133: Vindication Day Special With Carol LaMere

Carol LaMere joins hosts Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson for a special interview as part of the team’s series of Vindication Day episodes, which recognize Michael Jackson’s acquittal from false child molestation allegations on June 13th, 2005.

In this discussion, A-list hair stylist Carol LaMere reveals how she was hired by Michael Jackson after his Pepsi burn, to help create unnoticeable hairpieces that covered his injuries. Jackson’s fear of people finding out he required the hairpieces meant Carol became a secret member of his entourage, travelling separately from everyone else and staying in different locations. The job saw her travel the world with Michael and work on video shoots like “Black or White”, “Remember The Time” and “In The Closet”.

LaMere soon became a regular visitor at Neverland. She witnessed and became involved in – and was ultimately a recipient of – Michael Jackson’s philanthropic work with sick children and their families.

LaMere’s presence in Jackson’s world made her a first-hand witness to behind-the-scenes goings-on in both the Jordan Chandler case and the Gavin Arvizo case. She knew the Arvizos so well that Gavin’s sister used to stay in her house – a relationship which saw her added to the defense witness list. She provided bombshell testimony in two investigation reports.

After the trial, LaMere travelled with Jackson to the Middle East, England and Ireland – a period about which she shares her sometimes sad and shocking memories. She also shares her thoughts on Jackson’s death, and recounts their final conversation around two weeks earlier.

In this fascinating and powerful deep-dive chat, LaMere also speaks frankly about friction in Jackson’s camp, Jackson’s love of practical jokes, and how she is still mourning his death 12 years later.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Sponsors
• MJGivingTree. Authentic jewelry designer recreations of Michael Jackson items made for fans by a loyal fan. Handmade by MJGivingTree with love and a little Michael magic.
• The MJCast’s official shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our merchandise.

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comKeep Michaeling!

129: Talitha Linehan Special

The MJCast is delighted to announce that its first show after International Women’s Day 2021 is also its first ever all-female episode! Vibrant duo Talitha Linehan and Talin MacArthur join host Elise Capron for a special episode about Talitha’s recently published memoir, A Real-Life Fairy Tale: Michael Jackson and Me, as well as both of their amazing fan experiences, and the final years of Michael Jackson’s life. Talitha is a writer originally from County Cork, Ireland, and has lived in the United States since 2005, currently residing in Los Angeles. Her memoir details the 13-year period during which she traveled all over the world to see Michael, including seeing 17 HIStory Tour concerts, meeting him all over the world, attending the 2005 trial, visiting Neverland Valley Ranch, and becoming a daily presence around him during his final years. Talin, who lives in Pasadena, California, is a close friend of Talitha’s, and was part of the small group of fans who saw Michael Jackson frequently from 2008-2009. Talin had her own amazing experiences as a young fan, as well, having attended the 1993 Super Bowl, and the filming of “Will You Be There”. This in-depth discussion gives amazing insights into what it was like to be a true mega-fan and “follower”, into Michael Jackson’s relationship with his fans, and provides invaluable perspective on The King of Pop’s state of being during his last, tragic days—a time which, for many fans, is still shrouded in mystery and conjecture.

Additional Links
• Purchase Michael Jackson and Me here.
• Talitha’s Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
• Talin MacArthur’s Instagram page.
• This Is Not It testimonies.

Sponsors
• Custom Paint by Joel845. Joel, our favorite Desert Viking, creates incredible custom motorcycle fuel tanks, and more! Plus, check out his brand new merch shop.
• The MJCast’s official shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our merchandise.

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• TheMJCast.com
• Facebook
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If you have feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.com. Stay BAD!

Film Review: Danny Wu Goes Back to Square One with a Crucial Michael Jackson Allegations Documentary

“Square One” is the Michael Jackson documentary we need now.

It has been a tough year for the worldwide Michael Jackson fan community in the wake of “Leaving Neverland”. With celebrities like Oprah Winfrey hopping onto Dan Reed’s bandwagon, and almost all mainstream media purposely stifling any voice in protest of the film, or even any voice of reason, many fans have been left feeling hopeless. A select few podcasters, YouTubers, and media personalities have created great content countering “Leaving Neverland” but, as of yet, nothing has truly managed to get mainstream, lasting attention. And while the fan community awaits Taj Jackson’s docuseries (you can donate here), that project is still a long ways off.

