The TRUTH About Michael Jackson as Biopic Sets Records, and Blake Lively's DOOMED Legal Strategy, with Mark Geragos and Matt Murphy
Episode of The Megyn Kelly Show · May 12, 2026 · 2 h 11 min
Megyn Kelly, Mark Geragos, and Matt Murphy weigh Michael Jackson's legacy and abuse allegations amid the Michael biopic, then critique Blake Lively's legal strategy against Justin Baldoni.
Summary
Megyn Kelly opened with the box-office success of the biopic Michael, which ends before the child abuse allegations against Michael Jackson. Mark Geragos, who represented Jackson during the Child Protective Services investigation and early criminal case and later testified twice at his trial, recounted Jackson's moonwalk atop an SUV after his arraignment, the discovery of the Arvizo family's litigation history, and a secretly recorded private jet conversation. Geragos said the film's ending was changed because of a settlement clause and concerns from financiers. The pair discussed Jackson's abusive father, his unprecedented fame, drug dependence, and death.
Kelly and Geragos examined the accusations, including the Cascio family's new lawsuit, which Geragos said he found emotionally persuasive despite believing the Arvizo case was a shakedown. Kelly argued that Leaving Neverland omitted serious credibility problems with Wade Robson and James Safechuck, citing Robson's deposition and Safechuck's account of abuse in a Neverland train station that critics say was not built until later. Geragos objected to the documentary's use of a clip of him out of context and criticized look-back statutes reviving old civil claims. He noted the Robson and Safechuck cases were set for trial in 2027.
Matt Murphy joined to discuss Jackson's Bashir interview about sharing beds with children and the value of defendants' own statements. The group then mocked Lively attorney Michael Gottlieb's claim that she was ecstatic with a settlement leaving only attorney's fees under a California anti-SLAPP-type statute. Geragos theorized the mediation was designed to shield her lawyers from malpractice claims, and Murphy argued Lively was driven by ego. Kelly recounted how Bryan Freedman went from opposing counsel to her lawyer. In closing, Geragos and Murphy predicted Jackson's commercial legacy would endure, while Kelly faulted parents who let children sleep in his bed.
Chapters
- 0:00
Introduction and the Michael biopic
Kelly introduces the record-setting film Michael, the debate over Jackson's legacy, and her view of Leaving Neverland's credibility gaps.
- 7:10
Geragos on representing Jackson
Geragos recounts the arraignment moonwalk, the Arvizo family investigation, the secretly taped jet flight, and why the film's ending was changed.
- 18:05
Jackson's upbringing and abuse by his father
Kelly and Geragos discuss Jackson's fame and play clips of him describing beatings by Joe Jackson.
- 26:56
Decline, drugs and death
The hosts discuss Jackson's addiction, the CPS investigation's toll, and his propofol death under Conrad Murray.
- 36:21
The Cascio family allegations
Geragos describes his time with the Cascios, who now allege abuse, and his conflicted view of the case.
- 48:36
Leaving Neverland and Wade Robson
Kelly details credibility issues in Robson's account and Geragos objects to the documentary's manipulated clip of him.
- 1:02:06
James Safechuck and look-back statutes
The guests discuss Safechuck's train station claim, revived statutes of limitations, and a JPMorgan settlement comparison.
- 1:15:23
The maid's testimony and Murphy joins
Kelly plays Adrienne McManus's claims, Geragos notes a 2027 trial date, and Murphy discusses false allegations in custody disputes.
- 1:22:17
The Bashir bed-sharing clip
The panel discusses Jackson's damaging Bashir interview and the danger of defendants talking or testifying.
- 1:31:14
Blake Lively's settlement spin
After a Katie Porter aside, the panel mocks Lively's lawyer's claims about attorney's fees and critiques her case.
- 1:49:05
Malpractice theory and Lively's failed strategy
Geragos theorizes the mediation shielded her lawyers and Murphy argues ego drove the litigation.
