HBO Releases Trailer For Upcoming Michael Jackson Documentary 'Leaving Neverland'

(promo image via HBO)

HBO has released the trailer for the upcoming Michael Jackson documentary, Leaving Neverland.

The two-part, four-hour documentary explores the separate (but similar) allegations of two men who were both befriended as children by Michael Jackson.

James Safechuck (who met Jackson when he was ten years old) and Wade Robson (who met the singer at age five) both allege they experienced numerous incidents of sexual abuse by Jackson.

In 2005, Robson testified in Jackson’s defense during the singer’s criminal trial saying he had stayed at the Neverland Ranch more than 20 times - usually sleeping in Jackson’s room - and Jackson never sexually abused him.

But in 2013, years after Jackson’s death, he changed his story and sued the Jackson estate for what he described as seven years of molestation. The judge in that case dismissed the lawsuit saying the estate “couldn’t be held responsible for Robson’s exposure to Jackson.”

Safechuck filed a complaint in 2016 alleging Jackson had sex with him “hundreds” of times when he was a boy. That case was also dismissed.

Directed by Dan Reed, the film features in-depth interviews with both men as well as family members.

According to The Guardian, the Jackson estate dispatched a ten-page letter to HBO’s CEO denying the allegations and denouncing Reed for not interviewing anyone from Jackson’s family or legal team.

Robson, who became a successful choreographer in the 2000s for acts like Britney Spears and *NSYNC, says in the trailer that Jackson “told me if they ever found out what we were doing, he and I would go to jail for the rest of our lives.”

"I want to be able to speak the truth as loud as I had to speak the lie for so long," added Robson.

"Secrets will eat you up," Safechuck tells the camera. "You feel so alone."

The comments on the YouTube page for the trailer are overwhelmingly negative about the film and the allegations with the ‘Dislikes’ outweighing the ‘Likes’ 5 to 1.

Part one of Leaving Neverland airs Sunday, March 3, on HBO, with the second part following on Monday, March 4.

Watch the trailer below.

Conflicting Reports In The Media Regarding Alleged Assault On Jussie Smollett

Jussie Smollett on 'Good Morning America'

There's rampant confusion in the media tonight as I'm seeing conflicting reports regarding the alleged attack on Empire star, Jussie Smollett.

Chicago police confirmed that they are talking to two persons of interest in connection with the alleged attack.

Local news station ABC7 Eyewitness News reports police are investigating whether Smollett and the two men staged the attack allegedly because Smollett was being written off of Empire.

In a statement released Thursday, police said they identified the two people in surveillance photos and tracked them down using cameras, public transportation records and corroborating info provided by Smollett.

CBS2 reports police raided the home of the two men finding bleach, shoes, electronics and more.

And, according to CBS2, the men know Smollett as they've reportedly worked as extras on Empire. That information came from their attorney, Gloria Schmidt.

"They do know Jussie,” she told CBS2. “They have worked with him on Empire. My preliminary investigations show that on set it’s very tight. They’re all very cordial with each other, so they’re baffled why they are people of interest.”

However...

As these reports began to circulate, Chief communications officer for the CPD, Anthony Guglielmi, tweeted that media reports alleging the attack was hoax are “unconfirmed by case detectives.”

Guglielmi added that media sources regarding the attack are “uninformed and inaccurate.”

Media reports anout the Empire incident being a hoax are unconfirmed by case detectives. Supt Eddie Johnson has contacted @ABC7Chicago to state on the record that we have no evidence to support their reporting and their supposed CPD sources are uninformed and inaccurate. pic.twitter.com/iSO5YFv452

— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) February 15, 2019

Additionally, 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Entertainment released the following statement regarding the reports:

“The idea that Jussie Smollett has been, or would be, written off of EMPIRE is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

BREAKING: Fox has released a statement firmly standing behind the actor:

“The idea that Jussie Smollet has been, or would be, written off of Empire is patently ridiculous. He remains a core player on this very successful series and we continue to stand behind him.”

— Zach Stafford (@ZachStafford) February 15, 2019

I don't know what is or isn't true here, so I'm just reporting what I'm seeing.

