<p>The new Broadway musical “MJ,” which depicts the days before Michael Jackson&#8217;s 1992 Dangerous tour, opened on Tuesday night and was slammed by critics for ignoring child sex abuse allegations that were made against Jackson.</p>
<p><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/mj-review-flashy-michael-jackson-020054951.html">Variety reported</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>In answer to the question of whether it&#8217;s possible to separate the art from the artist, “MJ” performs a slick, crotch-grabbing sidestep. &#8230; Produced by special arrangement with the Michael Jackson estate, “MJ” narrows in on a troubled time for the artist, apparently for the sake of depicting him as a victim of the tabloid press and presenting an oblique denial of unspecified wrongdoing, referred to only briefly as “recent allegations.” &#8230; If there was darkness behind the angelic falsetto, a mix of light and shadow that made Michael Jackson a singular artist, “MJ” enacts a sleight of hand, insisting it didn’t belong to him. It’s a renouncement worthy enough of a smooth criminal.</em></p></blockquote>
<p>The <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/mj-review-michael-jackson-musical-fails-portrait-star-entertainment/">Daily Telegraph</a>: “Following the broadcast of Leaving Neverland, a TV documentary in which two men accused Jackson of molesting them when they were boys, there were many who felt that a new stage show focusing on the singer was in terrible taste. And yet the box office has done brisk business, proving that Jackson is pretty much uncancellable.”</p>
<p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/01/theater/mj-musical-review.html">The New York Times’</a> Jesse Green:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>As the joys of the early scenes begin to fade, “MJ” settles for baldly providing, in the relatively small space allotted to words, an avalanche of astonishing and sorrowful facts. Which is why the absence of the biggest one is so jarring. In agreeing to write what is essentially an authorized biography — the show has been produced “by special arrangement with the Michael Jackson estate” — Nottage apparently made a compromise: She would note his minor oddities while avoiding the most troubling accusations against him.</em></p></blockquote>
<p><a href="https://deadline.com/2022/02/mj-broadway-review-michael-jackson-musical-1234922944/">Deadline</a>: “To address the elephant man in the room: While <em>MJ</em> depicts Jackson’s drug problems, raises (if only to dismiss) charges of racial self-loathing, references the Bubbles-and-Joseph Merrick eccentricities, the third-rail allegations of child molestation go unstated if not entirely ignored.”</p>
<p>Deadline added, “The approach is, historically speaking, defendable: The events of <em>MJ</em> are set in 1992 as Jackson rehearses his upcoming Dangerous world tour. &#8230; Within the musical’s universe, the closest <em>MJ</em> comes to confronting the topic is a vague reference to a family being invited on tour with the singer, but even that comment is open to interpretation: Is the business associate raising the issue merely worried about the expense of additional people on tour, or is he fretting about putting a young boy in such close proximity to the star? Is the reference’s sense of foreboding rooted in concern for victims of child abuse, or for a victim of scheming blackmailers?”</p>
<p>At one point in the musical, Jackson’s manager asks, “Who the hell is this family he wants to bring on the tour?”</p>
<p>Deadline commented:</p>
<blockquote><p><em>Within the musical&#8217;s universe, the closest MJ comes to confronting the topic is a vague reference to a family being invited on tour with the singer, but even that comment is open to interpretation: Is the business associate raising the issue merely worried about the expense of additional people on tour, or is he fretting about putting a young boy in such close proximity to the star? Is the reference&#8217;s sense of foreboding rooted in concern for victims of child abuse, or for a victim of scheming blackmailers?</em></p></blockquote>
<p>Green noted, “There are pat explanations for every peccadillo, from the plastic surgeries &#8230; to the hyperbaric chamber &#8230; His father’s viciousness is likewise given a gloss coat of justification &#8230; In this, ‘MJ’ is trying to have it both ways. It wants to blame everything sad and weird about Jackson on others (especially the press, who are equated with the zombies in ‘Thriller’) but credit him alone for his every good deed and success.”</p>

<script async src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script><div data-widget-host="revcontent" data-pub-id="165152" data-widget-id="290588"></div><script src="https://delivery.revcontent.com/165152/290588/widget.js"></script>

‘Slick, Crotch-Grabbing Sidestep’: Michael Jackson Musical Slammed For Ignoring Child Sex Abuse Allegations

CONTINUE READING

Purple Heart Hero Levels Radical Dem Who Mocked His War Wounds

NHL Icon Claude Lemieux Dead At 60 After Apparent Suicide

Bari Weiss Is Remaking CBS News And The Left Is Panicking

Iran Hired Americans To Assassinate Famed Dissident. One Just Got Sentenced.

Socialist Mayor Orders Police Union To Scrub Post That Called Her Out

Missouri Supreme Court Hands GOP Another Victory

News and Commentary

Broadway

Child Sex Abuse

Michael Jackson

A video goes viral showing a baby being refused his mother by two gay "dads". This is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why we will have an important discussion today about surrogacy. 

Hour 1

The Matt Walsh Show

Ep. 1765 - This Video Is One Of The Worst Things I've Seen In A Long Time 

The Strait of Hormuz officially opens for business (kind of), the Pope makes “shocking” comments on immigration, and President Trump promises UFO disclosure at TPUSA. 


The Michael Knowles Show

Ep. 1956 -  Pope Leo's "SHOCKING" Immigration Comments EXPLAINED

A false miscreed has corrupted our leadership class.


The Andrew Klavan Show

Ep. 1275 - Dumb, Dumber and Progressive

President Trump announces a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, a murder-suicide involving former Democratic Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax shakes Virginia, and France and Britain hold a conference to secure the Strait of Hormuz – after the Iranian conflict ends. Get the facts first with Morning Wire.

- - -

Ep. 2738

- - -

Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3

- - -

Today's Sponsors:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text 'WIRE' to 83848 to learn more.

Pocket Hose - Text MORNING to 64000 to get a FREE pocket pivot and their 10-pattern sprayer with the purchase of ANY size Copper Head hose. Message and data rates may apply.

Morning Wire

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26

U.S. Expands Hormuz Blockade & VA Fairfax Deaths Investigated | 4.17.26 [Member Exclusive]

A ceasefire goes into effect between Israel and Lebanon, a tragic murder-suicide rocks Virginia, and Dairy Queen deploys AI in the drive-thru. Get the facts first with Evening Wire.
- - -
Ep. 2737
- - -
Wake up with new Morning Wire merch: https://bit.ly/4lIubt3 
- - -
Today’s Sponsor:

Alliance Defending Freedom - Visit https://JoinADF.com/WIRE or text “WIRE” to 83848 to learn more.


Evening Wire: Lebanon Ceasefire Begins & Murder-Suicide Rocks VA | 4.16.26

The Pendragon Cycle

Menu

— News and Commentary —

‘Slick, Crotch-Grabbing Sidestep’: Michael Jackson Musical Slammed For Ignoring Child Sex Abuse Allegations