164: Back in the Saddle

Jamon Bull and Charles Thomson kick off Season 10 of The MJCast with a big round-up of news in the world of Michael Jackson and the Jackson family. They discuss loads of updates around the MJ biopic, the “Estate vs Katherine Jackson” case, the Robson and Safechuck trials, Sony’s acquisition of a stake in Michael Jackson’s music catalogue, new recordings of interviews with the King of Pop, unreleased music being auctioned off, and more. Plus, the guys discuss their thoughts on two new documentaries: “The Greatest Night in Pop”, about the recording of “We Are the World”, and “The Three Michaels”, which follows a group of young MJ impersonators chasing their dreams.

Welcome to Season 10 of The MJCast!

This episode was edited by Jamon Bull and Charlie Carter.

Discussion Topics
• New pics of Michael on the “Remember the Time” set have been released.
• New recordings of Michael being interviewed for his autobiography have been released.
• Unreleased Michael Jackson song “Seven Digits” is being auctioned after a range of other songs were also auctioned late last year.
• Sony Music buys stake in Michael Jackson’s music catalogue.
• More details have been revealed in the “Estate vs Katherine Jackson” case.
• Susan Yu joins the defence team in the Robson/Safechuck cases.
• The Biopic is full steam ahead.
• We watched “The Three Michaels”.
• We watched “The Greatest Night in Pop”.

Like this episode?
• If you have the means, consider a donation in any amount through PayPal to help cover our costs. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations. Learn all about the various ways you can support The MJCast through visiting our website.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.

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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. Keep Michaeling!

156: The Case for Innocence Special

Sheryl and June Valone join Elise Capron and Charlie Carter for a discussion about the origins and behind-the-scenes stories of their podcast series, “The Case for Innocence“.

Growing up as a young Michael Jackson fan, June was passionate about learning everything she could about the King of Pop and his music. But when “Leaving Neverland” was released in early 2019, her mother, Sheryl, was concerned about how to handle this information. Would she have to explain to her daughter that her icon was not the hero she thought he was? Believing in the power of due process, Sheryl chose to do her own research so that she could give her daughter the truth, whatever that might ultimately be. In the course of what became an extensive personal investigation over the course of many months, and which expanded into researching each set of allegations against Michael Jackson, Sheryl realized that the evidence overwhelmingly pointed to Jackson’s innocence. She was also shocked by how many major media outlets and well-known figures had completely disregarded or manipulated the actual facts of the allegations. With a mission to share the truth, Sheryl and June decided to create a deep-dive podcast series which covers every detail of the Chandler allegations, the Arvizo allegations, the Robson allegations, and the Safechuck allegations. They leave no stone unturned, and give a fair and balanced perspective in their approach. They have also created an impressive website which documents, in detail, their sources, and provides a wealth of additional resources for listeners.

In this chat, the team talk about their original motivations for creating this podcast, what the process has been like for them, the reception from the fan community, their experience now that Season One is out in the world, their plans for continuing to reach new listeners, and what we can expect from Season Two.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Additional Links
• The Case for Innocence website and Twitter.
• Please consider donating through PayPal to help cover our costs. All proceeds go towards online running costs, upgrading equipment, and charity donations. Learn all about the various ways you can support The MJCast through visiting our website.
• We also have an official merchandise shop. Support The MJCast and Michael Jackson all at the same time by buying some of our fun merch.

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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!

145: Vindication Day Special with Brett Barnes

It is almost thirty years since Brett Barnes last spoke to a journalist. The last time he gave an interview was in 1993, aged eleven, when he took to the airwaves to defend his friend Michael Jackson against allegations that he was a molester of young boys. But the Barnes family quickly learned not to engage with the media when it came to Jackson. Attempts by tabloid reporters to hunt them down after that became so intrusive that they were driven from their home for months. When they went off grid, media outlets instead began offering tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to anybody who was prepared to say they’d seen him behave inappropriately with young friends like Brett Barnes.

