I am going to start off by saying this...I am a Michael Jackson fan. I have family and friends ask me "why?". Well, to simply put it, I was introduced to his music at a very young age and he became one of the first artists I admired not only by his dancing and singing, but also by his kindness and positivity. I completely adored the way he wanted to heal the world and tried his best to show kindness even to his enemies. I even get why he built Neverland and surrounded himself with kids and that was because the poor guy never had a childhood and to put it bluntly...he was a huge nerd and VERY shy. I have formed friendships with other MJ fans and will continue to always have his legacy be apart of my life. Right now though, things are tough...
I contemplated back and forth to even post a review and my thoughts on this documentary due to the heavy nature of it and the controversy that will constantly surround these allegations, but I just wanted to talk about what I am feeling about it and would love to hear others' opinions (agree or disagree). I respect all opinions on this matter.
This documentary has once again opened up a huge can of worms for not only the pop star himself, but also his family, estate, and fans around the world. It totally stinks that I am embarrassed to say I am a MJ fan right now just because of this one-sided documentary and the backlash everyone supporting him is getting.
The documentary is about two men; Wade Robson and James Safechuk directed by Dan Reed. They talk about how they met Michael as very young boys and that they stood out to the pop star by the talent they possessed. Wade was an aspiring choreographer whom MJ took under his wing as well as Wade's family. For James, he also loved to dance, impersonate, and sing like MJ. The families of both guys tell their sides of the story and how starstruck they were and how blessed they were at the fact MJ would just walk into their homes. The families were treated like gold. Michael showed them nothing but kindness and generosity.
They took what he gave them and both mothers say they were brainwashed and all they wanted to do was have more of Michael for themselves. The guys also talked about being "cast aside" by others like Macaulay Culkin and the jealousy they felt, especially Wade. Mr. Safechuk, however, wanted nothing more to do with Michael, despite the singer buying him jewelry (saying that they had a secret wedding with a ring given to him), and his mother a new house. They accompanied Jackson on tours in different countries, and idolized him like he was their older brother. We hear the immense support they provided Michael through both molestation trials and in 2004 Wade appeared in court and swore under oath that Michael never once abused him.
So why did his story change now?
I am not going to talk about what they mentioned. What I can say is that they tell their stories and one cannot help but start to imagine and sympathize with them. Victims. That's what they are....or are they? Even people on Michael's side agree that this documentary will have people scratching their heads. It is all so confusing and hazy. I pray that me sticking to the facts of what I know about Michael and the innocence that was proven both in 1993 and 2005 will get me through this confusing time where there is a huge line cutting across truth and lies.
For me, it all comes down to the facts. It is a fact that Michael was proven innocent in 2005. The FBI completely destroyed the rooms of Neverland with their search and found nothing. Thanks to websites like Wikileaks, Youtube, etc, we can view and/or learn about the FBI documents. In 1993, Jordan Chandler even came out after the case ended saying that in the end, he just wanted the money.
There is an excellent YouTube video of an interview with Michael's niece Brandi Jackson who can sum up everything from her personal friendship with Wade to knowing the agenda Wade has against the Jackson estate. She dated Wade for most of her teenage life and she can tell us how arrogant he is. Brandi has never spoke out on this subject before and as a Neverland child herself, she tells us what she knows:
For the most part, if you really focus in on Wade, he is constantly praising Michael despite the negative acts he alleges that happened to him. It is reported that he has been constantly trying to make money off of Michael, even after his death. MJ's nephew, Taj Jackson, says that Wade keeps changing his stories, greedy for money, but most of all, getting his timelines mixed up. Nothing is really said about James Safechuk's motive for the allegations.
So I leave this post asking to check facts before making a conclusion about anyone. In this particular case, it is a subject that will always be controversial. I respect everyone's opinions on this and am deeply confused and frustrated over this documentary (and even Oprah's support on this despite her being "Team Michael" years ago). I just really hope that these allegations are not true and it is all about money. I am sure that could be the case. Money is the root of all evil and people will go through great lengths in order to get a lot of it. But who knows, maybe there's another motive. Only Michael Jackson knows the majority of these guys' stories.
I do have to say in regards to production and how this documentary was made, it flowed really well. Dan Reed is entitled to his opinion and it is a free country, so he is not in the wrong for making this. I appreciate the way he pieced each frame together and the music that went along with it. It was weirdly peaceful despite the horrific stories/allegations these men were talking about. It really draws one into the story.
So what do you guys think? It is a subject that I am sure no one is comfortable to talk about if you love Michael Jackson or hate Michael Jackson. I am a media person and I take in all forms of it, even if it is very hard to watch, and analyze it. I learned how to appreciate points of view and interpret the information given. That is why I made this post.
As always, thank you and see you on the next post!
As a side note on here: if ANYONE has suffered or currently suffering child abuse, please do not hesitate to go get help. It is not tolerated and there is NO excuse for a child to suffer like that. No excuse at all. Here is a link that provides help lines and where to find help: https://www.childhelp.org/hotline/
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