Controversial MJ Documentary Leaving Neverland [GENERAL DISCUSSION THREAD]

I've added this to the 'Square One' thread because it was recorded during the same weekend (in the Netherlands), but from appx 6 mins. Taj talks about 'LN', so I thought it would be helpful to copy this video here as well:

Taj Jackson and Danny Wu visited the HU University of Applied Sciences Utrecht on 17 January 2020 to chat to the students of the Journalism Program.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRc...Ag5HHvn2LJXt90ek91gHsng6P Ych2EoWZhKACKUjHY4

 
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Interesting article about Oprah's recommendation of a book called 'American Dirt', which purports to be a 'true to life' fictional tale of Latin migrants to the USA.

I think we all know about Oprah's 'self-serving revenue streams' and how 'communities of colour are not allowed to tell their own stories (eg Brandi, who never got a hearing from Oprah after LN).

Oprah needs to clean up her ‘American Dirt’ mess

Oprah Winfrey will soon host a conversation about “American Dirt,” a novel mired in controversy that’s also the latest selection for her book club.

It’s too little too late. Winfrey should rescind her support now.

In nearly 25 years, only once has the entertainment mogul yanked a coveted book club endorsement. That came in 2006, after James Frey’s memoir about his addiction and recovery, “A Million Little Pieces,” turned out to be far more fiction than fact.

“American Dirt" needs to be the second.

For months, Jeanine Cummins’s novel about a Mexican mother and her young son heading to the border to escape a drug cartel has been widely criticized in Latinx circles for perpetuating what writer and translator David Bowles calls a “pastiche of stereotypes and melodramatic tropes of the sort one might expect from an author who did not grow up within Mexican culture.”

Cummins has long identified as white. In interviews, she now mentions her Puerto Rican grandmother, and some headlines call her “a white Latina.” She says she deeply researched the book, including spending time in Mexico.

Yet this isn’t about how Cummins self-identifies. It’s about a novel fostering stereotypes, and what happens when communities of color get shut out from telling their own stories.

........................... Yet it was Winfrey’s anointing that catapulted the book into public consciousness and a rigorous debate about cultural appropriation, stereotypes, and how the publishing industry does not value communities of color telling their own stories.

Appearing on “CBS This Morning” last week with Cummins, Winfrey said, “I thought this humanized that migration process in a way that nothing else I had ever felt or seen had." The book, she said, "changed the way I see what it means to be an immigrant trying to come to this country.”

Not children in cages. Not the bodies of Oscar Alberto Martínez Ramírez and his young daughter, Angie Valeria, Salvadoran refugees who drowned trying to cross the Rio Grande. Not Juan de León Gutiérrez, 16; Jakelin Caal Maquin, 7; Felipe Gómez Alonzo, 8, and other children who have died in the custody of this savage administration. For Winfrey, what “humanized” these stories is a novel that’s margarine pretending to be butter.

................“American Dirt” also serves hollow, cliche-ridden representations of the people about which it purportedly cares. Still, this is the novel Winfrey, whose book club has featured few Latinx authors among its 80-plus selections, chose, lifting Cummins from obscurity to literary celebrity.

In a recent Instagram post, Winfrey, who had remained mostly silent after her initial selection announcement, said, “Now it has become clear to me from the outpouring, may I say, of very passionate opinions that this selection has struck an emotional chord and created a need for a deeper, more substantive discussion.”

That discussion will air on “Oprah’s Book Club” in March on Apple TV+. It’s a conversation that will matter only if it’s a meaningful step toward systemic changes in the publishing industry instead of a self-serving revenue stream designed only to pacify communities of color tired of being ignored and unheard.

When Cummins was told that her novel “American Dirt” had been chosen for the book club, she said these were “the four words every writer dreams of hearing — ‘Jeanine, it’s Oprah Winfrey.’ ”

Here’s the four words many now want to hear from Winfrey: “I’m withdrawing my recommendation.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/01...lean-up-her-american-dirt-mess/?event=event25
 
Why they are accusing Kobe of being a rapist?! I don't know much about him because here in my country soccer is the main sport...

I honestly haven't been following it either much yesterday I watched a video of The Amazing Lucas and he covered it. He said among other things that plenty of stuff was very, very off about the accuser. Apparently Kobe settled out of court and I guess this makes celebrities like Evan Rachel jump to the conclusion he did it, without doing research on that accuser at all.