But the tide may be changing. Just this month, three documentaries have been released in support of Michael Jackson (all of which The MJCast team discuss in #TheMJCastEp108): “Chase the Truth”, “Lies of Leaving Neverland”, and most importantly, in my view, “Square One”, by Danny Wu. After viewing the film at its premiere in Hollywood on September 28, 2019, I believe that Wu’s film has the potential to be a game-changer. It is the film we need in these times.

To give you some background on Danny Wu: Based in Vancouver, Canada, Wu is a YouTuber and up-and-coming filmmaker who grew up as an MJ fan, but who watched “Leaving Neverland” and was convinced of Jackson’s guilt. He decided to create a YouTube video presented as a compelling “Did he or didn’t he?” investigation. However, in the course of Wu’s extensive research, he realized that the facts didn’t add up, and that there could be no way that Michael Jackson was guilty of his accused crimes. Over this time, he interviewed Taj and Brandi Jackson and developed close ties with content creator Liam McEwen (who produced one of the first “Leaving Neverland” rebuttal videos, “Neverland Firsthand”). These relationships would solidify Wu’s support of Jackson’s innocence as well as his dedication to getting out the truth about the allegations. I want to emphasize that Wu “walks the walk”. His efforts are not motivated by money or attention-seeking. In fact, he has donated all of his YouTube revenue from his Jackson-related videos to Taj Jackson’s docuseries, and he self-funded “Square One”. When we interviewed him on The MJCast, he specifically recommended that anyone who wants to donate to him should give their money to Taj Jackson instead.

One might have assumed that Wu would create a film examining the lies in “Leaving Neverland”, since that has been the big focus of this year. But he took a different approach. Wu saw a video of Jackson’s 2005 defense lawyer, Tom Mesereau, in which he spoke about how, if Jordan Chandler had been called to speak in that trial, there would have been a line-up of Chandler’s friends ready to tell the opposite story. Inspired by this idea, Wu decided that he needed to find one of these friends who would be willing to speak publicly. And, in doing so, he could potentially take every allegation “back to square one”, where it all started. By focusing on the 1993 allegations and the Chandler family, he could expose the lies at their root.

With this context in mind, it was with great hope that I attended the film’s premiere on September 28, held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. It was hard to know what to expect for this event. Would the fans turn out? Would the film succeed in its goals? Wonderfully, Danny Wu’s “Square One” premiere was a night to remember, when the fan community came together to support a superb film that I believe will make a real difference. In attendance were all the stars of the film, including Danny Wu, Taj Jackson, Charles Thomson (investigative journalist and Legal Correspondent for The MJCast), Jenny Winings, Geraldine Hughes, and Josephine Zohny, who knew Jordan Chandler in college, had been on the 2005 trial witness list, and whose experiences with Chandler frame the film’s narrative. (More on that later.) The rest of the attendees represented a “who’s who” of the MJ community. It was an exciting, inspiring, and dynamic evening. Guest highlights included Tom Mesereau, Liam McEwan, John Ziegler, Tommy Organ, Thayana Sco Jackson, Edwin Costa (of @edwinsgeneration), filmmaker and podcaster Adam Green, actress Lori Petty, and many more. Fans had come from far and wide, with a few attendees flying from China for the event. There was a great energy, buzz, and a lot of love in the room in anticipation of the screening.

Now, onto the part you’re waiting for: So, how was the film?

“Square One” is a brilliant, professional, and entirely convincing film which will, in my view, speak both to fans and to a mainstream audience. When non-fans, or even casual fans, have asked me this year how to address the questions brought up by “Leaving Neverland”, I have found myself pointing to a lot of different resources, but they are typically overflowing with far more information than the average person is willing to sort through. Enter “Square One”, which is now the film to which I will direct people to understand the 1993 allegations and everything that would come after. The way in which it walks the viewer through a complex set of circumstances is impeccable: easy to absorb, concise, grounded in facts, and it lays the groundwork for precisely why things happened as they did, and how the 1993 allegations would set the stage for the Arvizo trial, Robson, Safechuck, and more. As Josephine Zohny says in the film, “Every allegation is built on the ’93 allegations”. By understanding the chain of events involving the Chandler family, the spider web of misfortunes that plagued Michael Jackson throughout the rest of his life are illuminated.

