It has recently surfaced that the highest selling musical artist of the 1980โs, Michael Jackson, secretly wanted to be on the big screen instead. Specifically, he wanted to be James Bond, so much so that he once set up a meeting with famous Hollywood agent Michael Ovitz and his partner Ron Meyer to flesh out the idea. Jackson pleaded his case as to the amused duo as to why he should be the new 007.
As revealed in Ovitzโs tell-all biography, Who Is Michael Ovitz?, the meeting didnโt go according to plan. Jacksonโs hat fell into a bowl of guacamole, if you can believe it, causing Meyer to start laughing. The mishap didnโt deter Jackson who put his hat back on and continued to pitch himself as the new Bond as the agents tried to hold it together.
โThen the hat fell off again, and Ron totally lost it,โ Ovitzโs writes in his book. โI cracked up, too, and Michael stormed out. I found him and explained for 15 minutes that we hadnโt been laughing at him. Finally, Michaelโs face cleared. โOK, Ovitz. OK,โ he said. โBut I want to play James Bond.โ I am proud to report I didnโt laugh, this time.โ
Eventually, Ovitz let Jackson down gently, informing the โThrillerโ singer he was too thin and sensitive to play the suave and bullish Bond.
Jackson failing to in his attempts to become the next Bond was probably for the best, but we can agree that itโs certainly time to hit reset on the franchise and its lead actor.
Idris Elba anyone?
