Audible producing Michael Jackson podcast

Michael Jackson’s life and career will be examined in the new podcast series, “Think Twice: Michael Jackson,” which is scheduled to premiere later this month on Audible and the Amazon music app.

The series gets its title from a line in Jackson’s hit single, “Billie Jean,” from the iconic “Thriller” album, according to Variety. The 10-episode series will examine how his legacy as a superstar singer-songwriter-performer endured despite allegations of sexual abuse.

Journalist and podcaster Leon Neyfakh and hip-hop radio personality Jay Smooth will co-host the series. Neyfakh and Smooth will present a “new perspective” on Jackson’s personal and professional life. They will interview people “who watched it unfold from up close,” uncovering how Jackson’s work is as relevant today nearly 14 years following his death, Variety reports.

A view of the “Michael Jackson Thriller 40 Immersive Experience” honoring the 40th anniversary of “Thriller” on Nov. 18, 2022, at Center 415 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

“To me, Michael Jackson is the most interesting person who has ever lived,” Neyfakh said. “But what Jay and I realized as we dove into this project was that his story is not just about him, but everyone he influenced with his art and everyone connected to his tortured personal life. It’s also about the moral calculations we make as consumers of culture, as we decide for ourselves what to believe and what to look away from.”

Smooth was “equal parts intrigued and alarmed” when approached about contributing to the podcast. “But as we both agreed to be up front about our own complex feelings on Michael’s legacy and let that guide our process of gathering all these different voices and perspectives, I quickly came to see just how rich and rewarding this show would become,” Smooth said. “Both as a fresh look back at the Michael Jackson story, and even more so as a way to understand — through Michael’s life and afterlife — how our world and culture evolved around him.”

All 10 episodes of “Think Twice: Michael Jackson” are scheduled to premiere April 27 on Audible and the Amazon Music app ad-free for Prime members.

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