Think Twice: Michael Jackson

Audible | Wondery

More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. Think Twice: Michael Jackson is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing allegations against him. In this ten-part series, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth bring you a new perspective on the Michael Jackson story, based on dozens of original interviews with people who watched it unfold from up close.

You can binge every episode of Think Twice: Michael Jackson, ad-free on Amazon Music, Wondery+ or Audible.

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Our Editor's Take

The Think Twice: Michael Jackson podcast explores the legacy of a complicated icon. Michael Jackson's legacy is still being decided. Programs like Leaving Neverland show one side of him. This podcast has a more broad view of the singer.

The hosts of the ten-part series are Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth. Neyfakh is best known for his podcast, Slow Burn, which chronicles American political scandals. He also wrote a book about rapper Juiceboxxx. Smooth founded and hosted WBAI's Underground Railroad. It's New York City's longest-running rap music program. He is a respected hip-hop journalist with frequent appearances on national shows.

It's hard to understate the impact that Michael Jackson has had on American culture. The 1983 album Thriller is-to this day-the best-selling record of all time. The video for Billie Jean brought MTV out of obscurity. MTV named Thriller the best video of all time.

But behind the performer was a lonely human. His early success meant that he didn't have a normal childhood. His traumas went unaddressed. Jackson felt isolated and became eccentric in his behavior. He was something of a Peter Pan figure, going as far as naming his own property Neverland.

The year 1993 brought with it the first accusation of child sexual abuse against Jackson. The second came in 2005. While Jackson was never found guilty, his reputation suffered for the rest of his life. He died in 2009, but his music still has staying power.

In Think Twice, Neyfakh and Smooth set out to reconcile the musical genius and the flawed man. The series starts in 1993, when Jackson is at the peak of his career, before his decline. Then they examine Jackson's childhood in Gary, Indiana, and his rise to fame. They talk about the adult Michael Jackson, his increasingly bizarre tendencies, and his death. Finally, they look in the mirror. What was the role of the press in making Jackson who he was?

Lovers of investigative journalism might enjoy Think Twice: Michael Jackson. It presents a stark but loving portrait of a man who carried the heavy burden of American pop culture. It also questions the role of the media in covering up and excusing crimes.

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Introducing - Think Twice: Michael Jackson

Introducing - Think Twice: Michael Jackson

More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. Think Twice: Michael Jackson is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing allegations against him. In this ten-part series, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth bring you a new perspective on the Michael Jackson story, based on dozens of original interviews with people who watched it unfold from up close.You can binge every episode of Think Twice: Michael Jackson, ad-free on Amazon Music, Wondery+ or Audible.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episodes

Introducing - Think Twice: Michael Jackson

Introducing - Think Twice: Michael Jackson

More than a decade since Michael Jackson’s death, his legacy remains complicated and unresolved. Think Twice: Michael Jackson is an exploration of the King of Pop’s life and impact – and an investigation into why his global influence continues to endure, despite the disturbing allegations against him. In this ten-part series, journalists Leon Neyfakh and Jay Smooth bring you a new perspective on the Michael Jackson story, based on dozens of original interviews with people who watched it unfold from up close.You can binge every episode of Think Twice: Michael Jackson, ad-free on Amazon Music, Wondery+ or Audible.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is This Scary? | 1

Is This Scary? | 1

It’s 1993 and Michael Jackson is on top of the world: receiving lifetime achievement awards, appearing at Bill Clinton’s inaugural gala, performing at the Super Bowl Halftime Show. More popular and powerful than he’s ever been, he uses that caché to create a music video that stands among his most personal and prescient works. Then everything falls apart.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All Children, Except One, Grow Up | 2

All Children, Except One, Grow Up | 2

As news breaks of the first sexual abuse allegations against Michael, reporters scramble to dig up any information they can while Michael Jackson’s PR machine battles to control the narrative. Meanwhile, a by-the-book LAPD detective struggles to investigate the case in the midst of the frenzy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael Jackson’s childhood, or lack thereof, is cited constantly in the conversation around his relationships with children. In this episode, we go back to Michael’s earliest days in Gary, Indiana, where he grows up under the domineering hand of his father while he and his brothers take the local music scene by storm in search of a better life.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producers for this episode were Jay Smooth and Sam Lee.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Sound of Young America | 4

The Sound of Young America | 4

The Jackson family signs with the Motown Record Corporation and moves out to California. As Black artists across the country are achieving new levels of visibility, the Jackson 5 become an overnight sensation and a young Michael must navigate growing up in the spotlight as the front man of America’s hottest boy band.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producer for this episode was Danielle Hewitt.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the Jackson family tries to stay relevant as former teenyboppers, Michael Jackson breaks away in New York City and stars in a movie based on The Wizard of Oz that sets the course for the rest of his life.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth. It was edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producer for this episode was Benjamin Frisch.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Michael on High | 6

Michael on High | 6

Michael Jackson climbs to new heights with the success of his Thriller album and the groundbreaking music videos that follow. But he finds that his fame and faith are on a collision course, and he's forced to make a choice.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producer for this episode was Dustin DeSoto.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Leave Me Alone | 7

Leave Me Alone | 7

Michael’s eccentric behavior and ever-changing appearance pique the curiosity of the public and the press. But was Michael a tabloid victim or a genius public relations ringmaster?Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producer for this episode was Sam Lee.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Colossus of Pop | 8

Colossus of Pop | 8

In the aftermath of the 1993 sexual abuse allegations, Michael Jackson marries into musical royalty and attempts to rebuild his legacy with the most audacious project of his career.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producers for this episode were Dustin DeSoto and Benjamin Frisch.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ten years after first being accused of child sexual abuse, Michael Jackson finds himself in court facing criminal charges related to a new alleged victim. Meanwhile, Michael’s fans rally around their idol and try to help him get through a new low point in his career.Think Twice: Michael Jackson was produced by Dustin DeSoto, Benjamin Frisch, Kim Gittleson, Danielle Hewitt, Sam Lee, Leon Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Jay Smooth, and edited by Diane Hodson. The lead producer for this episode was Benjamin Frisch.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ghost Story | 10

Ghost Story | 10

Michael Jackson spends his final days preparing for a series of comeback concerts, but tragedy strikes before rehearsals are even completed. In the aftermath of Michael’s death, a reckoning begins over everything he left behind.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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What to Listen to Next: Fiasco (The AIDS Crisis)

From the co-creators of Slow Burn, Fiasco is a narrative podcast that transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of America’s most pivotal historical events. Using original interviews with dozens of key players, host Leon Neyfakh brings to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past while shedding light on the present day. The new season of Fiasco goes deep on the AIDS epidemic in America, with a special focus on the early years of the crisis, when a diagnosis was tantamount to a death sentence. The eight-part series looks at the mystery and missteps around identifying and treating a new, contagious disease, and what it took to get the public - and the government - to care.Listen to Fiasco: The AIDS Crisis on Amazon Music: http://www.amazon.com/FiascoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Listen Now - REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana

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Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. From the hitmakers at Wondery and Ballen Studios, we bring you REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. The stories are real, and the secrets are shocking.Listen Now: http://wondery.fm/REDACTEDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.