30 Years Ago Today: The Fire That Ignited Michael Jackson's Downfall

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson, dressed in a sparkling blue and gold military-style jacket, white collared shirt and black cropped pants was all smiles at the end of one incredible night in February 1984.

The 25-year old supernova had just spent the past few hours strolling up to the podium to accept, what turned out to be a record number of Grammy awards for his 14-month old album, Thriller.

It was a truly amazing moment.

In contrast to this historic night by Jackson, the horrific event that took place in this exact building just one month earlier sent shock waves around the world and nearly killed the most popular, acclaimed and iconic entertainer on the planet at the peak of his powers.

That infamous fire.

Indeed, it was 30 years ago today that Jackson suffered second and third degree burns while filming a television ad for Pepsi with his brothers. MJ had already completed filming a different ad a few days prior for the company set on a city street and co-starring Alfonso Ribeiro (who later starred on "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"). This commercial was called, "Concert" and was directed by Bob Giraldi, who also shot Jackson's legendary "Beat It" short film in early 1983.

During the shooting, Michael was supposed to descend a flight of steps down to a stage where his brothers were performing in front of 5,000 screaming fans in a simulated concert setting. A calculated special effect was planned to illuminate the area just behind Jackson to give off an electrifying appearance as he ran down the steps to the thumping bassline of a modified version of his hit single "Billie Jean."

On the sixth take, MJ ran down the steps and the pyrotechnic effect malfunctioned and shot a fire spark into his hair just as he ran down the steps. Unbeknownst to the megastar, the back of his head became engulfed in flames, which miraculously went away as he reached the stage and performed one of his trademark quicksilver spin moves. Within seconds, his brothers and stage hands ran to his aide and smothered his scalp, which was now emanating smoke fumes from the flames.

As it turned out, Michael was transported to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, then moved to Brotman Medical Center to treat his serious burns. As the entertainment world held its collective breath, sales of Jackson's Thriller album soared again, a remarkable feat given its already iconic standing as the best selling album in history.

Director Giraldi was later criticized for his decision to instruct Jackson to stay at the top of the staircase a little longer so he would "look majestic" as he came down the stairs against the backdrop of the special effects.

More than anything, that seminal moment in Michael Jackson's life started a downward spiral that last a quarter century and ended in his shocking death in 2009. By then, MJ's public reputation was light years removed from that early '84 era when, in the eyes of the American people, he simply could do no wrong.

As a result of the Pepsi fire, Michael was treated with a series of intense painkillers for his severe injuries to his scalp. People close to the situation have stated numerous times that he suffered major pain from that incident for the rest of his life. That led to a painkiller dependency a decade after the fire which, combined with the colossal level of stress he experienced for the 25 years after the accident, led him to Propofol, the prescription drug that ultimately took him away from us.

I will always remember that famous commercial with great sadness. Jackson continues to be the gold standard in excellence as an entertainer and innovator. It really sucks that his life took such a turn for the worst.

Damn you, Pepsi!

26 Years Ago Today: Pepsi Turns Sour For Michael Jackson

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson is said to have died from an overdose of prescription medications given to him by his doctor. The legendary entertainer had also become dependent on several painkillers, an addiction that was birthed after an awful fire in 1984 that nearly claimed his life.

Damn you, Pepsi.

It was 26 years ago today that Michael's scalp was severely burned while filming a Pepsi commercial. The event was horrible enough at the time given the fact that Jackson was at the very peak of his popularity and success. On top of that, the near fatal incident wound up having much worse lasting effects that didn't become apparent until last summer. That's when Michael suddenly died at age 50 from the aforementioned overdose. Those close to him revealed that because of the immense pain that resulted from the second degree burns he suffered on the Pepsi set, he began taking painkillers. That led to an addiction, which brought him into the world of other meds that would help him sleep or cope with the stress of his high-profile career and personal life.

Talk about a chain reaction.

