A Father's Dilemma: When a Child's Michael Jackson Obsession Meets Troubling Allegations
On a typical Saturday morning, Sarfraz Manzoor finds himself curled up on the sofa with his nine-year-old son, Ezra. With YouTube playing on the television screen, he already knows what his son will request. "Michael Jackson," Ezra says, as he does every time they listen to Spotify in the kitchen or during car rides. This simple request plunges Manzoor into a profound parental and moral quandary.
The Uncomplicated Joy of Childhood Fandom
It is not difficult to understand why Ezra has become fully obsessed with Michael Jackson. Manzoor himself was captivated by the iconic performer as a young boy, mesmerised by Jackson's unique singing voice, distinctive appearance, and electrifying dance moves. Watching the "Billie Jean" video together transports Manzoor back to the summer of 1983 when he first heard Jackson's music at age twelve.
He shows Ezra the legendary performance of "Billie Jean" from the 25th anniversary Motown concert, where Jackson appeared possessed of an almost unearthly talent and charisma. Manzoor even shares that he saw Michael Jackson live during the Bad tour at Wembley Stadium in 1988, a revelation that leaves his son aghast with wonder.
"I see so much joy in his face when he listens to Jackson," Manzoor observes. "And while I am genuinely happy that he is happy, I also feel deeply conflicted. There is a significant reason why I personally stopped listening to Michael Jackson years ago."
The Shadow Over the Music
The world always knew Michael Jackson was unusual. There were persistent rumours about sleeping in an oxygen tank, his fascination with The Elephant Man, his chimpanzee companion Bubbles, and his dramatic physical transformation. However, from the early 1990s onward, Jackson faced repeated accusations of sexually abusing boys he had befriended, culminating in a highly publicised criminal trial in 2005.
That case ended with Jackson's acquittal on all charges, a development recently revisited in Channel 4's series Michael Jackson: The Trial which began airing this week. Reflecting on that period, Manzoor admits, "I am not sure if even then I completely believed Jackson was wholly innocent. His defence attorney Johnnie Cochran had previously represented OJ Simpson, which raised questions. But being completely honest, I think I chose to look the other way because the music was simply too good to give up."
He contrasts this with other artists like R. Kelly, whose music he could easily avoid because he had never been a fan. "But to live without the music of Michael Jackson felt impossible," Manzoor explains. "And anyway, they were just stories, he had been acquitted, and how incredible is Eddie Van Halen's guitar solo on 'Beat It'?"
The Turning Point
The 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland proved to be a turning point for Manzoor. Directed by Dan Reed, the film presented detailed allegations from two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, who claimed they were sexually abused by Michael Jackson as children. While there was never a criminal conviction and no definitive physical evidence presented, the documentary made it impossible for Manzoor to continue enjoying Jackson's music.
"It became hard to listen to music that had once sparked pure joy after being offered a glimpse of what the documentary described as 'the evil lurking in the dark,'" Manzoor states. "So I made the conscious decision to stop listening to Michael Jackson altogether."
Parenting in the Gray Areas
When Ezra first asked to hear Michael Jackson songs, Manzoor initially tried to refuse. When his son insisted on knowing why, he struggled to find the right words. A simple "no" would not suffice, but did he really want to introduce his nine-year-old to the sordid details that explained why Jackson's music was absent from their household?
"There will undoubtedly come a day when we need to have A Conversation about Michael Jackson," Manzoor acknowledges. "A day when my son will need to grapple with the complex question of whether one can or should separate the artist from their art. But what I truly cherish about spending time with Ezra is that he reminds me of what it feels like to experience uncomplicated pleasure."
Manzoor reflects that this kind of simple enjoyment has become increasingly difficult for him, perhaps because he once counted controversial figures like Woody Allen, Philip Roth, and Noam Chomsky among those he admired. He admits to envying his son's current ignorance about the darker aspects of Jackson's legacy.
"There will come a time when Ezra learns troubling facts about Michael Jackson," Manzoor concludes. "And perhaps he will decide he can no longer listen to the music. But for now, I am content to let him enjoy Michael Jackson's songs. I am grateful that he gets to spend a little while longer in that state of innocent appreciation, before confronting the more complicated realities of the world."
