The documentary Leaving Neverland debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January and premiered on HBO in March. The 4 hour 2 part film, produced and directed by British film maker Dan Reed, details the stories of Wade Robson and James Safechuck who allege that they were sexually abused by pop icon Michael Jackson when they were 7 and 10 year old boys.
Joining Joe on this episode of Pop Life is Dr. Charisse L’Pree, Assistant Professor of Communications at Syracuse University’s Newhouse School. Her work focuses on how media affects the way we think about ourselves and our perceptions of others. She is also a self-proclaimed Michael Jackson “fangirl”. The two discuss the documentary, unpack how it impacts our culture, and what it all means for Michael Jackson’s legacy.
For more information on references in this episode:
Charisse L’Pree blog entry – My Michael
Charisse L’Pree Bio
March 28th Conversation on Race and Entertainment Media featuring Dana Gills
Notes & Credits-
"Sombrilla" by Philip Gross/ Licensed Under CC BY 4.0
"Massive Attack" by Podington Bear/ Licensed Under CC BY 3.0
