AIBU to be shocked by public celebration of Michael Jackson?

[2021x]

Now the MJ film is out my social media feed is flooded with people doing the dances and talking about the movie etc. My local cinema is holding special events and screenings.

I personally have no doubt that he was a predatory paedophile. All the signs are there, especially how he talks about how he would never hurt a child and sharing a bed with them is the "most loving thing you can do in the world". He manipulated the world into thinking he had a "child-like persona" but was able to manage a music career worth millions... which someone who is naive would never be able to manage.

I also do not judge people who enjoy his music. It was very popular at the time, and would be associated with all types nostaligic memories. I listen to problematic artists all the time, but I don't pretend that they weren't abusive.

AIBU to be astounded that any business/media outlet would be seen dead even associating with him let alone celebrating such a horrifically abusive man.

I don’t know anything about a Beatles film or an Elvis film. As far as I know the James Brown film didn’t shy away from showing him as an abuser.
Why would I need to write a letter to anyone? We’re just discussing it on mumsnet - same as we do other subjects. Doesn’t mean I want to start lobbying film production companies, silly!

This just reads that you do realise movies about abusive men are gross and you just think others are hypocritical and have one they support just like you do. Just ignoring how most of us have said we also don't support those men / movies either or if anyone does they're doing so not pretending the men were innocent or good. It's weird how you claim that asking you how you'd feel about a non famous man saying the exact same words as MJ is insulting - What's so insulting about it when you claim he did nothing wrong?

I agree with pp. People can listen to whatever they want without being told they condone CSA. If someone doesn’t believe that he was an abuser, why would they not?

I say this as someone who has a sour taste now and dont really enjoy his music like I used to.

What was the point in reeling off stats?

I note the film continues to make a ton of money at the box office.

Why wouldn't it? It's barely been out a week.

All the more money to go to the estate for them to pay out in settlements.

Marvellous news!

Personally, I can’t wait for the Saville biopic where we can all remember him for the philanthropic gent he was!

Have you heard of the not very outlandish concept of films flopping at the box office within a week?

Obviously it wasn't going to completely flop, he still has fans, and although biopics aren't the most popular genre there are plenty who enjoy them whether they are a fan of the person or not.

So I don't think the thread needs your updates on the box office takings...I'm sure it was only out for 3 or 4 days and you were posting about how it was STILL doing well at the box office 😂😂

Please don’t try and tell me what to post on here. Feel free to report any posts you’re unhappy with.

But just to make it explicit, the film is about to break $300k at the worldwide box office within a week, which is huge, and so my post was relevant in the context of the thread, unlike many other posts.

I didn't tell you what to post, I said the thread doesn't need your updates on the box office takings, feel free to keep posting the daily box office takings if you want though, if you think it proves something, it just looks silly though.

Also you have a cheek, you told me you're 'not sure why I bothered to bring up that the cousin testified, probably because you were embarrassed that you had criticized me incorrectly saying that I 'got mixed up again' when it was actually you who was incorrect. You then tried to make out I had some kind of obsession with making the fingerprints the smoking gun when I only responded to a comment about them..so you're very much trying to control what other people post.

The context of the thread is about being shocked by the public celebration of Jackson despite him being a pedophile. So the things you deem irrelevant are actually very relevant, unless you think the thread is for us just to discuss the box office takings so that we can know just how publicly celebrated he is 😂

It’s so interesting that none of the MJ cultists have answered the question on whether they’d believe their own child if they accused someone of abusing them? Or if they’d wait for the outcome of a trial? If the person was acquitted, would they assume their child had made it all up?

I'd love someone to say how they can square MJs deep and pure love for children with how he discards them when they become too old for him.

Is it that they believe that he's so stuck in childhood that he only really connects with them so deeply when they're under the age of say 14?

So at up to 14 going by MJs version of events he's treating them like very small children, tucking them into bed, putting bedtime music on, reads them a book, gives them hot milk and cookies and it's the sweetest, most precious, most beautiful thing ever, but when the clock strikes midnight suddenly they need to be dropped for the next youngest boy because he can't feel the same love for them?

