Torchde Team | May 25, 2021
Former BBC journalist Martin Bashir, is under fire for his behavior in past interviews with the late Princess Diana and the late Michael Jackson. An independent inquiry into Bashir revealed the journalist had forged documents in order to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana. Bashir has since apologized for forgery, but denies that the interview had any negative effect on Diana, something Prince William completely disagrees with. The Jackson family maintains that Bashir’s interview with Michael Jackson was the roadway to disaster for the late singer. How could Michael Jackson and Princess Diana be tricked into interviewing with Bashir? In Living With Michael Jackson, Bashir made many disparaging comments about Jackson on air, but the behind the scenes footage shows an empathetic, seemingly truthful person. Is this the persona that the journalist uses to secure interviews? Here are 4 examples of unethical journalism in the Living With Michael Jackson documentary.
Questioning Jackson’s Parenting
In ‘Michael Jackson, Take Two: The Footage You Were Never Meant To See’ it’s clear that Bashir admired Jackson’s relationship with his children. “Your relationship with your children is spectacular, it almost makes me weep,” he said to Jackson. However, in Living With Michael Jackson, Bashir commented: “They are overly protected. I was angry at the way his children were made to suffer.” This comment was in reference to Jackson’s children having to wear masks in public.
As adults, Prince and Paris Jackson revealed that they were required to wear masks when they went out publicly with their father only, when they went out with others no one knew who they were. Paris Jackson spoke about wearing masks on her show Unfiltered: “I appreciated it. It was nice because we were able to go to Chuck E. Cheese and Circus Circus and we were normal.” Debbie Rowe, Jackson’s ex-wife, admitted that it was her idea for the kids to wear masks out of fear. “I’m the one who’s seen the notes that someone is going to take his [Michael Jackson’s] children.”
Misrepresenting Neverland As A Dangerous Place
Martin Bashir’s voice overs portray Neverland as a sinister trap for children. “One of the most disturbing things is the fact that a lot of disadvantaged children go to Neverland, it’s a dangerous place for a vulnerable child to be.” On air, Bashir seems oblivious to what he observed – a place where children and adults around the world, rich or poor, can go and have fun for free. Behind the scenes, however, Bashir can be heard going into detail about how great Neverland was, even referring to it as ”a spiritually kind thing.”
Exploiting and Humiliating A Cancer-Stricken Child
In 2003, when Living with Michael Jackson aired, the world was introduced to Gavin Arvizo, a cancer sufferer who spent time at Neverland with his family. In one scene, Jackson is shown holding hands with the then 13-year-old Arvizo as the child lays his head on Jackson’s shoulder. It’s unclear whether Bashir instructed Arvizo to do this or Arvizo did this at random. Nevertheless, Bashir uses this interaction to depict a disturbing relationship. A friend close to Arvizo, said that after the Bashir documentary was broadcast, schoolmates began taunting Arvizo to the point that he had to leave school because of bullying.
“Now I’m not saying that I saw any evidence of Michael Jackson being involved sexually with any children…quite the contrary. But what I’m saying is that children who are vulnerable should not be going into the house of a billionaire superstar where they sleep in his bed.” Jackson never stated that he slept in the bed with Gavin Arvizo, and admits in the interview that he slept on the floor. According to Frank Cascio, a longtime friend of Jackson’s, others were in the room with Jackson and Arvizo. Cascio said that he had also slept in the room that night, as well as Gavin’s brother, Star and Jackson’s two children, Prince and Paris.
Exploiting Michael Jackson, Leading To His 2005 Trial
Court transcripts reveal that footage from Living with Michael Jackson was used by the prosecution as proof of Jackson’s guilt. The outtakes shown in Michael Jackson, Take Two: The Footage You Were Never Meant To See, were used by Jackson’s defense team.
Michael Jackson’s nephew, Taj Jackson, believes the Bashir film contributed to his uncle’s trial leading to his untimely death in 2009. Taj wrote online: “Bashir’s manipulated footage and unethical journalism is one of the main reasons my uncle is not here today. That trial broke him. Shame on those who provided cover for Bashir. Shame on those who rewarded him. My family deserves an investigation and apology too.”