July 01, 2009 11:06 EDT
Joby Rogers
Michael Jackson impersonator and makeup artist, Connecticut
Why have you been a Michael Jackson superfan all these years?
He had a great impact on my life. People call Michael Jackson eccentric, but every artist I've met has been eccentric. He had reason to be, after 45 years of living in Hollywood and being in the business. Being a child and surviving in this business is extremely rare. He was tremendous.
What is it about him that enthralled so many people?
He is one of those performers where you see a silhouette and know exactly who he is. He could be standing still for seven minutes -- just standing there, breathing -- and people would go crazy. There's not a place on the entire Earth where people haven't heard of him. I don't think we'll see anyone like him on a stage again.
What will happen to his legacy?
I've been impersonating Michael Jackson since '84, and there are plenty of us that plan to keep his music alive. When he passed, it really felt like I lost a sibling. As for his kids, I just hope they're safe.
--Emily Ahrens
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