Ever since then, ugly, graphic sexual allegations about Jackson and Brett have been published in books, magazines and newspapers and have been broadcast by trashy tabloid TV shows. Rarely, if ever, has anybody sought to fact-check the stories – nor have outlets ever really seemed to care when Brett explicitly refuted them. But for almost three decades, he chose to bite his tongue rather than engage with a media industry that seemed to have its own agenda.

In 2019, Brett – by then happily settled down with his wife and their young children – had his peace shattered by a reality TV show called Leaving Neverland. Strangers on the internet began contacting him to warn him that the show included his name and likeness and strongly insinuated that Jackson had sexually abused him – something nobody involved in making the show had seen fit to inform him of. He immediately contacted its maker, HBO, to strenuously deny the claims and request that they be removed. HBO told him to get lost and the show was sold all over the world, for consumption by millions of people. 

Since then, Brett’s world has been turned upside-down. Aggressive journalists have shown up on his doorstep and told him lies to try to trick him into giving them interviews. He has been harassed and trolled on a constant basis for three years by anonymous social media accounts, accusing him of being a liar, an enemy of abuse victims and a shill for a child molester. 

After three years of relentless abuse, defamation and invasion of his privacy, Brett decided it was finally time to speak out. On May 14th, 2022, he granted Charles Thomson a world exclusive, no-holds-barred interview. No question or topic was off limits. There was only one platform he was prepared to let broadcast it: The MJCast.

For the first time ever, he spoke in depth about his relationship with Jackson, starting from the very beginning and explaining how it evolved over almost 20 years – from witnessing first-hand the 1993 police raid of Neverland Ranch, to testifying at Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial, and all the way up to his final conversation with Jackson just days before his death. Along the way, for the first time ever, he had the opportunity to give unequivocal answers to the many allegations which had been published and broadcast about him over the years – a subject which caused him to become emotional on more than one occasion.

The conversation is being released on June 13th, 2022 – the 17th anniversary of the verdicts in Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial.

This episode was edited by Charlie Carter.

Additional Links
• Charles Thomson’s article “One of the Most Shameful Episodes In Journalistic History“.
• #TheMJCast133: Vindication Day Special With Carol LaMere
• #TheMJCast103: Vindication Day Special with Larry Nimmer
• #TheMJCast081: Vindication Day Special with Aphrodite Jones
• #TheMJCast058: Vindication Day Special (Pirates in Neverland: The Michael Jackson Allegations)
• #TheMJCast033: Vindication Day Special with Scott Ross
• #TheMJCast010: Vindication Day 10th Anniversary Special with Tom Mesereau

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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. Keep Michaeling!

130: An Evening With Charlie and Jamon

It’s been far too long since The MJCast had a good old fashioned Q&A episode, so the team is bringing this format back with host Jamon Bull and everyone’s favorite Brit, Charles Thomson! The guys received over 80 questions, with no topics barred, covering everything from their favorite songs, to fan experiences, to insights on legal proceedings. We so appreciate all of our MJ Fam who submitted questions (and wish we could have gotten to each and every question), and hope you enjoy this fascinating, deep-dive chat about all things MJ!

“The Pale Prince of Peculiarity”
1) Can you tell us what you know about MJ‘s relationship with Sony? What went wrong and why did he hate them so much at the end of his life? It‘s a really confusing topic for me.

Annie
2) If the planet was about to be blown up by an evil super villain, and the only way to save humanity was for Charles Thomson to perform either Heal The World, The Lost Children or I Just Can’t Stop Loving You – which one would he choose?

Neil G
3) There have been reports of a MJ movie in the works. Is this a good idea? If so, who should play Michael?

Tom Rujitermann
4) Do you think it’s possible that Taj’s series could change the minds of many people? Or do you feel Michael has been so dehumanised that people will never be able to see past what the media portrays?

Curtis Roberton
5) Invincible is Michael’s last album and probably worst in eyes of a lot of people. But for me, it’s one of his best. I have friends who aren’t MJ fans and I have shown them the Invincible album and they think it’s amazing and start downloading the album, almost like a lost MJ album. What positives can you say about Invincible?
6) During This Is It, there are moments where MJ looks fragile and ill, like the start of The Way You Make Me Feel. Later on, when MJ is in the blue, he looks on top form, same with They Don’t Care About Us–he looks great and on form? Why is this?

