Everybody loves Michael Jackson. He’s a legend, the King of pop, inventor of the moonwalk, and possibly one of the greatest entertainers of all time.
But it’s just become very clear that it is possible to love MJ a little too much.
Not the look-a-like, of course.
Also, I miss him so much.
Here’s that moonwalk I mentioned earlier.
MJ first introduced this show-stopping dance back in 1983 on Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever broadcast, and it became his signature move.
And here’s Leo Blanco, a Michael Jackson impersonator. Leo Blanco is a 22-year-old from Buenos Aires in Argentina.
I had to pick my jaw up off the floor after finding out he is only 22-years-old, and has already invested $30,000 in cosmetic procedures.
He’s had 11 plastic surgeries (so far) in the hopes of looking as identical as possible to the late, great, Michael Jackson.
Four of those surgeries were nose jobs alone.
I can’t speak for everyone, but I know that having that many plastic surgeries by the age of 22 is a tad absurd.
To each their own, I guess!
But wait, there’s more.
Leo also revealed that he still has to undergo three more surgeries on his nose and chin, to try and replicate MJ’s look even further.
This is what Leo used to look like, before ever going under the knife.
Before his extreme Michael Jackson obsession took hold, he was just your everyday, regular kid.
It’s one thing to be a big Michael Jackson fan, I can respect that. But to actually want to be him is really over the top.
I sense deeper issues here, but hey, that’s just me.
He’s basically unrecognizable now, even to his own mother.
In the Barcroft TV documentary, Leo’s mom expresses genuine concern for his extreme obsession with looking like Michael Jackson, and his cavalier attitude to plastic surgery.
He told his mom that it’s her fault that he has to get all of these surgeries, because she didn’t create him to be more beautiful.
I don’t think she got much of a say in the matter, but ok.
Leo’s mom says that when she sees him now, she thinks “is this Leo? Is this my son?
She worries that one day he might die from surgery, but says that Leo thinks of cosmetic surgery is something as simple as going to the hairdresser.
For the record, plastic surgery is not as simple as going to the hairdresser.
PatientSafe Network details the many dangers of getting plastic surgery.
Here’s Leo before undergoing jaw and chin contouring injections to give him a more masculine and prominent jawline.
At least this was a less expensive, non-invasive cosmetic procedure.
Leo even has his own manager that books events for him.
The disco lights in the back of the limo are a real indicator that this guy is boujie AF.
That’s something I can get on board with.
Michael Jackson fans gather around, cheer, and take photos of Leo doing his Michael Jackson impersonation in the street.
In fact, he seems to have a shockingly decent sized fan demographic for someone that is simply copying Michael Jackson.
He even wears a crown sometimes to validate how close he feels to the King of pop.
Leo described the human body as a blank canvas. “The human body is a container” adding that it can be “modified in an artistic way.”
I’m all for people modifying themselves to feel more confident— getting tattoos and cosmetic surgeries.
But I think that some things are meant to be done in moderation.
And perhaps it isn’t artistic modification if it’s trying to replicate the exact way another person looks.
But if Leo’s happy, we’re happy.
He isn’t t he only extremist when it comes to plastic surgeries out there, there are probably hundreds of thousands.
So, if this is what it takes to feel like himself, or feel closer to his role-model, Michael Jackson, then so be it.
But I’m just going to come out and say it: He doesn’t look that much like Michael Jackson.
I can see what he’s going for, obviously. But he’s spent $30000 to look like MJ, and he only kind of looks like him at this point.
Here’s Leo impersonating Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance.
Didn’t exactly blow my hair back.
I do this level of dancing in my kitchen every night when I’m waiting for my leftovers to heat up in the microwave.
To be perfectly honest, I don’t think he looks that much like MJ and his impersonation of him was pretty lackluster as well.
I would encourage Leo to embrace his organic self more, and Michael Jackson less.
Because evidently, there can only be one MJ.
I give him an A+ for effort though.
His transformation makes for a very interesting piece of conversation, to say the least, and he seems to be making a living off of his act, to a certain extent.
I’m sure Michael Jackson would be very flattered if he were still around, that somebody loves him this much.
He certainly left his mark on the world, especially on Leo.
Here’s the full documentary if you want to see Leo in action.
Even after watching this three times, I still can’t fully wrap my head around it.
Not for nothing though, it’s interesting as hell.