Rami Malek Pans Working With Bryan Singer "It Was Not Pleasant, Not At All"

Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury in 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Rami Malek, whose acclaimed performance in the musical biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, has won him a Golden Globe Award and made him the front runner for the Oscar, has finally come clean about his working relationship with film’s director, Bryan Singer.

Malek shared during an interview at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival that his relationship with Singer was combative, reports The Guardian.

“In my situation with Bryan, it was not pleasant, not at all,” said Malek. “And that’s about what I can say about it at this point.”

As the press has previously reported, Singer was dismissed from Bohemian Rhapsody with two weeks left on the shooting schedule. He was replaced by Dexter Fletcher, although Singer is still listed as the only director on the film.

Malek did offer this for those people who are uncomfortable with Singer sharing in the success of Bohemian Rhapsody:

“For anyone who is seeking any solace in all of this, Bryan Singer was fired. Bryan Singer was fired, I don’t think that was something anyone saw coming but I think that had to happen and it did.”

Malek has previously told the Los Angeles Times that the allegations of sexual misconduct leveled at Singer were “honestly something I was not aware of” when he was working with the director.

A recent article by The Atlantic detailed the accusations of four men who say Singer had sex with them while they were under age.

Singer has denied all allegations of sexual abuse.

Bohemian Rhapsody, however, is doing just fine having banked over $800 million at the box office worldwide.

The film won Best Motion Picture – Drama at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, and was nominated for the Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture and BAFTA Award for Best British Film.

The movie also picked up five nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Malek.

Kevin Spacey Makes Court Appearance Regarding Alleged Sexual Assault

Kevin Spacey in Nantucket court appearance
(image via Boston Globe video screen capture)

Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey appeared in court today to enter a plea of not guilty to a single felony charge of indecent assault and battery in regard to allegations involving an 18-year-old male at a Nantucket bar in 2016.

After the brief 10-minute hearing, Judge Thomas S. Barrett released Spacey on his own recognizance, according to NBC10Boston.

WATCH: Kevin Spacey enters the Nantucket courtroom for his arraignment. https://t.co/I976R3qUkt pic.twitter.com/vH0NOPYcB1

— The Boston Globe (@BostonGlobe) January 7, 2019

The allegations were made public in November 2017 by former local news anchor Heather Unruh, who claims Spacey groped her then-18-year-old son at the Club Car Restaurant in July 2016. Her son was employed there at the time as a bus boy.

According to documents obtained by MassLive that were filed in court, the teen asked to meet the Oscar winner after his shift ended at the restaurant. The young man admitted to investigators that he told Spacey he was 23-years-old.

Unruh says Spacey bought the teen several drinks and eventually sexually assaulted her son by groping the teen’s leg. The teen says Spacey continued by unzipping his pants and touching him without consent.

The alleged groping, according to the court filing, went on for some minutes. The teen told the police investigator that he didn’t say anything or walk away during the assault.

The young man apparently sent video of Spacey touching him to his girlfriend via Snapchat.

Spacey allegedly asked the boy to go back to the house where he was staying, which the teen says made him uncomfortable.

But an audio recording of a December 2018 court hearing, obtained by The Boston Globe, shows Spacey’s legal team asserts the encounter was consensual.

Spacey’s attorneys point to the fact that the boy did not immediately report the incident to police. In fact, the teen wasn’t interviewed in person until a year later.

The 59-year-old’s lawyers also note that the alleged victim admits to approaching Spacey first, and lying about his age.

Further, Spacey’s attorney Alan Jackson says the teen’s admission that the alleged groping went on for approximately three minutes but he made no move to stop it shows the encounter was consensual.

Said Jackson, per the audio recording, “That's an incredibly long time to have a strange man's hands in your pants, correct?"

Judge Barrett scheduled a March 4 pre-trial hearing which Spacey will not be required to attend, although he must be available by telephone.

If found guilty, Spacey could face up to five years in prison or up to 2½ years in a house of correction. A finding of guilty would also require Spacey to register as a sex offender.

These allegations are just part of a firestorm of accusations of sexual misconduct leveled at Spacey during the height of the #MeToo movement beginning in fall of 2017.

