{"id":793930,"date":"2019-03-18T10:45:57","date_gmt":"2019-03-18T16:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rollingstone.com\/?p=808813"},"modified":"2019-03-18T10:45:57","modified_gmt":"2019-03-18T16:45:57","slug":"how-leaving-neverland-has-and-hasnt-changed-michael-jacksons-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/ksmt\/music-news\/how-leaving-neverland-has-and-hasnt-changed-michael-jacksons-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"How \u2018Leaving Neverland\u2019 Has \u2013 and Hasn\u2019t \u2013 Changed Michael Jackson\u2019s Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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HBO\u2019s two-part documentary, Leaving Neverland<\/em>, had all the makings of a #MeToo bombshell: Over four hours, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, two former child performers, describe, in often excruciating detail, the way Michael Jackson<\/a> allegedly groomed and sexually abused them while they were children. The ratings were high; the press surrounding the film was plentiful; Oprah co-signed the documentary by interviewing Safechuck and Robson<\/a>; and the Jackson Estate engaged in a full<\/a>\u2013throated<\/a> counter<\/a>\u2013offensive<\/a>, denying the allegations, questioning Safechuck and Robson\u2019s credibility and claiming the film \u201cviolates all norms and ethics in documentary filmmaking and journalism. It is a disgrace.\u201d<\/p>\n

But nearly two weeks since Leaving Neverland<\/em> premiered, Michael Jackson\u2019s posthumous career is showing few signs of major distress. Leaving Neverland<\/em> arrived on the heels of Surviving R. Kelly<\/em><\/a>, the Lifetime docuseries that detailed years of allegations of abuse against R. Kelly and ultimately led to a new slate of criminal charges<\/a> and an end to the singer\u2019s longtime deal<\/a> with RCA. Obviously, Jackson, who died in 2009, cannot face new criminal charges (he was acquitted on child molestation charges in 2005), but his estate remains a massive business.<\/p>\n

Last year, Sony Entertainment spent $250 million to secure the distribution rights to Jackson\u2019s music for another seven years. The label has not issued a statement since Leaving Neverland<\/em> premiered. As far as merchandise and image rights go, Jamie Salter, the founder and CEO of ABG, which manages non-musical licensing for Jackson and other celebrity estates, told Rolling Stone<\/em> a few days before Leaving Neverland<\/em> premiered that he hadn\u2019t received a single call from any concerned companies.<\/p>\n

When asked about Robson and Safechuck\u2019s allegations in the film, Salter replied, \u201cBeing in the entertainment business, there\u2019s real news and fake news. And sometimes you never know the truth \u2026 Honestly, it\u2019s an old story. Any news is good news. Honestly, I haven\u2019t gotten one call. Not a peep. Maybe after it airs. Everyone says these guys have changed their stories 17 times. It\u2019s hard to believe what\u2019s true and what\u2019s not true.\u201d (Salter has not returned Rolling Stone<\/em>\u2019s follow-up requests since the documentary aired).<\/p>\n

Jackson\u2019s former lawyer, Mark Geragos, who represented him during his 2005 trial for child molestation, also took a shot at the documentary\u2019s credibility. In the film, there\u2019s a clip of Geragos speaking at a press conference in 2003, after Jackson\u2019s arrest, and the footage appears to show Geragos suggesting that Jackson\u2019s accusers are \u201cseeking money.\u201d On Twitter<\/a>, however, Geragos said the press conference was actually about Jackson\u2019s lawsuit against a private jet firm that was found guilty of secretly filming him and Jackson during a flight to Santa Barbara, where Jackson turned himself into police.<\/p>\n

Radio and streaming numbers could be a bellwether for Jackson\u2019s legacy and the financial viability of his estate. In the days after Leaving Neverland<\/em> premiered, Jackson\u2019s spins on U.S. radio dropped from about 2,000 a day to 1,500 a day, while several stations in New Zealand and Canada announced they would stop playing his music altogether. But on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, Jackson\u2019s solo music notched 16,497,000 streams in the week after the documentary aired on March 3rd and 4th \u2014 falling squarely within his typical range of 16 to 17 million plays-per-week. Additionally, Jackson\u2019s music remains on several big Spotify playlists, including \u201cAll Out 80s,\u201d which boasts nearly 5 million followers (his artist-specific playlist, \u201cThis Is Michael Jackson,\u201d has more than 1 million followers).<\/p>\n

One place that has taken action to scrub Jackson\u2019s presence is the Children\u2019s Museum of Indianapolis, which removed<\/a> a pair of the musician\u2019s iconic gloves, plus a fedora and an autographed poster. \u201cWhen you learn new stories or you look at something historical in a different way, then sometimes we re-evaluate whether that\u2019s appropriate to be (on display),\u201d said the museum\u2019s director of collections, Chris Carron.<\/p>\n

Jackson\u2019s music was also dropped at the Staples Center, where ESPN\u2019s Los Angeles Lakers correspondent, Dave McMenamin, noted the team had replaced<\/a> \u201cBeat It\u201d with Nirvana\u2019s \u201cSmells Like Teen Spirit\u201d and Chuck Berry\u2019s \u201cJohnny B. Goode\u201d as the soundtrack for its \u201cAir Band Cam\u201d jumbotron segment.<\/p>\n

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The Lakers\u2019 Air Band Cam getting fans to imitate Lance Stephenson\u2019s air guitar featured Micheal Jackson\u2019s \u201cBeat It\u201d as the musician accompaniment most of the season. Since \u201cLeaving Neverland\u201d aired, they\u2019ve switched to Chuck Berry\u2019s \u201cJohnny B. Goode\u201d and Nirvana pic.twitter.com\/AlLxXOoNtZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 10, 2019<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Many celebrities \u2014 including Ellen DeGeneres, Molly Ringwald and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan \u2014 have voiced their support for Robson and Safechuck, as have musicians Sia and Amanda Palmer, though neither mentioned Jackson by name and instead shared messages about believing survivors. On the flip side, T.I.<\/a>, Juice WRLD<\/a>, Jason DeRulo and India.Arie<\/a> have all issued statements on social media, or in the press, that appeared to defend Jackson.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t just listen to one side and expect to find truth,\u201d T.I. wrote on Instagram. \u201cOh that\u2019s right\u2026Dead men can\u2019t speak. So what was the point again? Destroy another strong black historical LEGEND?!?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Drake reportedly dropped his posthumous MJ collaboration, \u201cDon\u2019t Matter to Me,\u201d from his setlist when he resumed his Scorpion<\/em> tour in Europe this month, but he has yet to release a statement explaining this decision. (A rep for Drake declined to comment on the rapper\u2019s decision.)<\/p>\n

Two of the most prominent public rebukes have come from non-musical entities. Last Thursday, Louis Vuitton announced<\/a> that it no longer plans to produce several garments from star designer Virgil Abloh\u2019s Jackson-inspired fall 2019 menswear show. The fashion giant claimed it was unaware of the film and its allegations when the collection debuted in January before the doc\u2019s Sundance premiere. In a recent New Yorker<\/em> profile<\/a>, Abloh spoke about Jackson as an inspiration, and when asked if he\u2019d heard about Leaving Neverland<\/em>, replied that he wanted to focus on \u201cthe Michael that I thought was universally accepted, the good side, his humanitarian self.\u201d<\/p>\n

Upon Louis Vuitton\u2019s decision to axe such pieces as a pair of sparkling white gloves from his show, Abloh later said, \u201cI am aware that in light of this documentary the show has caused emotional reactions. I strictly condemn any form of child abuse, violence or infringement against any human rights.\u201d<\/p>\n