History ReferencedBy / MichaelJackson

* Music/WeirdAlYankovic: "Eat It", "Fat", and "Snack All Night" parody "Music/BeatIt", "Bad", and "Black or White", respectively. Yankovic only ever performed the third song on-stage at Jackson's request, who felt that putting it out as a single would undermine the source material's anti-racism message. The music video for "Fat" additionally reuses the "Badder" set from ''Film/{{Moonwalker}}'', since Jackson was a big enough fan of Yankovic to loan it to him; Yankovic returned the favor by cameoing in the music video for Jackson's "Liberian Girl".

** Muhammad Avdol from ''[[Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureStardustCrusaders Stardust Crusaders]]'' has three pet chickens named Music/{{Lionel|Richie}}, Music/{{Prince}}, and Michael.
*** In the [[DubNameChange dub]] of ''Stardust Crusaders'', one of the guardians of DIO's mansion, Kenny G, had his name changed to [[Music/{{Thriller}} Billie Jean]].
** Illuso, a member of La Squadra di Esecuzione from ''[[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind Golden Wind]]'', has a [[FightingSpirit Stand]] called [[Music/{{Bad}} Man in the Mirror]].

* Music/WeirdAlYankovic: "Eat It", "Fat", and "Snack All Night" parody "Music/BeatIt", "Bad", and "Black or White", respectively. Yankovic only ever performed the third song on-stage at Jackson's request, who felt that putting it out as a single would undermine the source material's anti-racism message.

* ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonXD Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness]]'' both feature Miror B., an antagonist who has excellent dancing skills, a glove on his left hand, and an afro in the shape of a Poké Ball (also the same colours as a standard Poké Ball - red and white), who loves using Ludicolo. Ludicolo itself is a reference to Jackson, but Miror B. takes this to 721.
* ''VideoGame/{{Yakuza 0}}'', which takes place in the 1980s has a sidequest where the player character, Kazuma Kiryu, can help "Miracle Johnson," the American superstar in a hat and CoolShades who is prone to spinning and going "oooh!" film his latest music video involving dancing zombies.

** "Stark Raving Dad" has Homer meet a mental patient who thinks he's Michael Jackson. He just so happens to be played by the King of Pop himself.
** In "The Joy Of Sect", when [[ChurchOfHappyology the Movementarians]] start taking hold of Springfieldians, [[StartMyOwn Mr. Burns tries to start his own religion]] [[AGodAmI with himself as god]], with a presentation that parodies the music video for "[=HIStory=]". It doesn't go well, with Burns catching on fire before falling off the balcony.

* Music/{{Genesis|Band}}: The ending of the music video for [[Music/WeCantDance "I Can't Dance"]] parodies the infamous ending of the music video for Jackson's "Black or White", having Music/PhilCollins imitate the panther sequence in front of a white background.

** In "The Joy Of Sect", when [[ChurchOfHappyology the Movementarians]] start taking hold of Springfieldians, [[StartMyOwn Mr. Burns tries to start his own religion]] [[AGodAmI with himself as god]], with a presentation that parodies the music video for "[=HIStory=]". It doesn't go well, with Burns's catching on fire before falling off the balcony.

** In "The Joy Of Sect", when [[ChurchOfHappyology the Movementarians]] start taking hold of Springfieldians, [[StartMyOwn Mr. Burns tries to start his own religion]] [[AGodAmI with himself as god]], with a presentation that parodies the music video for "[=HIStory=]". [[HilarityEnsues It doesn't go well]], with Burns's catching on fire before falling off the balcony.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Stark Raving Dad" has Homer meet a mental patient who thinks he's Michael Jackson. He just so happens to be played by the King of Pop himself.

* In the original release of ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'', there was a type of zombie known as the "Dancing Zombie", whose appearance was remarkably similar to Jackson's outfit in the "Thriller" music video, with his almanac entry lampshading the reference via OurLawyersAdvisedThisTrope. Later releases of the game changed his design to that of a generic disco guy, which would become the basis of the "Disco Zombie" prominently featured in later entries of the franchise.

* In the original release of ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'', there was a type of zombie known as the "Dancing Zombie", whose appearance was remarkably similar to Jackson's outfit in the "Thriller" music video. Later releases of the game changed his design to that of a generic disco guy, which would become the basis of the "Disco Zombie" prominently featured in later entries of the franchise.

* ''VideoGame/PapaLouieArcade'': Papa Louie's Halloween outfit is based on Jackson's "Thriller" one, as clarified in an animated GIF that Flipline published on Halloween 2020 wherein he performs a MichaelJacksonsThrillerParody with several other characters who dress as zombies for Halloween.

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* Jango from ''Manga/OnePiece'' is a CaptainErsatz of Jackson. In the German dub he was even named ''Jacko''! And when he walks, it looks like he's moon-walking forwards.

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* An episode of ''Animation/HappyHeroes''' third season features a robot man dressed as Michael Jackson and doing the moonwalk in one scene as a FunnyBackgroundEvent.

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* Chris Tucker does an impersonation of Michael Jackson in ''Film/RushHour''. The two later became friends, and Tucker [[PromotedFanboy appeared in his "You Rock My World" video]].

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[[AC:LiveActionTV]]
* ''Series/{{Glee}}'' has covered several Jackson songs throughout its run. In season 3 they even devoted an entire episode to his songs, simply titled "Michael".

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[[AC:{{Film}} -- Animated]]

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* ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum'' and ''[[VideoGame/PokemonXD Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness]]'' both feature Miror B., an antagonist who has excellent dancing skills, a glove on his left hand, and an afro in the shape of a Poké Ball (also the same colours as a standard Poké Ball - red and white), who loves using Ludicolo. Ludicolo ITSELF is a reference to Michael, but Miror B. takes this to 721.

* ''WebAnimation/HappyTreeFriends'': In "Disco Bear's Halloween Smoochie", Disco Bear dresses up in Jackson's "Thriller" outfit at the beginning of the appropriately titled "Thrillah" option.

* ''Film/ThreeKings'': As Said is [[ColdBloodedTorture torturing Troy]], he asks Troy, "What is the problem with Michael Jackson?" - specifically, he's asking about Jackson's skin disorder.

* ''WebVideo/EpicRapBattlesOfHistory'' depicts Michael Jackson, both as a kid during his Jackson 5 days and as an adult, rap battling against Music/ElvisPresley.

* The ''WesternAnimation/TheFlintstoneKids'' VerySpecialEpisode "Just Say No" features an expy of Jackson named "Michael Jackstone", who performs the titular anti-drug cover of "Beat It".

* In the original release of ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'', there was a type of zombie known as the "Dancing Zombie", whose appearance was remarkably similar to Jackson's outfit in the "Thriller" music video. Later releases of the game changed his design to that of a generic Disco guy, which would become the basis of the "Disco Zombie" prominently featured in later entries of the franchise.

* In the original release of ''VideoGame/PlantsVsZombies'', there was a zombie that was remarkably similar in appearence to Michael. Later releases of the game changed him to a generic Disco guy.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Stark Raving Dad" has Homer meet a mental patient who thinks he's Michael Jackson. He just so happens to be played by the King of Pop himself.