Michael Jackson’s Family ‘Shocked’ by Pepsi Reference on ‘American Idol’

They are hurt after a contestant references a 1984 incident in which the King of Pop's hair caught on fire during a commercial shoot.

March 31, 2011 12:27pm

Michael Jackson's Family 'Shocked' Pepsi Reference on 'American Idol' — Michael Jackson
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The Jackson family are taking aim at Fox’s American Idol after a contestant referenced the King of Pop’s infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial during which his hair caught on fire.

On the show, contestant James Durbin told Ryan Seacrest: “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.'”

A Jackson family rep tells TMZ they “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.”

The spokesperson says Jackson patriarch Joe was particularly upset because producers didn’t take the remark out of the West Coast feed.

An Idol spokesperson has yet to comment.

Michael Jackson’s Family ‘Shocked’ by Pepsi Reference on ‘American Idol’

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