Pepsi has responded to yesterday’s appearance on the internet of footage of Michael Jackson being burned while filming an ad for the soft drink in 1984. Contacted by EW about the material, which was posted by US Weekly, Pepsi spokeswoman Nicole Bradley sent the following statement.
“We don’t know how the footage became available. Twenty-five years later, we’d question why anyone would want to share such frightening images. It was a terrifying event that we’ll never forget.
We were grateful for Michael’s recovery and for the chance to continue working with him on a number of successful projects.
As for Michael as an artist, his music helped us define a generation and, like everyone else, we’re deeply saddened by his passing.”
Bradley also told EW that the company is not currently attempting to get the footage taken down and that Pepsi itself may well not own the rights to the material. “We don’t know where it came from,” she says. “We don’t know what that footage is. It’s 25 years ago. We don’t know who owns it, so we have no recourse as far as I know. I can only tell you what I know. We didn’t put it up and we don’t know where it came from.”
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My thoughts excatly! Why would anyone want or care to see this. What’s worst…you see it on the news! How is this news. Really milking his death.
Let me the man rest.
http://tvdonewright.com/
A-freakin-men, Pepsi!
There’s a nice warm seat in hell for whoever drudged that up and put it out there. Congrats- you’re a massive d-bag.
I saw it once and really dont need to see it again. Its rather horrifying
Nice response Pepsi-Co.
Get over it people- your reactions are representative of all the enablers that Michael had to put up with in his life. Cover up the pain-here’s some pills. It’s too horrible to deal with-here’s some pills to ease your pain. Oh my God! Yes it was horrible-but it shows those of us who really cared-what he actually went through and gives insight into what might have gone wrong. You look at the images not the stories. You listen to MICHAEL and then the images. Michael was a public figure-this event didn’t happen in his kitchen. I can’t believe the quantity of enablers in this world and they don’t even see it!
Okay, I’m sort of with Pepsi on this one. Releasing the footage wasn’t necessary, but any goodwill I feel towards that statement is gone by Pepsi’s comment that ‘his music helped us define a generation’. Helped. US. Define a generation. Arrogant much? It is presumptuous, inappropriate and downright absurd to equate sales of a soft drink with a, recently deceased, man who led pop culture in the 1980s.
Ellen – I really think they were referring to a collective US. Not MJ and Pepsi – ALL of us.
lovemichaelforever: You are the only one who sounds like an enabler. There is no reason why this footage was shown other than greed. Someone had this footage–notice the cameraperson never stopped SHOOTING, even AFTER the incident. Voyeur much?
Anyway, someone got paid by US Magazine for this “exclusive” footage. And for what? So we all can gawk at someone’s pain? There’s nothing instructive in seeing this. Get outta here with that nonsense.
I was so disgusted I went an email to US Magazine as well. It is beyond me for any logical reasoning for the release of this video. It’s disrespectful of a very traumatic experience that did NOT have to be showcased around the world regardless of how widely popular Michael was as a person/entertainer. Foe this video to be released is such a disgrace to the media (as if they are already glowing examples of being humane) My only hope is to flip the malice that i believe was intended in showing this footage and help those who didn’t understand before that his injuries were quite serious and was the beginning of some very trying and painful times for him. RIP Michael
I think it is very in sain to show the pepsi accident.MJ went through enough in his life.What does the media and these sick people get off on watching someone get hurt.This country sure has turned in a wrong direction.Let MJ and his family have peace. I want to remember MJ as the great entertainer and master of music and the great giving person he was.
I thought it was pretty funny, especially when his head burst into flames, and then all the Black Panther guys came to put him out, lol!
Allan. You’re as low as the rag mag that put the video out there.
i was saddened to to hear that this footage was released… when they showed it on the news i was horrified and saddened…who wants to watch someone go through that kind of pain? it just looked like it hurt sooo bad, I could only thank God that he recovred from that incident and that he and pepsi were able to remain on good terms after (not all of us would have been so forgiving). I wish that this footage wouldve have remained locked away wherever it was. Whoever thought immediately following his death was a good time to release it needs to learn about empathy and sensitivity….. we miss you MJ
http://www.luxedelux.onsugar.com
I think putting up the footage was very low. And for the guy to say the “Black Panthers” came and put it out for him… you are sick…it really shows how little we have grown as a nation and makes you wonder are we really in 2009 or still in 1909?
I bet someone that went through MJ’s personal belongings after his death found the footage and attempted to make a quick buck. It’s sad that even after his death we still attempt to torment his image, but in a small way it opens a door into the pain he went through and what started his addiction to pain pills and plastic surgery. Life is so strange, Pepsi filmed that footage five time before the freak accident happened. You would think five times is enough footage. If that didn’t happen, who knows how much MJ would have changed.