Michael Jackson's Never-Before-Seen 1984 Pepsi Commercial Accident

USMagazine, Wednesday, July 15, 2009, 9:07am (PDT)

Usmagazine.com has exclusive, never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's Pepsi commercial accident, filmed in L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium on Jan. 27, 1984.

The clip shows one take where the pyrotechnics exploded as planned -- after Jackson descended the stairs and began performing with his brothers.

On the sixth take, though, things went horribly wrong: The fireworks erupted too early, igniting Jackson's head in flames. Jackson is at first unaware he's on fire, and continues dancing.

He was never the same after the accident, reports the new issue of Us Weekly, on stands today.

To relieve the second and third-degree burns on his scalp and body (and later to help him tolerate multiple surgeries on the scorched spot on his head), Jackson was prescribed several medications -- which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery, multiple sources tell Us.

More details about how the accident led to Jackson's drug use are in the new issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now.

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