According to the Daily Mail, previously unseen footage of the Michael Jackson’s hair engulfed in flames as a stunt went badly wrong while an advert for Pepsi in 1984 has emerged.
“The distressing images show the moment a pyrotechnic stunt caused Jackson’s hair to set alight, and the singer continue dancing with his hair on fire as he failed to realise that anything was wrong.
As a result Jackson’s scalp was left severely burnt and he was prescribed painkillers to treat his agonizing injuries - leading to an addiction it is alleged he never managed to kick.”
So, if you’re morbid like us, you can now see the exact moment when Michael Jackson’s life began to crumble and fall away beneath his feet. Plus - check out the awesome bald spot that fire leaves!
The 1984 Pepsi commercial in which Michael Jackson’s hair caught on fire was one of the most trying times for the music icon. For years, only the 3,000 fans that attended the filming witnessed the infamous incident, but now a new video has been released that shows the whole incident that changed his life.
On January 27, 1984 Michael Jackson was on set at the Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium to film a Pepsi commercial. Everything was going perfect, until the sixth take when premature pyrotechnics exploded, and the sparked caught Michael’s hair on fire. (Warning: the video is graphic.)
The video shows the pyrotechnics exploding near Jackson whose back was turned to the camera. The sparks ignited the singer’s hair. Michael was unaware that he was on fire and continued to perform. People rushed him trying to put the fire out, but Michael had burns on his scalp. He suffered from second and third degree burns on his face and scalp. Jackson was rushed to the hospital, but first reassured the 3,000 fans that he was okay.
According to reports the incident sparked Jackson’s use of painkillers and prescription medications, which may have led to an addiction that.
Michael settled out of courts with Pepsi, gaining a $1.5 million settlement. He donated his settlement to the Brotman Memorial Hospital in Culver City, California, establishing the Michael Jackson Burn Center for Children.
Watch the video of Michael’s hair catching on fir in the Pepsi commercial below. It is very graphic.