Gillian Rice
7) How often does Charles listen to Michael’s music? And what are his top 3 songs?

Wendy
8) Can you tell us what you know about all of the aftermath of Michael’s injuries during the 1999 concert? Like medically, how was he treated, how did people around him respond to it, and more?
9) Do you think Dan Egghead Reed Is going to make Leaving Neverland 2?

?
10) Do you like John Branca, and tell me all the reasons why not?

Bob
11) Were you surprised that the court dismissed the James Safechuck lawsuit?

Jonny
12) Any idea why MJ used to let Prince have his hair bleached at such a young age? Always wondered and unsure if it has ever been answered. Very young age to colour a child’s hair. Maybe the freedom of expression he allowed his children behind closed doors?

Bella
13) Are you ever going to do the estate roundtable episode you’ve been teasing us with for years?

Genevieve Castello Branco
14) Marcos Cabota’s documentary “Sonic Fantasy” is completed, but he’s facing legal issues to release it. Any details about such legal issues, which probably involve Bruce Swedien’s estate?

Bob
15) Off the Wall or Purple Rain?

Captain Blackthorne
16) Which song has Michael’s most impressive vocal performance? My vote it for Earth Song or Billie Jean.
17) Do we know any details about the “lost classical album” that Michael worked on before his passing?

Marni Cochrane
18) Dear Charles, what is the most interesting or surprising thing you learnt about MJ, his life and/or his work while working on the documentary with Taj and other collaborators, which was totally new to you?

Anita
19) How do we manage that Jamon and Elise will be invited to the next Halloween party hosted by the Jackson family?

Dane Thomson
20) What has shaped your views on life throughout your years?

“Oprah”
21) If MJ Estate approached you with an olive branch and ask for your help and input, what are the top 5 list of things that you like to immediately work on and do?

“Billie Jean”
22) Which MJCast special episode is your favorite why?

Constantinos
23) Top 5 guests who you would love to interview in the near future?
24) Would you like one day to create your own visual documentary to combine all your special interviews?

MJJQ
25) Out of each of Michael’s full length solo albums (OTW, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous, HIStory and Invincible), could you choose 1 track which is your personal favourite, and on the other hand, an unreleased demo or outtake song which could replace your least favourite track on each album – with short explanations as to why.

“James Brown”
26) Does anyone know what happened to the Vogue documentary that had a preview on YouTube and why it was never released?
27) How do you feel about supposed friends of MJ such as Quincy, some of the Ross family, etc, still openly supporting Oprah? Or do you think Oprah is just so big that it’s career suicide to come out against her?

Kieran Kibble
28) What are your top 3 MJ short films and why? Thanks for all the work you guys do in supporting Michael’s legacy.

Ben
29) What motivates you both to still remain active in the MJ fan community all these years later?

Dorsa
30) If you had to choose one documentary/book that captures the whole essence of Michael Jackson, which one would it be?

Suzie
31) If you had a time machine and could make two trips to the past, one to any MJ performance and one to any moment in Michael’s life where you could use your time to speak with him personally (and maybe warn him of certain things), which moments in time would you choose?

Debi T
32) How do you as hosts of The MJCast who have interviewed several members of the Jackson family feel about reports coming from the bodyguards, Randall Sullivan, and others that Michael’s family were a bunch of grifters during his life and after his death?

Mira Kontar
33) What are the best arguments to make when discussing Michael’s status as the greatest entertainer? I see weak arguments like he makes people faint or he can just stand there and entertain us, which doesn’t hold when discussing skill-set. I have my own answer, but I’d like to hear yours.

Dexter Williams
34) Between catching snippets of the Chauvin trial on television, and seeing discourse and comments about it on social media, I’ve wondered what effect having filmed MJ’s 2005 trial would have had. Do you think, in hindsight, that filming/broadcasting the 2005 trial on television would have hurt or harmed MJ’s reputation as far as the general public is concerned?

