michael jackson This time his new music biopic “Michael” has taken the world by storm and set a record as the highest-grossing box office hit of all time. “Michael,” starring the singer’s nephew, debuted Wednesday and grossed $217 million worldwide Jafar Jackson.
The film focuses on the legendary musician’s journey to Hollywood, featuring hits from “ABC” to “Human Nature.” But the biopic also touches on one of the King of Pop’s most painful periods.
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The accident that led to the collapse of Pepsi-Cola
The incident occurred on January 27, 1984, during a high-profile filming for Pepsi at the Temple Auditorium in Los Angeles, and remains one of the most shocking incidents in entertainment history.
Jackson was 25 at the time and at the height of his fame following the success of Thriller.
Jackson was performing an arena concert for an audience of 3,000 people. Everything was going according to plan until the sixth take, when he walked down the stairs singing “Billie Jean.” Just then, behind him, a firework exploded, showering Jackson with sparks and setting his hair on fire. He continued the show with fire.
Jackson’s siblings and staff rushed to his aid, covering his singed hair with jackets, according to a BBC news report broadcast at the time. He was subsequently treated for second- and third-degree burns. He also lost a lot of hair.
Over the next few months, he underwent outpatient treatment, including surgery three months later to help remove scar tissue from his scalp.
According to viewers, he remained calm throughout the bizarre incident, which some even thought was a stunt. Even while being transported to the hospital, he still wore shiny silver gloves.
Pepsi aired commercial
Jackson reached an out-of-court settlement with him Pepsi $1.5 million (currently about $4.9 million, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics), as described in “Michael.” He gave Brotman all his money and continued seeing people long after treatment ended.
The tragedy didn’t stop the Pepsi commercial from airing.
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Documentary and biopic claim Pepsi ad sparked his addiction to prescription painkillers
Jackson family attorney Brian Panish says in TMZ’s new documentary “Michael Jackson: The Fatal 30 Seconds” that the Pepsi incident caused the pop star to suffer from substance abuse and low self-esteem for the rest of his life.
On June 25, 2009, Jackson died of acute propofol poisoning at the age of 50. According to the Mayo Clinic, injections of propofol can help you relax or fall asleep before and during surgery or other medical procedures.
