Thriller (Michael Jackson album) video that would appeal to the mass market ended up influencing the way that professionals now market and release their songs. John Landis' production of a mini-movie, rather than the usual short music video, would raise the bar for other directors and producers. Before the success of "Thriller", many felt Jackson had struggled to get MTV airing because he was black. In an effort to attain air time for Jackson, CBS Records President Walter Yetnikoff pressured MTV and declared, "I'm not going to give you any more videos and I'm going to go public and fucking tell them about the
Michael Jackson impersonator dance event and world record breaking attempt, in which participants simultaneously emulate the zombie dance seen in the music video of Jackson's "Thriller". In January 2014, Lorena Turner, who teaches photography in the Communication Department at California State Polytechnic University, has spent four years tracking down 35 artists and look-alikes of Jackson. She released a new book of photos, essays and stories of men and women from across the U.S. who pretend to be Jackson for a living. In July 2009, singer Madonna paid a tribute during the second leg of her Sticky & Sweet Tour. A Jackson impersonator performed