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Victorious

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So my believe is that MJ was very interested and almost obsessed with 'child stars'. With the whole idea: he was just as sensitive to the child stars themselves as he was in former child stars. So I think he wanted to mentor talented children to be a child star in a more healthy, nicer way than he and other former child stars experienced it. And I think that, like he said, they also made him stay on a pure creative level himself

Is it safe to say that the kids MJ hung out with were all 'child stars' or destined to be? Is there a common theme between them? What do we know about their aspirations or the aspirations their parents had with them? Or if MJ saw any talent in them for his label or other outlet? Or were some just 'fans'?

I don't believe the narritive of the 'guilters' that these were some sort of shy, 'easy to prey on' children with gullible parents; I would say the complete opposite

Macaulay Culkin was an aspiring actor
Emmanual Lewis was an aspiring actor
Wade Robson was an aspiring dancer/ rapper
James Safechuck was an aspiring actor
Jordan Chandler was an aspiring screen writer?
Omar Bhatti was an aspiring dancer/rapper?
Brett Barnes..?
Jonathan Spence.. does something in film?
Gavin Arvizo was an aspiring comedian?
 
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Based on what Michael said to Shmuley about Macauly Culkin and what he said on the recently leaked Moonwalk tapes about Emmanuel Lewis, it's obvious that Michael felt a strong need to protect child stars from the things he suffered through as a child star.

He also befriended children who were sick or wounded, like Dave Dave, Gavin Arvizo and the little sick girl he mentioned to Shmuley (the one that Lisa-Marie hung up on because she was tired of her calling Michael). Obviously he felt a strong need to protect those children too. In Dave Dave's case, he reached out to him again when he was an adult, so it was not only children he wanted to protect.

He also befriended ordinary children, like the Cascios or Glenda's family. But in those cases, it really seems he befriended the whole family, not the children specifically.
 
So my believe is that MJ was very interested and almost obsessed with 'child stars'. With the whole idea: he was just as sensitive to the child stars themselves as he was in former child stars. So I think he wanted to mentor talented children to be a child star in a more healthy, nicer way than he and other former child stars experienced it. And I think that, like he said, they also made him stay on a pure creative level himself

Is it safe to say that the kids MJ hung out with were all 'child stars' or destined to be? Is there a common theme between them? What do we know about their aspirations or the aspirations their parents had with them? Or if MJ saw any talent in them for his label or other outlet? Or were some just 'fans'?

I don't believe the narritive of the 'guilters' that these were some sort of shy, 'easy to prey on' children with gullible parents; I would say the complete opposite

Macaulay Culkin was an aspiring actor
Emmanual Lewis was an aspiring actor
Wade Robson was an aspiring dancer/ rapper
James Safechuck was an aspiring actor
Jordan Chandler was an aspiring screen writer?
Omar Bhatti was an aspiring dancer/rapper?
Brett Barnes..?
Jonathan Spence.. does something in film?
Gavin Arvizo was an aspiring comedian?
It seems to me he had a lot of empathy for child stars in particular because he knew first hand what they go through which most people could never relate to because of the nature of the beasts, being both, 'show' and 'business'.

In other words, movies, tv, videos, records etc. makes the world of a child star look like a beautiful dream, because its designed to look like that so the studios can make their $.

With the public so mezmerize by the 'cuteness' of these child stars, they'd never know the disregard these children experience, the abandonment of them by their parents who have lost 'control' of their children, not to rebellion, but to strangers who work for studios.

And worse, how the children in these situations are forced to abandon themselves, with no say-so over what happens with or to them in the mix of it all.

Yes he wanted to protect them and any other children that sufferred or could potentially suffer. Michael was well practiced at seeing opportunists for what they were. Sadly, opportunists was all he ever really knew. I believe the children in their beginning stages, before they get 'swallowed up' by the system were an encouragement to him as he was to them.

Its terrribly ironic that the only people he could trust and who trusted him were the very ones used against him.
 
Jordan Chandler an aspiring screen writer? He was how old? Seems far fetched
Yes they were all young. But I am trying to figure out if it's possible that all of these kids had 'showbizz' plans and that is why MJ wanted to mentor them, and maybe also because he recognized the dream was 'forced' by their parents
 
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Based on what Michael said to Shmuley about Macauly Culkin and what he said on the recently leaked Moonwalk tapes about Emmanuel Lewis, it's obvious that Michael felt a strong need to protect child stars from the things he suffered through as a child star.

He also befriended children who were sick or wounded, like Dave Dave, Gavin Arvizo and the little sick girl he mentioned to Shmuley (the one that Lisa-Marie hung up on because she was tired of her calling Michael). Obviously he felt a strong need to protect those children too. In Dave Dave's case, he reached out to him again when he was an adult, so it was not only children he wanted to protect.

