Controversial MJ Documentary "Leaving Neverland" [GENERAL DISCUSSION THREAD]

[myosotis]

Interesting comments about Ava Du Vernay, who is campaigning anti-Trump, aiming at black women's votes (LN-relevant extracts below) :

Why Is Ava DuVernay Targeting Black Women?

......Earlier this year, DuVernay had sided with Oprah when the latter decided to step down from her role as an executive producer on the Russell Simmons #MeToo documentary On the Record, which focused on three Black women’s alleged experiences of being sexually assaulted by the record producer. Oprah had misgivings about the way some of the stories were represented in the film, and initially gave very vague statements before confirming that she did believe all the women who came out against Simmons and had not at all been influenced by the accused music mogul to exit the project. Oprah told The New York Times that DuVernay helped her make that decision and even gave a harsh appraisal of On the Record’s two white directors, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, ability to “[capture] the nuances of hip-hop culture and the struggles of black women.”

.....Perhaps, what had been important to Oprah, and by extension DuVernay, was whether such a sought-after name brand should be on something that didn’t fully represent either woman’s view of the world.

Oprah had already supported Dan Reed’s Michael Jackson child-abuse documentary Leaving Neverland, having neither produced nor overseen it in any way. Why such a different standard for a film about Black women’s experiences with abuse in entertainment?

Powerful people, no matter their identity, can themselves become cultural gatekeepers rather than groundbreakers. DuVernay has made a career off of reinterpreting history on her own terms, to varying results, and her distribution company, Array, has been responsible for getting excellent films by new directors to a wider public—most recently Residue, a film tackling the effects of gentrification in a Washington, D.C., neighborhood, has made waves. Yet her very vocal public positioning seems to be much less in solidarity with Black people than it is in power amongst those in entertainment and beyond it. This would be the legacy of Oprah, Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, and even Kanye West, and not of William Greaves, Nina Simone, Ruby Dee, and Ossie Davis, or the L.A. Rebellion.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-is...ticles&via=rss

[terrell]

Blacks do not have a problem with someone exposing blacks if they are doing something wrong or proven to have done something wrong; however Oprah ran to cover LN which had plenty of lies expose even before it aired while ignoring whites who were accused and guilty and she pushed those 2 guys who are proven liars yet she ignored MJ's side even those who have knowledge about these liars and did not want to cover MJ side even Ava went along with Oprah until Taj tweeted to Ava about the facts of the case (Ava loves to block folks when they call out her hypocrisy as well). What many blacks will not tolerate is trying to bring down blacks with lies or clearly false claims. Did blacks go off about RKelly? No because there is too much circumstanial evidence against RKelly while MJ is the opposite. That is why blacks laid into Oprah. Blacks do not need other blacks to set them up. They have enuf of others folks trying to do that to blacks

[elusive moonwalker]

Oprah has always sucked up to the white establishment to help/maintain her career. Shes the most fake person ever and will sell herself to anyone to achieve

[PoP]

Let’s not forget that moron John Legend he goes against MJ and he is black, he’s one of the very few black people to turn on MJ. He’s overrated and sucked as an artist anyways. And everytime that cow’s commercial “Weight Watchers” came on, I have to change the channel for a few seconds until it’s over which I refuse to stomach.

[NatureCriminal7896]

Screw John Legend

[elusive moonwalker]

Hes a B lister. Who cares.

[terrell]

I wonder how john feel since he and his wife are called pedo due to their names in Epstein book. I do not believe they are pedos just like MJ is not but this should show them how easy it is for folks to lie about you on assumptions and rumors

[myosotis]

There are some details about Reed's plans for LN2, and his comments about LN in the latest court documents, as follows (With many thanks to fans on Twitter):

Dan Reed's motion to quash US subpoenas that he and his production firm received by the estate on Sept. 21, 2020.

''Dan has filed a court motion detailing his plans for LN:2 while attempting to quash the estate's subpoenas very recently lodged toward Dan and Amos Pictures.

Dan indicates he has been in LA county for a month "for the sole purpose of filming the proceedings of these cases" and that he will fly back to the UK on October 18, until next March.
He is officially hired by Channel 4 "News & Current Affairs" for the production of LN:Part 2.

For LN:2, Dan alleges it is "about current events taking place partly in public view...an unfolding narrative with multiple points of view. There are multiple parties involved...plaintiffs, defendants, and the Court"

He states it will premiere after the cases have concluded.

Dan met with Weitzman at his offices in June 2020 and was "optimistic" they'd allow him to film behind-the-scenes and do interviews, also including Branca and the defense attorneys representing MJ's companies in this case.
He sent multiple emails to them through September.

