January 27, 2008 -- Wacko Jacko wants to kick off a "Thriller" comeback on the Super Bowl stage, The Post has learned.

As part of a marketing plan for the 25th anniversary of the hit Michael Jackson album, a TV spot for SoBe Life Water, a vitamin-enhanced beverage from PepsiCo, will air during the big game next Sunday with a "Thriller" theme, according to documents.

An internal memo from Jacko's former label Sony, written by marketing director Andrew Feigenbaum, prominently mentions the TV spot as "confirmed."

PepsiCo has refused to acknowledge collaborating with The Gloved One on the super-secret project. There was no immediate comment from a Jackson spokeswoman.

The week of Feb. 8 will deliver what the internal memo describes as a "major TV, radio, online and outdoor advertising campaign."

It's likely the covers of the anniversary edition of the album - called "Thriller 25" - which feature photographs of a much younger Jackson with a much darker complexion and a different facial structure, will be seen on billboards around the country.

The official Jackson Web site has been completely redone to resemble a one-stop shop for all things Jacko. Links to the social-networking Web sites MySpace and Facebook are new. Lucrative ringtones have been created for all of the songs from the original album as well as for all the remixes and previously unreleased tracks.

There are also plans under way for Jackson to appear at the Grammy Awards on Feb.10 with young hip-hop artists Fergie, will.i.am and Akon, who also accompany him on remixed or new versions of "Thriller" album tracks.

Blockbuster "Beat It" will now feature Fergie, while Akon joins "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" and will.i.am provides vocals for "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" and "The Girl is Mine."

Meanwhile, the classic "The Girl is Mine," which featured Paul McCartney, has been completely re-recorded, erasing all traces of the former Beatle.

Next month's Black Entertainment Television Honors program is set to include a tribute to Jackson.

Jackson is scheduled to appear at both events, but not perform.

Jacko has spent the last year bumming around Las Vegas after a year and a half of globetrotting - including stays in Europe and the Middle East, sleeping on the couches of rich pals in the wake of beating kiddie-sex charges in California.

While no specific figures were mentioned, it's clear that the "Thriller" campaign is a multimillion-dollar effort and that the Sony-designed p.r. blitz could be a major boost to Jackson's flagging career. Ironically, the record company dumped the star in 2006.

He hasn't released an original album since "HIStory" in 1995 and hasn't toured since October 1997.

MICHAEL JACKSON'S COMEBACK ATTEMPT

The Gloved One is trying to revive his flagging career with the release of a 25th anniversary ''Thriller'' edition and a flurry of high-profile appearances

* "Thriller"-themed Super Bowl soft-drink commercial

* Re-mixed songs on "Thriller 25" with vocals by hip-hop artists Fergie, Akon and will.i.am

* New track based on "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin"

* Erased any trace of Paul McCartney vocals on "The Girl Is Mine"

* Album will include never-released 1982 tune, "For All Time"

* Grammy Awards appearance scheduled

* BET will host special honoring him

* Launching major TV, radio, online and outdoor ad campaign around Feb. 8

* Negotiating ringtone and other download deals with Sprint and other carriers

http://www.nypost.com/sev...997475.htm

banks said:

LightOfArt said:

Yeah they just totally forgot about Invincible

I heard the Akon remix of 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' on Perezhilton.com and lemme say it is LAME!
Im really scared for this Thriller rerelease

I love comebacks!

banks said:

He should rename it Forgettable!

It's just gonna be a commercial

banks said:

oh, that is very nice!

The vocal track they used for the new version is from the original demo from 1981

meh the article is by diane dimond its hardly gonna be accurate

b3xy said:

I figured Friedman, but that bitch is just as bad.

dawntreader said:

Actually, the original demo without Paul McCartney is a lot better than the one released as a single during the Thriller era.

Rodya24 said:

The original demo is better than the Thriller cut and the remix.

bboy87 said:

I bet you some people will have egg on their faces because they'd expecting MUCH MORE than that. Well "some" are.

Mj seems 2 be trying 2 hard these days.

banks said:

FERGIE???? Oh no.....

Graycap23 said:

WAY too hard.

Graycap23 said:

I don't think that's anything new

Graycap23 said:

He's being very cautious. In light of everything that's happened with him over the years, he's probably trying to take the path of least resistance back to the spotlight. A good strong (NEW, not rehashed) single would work much better than all of the fancy side-stepping he's doing.

Well Michael has to ride Thriller because thats what he wants remembered outside of all the other nonsense that has really been His-sTory for the last almost 2 decades. When Sony bought into Prince in 2004 they wanted him out there playing Purple Rain to get him mass appeal for the most part, and thats whats happening here, Sony is riding the Thriller and hoping it gets some of that back than is long gone.

lastdecember said:

True. It's just silly that it's been re-released constantly. The re-release still would've been better with alternate cuts, demos and unreleased material but hey a brotha can dream, right?

banks said:

flurry of high-profile "appearances"
NOT
flurry of high-profile "perfomances"

If you notice ALL this "promotion" is everything but singing. NOT one LIVE Performance! Not one, hand him the mic, TURN IT ON and sing!

It's everything to do about nothing. Everything you can think to do without performing. If this guy was as talented as he and "some" pretend to be, how come with this Thriller 25, remind everyone why he was once respected? Prince did with the Rock Hall, Super Bowl, SNL. The Police did with that Al Gore:Green Concert & the Rock Hall.

Michael.. here is a microphone, I just turned it on.. now sing. Prove It! He wont he will show up as they hand him yet another stupid made-up award, he will nod and say "thank you thank you" as the smoke machines are blasting and the Informerical Style Audience is flipping out.

Mark my words.

ElectricBlue that came off as a bit "hater"-y but actually as an MJ fan you have outlined why I am left un-wowed by most of the announcements.

Here's a microphone; Sing while you still have the gift. I agree.

Cinnie said:

I don't know why this guy has the stage fright nowadays when it comes to the stage. It's like all he does is accept awards then leave.

ElectricBlue said:

You make a number of valid points.

However, you have a history of writing the most insane things about Michael Jackson, so I am afraid I cannot take your posts seriously. It would be one things if you were like orgers like midnightmover who both criticize and praise, instead of writing rant-filled posts as you have in the past: "Michael Jackson's career is based on copying Prince even his skin color"; "Billie Jean is completely plagiarized."

Timmy84 said:

i hate to say it but it is almost like he is scared of what the audience reaction will be at the wmas he looked shocked at the amount of people chanting and cheering for him i think he needs something to make him realise people want to see him on stage sure he says that we havent seen the last of michael jackson etc but i wonder if he really believes it anymore

b3xy said:

That's exactly what I've been thinking!

b3xy said:

Right. I really don't know what to think but it's like he gives people an excuse to either feel sorry for him or criticize him when he does something because he doesn't really wanna do it. I mean, I understand the trial took a lot out of him but he tired to be optimistic that he'll overcome it and actually do something like perform but everything we've been hearing is rumor after rumor after rumor. It's like you can take the name 'pop' away and put 'rumors' in front of it. Because that's all it is now, the king of "rumors". I would hope if he is performing, that it's for the NEW ALBUM.

I think the Grammys will change everyone's perspective on MJ. Performance or no performance - mark my words.

Vanilli said:

I hope you're right.