Attributed online to Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, this laugh draws on the singer's long association with spooky pop theatre, most famously the 1982 Thriller era that blended music videos with horror imagery. Clips of the cackle spread through soundboards, YouTube edits and Halloween compilations in the 2010s, where creators reused it as a shorthand for a playful villain. It remains popular each October and in meme edits year-round because Jackson's voice is instantly recognisable and the exaggerated delivery fits both genuine horror tributes and ironic, over-the-top reveals.