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The Daily

The Resurrection of Michael Jackson

5/8/202633 min

The new biopic about Michael Jackson has been a record-shattering box office success.

The subsequent outpouring of love for the musician was the result of a painstaking, yearslong effort to resurrect the reputation of the king of pop, despite the accusations of sexual abuse that have surrounded him for decades.

Mark Binelli, a writer for The New York Times Magazine, discusses the new playbook for rewriting the past.

Guest: Mark Binelli, a writer for The New York Times Magazine.

Background reading: 

Photo: Lionsgate

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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Clips

Inside The Original Script
Completed Film, Then A Re-Do
How The Estate Shelved HBO Film
Propaganda That Still Works
War Room After Death
Choosing Not To Do The Work
Worth More Dead Than Alive
A Brand Valued At $24

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 00:00

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  2. Speaker 1· Soundbite0:29

    Okay, we have got to talk about this Michael Jackson movie.

  3. Speaker 20:34

    [upbeat music] From The New York Times, I'm Michael Barbaro. This is The Daily.

  4. Speaker 3· Soundbite0:40

    Oh my God, that was like the greatest [beep] movie I have ever seen.

  5. Speaker 4· Soundbite0:45

    Oh my God, like I love this man.

  6. Speaker 5· Soundbite0:47

    The obsession I have right now with Michael Jackson is just so unreal.

  7. Speaker 20:50

    [upbeat music] The record-shattering box office success of Michael, the new biopic about Michael Jackson.

  8. Speaker 5· Soundbite0:59

    I have not stopped thinking about it. Like, every time I talk to my friends, I'm like, "Dang, I can't wait to get off the phone with y'all so I can listen to some Michael Jackson."

  9. Speaker 4· Soundbite1:06

    He was so majestic and just like a beautiful human being. I'm genuinely appreciating Michael Jackson as a whole more than I thought I ever would.

  10. Speaker 21:16

    And the outpouring of love for the late musician that the movie has unleashed was no accident. Instead, it was the culmination of a painstaking, years-long effort to resurrect

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