Today (February 27), several of Michael Jackson’s family members spoke with Gayle King on “CBS This Morning” about Leaving Neverland—the recent documentary that revolves around two men who allege that Jackson sexually abused them when they were children. Three of Michael Jackson’s brothers—Tito, Marlon, and Jackie Jackson—and his nephew Taj Jackson, sat down with King to discuss allegations made against the late singer, the “sleepovers” with children, and more. Watch the full segment below.
When asked to explain Michael Jackson’s reported “sleepovers” with children, his nephew Taj stated: “I grew up in it, so for me it wasn’t odd. You know, I think, to the outside world, yes, I think it can be odd. I mean, I’m not oblivious to what it sounds like. But when you’re actually there in that atmosphere and you’re around it, and you’re watching movies with his kids, whether it’s Little Rascals or Three Stooges, and you’re watching these things, it’s like, it’s very innocent. But I think the fault on my uncle was he just, he didn’t have that bone in his body to look at it the other way. And I think that was the thing, is that his naiveté was his downfall in a way.”
Despite their opposition to Leaving Neverland, Jackson’s family members admitted to not seeing the film. Marlon Jackson stated that “this documentary is not telling the truth.” When King asked “shouldn’t you at least see the documentary?” Marlon replied, “I trust my attorney.” Michael’s older brother Jackie responded: “I don’t have to see the documentary. I know Michael. I know what he stood for, what he was all about... People that really know him, they know the truth too.”
Leaving Neverland was directed by Dan Reed. It premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 25. Since its debut, the Jackson Estate has issued multiple statements denouncing its contents, describing the alleged victims as “perjurers” and the documentary as “sensationalist.” Dan Reed has responded to criticism from the estate, stating that the Jackson family’s claims “are not consistent with having watched the movie.”
Earlier this month, the Jackson Estate filed a lawsuit against HBO, which picked up the docuseries to air on March 3 and 4. The lawsuit asserts that HBO is in breach of previously established contractual provisions that state “HBO shall not make any disparaging remarks concerning Performer [Jackson] or any of his representatives, agents, or business practices or do any act that may harm or disparage or cause to lower in esteem the reputation or public image of Performer.”
In other Jackson news, another documentary about the singer—“Michael Jackson: The Rise And Fall”—has been announced by BBC Two. Directed by Jacques Peretti (who previously helmed three other MJ documentaries for BBC Two), the new film will follow Jackson’s career from his early years in Indiana to the preparations for the “This Is It” tour, held shortly before his death.
