went off. Michael Jackson's Career Earnings, Year-By-Year View All. The needle broke off.". Kevin Mazur/WireImage. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. So the initial autopsy didnt show much. "There was nothing out of the ordinary that he did," Brando said. What happened is that the talent, Michael, was told by [Giraldi] to stand there and look more majestic, so subsequently he stood under the sparks instead of being half way down the ramp when the pyrotechnics went off.