# So Michael Jackson's whole body was white - how? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 13, 2011, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573 "2011-10-13T20:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/21 "2011-10-14T16:14:22Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > As a matter of practicality, would it not be a far easier cosmetic solution to darken the pale areas than whitening the darker pigments? I think MJ tried that in earlier years. I remember seeing pics from the _Thriller_ t or _Bad_ era and you can see where his make-up has smeared off from the stage lights and sweat. It would probably be a perfectly good solution for someone whose job it wasn’t to be dancing around on stage under lights and sweating. Plus, MJ may not have been the sanest billionaire pop-star. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/22 "2011-10-14T16:25:10Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > As a matter of practicality, would it not be a far easier cosmetic solution to darken the pale areas than whitening the darker pigments? I don’t think so. One of my cousins has vitiligo, and she’s looked into darkening hte pale areas only to learn it is impractical for several reasons. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/23 "2011-10-14T16:33:13Z")
Are we looking at the same photo, OP? Sure, it’s low quality, but I can very clearly see splotches all over his body-- faded splotches, but splotches. Sure, he’s predominantly white, but there are most definitely splotches on his arms, legs, chest, shoulders. . .entire body. For those feeling ghoulish enough to compare, here is a broken link that directly will show the picture of his dead body at the autopsy (no guts are showing or anything- he hasn’t been sliced into yet): h ttp://www.tmz.com/2011/10/11/michael-jackson-autopsy-photo-dead-naked-dr-conrad-murray-trial-manslaughter/#.Tphi9N5XRe8 Now, certainly: my understanding is that MJ ultimately admitted that he underwent skin bleaching treatments (or maybe his siblings admitted this after he died), but it’s not like the guy is completely white. I mean, yes, he’s definitely mostly white, though. Here are some photos from the last few years (ok, 10 or so) prior to his death that show his vitiligo: [His leg (these photos were taken for some reason to document a spider bite)](http://floacist.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/mjleg.jpg?w=584) [His arm on the “They Don’t Care About Us” video set.](http://floacist.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/tdcau-1.jpg?w=584) [Arm and chest on the same video set](http://floacist.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/000michaeljacksontributecelebutopiacd2009000-226.jpg?w=584) [His arms and finger nails a few years ago](http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/49/022bj1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/24 "2011-10-14T16:43:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I don’t think so. One of my cousins has vitiligo, and she’s looked into darkening hte pale areas only to learn it is impractical for several reasons. I have vitiligo involving my hands, feet, and knees. I wear gloves when outside (kayaking gloves) to keep from burning. My feet are typically in my kayak. My knees were always burning. So I got my knees tattooed. It kindasorta worked, but the skin on the knees is thick and difficult to tattoo. I have at least 100 hours of ink on my arms, chest, legs, but the knees really hurt. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/25 "2011-10-14T16:51:03Z")
Granting his weirdness and privacy and all of that, it’s very well documented that Michael Jackson had vitiligo. It might be easier to darken the light areas when you have that condition and have mostly dark skin with some light patches, but if it progresses to the point where you’re mostly light with some darker patches that haven’t been affected yet, it’s going to be easier to go light. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/26 "2011-10-14T19:07:17Z")
> [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > The only link provided in the thread… > [@IvoryTowerDenizen](#): > > I did read it, but the autopsy wasn’t linked to. Deliberately. Because that sort of link tends to ruffle feathers because people don’t read, they click, they see, they freak. So, for the benefit of those who want to see, I said very specifically: > [@](#): > > the autopsy photos (available on TMZ and elsewhere) which is more than enough information to find the photos in 5 seconds. “jackson autopsy photos tmz” plugged into Google produces all the links you need. _My_ irritation, leading to my obnoxious response, arises from your decision not to make the teensiest, weensiest effort to check the OP to answer your own question (which was “where did the information come from”). Look up links or don’t, but the OP was two sentences stating exactly where the information came from: autopsy photos. Available on TMZ and elsewhere. Now, to be fair, I wouldn’t have been so quick to snap back if not for the fact that this happens with depressing regularity around here: (in fact, I’m almost sure I’ve been guilty myself, although I’m also sure never when the OP was so short and specific) people skim, miss information, then, instead of double-checking, just ask other people to fill in what they couldn’t be bothered to focus on. It’s really kind of narcississtic: _I don’t want to read what you wrote for the masses, I want you to cater to my need for information by writing the information again, to me, personally._ And I find _that_ obnoxious. And if you were newer to the boards, I’d be more inclined to feel badly about taking it out on you. But since you’ve been here for 6 years and 7500 posts, I really don’t. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/27 "2011-10-14T19:15:46Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Deliberately. Because that sort of link tends to ruffle feathers because people don’t read, they click, they see, they freak. > > So, for the benefit of those who want to see, I said very specifically: > > which is more than enough information to find the photos in 5 seconds. “jackson autopsy photos tmz” plugged into Google produces all the links you need. Well, I now linked to the TMZ article (though via broken link, in fairness) in post 23. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/28 "2011-10-14T19:17:10Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Are we looking at the same photo, OP? Sure, it’s low quality, but I can very clearly see splotches all over his body-- faded splotches, but splotches. Sure, he’s predominantly white, but there are most definitely splotches on his arms, legs, chest, shoulders. . .entire body. I am not arguing that he’s not splotchy, in fact, his skin looks pretty horrible all over in a variety of ways (I noticed in the Martin Bashir documentary that the color and skin quality of his hands and nails was disgusting and strange). But it also looks white, relentlessly white - especially white when you consider the color of his skin for the first 20-some years of his life, which wasn’t cafe au lait: his skin was decidedly dark, and no traces of that remained, at least not in the photo. I am very surprised to learn that it is even possible to whiten the skin as he did, that’s why I asked how. Even if the vitiligo covered most of his body, he managed to destroy the melanin in the rest. Remarkable. ---
**Author:** ![Soylent\_Juicy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@Soylent\_Juicy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soylent_Juicy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/29 "2011-10-14T19:25:43Z")
> [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > Who cares? He was a broken man haunted by many problems, and died miserably. Don’t hover over his autopsy photos like a bunch of ghouls. Why would anyone even publish them? My thoughts exactly. Actually my thoughts were for his kids, especially his daughter, who seems very intelligent and clearly loved him. I pray that they’re being shielded from these photos in the press. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/30 "2011-10-14T19:27:13Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > I am not arguing that he’s not splotchy, in fact, his skin looks pretty horrible all over in a variety of ways (I noticed in the Martin Bashir documentary that the color and skin quality of his hands and nails was disgusting and strange). But it also looks white, relentlessly white - especially white when you consider the color of his skin for the first 20-some years of his life, which wasn’t cafe au lait: his skin was decidedly dark, and no traces of that remained, at least not in the photo. > > I am very surprised to learn that it is even possible to whiten the skin as he did, that’s why I asked how. Even if the vitiligo covered most of his body, he managed to destroy the melanin in the rest. Remarkable. It’s a well known fact that folks with vitiligo generally have discolored fingers-- apparently your nail beds are sometimes the last to “go” on some folks, but it’s also impossible to bleach/treat them. I don’t know if I’d say that discoloration is inherently disgusting, but I guess to each their own. Though I’m sure the folks on this board with the disease are keen on you calling them disgusting :dubious:. Keep in mind: this is why MJ used to tape his fingers-- folks thought it was a fashion statement, but he was just covering up the discolored parts of him that couldn’t be covered up with makeup. Hell, that’s the same reason he wore the famous glove. Or the arm brace during the “Dangerous” era. And again, how can you say there are no traces of darker skin on him? I linked you to several photos from the last years of his life displaying decidedly “black” splotches. Those darker spots on the poor quality autopsy photo may, in fact, be a lot more pronounced on a clearer photo. [Here’s an article/video](http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/32549732/ns/today-today_health/t/rare-skin-illness-turned-her-black-white/#.TpiNwt5XRe8) from the Today show of a girl with vitiligo which I saw when it aired. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/31 "2011-10-14T20:57:39Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Deliberately. Because that sort of link tends to ruffle feathers because people don’t read, they click, they see, they freak. > > So, for the benefit of those who want to see, I said very specifically: > > which is more than enough information to find the photos in 5 seconds. “jackson autopsy photos tmz” plugged into Google produces all the links you need. > > _My_ irritation, leading to my obnoxious response, arises from your decision not to make the teensiest, weensiest effort to check the OP to answer your own question (which was “where did the information come from”). Look up links or don’t, but the OP was two sentences stating exactly where the information came from: autopsy photos. Available on TMZ and elsewhere. > > Now, to be fair, I wouldn’t have been so quick to snap back if not for the fact that this happens with depressing regularity around here: (in fact, I’m almost sure I’ve been guilty myself, although I’m also sure never when the OP was so short and specific) people skim, miss information, then, instead of double-checking, just ask other people to fill in what they couldn’t be bothered to focus on. It’s really kind of narcississtic: _I don’t want to read what you wrote for the masses, I want you to cater to my need for information by writing the information again, to me, personally._ > > And I find _that_ obnoxious. > > And if you were newer to the boards, I’d be more inclined to feel badly about taking it out on you. But since you’ve been here for 6 years and 7500 posts, I really don’t. Y’know what- I was posting from a phone in a hotel room. I don’t care that I didn’t pass your litmus test for a good reader or board participant. **Ambivalid** posted some questions about complete skin whitening. The linked article said MJ wasn’t completely white which contradicted your OP which was was vague. Didn’t feel like doing research so I **Ambivalid** about it. And it has nothing to do with my experience or newness on this board. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/32 "2011-10-14T21:08:58Z")
