AceShowbiz - Bill Maher delivered sharp criticism of the new Michael biopic, accusing the film of deliberately bypassing the child abuse allegations that surrounded Michael Jackson during his life.

During the closing moments of his Friday monologue on Real Time With Bill Maher, the comedian referenced the Antoine Fuqua-directed movie with a biting quip: the film’s showtimes at "7, 9 and 11" mirrored the alleged victims’ experiences.

Maher revisited the subject in his signature "New Rules" segment, condemning the movie for ignoring the darker aspects of Jackson’s legacy. He said, "If you complain about Columbus Day because it ignores the fact he killed Indians, and you complain about Presidents' Day because it ignores the fact that Washington owned slaves, then you can't happily go see a movie where Michael Jackson doesn’t sleep with kids." The implication was clear: the film only highlights the "fun things" Jackson did, sidestepping the more troubling accusations.

Adding to his satirical critique, he joked that the movie’s screening schedule was like a double feature with documentaries about Jeffrey Epstein and John Wayne Gacy, notorious figures tied to sexual abuse allegations.

In another segment, while discussing new grocery products, Maher made a provocative comparison. He lamented the marketing of "very young small sweet peas and mini tater tots and baby carrots and extra virgin olive oil," saying, "If I wanted to feel this pervy, I’d go see the Michael Jackson movie."

These barbs came amid ongoing controversy surrounding the film, which has faced backlash for its decision to omit mention of Jackson’s 2003 arrest and the associated allegations. The director, Antoine Fuqua, and the cast, including Colman Domingo and Nia Long, have defended the creative choices.

Fuqua revealed in an interview with The New Yorker that he originally intended to depict Jackson’s 2003 arrest in detail, describing scenes of Jackson being "stripped naked, treated like an animal, a monster." However, a $23 million settlement between Jackson and the Chandler family, who accused him of abusing their 13-year-old son, prevented the filmmakers from including these events. The settlement barred the Jackson estate’s participation in any portrayal involving those allegations.

Domingo and Long, portraying Jackson’s parents, explained on NBC’s Today show that the film covers Jackson’s life only up to 1988, deliberately excluding the 2005 allegations. Domingo said the film is "an intimate portrait of who Michael is... through his eyes," focusing on his formative years rather than his later controversies.

After critics largely panned the film online, Jackson’s nephews TJ and Taj Jackson defended it. TJ stated that both Michael Jackson and his fans deserved the movie, while Taj criticized the media’s attempts to "control the narrative" around the singer’s legacy.

Despite Jackson’s acquittal on all 10 charges related to alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old boy (who was not Jordan Chandler) after a 14-week trial in 2005, the controversy reignited with the 2019 documentary Leaving Neverland, which featured new allegations from two men claiming to be Jackson’s victims.

The Michael biopic stars Jackson’s real-life nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in the title role and is currently playing in theaters. The film’s omission of the abuse allegations remains a polarizing topic among critics, fans, and the wider public.