The highly controversial Michael Jackson documentary, Leaving Neverland, caused a firestorm on Twitter following its premiere on HBO Sunday night (March 3).
The two-part documentary details the allegations of two men — choreographer Wade Robson and James Safechuck — who maintain that Jackson routinely sexually abused them as children at his sprawling Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County, California.
Bombshell allegations from the film, including predatory conditioning of the boys, habitual rape and a mock wedding ceremony between Jackson and Safechuck, were met with divisive reactions from celebrities and fans on Twitter.
The late King of Pop’s nephew Taj Jackson was among his most ardent defenders, responding to a fan by tweeting, “I’ve been around my uncle only thousands and thousands of hours. And since my uncle is not here to defend himself, the credibility of the accusers matter. And Wade and James have none.”
Other notable figures including Rosie O’Donnell, Bryan Greenberg, Amber Tamblyn, songwriter Scott Alan and others tweeted out their shock and disgust at the alleged abuse relayed in the film.
Meanwhile, many Jackson fans took to Twitter to circulate a list of supposed facts “you won’t find in Leaving Neverland” to call the accusers’ stories into question.
See the tweets about Finding Neverland below.
You are right. I’ve been around my uncle only thousands and thousands of hours. And since my uncle is not here to defend himself, the credibility of the accusers matter. And Wade and James have none. https://t.co/fF0OgYXUBz
— Taj Jackson (@tajjackson3) March 4, 2019
who would leave a seven – yes 7 – year old boy with a grown man – makes no sense to me as a mom –
— ROSIE (@Rosie) March 4, 2019
Lot of disturbing details I wasn’t ready for. #LeavingNeverland
— Bryan Greenberg (@bryangreenberg) March 4, 2019
As a former child actress, I can’t help but watch this documentary and think about how wrong it is for children to be put in the position of performing for the soul purpose of pleasing adults. It’s such a slippery, dangerous, often abusive slope. #LeavingNeverland
— Amber Tamblyn (@ambertamblyn) March 4, 2019
I just watched Part One of #LeavingNeverland on @HBO. It was such a disturbing view of the grooming process, from the worlds biggest pop star. I need time to digest what I watched before saying more.
— Scott Alan (@ScottAlan) March 4, 2019
#LeavingNeverland is all fabricated lies. Michael Jackson is innocent! pic.twitter.com/HhcMoYuwry
— Nicole (@nicoleslifee12) March 4, 2019
All I’m going to say is some of y’all are real quick to believe the women that have come forward with celebrity sexual abuse stories but the second it’s a couple of guys and your fav pop star… #LeavingNeverland pic.twitter.com/kVCdj0NDQj
— ChaoticApathy (@ChaoticApathy) March 4, 2019
Alot of these hardcore mj fans won’t even watch #LeavingNeverland. I was MJ fan but I am not a kid anymore lol. He made great music but clearly a messed up man and the documentary is disturbing.
— Pure (@PureFromEast) March 4, 2019
#LeavingNeverland Look on the FBI vaults website. All the documents they collected on MJ are available for the public to read. They spent 13 years on this & found nothing that indicated he was a molester. Please don’t support these liars & don’t believe what they tell you. pic.twitter.com/raElCbeoHu
— Grant Paulsen (@grantpaulsen20) March 4, 2019
Lawd. This footage. Whew. MJ is coming across like a real predator. Doing the long con to get into the inner circles of these children and families. — #leavingneverland
— Gab with Gwen Podcast — (@GabwithGwen) March 5, 2019
I believe MJ did not sexually abuse those young children. I personally believe that the parents pimped their kids out and put them in those situations for financial gain. After the first alleged victim no parent should have said ok to neverland visits. #LeavingNeverland
— ken (@Kenmania666) March 5, 2019
There will NEVER be another Michael Jackson, PERIOD #MJInnocent #LeavingNeverland pic.twitter.com/LmsVvNZMdR
— MJInnocent —- (@ShesMJacksonBad) March 5, 2019
#LeavingNeverland “He has a train going round his bedroom, he was like a child so we let our son sleep with him”
A man who has a toy train in his bedroom who wants kids in his bed.
And the parents said “yes”
I just can’t get my head round it.
— Janey Godley (@JaneyGodley) March 4, 2019
Why is the mom keeping memories and books of the neverland ranch if this was a horrendous tragic MEMORY of child abuse?!? Idk who’s more fake this lying sack of shit or the mom SMFH #LeavingNeverland
— Kenny (@MJISINNOCENT716) March 4, 2019
Ok. Take out the sexual abuse on #LeavingNeverland And it would still paint a picture of a very odd man who almost obsessively cultivated close relationships with stranger’s sons. Not appropriate in anyway shape of form.
— Shep Rose (@ShepRose) March 4, 2019