Money. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/33 "2011-10-14T23:58:54Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > It’s really kind of narcississtic: _I don’t want to read what you wrote for the masses, I want you to cater to my need for information by writing the information again, to me, personally._ > > And I find _that_ obnoxious. > > And if you were newer to the boards, I’d be more inclined to feel badly about taking it out on you. But since you’ve been here for 6 years and 7500 posts, I really don’t. **Stoid** , if you’d like to lecture **Ivory Tower Denizen** on her posting habits, I suggest you open a pit thread because junior modding in this forum is against the rules. You don’t get to take it out on people, off topic. So stop the highjack and quit the junior modding. **Ellen Cherry IMHO Moderator** ---
**Author:** ![Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Romeo_and_Whatsherface)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/34 "2011-10-15T00:03:58Z")
Sorry this is going to be vague; my memory works better for some kinds of details than others.After MJ first disclosed the vitiligo, I saw a piece on either a network news broadcast or a news magazine show about an anchor in some major US city who had vitiligo. The anchor was black. The broadcast showed his face, which was heavily splotched with white. This guy said he had had to decide whether to try to mask the dark skin or the light skin, and apparently it was a tough and complex decision to make. He ultimately decided to darken the light skin to match the rest of his face. IIRC, he had to use a sort of pancake makeup on the light spots, then an all-over make-up to get the whole face to be the same rich shade of brown. Vitiligo sounds like a tough gig. I wouldn’t want to question the cosmetic choices of anyone who’s had it. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/35 "2011-10-15T04:17:52Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > **Stoid** , if you’d like to lecture **Ivory Tower Denizen** on her posting habits, I suggest you open a pit thread because junior modding in this forum is against the rules. You don’t get to take it out on people, off topic. So stop the highjack and quit the junior modding. > > **Ellen Cherry > IMHO Moderator** Is there an official explanation of what “junior modding” means? Sincere question, because from my point of view, ITD expressed her opinion that my remark in reply to her query was “obnoxious” (twice!) without explaining why she thought so (which was alright, it wasn’t hard to figure out). I replied that my response was obnoxious because her query was obnoxious. But rather than wait for the (guaranteed to follow) “Why was my question obnoxious?” reply, which would have _extended_ the exchange, I explained _why_ I found her post obnoxious immediately. So what part of that was “junior modding”? People remark and complain and react to other posters posting behavior all the time. My vague recollections of accusations of “junior modding” seem to involve people actually attempting to _tell_ others how to behave, in the same way that a mod would, like so: “You are doing X - that’s against board rules! Don’t do X.” _That_ looks like junior modding, someone is invoking rules and telling someone else not to break those rules, apparently for no other reason than to play moderator. What I did was clearly explain how posting behavior I found obnoxious directly led to my replying in a manner ITD found obnoxious. (I wouldn’t have called my behavior obnoxious so much as impatient or snippy, but whatever). I didn’t then go on to tell her how she should act or what the rules are. I have zero interest in being any kind of mod, pretend or otherwise, and as far as I am aware the only rule she broke was _my_ personal rule against being too lazy to re-read the OP before asking a question it answers. (Something which ITD herself perceived, judging from her reply to me: _“…I didn’t pass **your** litmus test for a good reader or board participant”_) So please define for me more clearly where the line is that I crossed, because as it stands that line remains invisible to me and I will almost certainly find myself wandering across it again if it remains so ill-defined. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/36 "2011-10-15T05:06:31Z")
> [@Romeo\_and\_Whatsherface](#): > > Sorry this is going to be vague; my memory works better for some kinds of details than others.After MJ first disclosed the vitiligo, I saw a piece on either a network news broadcast or a news magazine show about an anchor in some major US city who had vitiligo. The anchor was black. The broadcast showed his face, which was heavily splotched with white. This guy said he had had to decide whether to try to mask the dark skin or the light skin, and apparently it was a tough and complex decision to make. He ultimately decided to darken the light skin to match the rest of his face. IIRC, he had to use a sort of pancake makeup on the light spots, then an all-over make-up to get the whole face to be the same rich shade of brown. > > Vitiligo sounds like a tough gig. I wouldn’t want to question the cosmetic choices of anyone who’s had it. [Lee Thomas?](http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/about_us/personalities/Lee_Thomas_Bio) I have always thought it admirable how open he is about it. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/37 "2011-10-15T13:32:44Z")
Stoid, “junior modding” is a catch-all term. Don’t lecture people on their behavior, which is what we have mods for. Your little diatribe is also off the topic of the thread, which as you know is what we consider a highjack. Take any further comments on this to ATMB, please, so as to not further interrupt others’ on-topic discussion. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/38 "2011-10-15T17:41:02Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > so as to not further interrupt others’ on-topic discussion. In MY thread. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573/39 "2011-10-15T20:21:17Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > In MY thread. :rolleyes: No, no one owns threads here, Stoid. I’m issuing you a warming for not following a moderator’s instructions to stop junior modding, stop highjacking a thread, and take any further beefs to ATMB or the pit. Ellen Cherry IMHO moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-michael-jacksons-whole-body-was-white-how/599573.md?page=1)