Separating The Art From The Asshole

The new Michael Jackson movie, I am told, completely glosses over the child abuse allegations. Michael Jackson was never convicted of a crime in his lifetime, so I have some very mixed feelings about this.

I always err on the side of the victims and there is enough smoke around Neverland to think there may have been quite a few fires. So, would watching a film that ignores all of that be supporting a possible predator and a slap in the face to the victims? I am not 100% sure, but I have enough doubt to have avoided watching the film. But does that actually help anyone or just make me feel morally superior?

Michael Jackson is dead. He is not profiting from this film. His children probably will, but they are innocent in his alleged crimes. So, the only questions are how does this affect the victims and what does it say about me?

Does supporting this film hurt the surviving victims in some way? I would say yes and no. I'm certain that, had I been sexually abused, it would be traumatic for me to see my abuser celebrated in a major film and my own trauma completely ignored. The existence of the film is problematic in that sense. That the film is being seen by millions of people who support Michael Jackson despite the allegations is also problematic. I don't know if the man is guilty or not, but there's enough doubt that I simply cannot support the film in good conscience out of solidarity with the victims. And yes, I know my fifteen dollar ticket isn't going to make or break a damn thing.

By not spending my money on it, all it does is make me feel better. It does nothing for the victims. Maybe if millions of people withheld their support in protest, but that didn't happen. So, this is more about my own sense of moral integrity rather than any genuine support for the victims, and that's enough for me. When it comes to living artists that's very different though.

I won't buy an R. Kelly or Chris Brown album or support any of the writers who have been accused of sexual assault or harassment over the last few years because they would directly benefit from it, and because doing so would be a betrayal to their victims. And sometimes cancelling artists does work.

Tim Miller's reign of dick pics is over. He is no longer writing horror and his victim pool has therefore been reduced. Might he still be sending dick pics to other people? Yes. Maybe. But he isn't doing it to horror readers and being financially enabled and publicly supported while doing it. In this community, he has been utterly disgraced. And there have been many others as well.

I won't support writers, artists, and musicians whose politics are diametrically opposed to mine either. Once you put on the MAGA hat you lose my dollar. I knew Tom Monteleone for several decades. I attended his writer's boot camp as a young author. I even emailed him for advice once or twice. But once he started spewing racist and transphobic shit, I stopped supporting him and so did all of you. His name no longer holds any weight in the horror community where once it towered. And I think that's a good thing.

There are others who have lost my support, not because they did anything overtly racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic, or because they committed any crimes, but because I personally know and oppose their politics. But, again, that's more for my own sense of moral integrity and some vague hope that others will follow suit. Not because I expect it to financially wound them.

I must admit, I do love when assholes who may not face any other kind of punishment get cancelled and their careers ruined when they commit heinous offenses. I hate that Chris Brown could beat the hell out of Rhianna and still play sold out concerts. I hate that Trump can admit to grabbing women by the pussy, get accused of rape by numerous women, and still get re-elected, and question the morality of those who support him despite all of that. I think it does send a powerful message when we stop watching Kevin Spacey movies or buying R. Kelly's music or Tim Miller’s books.

Do I think it makes any sense to boycott someone like H.P. Lovecraft who is long dead and buried and can no longer profit from our support or be hurt by our withdrawal of said support? Only in the same way it makes sense to boycott the Michael Jackson movie. Because the people who were hurt by him might see your support as a slap in their face. H.P. Lovecraft's racist rhetoric may not have had as much impact as his horror stories, but seeing his books on your shelf might impact your friend who's still battling racism today.

Michael Jackson may not have molested anyone you know, but I guarantee someone you know has been molested as a child, and how would they feel seeing you bop along to his music or buy a ticket to a movie celebrating his life?

I don't know how you should respond or what you should do when your favorite artists turn out to be scumbags. I don't know if you can or should separate the art from the artist. But I definitely think you should think about it. I definitely think you should have a very long conversation with yourself before deciding one way or the other and ask yourself what your decision says about you.