He also befriended ordinary children, like the Cascios or Glenda's family. But in those cases, it really seems he befriended the whole family, not the children specifically.
Thank you! I don't know about Dave Dave. But like The Cascio's are in 'showbiz' now, Gavin came from an acting school. so maybe that was what started the friendship? The family pushing them to MJ to 'help' with their careers..??

Disclaimer: I am just brainstorming here, thanks for the input!
 
So my believe is that MJ was very interested and almost obsessed with 'child stars'. With the whole idea: he was just as sensitive to the child stars themselves as he was in former child stars. So I think he wanted to mentor talented children to be a child star in a more healthy, nicer way than he and other former child stars experienced it. And I think that, like he said, they also made him stay on a pure creative level himself

Is it safe to say that the kids MJ hung out with were all 'child stars' or destined to be? Is there a common theme between them? What do we know about their aspirations or the aspirations their parents had with them? Or if MJ saw any talent in them for his label or other outlet? Or were some just 'fans'?

I don't believe the narritive of the 'guilters' that these were some sort of shy, 'easy to prey on' children with gullible parents; I would say the complete opposite

Macaulay Culkin was an aspiring actor
Emmanual Lewis was an aspiring actor
Wade Robson was an aspiring dancer/ rapper
James Safechuck was an aspiring actor
Jordan Chandler was an aspiring screen writer?
Omar Bhatti was an aspiring dancer/rapper?
Brett Barnes..?
Jonathan Spence.. does something in film?
Gavin Arvizo was an aspiring comedian?
Honestly, I doubt anyone can confirm or deny 100%, but I suspect you are reading too much into this.

These are the few children the public has heard about. I bet there were hundreds of children Michael met in his life time and had a chance to befriend him. But we don't know most of them.

Another factor is clearly the parents. Not all parents would allow their children to befriend an adult man, even a pop star. Then we know these kids because they have (certainly not without their parents input) moved into the public light.

Another way of looking at this: how many children have never dreamed of being a singer, dancer, actor etc? I know I did. Lol.

Is there a particular reason why you are interested in this?
 
Michael had said in an early edition of Ebony or Jet magazine back in the day before Thriller, that child stars were the only people he felt he could relate to, which we could see from observing his life, that huge stars both child and otherwise, made up his environment.

That was was one reason I never bothered to dream about being with him like a lot of girls my age did back in the day although I admired him greatly...and he made the perfect 'imaginary friend' and brother to me. All of them reminded me of my cousins.

I believe he felt isolated from everyone else who lived on the opposite side of the footlights. Those were the people who faint when he looks at them, or chase him down everywhere he goes, or freak out at the sight of him.

Those kids weren't like that. They took him as he was..

Naturally he'd gravitate toward kids who were in show business or interested in it and he was interested in youth in general because of all he went through.

As for Jordy possibly being an aspiring screen writer, why not? Wasn't that what his father was?
 
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Michael had said in an early edition of Ebony or Jet magazine back in the day before Thriller, that child stars were the only people he felt he could relate to, which we could see from observing his life, that huge stars both child and otherwise, made up his environment.

That was was one reason I never bothered to dream about being with him like a lot of girls my age did back in the day although I admired him greatly...and he made the perfect 'imaginary friend' and brother to me. All of them reminded me of my cousins.

I believe he felt isolated from everyone else who lived on the opposite side of the footlights. Those were the people who faint when he looks at them, or chase him down everywhere he goes, or freak out at the sight of him.

Those kids weren't like that. They took him as he was..

Naturally he'd gravitate toward kids who were in show business or interested in it and he was interested in youth in general because of all he went through.

As for Jordy possibly being an aspiring screen writer, why not? Wasn't that what his father was?
Yeah this is a good point. I am sure Michael will have found it easier to bond with and relate to children involved or aspiring to be artists and entertainers.
 
OP you forgot that many of his closet adult friends and/or the people he related to the most were also former child stars. That's important to remember.

Elizabeth Taylor
Donny Osmond
Shirley Temple
There are others he mentioned in recorded conversations that I can't remember.

But he felt a deep connection to anyone who experienced being a child star whether they were a current child star or a former child star like himself.
 
Is there a particular reason why you are interested in this?
Michael talked about that the children gave him so much and that he was just trying to give something back. That idea is a bit underexposed imho. If Neverland was a place that was built to give him inspiration or to keep him in the magical realm that served him so much succes, having children around him (and animals) served the same purpose: from what I gathered MJ created a lot of work with actual help from children and I think it's important for the narrative (also in respect to the allegations) that a lot of his time spent with children had to do with creativity, it was work: MJ didn't sleep, he was creating almost 24/7: the children were almost like the seven dwarfs inspiring him with ideas, served as test audience and were even co-writers.

That's why I think all the kids had something creative in them what he liked, wanted to help them with and also used. I am trying to figure out if that's true

Sorry little time to explain any further right now, hope you understand
 
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