New claims about Michael Jackson’s childhood are resurfacing years after the singer’s death. A longtime friend of the late pop icon now says Jackson privately admitted he was sexually abused as a child while growing up in the entertainment industry.
The allegations were shared by Emmy-winning producer Geoffrey Mark during a recent interview with the New York Post.
Childhood friend Geoffrey Mark on Michael Jackson’s private abuse confession
According to Mark, the conversations happened during private dinners at dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein’s Los Angeles home in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Mark claimed Jackson described being “inappropriately touched” by an adult while working as a child performer. However, the producer said the singer never framed the experiences as abuse because he had allegedly been conditioned to view the behavior as normal.
“Michael said that he was sexually abused,” Mark explained. “He didn’t use those terms because he didn’t think of it as abuse.” Instead, Jackson reportedly referred to the encounters as “playtime.”
Mark said the conversation became especially emotional after he shared details about his own traumatic childhood experiences involving abuse. According to him, Jackson appeared confused by the reaction and struggled to understand why Mark viewed the behavior as disturbing. “It was something he thought was normal and natural,” Mark said.
The producer believes those alleged experiences may help explain some of Jackson’s later emotional struggles and controversial relationships with children throughout adulthood.
At the same time, Mark made it clear he does not personally believe Jackson had malicious intentions. “If I thought Michael was evil or a predator, I probably wouldn’t be talking about it,” he said.
Jackson faced decades of allegations involving inappropriate behavior with minors throughout his career. The singer repeatedly denied all accusations before his death in 2009, and his estate continues strongly disputing claims made against him.
The renewed attention surrounding Jackson’s private life comes as the biographical film Michael continues dominating at the global box office. The Antoine Fuqua-directed movie recently crossed $700 million worldwide and has become one of the highest-grossing music biopics ever released.
Meanwhile, conversations surrounding Jackson’s complicated legacy remain as divided and emotionally charged as ever.
Originally reported by Vanshika Vasundhare Singh for Mandatory
