Think Twice: Michael Jackson

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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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Recent Reviews
  • Darkwinter91
    Poorly Researched
    The hosts present themselves as unbiased but haven’t done enough homework to credibly speak on these cases. If you’re looking for a podcast that cites primary sources and is backed by years of research, check out The Michael Jackson Case for Innocence. Each episode has a list of source material, including court transcripts. The evidence is out there, judge for yourself.
  • Madelynne's Girl
    Podcast Gold
    I have never written a podcast review in my life. However, I was truly moved by the quality of this particular show. The professionalism, wide variety of primary source, interviews audio, and other media was astounding. It was also very fair. It gives a balanced idea of the entire life and saga of Michael Jackson.if you came up during the time of Michael Jackson, perhaps Gen X and before you will likely find this a beautiful trip down memory lane also finding it wildly disturbing at the same time. I could not stop listening. It actually made me look forward to my commute. I started listening the day after I saw MJ on Broadway and I'm so happy I did.
  • idontknowY
    Great
    Loses a star for allowing the rocket money scam to advertise on the podcast, otherwise would be 5 stars
  • Azval998899
    Hee Hee Was Guilty.
    The excuses people are willing to make just to listen to some cheesy music. Get your head out of the sand. Listen to the mountain of evidence and stop trying to discredit the victims, if you make an objective list for both sides IT IS CLEAR MJ WAS GROSS. Listening to “Thriller” is boring, like there’s much better music out there. Enough jumping through hoops tryna excuse this monster.
  • Muscley
    Another padded podcast
    Like many podcasts, this could easily have been only 8 episodes. For example, they spent 2.5 episodes focused almost entirely on the history of Motown, during which segments MJ is barely referenced. Having said that, you will find some interesting interviews and behind-the-scenes stuff about MJ‘s life that you probably had not heard of before.
  • Lux Lang
    Trash
    There was not a lot of fact checking. Go listen to The Michael Jackson Case for Innocence podcast they also give you the resources they use to fact check
  • Garf2020
    Couldn’t stop listening
    This podcast helped me process my own conflicted feelings about MJ. This was so well done and will stay with me for sure. Excellent, thorough reporting. A must listen.
  • The Shadow Nose
    I hate judgementalism
    This project wants listeners to judge whether MJ was good or bad. Wrong angle for me. Judging others is wrong. It’s definitely not WWJD and [therefore] directly anti-Christian and Anti-God for most religions that recognize the fact that passing judgement on others is a destructive act. It’s destructive of harmonious society and human welfare. Encouraging listeners to slip and slide into the lowest of human mental frameworks is not worth it even if well produced.
  • Groupworker
    Outstanding
    Well done - well edited and well narrated. Also, balanced journalism.
  • Pd Mutti
    A fair narrative
    Everyone has an opinion about Michael Jackson. This was very objective. Was he a monster? Was he maligned? You will be no closer to knowing the truth but you will be more informed. And that’s really how we should approach the world.
  • tommychico
    Eye Opening
    It’s always been wonderful and hard to be a Michael Jackson fan. Wonderful to listen to and watch him perform his music, and hard to have to listen to the endless allegations that plagued his adult life. This podcast does an amazing job of telling about his life and eventual downfall into pedophilia. As a lifelong MJ fan I cannot separate the art from the artist and it has left a giant hole in my heart because of his actions. This podcast does an amazing job of asking the question “Why hasn’t MJ been cancelled like so many artists have for lesser crimes?” Give it a listen!
  • nancymil
    Well-researched, well-narrated
    This series was an un-biased, non-sensationalized, journalistically-told chronology of the story of Michael Jackson’s life. It presents commonly known information as well as nuanced new information.
  • abbey codiamat
    completely one-sided crock of ****
    hosts claim their agenda is not to convince anyone of his guilt or innocence, but then proceeds to present the most one-sided coverage of the allegations that obviously has an agenda towards convincing the audience of his supposed guilt. Their research method is just confirmation bias with cherry picked information without a thought of it’s credibility or context. It’s a disgrace that shows like this get a big platform and hence get taken seriously.
  • Me-ness
    Lacking facts
    This podcast is just cheap irresponsible emotional clickbait. Do the work. Get the facts. Stop making money off of cheap weak podcasts.
  • TonyZozo
    Changed the way I think about MJ and his legacy
    Really interesting. I thought I had my mind made up about Michael Jackson, but this podcast changed some of my opinions, and helped me reconcile my feelings more with each other.
  • Maryseoneill
    Excellent
    This is a very interesting series which is well researched and takes a balanced approach to telling the story of Michael Jackson. Highly recommend.
  • arual99
    doesn’t match description
    this doesn’t investigate anything just repeats old info and glosses over major issues til the very end. truly bizarre.
  • ad60660
    Soooo Good!
    Just giving it a thumbs up. Spend the time to listen!
