Diana Ross defends Michael Jackson despite ‘Leaving Neverland’ fallout

Tells critics who are attacking her friend to "Stop in The Name of Love"

In the wake of fallout from the Leaving Neverland documentary on Michael Jackson, that includes testimony from two men who say the singer molested them as children, Diane Ross reminds people of the unbreakable bond the two Motown stars shared.

Melanie Eversley

Mar 24, 2019

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Legendary songstress Diana Ross is defending her old friend, late King of Pop Michael Jackson. In the wake of the fallout from the film Leaving Neverland, the documentary that includes testimony from two men who claim that the singer molested them as children, the supreme Supreme reminds people of the unbreakable bond the two Motown stars shared.

Ross, making a play on her 1965 hit “Stop! In the Name of Love,” tweeted on Saturday that the public should back off the pop star, who repeatedly declared his innocence amid years of rumors that he had inappropriate relationships with children.

“This is what’s on my heart this morning,” the 74-year-old superstar said via Twitter. “I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others. STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE.”

This is what’s on my heart this morning. I believe and trust that Michael Jackson was and is A magnificent incredible force to me and to many others.
STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE

— Ms. Ross (@DianaRoss) March 23, 2019

Ross is the second global celebrity legend to step into the fray caused when HBO aired its two-part documentary in January. The documentary, in which Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed Jackson molested them when they were 7 years old and 10 years old, respectively, has caused a ripple among those who love and appreciate the singer’s music. In light of the Lifetime Surviving R. Kelly doc, many wondered if Jackson should be muted also.

On Friday, the Times of London published an interview with legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand in which she said Robson and Safechuck were “thrilled to be there” when invited to spend time with Jackson.

The interview caused such a furor that Streisand was compelled to apologize for her words.

“You can say ‘molested,’ but those children, as you heard say, they were thrilled to be there,” Streisand, 76, said in the interview. “They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them.”

Streisand also said that she believed Robson and Safechuck, but that was not enough to prevent a storm of backlash across social media along with the spread of a hashtag, #CancelBarbraStreisand.

Streisand issued an apology that she shared with The New York Times.

“I am profoundly sorry for any pain or misunderstanding I caused by not choosing my words more carefully about Michael Jackson and his victims,” Streisand said. “I didn’t mean to dismiss the trauma these boys experienced in any way.”

Jackson died on June 25, 2009. He had a mix of drugs in his body that included medications used for anesthesia. He was 50-years-old.