10 Fun Facts About Michael Jackson

A music powerhouse for five decades and tabloid fixture since the 1980's, there are plenty more than 10 fun facts about Michael Jackson. The King of Pop left behind a legacy of genius and weirdness that could fill an entire volume of encyclopedias; these are just some interesting tidbits you can drop the next time a conversation turns to MJ.

1. Airplanes made Michael Jackson just a little crazy. A fun fact about Michael Jackson is that he was afraid of flying, strange for a man who spent decades criss-crossing the globe to play concerts.
2. Michael Jackson's children will never be "Home Alone." Macaulay Culkin, who appears in the video for "Black or White" is the godfather of Jackson's children.
3. What do Michael and Thomas Edison have in common? (Hint: It's not their Moonwalking ability. ) Answer: They're both inventors! Michael Jackson patented the anti-gravity bend seen in the video for "Smooth Criminal."
4. Michael wasn't kidding around when he sang songs for a rat ("Ben") and a whale ("Will You Be There" from Free Willy).  Another fun fact about Michael Jackson is that he loved animals, and, like his collaborator Paul McCartney, was a vegetarian.
5. Michael Jackson was ironic! He showed up to his child abuse trial wearing pajamas.
6. The King of Pop may have preferred Coca-Cola products after his hair caught fire while filming a commercial for Pepsi in another sad, but fun fact about Michael Jackson.
7. Elvis was his dad.  The King of Pop and The King himself were family members for a brief time when Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley.
8. Michael Jackson had old lady habits. In another odd but fun fact about Michael Jackson, he used to go to the movies every Thursday with his celebrity pal Elizabeth Taylor.
9. Jackson lived with a zoo.  MJ complemented his zoo-like life with an actual zoo at his Neverland Ranch,. He owned llamas, sheep, snakes, and a pet monkey named Bubbles.
10. He had enemies. Thanks to the child abuse allegations and his ever-changing face, Jackson had a slew of haters. He didn't get jaded though; another fun fact about Michael Jackson is that his favorite phrase was "I love you."