Shawn Clarence
35) If you had access to Michael’s vault and could release ONE Definitive Project, what would part/parts of Michael would you showcase and why?
36) Jamon, if you could sit in the studio and watch Michael record a song what would it be?

Additional Links
• The MJCast 063: Q Q&A
• The MJCast 069: C Q&A
• The MJCast 074: J Q&A
The MJCast 099: Leaving Neverland Q&A

Sponsors
• Thank you to our anonymous listener, whose donation to The MJCast has allowed us to give back to Children International.
• 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 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. Keep Michaeling!

127: Season Six Christmas Special

Taj Jackson, Charles Thomson, and Q join forces to celebrate the holidays and reflect on this past year… Welcome to The MJCast’s annual Christmas Special!

Before getting into the bulk of the discussion topics, Taj breaks the incredible news that he and his wife Thayana are expecting Baby #2! The MJCast sends a special congratulations to Taj’s whole family.

The guys then discuss loads of news updates and developments in the world of Michael Jackson, including a new book by Brice Najar, the launch of a virtual edition of Kingvention, updates with Vera Serova’s lawsuit as well as the Estate’s lawsuit against HBO, a new version of the online documentary ‘Loving Neverland’, and a new film project by Jin Chohan. Plus, Taj goes into detail about progress and plans for his documentary project, ‘The Truth Runs Marathons’. This episode is full of amazing fan and Jackson Family chat, reflections on the highs and lows of this past year, and hopes for 2021.

Also, while Jamon and Elise are not able to be on this episode, they give huge thanks to Q, Charlie, and Taj for making this episode possible and for wrapping up Season 6 of The MJCast. Thanks, guys!

We also want to thank our listeners for all your support throughout the year and hope that you enjoy our episodes coming up in Season 7! Happy holidays, #MJFam!

Discussion Topics
• Brice Najar’s ‘Book on the Dance Floor: Let’s Make HIStory in the Mix’ has been released.
• Big news! Taj Jackson and his wife, Thayana Sco Jackson, are expecting their second child!
• Kingvention went online this year with KV:Global, a three hour global Michael Jackson convention including interviews with Jean-Marie Horvat and Bill Bottrell.
• Vera Serova’s lawsuit against Sony Music and the Michael Jackson Estate has received support from key consumer protection groups.
• HBO has lost their appeal against the #MichaelJackson Estate in the ongoing ‘Leaving Neverland’ lawsuit.
• ‘The Truth Runs Marathons’ update from Taj. You can help support his documentary here.
• An improved version of ‘Loving Neverland’ with non-automated narration has been released. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.
• Jin Chohan is raising money money for a documentary in support of Michael’s innocence called ‘Trial By Media: The Michael Jackson Story’.

Sponsors
• Audible – Great audiobooks. Great a free one-month trial (including one free audiobook) and help support the podcast by using our custom MJCast promo link.
• 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 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. Keep Michaeling!

126: TJ Jackson Special

TJ Jackson joins Jamon and Q (with an appearance by Cousin Kam from The Janet Jackson Podcast) for a very special episode to discuss TJ’s new solo EP, “Damaged”, his impressive music career and a range of stories on his uncle Michael and his amazing family.

TJ is the third son of Tito Jackson and Dee Dee Martes, and the nephew of Michael Jackson. As part of the group 3T, TJ and his brothers rocketed to super-stardom as teenagers, selling over 3.5 million copies of their debut album, “Brotherhood”, which just celebrated its 25th anniversary. The brothers have performed all over the world, appeared on television, and starred in a Lifetime docuseries, “The Jacksons: Next Generation”. As a solo artist, TJ debuted his single and music video, “Insomnia” in September of 2019. This release marked the start of a trilogy of projects, including his EP, “Obsession”, released in March of 2020, and his newest EP, “Damaged” which came out in November of 2020. His solo records mark a departure from the sounds of the work he did with his brothers, presenting a style that is all his own. In addition to being an amazing musician, TJ also hosts the Family Rules Podcast with his wife, Frances Jackson.

