Episode Transcript
[00:00:17] Speaker A: Hello everyone, and welcome to the it's all for Love podcast. I'm your host, Cheryl Mazza, the Healing dancer. This podcast is all about Michael Jackson and how he continues to inspire love in the world. You're going to hear personal stories from other Michael Jackson fans of inspiration and the profound ways in which his message of love has touched their hearts and lives. Whether you are a lifelong fan of Michael Jackson or you are just learning about him, this podcast invites you to discover the timeless magic of Michael Jackson and the remarkable bond that he shares with his fans across all generations.
So join us as we honor his legacy and explore the power of love through his enduring spirit and still present energy. So in this episode, I am speaking with my Michael Jackson BFF, Taron Jefferson. I thought that this would be the perfect episode to launch the podcast with as Taryn and I have been friends for many years and we do all things Michael Jackson together here in New Jersey and, you know, outside of New Jersey too. But she is definitely my Michael Jackson BFF. So in this episode, Taryn tells her personal stories about how she discovered Michael and how he has impacted her life and continues to spread the love in her world. So I hope that you enjoy my first episode of it's all for love. Please make sure that you like and subscribe, especially if you're watching on YouTube. And also if you're listening on another major podcast platform, please make sure that you subscribe there as well. And of course, I would really love it if you left me a review. I am always looking for more guests to have on my podcast, so if you are interested or know anybody that's interested, please reach out to me on social media. If you follow me on social media or you can email me at MJ. It's all four lovemail.com. all the information, of course, will be in the show notes, so you can go there to get all of that and reach out to me. Also, please note that in this podcast, podcasting is new to me, so I'm still learning. And there are a few audio mishaps in this episode, so I just, I wasn't able to edit them out. I just wanted to make note of that. Don't come at me for it, okay? I'm sure I'll get better as I go. Thank you again for listening or for watching and I hope that you enjoy the episode. It's all for love.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: Hello and welcome to it's all for Love podcast. Woo.
[00:03:01] Speaker C: Yay.
[00:03:02] Speaker B: This is my very first episode.
[00:03:05] Speaker C: So exciting.
[00:03:06] Speaker B: Yes. And today I have my BFF Taran Jefferson.
[00:03:10] Speaker C: Hello. Hello.
[00:03:11] Speaker B: We're doing, obviously in person.
[00:03:12] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:03:14] Speaker B: She's also my Michael Jackson bffemen.
[00:03:17] Speaker C: Get it?
[00:03:18] Speaker B: So Taryn and I have known each other since high school.
[00:03:20] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:03:21] Speaker B: I was gonna say way back in the day, but that will give away our.
[00:03:24] Speaker C: Okay, we'll say just since high school.
[00:03:26] Speaker B: Cause since high school.
[00:03:28] Speaker C: Could have been yesterday, right?
[00:03:30] Speaker B: Could have been, yep. Yeah. So we both love Michael Jackson so very much. So it's only fitting to have you as my first interview, as my first guest. So Taryn is from Marlton, New Jersey.
[00:03:44] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:03:45] Speaker B: And right now she's studying to become a functional nutrition counselor.
[00:03:50] Speaker C: That's it.
[00:03:50] Speaker B: So exciting. So I'll give you all the deets on how you can follow her, get in touch with her. She does some seminars, and we just learned about some gut health and the liver. So it's some really good stuff to stay healthy, get healthy.
Yeah. So let's get into it. Anything else you want to say about yourself?
[00:04:13] Speaker C: No.
[00:04:13] Speaker B: No?
[00:04:14] Speaker C: Okay. Not really.
[00:04:17] Speaker B: All right, well, first let me tell me how you discovered Michael. When did he strike you in the heart?
[00:04:26] Speaker C: So, as a kid, because my parents are children, they were born in the fifties, and so therefore they're children of the sixties and seventies. They obviously encountered Michael, and then I brought them into me, my sister, my brother's lives, as they should, as anyone should, because he's amazing.
When we were younger, they would play his music all the time. My mom told me about, I think, a concert that she went to for the Jackson Five. And she was just in love with little Michael.
[00:05:01] Speaker B: Lucky as she.
[00:05:02] Speaker C: Yeah, I know. So she was, you know, she always loved little Michael. Just dancing on stage and he would do his thing, you know, she would always talk about him, but, yeah, as a kid. As a kid was my first taste of Michael Jackson and the Jackson five. And then it just evolved into keeping up with him and everything he would put out, so.
[00:05:24] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:05:25] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:05:25] Speaker B: Do you remember any moments from, like, a child when you would, like, hear his music or be anywhere? Like, anything that comes to mind?