The video i watched :

https://youtu.be/OcuaBDX5790
 
I see Kobe Bryant being treated similarly to how Mike was treated and still to this day on Twitter. The man has barely been gone for a day and already celebrities like Evan Rachel Wood saying "it's sad, but he also was a rapist." with full certainty, while this has never been proven and there's enough off about the accuser.

They just can't help it, can they.

Honestly, though - Kobe apologized publicly for the incident. He didn't deny sexual assault in his apology - so I think that's a pretty solid confirmation, there.

I think comparing his situation to Mike's is a bit detrimental, considering Jackson always denied and never apologized. For good reason.
 
Honestly, though - Kobe apologized publicly for the incident. He didn't deny sexual assault in his apology - so I think that's a pretty solid confirmation, there.

I think comparing his situation to Mike's is a bit detrimental, considering Jackson always denied and never apologized. For good reason.

Michael didnt have to apologise cuz there was nothing to apologise for
 
Honestly, though - Kobe apologized publicly for the incident. He didn't deny sexual assault in his apology - so I think that's a pretty solid confirmation, there.

I think comparing his situation to Mike's is a bit detrimental, considering Jackson always denied and never apologized. For good reason.

I didn't know that. Is that 100% true that he apologized and never denied wrongdoing? Because from what I'm reading and hearing in videos is that the accuser started to brag to her girlfriends about the size of Kobe's you know what, and didn't want to testify in the first place and so on.

Kobe truly never denied wrongdoing? And yep, very true, Michael always maintained his innocence. Hating ass idiots always want to come with the settlement in the 90s as a strong argument but Michael never admitted to any wrongdoing there.
 
Kobe apologized and did say he thought it was consensual and she thought it wasn't and apologized to her for thinking it wasn't. She has never spoken to girlfriends and so forth and never spoke anything about "his size" or anything etc, and he did make a settlement. He made the settlement when she was to talk.

Michael's abhorrent treatment has never stopped and cannot be compared to anyone's. His disgusting abuse by others continues even in death. I am one of the old time fans and I am waiting for the day this ends but I think it never will.
 
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Kobe apologized and did say he thought it was consensual and she thought it wasn't and apologized to her for thinking it wasn't. She has never spoken to girlfriends and so forth and never spoke anything about "his size" or anything etc, and he did make a settlement. He made the settlement when she was to talk.

Michael's abhorrent treatment has never stopped and cannot be compared to anyone's. His disgusting abuse by others continues even in death. I am one of the old time fans and I am waiting for the day this ends but I think it never will.

That's good to know. When we go to many lengths to get the truth about Michael, I think we should do that for others as well. It's good to know that Kobe said he thought it was consensual.

As for Michael, yeah...it seems pretty clear it's never gonna stop, which is incredibly sad and pathetic. Just now on Twitter this dude called LN a documentary and asked people if it's OK to listen to MJ music, it's 2020 and we're still getting this bullshit even though there are actual documentaries now.

And some woman said if these boys were his inspiration to write music, she doesn't want to listen to the music. Lmfao, sigh. Best believe I put those idiots on block right away.
 
Kobe apologized and did say he thought it was consensual and she thought it wasn't and apologized to her for thinking it wasn't. She has never spoken to girlfriends and so forth and never spoke anything about "his size" or anything etc, and he did make a settlement. He made the settlement when she was to talk.

Michael's abhorrent treatment has never stopped and cannot be compared to anyone's. His disgusting abuse by others continues even in death. I am one of the old time fans and I am waiting for the day this ends but I think it never will.
It will stop for MJ. I think people are getting tired of it now. It is only so much "crying wolf" until the town's people start to keep walking and do not care/do not believe it no more. As for Kobe, Kobe apologized for the ONE NIGHT affair with this accuser (sorry to say it but she was just a "booty call"- a.k.a a GROUPIE). These charges were dropped. To me, she was a booty call as many women ran after sport stars, musicians,etc in the arena, where the celebs are staying, etc to try to sleep with these men. I have seen some of these women when I use to go to games/concerts line up line roaches on a wall to get to these men. And when our officers were security over these events even in the hotels, these kind of women will do what it takes to get the player. Believe me, Kobe had women throwing themselves at him. Even he and his wife told the story how some women would step over her and push up on Kobe right in her face. He did not have to "force' no one, many women across the broad were willing to give it up to him (even free of charge). To me, Kobe and her had sex, gave her $20 on the stand (if not that), and now she got mad because Kobe got it and moved on so easy. The US was at her side to support her. She know she just slept with Kobe at her own free will.
 