The structure of the film: First, I want to make clear that there are no surprise bombshells in this film. Serious fans will know this information already. (Though, for casual fans or non-fans, most of the facts presented in this film will be new and, I imagine, revelatory.) Its value is not in making new claims, but in presenting the information in the clearest way imaginable, and in doing so with authority. The film is framed by Zohny’s experiences with Jordan Chandler, with powerful interviews with Taj Jackson, Jenny Winings (who, like Zohny, was on the 2005 trial witness list), and Geraldine Hughes woven throughout the narrative. Caroline Fristedt also appears a few times, if briefly, and some archival audio from “Big Al” Scanlan is included. Danny Wu appears in the film to move the story along at certain points, though it is really Charles Thomson who serves as the film’s primary narrator. (It is worth noting that Thomson did not go into this project realizing that his interview would become so key to the film, and it is a testament to his encyclopedic mastery of this chronology that he can provide such a perfect explanation of the chain of events in two unscripted interviews.) Thomson essentially walks us through every step of the 1993 allegations, with the other interviewees highlighting key moments. The rest of the film is primarily made up of archival audio, video, articles and legal documents, which are all well-presented and well-edited. There is no feeling of a passionate “fan-made defense video” here. The information is serious, journalistic, grounded and credible. I particularly appreciate that the film immediately opens by clarifying a few major questions which seem to eternally emerge up in the Jackson allegation conversation: No child pornography was ever found at Neverland, and nothing was ever discovered during the extended, off-and-on investigation of Jackson by the FBI. The actual chronology of the film walks us through the history of the Chandler family, with a particular focus, of course, on Evan Chandler, and his growing rage. It establishes perfectly the sequence of events leading to Chandler’s extortion of Jackson and why Chandler filed a criminal report, when he clearly had had no intention of alerting authorities regarding the supposed abuse of his child. The film makes very clear, as well, why Jackson settled, and how this settlement never voided the possibility of a criminal trial if there had been any evidence to do so. Wu also addresses and clarifies La Toya Jackson’s support (at the time) of the allegations, Victor Gutierrez and Rodney Allen’s role in the fiasco, and concludes with a short section touching on the Arvizo case. The film’s greatest accomplishment is to put all these puzzle pieces together in a way that any viewer can comprehend. Once set in place, there is a sense of crystal-clear understanding that, as Geraldine Hughes says, “Michael Jackson was the victim of an elaborate extortion scheme which launched the allegations.”

Why Josephine Zohny? Zohny has been unfairly criticized by some people online, saying that she is not a credible source. I completely disagree with this. She, along with Jenny Winings, were on the 2005 trial witness list, and would have been part of that trial if Chandler had been brought into the case. Also, Zohny is not motivated by anything but telling the truth: She gave one statement when she was put on the 2005 witness list, but has never spoken publicly about her experiences otherwise. She has never sold her story, nor has she told conflicting or exaggerated tales. And, while it’s true that she was not a close friend of Chandler’s, just an acquaintance, she had interactions with him on multiple occasions when they were classmates together at NYU, and heard him make statements specifically related to Jackson. According to her, Chandler surrounded himself with MJ memorabilia and fan friends, and, upon the release of Martin Bashir’s “Living with Michael Jackson”, Chandler stated, in front of multiple witnesses, that Jackson was “not capable of the things he was being accused of”. In sum, Zohny has put herself in the spotlight at personal risk (she has had to deal with internet trolls and her professional website being hacked) in order to defend Michael Jackson, and I have absolutely no doubt that viewers will find her story compelling and credible.

The minuses: I have very few critiques of this film, which I hope will be widely shared across the global MJ fan community and far beyond, except to point out that it could have benefited from a bit more editing. Wu created “Square One” in just a couple of months, which is deeply impressive, so I am perfectly willing to excuse any slight imperfections. I personally wish that Charles Thomson’s narration wasn’t via a sometimes-crackly speakerphone, for example, but that is a small complaint. So many long-time fans have spent years exploring the issues around the Jackson allegations, but no one has managed to create anything quite like this, and I encourage every Jackson fan to come together to support this film in whatever way we can.

