Page 3 | Michael Jackson, veto?

dannydyerismydad · 02/01/2021 23:05

Found myself screaming at the telly tonight watching Aretha Franklin. "She became a mother at 12".

She was RAPED. It was so normalised.

Emmelina · 02/01/2021 23:06

I won’t play it by choice at home, but won’t change the radio station or ask others to stop playing. There’s so much off about the whole thing. I know he wasn’t convicted, and had a bad upbringing, and all the rest of it. He was a wealthy and famous man who could look and sound very vulnerable and no doubt this gave people a (false) sense of security about him.
It means nothing in any realm, but I believe he was guilty.

mineofuselessinformation · 02/01/2021 23:08

I don't listen to him.
If his songs come in the radio, I change channel.
Quite besides the paedophilia accusations, I can't get past the images in my head of him dangling his baby over a hotel balcony.
That is not the behaviour of a normal person.

nevernotstruggling · 02/01/2021 23:08

@Russellbrandshair

Of course he was a paedo! Anyone that thinks it’s normal for a 40+ year old man to invite children that aren’t related to him to share his bed and won’t allow their parents to stay in the house at the same time is an idiot. As for that whole “he was just asexual” defence- would you also say that if your kids school janitor asked your kid to a sleepover at his house where they’d be sharing a bed? If the answer is no then why is Michael Jackson “different”.

It totally is the most effed up story of our generation. I can clearly recall those statements back in the 80's 'he's just a big kid!!' Massive alarm bells now though eh.

I don't think his radio play is anywhere near what it was.

To the posters who are against cancel culture - do you play lost prophets songs?

JustOneMoreStep · 02/01/2021 23:09

I'm a secondary school music teacher and actually thought about this alot and its written into my departmental policy! Actually, despite his music being popular, if isn't musically anything special so we don't study him as an artist like we do some others (Elvis or Betales for example, who also have social dilemmas associated with them). He does invariably come up in discussion work associated with various topics though and we do discuss it. The children always seem to know of some rumors (which they usually present as fact) and I am careful to point out that although he displayed many behaviours publically which we would not consider socially acceptable or 'normal', he was never convicted of any crime. This doesn't mean he was guilty of anything but it also doesn't mean he was innocent. I also explain that as a department we do not listen/study/perform his songs out of respect for the alleged victims.

Zzoomburr · 02/01/2021 23:09

I don’t believe MJ is guilty, and don’t know how the last pair of liars with their hidden agendas managed to get people to believe them.

Pimmsypimms · 02/01/2021 23:12

Agree won't listen to MJ and Gary Glitter, also Feel the same about Lostprophets. Used to bloody love them too!

Livelovebehappy · 02/01/2021 23:12

He wasn’t convicted of anything. I love his music and listen to it without feeling freaked out by him. But if you’d have said Gary Glitter, I cant hear his name without my stomach turning.

IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 02/01/2021 23:13

OP: "for what I think he is guilty of"????? Are you judge and jury? If you don't want to listen to his music then don't. your choice,

LoveMyKidsAndCats · 02/01/2021 23:14

YANBU OP. I don't listen to R.Kelly because hes a vile peodophile also.

BuggerBognor · 02/01/2021 23:15

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

OneKeyAtATime · 02/01/2021 23:15

@JustOneMoreStep what are the dilemmas associated with Elvis and the Beatles?

Russellbrandshair · 02/01/2021 23:15

It totally is the most effed up story of our generation. I can clearly recall those statements back in the 80's 'he's just a big kid!!' Massive alarm bells now though eh

Right? Of course you never ever hear about any non famous, non celebrity men who ask kids into their beds being excused as simply “asexual” or “just a big kid themselves” do you? Funny how they always have a devious sexual motive but when it’s someone hugely famous every excuse in the book comes out. The cognitive dissonance around MJ is huge and concerning. Yet another example of a powerful rich man who can get away with what he likes. Just like Jimmy saville et al.

covidaintacrime · 02/01/2021 23:16

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

OP: "for what I think he is guilty of"????? Are you judge and jury? If you don't want to listen to his music then don't. your choice,

