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Pop Culture Happy Hour

Michael and What's Making Us Happy

4/24/202623 min

Michael Jackson was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, so it’s only natural that he’s the subject of a glossy, big-budget biopic. In Michael, the singer’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson portrays him in his rise to fame. The film leans heavily on the depiction of live performances, but steers entirely clear of the controversies that dogged the singer.  Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture

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Clips

Casting Joseph As The Villain
Dead-Eyed Performance Critique
Biopic Is Junk Rant
Authorized Biography Burn
Do We Need This?
From Superfan To Skeptic
Scar-Like Prosthetics Distraction

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Aisha Harris· Host0:00

    This message comes from Whole Foods Market. Make Mother's Day special with quality cheese and charcuterie, sustainable wild-caught or responsibly farmed seafood, and seasonal bakery treats. Celebrate mom with Whole Foods Market A warning: this episode contains mentions of sexual abuse.

  2. Stephen Thompson· Host0:17

    [upbeat music] Michael Jackson was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, so it's only natural that he's the subject of a glossy, big budget biopic. Michael dramatizes the singer's rise in the '60s up through a performance of Bad in the late '80s. The film leans heavily on the depiction of live performances led by Jaafar Jackson, who is Michael's real-life nephew. But it steers entirely clear of the controversies that dogged the singer. I'm Stephen Thompson. Today, we are talking about Michael on Pop Culture Happy Hour from NPR. Joining me today is my cohost, Aisha Harris. Hey, Aisha.

  3. Aisha Harris· Host0:58

    A hee hee hee. Hello, Stephen.

  4. Stephen Thompson· Host1:01

    [laughs] [laughs] Shamone. [laughs] Okay. Also with us, journalist and host of the movie review podcast Seeded, Tre'vell Anderson. Hey, Tre'vell.

  5. Tre'vell Anderson· Guest1:10

    I'm just gonna give y'all a regular old hello, if that's okay.

  6. Stephen Thompson· Host1:13

    [laughs] [laughs] Tre'vell, you were the one I most wanted to hear sing. No offense to Aisha- [laughs] ... Who is, is an excellent, excellent singer.

  7. Aisha Harris· Host1:19

    Thank you.

  8. Stephen Thompson· Host1:20

    [laughs] [laughs] All right, so the new movie biopic of Michael Jackson follows a lot of traditional biopic beats. Young Michael

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