In this chat, TJ shares incredible stories of growing up as part of music royalty, creating records with his brothers, working with his uncle, the King of Pop, and his impressive adult solo music career. Plus, they go deep into his experience as a Jackson since the release of Leaving Neverland and what Michael was like as a father. TJ also talks about dealing with past issues such as the AEG trial, the Cascio tracks, fulfilling his duties as legal guardian for MJ’s children, and more.

Additional Links
• TJ’s main website and Linktree to all social media pages and music channels.
• TJ and Frances Jackson’s podcast and Youtube series, The Family Rules.
• 3T albums on Apple Music and Spotify.
• The TJ Jackson Official Facebook Group.
• The Dee Dee Jackson Foundation.
• “The Power of Love” radio show/podcast.

Sponsors
• Crack Corn – Delicious premium puff corn.
• 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 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. Keep Michaeling!

121: The New Adventures of Charlie Thomson

Charles Thomson returns to The MJCast, joining Jamon Bull for a massive catch-up on everything the investigative journalist has been up to since the release of Leaving Neverland a year and a half ago. The duo discuss Charlie’s whirlwind year, from winning national journalism awards in the UK while simultaneously losing his job, being hired for a podcast, and unexpectedly becoming the central narrator in Danny Wu’s 1993 allegations documentary, Square One. They cover back-and-forth trips to Los Angeles (featuring a cameo by Helen Mirren!), restaurant-hopping with Tom Mesereau, parties at Hayvenhurst, an HBO court hearing, and much more. And finally, Charlie talks about being hired for a Larry Nimmer documentary, and launching his own true crime podcast, Unfinished: Shoebury’s Lost Boys. It’s been an epic year for Charlie, to be sure.

Discussion Topics
• Leaving Neverland has won a BAFTA.
• Charlie’s amazing year.

Additional Links
• Charlie’s Twitter and website.
• Charlie’s new true crime podcast, Unfinished: Shoebury’s Lost Boys.
• Danny Wu’s documentary, Square One. (You can read The MJCast review of the film and see photos from the LA film premiere here.)

Sponsors
• Audible – Great audiobooks. Great a free one-month trial (including one free audiobook) and help support the podcast by using our custom MJCast promo link.
• 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 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. Keep Michaeling!

113: Season Five Christmas Special

It’s that time of year when Jamon, Q and Elise come together to celebrate the holidays and reflect on the year that was…it’s The MJCast’s annual Christmas Special!

The team wraps up Season Five (a season filled-to-the-brim with major highs and lows) with discussion of developments in the world of Michael Jackson, including updates on the MJ biopic, the Estate’s 2020 MJ Broadway musical, as well as a bizarre and potentially very negative MJ-inspired musical told from the perspective of his glove, and much more. The MJCast Correspondents also chime in with news on charity efforts, Janet Jackson, the Jackson family, and more.

It’s been a whirlwind year, and a tough one for many in the worldwide Jackson fan community. And yet, as the trio revisits clips from Season Five Specials and reflects on the past year, it is clear that this has also been The MJCast’s best season ever, with incredible guests, and a real sense of love and community.

This is Q’s final episode as a regular host of The MJCast. Q has been integral to the identity of the show since its inception, and he will be missed. Jamon and Elise send their love and thanks for all of Q’s contributions as well as his friendship. And not to worry, listeners: Q will appear on The MJCast in the future, just less regularly. There will be Q-rants to come in 2020 and beyond!

We want to thank our listeners for all your support throughout the year and hope that you enjoy our episodes coming up in Season 6! Happy holidays, #MJFam!

News
• A Michael Jackson biopic is reportedly in the works, from Bohemian Rhapsody producer Graham King.
• A very strange stage musical, For the Love of the Glove, supposedly based on Jackson’s life, is opening in Los Angeles in January.
• Ephraim Sykes has been cast in the MJ role for the upcoming Broadway show, “MJ: The Musical.” (Skykes’ recent interview in Rolling Stone.)
• The French MJ fan lawsuit against ‘Leaving Neverland’ has been postponed due to strikes.
• The Game recalls the time when Michael Jackson called him to work on a collaboration with 50 Cent.
• The MJ Estate settles with Disney over ‘The Last Days of Michael Jackson’.

