Video: The strangely compelling “Jacko’s hair catches on fire” clip
posted at 8:23 pm on July 15, 2009 by Allahpundit
Not sure what it is, exactly, but there’s something haunting about this. Us magazine is pushing it as the smoking gun in his death insofar as it led to his painkiller addiction, but who knows if that’s true. I think it’s a combo of the eerie silence, the jarring sight of Jacko from back when he looked like a human being, and the fact that this is a hugely famous event which, inexplicably, no one’s ever seen the footage of before. How was it suppressed for fully 25 years, especially given how perfectly positioned the camera was to film his head bursting into flames? Whatever the reason, I felt more sympathy for him after watching it than I did on the day he died. Go figure.
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Wasn’t there a story about how this was the accident that led to the discovery of him having some sort of disease? Lupus, or something?
If that’s the case, it makes the pain killers thing more believable.
All I have to say about Jackson is he was a sad state of a person who lived with non-normal issues.
Pomme143 on July 16, 2009 at 2:58 AM
Reached for a comment after, Michael Jackson was quoted as saying, “This burns me up!”
Captain America on July 16, 2009 at 3:16 AM
Michael Jackson died?! When did this happen?
GrayLoess on July 16, 2009 at 3:43 AM
Is it just me or does this video come off like one of those truther/the-free-masons-are-out-to-get-us videos.
DethMetalCookieMonst on July 16, 2009 at 6:54 AM
Hey Capt., you better not joke about some peoples icon. When some people get emotionally attached to some celebrity, that celebrity could be an ax murderer and society would STILL make excuses.
Jeff from WI on July 16, 2009 at 7:55 AM
After a while, things stop hurting and there is no need for pain medication. It’s not an issue of tolerance. I have no problems giving medication to people who are in pain or just to make them more comfortable. But, if your need is psychological, that is something different and it is not due to the pain.
Blake on July 16, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Finally a Michael Jackson thread where half the posts don’t turn into a Duke-Lacross-Team-Prosicuter on MJ.
DethMetalCookieMonst on July 16, 2009 at 8:18 AM
You’re talking about the filthy liar in the White House, aren’t you.
highhopes on July 16, 2009 at 8:18 AM
I forgot this until it was mentioned on the news this morning. There was a huge legal battle over this footage. Jackson wanted it to document the accident for a lawsuit. Perhaps that’s why it only showing up now.
highhopes on July 16, 2009 at 8:21 AM
Jackson 5 – “Thriller” = Black Michael
“Bad” = Mulato Michael
“Dangerous” – “Blood on the Dance Floor” = White Michael
After “BotDF” = Alien Michael
DethMetalCookieMonst on July 16, 2009 at 8:23 AM
I saw this vid yesterday…and I agree…It is haunting.
I would also agree that this injury is more than likely what started his addiction to pain killers and eventually the plastic surgeries.
I watched the memorial – muted Sharpton and Jackson-Lee.
With the exception of those two,….It was a relatively nice memorial for someone who was/is an icon within the music industry. As we’ve all seen by now, it ended with Paris (his daughter), saying a few words about the only man she’s ever known to be her “Dad”, crying, and trying to get through it.
I heard someone say (before the memorial started), that although there’s all this pomp and carrying-on about this man’s death, things eventually end up much the same way for most of us….We live, we hope we do well in life, and then we die. Hopefully those around us (family and friends) do much the same that MJ’s family did at the memorial – pay respects to their loved one, and lay them to rest. Sadly, some of us die sooner than we’d like, or sooner than anyone else would like.
He gave everything he had to what he did best…And that was to entertain his fans.
For what it’s worth – or not worth – I’m one of them. I grew up watching him grow up, since we were only 10 years apart in age. I listened to his music and his music is woven into the memories of my childhood.
Many of us have probably taken “heat” since his death for merely for being able to speak of MJ in terms of his talent and his charity to others. For me, I didn’t feel it necessary to take cheap shots, due to how he presented himself, or due to what he was accused of. It wasn’t the time for such things. Enough of that has been done already, during his life, and I didn’t feel the need to rehash any of it, before his body is cold and buried.
In the end, it comes down to this: Most of us were raised up with a solid values system and are therefore able to stand fast on the virtues of decency and respect. These days, those of us who are on the more “level-headed” side of society should lead by example and “practice what we preach”, when it comes to this issue. We can’t very well bitch about the “lack-luster” side of society, and THEIR lack of decency and respect, if we can’t muster the same thing ourselves. Death is something we’ll all face, eventually. It’s neither political nor social. It is the “great equalizer”…Something that should, like the fear of God, make us all think twice about being disrespectful in its shadow.
Rest in peace, Michael.
Talismen on July 16, 2009 at 8:45 AM
he had vitiligo which causes the skin to turn white after some injury
My childhood friend had it.
Ed Laskie on July 16, 2009 at 9:11 AM
“…the fact that this is a hugely famous event which, inexplicably, no one’s ever seen the footage of before. How was it suppressed for fully 25 years, especially given how perfectly positioned the camera was to film his head bursting into flames?”
This particular recording may not have been seen before, but there were several others of the incident. They were played repeatedly in the weeks following the accident.
Jacko’s hair on fire got more news coverage than the Union Carbide accident in Bhopal, kidnappings and bombings in Lebanon, and the Russian boycott of the LA Olympics combined.
RobertE on July 16, 2009 at 9:26 AM
the more things change….the more they stay the same
sven10077 on July 16, 2009 at 9:35 AM
When I saw this video yesterday on the US site, I admit I had to giggle when I first saw him walking around oblivious that his hair was on fire and then wiggling around. But then when I saw how badly he was burned, I did feel bad for him. It’s just that the first part looked like something you’d see in a cartoon or to Kramer on Seinfeld.
Big John on July 16, 2009 at 9:50 AM
People die from industrial accidents every day. People are hurt much worse than this in traffic accidents. This is nothing.
Jeff from WI on July 16, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Well, it’s not nothing, but it’s not hanging out in the field in Afghanistan, either. ;)
bridgetown on July 16, 2009 at 10:21 AM
I remember seeing video of Michael’s hair catching on fire shortly after it happened.
MarkTheGreat on July 16, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Burns are very, very painful. He had 2nd degree burns over most of his scalp.
MarkTheGreat on July 16, 2009 at 10:52 AM
The really sad part about watching this video is not the accident, which is, make no mistake about it, bad enough and could have been much worse.
What is truly sad is to see Michael Jackson as he used to be, before he allowed overdone plastic surgery to turn him into the nightmarish walking mannequin that he tragically died as.
In this video, and at the time it was filmed, Michael looks normal. Young, handsome, full of life, and normal.
pilamaye on July 16, 2009 at 11:48 AM
A friend of mine suffered 2nd degree burns to his face in a construction accident about 8 years ago. His face looked like a swollen apple. That GOD for the burn doctors who treated him. Now you can’t even tell that he was ever burned. My friend did need to see a Pyschiatrist to deal with the trauma of the accident. You can’t say getting burned is nothing.
I was in fourth grade when that MJ incident happened. I remember the only thing released from the incident was a front view photo of MJ with his hair on fire (and a photo of him being rushed to the hospital). Alot of people didn’t think MJ was severely injured. After seeing that video, he really was.
RedRobin145 on July 16, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Adios Mr. Jefferson.
omnipotent on July 16, 2009 at 12:32 PM
What looks so eerily painful is when that sequined gloved hand goes to touch the wound….jeez.
AprilOrit on July 16, 2009 at 2:51 PM
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