It was baffling to me that, in mid-July 2009, video footage from that infamous Pepsi ad surfaced after 25 years and showed in very graphic detail exactly how Michael's hair caught fire. It shows him, at age 25 clad in a sparkly jacket and standing at the top of a flight of stairs. In front of him is an audience of people placed there to simulate a concert. Michael descended the staircase several times, but on the sixth take, a tiny spark from a pyrotechnics effect shot into his very flammable Jheri-curled hair. Oblivious to what has happened, the megastar struts down the steps while his head becomes engulfed in flames. He does one of his trademark quicksilver spins, and suddenly realizes his hair is ablaze, then drops to the floor. At this point, Miko Brando and several others frantically rush to him and smother the flames out. Seconds later, Jackson is helped to his feet with a now gaping patch of missing hair in the back of his head. He looks a bit shaken and groggy as he is whisked away to an ambulance.

Michael wound up recovering and Pepsi settled with him for $1.5 million. Naturally, MJ donated the money to a hospital which now houses The Michael Jackson Burn Center as a result. Needless to say, the entertainment industry held its collective breath when news of this accident spread. At the time, Michael's status within the United States and abroad was excellent. He was the most invincible, unassailable and mindlessly talented figure in the business who was less than two months past the release of the groundbreaking "Thriller" music video. He'd just won an amazing eight American Music Awards less than two weeks prior to the fire and was a month away from dominating the Grammys with another eight awards. In other words, Michael was the biggest thing on planet Earth at the time outside of water.

Looking back, I have fond memories of that Pepsi commercial as well as another he did in tandem. But I still remember my six year old self being horrified and very scared at what happened to MJ that night. In light of his demise last summer and its loose connection to the '84 fire, I have some contempt for Pepsi, rightly or wrongly.

Because of what happened to Michael on their watch, Pepsi will always leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Michael's Departure: One Month Later

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson's sudden and shocking death occurred one month ago today and it continues to be a very sad and frustrating reality for me to accept.

I love him so very much.

The memories of that day, June 25, 2009, are still extremely painful and indelible for me. In the 30 days since, I have been both delighted and appalled at the way the media has portrayed and remembered his life. Of course Michael was incredibly complicated, that tends to happen when one becomes an international star in their teens and a global obsession in their twenties.

But the vilification of Michael has been disgusting.

Many people have talked endlessly of the child molestation allegations levied against him, both in 1993 and again in 2003 (which he was acquitted of in 2005). They've talked of his addiction to pain medication and his extensive plastic surgery. They've talked of his excessive spending and subsequent debt. In short, they've cleaned out his closet.

I'm not saying these things don't matter when defining his life and legacy; they do. I just wish that the people who drag his name through the mud would also give him credit for being such a positive, selfless and inspirational figure worldwide for four decades. Just once, can his critics see his colossal achievements and financial contributions to the planet as a good thing?

In a small way, he really did "heal the world!"

A couple weeks ago, stunning video was released of Michael's ill-fated Pepsi commercial shoot during which he suffered major burns to his scalp and face. The event took place 25 years ago, but the footage has only surfaced now. If anything, the graphic nature of the video, in which flames ignite his hair as he descends a staircase oblivious to the dire situation upon him provides a disturbing visual of the severity of that long ago tragedy. It is said to have been the genesis of his addiction to pain medication, which may have, in part led to his demise.

The past month has also proven his music legacy to be immortal. Enormous sales spikes have placed many of his timeless, classic tunes at the top of the charts as grieving fans the world over have sought solace in his scintillating music. Iconic short films from 1979's Off the Wall, 1982's Thriller, 1987's Bad and 1991's Dangerous have garnered major play on television and for those of us that adored Michael, made us smile with the memories of the first time we saw those brilliant videos.

With an endless and tangled web of legal matters yet to be hashed out by his attorneys, I refuse to delve into it. Michael himself is always what's mattered to me most and his gigantic impact on my life will never be compromised or diminished.

He had his demons and his flaws just like the rest of us, but Mr. Michael Joseph Jackson was a true gift that this world received, but never deserved.

I love you, Michael.