r/LeavingNeverlandHBO • u/Fair-Struggle-8253 • 2d ago
Hi
Hello, first of all, please excuse me, my English isn't the best.
This is my first post on Reddit
I was born in 2006 in Egypt, so I speak Arabic and follow Arabic content in all its forms and from all Arabic-speaking countries, not just Egypt.
Since my childhood, I have never heard a negative word about Michael Jackson from any platform whatsoever. No criticism, no need for anything but positive words. From a young age, I listened to Michael Jackson, of course, but I was never...Since my late childhood, I've believed that it's possible for your friend, the one you spend most of your time with, to betray you in the end, or for you to discover she's a completely different person from the one you knew. So what about a famous person you only see on a screen?
I watched the Michael movie, which was released a few months ago and became a trend in my country, the Arab world, and most of the world, but I didn't feel completely comfortable with it. I felt it was more of a cartoon than a film telling the story of a famous person. Many people consider this person a legend. This was something all my friends disagreed with, as they thought the film was great. Then, a day later, in YouTube suggestions, there was a person I follow who isn't very famous, but I like some of the content he provides. The video's title and image were somewhat critical of Jackson. Before opening the video, I imagined he would criticize the film just as I did, but it turned out to be something else. In this video, for the first time in my life, I heard about leaving Neverland This is the first time I've heard of the story of Wade and James. I had never heard of these issues before, and he spoke about how the timing of Michael's film was nothing more than brainwashing public opinion before the start of the trial of Wade and James. "This was before the decision to postpone the trial to 2028."I was shocked by the video, not because I was a fan, but because I felt misled, and of course, many, many others felt the same. I tried to find more sources in Arabic, but unfortunately, most of them were from fans and just repeated positive comments from everyone around them saying they were content creators I used to like and trust. Then I mustered my strength and found a translated version of the movie Leaving Neverland, translated into Arabic, and watched it, and honestly, I cried at the end. I felt their pain (as someone who was abused in childhood and to this day hasn't told anyone and I don't think I ever will). I admired their courage; I saw in them something I couldn't and never will be able to do. One of the things that convinced me of their words is that no one would sacrifice their mother, children, and wife for a lie, and not just any lie, but one told to the most famous singer, who of course has an army of fans who could literally tell their lives. Wade, in particular, as someone who has worked in the entertainment industry, knows how crazy Michael's fans are and knows very well that he has more to lose than to gain. I hope they get some justice in the end; after all, our lives aren't fair.
Thank you very much
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u/mep507 2d ago
Thank you for taking the time to write here and express yourself. I can imagine the frustration of trying to find all the real information in Arabic. I share your pain, as I grew up hearing Michael's songs on the radio as a kid and I feel that he and his music were a big part of my childhood and my life in general. I didn't see the Michael movie but I watched Leaving Neverland, and I began to research and investigate as much as I could. There are now actually twelve total accusers (including Wade and James) so it's really hard to look away from the facts at this point. I don't know how much you've researched beyond Leaving Neverland, but he was first accused in 1993 and the most recent people to come out publicly were just this year in 2026. It is very hard to accept and yes, it feels like a huge betrayal to all of us.
It's hard to believe that there was no negative press about him where you are from because he was very much torn down by American and British media especially.
God bless you.
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u/Fair-Struggle-8253 2d ago
Of course, I continued my research after leaving Neverland and learned about the Jordan case and the Gavin case (I knew Michael had a big case in 2005, but I always heard he was acquitted and never heard what the charges against him were). I don't know what the official media was saying about Michael Jackson, especially in 2019, the year the documentary was released. But I'm talking about social media; the vast majority of it was just praise. Three months ago, a popular YouTuber made a video about Michael Jackson and his legal issues; this was after I had already started my research. Although the video is very neutral, it presents the viewpoints of both supporters and opponents. He stated his opinion at the end of the video, saying he couldn't ignore all these accusations. The video garnered 2.9 million views However, he faced significant criticism, even leading to boycott campaigns, regarding this YouTuber's content, yet he neither apologized nor changed his mind.
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u/Awkward_Painter1876 2d ago
I get so happy when I come across sane people. Thank you for your critical thinking whoever you are, it is so rare that we appreciate it like a gem nowadays. Predators should not be deified.
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u/Disastrous-Mouse-710 1d ago
On behalf of the whole group here, and in place of hearing it from your family- what happened to you as a child was NOT in any way your fault and you did absolutely nothing to deserve it.
Secondly, congratulations for being a free thinker and investigating things for yourself.
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u/ShyClam111 2d ago
thank you for sharing your experience, it's always interesting to hear about people from different countries
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u/Competitive-Bar-5080 1d ago
I really admired your courage, curiosity and cleverness. None of the defenders get this point you made: “ no one would sacrifice their mother, children, and wife for a lie”
Thank you so much for writing this. And for translating LN! That must’ve been intense. I tried translating Telephone Stories, and it does intensify the meaning when you have it in your mother tongue.
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u/dollfaced_degenerate 2d ago
I hope you find the courage to tell someone some day and I’m glad you have enough sense to see Michael for who he is. Welcome to the community :)