Michael and What's Making Us Happy

Michael Jackson was one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, so it’s only natural that he’s the subject of a glossy, big-budget biopic. In Michael , the singer’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson portrays him in his rise to fame. The film leans heavily on the depiction of live performances, but steers entirely clear of the controversies that dogged the singer. Follow Pop Culture Happy Hour on Letterboxd at letterboxd.com/nprpopculture

You can listen to Michael and What's Making Us Happy online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Michael and What's Making Us Happy is an episode from Pop Culture Happy Hour by NPR.

This episode is 23:08 long.

This episode was published on Apr 24, 2026.

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