Spacey was eventually fired from his hit Netflix series, House of Cards, and was replaced in the already-completed film, All the Money in the World.

After the December court hearing, Spacey released a bizarre video via YouTube where he reprised his House of Cards character, Frank Underwood, urging the viewer to not rush to judgement.

"Despite even my own death, I feel surprisingly good, and my confidence grows each day that soon enough you will know the full truth," said Spacey in the video.

(h/t: Boston Globe, NBC10Boston)

Photog Bruce Weber Releases Suggestive Texts Sent By Model Suing Him

Jason Boyce has accused photog Bruce Weber of sexual misconduct
(image via Instagram)

Celebrated fashion photographer, Bruce Weber, has been under attack for the past year fighting a slew of sexual misconduct accusations by over 20 male models.

One of those models, Jason Boyce, filed a lawsuit against the photographer last year alleging inappropriate sexual behavior during a 2014 photo shoot.

The Los Angeles Times reported at the time of the lawsuit:

The complaint alleges that Weber grabbed Boyce and kissed him on the lips. It also states, “Weber put his fingers in Mr. Boyce’s mouth. Shocked, Mr. Boyce opened his eyes. Mr. Weber told him to keep his eyes closed, and kept his fingers in Mr. Boyce’s mouth. ‘If you just had confidence, you’d go really far,’ Mr. Weber whispered. ‘How far do you want to make it? How ambitious are you?’ Mr. Boyce did not respond.”

Then, in December, five additional models filed a lawsuit according to The New York Times. The new filing labels Weber a “serial sexual predator” alleging he touched the men while leading ‘breathing exercises’ during photo shoots, and insinuated he could help their careers if they complied.

Weber’s lawyer, Jayne Weintraub, issued a statement to The New York Times that called the new allegations against the 72-year-old “outrageous.”

“Bruce Weber has never lured, recruited, or forced anyone to do anything and has never inappropriately touched a model,” wrote Weintraub in an email. “This lawsuit is nothing more than a media-hungry lawyer’s attempt to extort Mr. Weber with false, fictitious and legally frivolous claims. We are confident that Mr. Weber will prevail against these false allegations; not just with words, but with evidence in a court of law.”

Weintraub and Weber are now asking that Boyce’s lawsuit be dismissed, and have submitted with their filing several racy pics and text messages they say Boyce sent to Weber before and after the 2014 photo shoot in question.

Via The Daily Mail:

“It has been over a year since Plaintiff, an unsuccessful 32-year old male model, filed his complaint containing false and salacious allegations that Mr. Weber, an internationally acclaimed fashion photographer, inappropriately touched him during a brief photo shoot in 2014.”

“Since then, Plaintiff has refused to provide required discovery and failed to identify any evidence to support his claims, because his claims are false. Nonetheless, now, almost one year later, Plaintiff is ‘doubling down’ on his false claims’ charade, by seeking leave to amend and assert a claim against Mr. Weber under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015.”

The new filing says Boyce “repeatedly texted pictures of himself to Mr. Weber in provocative poses, both prior to and after the brief photo shoot, demonstrating that Plaintiff was soliciting Mr. Weber, not the other way around.”

“Similarly, Plaintiff’s allegation that he was so horrified at the thought of running into Mr. Weber that he fled New York and sought refuge in California, cannot be reconciled with the provocative and solicitous texts that Plaintiff sent to Mr. Weber over the next several months,” added Weintraub.

Over decades of work, Weber has shot enormously successful photo campaigns for companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, Louis Vuitton and Versace.

Boyce currently lists his employment as a fitness coach on his Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

Strive to be YOUR best! Don’t worry about anybody else. Whether it be the gym, your relationships, your professional life, etc. Be YOUR best self in all areas and good things will happen! #fitnesscoach #fitnessmotivation #fitness #mentalhealth #mentalwellness #coach #goals #ufcgymcostamesa #ufcgym #family

A post shared by Jason Boyce (@jasonmboyce) on Jul 14, 2018 at 8:52am PDT

Roy Moore: I Never Dated A Teenage Girl Without The Mother's Permission

Roy Moore

During an interview on Sean Hannity's radio show today, embattled Alabama Republican Senate nominee Roy Moore denied any truth to the allegations raised in an explosive Washington Post article in which 4 women detailed inappropriate behavior by Moore when he was in his early 30s.

