Still, the fan in me grasped onto the testimonials from well-known celebrity defenders like Macaulay Culkin, and the music journalist in me sought assurances from industry insiders who bolstered the defense theories. I also trusted my gut, believing, as with the notion of the one-armed killer in “The Fugitive,” that the implausible could also, sometimes, turn out to be true. But unlike the most fanatical followers who regarded every iteration of Jackson’s ever-changing face as beautiful and who viewed bizarre antics, such as dangling his baby off a balcony, as explicable or forgivable, I eventually grew weary of defending him, even while still loving him.
I remained a fan — just one who wanted Jackson to go back to the man I once adored, who I still believed existed somehow, even if he was unrecognizable in his current form. I wanted to focus on the man who donated millions of dollars to charities; who is said to have given Little Richard back his masters; a trailblazer whose influence allowed others to soar, from Beyoncé to Justin Bieber; the man who was a vulnerable, too-sensitive-for-the world character whose story became the basis for all the memorabilia in my bins.
I thought that moment would never come after Jackson died in 2009, just as he was preparing for yet another comeback. The dates were sold out, and even with all of the scandal and baggage, it was poised to be the event of the year.
Now, years later, the renaissance is in full swing, even as, on Friday, four people who previously denied misconduct by Jackson came forward to publicly accuse him of sexual abuse, as part of a lawsuit against his estate — allegations that his estate has denied. None of this, of course, makes it into “Michael,” which, partly because of legal complications related to an abuse settlement, ends its story in 1988, when Jackson was still the king of pop and everybody loved him.
When I arrived at the movie theater for the premiere, I found that, inside the envelope containing my tickets, there was a keepsake card of the movie poster, to mark the occasion.
I plan to add that keepsake card to my collection, another relic for the memorabilia bin.