'80s Pop Star Debbie Gibson Spills on Rumored “Beef” with Tiffany + Meeting Michael Jackson

It wasn’t “only in her dreams”! 

Debbie Gibson had a pretty cool childhood, but while we were fawning over the '80s teen idol growing up, she was starstruck herself.

Debbie told Rachael and hubby John that one of her favorite memories was meeting Michael Jackson backstage at a concert in L.A. 

“He said to me in his lovely, sweet voice, ‘I just watched your special on the Disney Channel and I loved it,’” Debbie says. “I was like, Michael Jackson was sitting home in his house watching ME?!”

(She even went on to star in his "Liberian Girl" music video she mentions!)

Debbie spent most of her teenage years on the road and in the spotlight, which jumpstarted some rumors that she had “beef” with fellow teen pop star Tiffany—something the singer denies. “We didn’t even have cell phones or texting or tweeting! How would we?” Debbie laughs.

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If anything, Debbie says, the relationship between the two was strengthened by their careers. 

“When we did run into each other, it was like ‘Oh my god, it’s the only other girl in America who knows what I’m going through!’” she explains. “We were like sisters who were thrown together. We respect each others’ differences, but we love each other.” 

(The two are even going on tour together alongside New Kids on the Block, Salt N Pepa, and Naughty By Nature in 2019!)

If that’s not enough of an '80s throwback for you, we put Debbie up to name as many '80s movies as she could in 80 seconds. If she succeeded, our audience won a prize! Check out the video below to see how she fared.