I am writing this article off the heels of Vanity Fair’s beautifully written, textually rich piece by Hillary Busis’, “The Michael Jackson Movie’s $200 Million Dollar Haul Proves That No Man Has Ever Truly Been Canceled.”
If you have not read this article, first, stop what you’re doing and read here. But allow me to sum it up for you. After numerous scandals accusing Jackson of pedophilia, largely based around his personal theme park, Neverland, Lionsgate Films, GK Films and Optimum Productions decided to produce a movie celebrating the singers’ legacy. The film, running 2 hours and 10 minutes, originally housed an ending that truthfully recounted the case against Jackson. Due to a legal oversight, this part of the film was cut – costing the production 15 million dollars. The final cut of the film conveniently ends right before the part of his life wherein he is accused of multiple accounts of grooming children. It is also worth mentioning that the Broadway musical, MJ, also conveniently ending right before the accusations against Jackson, has been running since 2022, and has made over $330 million during its four-year run thus far. Based on weekly Broadway gross reports, along with an incredibly successful national tour, I don’t foresee this musical closing any time soon.
So, how could anyone buy a ticket to this spectacle? The answer is simple, people just simply don’t care anymore. Busis brilliantly expands on this idea within her article, citing examples of the “Me Too” movement, and its inability to actually curb the mass misogyny in the modern age of Hollywood. I digress. As I indulged in media regarding the film’s opening week, I was also bombarded with hateful videos on social media villainizing Brigette Pheloung, known to most as Acquired Style, a successful fashion and lifestyle influencer, for taking a private plane to her own bachelorette party. For that specific week, Bridget was a villain, and Michael Jackson was a king.
The article, in tandem with my own For You Page, had me thinking… What is the spectrum of Cancel Culture and does it even exist?
In recent years, we’ve seen Cancel Culture forever silence major offenders in both our culture and our media. For a while, Cancel Culture did great things for the general collective’s sense of self-censorship. Then, the public over-corrected and Cancel Culture became a nightmare for anyone who had ever published anything online. Everything offended someone. For some, it exacerbated their hate, fueling a fire that landed our former President back in office for the next few years. For others, it served as a wake-up-call in their own home lives and workplaces. Now, Cancel Culture has finally found its home, niche online fandoms.
The Michael movie, though a thoroughly impressive feat for the actors involved, is the perfect example of the completely broken spectrum of Cancel Culture. Whilst an accused popstar is placed on a totem pole, influencers on social media are being attacked for taking fully self-funded planes to their own bachelorette parties or being trashed online for being seen on a date with another celebrity mere weeks after a massive break up. This week, one of my favorite authors was heckled for wanting to wear white to her brother’s graduation.
Still, Woody Allen has a new film that just secured its financing, and Mike Vrabel is still the head coach of the New England Patriots.