Photo: FRANCIS Sylvain/AFP via Getty Images)
The success of the new Michael Jackson biopic proves allegations of wrongdoing don’t always destroy a fandom.
I was hanging out with some fellow graduate students at the University of Cambridge in 2019 when one suggested seeing the new Liam Neeson movie, “Cold Pursuit.” Another student, referring to an unflattering confession Mr. Neeson had recently made, replied, “No, he’s racist, remember?” The first student said, “I read online that people forgive him and he’s OK now.” He pulled out his phone to verify. A few minutes later we walked to the theater.
Nobody had reconsidered Mr. Neeson’s character or weighed the evidence against him. What they’d instead done was consult the social-media consensus to find out what they were permitted to enjoy.
Last month, many moviegoers did something similar. They packed theaters for “Michael,” the new Michael Jackson biopic, which took in $217 million worldwide in its opening weekend. That’s the biggest-ever U.S. and Canada opening for a biopic.
This is strange, because Jackson faced allegations of child sexual abuse for decades. Meantime, Kevin Spacey lost his career. Woody Allen’s films got pulled from streaming services. Bill Cosby went to prison and remains culturally radioactive after his release.
Why does Jackson get a pass when the others don’t?
Continue reading the entire piece here at the Wall Street Journal
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Rob Henderson is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal.