Michael Jackson estate counters HBO's 'Leaving Neverland' with free concerts

6 years ago

Michael Jackson and Wade Robson; courtesy HBO

Michael Jackson and Wade Robson; courtesy HBO(LOS ANGELES) — It’s no secret Michael Jackson’s estate and family isn’t at all pleased with HBO’s Leaving Neverland. Now they’ve gone so far as to give us an alternative to watching the documentary.

Sunday night, a two-hour live concert shot October 1, 1992 in Bucharest, Hungary during Michael’s Dangerous tour, appeared on his official YouTube channel. It’s no coincidence: part one of Leaving Neverland — in which two now-adult former Jackson friends, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, claim he sexually assaulted them as children — debuted Sunday night.

Also no coincidence is the timing: Jackson’s official Twitter posted the YouTube link just after Leaving Neverland began. The tweet also promises that a second concert — live from London’s Wembley stadium July 16, 1988 — will drop Monday night at 8:00 ET, just as Leaving Neverlandpart two debuts.

Michael’s estate filed a lawsuit against HBO and its parent company, Time Warner, in late February, claiming Leaving Neverland breaches a non-disparagement clause in a decades-old contract. In response, HBO said, in a statement provided to ABC News: “Despite the desperate lengths taken to undermine the film, our plans remain unchanged. HBO will move forward with the airing of Leaving Neverland…on March 3 and 4th. This will allow everyone the opportunity to assess the film and the claims in it for themselves.”