On Sunday, HBO aired the first of its two-part documentary Leaving Neverland, which addresses the allegations of two men, James Safechuck and Wade Robson, who say the singer sexually abused them as children. Jackson’s estate called the film a “character assassination” after it debuted at Sundance in January and sued HBO for breach of contract last month. Now it’s apparently trying another tactic.
As Pitchfork reports, roughly 20 minutes into the documentary airing, the official Michael Jackson Twitter account tweeted out news that his 1992 concert Live in Bucharest: The Dangerous Tour was free on YouTube, and the 1988 concert Live at Wembley would air on Monday night during part two. Both concert films are two hours long, the same length as Leaving Neverland‘s two parts.
Don’t miss the magic from the King of Pop himself! Immerse yourself in Michael Jackson. Live in Bucharest and Live at Wembley Stadium available for a limited time on Michael Jackson’s @youtube!
— Michael Jackson (@michaeljackson) March 4, 2019
Watch Now – https://t.co/fnD2IonLsP pic.twitter.com/z9heNX3AGP
Don’t miss the magic from the King of Pop himself! Immerse yourself in Michael Jackson. Live in Bucharest and Live at Wembley Stadium available for a limited time on Michael Jackson’s @youtube! pic.twitter.com/kdc6yZjKMA
— Michael Jackson (@michaeljackson) March 2, 2019
After Leaving Neverland aired, the reactions were mixed on Twitter. While there are still die-hard Jackson fans who believe his innocence—several people pointed out that the comments on the #LeavingNeverland tag leaned heavily in his defense—the doc represents a reckoning for many fans who grew up idolizing Jackson, and shows how survivors of childhood abuse deal with trauma, often decades later.
READ MORE:
- Fans reckon with dark side of Michael Jackson after ‘Leaving Neverland’ premiere
- R. Kelly supporters are using #FirstThem to protect him
- HBO’s ‘Leaving Neverland’ will finally make us reckon with Michael Jackson
H/T Pitchfork