  • MichellePLevy
    Interesting but…
    I learned a lot about Michael Jackson’s backstory. I do feel that the reporting is biased though- especially when interviewing the reporter who saw the HBO documentary and suddenly believed all the allegations. I too saw the documentary. I’m still undecided on what to believe about the accusations.
  • Muffins Magoo
    They stick to facts….
    And when and where they don’t, they make sure you know it. The effort to remove the negative influence imposed by implicit bias while still acknowledging that they are susceptible to it is obvious and maybe the best thing about the work they’ve done here. An exceptional perspective on the life (and death) of one of our cultures great icons.
  • 806Lucky
    Well done!!
    I’m only 3 episodes in, but wanted to add… Enjoying the pace, content, and the voices narrating this story. I could listen to many different topics done by this crew. This Michael Jackson piece needed to be done and it’s about time - appreciate the dive into the various aspects of his life. I grew up in the 1970’s/80’s during the height of his popularity and watched aspects of his oddities/eccentricity come out (skin bleaching/skin disease, cosmetic surgeries gone too far, etc.) - then his crimes against boys, then he was dead. Those iconic songs, his talent, his pedophilia - it was complex and disturbing with no “closure”. This podcast seems to help by looking at the various aspects. Thank you for making it!
  • Alderete de la peña
    Not Compelling
    Just average. This podcast could have been 3 episodes.
  • LeoFlash
    Interesting Look
    Very straightforward take on the life and troubles of Michael Jackson.
  • Alexandradee427
    Excellent Series
    I will die on the hill that the only people responsible for the life and death of MJ are his Mother and Father!! They, and they alone sculpted and structured Michael Jackson’s life to become what it was, and for him to become who he was. It is solely their fault, and his demise solely rests on their shoulders.
  • 🐞🐌🐝🐮🐽🐷
    Mesmerizing. Binge worthy.
    Checks A L L my boxes. Listened in 2023 and was definitely in my top 5…. and I listen to a ton of podcasts. This was sooooo well done.
  • foxsongs
    Top shelf
    Thank you
  • evunia84
    Enjoyable and insightful
    I enjoyed most of this podcast. I still feel MJ was greatly misunderstood. For me after listening to this, I feel he related more to kids because they love unconditionally and free of judgement. He had been failed by adults his entire life. Robbed of a childhood and robbed of people who cared for him as a person and not a cash cow. When had someone that cared they were forced out of his life. I dislike that they ended with Leaving Neverland and believing those men, but failed to watch videos disproving Leaving Neverland such as Chase the Truth. If you wanted to be unbiased you should have looked into both sides since Leaving Neverland robbed viewers of that.
  • cinderelochka
    Really?
    Super biased though it claims to present “all angles”. Let this poor man rest in peace. The intentional bombasting of his life and legacy are shameful… and all based on what - bogus money grab hbo doc by the two men who have proven themselves to be capable of perjury and total lies if what they’re saying is even true? Yeah, no thanks. I’m disappointed.
  • werdknerd
    Well-done!
    They did a thorough job of researching and telling this story from every side imaginable.
  • smilehmg
    Deep into Michael Jackson’s history
    Thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the depth of the storytelling. Lots of details I didn’t know before which made it even better. Definitely recommend!
  • R.E.M.fan
    Unbiased and well researched story
    I was pleased to find this telling so well done. As a kid of the 80s-90s MJ’s music was inevitably part of my life. Whether or not you believe the allegations is up to you. I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m ok separating the person from the music.
  • tinder is a fn joke
    Biased hit job
    I’ve listened to every single one of the episodes with an open mind and make conclusion is it’s a one sided hit job. A lot of the people interviewed are unreliable sources. Although I will say that it was an interesting listen. But in no way the truth don’t waste your time. Listen to something else lol
  • CRT1977
    Boring
    So boring. I don’t know why I listened to the whole thing.
  • JetLife-Keem
    Would recommend
    I learned so much while listening to this. Unbiased delivery. Very great cliffhangers. I loved it.
  • upsetgirl3221
    Superb!
    So well researched and thorough. The hosts are so well versed and keep all conversations on topic and relevant. The show does an amazing job of presenting so much information, but also keeping attention. Definitely recommending!
  • 280Pro
    Bias Shows, But Good Story Telling
    There are many angles to look at the life of Michael Jackson, and this series follows a few of those threads. There are definitely a lot of details and perspectives (from all sides)missing from this. It ends with a pretty well framed conclusion, but without looking at all the angles, it is premature.
  • USA Mknitter
    It was okay—Michael was human just like me
    We are ALL imperfect humans—why do celebrities get so much attention? They put their clothes on daily just like me. Is the media providing so much attention to celebrities because of $$$? Are the parents of young talented children, like Michael and his brothers, seeking to exploit their children and, in the process, take away their children’s childhoods? How sad.
  • a different steph
    Aptly named
    Regardless of what you have heard over the years or what your opinion may be, this podcast is well named as a does make you think twice about the legacy of Michael Jackson. It’s interesting and incredibly well done. I very much enjoyed the series.