[00:05:33] Speaker C: You know, I mean, a lot of times we would just play, like, some of his newer stuff. I think when it was. I think when he came out with dangerous, we would just, like, play that on repeat, just like, go crazy with the songs, you know, just sing and dance and. And then, of course, there was music videos back then, so.
[00:05:58] Speaker B: Right.
[00:05:58] Speaker C: I remember the time it was like, getting it.
[00:06:00] Speaker A: Woo.
[00:06:05] Speaker C: Yes. So, yeah, just, I mean, there's no specific thing. He was just always like an underlying current in the house.
[00:06:18] Speaker B: Yeah. Right. And then when you finally learn about him, it's just like that connection, that heart connection, right? Mm hmm. Yeah, I hear ya. So how has Michael inspired you throughout your life?
[00:06:31] Speaker C: Well, I mean, you know, he's all about love, so he's a constant reminder for me to, like, stay in that love space.
And being able to share him with my kids now kind of helps me stay in that love space. You know, when they're getting on my nerves, I'm like, let's play some Michael.
Let's play some Michael. Let's get some love in here.
Some feel good.
Just the fact that they love him so much just inspires me to keep it going, you know? And just, like, push because there's so much of his music that they likely haven't heard yet. I mean, there's probably some stuff that I haven't heard, but.
So there's always something else to share.
But he inspires me to keep that love present.
[00:07:22] Speaker B: Yes, Mia. I feel that. And I love that. Like, today's kids all love Michael just as much as I know.
[00:07:30] Speaker C: It's so crazy.
[00:07:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:32] Speaker C: So crazy.
Yeah.
[00:07:35] Speaker B: I love it. I love to see, like, little kids just dancing to Michael. Jack, there's like, this little kid on social media. I cannot remember his name. The video has been shared with me several times. He's probably like, I don't know, ten to twelve years old, and he can freakin dance like Michael.
[00:07:52] Speaker C: Like, he's amazing.
[00:07:54] Speaker B: I can't even dance like Michael.
[00:07:55] Speaker C: You know what? One another thing that does stand out, actually, is my little cousin. Well, he's not little anymore. He's grown. But when we were little, he was obsessed. I mean, he still loves Michael, but he was obsessed with Michael and that he would do the dances and every time we were go to Baltimore, like, josh, Josh, come on, do this, do that. Come on. Moonwalk. And to the point where at my mom's, was it her, maybe her 60th birthday. So, like, almost ten years ago. So he's grown. I have video of him. Like, we played a song so that Josh, at 30 something, would do Michael Jan. Michael Jackson moves and dance like Michael Jackson.
[00:08:38] Speaker B: Really?
[00:08:38] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:08:39] Speaker B: So he still does it.
[00:08:40] Speaker C: He still does it.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: I love him.
[00:08:41] Speaker C: He still does it. Yeah. All the words he would just do all the movements and everything. Oh, my God.
[00:08:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:48] Speaker C: It was always a great time.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: Me and him need to meet.
[00:08:51] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:08:51] Speaker B: Yeah. Cause, you know, thriller.
[00:08:54] Speaker C: I pretty sure he does. His favorite song is lady of my life.
[00:09:00] Speaker B: Oh, my God.
[00:09:01] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:09:02] Speaker B: He doesn't love that song.
[00:09:03] Speaker C: I know I know, I know. It's such a good one. He's. He's like, you know, I just. I just love how, like, you know, like.
[00:09:11] Speaker B: And you can hear him cry.
[00:09:12] Speaker C: It's just, like, so much feeling. Yeah. I was like, yeah, it's a good one.
[00:09:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:09:17] Speaker B: I was gonna say we should. The song that always people want me to do, like, at weddings, they always play thriller at a wedding. Okay.
[00:09:25] Speaker C: I'm just.
[00:09:25] Speaker B: I love thriller.
[00:09:26] Speaker C: Thriller is great.
[00:09:27] Speaker B: Thriller is not a great wedding song. Okay. Just putting it out there for the dj's.
Unless it's specifically.
[00:09:34] Speaker C: Right. I was gonna say.
[00:09:35] Speaker B: So you do thriller dance. Because then I'm all dressed up in, like, a nice dress for a wedding.
[00:09:40] Speaker C: Right.
[00:09:40] Speaker A: Like, come on, Cheryl, do thriller.
[00:09:44] Speaker B: I don't look like a zombie.
[00:09:45] Speaker C: I remember that when I renew my vows.
