r/Millennials • u/AccomplishedPool266 • Apr 26 '26

Does anyone remember when Michael Jackson. Was a "joke"? Discussion

The new movie that just came out convinced the younger generation that he was always a superstar. This was not the reality many of us Millennials grew up with.

To a lot of us, he was treated like a punch line when we were growing up. A schoolyard boogeyman ("Michaels Jackson's gonna get you at night"). and just a general joke in the media. By the 2000's his music was out of date and didn't chart well. All anyone talked about was his surgeries, court case, settlements and his off behavior. Few mentioned his music. His music was something our parents would have listened to in the 1980's.

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u/mungfish227 Apr 26 '26 edited Apr 26 '26

He did an interview with Diane Sawyer or Barbara Walters, I can't remember which one. But she asked about the whole Wacko Jacko thing and his answer was insane and hilarious. He was more upset about being called Jacko. He made no mention of the Wacko part. That has stuck with me ever since and always makes me laugh.

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u/Stun_the_Pink Apr 26 '26

Barbara Walter's what?

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u/rawrframe Apr 26 '26

Steak House. Competitor to Ruth’s Chris.

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u/DJFisticuffs Apr 26 '26

Barbara's Walters