Now might be a good time for Paris Jackson to step away from the spotlight for a bit and consult with a good PR specialist.
As you’ve likely heard by now, the documentary Leaving Neverland has cast quite a pall over the legacy of Paris’ father, Michael Jackson.
The film sheds new light on the child molestation allegations against Jackson, and many viewers say it left them with little doubt as to the late pop star’s guilt.
The Jacksons have described the film as a "public lynching" and have filed a lawsuit against HBO for airing Neverland.
Of course, the entire family stands to gain by protecting Michael’s legacy and, thus, his lucrative estate.
But perhaps no one has as much to lose as 20-year-old Paris.
Unlike her siblings, Paris is attempting to build a career in the entertainment industry.
As a result, she’s been much more outspoken on the subject of her father’s scandalous past.
In the days following the HBO debut of Neverland, Paris tweeted a video of herself dancing and encouraged her followers to stop taking life "so seriously."
While not a direct comment on the allegations against her father, many took these tweets as an indication that Paris is unbothered by the documentary.
One article made the following claim:
"Paris Jackson believes her father, Michael, is innocent of sex abuse claims."
The article went on to reiterate reports that Paris is concerned that the new evidence will derail her career.
The piece prompted Paris to offer comments on her family’s current situation for the first time.
"I actually haven’t made any statements yet, especially regarding how it affects my work life," Paris tweeted, adding:
"You guys are reaching a bit. At least this wasn’t a disgusting and attacking article though.
"Y’all take my life more seriously than I do. Calm yo tittaaaaysss."
While it’s certainly understandable that Paris would be loath to accept all of the appalling allegations against her father, it’s simply not okay for her to so flippantly disregard such a serious situation.
Paris’ tweets on the topic give the impression that laughing this off is an option. It is not.
Clearly, she’s happy to ignore the growing mountain of evidence against her father, and she likely remains convinced that no abuse of any kind took place.
But many rightly feel that Paris’ callous response to the situation is deeply disrespectful toward abuse victims.
Ideally, Paris would give serious consideration to the claims made by her father’s alleged victims.
But if she’s unwilling or unable to do so, there are much more respectful ways for her to handle this situation.
Refraining from joking about the situation would certainly be a good place to start.
