Michael Jackson

Jim Henson, Kermit and Michael Jackson during the 1984 Victory Tour.

Jackson on A Special Sesame Street Christmas.

Kermit as Michael Jackson in Muppet Magazine.

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) was an internationally known pop star who came to prominence first as the youngest member of the Jackson 5 and later as a solo artist whose album Thriller (1982) remains the best selling album of all time.

Jackson appeared briefly in the 1978 TV special A Special Sesame Street Christmas, giving Oscar the Grouch a book about ghosts.

Jackson purchased the Beatles' music catalog from ATV in 1985; thanks to his purchase, a lawsuit against Sesame Workshop was dropped.

During pre-production on Labyrinth, Jackson was one of several musicians considered for the role of Jareth.

References

• Baby Kermit portrayed Michael Jackson in issue #18 of the Muppet Babies comic book.

• Kermit the Frog dressed as Jackson for a poster in the Spring 1988 issue of Muppet Magazine, spoofing Jackson's album Bad.

• Jackson's song "Beat It" was included in the 1985 stage show The Muppet Show on Tour: 2nd Edition.

• Sequences parodying the video for "Billie Jean" featured in the video clip for "I'm Gonna Always Love You."

• The Sesame Street song "Wet or Dry" spoofs Jackson's "Black or White."

• The Big Bad Wolf pays tribute to Jackson in his song "Bad Wolf," wearing a leather jacket and a single white glove. The song also spoofs his hit "Bad."

• A copy of Jackson's album Thriller appears on the wall during the "Rechov Video" segments of Shalom Sesame.

• A blooper from It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, shown on NBC's Funniest Outtakes 2, features Fozzie Bear dancing in his seat. Following the clip, Fozzie comments he learned the moves from Jackson.

• Elmo and a group of Sesame Street monsters performed at the Hollywood Meets Motown event dressed as the Jackson 5.

• Walk-around versions of the Sesame Street Muppets performed "Thriller" to the pre-recorded voices of the Muppeteers in The Not-Too-Spooky Halloween Radio Show! at Sesame Place.

• Miles uses Jackson's name as a magic word in a season 21 episode of Sesame Street.

• In the "Cubby Creature" episode of Abby's Flying Fairy School, Blogg wears a red leather jacket similar to Michael Jackson's in the "Beat It" music video, as well as performing the moonwalk and the dance from the "Thriller" video. Music cues from some of his songs accompany (including "Beat It," "Thriller" and "Billy Jean").

• When Constantine thanks the audience at the end of El Muppet Show in Muppets Most Wanted, he leaves the stage doing the Moonwalk, Jackson's signature dance move.

1984 Victory Tour

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Jackson on A Special Sesame Street Christmas with Oscar the Grouch and Leslie Uggams.

Jackson with Oscar in A Special Sesame Street Christmas

Muppet Babies dressed as Jackson on the cover of Muppet Babies issue #18.

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Kermit dressed as Jackson in The Muppet Show on Tour: 2nd Edition

The Big Bad Wolf in a Jackson-esque outfit

Blogg's "Thriller" jacket

Muppet Mentions

• A picture of Jackson with Jim Henson and Kermit the Frog is featured in his 1988 autobiography, Moon Walk. The photo was later shown during Jackson's memorial service, which was broadcast worldwide.
• The documentary, Living with Michael Jackson features a Kermit the Frog pill box as part of Jackson's collection.

External links

• Official site
• IMDb