Despite his legendary stage presence and electrifying live performances, Michael Jackson was reportedly plagued by a deep-seated fear of performing live. According to those close to him, Jackson would become extremely nervous before shows and would sometimes become physically ill as a result.

The roots of Jackson’s stage fright are unclear, but there are a number of factors that may have contributed to it. For one thing, Jackson was a notorious perfectionist, and he reportedly spent countless hours rehearsing and preparing for his shows. This intense focus on getting everything just right may have contributed to his anxiety about performing.

In addition, Jackson’s personal life was often fraught with turmoil and stress, which may have compounded his stage fright. He was the subject of constant media scrutiny, and he faced a number of legal and financial troubles throughout his career. All of this may have taken a toll on his mental health and made it even more difficult for him to perform in front of large crowds.

Despite his fears, Jackson’s live performances were still some of the most memorable and iconic moments in music history. His energy, charisma, and talent on stage were truly unparalleled, and they continue to inspire and entertain fans around the world to this day.

Although Michael Jackson was best known for his music and dance skills, he also had a deep love of comic books. In fact, he reportedly owned one of the largest collections of comic books in the world, with some estimates putting the number at over 10,000 issues.

Jackson’s love of comics was reflected in his music and public persona in a number of ways. For example, he frequently incorporated superhero imagery and themes into his music videos and stage performances. In the video for his hit song “Black or White”, he transforms into a panther-like creature and destroys a car with his bare hands. In the video for “Scream”, he and his sister Janet Jackson play space-age superheroes, complete with high-tech suits and jetpacks.

Jackson was also known for his philanthropic work related to comic books. He once donated $1.5 million to the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to help build a state-of-the-art facility for the treatment of rare diseases, and he asked that one of the hospital’s waiting rooms be decorated with a comic book theme. He also supported a number of other charities that focused on literacy and education, including the Children’s Defense Fund and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Another iconic aspect of Michael Jackson’s public persona was his fashion sense, which often included flashy, over-the-top outfits that helped cement his status as a pop culture icon. One of the most famous examples of this is the red leather jacket that he wore in the music video for his hit song “Thriller”.

The jacket was designed by Jackson’s longtime costume designer Deborah Landis, who is also the wife of the film director John Landis, who directed the “Thriller” video. According to Landis, Jackson was very involved in the design process and had specific ideas about what he wanted the jacket to look like. She eventually settled on a red leather jacket with black stripes and a unique, asymmetrical design.

The jacket quickly became an iconic piece of pop culture history, with replicas and knockoffs popping up all over the world. In fact, the jacket was so famous that it was even put on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in 2011, as part of an exhibit on American popular culture.

One of the more unusual aspects of Michael Jackson’s public persona was his deep love of animals, which included a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles. Jackson reportedly acquired Bubbles from a research facility in Texas in the early 1980s, when the chimp was just a few months old. Over the years, Bubbles became a regular part of Jackson’s entourage, accompanying him on tours and appearing in photoshoots and press conferences.

At the time, Jackson’s relationship with Bubbles was seen as a novelty and a curiosity, but it also raised questions about the ethics of keeping wild animals as pets. Jackson defended his decision to keep Bubbles, insisting that the chimp was well-cared for and happy. However, as Bubbles grew older and more difficult to control, Jackson eventually had to give him up. Bubbles was sent to live at a sanctuary in Florida, where he reportedly still resides today.

Bubbles wasn’t the only animal in Jackson’s menagerie, however. He also reportedly had a number of other exotic pets, including a python named Crusher, a parrot named Sebastian, and a llama named Louie. Jackson’s love of animals extended beyond his personal life, as well. He was a vocal supporter of animal rights organizations, and he frequently used his platform to raise awareness about issues like animal abuse and endangered species conservation.

One of the most iconic dance moves from Michael Jackson’s music videos and live performances is the “anti-gravity lean”. In this move, Jackson appears to be leaning forward at an extreme angle, almost defying gravity. While many people assumed that this was simply a trick of camera angles and special effects, it turns out that Jackson actually had a patented pair of shoes that allowed him to perform this move in real life.

The shoes, which were designed by Jackson’s longtime choreographer Michael Peters, had a special slot in the heel that could be hooked onto a metal peg in the floor. This peg would anchor the shoes to the ground, allowing Jackson to lean forward beyond his center of gravity without falling over. The shoes were made with a special hinge that would lock into place when they were hooked onto the peg, creating the illusion that Jackson was defying gravity.

The shoes were so integral to Jackson’s live performances that he reportedly had backup pairs in case anything went wrong with the original pair. They were also kept under tight security, with only a select few people allowed to handle them. In fact, Jackson was so secretive about the shoes that he once threatened to fire his backup dancers if they ever revealed the secret behind the anti-gravity lean.