[00:09:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:48] Speaker C: I'll play thriller just for you.
[00:09:50] Speaker B: Thanks.
So perform the wedding vows and then. Or when you renew them and do thriller.
[00:09:56] Speaker C: That's it.
[00:09:57] Speaker B: That sounds good.
Awesome. Have you had any Michael Jackson synchronicities? You know how I tell you about mine?
[00:10:06] Speaker C: Yes.
[00:10:07] Speaker B: Does anything come to mind?
[00:10:09] Speaker C: So actually, the. Just. I think it was last week, we went to a health expo, and I was gonna leave and I forgot something and left the car running, and there was a song on, and then I went back in the house to get whatever I forgot. I got back in the car, and as soon as I got back in the car and started on my way.
I don't even remember what song it was. Butterflies. One of my favorite songs.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: Me, too.
[00:10:35] Speaker C: Butterflies.
I can't believe we couldn't remember, but yes. Butterflies. Cause I love butterflies. Hello.
Was playing, and I'm like, I'm on my way to see Cheryl. Michael's playing, doing a health expo. Thank you, Michael. Give me the energy. Yes.
[00:10:50] Speaker B: Oh, my goodness.
Yeah. And butterflies is like. It's such a random song.
[00:10:55] Speaker C: It is.
[00:10:55] Speaker B: It's not on.
[00:10:56] Speaker C: Right.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: You know? Cause usually it's Billie Jean.
[00:10:58] Speaker C: Right.
[00:10:59] Speaker B: Thriller.
[00:10:59] Speaker C: It's like the classic.
[00:11:00] Speaker B: Yeah. P y T. Like, all that stuff is what you hear on the radio. It's just. I love when it's, like, just a random song.
[00:11:07] Speaker C: That's a good one.
[00:11:08] Speaker B: I love that. Yeah. That happens all the time to me.
[00:11:11] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:11:12] Speaker B: So what's your favorite Michael Jackson song? If you had to pick one?
[00:11:15] Speaker C: I had to pick one.
[00:11:16] Speaker B: It's hard to pick one.
[00:11:17] Speaker C: It's very hard to pick one.
Hmm.
So for now, I'm gonna say Earth song.
[00:11:36] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:11:36] Speaker C: Yeah. Earth song is like.
[00:11:39] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:39] Speaker C: It's just.
It kind of fills you up.
[00:11:42] Speaker B: Right?
[00:11:43] Speaker C: Yeah, that's. I'm gonna go with Earth song.
[00:11:45] Speaker B: I love about Michael's music. It's so, like, the energy is just so intense.
[00:11:52] Speaker C: Oh, my gosh.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: You know, to this day.
[00:11:54] Speaker C: Right.
[00:11:55] Speaker B: So intense.
[00:11:56] Speaker C: Right.
[00:11:56] Speaker B: You can feel every note, every.
[00:11:59] Speaker C: Yes, shimon.
[00:12:01] Speaker B: Or every.
[00:12:02] Speaker C: Right.
Every single one.
[00:12:05] Speaker B: Yes.
And what is your favorite short film? Music video.
Okay, okay, okay, okay.
[00:12:22] Speaker C: Smooth criminal.
[00:12:23] Speaker B: Okay. Smooth criminal. Like, by itself or, like, Moonwalker?
[00:12:27] Speaker C: No, Moonwalker.
[00:12:28] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:12:29] Speaker C: Like movie. Give me all of it. Give me all. Every last drop. Yes. Moonwalker. The whole thing. Yes.
[00:12:36] Speaker B: Watch that. Not too long ago.
[00:12:38] Speaker C: I haven't seen it in a while, but it's like.
[00:12:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:12:41] Speaker C: One that kind of, like. I think it was besides thriller, which is. I mean, really just, like, the music video is not really much of a short film, but Moonwalker was probably the first video or short video film that I've seen ever, like, of that kind. So it kind of like.
It stays with me. I was like, oh, my God, this is so cool. There's, like, a whole backstory and all this old.
It's like a movie movie. I'm like, all right, let me get my popcorn, and then we're gonna get some good music.
[00:13:15] Speaker B: Like, it was.
[00:13:16] Speaker C: It was the first one that I've ever seen like that from any artist, so.
Yeah.
[00:13:22] Speaker B: That is such a good one. Yeah, it's all perfect. All right, well, I mean, I have one more question for you.
[00:13:30] Speaker C: Okay.
[00:13:31] Speaker B: What do you want the world to know about Michael Jackson?
