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Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On An Academic ConversationAn Academic Conversation Author: Karin Merx and Elizabeth Amisu
Dynamic, Influential, Inclusive, Cultural, Explorative, Unique Language: en-gb Genres: Arts, Education, Performing Arts Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Episode 80 – The Staging of a Media Trial
Episode 80
Monday, 21 April, 2025
In this episode Elizabeth and Karin discuss the essay by Philipp Dominik Keidl where he explores how Michael Jackson fans responded to the sexual abuse allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland. The focus is on a phenomenon Keidl terms "forensic fandom," where fans produce counter-documentaries and online content to defend Jackson's reputation by discrediting his accusers. These fan-made videos, particularly those associated with The Michael Jackson Innocence Project (MJIP), serve as a form of "media tribunal." The essay argues that these efforts are less about seeking truth and more about reinforcing myths that undermine allegations of sexual abuse, ultimately contributing to a toxic fan culture that silences victims and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. REFERENCE AS: Merx, Karin, and Elizabeth Amisu. "Episode 80 – The staging of a Media Trial" Podcast, Michael Jackson's Dream Lives On: An Academic Conversation, 12 no. 2 (2025). Published electronically 21/04/25. http://michaeljacksonstudies.org/episode-80-the-staging-of-a-Media-Trial. The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies asks that you acknowledge The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies as the source of our Content; if you use material from The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies online, we request that you link directly to the stable URL provided. If you use our content offline, we ask that you credit the source as follows: “Courtesy of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies Episode 80 - The Staging of a Media TrialBy Elizabeth Amisu & Karin Merx Elizabeth Amisu, PGCE, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies and author of The Dangerous Philosophies of Michael Jackson: His Music, His Persona, and His Artistic Afterlife. Find out more about Elizabeth here. Karin Merx BMus, MA, is editor of The Journal of Michael Jackson Academic Studies, and author of ‘A festive parade of highlights. La Grande Parade as evaluation of the museum policy of Edy De Wilde at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam’. Find out more about Karin here. Our References and Where to Easily Find Them: Philipp Dominik Keidl, "The Fans of Michael Jackson v Wade Robson and James Safechuck": Forensic Fandom and the Staging of a Media Tribunal, American Behavioural Scientist 2022, vol.66(8) (Sage Publications, 2022).
