Jackson Talks to His Public, and the Public Talks Back : Television: A random survey finds many viewers skeptical about the singer’s claims that he suffers from a skin disorder.

Is an unusual skin disorder making Michael Jackson whiter?

“Give me a break,” answered Sandy Levine, a student at Golden West College, when asked Thursday about the singer’s claims in his televised interview with Oprah Winfrey. “He seemed so fake,” Levine said. “It just didn’t seem like he was telling the truth.”

Skepticism about Jackson’s claims of a skin-lightening disorder was widespread among a group of about two dozen students interviewed at random on the Huntington Beach campus.

“I thought he was fake. I thought he was trying too hard,” another student, Lia Togia said. “I think he should have kept quiet.”

“He’s got a nice house, though, dude,” came the rejoinder from friend Angelo Sablan.

Some students were more willing to take Jackson at his word. “I’m glad he finally came out and set the record straight,” Noel Moananu said. Moananu and his sister Nicole were particularly impressed with Jackson’s efforts on behalf of ill and disadvantaged youngsters.

“I think it’s really great what he’s doing for children,” Nicole said. Noel agreed: “It shows he has a heart, and he cares.”

But, to Melissa McGinnis, the interview didn’t dispel all of Jackson’s mystery. “It made me wonder even more. I want to interview him myself,” McGinnis said. “I feel very sorry for him.”

At Tower Records in Costa Mesa, Vicki Crystal and Lil Bronson were shopping for videos. Both had watched the show, although they have only limited interest in his music: “I admire him for what he does, but he’s just not my kind of music,” Bronson said.

Crystal said that she had enjoyed the “Thriller” album but hadn’t really followed Jackson’s music career since then. “I thought he was a very sweet man, and very gentle, and a nice person,” she said. “I believed the rumors (before the interview). It’s like he said, when you hear something enough, you do start to believe it.”

Store employee Suzanne Meredith said she has “always been a fan” but wasn’t won over by the interview. “I didn’t think his answers were that candid,” she said. “I also feel he’s bleached himself.”

Meredith said she still thought Jackson was “very eccentric” after watching the interview, but added: “I feel if he’s happy now, that’s great, I’m happy for him.”

Sharelyn Stankov, another store employee who was nearby pricing Jackson cassettes, had a mixed reaction to the special.

“I’ve seen better interviews. I don’t think Oprah did a very good job,” she said. “They jumped around too much.” Also, “It seemed like she cut him off a few times.”

On the other hand, she added, “He’s been under wraps for so long. It was good to hear someone ask, ‘So, why are you so white?’ ”

A final assessment? “I respect him as an artist, but he’s a weirdo. Definitely a weirdo.”