I’ll conclude with a few words from Tom Mesereau, who was interviewed by John Ziegler immediately after the film premiere:

“It’s a fabulous film. It is high quality. It was carefully investigated. It was condensed in a very professional attempt to find the truth, and it tells the truth. Michael Jackson was not a pedophile. He never should have been put through what he was put through, starting with the case in ’92-’93. And I commend Danny Wu and all of his people for the fabulous job they did, and I can’t wait to hear this circulating through society, because we live in very, very biased, troubled times. Michael Jackson was never a pedophile, never should have been accused as such, and his life was destroyed by greed, by people without integrity, by people without a conscience. This film starts the road back from some of the recent developments, which have been very troubling. [Wu] did a tremendous job in showing the truth.”

Let’s gather as a community to support this film and other quality content being released in Michael Jackson’s defense. This is our moment.

How to watch “Square One”:

October 5, 2019: Worldwide debut of “Square One” on YouTube.

London premiere: UK residents can attend a screening of the film on October 5th in London. Danny Wu will be in attendance, and possibly other stars of the film. Information here.

Learn more:

The MJCast’s interview with Danny Wu.

Danny Wu’s TwitterInstagram and Facebook pages.

Other episodes from The MJCast related to the allegations:

Episode 108 – Back to Square One

Episode 103 – Vindication Day Special with Larry Nimmer

Episode 099 – Leaving Neverland Q&A

Episode 095 – Leaving Neverland Roundtable

Episode 081 – Vindication Day Special with Aphrodite Jones

Episode 058 – Vindication Day Special (Pirates in Neverland: The Michael Jackson Allegations)

Episode 033 – Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross

Article by Elise Capron.

099: Leaving Neverland Q&A

As Leaving Neverland continues to reverberate through the Michael Jackson community, many questions have risen to the surface. In this special Q&A episode, Jamon Bull is honored to welcome two experts to the show to answer listener-submitted questions. The MJCast Legal Correspondent, Charles Thomson, along with author, journalist and Friend of the Show, Mike Smallcombe, have both been vital advocates for Jackson during this difficult time, appearing on television interviews as well as publishing articles to spread the truth about these accusations.

Charles and Mike cover a wide range of topics in this special discussion, ranging from the history of the 1993 and 2005 allegations, the facts about Robson’s and Safechuck’s interactions with Michael Jackson and the Jackson Estate, inconsistencies in the Leaving Neverland film, how things might play out with a possible appeal, the effects on Michael Jackson’s legacy, going forward, and much more.

The MJCast team appreciates the overwhelming response in preparation for this episode, which resulted in over 200 submitted questions. They also thank listeners for understanding that not each and every question could be addressed in detail, though they did their best to curate a list which covered all topics. The team hopes that the insights from this episode are helpful, both in terms of listeners’ own understanding of this situation, and in providing guidance and guidelines when speaking to those outside the fan community.

Participants
• Jamon Bull – Co-Host of The MJCast
• Charles Thomson – Award-winning investigative journalist and Legal Correspondent for The MJCast
• Mike Smallcombe – Journalist and author of Making Michael: Inside the Career of Michael Jackson 

