"We have not addressed the use of Diprivan," Sevcik said. Investigators removed several prescription drugs from Jackson's rented Holmby Hills mansion after his death, including the powerful sedative propfol, commonly used in operating rooms. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. As a strongly private person away from show-business, not many people could . The burns never completely healed, leaving Jackson with scars across parts of his head and scalp for the rest of his life. To what he had looked like in public with the flowing hair, that was a bit different. Copyright 2023 by NBC Universal, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Known as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. As a child, Michael Jackson had worn his hair in an afro, making him look taller. He was actually under the pyrotechnics when they went off. If you do not want us and our partners to use cookies and personal data for these additional purposes, click 'Reject all'. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23. 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.. What was burning on Michael was almost like a candle effect where fumes were burning and not the hair. A source discussing the autopsy at the time commented: He was skin and bone, his hair had fallen out, and he had been eating nothing but pills when he died.. Michael is believed to have begun his addiction to painkillers after undergoing a series of scalp surgeries around three months after the incident. 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. It was just supposed to be a routine commercial shoot:Michael Jackson, just 25 years old, was the biggest star in the world, his 1982Thrilleralbum having logged the better part of a year at #1. Michael Jackson: Pepsi New Generation: Directed by Bob Giraldi. "He was a friend of mine," Brando said. 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. Donald Donester, who was an eyewitness to the horrifying disaster posted on Us [] In the video, one can easily observe a large red bald spot in the center of Jackson's head after the flames have been extinguished. "Something went wrong and it exploded and Michael's hair caught on fire," said Jackson spokesmen John Branca. At the time, Jackson was just 25-years-old, and was already a solo star, but returned to his family roots on this occasion. In his autobiography, "Moonwalk," he described the cause of the accident as "stupidity, pure and simple. (-/AFP/Getty Images), "He had something on his head, it wasn't a bandage, but there was something wrapped around," Paul Cottrell, a parking lot attendant, said. But when he came to film for the Pepsi campaign in 1984, Jackson - who had been paid 5million to . Although the public was shown Jackson after being burned, what we had seen, was a clone version of him. At the time, the money was said to be earmarked for research into burn treatment, but Sherman said the burn center received no operating money from the fund. Student works out great aunt is spitting image of Ed Sheeran after finding photo; On January 27, 1984, Michael, who was 25 years old at the time, joined his brothers to shoot an advert for fizzy drink brand, Pepsi. "Dr. Murray continues to cooperate with the investigation," said Miranda Sevcik, spokeswoman for Murray's lawyer Edward Chernoff. As the fireball grows around his head, he is set upon by members of the crew who tamp out the flames. It has been widely reported that in addition to Demerol and OxyContin, Jackson also abused the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the antidepressant Zoloft in the months before his death. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Michael Jackson's hair accidentally catching fire. It has been widely reported that in addition to Demerol and OxyContin, Jackson also abused the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the antidepressant Zoloft in the months before his death. Advertising executive Phil Dusenberry, one of the engineers of the Pepsi-Jackson endorsement deals, later titled his memoirThen We Set His Hair on Fire: Insights and Accidents from a Hall of Fame Career in Advertising. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? But there are still innumerable stories about the great Michael Jackson 's life and history that keep coming to light after his untimely passing. When footage of the incident emerged following Jackson's death in 2009, however, not everyone was convinced that the moment in question was the direct cause of the drug dependency that would eventually kill him. It was this video that helped "Thriller" become the biggest selling album of all time. Their relationship paved the way for Pepsi's ongoing association with pop stars on world tours, including Beyonc and Britney Spears. This isnt a man who should have died.. Donester said the hair products Jackson was wearing might have actually slowed the burning. Sevcik said Murray "did not prescribe or administer Oxycontin or Demerol" to Jackson, but would not rule out Diprivan. It didn't go well: At the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, in front of . Around 35 million copies of his albums were sold within the first 12 months after his death. In 2002, Jackson was ordered to undergo a medical examination after he failed to show up in a California courtroom in a trial over breach of contract because the pop star said he had a spider bite. "Michael is quite shocked. "He was just an extraordinary human being.". Friends and associates of Jackson have said they routinely tried to stage interventions to help the singer kick his habit, but they were routinely rebuffed or pushed away. He admitted to administering propofol to treat Jackson's insomnia, despite propofol not being approved for use as a sleep aid. One member of the audience, Virginia Watson, witnessed the accident. 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. The pop star was then hurried to the back of the set and treated by stage hands and his brothers. 