Season Five Highlights
• Episode 097 – Bill Whitfield Special
• Episode 100 – Brad Buxer Special
Episode 101 – Taryll Jackson Special
Episode 103 – Vindication Day Special with Larry Nimmer
Episode 104 – June 25th Special with Jenny Winings
Episode 107 – Allan ‘Big Al’ Scanlan Special
Episode 109 – Michael Trapson Special
Episode 110 – Thriller Night Special with Paul Black and Adam Green

Main Discussion Topic
• A year in review.
• The MJCast’s official interview with Q, as he reflects on five seasons as co-host.
• What’s to come in Season 6.

Finds of the Week
• Jamon – New rehearsal footage from MJ’s 30th Anniversary concert.
• Q – ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’ gets a brand new official video.
• Elise – MJ-inspired art by Miguel Wilson, including a very cool Thriller shirt available for sale.

Correspondent Appearances
Steven Hodges of MJFFC (Charity Correspondent)
Janneke van der Linden of Jackson Source (Jackson family Correspondent)
Courtney and Kam of Janet Today, Janet Tomorrow, Janet Forever podcast (Janet Jackson Correspondent)
Charles Thomson (Legal Correspondent)

Ads & Music Breaks
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall (Nick Party People Remix)
Michael Jackson – Another Part of Me (Regrooved Fire Remix)
Michael Jackson – BEATiCURE (The King of artPOP by Robin Skouteris)

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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.com. Michael On!

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.

108: Back to Square One

In this regular episode, Jamon and Q catch up on lots of big news in the world of Michael Jackson and the Jackson family. They discuss museum exhibitions at the Smithsonian and in Finland, an updated edition of Joe Vogel’s Man in the Music, Raymone Bain’s much-hyped press conference, new videos from Michael Trapson, and great new music from TJ Jackson. For their main topic, they discuss three (yes, three!) new Michael Jackson documentaries: Chase the Truth, The Lies of Leaving Neverland, and Square One. Plus, special guest Danny Wu, YouTuber and creator of Square One, joins the guys for a chat about his film.

Follow Up
• Michael Jackson birthday events roundup.
• The MJCast Legal Correspondent Charlie Thomson is now working for Taj Jackson as the writer of his allegations documentary.
• 50 Cent and Sheryl Crowe.
• Thanks for giving me a heart attack, Janet!
• Rotterdam Walk of Fame.

News
• An iconic Michael Jackson photograph is featured in the Smithsonian traveling exhibition, Men of Change: Power. Triumph. Truth.
• The Michael Jackson – On the Wall official Estate and National Portrait Gallery exhibition is now showing at the EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Helsinki, Finland.
• Raymone Bain’s press conference.
• Michael Trapson drops full 36-minute Trapson EO tribute film, as well as the Michael Trapson New Vibration 2019 Pepsi remake.
• Joe Vogel’s updated, revised and expanded edition of Man In the Music has now been released and is available for purchase. Published by Vintage Anchor Books, links for purchase are available here, or with free shipping via Book Depository.
• TJ Jackson releases his first solo single, Insomnia, available now across streaming services: Spotify, Apple Music.

Main Discussion Topic
• Chase the Truth
• Lies of Leaving Neverland
• Square One, premiering in Los Angeles on September 28, and releasing worldwide on YouTube on October 5.

Finds of the Week
• Jamon – Disney Channel’s The Making of Captain EO
• Q – Legends Never Die video tribute to MJ and his fans, made by the world’s best MJ YouTube video mixer, Malc Jennings/Smooth EmJay.
• Danny – Amateur footage of MJ Live in Brunei 1996 and Billie Jean Live In Munich, Germany 1997.

Additional Links
• Danny Wu’s Twitter, Instagram and Facebook pages.

Ad & Music Breaks
• Michael Jackson – Remember the Time (Nick* Deep Mix)
• The Jacksons – Lovely One (Groovefunkel Remix)
• Michael Jackson – Smile (Piano Version) [Alternate Vocal]

Connect with Us
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Instagram
• 
YouTube

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!