😱 “It Was Terrifying!” Todd Bridges Spills on Michael Jackson’s Bizarre Driving Habits During Janet Jackson Romance Era 🚗💨

Todd Bridges Says Michael Jackson's Driving Was 'Scary' When Meeting Him  Amid Brief Janet Jackson Romance

In the ever-bizarre world of Hollywood flashbacks, Diff’rent Strokes star Todd Bridges just dropped a vintage bombshell so outrageous, it practically broke the internet.

While making an appearance on Club Shay Shay, the former child actor peeled back the curtain on one of the most surreal encounters of his teenage years — and yes, it involves Michael Jackson, an almost deadly joyride, and a young romance with none other than Janet Jackson.

Let’s set the scene.

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Back in the early ’80s, Bridges was riding high as a teen heartthrob. At the same time, Janet Jackson was making her own name in the industry, and the two crossed paths — and sparks flew.

According to Bridges, they were “seeing each other” briefly — nothing too serious, just teen stuff — but one day, Janet invited him to come over. Simple. Harmless. Cute.

What happened next was anything but.

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Instead of Janet showing up herself or sending a driver, Michael Jackson — yes, THE Michael Jackson — pulled up outside to personally pick up Todd.

Cool, right?

Wrong.

Because, as Bridges now reveals, Michael Jackson drove like an absolute maniac. “It was scary,” he confessed, wide-eyed, as he recounted the moment. “He didn’t know how to drive. He was all over the place.”

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And if you’re picturing MJ behind the wheel moonwalking through lanes, you’d be only slightly exaggerating.

Todd says that during the wild ride through Los Angeles, Michael came this close to crashing into a Rolls-Royce — yes, a Rolls. “I thought we were gonna die,” Bridges said, describing how MJ’s chaotic driving had him bracing for impact the entire time. Forget thriller — this was a full-blown horror movie on wheels.

It’s the kind of story you hear and think: “This is fake.” But no — it’s real. And it’s straight out of the land where celebrities don’t use Uber and apparently don’t take driving lessons either.

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Social media, naturally, exploded. “Michael Jackson out here driving like he’s in Grand Theft Auto: Neverland Edition,” one user posted. Another joked: “Todd Bridges survived Michael Jackson’s Fast & Furious phase. He deserves a medal.”

And maybe he does. Because for every person who got to moonwalk with Michael or see him live on stage, Todd got the exclusive (and terrifying) honor of surviving a car ride with him. Not many can say that.

Now, let’s talk about how this story makes perfect Jackson family sense. Michael, for all his genius, was known for living in a completely alternate universe. A man who had a pet chimpanzee, installed a full amusement park in his backyard, and wore sparkly gloves in daylight was obviously not going to follow standard driving procedures.

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And who lets Michael Jackson drive anyway?

Apparently… Michael Jackson.

The image of MJ nervously gripping the wheel, swerving through L.A. traffic while his sister’s date clutches the armrest in sheer panic, is pure comedy gold. It’s a scene you’d expect in a spoof movie — not real life. But in the twisted, magical, chaotic realm of ’80s Hollywood, it happened.

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What’s more bizarre? Michael Jackson chauffeuring his sister’s date. Was he trying to be the cool big brother? Was this a protective “test” to scare off young Bridges? Was he just bored and thought, “Hey, let’s risk some lives today”?

Whatever the reason, Bridges made it out alive — barely.

Now, decades later, he’s sharing this totally unfiltered tale, and fans are living for it. The combination of Janet, Michael, teen drama, and nearly wrecked luxury cars is just too much to handle.

Janet Jackson and Todd Bridges at the Jackson Encino home in 1983.

Janet herself has not commented on this revelation, but fans are begging for her side of the story. Was this a regular thing? Did all her dates have to endure a death ride with MJ before passing some secret Jackson family test?

Some even speculated online that Michael’s bad driving was strategic: “Maybe he scared off her dates on purpose so no one would dare come back,” one fan wrote. Others simply called it iconic.

“I would’ve faked a heart attack in that car just to make him stop,” another user joked.

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Bridges ended the story on a light note, clarifying that he doesn’t hold any ill will. “He was a nice guy,” he said. “Just… not a great driver.”

You don’t say.

In the end, this absurd Hollywood memory — part sitcom flashback, part horror story — is yet another reminder that when it comes to celebrity tales from the ’80s, truth is always stranger than fiction. Especially when that truth includes the King of Pop behind the wheel.

One thing’s for sure: Todd Bridges won’t be getting in a car with a pop star again anytime soon. And the rest of us? We’re just glad he lived to tell the tale.

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