Michael Jackson’s Family Respond To ‘Leaving Neverland’ In New Documentary, ‘Neverland Firsthand’
Michael Jackson’s family members participated in a 30-minute documentary that serves as a direct response to the shocking documentary, Leaving Neverland, in which two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, claim they suffered horrific abuse at the hands of the singer when they were underage boys.
According to E! News, the Jackson family doc, titled Neverland Firsthand, was posted on YouTube, and shows family members including Michael Jackson’s nephew, Taj, niece Brandi, and longtime friend, Brad Sundberg, speaking out about the sexual abuse allegations.
Brandi Jackson may have given the most interesting interview of them all, claiming that she dated Wade Robson for over seven years, and called him a liar and an opportunist.
“He’s saying that he was in a relationship with my uncle, that they were in love, and that they were having a relationship, if you will. He’s saying that my uncle kept him from women, which is not true. We were just talking about how my uncle put us together. It would discredit the things that he’s trying to claim, and I find it fascinating that he thinks he’s able to just erase 10 years of his life,” Brandi stated.
Brandi also went on to say that if she saw Wade, she would confront him about his lies. She added that she is not curious as to why he is lying, but just that he needs to stop, especially since Michael took care of him and was good to him and his family.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Leaving Neverland has had an impact on Michael Jackson’s legacy and estate.
Since the film was released, several radio stations have banned the King of Pop’s music from their airwaves. His music sales and streaming figures are also reportedly in decline, and an episode of The Simpsons, in which MJ lent his voice, was also pulled from syndication.
Later, The Simpsons showrunner claimed that he believed Jackson could have used the episode of the series to help him “groom boys” that he may have been sexually abusing, per The Inquisitr. He added that Michael insisted on adding a scene where he and Bart Simpson sing a song together.
CNN reports that items belonging to Michael, such as a hat and gloves, have also been removed from an Indianapolis children’s museum. However, the facility has chosen to keep some of the photos that featured the singer.
Fans can watch Michael Jackson’s family refute the claims made in Leaving Neverland in the short film, Neverland Firsthand, which is available for viewing on YouTube.