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Kobe apologized and did say he thought it was consensual and she thought it wasn't and apologized to her for thinking it wasn't. She has never spoken to girlfriends and so forth and never spoke anything about "his size" or anything etc, and he did make a settlement. He made the settlement when she was to talk.

I remember hearing something about her sending texts bragging that she "****ed Kobe". Was there no truth to that after all?

And his apology came off more as a "I don't think it was rape but I can see why you think it was" thing rather than a straight-up admission of guilt. It's also worth pointing out that the settlement was a for a civil suit that she filed after the criminal charges were dropped (because she didn't want to testify for the criminal trial). Interesting that this all happened in 2003-2004, too, when the shit against Michael was being kicked up again...
 
https://www.instagram.com/p/B78V0cnJKMI/

jrandytaraborrelli
I finished my little part yesterday on a massive four hour mystery documentary about Michael Jackson. I can’t say what it is ... or where it will air... or when ... but I can tell you that it’s good, it’s a major network and ...later this year. Soon as I can announce, I will. Stay tuned. All the MJ big shots participated. Oh ... and me, too. #michaeljackson

Randy Taraborrelli, known by the fans for his biography books on Michael Jackson (and also some made up stories about the king of Pop), has just confirmed he participated in the filming of a new Michael Jackson documentary.

Taraborrelli confirmed the new documentary will be 4 hours long, involving major Michael Jackson protagonists and will be released later this year on a major network.

Fans have rushed to the facebook post to check if this new documentary was a more positive one and Taraborrelli responded:

You know I usually don’t participate. I’m trying to be a little more visible because I think if people like me continue to be quiet because of the inevitable social media backlash, it doesn’t serve MJ’s legacy. So, I’m carefully tiptoeing out there again to REMIND PEOPLE.

At this stage, it is unclear who is behind the documentary who are those “MJ Big Shots” are but we will keep you informed.

(Source:MJVibe)

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yes. A US network is making a 4hr doc for the anniversary of the verdicts in the 2005 trial. They’ve been approaching defense witnesses, claiming the doc will expose how unjust it was that the case even went to court &amp; how bullshit the case was. But I’ll believe it when I see it.</p>&mdash; Charles Thomson (@CEThomson) <a href="https://twitter.com/CEThomson/status/1222938173950525441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two Part , Four Hour Michael Jackson Documentary About 2005 Child Molestation and Conspiracy Trial, Arvizo Family Coming from A&amp;E in June <a href="https://t.co/55gdY0BPAG">https://t.co/55gdY0BPAG</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/showbiz411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@showbiz411</a></p>&mdash; andjustice4some (@andjustice4some) <a href="https://twitter.com/andjustice4some/status/1222945825157873664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I am friends with J Randy and do trust him. The doc he is referring to is not Taj’s. But I know what it is. Remains to be seen whether the network involved will do a fair and accurate job.</p>&mdash; Charles Thomson (@CEThomson) <a href="https://twitter.com/CEThomson/status/1222935566372737027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BRILLIANT!!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MJFam?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MJFam</a> &#128514; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MichaelJackson?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MichaelJackson</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MJInnocent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MJInnocent</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MichaelJacksonIsInnocent?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MichaelJacksonIsInnocent</a> <a href="https://t.co/xlzscDciBq">https://t.co/xlzscDciBq</a></p>&mdash; Danny Oliver (@DannyMJOliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/DannyMJOliver/status/1222849847000281089?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Paris78;4280531 said:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Two Part , Four Hour Michael Jackson Documentary About 2005 Child Molestation and Conspiracy Trial, Arvizo Family Coming from A&E in June <a href="https://t.co/55gdY0BPAG">https://t.co/55gdY0BPAG</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/showbiz411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@showbiz411</a></p>&#8212; andjustice4some (@andjustice4some) <a href="https://twitter.com/andjustice4some/status/1222945825157873664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

This could turn out to be very, very good. IF handled correctly. Time will tell.

That being said, it will be interesting to see how Robson is portrayed. I mean, he was the first witness for the defense and he was delighted to do so (no subpoena necessary).

