I wasn’t going to write about James Durbin’s innocent remark about the infamous “Pepsi” incident involving “Michael J” (which happened so many years ago) but seeing that this little joke went viral online, I just had to give my usual “2-cents worth”. So, here goes…

As anyone who’s an “American Idol” fan knows, after James Durbin’s performance on “Elton John Night”, he let off a remark inferring to the incident when Michael Jackson had his hair singed back in 1984 during a Pepsi commercial. Now, anyone in their right mind would just take it as a joke-of-sorts but somehow, “certain people” took offence to that.

We all obviously know that “Coca-Cola” (incidentally my favorite cola drink) is the official advertiser of “American Idol”. Year after year, season after season, we see their familiar logo spluttered all over our television screens. In fact, I still have “visions” of Simon Cowell with a paper cup in his hand (featuring the Coca-Cola brand) and sipping from it after his “words of wisdom” was delivered to the contestants after the completion of each song. Yes, Simon is no longer on the judges’ panel of “American Idol” but the memories still linger on.

Anyway, my point is that we all know that “Coca-Cola” is the official advertiser on this popular singing reality show. And I’m sure the “powers that be” in “Coca-Cola” would not be so “sensitive” as to take offence to that remark which was basically meant as a joke. But of course our dear ol’ Ryan Seacrest
had to make things right by clarifying the fact in order to diffuse the situation (which need not be diffused in the first place as no harm was surely done). Regardless of “Pepsi” being the arch nemesis or not, this was obviously just an innocent joke. I should say it was actually the right joke but spoken at the wrong place!!

But from information gathered on the web, the late Michael J’s family was a little peeved by the whole thing. Geez, if Michael Jackson was still alive today, he’d probably be smiling to himself. Come to think of it, for those who believe in the “afterworld”, Michael’s probably smiling to himself right now!! When will people learn to lighten up a little bit. It’s no wonder that wars exist all over the world. People get worked up over the smallest of things and one thing leads to another and before we know it, we’re fighting each other and we know where it all leads to.

Anyway, I’m glad that the people at Fox did not deem it necessary to cut out the part when this remark was made. It was not a “malicious” joke meant to hurt the memory of Michael Jackson or to start a cola war between “Coca-Cola” and “Pepsi”. Heck! I don’t need no one to tell me which drink I should be consuming. I see ads all the time and I don’t necessarily have to go with the more “preferred choice” according to the marketing strategy employed by most advertising companies. I know what I like and I’m sure, so do millions of people. If anything, both “Coca-Cola” as well as “Pepsi” has gained lots of attention from this remark so they should both thank James Durbin for that. So there… enough said already!! Back to more serious stuff… singing on “American Idol”!!!