Fans of Michael Jackson's music and dance can be found on practically every shore, coming from every walk of life. In LA--which Jackson called home for many years-—quite a few of those fans happen to be in the entertainment industry as well. We got these insiders to share their thoughts and memories about the King of Pop.
Hal Sparks, actor/comedian/host (VH1, Queer As Folk)
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Dirty Diana" and "Beat It"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
Highwaters can be cool.
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
Finding out how much the real MJ red "Beat It" jacket cost and knowing that there was no way I would get one for Christmas...seriously considered spray painting a Members Only jacket.
Raymond Roker, music magazine publisher (Urb magazine)
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and "Never Can Say Goodbye"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
Michael taught my generation a lot of things, but for one: be black and be proud. Besides shows like Fat Albert, which were layered with convoluted social messages, Michael's effortless confidence and totally fresh talent and style elevated us. Sounds quaint and maybe even cliché today, but he wore his afro high in the 1970s, and is curls loose in the '80s. And we followed.
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
Calling into WTIX AM Radio in New Orleans around 1980 and winning a chance to rummage through their record library. I went down and picked up three records that would hint at the next 25+ of my life: Blondie's American Gigolo, Pink Floyd's The Wall and Michael Jackson's Off the Wall. I still have that vinyl.
Petra Haden, musical artist
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Human Nature"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
That I don't have to change at all.
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
He touched my sister Tanya's cheek at a Grammy party about 15 years ago and said, "You're beautiful."
Joe Dallesandro, Actor, Sex Symbol (Andy Warhol's Frankenstein, Dracula and Heat)
Some words on Michael Jackson:
Michael was magic. Pure magic. In a time when reality TV gives us our "stars" he is the finest example of what a star really is.
Jay King, musical artist and producer (founder and creator of the group Club Nouveau)
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"I Wanna Be Where You Are" and "Strangers In Moscow"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
No matter what you do, no matter how big you are, they expect more!
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
When he did "Billie Jean" on Motown 25.
Brian Bumbery, Vice President, Publicity at Warner Bros. Records (publicist for Green Day)
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'"
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
Most memorable moment would have to be when MJ Performed "Billie Jean" at the Grammy Awards in the '80s.
The second would have to be when he went to the American Music Awards with Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis. I remember thinking it was odd.
Peter Glatzer, TV and film producer (Alter Eco with Adrian Grenier)
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Ben" and "P.Y.T"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
A good childhood goes a long way in life and a bad childhood can really mess you up.
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
It was 1994. I was renting a house off-season in East Hampton while I was running the film festival there. There were a few vinyl records, which belonged to the owner of this house and they were the only source of music. Thriller was one of them. I had friends over for dinner and we danced to that record like kids--completely dorked-out and uninhibited. We were literally bouncing off the walls. It was outstanding and I still think about it sometimes.
John Gold, musical artist
What are your two favorite Michael Jackson tunes?
"Never Can Say Goodbye" and "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
What have you learned from Michael Jackson?
I learned to keep listening closely when a song is fading out. Always some vocal gems in there!
What was your most memorable Michael Jackson moment?
My mom and I cried when we first saw him moonwalk on TV. She tried to buy me a Thriller jacket from Miller's Outpost... but even then I knew only one guy could rock that.
