FAME, FORTUNE, AND MANIPULATION

Fame, in and of itself, is neither a good or bad thing, but those who possess the unique power that fame wields too often find themselves consumed by it, using their skills of social manipulation to inflict suffering on the undeserving.

Unfortunately for Hollywood and the rest of the entertainment industry, the worst of these manipulators seem to appear among their ranks and are all too often given only a slap on the wrist for their crimes, or even no punishment at all.

Such is the case with Michael Jackson, the late world famous musician and mega-celebrity.

With the spread of the #MeToo movement, an air of safety and comfort has been afforded to those who have suffered at the hands of the rich and famous.

In light of this new social climate, and with the death of the pop star now nearly a decade in the past, two men – once considered Jackson’s protégés – have decided to set the record straight and reveal their stories of abuse at his hands.

Directed by Dan Reed, “Leaving Neverland” is a two-part documentary TV series released on HBO, following choreographer Wade Robson and TV celebrity James Safechuck as they discuss their childhood relationship with an adult Jackson and the repeated molestation they experienced while under his care.

The first of the two-part series serves almost as a puff piece for Jackson. It explores the initial good interactions Robson and Safechuck experienced with him, and the surreal nature of his ever-growing presence in their family life.

Just as Jackson expertly groomed his young admirers, he also won the affection of their parents, asserting himself as an almost benevolent figure in their eyes, and eventually tearing these boy’s families apart at the seams to get what he desired.

This half of the series does an incredible job explaining how Jackson charmed his way into these children’s lives and how he managed to convince their parents to leave their sons with him for weeks on end at his sprawling Neverland Ranch without allowing them any proper contact. Lingering on the buildup of his relationship with these boys really helps explain the insanity of their situation with the most famous man in the world.

By far, the biggest hurdle for this documentary has been to convince Jackson’s hard-core supporters of his crimes, and splitting this four-hour movie into two segments allows for a more-complete examination of their stories.

The first half explores the interactions of the parents with Michael, and personal stories of the oddities they witnessed as he inserted himself into their lives. The second focuses more heavily on the molestation he inflicted on Robson and Safechuck, continuing for years.

From beginning to end, the pair’s stories are filled with horrifying revelations and fascinating insights into the last true titan of the music industry.

As far as criticism, it’s hard to give. Leaving Neverland plays more like an extended journalistic piece, rather than a traditional documentary.

However, some critiques are quite obvious, such as its length. While the runtime provides much-needed time for the true scope of these two men’s stories to be told, it does feel as if about 30 minutes could’ve been cut, nothing would have been lost. Overall, though, the cinematography and the production quality behind this documentary are fantastic, meantime.

In the end, the value of this two-part series lies with the telling of Robson and Safechuck’s stories and the awareness it brings to similar ongoing abuse in the entertainment industry. Whether or not you initially believe Jackson is guilty of the crimes of which he is accused, after seeing the evidence presented here, it is incredibly hard to deny his guilt.

Robson and Safechuck’s stories are not unique, unfortunately, and Jackson is neither the first nor the last celebrity who will be accused of such horrible crimes.

Despite decades of experience with the modern notions of what true stardom means and what it can do to people, it seems society is still desperately struggling with this issue, especially in the YouTube age. Modern media has not only made it possible for the average person to achieve instant celebrity, it has allowed for the flowering of predatory attention seekers all too eager to take advantage of the social leeway that fame gives them.

There’s potential for the type of the abuse within the entertainment industry to spread at a greater rate than ever before, thanks to a generation of tech-ignorant, inattentive parents. YouTube and the internet as a whole has been both a wonderfully transformative, creative tool, as well as an amazing platform for upcoming creators. But with millions of hours of content being uploaded every day, and no good way to seriously review/censor that content, there’s not enough security provided to the platforms’ youngest viewers. Even after multiple channels centered around child performers and personalities have been shut down by YouTube, following the arrest of their owners on various child abuse and molestation charges, it seems this trend will only continue.

Fame is a dangerous gift. It comes with many perks, but in a society that is so self-obsessed and fixated on an unrealistic, abstracted version of what it means to be successful, it has turned into a slow-acting poison.

With any luck, Leaving Neverland will serve as a cautionary tale as to what happens when a society deifies the individual. 4/5