mtv shows

The short film for Jackson’s “Billie Jean” is considered the video that brought MTV, a fairly new and unknown music channel, into mainstream attention. It was one of the first videos by a black artist to be played regularly by the channel, as it had felt that black music was “not rock enough.”

Directed by Steve Barron, the video shows a trench-coated photographer following Jackson through city streets. The paparazzo never catches the singer, and even when photographed, Jackson fails to materialise on the developed picture. Dancing his way to Billie Jean’s hotel room, Jackson walks along a sidewalk and causes each tile to light up at his touch, symbolizing the singer’s fame being recognized wherever he goes.  Performing a quick spin, Jackson jumps and lands, freeze framed, on his toes. Upon arriving at the hotel, Jackson climbs the staircase to Billie Jean’s room. Each step illuminates as he touches it and a burnt-out “Hotel” sign illuminates as he passes. Arriving at the scene, the photographer watches as Jackson disappears under the covers of Billie Jean’s bed. Trailed by the police, he is then arrested for spying on the couple.

Jackson sported a new look for the video; Jheri curled hair and a surgically sculpted nose. Jackson’s look, a black leather suit with a pink shirt and bow tie, was copied by children around the US. Imitation became so severe that despite pupil protests Bound Brook High School banned students from wearing a single white glove like Jackson had on Motown 25.

Walter Yetnikoff, the president of Jackson’s record label, CBS, approached MTV to play the “Billie Jean” video. Yetnikoff became enraged when MTV refused to play the video, and threatened to go public with MTV’s stance on black musicians. “I said to MTV, ‘I’m pulling everything we have off the air, all our product. I’m not going to give you any more videos. And I’m going to go public and tell them about the fact you don’t want to play music by a black guy.’”

MTV relented and played the “Billie Jean” video in heavy rotation. Following the airing of the video, Thriller went on to sell an additional 10 million copies.  The company later denied claims of racism in their broadcasting.

The short film earned Jackson the Billboard Video Award for Best Overall Video and he was inducted into the Music Video Producers Hall of Fame in 1992.

In a 2005 poll of 31 pop stars, video directors, agents and journalists conducted by telecommunications company 3, the music video was ranked fifth in their “Top 20 Music Videos Ever”.  The video was also ranked as the 35th greatest music video in a list compiled by MTV and TV Guide at the millennium.

Tagged as: Celebrity Walter Yetnikoff, Director Steve Barron, king of pop, mtv shows, Song: Billie Jean

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