How “Leaving Neverland” Muted Michael Jackson’s 10th Anniversary Tribute
Written by wdkxwp on June 25, 2019
written by jazzy t
On the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death you’d expect to see images of him all over your TV…. where they at tho? I did some digging and found out that TV tributes marking the anniversary were scrapped, after child abuse claims featured in the “Leaving Neverland” documentary.
HBO aired the documentary a few months ago and has since been pulled due to “untruths” in the timeline in which the alleged abuse took place. Jackson’s estate is suing HBO for $100 million and his family hit back at the allegations, pointing to the fact that he was acquitted in 2005 after a surprise raid on the Neverland Ranch.
Unfortunately, this part of the story did not receive as much news coverage or retweets as the claims made in the documentary. In the minds of US and UK TV executives, airing a tribute to Michael Jackson now is bad for business. As reported in the Mirror, “No one wants to be seen promoting a potential pedophile.”
One of the projects that was shelved after MJ’s post-mortem public lynching was a TV series based on the 2012 book “Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson”. Big Fish Entertainment partnered with one of the big networks to produce and air the show as a 10th Anniversary tribute, but then along comes “Leaving Neverland”. The network deemed the project “toxic” and cut ties.
That’s not the only production ruined by the fabricated film aired on HBO. A major TV deal was in the works to re-create Jackson’s “This is It” concert – the one he was about to launch in London just before his death in 2009. After “Neverland” hit the Sundance festival, talk of reviving “This is it” went radio silent!
I work in TV, and I have seen first hand how programmers jump on the opportunity to capitalize on audience nostalgia during any sort of anniversary. ABC News recently ran a two-hour prime time special about Farrah Fawcett, who also died on June 25, 2009. But when it comes to commemorating the death of the King of Pop, one of the most recognizable faces in the world…. Nothing! None of the big 3 networks have any TV specials about MJ scheduled to air this week; and that is a damn shame!
Here at WDKX, we will not let his legacy be forgotten. Tune in all day today to remember the late Michael Jackson.
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Danny On June 25, 2019 at 10:14 pm
After all Michael J for the children and for the world and they still called him a pedophile those people are just gold diggers out to get his money and he was so kind people need to realize that it don’t hurt people that love he loved with all his heart