# Why is Michael Jackson so famous? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824 "2011-06-25T15:15:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/61 "2011-06-29T16:04:10Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > And I’m pretty sure Astaire’s Singing in the Rain routine was choreographed, i.e., worked out beforehand. Gene Kelly. Both he and FA did their own choreography. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/62 "2011-06-29T16:11:20Z")
D’oh! ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/63 "2011-06-29T16:25:10Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > Fred Astaire has expressed his own appreciation of Michael Jackson’s talent. And I’m pretty sure Astaire’s Singing in the Rain routine was choreographed, i.e., worked out beforehand. Michael had an appreciation for FA as well as Sammy Davis Jr, and the Nicholas Brothers. > > What I suspect is that you don’t care for that style of dancing which leads you downgrade obvious talent. > > But here’s more evidence anyway. > > [Tap](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYQIKpkyd3g) > [Pop Locking](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tICestGPPbs) It has nothing to do with whether I like it or not. I’m not a huge fan of dancing either way. But MJ doesn’t even begin to reach the levels of theater dancers and that’s simply because that was not his main focus. It would be like comparing Fred Astair’s singing to Michael Jackson. No comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/64 "2011-06-29T17:22:24Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > It has nothing to do with whether I like it or not. I’m not a huge fan of dancing either way. But MJ doesn’t even begin to reach the levels of theater dancers and that’s simply because that was not his main focus. It would be like comparing Fred Astair’s singing to Michael Jackson. No comparison. What makes you think singing was Jackson’s only main focus? He always combined dancing and singing in his performances. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/65 "2011-06-29T17:47:03Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > What makes you think singing was Jackson’s only main focus? He always combined dancing and singing in his performances. “Only main focus” doesn’t make sense in a sentence. Gene Kelly was a dancer by trade yet he sung and acted. His main focus was dancing. Everything he did revolved around that first. Michael Jackson was a song writer/singer. Everything he did revolved around his songs. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/66 "2011-06-29T17:55:31Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > “Only main focus” doesn’t make sense in a sentence. Gene Kelly was a dancer by trade yet he sung and acted. His main focus was dancing. Everything he did revolved around that first. > > Michael Jackson was a song writer/singer. Everything he did revolved around his songs. You’re implying a person can only ever be good at one thing, and if Jackson was good at singing, then his dancing wasn’t as good. That’s just as nonsensical. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/67 "2011-06-29T18:17:41Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > … Michael Jackson was a song writer/singer. Everything he did revolved around his songs. did he focus on songwriting or singing? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/68 "2011-06-29T18:24:13Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > You’re implying a person can only ever be good at one thing, and if Jackson was good at singing, then his dancing wasn’t as good. That’s just as nonsensical. I didn’t say he was only good at one thing. I said the professional dancers of the dancing movie era were better. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/69 "2011-06-29T18:29:50Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I didn’t say he was only good at one thing. I said the professional dancers of the dancing movie era were better. You said they were better because they focused on dancing first and Jackson focused on singing first. Even if that assertion is true, it doesn’t prove that they were better. Personally, I think there’s a heavy element of subjectivity involved. Astaire was good, Jackson was good, and some current pop-lockers blow both of them out of the freaking water. But that’s because I like pop-locking. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824/70 "2011-06-29T18:33:11Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > You said they were better because they focused on dancing first and Jackson focused on singing first. Even if that assertion is true, it doesn’t prove that they were better. > > Personally, I think there’s a heavy element of subjectivity involved. Astaire was good, Jackson was good, and some current pop-lockers blow both of them out of the freaking water. But that’s because I like pop-locking. O K. We both have opinion. Moving on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-michael-jackson-so-famous/586824.md?page=3)