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Michael Jackson speaks on his vitiligo and being black
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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.
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