Weitzman has rejected participation for LN:2.
"Neither myself or anyone in my offices will participate in the documentary...for several reasons. Among them is the fact that you are already clearly on the record saying that you believe both accusers' stories without hesitation."

For those who noticed Dan following Paris on Twitter: In part that was because he sent HER a notice (*image below) about LN before it premiered at Sundance—after pressers began circulating about it.
He never solicited any comment or informed Jackson reps of it until after it was complete.

Dan has the nerve to suggest, in court, that LN is "impartial" and was not a one-sided film, because the media reviews loved it and said it was compelling. Yet he admitted in his interviews he didn't bother contacting anyone who'd defend MJ because "they weren't in the room."

In another clear "penalty of perjury" Dan proclaims that "not one factual error" in LN has been brought to his attention.
He dispels all "anomalies" as "baseless" according to his crack team of researchers.
Yet Dan offered two demonstrably false excuses for Train Station LIE.

.......After two meet-and-confers, the estate offered to (at least with respect to the US-based subpoenas):
a.) Limit the subpoenas to all of the UNPUBLISHED footage of the plaintiffs.
b.) Depose Reed and Amos Pictures only about that footage.

Channel 4 also put out an 8 page motion to quash the subpoenas. Their ramblings were mostly gushing over Dan as "one of the most internationally renowned" filmmakers to ever live & glowing LN reviews.
They attempt to paint the estate as wanting to "shoot the messenger" & so on.''

Personally, I just wanted to single out a particularly slimy comment from Dan Sleazeball, as a reason why he didn't include MJ's family or the Estate in LN:

'To the best of my knowledge, neither Jackson's family nor any representative of the Estate were present when the crimes alleged in 'Leaving Neverland' allegedly took place'.

https://mjjr.net/docs/2020-10-13-Dan...n-to-Quash.pdf

[elusive moonwalker]

Thanks for this. What feckers they are. So arrogant they think they can blatantly lie

[Paris78]

MJFam this is a must read. https://t.co/j3C21g9QQF

— andjustice4some (@andjustice4some) October 15, 2020

The shade coming from the Estate. They argue that Dan Reed is not a journalist nor is he a documentary filmmaker. lol pic.twitter.com/NGIHFEX9gZ

— andjustice4some (@andjustice4some) October 15, 2020

[myosotis]

I've been thinking about 'PR' (public relations) for MJ in the current climate, and wondering how that will be handled once the court cases are over and 'LN2' appears.

I happened across an old article from 2009, just after Michael died, which mentioned that an interesting PR rep. (now working for a certain Harry and Meghan) had been engaged at that time, when a lot of rumours were flying about, and assorted people were speculating to the press.... I wonder if we will see more active PR in the run-up to MJ the Musical? After the trial in 2005 MJ seemed to more or less disappear from the press for a couple of years, but I imagine that won't happen this time with the Estate's involvement.

Jackson media frenzy faulted (4 July 2009)

The past week has been filled with breathless rumors and revelations from supposed intimates of Michael Jackson. Hyper-competitive news outlets are lapping up supposedly inside information from a motley cast of supporting characters, including Deepak Chopra, Lou Ferrigno and Al Sharpton, as well as many lesser lights.

A top publicist hired by the dead singer’s family has lashed back at the extensive and error-prone media coverage.

“People should be embarrassed when they print, blog or say things on the air that are proven to be entirely untrue or partially untrue,” said Ken Sunshine, a veteran PR consultant retained Wednesday by the Jackson family. “And there should be a shame in it.

“You watch these interview shows all night and all day,” he added, referring to the nearly nonstop coverage on cable news. “The people that they get to interview: Where are the standards of choosing somebody to go on-camera? . . . The so-called experts, who the hell are these people?”

In his professional life, Sunshine has of course very good reasons to advance such an argument. But many Jackson-fatigued viewers are likely asking similar questions. .......................

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...ia4-story.html

[PoP]

I swear to God if LN sequel gets out, I will riot. And I hate rioting. Let’s hope to God it will never be out in the light of day.

[terrell]

I swear to God if LN sequel gets out, I will riot. And I hate rioting. Let’s hope to God it will never be out in the light of day.

either way, it will backfire and show this was all a money scheme a many already thought LN was anyway.

[NatureCriminal7896]

i pray that it doesn't exist. as we'll looking the court case going pretty smoothly.

[elusive moonwalker]

I doubt it will get off the cutting room floor unless they win or possible if it goes to trial