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On Wednesday night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Jimmy welcomed Pharrell Williams. The award-winning producer admitted to Kimmel to being shocked by the success of his hit “Happy,” the video of which features none other than the chat show host.
Williams spent years writing and producing hits for stars like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Jackson, so he explains at 41 years old, he never would have predicted he’d have a song he recorded himself sit on the top of the charts for 11 weeks. “This is so shockingly, and overwhelmingly weird in a great way,” Williams said humbly. “Because I’ve never seen any of this coming.”
As one would imagine, somebody with Williams’ resume would have some stories to tell, and he didn’t disappoint with a story about the first time he heard from Michael Jackson. Pharrell explained he was in the studio with Justin Timberlake recording “Girlfriend” when someone told him to pick up the phone, because MJ was on the line. Williams didn’t believe that Jackson was calling him and he hung up on the king of pop, not once, but twice.
Williams told Kimmel that Jackson called back a third time and said, “Hello. How are you? It’s Michael.” Williams said, imitating both the legendary singer and the sound of crunching coming over the phone. Jackson was eating popcorn in his ear, Williams recalled, laughing, “And that’s how I knew it was him.”
Williams also extended best wishes to Miley Cyrus, who was recently hospitalized for an allergic reaction. Williams and Cyrus worked together on her Bangerz album and he told Kimmel the experience left him wanting to work on a full-on country record.
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio
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