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"26th Annual Grammy Awards" / "Weird Al" Yankovic's "Eat It" Release

Date of “26th Annual Grammy Awards” confirmed on official Grammy Awards website (archived) (“Tuesday, Feb. 28, 1984, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.”)

“Los Angeles Times” magazine (October 11, 1987)

When asked why [Michael] was wearing dark glasses to the post-"Thriller" Grammys, at which he won eight awards, he answered, "Kate told me to wear them", implying that his friend Katharine Hepburn gives him advice.

After-Party:

The Palm Beach Post, St. Louis Post, and Arizona Republic (May 9 & 11, 1984)

Well, Michael's still got Liza Minnelli to harmonize with. At Swifty Lazar's party after the Oscars, the pair started duetting on "They Call the Wind Maria" and kept singing all the way into the women's bathroom. Said Liza to Michael, "I'm gonna call my daddy (director Vincent Minnelli) and tell him to put on his best bathrobe, because I'm bringing Michael Jackson over."

“Right On!” magazine (June 1984)

Michael's party on Grammy night in L.A. was a lot better. And talk about exclusive. It was supposed to be a party for the CBS Records staff, but it was really Michael's party. It was held in this super-fancy Italian restaurant in downtown L.A. called Rex. After the Grammy show, there were many parties all over town, some in luxurious homes and some in expensive restaurants. And then there was the official Grammy party at the Biltmore hotel, probably the biggest L.A. party of the year. Even though all these other parties were happening, everyone wanted to be at Rex because Michael was there.

Michael was at Rex with Brooke Shields. who flew 3,000 miles from Princeton University in New Jersey to go to the Grammys with Michael. Some members of his family were there too. Michael seemed to be having a good time, sitting with Brooke and the CBS Records president. As everyone knows, Michael is very shy. But at this party, he was surprisingly outgoing. Of course, everyone wanted to shake his hand and congratulate him for winning a record eight Grammys. But Michael was pleasant to everyone, shaking hands and engaging in small talk. A of people at the party were very surprised. They had expected him to be very uppity. Many people were surprised that he even showed up at all.

"Weird Al" Yankovic's "Eat It" Release:

 "Weird Al" Yankovic, parody singer of “Eat It”, “Associated Press” (June 22, 1988) (archived)

Yankovic says, "I seem to be having very good luck with Michael. People who are fun to do parodies of have a strong visual image; there's something to do takeoffs on. Michael Jackson is a perfect example. I'll do a parody of him every five years like clockwork." Yankovic assumes that Jackson enjoys his parodies. He says, "The parodies have to have the approval of the writers of the music. Michael has been terrific. "He doesn't have to let me do this kind of stuff. He doesn't need the additional royalties. The only reason he would let me is that he has a sense of humor. It is heartening to find somebody that popular, talented and powerful who can really take a joke."

“Rolling Stone” (July 9, 2009) (archived)

...When we did the second parody, “Fat,” he was nice enough to let us use his subway set for the video, so he’s always been very supportive.

The first time around I pursued Michael Jackson about a song parody, it was a shot in the dark. We’re talking about the most popular and famous person in the known universe, and here I was, this goofy comedy songwriter. He not only returned our phone calls, but he approved it. He thought it was a funny idea.

The first time I met him in person was long after I had gotten permission to do “Eat It” back in 1984. There’s a contract somewhere that has his signature next to mine, proving that we are the co-writers of “Eat It,” which is surrealistic in and of itself. (Image 001, was released on Weird Al’s Twitter on November 17, 2014.)