MJ the Musical has already made millions for Jackson’s estate. But as the Broadway hit opens in Australia and the estate prepares to face two of Jackson’s alleged victims in court, fans may ask: is buying a ticket OK?Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThere’s a moment in MJ the Musical where the King of Pop tells a prying reporter: “I want to keep this about my music.”Over the last four years, as the jukebox musical has swept through the US, London and Hamburg, netting four Tony awards and more than US$245m to date on Broadway alone, the debate that has followed it has mirrored that which followed the bombshell allegations aired in the Emmy-winning 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland: can we separate Michael Jackson’s impeccable musical legacy from his deeply tarnished public image? Continue reading...
"MJ the Musical," sanctioned by Michael Jackson's estate and generating significant revenue, sanitizes Jackson's life by focusing on his music and avoiding controversial topics like child sexual abuse allegations. This has sparked debate, particularly following the "Leaving Neverland" documentary, about separating Jackson's musical legacy from his tarnished image. The musical omits key controversies and faces criticism for potentially harming alleged victims, while a civil suit against Jackson's estate regarding abuse allegations is pending.