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. Jackson was at the pinnacle of his career around the time of his accident. Michael did some stretches to warm up, as the lights lowered in the house. All rights reserved. Brando appears on the never-been-released footage of the Pepsi accident, obtained by Us Weekly, rushing to Jackson's aid several seconds after the pyrotechnics were fired and engulfed the singer. The video was the last video filmed for Jackson's album of the same name. Jackson was eventually charged with numerous counts related to child molestation, but a 2005 trial delivered a not guilty verdict. "It will take a few weeks to determine the hair loss.". 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. Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . In this video still image released by Us Weekly on July 16, 2009, pop star Michael Jackson, unaware his hair is on fire, films a Pepsi commercial at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 27, 1984. However, tragedy struck in 1984 during a $5 million deal with Pepsi to work on a promotional campaign. But 25 years later, the cause of the accident remains unclear. 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. In the same year, Jackson married Lisa-Marie Presley but they divorced 19 months later. He suffered hair loss as a result, and later became addicted to prescription painkillers after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his scalp. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? The star died of intoxication from prescription drugs at his home in 2009. "At this time, I don't think skin grafts are necessary.". Music industry officials said Jackson could earn as much as $10 million for the commercials. In 2002, Jackson was ordered to undergo a medical examination after he failed to show up in a California courtroom in a trial over breach of contract because the pop star said he had a spider bite. Jackson died June 25 at the age of 50, apparently of cardiac arrest. DETECTIVES who investigated the death of Michael Jackson have revealed details about the state of his body in the hours after his death. Find out more about how we use your personal data in our privacy policy and cookie policy. 1984. "There was nothing out of the ordinary that he did," Brando said. Michael Jackson's Career Earnings, Year-By-Year View All. Suddenly I felt my hands reflexively go to my head in an attempt to smother the flames.". Brando said he took Jackson to his doctors' appointments and said the singer did what he was told during his recovery. Speaking to ABC News,Jackson's close friend Miko Brando claimed: "Yes, it was an accident. Michael Jackson, Michael Bush and myself were using the last minutes to take care some details in the dressing room, just stage right. 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. Donald Donester, who was an eyewitness to the horrifying disaster posted on Us Weeklys Web site, believes it was the videos director, Bob Giraldi, who told Michael to wait on the platform where the pyrotechnics exploded too soon, catching the singer on fire. Both Michael and his brothers, signed a $5 million dollar promotional deal with Pepsi previously. "As far as Michael Jackson was concerned, 27 January 1984 was the beginning of the end," Richards and Langthorne write, referring to the day Jackson suffered third-degree burns on his scalp . 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. Jackson, who won seven American Music Awards and has been nominated for a record 12 Grammys, was filming a series of Pepsi-Cola commercials to debut next month. 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. But Brando said to conclude that this incident triggered the alleged addiction and the prescription painkillers Jackson was said to be taking at the time of his death is pure speculation. On January 27, 1984, Michael and his brothers were doing just that. During the sixth take, some pyrotechnics went off bigger than expected, launching embers into Jacksons hair and face, leaving his head engulfed in flame. It is believed to be the real Michael Jackson, who was injured during this time period. His hair never grew back properly either, which reportedly led to Jackson wearing wigs. As speculation and rumor mounts about Jackson's final days, Brando said he hopes his friend will be remembered for his caring spirit and his devotion to his friends and family. 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. . ", Jackson's reported drug addiction, Brando said, is "their opinion, not my opinion.". He now records with Columbia-Epic. Is Michael Jackson the best selling artist of all time? "It's hard to say," Miko Brando, a Jackson friend and son of the late actor Marlon Brando, told "Good Morning America." Also, certain Michael Jackson fanzines that were published in the . In 1993, in a statement denying allegations that he had molested a child, Jackson admitted he was hooked on prescription drugs since the accident and would enter rehab. NEW YORK - 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. During this time, Jackson was at the peak of his career. As a result of the accident, Pepsi gave Jackson $1.5 million, which he donated to a burn center named after him. This was how he looked during the 1990s (circa 91 - 93). The detectives also described the strange items found in Jackson's bedroom, which included a child's doll, needles, a noticeboard with young children on, and a number of bizarre post-it notes. Still photos of the accident have been seen before, but the new video on Us Weekly's Web site shows the moment Jackson's hair caught on fire and the top of his head became engulfed in flames. "It wasn't a spider bite. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Police investigating Jackson's June 25 death have confirmed that his home was filled with powerful prescription drugs including the painkillers Oxycontin and Demerol and the hospital-grade anesthetic Diprivan. The explosion was set off sooner than ever before. ", As he described the accident, he wrote: " bombs went off on either side of my head, and the sparks set my hair on fire. Jackson was well known for spending time alone with children as an adult, and accusations of molestation and sustained sexual abuse first surfaced against him in the early 1990s. Whatever, Giraldi told TMZ on Thursday. According to BT,Jackson danced too close to the stage pyrotechnics, which ignited his hair, full of product, including the highly flammable pomade. Michael realized it was an accident and had no ill will towards anyone including Pepsi, Coleman told Access. When he spins, the flames go out.