When a young Wade Robson watched on TV as his idol and friend Michael Jackson whisked another little boy into his black SUV to go away with him on tour, it broke his heart.
That was supposed to be his seat at Jackson’s side, but the King of Pop had told him kids weren’t allowed on tour that time around.
Except for Brett Barnes.
At the time, Robson couldn’t understand what he had done wrong for his best friend to replace him with someone else. In hindsight, he now understands Jackson “didn’t like to mix [them], he liked to keep the relationships separate”.
In HBO’s two-part documentary Leaving Neverland, which aired on Friday and Saturday nights on Network Ten, we not only hear details of the alleged systematic sexual and emotional abuse Robson and James Safechuck experienced at the hands of Jackson, but also just how deeply Jackson’s relationships with ‘other boys’ affected them.
You can watch the Leaving Neverland trailer below, post continues after video.
Robson and Safechuck say they felt pushed out and forgotten, replaced by Barnes and child actor Macaulay Culkin.
Top Comments
Paedophiles do not molest every child they come across. Culkin not being molested does not mean others weren't. In the same way a priest not molesting every orphan or every altar boy, does not mean the priest didn't molest others.
Don't forget that the Culkins were a big famous family in the industry. A respected powerful family. Paedophiles prey on vulnerable children; children from broken homes or from parents who are not savvy about the industry and easily groomed.
And lets be honest; if you were Macaulay, would you come out now when we know how hate-filled, dangerous and bat shit cray cray Jackson fans are?
Well said Salem! Just like serial killers don’t kill everyone they come across either. This is how they get away with it. They can appear harmless and normal to those outside of their selected victims.
And if Macaulay was a victim and doesn’t want to come out in public; that choice should be respected.