Questions
1. Mercedes Donis (email) – General MJ. Negating the “predator profile.” Can you briefly outline all the differences between EACH accuser and how they show differences in MO?
2. Elsa Anderson (Email) – The 1993 case settlement has sorts of two explanations. Could you shed some light on how they fit together or what is true? Explanation a)The insurance company paid against MJ’s will,which is supported by Mesereau and Scott Ross and was brought into the 2005 trial as a legal document. It’s said to be possible to go against the client’s will, when it’s litigation and the settlement of course was on the litigation charge. Explanation b) It was MJ’s legal team that, after not being able to postpone the civil trial (until after the eventual criminal trial) and especially after Mr. Cochran joined the team, talked MJ into settling and that Cochran made sure the insurance company would pay, before settling. This is supported by Geraldine Hughes – the legal secretary of Rothman and writer of the book Redemption, who also claims an insurance company can’t do anything against their client’s will. Only thing clear is that MJ’s, Cochran’s and Weitzman’s signatures are on the settlement, as leaked to the press, early on in the Arvizo case.
3. @tafattsbarn (Twitter) – Can Thomson explain the alleged match of Jordan’s description of Jackson’s genitalia in 1993? People who believe MJ is guilty are now completely convinced the photos matched even though I know that the narrative before was that it didn’t match. They often reference Dr. Richard Strick and Gary Spiegel as people that confirmed it matched. Moreover, if it did match, then why did the prosecution try to enter it into evidence so late in 2005, only to be declined? Wouldn’t it have been incriminating and so they should’ve entered it earlier?
4. @Devon_DaVinci (Twitter) – I know, I may be in the very small minority, but I feel kind of bad for Jordan Chandler. I know, hear me out. From all of the sources I have studied, which was a LOT. Jordan was dragged into the accusations by his parents and was influenced to stick to it. And even when he went with his dad’s team to meet with Michael and his team, Jordan was described running up to and hugging Michael as if nothing ever happened. After the case was settled he quickly cut contact with his family and I have heard that the main reason was because of what they did to his friendship with Michael. And Jordan has gone out of his way, even leaving the country, to not testify against Michael in court. I know he was barred from talking to the media so that’s why he never made a book or documentary. He was assaulted by his father around the same time he was being asked to go to testify in the 2005 trial. I heard a rumor that the two incidents may have been related. I know this is speculation but what if Jordan is just an MJ fan that go the chance of a lifetime to meet his idol and play and hang out with him, but due to corrupt parents was dragged into a situation that found him now against his Idol and hated by the community he wants to still be apart of? Before you ask, no I’m not Jordan Chandler, lol.
5. @ZoroastersChild (Twitter): On Evan Chandler’s suicide, Geraldine Hughes had said in the Nicole’s View interview on YouTube that she believes he was murdered. Any thoughts on that?
6. @ZoroastersChild (Twitter): Why isn’t Geraldine Hughes invited onto mainstream platforms to speak about the 1993 case?
7. Domna Stavridou (email)- Hello Mike and Charles, thank you so much for doing this! You are such great people! I’m still stuck in something, which I can’t quite understand. Can you please explain once again, after the Martin Bashir documentary, why did Gavin Arvizo and his mother turn their backs on Michael? I still don’t get it. Did his mother force him into it (like Even Chandler did)? Or did they both develop hate? Did they want to destroy Michael just because they felt abandoned and wanted money? What was the reason again? Thank you so much, keep doing what you are going! Many regards from Greece, Domna Stavridou!
8. @tafattsbarn (Twitter) – Is it true that two of the legal art books that were depicting nude boys were found in “a locked filing cabinet in Jackson’s bedroom” as stated by the prosecution and later during Rosibel Smith’s testimony (page 10 onwards)? It sounds pretty suspicious.
9. Martina van der Linden (Facebook): I’d like to know how long Michael’s FBI investigation really was. There are many versions out, from 10 years to 12 years or even 17 years. I know Charles was one of the people who back in 2009 asked for those files to be released, so he might know more about this subject and what kind of investigations the FBI did. I think it’s important to know more about what type of investigations the FBI did in order to get your argument right in case you need it.
10. Caroline Lewis (email) – Hi MJCast!I would love to hear Mike and Charles’ position on Jim Clemente. I’ve heard a few podcasts where he says things like Jordan and Gavin’s experiences completely corroborated; that a computer was seized at Neverland that had the drive completely wiped; and that Jordan was ready to testify at the 2005 trial against Michael. Jim said that Jordan didn’t due to a family illness but that Jordan wanted to pursue a criminal case against Michael if he was acquitted, but ultimate didn’t because of the statute of limitations. Are these points credible/verifiable? Why would a former FBI agent lie? Also are there no implications for him to be going on air discussing Michael molesting Gavin as if it’s fact, when Michael was acquitted of these charges – or do the same defamation laws apply? Thank you both for your hard and thorough work! Best wishes, Caroline.