  • MirroredMinds
    A New Appreciation
    I thoroughly enjoyed this docuseries on Michael Jackson. It provided a captivating glimpse into his life, shedding light on aspects I knew little about, including the allegations. As someone who appreciates his music and recognizes his immense impact on the entertainment industry, I found the series to be both enthralling and informative. Highly recommended!
  • BigTX71
    Thank you
    I wrestle with my thoughts about MJ. I was such a massive fan growing up with his music, concerts, television appearances, and videos. I truly adored him. But, when I saw Leaving Neverland, I believed the victims. How do I reconcile my feelings of both adoration and disgust? Listening to your podcast made me feel like I wasn’t alone.
  • Myke K.
    Wonderful Journalism
    You really handled this with grace, insight and compassion. Great listen, especially for those who have been equally confused and troubled by the dual feelings about MJ.
  • Unique female
    Impressive
    Very impressive. Enjoyed every word and nuance. I’m a participant in Michael Jackson’s Thrill the World flash mob group. I’ve struggled with continued participation. Listening to this podcast with its open and balanced reporting has been quite insightful. In many ways it reminds me of the statue controversies. How to, can we, should we separate the person from their deeds?
  • booboobooobaaaaaaa
    Thoughtful, encompassing, and honest
    As a “Gen Z”er born in 2000, my biggest memories of Michael Jackson are his plastic surgery, iconic music videos/discography, and when he died in 2009. I really had no idea about a lot of this stuff. I only recently learned about the sexual abuse allegations in 2019 with Leaving Neverland. These two fellas covered everything in an informative and engaging way. I learned a lot, and I feel like I gained so much context for who he was as a person and why he was so impactful and controversial. I also appreciated the dual perspectives from the white and Black American communities. Thanks for this show, really really great!!!!
  • tillie lavendar
    Excellent journalism & storytelling
    A terrific podcast. Scrupulously researched with sophisticated and thoughtful critique of the art, the artist, and the complicated person in the middle of it. If you’re looking for salacious finger-pointing or rabid fandom, this is not for you. It’s fair, intelligent, and filled with questions about who we are as cultural consumers and what we will accept or reject when the bad acts of cultural icons are revealed. How do I listen to the music of Michael Jackson, appreciate the films of Woody Allen or producer Harvey Weinstein? It’s a struggle. Tess
  • bayberrie
    Very thorough and well done
    While I am not a huge MJ fan this body of work really held my attention and kept me coming back for more. I appreciated all the different angles of MJ’s life that were covered and admired the deep and credible research. This series will stick with me for a long time.
  • Wwtttt1
    So thoughtful
    I hesitated to listen to this, because I thought the story had been told. But it has not been told in the way this podcast did. It helps us understand our internal battle between loving our childhood memories of him and his music, and then shamefully remembering how society demonized him. Then it comes full circle back to us, recognizing that the demons were inside him, and that society was right to be concerned. It turns out that we were wrong to keep excusing behavior that hurt innocents. Most of all I learned how strong the demons in him were, and how they chased him to his death.
  • screaming barricuda
    The answer is yes
    Yes, stop listening to Michael’s music, yes cancel him. This podcast is outstanding, one of the best ever. They set out to present an unbiased point of view so the listener can make their own decision and succeeded. If you are not sick to your stomach once you are done listening, you are not human. Special shout out to the fat juror Melissa Herrad, you deserve the hate and that you worked with special needs children is disgusting-
  • #####mmm######
    Just ok
    Some elements of this show are really well done, others less so. I think ultimately the topic (MJ) was a little too big and a little too complicated for Leon. Listenable, but not compelling.
  • Onnie dosman
    Doesn’t tell you anything new
    … either in scope or actual information. This is just a rehash of what we saw on the surface, and its billed as this somewhat comprehensive take on the most controversial situations. Its not. There’s some funny bits here and there, and there’s some interesting stories from interviews, but otherwise the whole thing is basically “oh wow it was weird when he did that!” Overall its an okay listen, but nothing particularly special.
  • Mister Oohlala
    A Humane Look At An Otherworldly Life
    An illuminative and fair exploration of perhaps the most singular life in human history. Michael Jackson is like the ultimate rorsach test of the notion of separating the art from the artist. How could someone like Michael seemingly so deep in human feeling but abused so badly become an abuser? Conversely how is it possible that he is not? This pod wisely doesn’t try to provide answers when definitive ones don’t exist. Rather it explores the eternal question mark that MJ represents to us all culturally. Whether you believe Michael is innocent or guilty (honestly I feel the truth is somewhere between those lines) his story is perhaps the most tragic in the history of entertainment and this series explores his life with a sober humanity sorely lacking from much of the coverage of his life in the past. To look into Michael is to look into the conflicted cultural history that both defines and contradicts us. Highly recommended.
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