During a 1993 Michael Jackson interview with Oprah, he talks about his skin disease -- how it all started and how he tried to control it. He also emphasized that he was more than proud to be black and that all the rumors that people spread were so untrue and did more than just hurt him.
Michael Jackson on Vitiligo and being black:
Oprah: Let's go to the thing that is most discussed about you, that is, the color of your skin...is most obviously different than when you were younger, and so I think it has caused a great deal of speculation and controversy as to what you have done or are doing, are you bleaching your skin, and is your skin getting lighter because you don't like being black?
Michael: Number one, as far as I know of there is no such thing as skin bleaching. I have never seen it, I don't know what it is.
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Oprah: Well they used to have those products, I remember growing up always hearing "always use bleach and glow", but you have to have about 300,000 gallons.
Michael: OK, but number one, this is the situation. I have a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of my skin, it's something that I cannot help, OK? But when people make up stories that I don't want to be what I am it hurts me.
Oprah: So it is...
Michael: It's a problem for me that I can't control...but what about all the millions of people who sit out in the sun, to become darker, to become other than what they are. No one says nothing about that.
Oprah: So when did this start? When did your...when did the color of your skin start to change?
Michael: Oh boy, I don't....sometime after Thriller, around Off The Wall, Thriller, sometime around then.
Oprah: But what did you think?
Michael: It's in my family, my father said it's on his side. I can't control it, I don't understand. I mean it makes me very sad. I don't want to go into my medical history because that is private, but that's the situation here.
Oprah: So OK, I just want to get this straight, you are not taking anything to change the color of your skin?
Michael: Oh God no, we tried to control it and using make-up evens it out because it makes blotches on my skin. I have to even out my skin. But you know what's funny, why is that so important? That's not important to me. I'm a great fan of art. I love Michaelangelo, if I had a chance to talk to him or read about him I would want to know what inspired him to become who he is, the anatomy of his craftsmanship, not about who he went out with last night....what's wrong with....I mean that's what is important to me.
Oprah: How much plastic surgery have you had?
Michael: Very, very little. I mean you can count on my two fingers. I mean let's say this, if you want to know about those things, all the nosey people in the world, read my book Moonwalk, it's in my book. You know, let's put it this way, if all the people in Hollywood who have had plastic surgery, if they went on vacation, there wouldn't be a person left in town.
Oprah: Mmmm, I think you might be right.
Michael: I think I am right. It would be empty.
Oprah: Did you start having plastic surgery because of those teen years because of not liking the way you looked?
Michael: No, not really. It was only two things. Really, get my book, it's no big deal.
Oprah: You don't want to tell me what it is? You had your nose done, obviously...
Michael: Yeah, but so did a lot of people that I know.
Oprah: And so, when you hear all these things about you, and there have been more...
Michael: I've never had my cheekbones done, never had my eyes done, never had my lips done and all this stuff, they just go too far...
Oprah: Are you pleased with the way you...
Michael: I'm never pleased with anything, I'm a perfectionist, it's part of who I am.
Oprah: And so when you look in the mirror now and see the image that looks back at you are there days when you say I kinda like this, or I like the way my hair...
Michael: No, I'm nev...
Oprah: ....or I'm kinda cute today...
Michael: ...(giggles)...cute today....no, I'm never pleased with myself. No, I try not to look in the mirror.
Listen to the interview here.
Comments
Micheal Jackson is a good person i dont know y people say rumors about him
HE COULD HAVE LEFT HIS SELF BLACK EITHER WAY HE LOOK GOOD
It's sad but a blessing that Michael has passed on because he no longer has to listen too all the negative about him. It's amazing how a parent can affect a child for the rest of his life. Hopefully, he is at PEACE now.
Vitiligo has been related to emotional and physical trauma. Michael Jackson was psychologically/emotionally abused as a child and was a burn victim. I am not black, but I can relate because I was diagnosed with vitiligo after a traumatic experience in my life--- as if what I went through wasn't devastating enough. In my case, the medication didn't help. It wasn't until I released the pent-up emotions and told that person what I truly felt that I started to heal. I only have a small, white spot in my body ( less than 1 cm in diameter) I thank the heavens for that. I hope MJ had the chance to speak to his dad about his true feelings and I hope that Joe Jackson had the chance to say what MJ needed to hear. I also believe that Michael Jackson was used by God to test us...to test our unconditional acceptance and love for another human being. I think some of us failed. All MJ tried to do was spread the message of love and unity through his music, but instead he was attacked and l
lies were cooked up to make him out to be a monster that he was not. Michael Jackson was found innocent of all charges in the United States---this land where you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. What happend after he proved his innocence? Some people still treated him like a criminal because I think they allowed the tabloids and the media to think for them. Michael Jackson was proud of his black heritage. He spoke about his love for Africa and about African culture and legacy. There is a video and radio interview with Jesse Jackson on youtube of him speaking against racism. That side of Michael was never shown to us on television.
Vitiligo has been related to emotional and physical trauma. Michael Jackson was psychologically/emotionally abused as a child and was a burn victim. I am not black, but I can relate because I was diagnosed with vitiligo after a traumatic experience in my life--- as if what I went through wasn't devastating enough. In my case, the medication didn't help. It wasn't until I released the pent-up emotions and told that person what I truly felt that I started to heal. I only have a small, white spot in my body ( less than 1 cm in diameter) I thank the heavens for that. I hope MJ had the chance to speak to his dad about his true feelings and I hope that Joe Jackson had the chance to say what MJ needed to hear
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michael is a very good guy, and his very love children where ever his stay.
he is an awsome artist and no body should judge him if they don't know him or his past....
He deserves alot more respect than he gets!
its crazy how things work, nobody loves the way they look them selfs; if we had the money & time to focus on our look.. i believe we would.. its always something; teeth, hair, boobs, ass, abs, fat ppl want to be skinny now in days, skinny ppl want to be models, its all just in our heads, i love myself just how i am, & that to be said im not perfect. what ever happen to falling for someone for who they are & not for what they look like
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