11. @deepika1038 (Twitter) – Can you tell us what are the inconsistencies between wades own court documents and his Leaving Neverland documentary? Now we know about grand canyon, is there anything else like that?
12. @f861c5b3a4ea4f9 (Twitter) – Also, do you think all the family members are lying? The mothers and also the siblings and the grandmother too? Or are they being lied to too, so they’re reactions are real?
13. @drhajarat (Twitter) – What is the real story about video of [Michael] in disguise shopping for a ring with the young James Safechuck?
14. Debbii Longshaw (Facebook) – Do you think that Dan Reed is actually complicit in all the lies (apart from lack of research) or do they think that like us, he was hoodwinked by Wade & James, and is just another unfortunate pawn in the larger game?
15. @MJJRepository (Twitter) – What is your interpretation of Dan Reed admitting (in the Billboard interview) that the footage from Wade’s “1st take” of telling his abuse story was lost due to his camera breaking? Seems like a convenient excuse to film numerous takes and cherry pick which clips are more believable.
16. @annettaaa (Twitter) – Could you talk about how Dan seems to try sweep important things under the rug and how we are not accusing Wade and James of perjury in 1993 or 2005 (they were telling the truth then) and that when we say they are perjurers it is in their 2012/2013 cases? He always brings that up incorrectly.
17. @KingLeahMay (Twitter): Why are there no updates about what is happening with Wade and James? I find it interesting how *every last* detail about people like Jussie Smollett, or Nipsey Hussle, or R Kelly are leaked to the public but no word on wade and James. they’re literally gone from the scene.
18. @Tina_the_Kitten (Twitter) – Does anybody know when the appeal is going to take place? Any dates of a new court process for James Safechuck & Wade Robson?
19. Simon Clarke (email) – Hi Guys, question: Do you think if Wade Robson and Jimmy Safechuck lose their appeal, that could change the opinion of those who think Michael Jackson might have abused them? If they win, is it effectively game over for MJ’s legacy?
20. @AngryAngel87 (Twitter): With all of the evidence against them coming out (plus their previously failed lawsuits) do you honestly believe they have any chance with this appeal in a court? Also if this appeal fails, again, do you think that’ll change the current narrative on MJ?
21. Denise Lim (Facebook) – I first saw Mike Smallcombe getting the word out through The Mirror and I know about Charles Thomson on BBC radio. Even with your professions, how challenging was it to get the facts onto these public platforms, given the total anti-MJ climate previously?
22. @TheMJAP (Twitter): My question, mainly for Mike: SO many lies and SO many inconsistencies in Leaving Neverland (compared to trial transcripts). Smoking gun, however, was the train station – tangible, physical evidence of a fraudulent claim. How did you even *think* to investigate it’s build date?
23. @ViolaKl00485493 (Twitter): Can you name any other journalists that you think are doing a great job at scrutinizing the current allegations?
24. @mixinghistory (Instagram): Do you agree that us, the fans, should stop supporting people like Paul McCartney and Ellen after their comments on the film?
25. @SeanJoeFitz (Twitter): Are Michael’s kids able to sue for pain and suffering that this tv show has caused them? This will get these twoguys into court under oath.
26. @wceliam2 (Twitter): You are walking down a street and bump into Wade. What do you say to him?
27. Claudia Sanchez Maureira (Facebook) – There has been a theory in the fan-world that Harvey Weinstein might have financed Leaving Neverland as a strategy to deviate the attention on his own allegations. To me, that theory is a “little bit too much”. Do you know if there are concrete reasons for suspecting this or is it just because there are pictures of Oprah with him on friendly terms that some fans are saying that?
28. Let Mino (Facebook): In the Zeitgeist we are in now, isn’t it true that we *have to* take allegations like that from alleged victims seriously? And serious allegations need serious investigations? At first, we as a society have to take them seriously and then investigate *seriously* to see if they make any sense? If we call alleged victims liars immediately, what does that do to actual victims that didn’t speak out yet? I have no answer, I am just thinking of all the abuse victims that are connected directly to the current discussions…
29. @kustecanja (Instagram) – In your opinion, what are some of the reasons that so many people judge MJ for his eccentricities and call him a weirdo and believe literally every single lie about him, but turn a blind eye when it comes to other celebrities, who are also not perfect?
30. @look.over.your.shoulders (Instagram) – What do you think is the concise yet effective response to people in real life who bring up the documentary or say something negative about Michael regarding these accusations?

