Monday, March 4, 2019

Twitter Erupts Over Shocking Michael Jackson Documentary Leaving Neverland: See the Reactions

Twitter exploded Sunday night after HBO’s premiere of the new Michael Jackson documentary, Leaving Neverland.

In the film, two men — Wade Robson and James Safechuck — allege that the late music icon sexually abused them when they were children. The Jackson estate has sued HBO and slammed the documentary, calling it “another rehash of dated and discredited allegations.”

Reactions ranged from disgust to disbelief on social media, with many viewers expressing support for Robson and Safechuck.

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Others also criticized the parents’ decision to allow their children to spend time with the late singer.

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While some watched with one eye open, unable to stomach the thought of the events that allegedly took place at Neverland Ranch.

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Many maintained their support of Jackson, urging that he should be allowed to rest in peace.

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And then some decided to forgo tuning in altogether, accusing the documentary of being biased.

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Leaving Neverland premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January. In the documentary, both Robson, 36, and Safechuck, 40, detail their alleged inappropriate experiences with Jackson.

Both Safechuck and Robson allege that Jackson began molesting them when they were young.

Safechuck met Jackson when he was cast in the singer’s 1986 Pepsi commercial. He said the pop star took him and his family on tour where their relationship allegedly turned sexual when Jackson taught Safechuck how to masturbate.

“He set it up like I’m going to show you something that everybody does and you’ll enjoy it,” Safechuck said. “It felt like you were bonding, in a way. The tour was the start of this sexual, like, couple relationship.”

RELATED: Michael Jackson Documentary Director Defends Including Graphic Details of Alleged Molestation

Robson met Jackson when he was 5 years old after he won a shopping mall dancing competition in his native Australia. By 1990, when Robson was 7 years old, the family came into contact with Jackson again during a vacation in Los Angeles. Robson alleged Jackson convinced Robson’s mother to let him stay over alone with the singer while the rest of his family went on a trip to the Grand Canyon; Robson alleged Jackson performed oral sex on him and kissed him while his family was away, claiming Jackson told him, “You and I were brought together by God. We were meant to be together. This is how we show love.”

Safechuck alleged the singer trained him to cover their tracks early on.

“He would run drills with me where we’d be in the hotel room and he would pretend like somebody was coming in and you had to get dressed as fast as possible without making noise,” Safechuck said.

Similarly, Robson claimed Jackson told him if anyone “ever found out what we were doing about the sexual stuff, that he and I would be pulled apart and we would never be able to see each other again. And that he and I would go to jail for the rest of our lives.”

Robson and Safechuck have both denied being molested by Jackson in the past. Robson previously appeared as a witness for Jackson’s defense during a sexual abuse trial in 2005 in which the pop star was acquitted of child molestation charges.

RELATED: Michael Jackson Accusers Open Up About Once Testifying on His Behalf: ‘I Wish I Was Ready’ Then

The Jackson estate came out swinging before Leaving Neverland even premiered at Sundance.

“This is yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson,” the Jackson estate said in a statement in January.

In late February, two co-executors of Jackson’s estate and Optimum Productions sued HBO and its parent company, Time Warner, for $100 million, claiming that airing the two-part film would violate a non-disparagement clause, according to court documents obtained by PEOPLE. “Michael Jackson is innocent. Period,” the lawsuit says in part.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, HBO responded: “Despite the desperate lengths taken to undermine the film, our plans remain unchanged. HBO will move forward with the airing of Leaving Neverland. … This will allow everyone the opportunity to assess the film and the claims in it for themselves.”

RELATED: Michael Jackson’s Family Speaks Out Against Sexual Abuse Allegations in New Documentary

Members of the Jackson family recently came forward to defend the singer against the allegations made in the documentary.

During an interview with Gayle King for CBS This Morning that aired on Wednesday, Jackson’s brothers Tito, Marlon, and Jackie Jackson, as well as Jackson’s nephew, Taj Jackson, said that they had not seen the documentary.

“I know my brother,” Jackie, 67, said. “I know what he stood for. What he was all about. Bringing the world together. Making kids happy. That’s the kind of person he was.”

RELATED: Oprah Winfrey Supports Michael Jackson Accusers: ‘I Know People Are Gonna Be in an Uproar’

In the same sit-down, Marlon, 61, claimed that Jackson was “never inappropriate” with children.

In a separate CBS This Morning interview that aired Thursday, the Jackson accusers stood by their allegations.

“Michael’s training of me to testify began the first night that he started abusing me,” Robson alleged of previously denying being molested by Jackson. “He started telling me that, ‘If anybody else ever finds out, we’ll both go to jail, both of our lives will be over.’“

Robson added: “I wish … that I could’ve played a role in, at that point, stopping Michael from abusing however many other kids he did after that.”

Part one of Leaving Neverland is now streaming on HBO; part two will air Monday night.



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