43 Years Ago Today, Michael Jackson Did Something No One Had Ever Seen Before
On March 25, 1983, the Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever TV special was taped. Countless Motown artists took the stage to perform, including Smokey Robinson's group the Miracles, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and the Jackson 5. But Michael Jackson stole the show solo with a moment people still talk about nearly half a century later.
Even if you were but a twinkle in your parents' eyes in 1983, you know exactly what happened during Jackson's solo performance of "Billie Jean." After twirling around in his sequined jacket and singular studded glove, the soon-to-be King of Pop debuted what would become his signature dance move: the moonwalk.
It was a moment that would go down in music history when it aired two months later, on May 16, 1983. “Coming down the elevator [of the hotel], everybody’s talking about Michael," one of the show's producers, Don Mischer, told HuffPost, recalling a trip to Washington to film an interview with Nancy Reagan a few weeks after the special aired. "In the taxicab going to the White House, everybody was talking about Michael. In the East Wing [of the White House] … everybody’s talking about Motown 25 and Michael.”
Michael Jackson Was Initially Dissatisfied With His Moonwalk
While the what-would-now-be-called viral moment cemented the "Thriller" singer's status as a legend, he initially wasn't satisfied with his performance. In fact, he told Oprah Winfrey in 1993 that he went backstage and cried because he thought he'd done poorly. "But then as I was walking to the car, there was this little boy ... and he said, 'You're amazing! Who taught you to ever dance like that?'" Jackson said. "And for the first time, I thought I did a good job because children don't lie."
The day after the special aired, Fred Astaire personally called Jackson to praise his performance. "That was my real reward," Jackson said in an interview, "because I think he's brilliant."
When Fred Astaire and a random child both approve, you know you've done something good.