Living legend Barbra Streisand has provoked social media and social justice outrage with her observations of the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland,” about allegations that Michael Jackson sexually molested Wade Robson, now 36, and James Safechuck, now 41, when they were children and teens.
As part of a long interview in the The Times U.K., Streisand takes a unique approach. Most viewers either believe the accusers or do not, or decide the truth is unknowable. Streisand says she “absolutely” believes Robson and Safechuck, but expresses sympathy for Jackson.
Controversially, she says, “His sexual needs were his sexual needs, coming from whatever childhood he has or whatever DNA he has.”
She goes on to say, “You can say ‘molested,’ but those children, as you heard them say [the grown-up Robson and Safechuck], they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them.”
She summarizes her feelings about the doc, after saying her own impressions of Jackson were that he was “very sweet, very childlike,” by saying, “It’s a combination of feelings. I feel bad for the children. I feel bad for him. I blame, I guess, the parents, who would allow their children to sleep with him. Why would Michael need these little children dressed like him and in the shows and the dancing and the hats?”
Despite trending on Twitter overnight, Streisand has yet to clarify her headline-making remarks.