[00:13:38] Speaker C: I just want them to know him, because if you start with knowing him, you'll be so filled with love that it's very simple.
Find one song, and you'll fall down a rabbit hole and just be filled with love. So.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: Amen. Amen.
[00:13:58] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:13:59] Speaker B: Yeah. And him as a person.
[00:14:01] Speaker C: As a person.
[00:14:02] Speaker B: Not just as the entertainer.
[00:14:04] Speaker C: Right.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: The humanitarian.
Him as a person, yes. Even though we don't know him, like, physically or we never met him, it's just, you know, I don't even know how to explain it.
[00:14:18] Speaker C: It's just start with a song and then go deeper and find out about him. The things that he stood for, the things that he did. You know?
[00:14:30] Speaker B: He's just.
[00:14:33] Speaker C: He's so great.
[00:14:34] Speaker B: I know.
[00:14:36] Speaker C: Like, I have no other way to, you know, like, he's amazing. He's awesome. He's great. You know, it's just. It's so easy to be happy.
[00:14:47] Speaker B: Right.
[00:14:48] Speaker C: You know, and, like, joyful with his music, no matter which song it is. Something's gonna ring true for you from any song that he has. And he just lifts your spirit.
[00:15:01] Speaker B: Right.
[00:15:02] Speaker C: So easily.
[00:15:03] Speaker B: I know. Anytime I'm in a bad mood or I'm having a bad day, you know, my husband's always like, you listen to Michael Jackson all the time.
[00:15:13] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:15:13] Speaker B: Because it keeps me in a high vibe.
[00:15:16] Speaker C: Right.
[00:15:16] Speaker B: And it keeps my energy up. And if I'm upset, sad, angry, whatever it is, I just put on Michael and I'm good to go.
[00:15:24] Speaker C: Yeah. He takes care of it.
[00:15:26] Speaker B: Yeah. He just doesn't get it. It's okay.
[00:15:28] Speaker C: It's okay.
[00:15:29] Speaker B: We do. Yeah, I'm sure you do, too.
[00:15:31] Speaker C: Doesn't have to get it.
[00:15:32] Speaker B: Sorry.
[00:15:33] Speaker C: It's okay.
[00:15:34] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. And his music is so healing and just like, I just. When you were saying that, I was thinking about how a lot of his songs today are just so relevant in what's going on in the world.
[00:15:44] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:15:45] Speaker B: You know, like another part of me. Like, every time I hear that song, I just feel like it's a. He's talking about now.
[00:15:51] Speaker C: Right.
[00:15:52] Speaker B: Or they don't care about us, you know? Oh, my God. Like, it's timeless. It's timeless.
[00:15:58] Speaker C: Completely timeless. That is the perfect. He is timeless. He's very much. Yes. Look at him back. What? Michael. Hey. Hey, baby.
[00:16:07] Speaker B: How you doing?
[00:16:09] Speaker C: Come back to us.
Yes, yes. He's amazing. He's definitely, definitely. Timeless is like the perfect word for him, his music, you know? Yeah.
[00:16:23] Speaker B: All right, well, that's it. Is there anything else you can think of you want to say? I mean, I know we could talk for hours about Michael.
[00:16:30] Speaker C: We could.
[00:16:31] Speaker B: But maybe we'll have Taryn back.
I'll come back and I'll have more questions. You know, I love it. We can never talk.
[00:16:38] Speaker C: I'll probably have another favorite song because I have many other.
[00:16:42] Speaker B: Depends what season you're in, right? What mood you're in.
[00:16:46] Speaker C: Plenty of other favorite fathers. It's so hard to pick just one because all of them are just so great.
So I'll definitely have another one.
[00:16:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:56] Speaker C: Yeah.
[00:16:57] Speaker B: And I know when you see this episode, it's going to be long after, but tonight we're going to a Michael Jackson thing because she is my Michael Jackson BFF and we always doing the MJ yes shows and everything together. So we're excited.
[00:17:11] Speaker C: Very excited.
[00:17:12] Speaker B: Getting our dance on.
[00:17:13] Speaker C: Oh, yes. For sure. For sure.
[00:17:16] Speaker B: Bo show can't wait. Yes. All right. Well, it's all for love.
[00:17:22] Speaker C: All for love.
[00:17:22] Speaker B: It's all for love. Have an amazing day. Keep dancing your dance.
[00:17:26] Speaker C: Amen.
[00:17:27] Speaker B: And we love you.
[00:17:28] Speaker C: Love you.
[00:17:29] Speaker B: See you next time.
Bye for now.
[00:17:31] Speaker C: Outro music.
