Mark Ronson Reveals Chilling Reflections on Secret Teenage Encounter With Michael Jackson

Isn’t it funny how a single, childhood encounter can echo through your whole life—especially when the “childhood” in question comes with a Grammy and a glittering Rolodex? Let’s just say, my teenage years were mainly spent gawking at posters taped to the wall, not mingling with the King of Pop at a hotel afterparty. But for Mark Ronson, life’s narrative took a weirder, wilder detour.

You might know Ronson as the guy behind “Uptown Funk” and the soul-drenched genius who helped Amy Winehouse make magic. But before all that, he was an obsessed kid aching to crack the music biz… and, thanks to Sean Lennon, found himself tossing soggy wads of toilet paper out a window with Michael Jackson. No, really—can you imagine explaining that to your therapist? Yet, lurking beneath the slapstick, there’s an uneasy undercurrent—the sort of shadow that lingers given the gravity of the allegations that have followed Jackson for decades. How many times can a formative memory be replayed before nostalgia mixes with unease?

I can’t help but wonder—how do we parse joy from discomfort when history refuses to stay buried? If you’re ready for a journey equal parts surreal reminiscence and uncomfortable reckoning, dive right in. LEARN MORE.

Warning: This article contains discussion of child abuse which some readers may find distressing.

Chart-topping music producer Mark Ronson has opened up about his experience meeting Michael Jackson while he was a teenager.

The British DJ, 50, is best known for hits such as ‘Rehab’ with Amy Winehouse and ‘Uptown Funk’ with Bruno Mars, both of which earned him ‘Record of the Year’ Grammy awards.

Ronson is even responsible for Winehouse’s iconic Back to Black album and more recently, the Barbie soundtrack, but it turns out that the musician once met with the King of Pop as a kid.

The Oscar and Golden Globe winner actually attended a party in Jackson’s hotel room at the age of 13, which may raise alarm bells given the number of child sexual abuse allegations brought against the ‘Thriller’ singer both throughout his career and following his death.

Michael Jackson has been hit with a number of child sexual abuse allegations over the years (Kevork Djansezian-Pool/Getty Images)

Jackson’s estate has continuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse made against him.

Ronson has insisted that nothing ‘untoward’ took place, with the nine-time Grammy winner admitting that he’s replayed the encounter in his head numerous times.

In his new book, Night People, the music producer said he was ‘obsessed’ with breaking into the music industry as a child, even being introduced to MJ himself by Sean Lennon, a mate of his, and also the son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

He recalled being in attendance at Jackson’s Bad Tour concert and the following afterparty with 50 guests at a hotel.

While he was nervous about meeting one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, Ronson said that Jackson was just a big goof.

“[Michael] was just obsessed with throwing these soggies out the window, like taking big mounds of toilet paper and making them damp and then throwing them at parked cars,” he wrote, as per The Sun.

Ronson admitted it’s ‘crazy’ to say out loud, though he said that he wanted to try and get a ‘hook from Michael Jackson to take back’ for a potential tune, while others wanted to have fun and party.

But while he didn’t get what he wanted, Ronson said: “I wouldn’t say it’s a highlight of my childhood, but it was certainly one of the most memorable experiences.”

Ronson said that nothing ‘untoward’ took place between him and MJ (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for American Ballet Theatre)

He went on to add: “Obviously, with allegations that came later, of course, it made me re-examine that event too many times.

“I was like, for whatever reason, there was nothing weird or untoward on that night.”

So while Ronson didn’t get that hit song at the age of 13, he does have the memory of the ‘Man in the Mirror’ singer throwing wet toilet paper onto cars.