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'American Idol' Contestant Angers Jackson Clan With Joke

Posted Apr 1st 2011 11:45AM by Steven J. Horowitz
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Carlo Allegri/Getty Images

There's trouble brewing on the set of 'American Idol' and Michael Jackson's legacy is at the center of it.

Season 10 contestant James Durbin recently made a comment in poor taste referring to Michael Jackson's brush with fire on the set of a 1984 Pepsi commercial, offending the King of Pop's family.

On Wednesday night (March 30), Durbin was set to cover Elton John's 'Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting).' Shortly after gracing the stage in front of a wall of shooting flames on the reality singing competition, Durbin spoke with host Ryan Seacrest and made the offhanded wisecrack. "I have a lot of hairspray in my hair to keep it from jumping around -- so much so, the one thing I was worried about was having a 'Pepsi moment," he said.

A rep for the Jackson family was quick to respond, attacking the contestant for making such an insensitive remark. "We were shocked to see this. It's nothing to make light of and everybody should be focusing on who was responsible for Michael's death," they said in a statement. Joe Jackson was reportedly upset that the comment was not edited out before the show aired on the West Coast.

Durbin later referenced the incident on his Twitter page, explaining that he didn't intend to defame the deceased pop star. "For anyone talkin..I said pepsi NOT MJ! I have no disrespect for Michael. I grew up singing his art. I guess youll take it how you want it...," he wrote. "Talkin about MJs passing is too soon. Making a reference to an incident 25 years ago..not too soon. The stab was at pepsi people [sic]."

The Twitter post has since been deleted.

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483 Comments

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magna515

cornettauctions
at 4-02-2011
Are you E Dumbs ol'lady or what. Tuck him in bed, have a drink of ol'rose and turn in ya'self. Good night Ms.E Dumb.
____________________________

Love your command of the english language grandpa/ma. Did you stay up past your bedtime thinking of that witty repertoire?
Oh... but what else should I expect from mindless zombies who spend their formative years dead-panned engrossed in a TV show that placates the sterile public with 21st century mediocrity. Save your trenchant medieval sermon for the other stoic American Idol cultists like yourself. We sane people who possess a life, don't need false idols to worship.
But I'm sure Rain Man appreciates your devotion to him just the same!

April 04 2011 at 11:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

magna515

All of these people pretending to have "thick skin" with a nonchalant attitude regarding what Durbin said about... yes about... Michael Jackson.
That was a direct crack referencing Michael's hair catching on fire. Some of you pretend the joke had nothing to do with Mike's incident and even more of you pretend it was no big deal.
What if I referred to James Durbin as "Rain Man" with a touch of Tourette's,
or maybe "Rain Man" on crack? If someone on TV made a crack like that, damn how fast the Austistic community would be brandishing Uzis and demanding heads!
But you people find it so easy to lampoon Michael because the media has successfully turned him into a caricature. People don't see him as being human with a heart and soul any longer... they see him as something so far removed from the rest of us--- so removed to where it's okay to belittle him.
If you jaded a-holes would think about it.... you'll know I'm right.
The Jacksons have EVERY RIGHT to defend the memory of their loved one.
I wouldn't expect any less from anyone.

April 04 2011 at 3:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

andso...

JD also went on to point out that Pepsi moment would be bead, but a Coke moment would be good.

C'mon Coca Cola give the guya commercial. America will LOVE it! Go James! You're awesome.

April 02 2011 at 3:31 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to andso...'s comment

andso...

bad*

April 02 2011 at 3:31 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

jlargemarge

EDub is how you spell dummy.We love judging one another. But when something like 9/11 happens .We are full of love for 5 minutes.

April 02 2011 at 10:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

lesa

Oh please!

April 02 2011 at 8:45 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

joze921

What does this have to do with the price of oil ???

April 02 2011 at 7:46 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

icbrierley

HE SHOULD HAVE KNOW BETTER...... americans dont have a sense of humour .. well them that drink tooth rotting gut churning pepsi anyway

April 02 2011 at 5:59 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

frankg3400

ah, I know, I really screwed up "watched". Correction made.

April 02 2011 at 5:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

frankg3400

Give me a break, I wawtched the show and he meant NOTHING by his remark! Anyone thinking other wise better get a major makeover of their extremely thin skin.

April 02 2011 at 5:51 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Jen Raulerson

Sorry to hear the jackson klan is so BITTER. This is such BS in plain english. I personally think it is so vicious. Michael Jackson died of his own illnesses due to his nose not being able to breath. They accuse this poor doctor, because he is not american, but he is a black man and it is so racist because he is innocent, but they lie and lie. That is on Michael Jackson soul and so is this now. They should be consern about steven tyler touching jennifer lopez against her will, a married woman with 2 children. It clear he was a fan of michael jackson and it like satan is coming out of your TV attacking everyone now. They are just jealous of him because he can sing better than Steve. i think it is terrible how sick our society is now. THOU SHAUL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS, REMEMBER THIS ONE BECAUSE IT HURTS GODS CHILD WHEN YOU LIE A VERY IMMPORTANT ONE, A BLACK SIN.

April 02 2011 at 5:48 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply