The Authority with Dr. Sanford Richmond

Michael Jackson Writer and Historian: Charles Thomson

Still Thinking About Michael Jackson in 2026? Ground Zero: My 2019 Interview with Michael Jackson writer and historian Charles Thomson. Pay attention to the term "Ground Zero" during our discussion of the Jordan Chandler allegations between roughly the 25–31 minute mark of the interview. Thomson explains why the first allegations became the foundation for nearly every public narrative that followed. What much of the public received instead was a media spectacle driven by sensationalism, selective memory and public emotion. Read/listen here: 👇🏾 https://sanfordrichmond.substack.com/p/ground-zero-my-2019-interview-with So every single person who accuses Michael Jackson subsequently goes straight to a civil lawyer and tries to sue him. There is never an accuser who simply walks into a police station and says "Michael Jackson molested me what are you going to do about it?" They always go to a lawyer and say, "Lets get rich!" The day you start making that excuse for victims and saying well—we have to believe them anyway because it's probably just trauma—we have to believe them anyway—well THAT IS THE DEATH OF JUSTICE! JUSTICE DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE! The day you start saying it doesn't matter if an accuser has all their facts wrong and its proven to be telling a story that can't be true we should just convict the person anyway because it's just trauma—that basically means that no innocent person can ever be acquitted again! The explosive and powerful comments quoted above were made on this episode of The Authority by Michael Jackson writer and historian and award-winning investigative journalist Charles Thomson. Thomson, based in the UK, has written about Michael Jackson for over a decade. He's covered and written about Jackson's music and legacy in multiple publications and books. But what he's most known for regarding Jackson is providing years of in-depth and investigative journalism on the allegations of child sexual abuse that has been levied against the singer in life and unfortunately years after his death. Thomson is one of the leading authorities on Michael Jackson in the world. He's also been a loud and harsh critic of the controversial documentary HBO's Leaving Neverland. In the documentary 2 men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, accuse Jackson of molesting them when they were children. On the show I will talk to Thomson about his critique of the documentary and his thoughts about the main participants of the film, Wade Robson, James Safechuck and Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed. The explosive and powerful statements quoted above are just a portion of what he expresses about Leaving Neverland, the accusers and the widespread condemnation of Jackson in America and around the world that Thomson believes is extremely excessive, one-sided, unfair and unjust. We also discuss other high-profile cases he's covered related to child sexual abuse in which he's won many awards for in the UK. Enjoy the show!

Michael Jackson's Bodyguard Speaks: Bill Whitfield Interview

Still thinking about Michael Jackson in 2026? I'm breaking down the facts, narratives, and contradictions—no filter, just receipts. Read more here: https://sanfordrichmond.substack.com/p/my-takeaway-from-the-michael-jackson This episode of The Authority is about the explosive new HBO documentary called Leaving Neverland in which 2 men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, allege that the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, sexually abused them as children. The documentary has caused a lot of controversy in recent weeks. A controversy that's put Jackson's life and legacy at a crossroads even in death. The reaction to this documentary has been harsh and swift in which a selective amount of radio stations across the world have banned Jackson's music, The Simpsons have pulled their Michael Jackson episode from circulation and a museum in England removed a statue of him from their premises. So my guest on the show will be the bodyguard of Michael Jackson for the last 2 in a half year of his life, Bill Whitfield, in which he speaks on the documentary and discusses the man he thinks very highly of as a person, father and overall human being. Whitfield speaks of the man that he had to be around every single day of his life 24 hours a day. Whitfield thought so highly of Jackson he wrote a book called Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days. So with Whitfield's high reverence of Jackson, he takes a strong stand against Leaving Neverland and defends the King of Pop against this documentary and against the recycled attacks on his character and lifestyle that dogged Jackson throughout his life when he was alive.

Michael Jackson Writer: Charles Thomson - Part 2

On this episode of The Authority due to popular demand on Twitter and social media…I welcome back Michael Jackson writer and historian Charles Thomson. We simply continue and extend our discussion from our previous interview in which we talk about the aftermath of HBO's explosive documentary Leaving Neverland in which two men, James Safechuck and Wade Robson accuse Michael Jackson of molesting them when they were children. In our first interview Thomson points out the many...many holes and contradictions of the documentary alongside attacking the credibility and integrity of Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed. In this episode of The Authority our interview focuses more on the aftermath of Leaving Neverland and the repercussions it has caused to Jackson's legacy. Thomson assesses whether the documentary caused as much damage to Jackson's legacy as the participants of Leaving Neverland (Safechuck, Robson and Reed) and the global anti-Michael Jackson mass media operation had hoped. We also dig deeper into the sexual abuse allegations that appear to describe a pattern of behavior that Jackson allegedly carries out against his victims which leads many to say, "where there's smoke there's fire!" Thomson talks about this alleged pattern of behavior and provides his hilarious but honest take on the famous expression "where there's smoke there's fire!" Thomson also talks about how his journalistic career has been affected by being a long-time writer and defender of Jackson. In addition, he discusses his thoughts and feelings about how the Jackson family has embraced and more importantly—trusted him in being an authority on Jackson's life, reputation and legacy. Furthermore, being a multiple award-winning journalist, he talks about being nominated for another award in the UK and not knowing the results until the day after our interview. And because the award is rewarded by public vote, Thomson speaks about how Michael Jackson fans across the UK are creating massive campaigns for people to vote for him. And ultimately the massive campaigns by Jackson fans was successful, as Thomson won an award for his investigative journalism by IRONICALLY exposing a massive pedophile ring in the UK labeled the "Shoebury Sex Ring" http://www.yellowad.co.uk/article.cfm?id=142032 [http://www.yellowad.co.uk/article.cfm?id=142032] Enjoy the show!

Adam Silver vs David Stern and the New Era of Racial Reckoning in the NBA

On this episode of The Authority I discuss the new era of leadership in the NBA under commissioner Adam Silver. I compare Silver's leadership with his predecessor David Stern and the contrast of how they treated their players in a league which comprised of a black male majority. Silver by many accounts appeared to treat NBA players like partners and Stern by the observation of many appeared to treat NBA players like subordinates…some would argue (like me) like slaves. Stern had a reputation of running the NBA with an iron fist in which he stifled freedom of speech and expression. Silver seems to be more egalitarian in his approach in how he treats the players of the NBA. Also, and more importantly, Silver appears to allow his black players to express themselves socially and politically unlike any era in NBA history, including and especially the era of David Stern. NBA superstars Lebron James, Steph Curry, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant and coach Gregg Popovich alongside many other NBA figures seem to be on the frontline of the racial resistance in America regarding their social and political justice views alongside unapologetically attacking the repressive and oppressive policies and opinions of President Donald Trump. The question I ask on this episode is…would this freedom of expression and speech happen under Stern? Would Stern allow this freedom of political expression and speech…or would he stifle it like he did in 1996 with Chris Jackson (now Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf) in which Abdul-Rauf refused to come out of the locker room during the national anthem because he felt the song and the flag represented a "symbol of oppression?" Instead of allowing Abdul-Rauf to express himself Stern fined him nearly $32,000 and suspended him a game. If Stern was still commissioner would he allow his players to express themselves freely in this era of hyper racial consciousness…or does he maintain his rules of restriction, censorship and punishment? I dive into this hypothetical with national scholar on race, sports and popular culture Dr. David Leonard. He is a leading authority on race and sports in America with most of his expertise focused on the issue of race and race relations in the NBA. Leonard also wrote a book some years back focused on Stern's controversial leadership titled After Artest: The NBA and the Assault on Blackness. You're going to want to hear what he has to say! Enjoy the show!!

Michael Jackson Writer and Historian: Charles Thomson

So every single person who accuses Michael Jackson subsequently goes straight to a civil lawyer and tries to sue him. There is never an accuser who simply walks into a police station and says "Michael Jackson molested me what are you going to do about it?" They always go to a lawyer and say, "Lets get rich!" The day you start making that excuse for victims and saying well—we have to believe them anyway because it's probably just trauma—we have to believe them anyway—well THAT IS THE DEATH OF JUSTICE! JUSTICE DOES NOT EXIST ANYMORE! The day you start saying it doesn't matter if an accuser has all their facts wrong and its proven to be telling a story that can't be true we should just convict the person anyway because it's just trauma—that basically means that no innocent person can ever be acquitted again! The explosive and powerful comments quoted above were made on this episode of The Authority by Michael Jackson writer and historian and award-winning investigative journalist Charles Thomson. Thomson, based in the UK, has written about Michael Jackson for over a decade. He's covered and written about Jackson's music and legacy in multiple publications and books. But what he's most known for regarding Jackson is providing years of in-depth and investigative journalism on the allegations of child sexual abuse that has been levied against the singer in life and unfortunately years after his death. Thomson is one of the leading authorities on Michael Jackson in the world. He's also been a loud and harsh critic of the controversial documentary HBO's Leaving Neverland. In the documentary 2 men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, accuse Jackson of molesting them when they were children. On the show I will talk to Thomson about his critique of the documentary and his thoughts about the main participants of the film, Wade Robson, James Safechuck and Leaving Neverland director Dan Reed. The explosive and powerful statements quoted above are just a portion of what he expresses about Leaving Neverland, the accusers and the widespread condemnation of Jackson in America and around the world that Thomson believes is extremely excessive, one-sided, unfair and unjust. We also discuss other high-profile cases he's covered related to child sexual abuse in which he's won many awards for in the UK. Enjoy the show!