As we near what should have been a joyous 10th anniversary tribute to Michael Jackson, his legacy is suddenly turning sadly sour.
LONG before the album Off the Wall launched him to superstardom in 1979, Michael Jackson had been thrust into the heady world of celebrity, with all its peaks and pitfalls. The then child star was signed to Motown Records along with his brothers, the Jackson 5, way back in 1968. And for over five decades, the world collectively embraced the magic that was Michael – from unforgettable music, incredible live performances, a unique sense of style and groundbreaking dance moves.
Jackson, one of 10 siblings in the famous Jackson family from Gary, Indiana, reached almost god-like status in many parts of the world, influencing multi generations of fans. His music, more than anything, weaved itself into the very fabric of our lives.
Arguably the most recognisable entertainer of all time, MJ earned the title “King of Pop” when he released Thriller in 1982 – which has remained since then the best selling album of all time having sold 66 million copies worldwide. Ask anyone you meet anywhere, and chances are they will recognise Jackson’s face or name, if not at least one of his 72 singles (see how many you can name off the top of your head: Beat it!, Man In The Mirror, Smooth Criminal, Thriller, Earth Song, Heal The World, Black Or White) – 14 of which were No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Aside from his music which immortalised him, the gloved one (named so because he famously wore one white glove at one point) also left in his wake, a trail of alternative stories – many of which were downright bizarre and often played out dramatically in newspapers, gossip mags, TV shows and court rooms.
Many things about Jackson’s life were larger than life, starting from his home.
Neverland, the ranch in Santa Barbara, California (named after the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan) was not just Jackson’s residence, but also a petting zoo and his own private amusement park complete with ferris wheel, roller coaster, bumper cars and arcade.
The ranch later became widely known in connection with child sexual abuse accusations against Jackson in 1993 as the site where the abuse was alleged to have taken place.
There were other strange things that surfaced about the star – photos of him in a hyperbaric chamber which he later said was part of a plan to extend his life and reports of him trying to buy the “Elephant Man”s (John Merrick) skeleton. Remember that?
In the 1980s and 90s, Jackson went on to earn a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, won Grammy awards and had nose jobs, his hair famously caught fire during a Pepsi shoot, he bought all of the rights to The Beatles catalogue, he would wear surgical masks in public, got married twice (once to Lisa Marie Presley), suddenly developed deep cheekbones and a cleft on his chin, his skin turned white, he had three children, one with an anonymous surrogate …. It seemed that Jackson was equal part wonderful and weird.
Fall from grace
On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died at his home in Los Angeles after receiving fatal doses of the drugs propofol and benzodiazepine, administered by his doctor, Conrad Murray, who was later convicted and imprisoned for two years for involuntary manslaughter.
It will soon be 10 years since Jackson’s untimely demise, however, instead of celebrating his amazing legacy, this upcoming landmark anniversary has been tarnished by the controversial abuse allegations brought to light in the recent HBO documentary Leaving Neverland.
In the almost four-long, two-part series documentary, two men – Wade Robson and James Safechuck – allege (in graphic detail) that Jackson sexually assaulted them throughout their childhoods from ages seven to 14, spanning 1987 to 1996. The backlash from the documentary has shaken the world, causing a number of organisations, retailers and entertainment entities to sever ties with the popstar including Louis Vuitton, The Simpsons TV series, the Los Angeles Lakers, US National Football Museum; radio stations in Quebec have even pulled Jackson’s songs from air. And many a water cooler conversation has revolved around the not-so-black-or-white issue.
Robson, 30, is suing the Michael Jackson estate for what his attorneys describe as molestation that spanned a seven-year period. Safechuck has filed a similar suit against MJJ Productions and MJJ Ventures, alleging that Jackson abused him on “hundreds” of occasions between 1988 and 1992. Jackson’s estate has, in response to the documentary, released a statement: “Michael Jackson is innocent. Period. Ten years after his passing, there are still those out to profit from his enormous worldwide success and take advantage of his eccentricities. Michael is an easy target because he is not here to defend himself, and the law does not protect the deceased from defamation, no matter how extreme the lies are.”
Jackson’s fans worldwide have also been defending his innocence since the documentary was broadcast in February.
Countering protests suggesting the men were only in it for the money, director Dan Reed reportedly confirmed that Robson and Safechuck were not getting paid to be in Leaving Neverland. He isalso alleged to have said that Robson and Safechuck “have no financial interest whatsoever and no future, past or present interest”.
HBO also stands by its decision to air the programme and maintains that the documentary will allow everyone the opportunity to assess the film and the claims in it for themselves.
So what are fans like you and me expected to do? In light of these new accusations brought against Jackson do we reassess our love and admiration for the beloved pop icon?
In terms of artistry, there is no denying his genius. He also undoubtedly brought much joy into the lives of millions of people with his music, and broke down
barriers for African American artists. Throughout his career, he more than generously supported numerous charities and individuals,
orphans, the abused and neglected, AIDs and cancer patients. That time when his hair caught fire during a Pepsi shoot, he donated all the money he received, US$1.5mil, to the Michael Jackson Burn Center for children. He cowrote the universal chant We Are The World with Lionel Richie to help alleviate famine in Africa.
Yet, if Jackson was really the child molester that these young men have accused him of being, is it time for us to stop separating art from the artiste, and say that we do not condone this behaviour and therefore will no longer glorify the man or his music? Will we ever find out the truth in order to finally decide if we should we remove our posters and paraphernalia of Jackson from our homes and modify our go-to playlists to no longer include all those songs we know and love so well?
The decision may end up being a very personal one – like HBO says – for everyone to have the opportunity to assess the facts and the claims in it for themselves, and come to their own conclusions as to whether Jackson’s musical genius and legacy should continue to be honoured. What will you do?