Scott and his wife spent a lot of time with the defenses witnesses, I'd love for the public to hear from them both. Especially their time spent with Wade Robson!!!

I have a feeling Robson is NOT going to like this particular project.
 
^ J R Taraborelli says he has an MJ documentary out this year too...

Edited: It may be the same documentary.
 
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This could turn out to be very, very good. IF handled correctly. Time will tell.

That being said, it will be interesting to see how Robson is portrayed. I mean, he was the first witness for the defense and he was delighted to do so (no subpoena necessary).

Scott and his wife spent a lot of time with the defenses witnesses, I'd love for the public to hear from them both. Especially their time spent with Wade Robson!!!

I have a feeling Robson is NOT going to like this particular project.

EDITED: - Moved to New thread in Trials and Tribs .
Two Part , Four Hour Michael Jackson Documentary About 2005 Child Molestation and Conspiracy Trial, Arvizo Family Coming from A&E in June



https://www.showbiz411.com/2020/01/...05-trial-arvizo-family-coming-from-ae-in-june
 
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Please make a new thread for further discussion on this new documentary. Thanks.
 
When all this stuff about Michael is going to end? Jesus, they just want to make money out of him! Leave him alone! Even in death the man can't ****ing rest!
 
Great. No way that this A&E documentary will be anything more than a smear piece.

Can't wait to get asked compulsively "BuT dID YOu wATcH ThE DoCUmeNTaRy?!"
 
To me, it's not a coincidence or a good sign that the A&E documentary seems to be following the same format as Leaving Neverland - a four hour two-part format.

Seems a bit too deliberate. Perhaps Tom M. is involved because he thinks that Michael needs someone in the documentary to defend him. And they can edit or use as much or as little of his contributions as they want.

If Diane is involved...****...
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">He has also agreed to answer questions we may have regarding the allegations against Michael (obviously those that he is able to). If anyone has a question to ask him, please let us know &amp; we will send them to him. We’ll add a Scott Ross Q&amp;A section to our MJI website soon too! <a href="https://t.co/7nD1JL7jK2">pic.twitter.com/7nD1JL7jK2</a></p>&mdash; #MJINNOCENT Official (@MJInnocentUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/MJInnocentUK/status/1223280141046112258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">MJfam, We&#8217;re trending <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MichaelJacksonBlackHistory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MichaelJacksonBlackHistory</a> Tomorrow Feb 1st for Black History Month. Tweet a fact, image or video of Michael Jackson&#8217;s many accomplishments for Black History. <br>Let&#8217;s all start at 20:00:00 UTC<br>Find out what time that is for you below.<a href="https://t.co/TzwNjVRmUT">https://t.co/TzwNjVRmUT</a></p>&mdash; Taj Jackson (@tajjackson3) <a href="https://twitter.com/tajjackson3/status/1223341477171888129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
KEW MEDIA GROUP Provides Update on Cease Trade Order
January 30, 2020 07:55 AM Eastern Standard Time

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--KEW MEDIA GROUP INC. (&#8220;KEW&#8221; or the &#8220;Company&#8221;) (TSX: KEW and KEW.WT) announced today that a permanent cease trade order (&#8220;CTO&#8221;) has been issued by the Ontario Securities Commission (&#8220;OSC&#8221;), pursuant to which all trading in the securities of the Company cease until the CTO is revoked by the OSC. The issuance of the CTO follows the issuance by the OSC of a temporary cease trade order on January 16, 2020 which was to expire on January 31, 2020. A copy of the order is available under KEW&#8217;s sedar profile at www.sedar.com.

About KEW MEDIA GROUP INC.

With primary offices in London, Los Angeles, and Toronto, KEW MEDIA GROUP is a publicly listed content company that produces and distributes multi-genre content for almost every available viewing platform worldwide. KEW promotes transparency, equality, respect, and inclusiveness and plans to grow with the benefit of people from a wide range of perspectives and backgrounds.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200130005440/en/KEW-MEDIA-GROUP-Update-Cease-Trade-Order

#SchadenfreudeSaturday
 
LOL. So companies will be 'Leaving Kew Media Group'..... :devil:

&#8216;Leaving Neverland&#8217; Producers Among Those Struggling for Royalties as Kew Media Group Ceases Trading (EXCLUSIVE)

Canada&#8217;s embattled Kew Media Group will continue to cease all trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) following a permanent cease trade order by the Ontario Securities Commission, as the firm&#8217;s portfolio of production companies scrambles to exit what one executive has called &#8220;a sinking ship.&#8221;

Several people with direct knowledge of the company&#8217;s finances have told Variety that the producers of HBO and Channel 4 documentary &#8220;Leaving Neverland,&#8221; one of Kew Media Distribution&#8217;s top-earning titles last year &#8211; selling into every territory in the world except China, Kew said in July &#8211; are among those who are heavily out of pocket, with large amounts of royalties still unpaid.