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comStay BAD!

094: Harrison Funk Special

This week, just as The MJCast was about to release a surprise episode between seasons, news broke that the Sundance Film Festival was preparing to screen a documentary smearing Michael Jackson as a child molester.

As shockwaves rippled through the fan community and listeners sprang into action, it seemed to be an inappropriate time to release the episode.

The show’s special guest was to be Harrison Funk, renowned entertainment, fashion, and advertising photographer best known for being Michael Jackson’s personal photographer from the early 1980s through the mid-2000s. The interview with Funk had been recorded months ago, and The MJCast team had kept it in the can, ready to release as a special New Year treat for listeners. 

But, upon re-visiting the interview in light of this week’s horrifying news, the timing could hardly be more apt. Harrison spends a great deal of time during his conversation with Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson discussing the false abuse allegations which plagued Michael from 1993 onwards. He speaks movingly about the physical and psychological toll the allegations took on his friend, and how those who loved Michael rallied around him, but watched helplessly as his life and his health slowly fell apart until his eventual death in 2009.

As the media prepares to stick the knife into Michael one more time and give it a sharp twist, this interview with one of Michael’s closest friends makes for a sobering listen.

In addition to the allegations, Harrison discusses the kind of man Michael really was, not the lie Dan Reed, Wade Robson and Sundance are going to try and sell the world. The MJCast and Harrison explore stories around Michael’s process as a live musician, the Victory Tour, the Bad era, Harrison’s love of photography, his fascinating observations as he photographed Teddy Riley​ producing Cascio tracks in the studio and SO much more!

This episode of The MJCast is dedicated to Friend of the Show and fellow MJ podcaster Jordan King of King Jordan Radio, who recently and tragically passed away. We will always be missing you, Jordan.

We hope this episode brings some positivity and truth to an otherwise dark time for MJFam.

Additional Links
• Harrison Funk’s website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• The MJCast – Episode 044: World Music Awards 2006
• Michael Jackson’s 2006 World Music Awards performance
• LIFE Magazine commemorative issue featuring Harrison Funk’s signature photo of Michael Jackson
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Live in Dallas
• The Jackson’s Victory Tour Press Conference
• The Jacksons – Torture
• The Jacksons – Body
• Michael Jackson – Liberian Girl
• Michael Jackson’s Bad World Tour Live in Yokohama
• Michael Jackson’s Personal Photographer: ‘He Didn’t Identify as One Gender’ – The Guardian article
• Documentary Accusing Michael Jackson of Sexual Abuse to Premiere at Sundance – Rolling Stone article
• Stop Leaving Neverland NOW – The MJCast article

Ads & Music Breaks
• The Jacksons – Torture (12″ Dance Mix)
• Michael Jackson – Stranger in Moscow (SWG Extended ‘Fader A Capella’ Mix)

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If you have any thoughts, opinions, or feedback on this Michael Jackson podcast episode, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at themjcast@icloud.com or find the links to our many social networks on www.themjcast.comKeep Michaeling!

Episode 033 – Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross

Episode 033 - Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross Show Art

Eleven years ago today, on June 13th 2005, the King of Pop Michael Jackson was acquitted of molestation allegations in a trial that took an insurmountable toll on his life. Although this day is not one we celebrate, it is one we remember each year for the fact that Michael was finally vindicated for the heinous allegations brought against him. On this special episode, The MJCast’s Legal Correspondent Charles Thomson along with regular hosts Jamon Bull and Q interview Scott Ross, a somewhat overlooked figure of the trial, but one whose work lead attorney Tom Mesereau says was crucial to the defence team’s success.

Scott+Ross+Michael+Jackson+Pre+trial+Hearing+HikD4nt5YlelScott Ross has been Tom Mesereau’s go-to private investigator ever since they met in 2002 on the Robert Blake murder case. Mesereau describes him as the best investigator he has ever worked with. Scott has worked on notorious cases including the McMarten Pre-school molestation trial and the Scott Peterson murder case, as well as collaborating with former Michael Jackson attorney Mark Geragos on cases such Chris Brown’s assault on Rihanna and the Winona Ryder shoplifting trial. In 2011 he worked for the defence in Conrad Murray’s trial, where Murray was convicted of Michael Jackson’s homicide. Topics of discussion include Ross’s early career, the Michael Jackson trial itself and his contributions to the defence, his thoughts around the Conrad Murray trial and Scott’s valued reflections on Michael Jackson the man.

Note: The MJCast would like to apologise for the background noise in the first eight minutes of this episode.

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