# Michael Jackson's on Fire **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638 "2002-11-13T22:16:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gjorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@Gjorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gjorp)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/1 "2002-11-13T22:16:55Z")
I sometimes see jokes referring to Michael Jackson catching on fire. This is referring to nothing I remember, so can anybody tell me the exact event that inspires all these jokes? ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/2 "2002-11-13T22:27:58Z")
Dammit!! i click on this thread and the fire alarm goes off!!! GRRRRR!!! (of course, it goes off at least twice a week, so no bother) ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/3 "2002-11-13T22:28:42Z")
He was filming a Pepsi commercial, with a big pyrotechnic display going off, and one of the flash-powder charges at the front of the stage went off when he was right next to it and set his hair on fire. There was also some damage to his face, as I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/4 "2002-11-13T22:31:57Z")
He was burned filming a commercial for Pepsi - This is from the Oprah interview "Michael: That’s…I did a commercial for Pepsi and I was burned very badly and we settled for 1 million dollars and I gave all the money…like, we bulit this place called the Michael Jackson Burn Centre and that’s a piece of technology used for burn victims, right. " [http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/interviews/oprahinterview.html](http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/interviews/oprahinterview.html) ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2002, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/5 "2002-11-13T22:32:38Z")
He was burned filming a commercial for Pepsi in 1984 - This is from the Oprah interview "Michael: That’s…I did a commercial for Pepsi and I was burned very badly and we settled for 1 million dollars and I gave all the money…like, we bulit this place called the Michael Jackson Burn Centre and that’s a piece of technology used for burn victims, right. " [http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/interviews/oprahinterview.html](http://www.allmichaeljackson.com/interviews/oprahinterview.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/6 "2002-11-14T01:04:51Z")
I heard he was trying to copy something he saw on _Jackass_. ---
**Author:** ![IcicleFuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ba8739/32.png) [@IcicleFuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IcicleFuzz)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/7 "2002-11-14T04:08:00Z")
> [@](#): > > There was also some damage to his face, as I recall. Was it badly melted? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/8 "2002-11-14T05:18:51Z")
No, just whitened a little. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/9 "2002-11-14T06:57:56Z")
Ugh. :eek: [It’s not gotten better – MJ’s face today](http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20021114/i/1037233470.2617729057.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/10 "2002-11-14T12:05:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Was it badly melted? Is that what happened to his nose in the horrific picture Corbomite posted, or is that from too much plastic surgery? Man, those poor poor poor kids. Bred to be sex toys, by a freakazoidal, egotistical monster\*. And no one cares. Imagine the books they could someday write, if they don’t kill themselves or go stark raving mad first. \*all IMHO, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/11 "2002-11-14T12:16:17Z")
That’s the problem with “Jheri Curls” — way too much oil in there, highly flammable. Jheri heads should have a hazmat sign attached. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/12 "2002-11-14T12:22:09Z")
The picture I posted was from November 14,2002. (yesterday). From the Reuters/Yahoo news section. I couldn’t find an article that used that picture, but the Yahoo/Entertainment section has stuff. Only his hair went on fire in that Pepsi commercial - and then it was mainly the hairspray. That picture is freakish. And I can assume he had some facial skin burn (akin to a sunburn) that hadn’t peeled. Aaargh… (I did want to explain my pic was recent) ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/13 "2002-11-14T12:29:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Equipoise \* > \*\* > > Man, those poor poor poor kids.\*\* Isn’t he raising at least one of his offspring at his Neverland Ranch? Concerned press folks and others who’ve been there are on record for calling the \ local DA who can do nothing without some evidence of neglect. All MJ’s lawsuits regarding children have been settled out of court with a gag (or whatever) order. i.e. - they didn’t happen. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/14 "2002-11-14T15:28:23Z")
> [@](#): > > The picture I posted was from November 14,2002. (yesterday). From the Reuters/Yahoo news section. I couldn’t find an article that used that picture, but the Yahoo/Entertainment section has stuff. He was testifying as a hostile witness at a breach of contract lawsuit against him for some shows he didn’t perform in Hawaii in late 1999. I saw that pic in the paper this morning and was wondering myself about the tip of his nose. (Looks like he forgot to apply the end, if you ask me.) ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/15 "2002-11-14T16:47:05Z")
Good to see he’s moved past the “Liz Taylor” phase and into his “Chewbacca” phase. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/16 "2002-11-14T17:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Corbomite \* > \*\* > > Isn’t he raising at least one of his offspring at his Neverland Ranch?\*\* 3, two boys and a girl. He just recently had another baby brought in, and the press and his supporters happily congratulated him. > [@](#): > > \*\*Concerned press folks and others who’ve been there are on record for calling the \ local DA who can do nothing without some evidence of neglect. > > All MJ’s lawsuits regarding children have been settled out of court with a gag (or whatever) order. i.e. - they didn’t happen. \*\* I assume you’re referring to how it was all swept under the rug, since “Settled out of court” does not mean none of that with the 12(?) year old happened. All that was why he decided to have his own kids, I’ll bet. Raise 'em from the womb to be your own personal sex toys. They can’t get away and they can’t sue. Pay off the “mom,” and keep her and other busybodies out of the house. Perfect. (_Obviously_ my thoughts are conjecture and speculation, but it’s my gut feeling that that’s exactly what’s going on) ---
**Author:** ![TigoleBitties](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@TigoleBitties](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TigoleBitties)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/17 "2002-11-14T18:16:44Z")
Just how bad off is this guy face wise? I heard tales that he really does not have a nose…by that pic I am still unsure. The guy would have looked great if he laid off the surgery after the early 80’s…too bad ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/18 "2002-11-14T18:31:27Z")
**Corbomite** , I’m pretty sure **Equipoise** was talking about Joseph Jackson, Michael’s father. ---
**Author:** ![Algernon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Algernon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algernon)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2002, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/19 "2002-11-14T19:30:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Posted by **Raygun99** : Good to see he’s moved past the “Liz Taylor” phase and into his “Chewbacca” phase. I think he’s moved into the “Planet Of The Apes” phase. Compare the [picture](http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20021114/i/1037233470.2617729057.jpg) **Corbomite** posted above, with [this.](http://photo.towerrecords.com/pulse/graceland/2002/04/onscreen/planet_of_the-apes.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2002, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638/20 "2002-11-15T11:11:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Corbomite, I’m pretty sure Equipoise was talking about Joseph Jackson, Michael’s father. Huh? Jackson’s father never entered my mind, other than a possible source of Michael’s troubles. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/michael-jacksons-on-fire/136638.md?page=2)