What a weird response. OP literally stated: I understand not everyone thinks he's guilty, that's fine! Completely up to you to decide what you think. Not here to judge, just to hear other people's feelings.

nevernotstruggling · 02/01/2021 23:18

@JustOneMoreStep

I'm a secondary school music teacher and actually thought about this alot and its written into my departmental policy! Actually, despite his music being popular, if isn't musically anything special so we don't study him as an artist like we do some others (Elvis or Betales for example, who also have social dilemmas associated with them). He does invariably come up in discussion work associated with various topics though and we do discuss it. The children always seem to know of some rumors (which they usually present as fact) and I am careful to point out that although he displayed many behaviours publically which we would not consider socially acceptable or 'normal', he was never convicted of any crime. This doesn't mean he was guilty of anything but it also doesn't mean he was innocent. I also explain that as a department we do not listen/study/perform his songs out of respect for the alleged victims.

I think that's fair enough and a measured policy from your department

PersonaNonGarter · 02/01/2021 23:20

He was a bizarre and damaging person. His music was amazing.

There is no conflict in the above. Art is weird like that.

Russellbrandshair · 02/01/2021 23:20

@JustOneMoreStep

I'm a secondary school music teacher and actually thought about this alot and its written into my departmental policy! Actually, despite his music being popular, if isn't musically anything special so we don't study him as an artist like we do some others (Elvis or Betales for example, who also have social dilemmas associated with them). He does invariably come up in discussion work associated with various topics though and we do discuss it. The children always seem to know of some rumors (which they usually present as fact) and I am careful to point out that although he displayed many behaviours publically which we would not consider socially acceptable or 'normal', he was never convicted of any crime. This doesn't mean he was guilty of anything but it also doesn't mean he was innocent. I also explain that as a department we do not listen/study/perform his songs out of respect for the alleged victims.

This sounds like an extremely fair, sensible and mature way to handle such a topic.

nevernotstruggling · 02/01/2021 23:20

@Russellbrandshair the cognitive dissonance - precisely

BillMasheen · 02/01/2021 23:27

Not a fan of MJ so this one isn’t a particular perusal Dilemma for me. But I do think that so much of art and music was created by problematic people that it isn’t unreasonable to separate the art from the artist.

My personal line in the sand is I won’t buy anything from a living artist with an obviously unsavoury history. For the deceased ones I do see if I can check where the royalties are going. Oh and I won’t use the Gill Sans font. That guy was fucked up.

yankeedoodledandee · 02/01/2021 23:27

It's hard. A lot of people say they switch off when they hear MJ because they associate the music with the person, which obviously makes sense. I don't. The BAD album for example, saw me through some tough times, i don't ever go looking for this album but if a track comes on the radio or whatever I jump back to a bad place of my own. I really don't associate that music with MJ anywhere near as much as I do with my own life at the time.

Maybe rambling there, not even sure it makes sense.

desperatelyseeking1 · 02/01/2021 23:28

Think he's innocent. Just my feeling but accept there is a chance he could have been guilty. Just what I feel after reading a lot on the actual allegations and how many inaccuracies there were. I feel that because of this I don't believe he would have been found guilty in another court of law so I'm going on that.
But who knows.

Mybrowneyedgal · 02/01/2021 23:28

I enjoyed his music but cannot bring myself to listen to it now. Particularly because he flaunted his "close friendships" with young boys on stage and tour, it became part of his act and what he was known for.

I can't listen to his music without thinking about that and thinking about the amount of individuals who were complicit in this child abuse (families, staff, media). His music stands for that for me. Shame though as I enjoyed it during my youth.

Original poster

InkyPinkyPonky95 · 02/01/2021 23:29

@covidaintacrime Thanks! Couldn't have put it better myself!

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 I'm neither judge nor jury. It's just an opinion. Stay calm.

OP posts:

IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0 · 02/01/2021 23:30

I am going to bed now and taking Billie Jean with me. Good night.

UrAWizHarry · 02/01/2021 23:30

He might not have been convicted but he was clearly guity as fuck.

Besides which, his music was shit anyway.