The Michael Jackson Tapes + Update

A “Dateline” exclusive, reported by Meredith Vieira. From 1999 to 2001, Jackson was a friend of Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, and he often confided in him. And now, recordings of those conversations — made with Jackson’s permission — will be made public for the first time.

In the tapes, Jackson comes out from behind his mask to reveal a man who in spite of all his fame, success and musical talent, was desperately lonely. He dishes about celebrities like Madonna and Brooke Shields, but also talks openly about his love of children, the torment of his childhood and his deepest fears. For the one hour special, Vieira interviews Rabbi Boteach, who calls himself “America’s Rabbi,” about their conversations, detailed in his book, The Michael Jackson Tapes: A Tragic Icon Reveals His Soul in Intimate Conversation.

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Michael Jackson fans are still reeling from serial child sex abuse allegations detailed in the documentary, Leaving Neverland (2019). US rabbi Shmuley Boteach was once a very close friend and adviser to Jackson and always believed in his innocence, that is until seeing the documentary. Boteach now believes on reflection that what Wade Robson, Jimmy Safechuck, and their families are saying is true, and that Jackson was a morally bankrupt individual who should never have been allowed around children.