Moore began with saying the entire reporting was "completely false and misleading," but then muddied the waters as he continued.

Later in the interview, he admitted he remembered knowing two of the women.

So much for "completely false and misleading."

From Business Insider:

Hannity went through the Post story and detailed the allegations of the four accusers. Moore claimed to know two of four, but denied any instance of misconduct with either. In response to the allegations involving Debbie Wesson Gibson, Moore said, "I don’t remember going out on dates. I knew her as a friend. If we did go out on dates, then we did. But I don’t remember that."

Speaking of the late 1970s and early 1980s, Moore said he "dated a lot of young ladies" after "my return from the military."

"I do recognize the names of two of these young women," he said of Gibson and Deason, denying that he gave the latter alcohol when she was underage. "As I recall, she was 19 or older."

Asked if he remembers dating teenage women when he was older than 30, Moore said, "Not generally, no."

"I don't remember dating any girl without the permission of her mother," he said. He later pointed to The Post's story and said, "These two young girls actually said their mothers encouraged them to be friends with me."

After a commercial break, Moore became more forceful in his denials of dating teenagers. He said doing so "would be out of my customary behavior" and that he "never" would have dated a teen without her mother's permission.

"Not generally, no" is not a "No."

The Twitterverse had a field day:

“You ever burglarize vacant homes while their owners were on vacation?”

“Not generally, no.”

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) November 10, 2017

“You ever eat human flesh?”

“Not generally, no.”

— Patricia Bateman (@Trisha_Bateman) November 10, 2017

HANNITY: "Do you remember murdering that many people?"

HITLER: "Not generally, no"

— Smaller, dumber Groot (@CodeReclaimers) November 10, 2017

Hannity lobs a softball and Moore swings and misses.

— John Mize (@fishygod666) November 10, 2017

Roy Moore: Dating teens when I was 32 "would be out of my customary behavior. I don't recall" if I did.

— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) November 10, 2017

Moore issued a statement this afternoon:

Donald Trump On National Enquirer's Allegations Of Adultery By "Lyin'" Ted Cruz

"I have no idea whether or not the cover story about Ted Cruz in this week’s issue of the National Enquirer is true or not, but I had absolutely nothing to do with it, did not know about it, and have not, as yet, read it.

"Likewise, I have nothing to do with the National Enquirer and unlike Lyin’ Ted Cruz I do not surround myself with political hacks and henchman and then pretend total innocence. Ted Cruz’s problem with the National Enquirer is his and his alone, and while they were right about O.J. Simpson, John Edwards, and many others, I certainly hope they are not right about Lyin’ Ted Cruz.

"I look forward to spending the week in Wisconsin, winning the Republican nomination and ultimately the Presidency in order to Make America Great Again."

- via Donald J. Trump's Facebook page

Comedy Central's Larry Wilmore Breaks Down The Josh Duggar Scandal

(h/t JoeMyGod)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation Accused Of $100 Million Kickback Scheme

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a global nonprofit provider of HIV/AIDS medical care with over 350,000 patients, has been accused of defrauding federal healthcare programs over the past five years.

Allegations say the company may have raked in as much as $100 million in illegal kickbacks and referral fees.

Via Queerty:

In a lawsuit filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on April 3, whistleblowers Jack Carrel, Mauricio Ferrer, and Shawn Loftis, all of whom held management positions with AHF before being fired from their jobs after questioning the organization’s referral practices, claim AHF boosted funding from federal healthcare programs, including Medicare, Medicaid and Health and Human Services HIV/AIDS grant programs, by offering illegal kickbacks of $100 to employees who created false HIV/AIDS referrals, and $50 to patients who patronized its clinics and pharmacies.

According to the complaint, the fraud began back in 2010 and took place in 11 different states plus Washington, D.C., and resulting in AHF collecting more than $20 million a year off thousands of illegal referrals.

According to the three former managers, the fraud began in 2010 and took place over 11 states and the District of Columbia.

AHS has been extremely vocal in it's opposition to the use of Truvada as a daily HIV preventive.