It is understood that discussions around payment are still ongoing with Kew Media Group, whose financial turmoil was first revealed in its third-quarter earnings in November, which showed a net loss of CAD$6.4 million ($4.8 million) for the period and a 5% dip in revenues (CAD$47.5 million/$35.9 million) from the year prior. The report also disclosed a debt load of CAD$104.9 million ($79 million).

At the time, the business pointed to poor performance by its U.S. and Australia-based producer Essential Media, which lost a number of &#8220;key series&#8221; including Discovery&#8217;s &#8220;Texas Flip &#8216;N Move&#8221; when DIY rebranded to Magnolia.

In December, Kew began a strategic review that could see the business wholly or partially sold off as it looks to pay back its lenders. At that point, it also claimed that CFO Geoff Webb had filed &#8220;inaccurate information regarding working capital&#8221; in its financial reports.

The Ontario Securities Commission first issued a temporary cease trade order (CTO) to the publicly traded company on Jan. 16 with a 15-day window &#8211; a directive that was made permanent on Thursday. Kew must demonstrate it can meet all TSX requirements by May 19 or face removal.

Kew Media Group was launched in 2017 by Alliance Atlantis&#8217;s Peter Sussman and Blue Ice Group co-founder Steven Silver, self-proclaimed &#8220;content guys&#8221; who set up shop as a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), a vehicle that drums up investment through an IPO, with funds then used to acquire existing companies.

The business burst onto the scene in a dazzling buying spree that saw it snap up several prominent Canadian production companies for $104 million ($78 million), including Bristow Global Media, Frantic Films and Our House Media, as well as London-based film and TV distributor Content Media.

The acquisition of Content also brought the likes of &#8220;Going Clear&#8221; doc maker Alex Gibney&#8217;s production outfit Jigsaw Productions and former Endemol staffer Peter Cowley&#8217;s Spirit Media into the Kew Media stable. The business later bought factual distribution powerhouse TCB Media Rights and also took stakes in Two Rivers Media and Awesome Media.

Variety understands that a number of these companies are now looking to quickly extract themselves from Kew.

One Kew-backed business owner told Variety that the company&#8217;s producers became conscious of financial distress during the second half of 2019, but was not expecting the scale of the damage.

&#8220;We were conscious from their third-quarter results that they hadn&#8217;t done well,&#8221; said the source. &#8220;But the share price had tanked before this, and we thought it was a bad quarter. We weren&#8217;t imagining this.&#8221;

It is believed that Jeff Norton&#8217;s Awesome Media, which specializes in YA and literary IP with crossover TV potential, is fielding outside interest from both private equity groups and traditional media buyers, while Paul Heaney&#8217;s TCB is also entertaining offers from numerous investors.

Earlier this month, Kew-backed &#8220;Dance Moms&#8221; producer Collins Avenue was acquired by Asylum&#8217;s The Content Group, while Alan Clements&#8217; Two Rivers Media bought out Kew&#8217;s minority stake in the business through increased backing from its remaining investors, Noble Grossart Investments and Channel 4&#8217;s Indie Growth Fund.

The trouble at Kew has, overall, come as a surprise to the industry. The execs who helm Kew-backed production companies, such as Julie Bristow (who left the business in November), Jeff Collins and Paul Heaney, are well respected, public-facing figures with substantial profile across the industry. Similarly, Kew&#8217;s entry in the documentary space via Jigsaw and other third-party deals, such as &#8220;Leaving Neverland,&#8221; was also seen a major boon for the unscripted arena.

The release of some of these companies back into the market will be seen as a major blow for Kew &#8211; if it is able to refinance and remain afloat &#8211; but one that will also feed the M&A headwinds blowing full force across the market.

Kew Media Group declined to comment for this story.

https://variety.com/2020/tv/global/kew-media-group-leaving-neverland-unpaid-royalties-1203488884/
 
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