Or is the belief that then he thinks they've had enough of a childhood by then so because he's so loving he needs to spread the love to some new younger boys instead?

I'd also love people to explain how he saved children from Epstein island 🤔

But it's not about a parent not believing their children, it's that we believe that their parents coerced their children into making accusations against Michael!

What about the English boy who said that MJ masturbated while he was on the phone to him? Or the German boy who said he was really inappropriate with him in bed, and who asked him to get naked and gave him a copy of a naked book about boys?

Sorry not heard anything about a English or German boy so cant comment on that..

Even the whole "hes like a child " type concept doesn't really work.
Usually very childlike adults who behave like children would need a carer or "appropriate adult" with them. He managed to live all other aspects of his life independently (i mean obviously he would have staff do things for him) and make records, tour etc without being especially childlike....

By his own admission he had sleepovers with young boys - whether anything did or didnt happen - in any other situation a 40 year old man having sleepovers with unrelated, prepubescent boys would be deemed, at best inappropriate and a safe guarding concern and at worst a huge red flag.

If your work colleague/neighbour/brother in law etc invited your 8 year old boy for a sleepover, in the same room, that would all be OK if they were just going to watch movies and eat cookies?

No it’s not. It’s about not believing victims. Because he was acquitted. So if your child accused someone of SA them and the person was acquitted would you assume they’d made up the allegations?

Yes the attitude to him is so weird too.

@kkloo

I'd also love people to explain how he saved children from Epstein island 🤔

He kept a very close eye on as many young boys as he could. And that meant keeping a close eye on them at night too. In his bed. Obviously!
Bless that man’s pure heart…

Is alcohol an excuse for DV then? Or drugs?

Can you give any of your reasons though?

Exactly, and if he really was so childlike then how can people be so sure that he understood and respected boundaries on what he could do with children? I'm sure that 12 year old boys would show each other porn etc, so if Michael was just like a child then why be so sure that he didn't show boys porn or do other inappropriate things with them?

Of course it’s not an excuse, but a lot of addicts are not aware of their behaviour and should be told it’s unacceptable. You can understand why it happens and be there to support them to get clean. By doing so doesn’t mean you condone it.

Of course not. If my child said that of course I would believe them.

But I'm saying that I believe the parents of the accusers are the reason for the accusations.... I believe they saw an opportunity to make ££££. Jordan Chandlers father for example is said to have asked for a huge amount of money or he would report to the press and the police the accusations. When this was refused he went ahead and reported it. The civil case was settled out of court and they walked away with a lot of money!! (The police investigation didn't go anywhere as there was insufficient evidence). Jordan Chandlers father committed suicide in 2009, but after he died the uncle of Jordan reported that Evan Chandler had coerced Jordan into making the accusations and has used drugs he used as a dentist on Jordan to make the accusations. There are recordings of Evan Chandler talking to his people about setting MJ up and destroying him.. Now I can't prove all of this is true but if you watch 'Square One' documentary and give it a chance and listen to the recordings you will understand why I have so many doubts about believing this particular accuser.

The same goes for the Arvizo's - the parents have extorted others and proven liars.

I do agree that MJ was really stupid and I even agree he was inappropriate to have children staying over and even put himself in situations where people could make these accusations. I am for now giving him the benefit of the doubt and treating him as an innocent man until there is proof otherwise.

I don't think anyone will agree on this subject. It seems clear to me that some of us will believe innocent until proven guilty and some will believe guilty until proven innocent. We may just have to agree to disagree!!

I think this thread has illustrated why there are so many people watching the film though. It's a very complicated story. It may be one that we never know the real truth about either!

But if it were your child, it wouldn’t be innocent until proven guilty?

Why does Michael Jackson get that honor then? Do you realise that if he were alive, he wouldn’t give a shiny fuck whether you believed him or not? Unless of course it affected his record sales…