Do you think Oprah betrayed Michael absolutely?

Mhm, absolutely 100%. And I feel like she betrayed not just him but my family.

Michael Jackson’s family members, including Janet Jackson, still believe that Oprah Winfrey betrayed MJ by allegedly attempting to sabotage his career and tarnish his legacy, even after his passing.

Recent backlash against Oprah has prompted renewed calls for an apology from Jackson’s family.

But why did Oprah seem to have a problem with Michael Jackson, and did she actually try to hurt his reputation and legacy?

Janet Jackson recently issued a public statement accusing Oprah Winfrey of allegedly manipulating her late brother, Michael Jackson, into discussing the allegations of child abuse during a widely watched televised interview in 1993.

According to Janet, Oprah convinced Michael to participate in the interview by promising to portray him positively. However, Janet accuses Oprah of betraying Michael’s trust, using the interview to damage his reputation and increase her own ratings.

During a recent podcast conversation with journalist Lisa Robinson, Janet opened up about her relationship with her brother and the struggles he faced in his career. She expressed her suspicions about Oprah’s motives and revealed that she had warned Michael against doing the interview. Janet believes Oprah has a habit of using celebrities and sensationalizing their stories for her own gain, driven by jealousy of Michael’s fame and success.

In 1993, Oprah Winfrey interviewed Michael Jackson at his Neverland Ranch in what became the most-watched interview in television history. That interview was supposed to address the rumors that had been circulating since the mid-1980s, such as Michael’s changing appearance, his alleged purchase of the Elephant Man’s remains, sleeping in an oxygen chamber, marrying Elizabeth Taylor, suffering from an eating disorder, having a telepathic monkey as a best friend, and more.

The interview was meant to improve MJ’s public image by allowing him to deny the tabloid rumors and open up about his personal life. However, instead of improving MJ’s image, the interview took a different turn when Oprah started asking very intrusive questions and challenging his answers.

The interview represented a pivotal moment in Michael Jackson’s life, marking his final public appearance before facing troubling allegations. Just six months and 14 days later, in the summer of 1993, the first accusations of sexual abuse became public, forever tarnishing his image.

In January of that year, Michael had headlined the Super Bowl halftime show and received three American Music Awards the following month. At 34, he was also granted the prestigious Living Legend Award at the Grammys, an honor reserved for icons such as Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin. These accomplishments occurred just before the turning point in Michael’s public image.

During the interview, Oprah brought up the topic of MJ changing his appearance, asking if he had undergone cosmetic surgery. MJ admitted to having a nose job but insisted he hadn’t changed his facial features in any other way. He also shared that he had vitiligo, a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of the skin. “It’s something that I cannot help,” Michael explained. “When people make up stories that I don’t want to be who I am, it hurts me.”

But Oprah appeared doubtful of his explanation and persisted in pressing him for more details, interrupting him multiple times as he tried to explain why his skin color had changed. Oprah then moved on to discuss MJ’s father, Joe Jackson, who people said was mean to him when he was a kid. MJ said his father had hit him and called him ugly but also said he loved him and didn’t want to make him mad. Oprah questioned MJ’s feelings toward his father and suggested he might need help to deal with bad childhood memories.

The part that really made people wonder if Oprah was targeting MJ was when she started asking him about his love life and if he was still a virgin. MJ shared that he was dating actress Brooke Shields but didn’t want to discuss whether he was still a virgin, considering it a private matter. “I’m a gentleman,” he said.

However, Oprah seemed skeptical and tried to make him feel uncomfortable. Continuing the conversation, Oprah questioned MJ about why he spent so much time with kids. Michael explained that he enjoyed their innocence and happiness, especially since he missed out on a typical childhood due to his fame. He clarified that he invited kids to his ranch to have fun, but Oprah acted like there was something weird and unnatural about his behavior and asked MJ if he ever let kids sleep in his bed.

Of course, MJ’s fans were definitely not happy with all those questions. They felt like Oprah was disrespecting MJ, not understanding his side, and even playing favorites. Some fans said Oprah was using MJ’s problems just to make her show more popular and to make MJ look bad. It’s like Oprah was twisting things around to make MJ seem guilty, and that really got people angry.

Just a few months after that interview, in the summer of 1993, the first accusations of sexual abuse came out, and MJ’s reputation was never the same again.

Then, out of nowhere, there was this huge bombshell: a documentary called “Leaving Neverland.” It’s a four-hour film where James Safechuck and Wade Robson talk about the sexual abuse they say they suffered at the hands of Michael Jackson when they were kids. And guess who showed up again? Oprah. She even interviewed the accusers and showed her support for James and Wade.

This is what made a lot of people believe that Oprah intentionally betrayed Michael Jackson, with followers posting comments like: “She needs to apologize to Michael Jackson’s family. It’s a damn shame how she betrayed him. Michael Jackson was a kind and loving man that did not deserve what Oprah Winfrey did. Damn Devil.”

Another person said: “Oprah is a puppet, a puppet master monster. Remember your interview with Michael Jackson that earned your show high ratings. Michael Jackson was so honest to you and trusted you. You betrayed Michael Jackson. He’s innocent, proven by your law, facts, and evidence.”

It’s really disturbing when you stop and think about it. Oprah used her massive platform to put out this total hit piece on Michael Jackson, even though he was never found guilty of anything. But she didn’t keep that same energy when her buddy Harvey Weinstein got found guilty and sent off to prison.

And it’s not just the fans who see it this way. MJ’s family members have been speaking out too. Take Jermaine Jackson, for example, Michael’s older brother. He straight up called her out, along with other media outlets, after the “Leaving Neverland” documentary came out.

“So many in the media, including Oprah, blindly take ‘Leaving Neverland’ at face value, shaping a narrative, uninterested in facts, proof, or credibility. We faced similar graphic claims plus trial by media in ’05. Jury saw through it. All trial by law proved Michael’s innocence long ago. Fact.”

Someone else who’s been openly speaking out about the betrayal is Brandy. She said she couldn’t believe how Oprah betrayed the family, even after they let her in so many times. “After he passed, she asked to do an interview with my cousins, Paris, Prince, and Blanket. So my grandmother invited Oprah over to Havenhurst, my grandmother’s house. My grandmother otherwise would not have allowed Paris, Prince, and Blanket to do an interview, but because Oprah was being so sincere, she allowed it. And so I feel like we’ve let her in so many times, and this is how she repays us.”

As for what Brandy thought Oprah had to gain by supporting a documentary like “Leaving Neverland,” she said, in her opinion, it was more political than what people thought.

Another family member, Taj, who actually grew up with one of the accusers, Wade, said he was appalled by all the lies. About Oprah, Taj said, “For me, I’ve seen it happen before. I was there when she was requesting an interview with my grandma and Michael’s kids. Talking about Michael was misunderstood. She does what she needs to do to get ratings. To me, it’s the ultimate betrayal.”

Several other family members have spoken out about Oprah’s betrayal, and it’s no surprise that Janet Jackson feels the exact same way about Oprah betraying her brother and intentionally trying to destroy his career and legacy. MJ was way closer to Janet than any of his other siblings. So if there’s anyone who’s feeling the rage of MJ’s name being tarnished by Oprah, it’s got to be Janet Jackson.

And now that Oprah is getting exposed and dragged left and right for destroying the careers of especially black entertainers, several media outlets have revealed that sources close to the Jackson family, including Janet Jackson, still hold a grudge against Oprah for starting a hate train against Michael. They believe that an apology is long overdue.

But what do you think about how Oprah betrayed Michael Jackson more than once? Do you think she actually owes the family an apology?