- 2:00:21
Adversaries turned friends
Kelly recounts how Bryan Freedman became her lawyer and Geragos and Murphy describe their own rivalry-turned-friendship.
- 2:05:38
Jackson's legacy
Geragos and Murphy predict the public will keep embracing Jackson's music while Kelly criticizes parents who allowed sleepovers.
Key points
What was said, by whom, with the exact words. Timestamps jump to the moment.
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly says the two accusers featured in Leaving Neverland have serious credibility problems the film did not disclose.
“However, I do see serious credibility problems with at least the two men who were featured in Finding Neverland”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos says the biopic's ending was cut short partly because some financiers felt misled about unresolved accusers.
“some of the people who were financing this film had been felt like they had been misled”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos argues the Martin Bashir interview set off the chain of events that led to Jackson's downfall and death.
“this Martin Bashir interview is what triggered, I think, in a lot of ways, the dominoes that led to his downfall and death”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos says his team's investigation led them to believe the Arvizo family's accusation was a shakedown.
“everything that we investigated, everything that we saw led us to believe that it was a shakedown”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos says he remains torn about the Cascio family's allegations given his past role as Jackson's defender.
“I'm as perplexed and torn as you are from the outside and having been on the inside as to these cross currents”
Listen from 46:43 · Michael Jackson child sexual abuse allegations
- Mark Geragos
Geragos objects that Leaving Neverland manipulated footage of him and argues documentaries should not distort facts.
“you shouldn't really manipulate the facts to the point that you just literally tell a story that is not true”
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly argues documentary filmmakers must disclose accusers' credibility problems and let audiences decide.
“you must include the credibility problems in your documentary and let the audience decide”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos argues civil claims over money should have firm time limits rather than being revived decades later.
“when you're in what I like to call money court, which is what civil court is, you're over there fighting over other people”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos argues a $1 million settlement offer does not signal guilt because nuisance-value settlements have grown large.
“I'm old enough to remember when nuisance value was 15 grand and now nuisance value is a million and a half”
Listen from 1:10:17 · JPMorgan Chase sexual harassment lawsuit
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly cites biographer Mike Smallcombe's finding that the Neverland train station where Safechuck placed abuse was built after the alleged abuse period.
“Mike Smallcomb revealed that that train station was not built until 1994”
- Mark GeragosPrediction · due Dec 2027
Geragos says the Robson and Safechuck civil cases against the Jackson estate are set for trial in Beverly Hills in 2027.
“I think that's set for trial. 2027, Beverly Hills Courthouse”
Listen from 1:17:58 · Michael Jackson child sexual abuse allegations
Linked moment · 1:22:01Skip to 1:22:01 using a listen link in the info box.
Matt MurphyMurphy says sexual abuse allegations arising in custody disputes are so often false that they undermine real victims.
“it's so common that those are false allegations. And it really undermines the integrity of real victims”
- Matt Murphy
Murphy says prosecutors always want as many defendant statements as possible, as Jackson's interview showed.
“as a prosecutor, you always want as many statements of the defendant as possible”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos, a Democrat, calls Katie Porter unqualified to be governor of California.
“You wouldn't hire her to run your 7-Eleven and we're going to hire her to run the fourth largest economy in the country”
Listen from 1:31:58 · 2026 California gubernatorial election
- Mark Geragos
Geragos says any attorney's fee award in the Lively case will ultimately be paid by insurers.
“this is never going to come out of their pockets it's always going to come out of the insurance company pockets”
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly explains she does not fight tabloid smears because believers won't be persuaded and others need no correction.
“the people who want to believe these lies always will. And the people who don't require no correction”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos theorizes the Lively settlement via private mediation was designed to shield her lawyers from a malpractice suit.
“The California Supreme Court case says if you go through private mediation, you can't sue your lawyer for legal malpractice”
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly says Lively's main sexual harassment claim rested on a contract that was never fully executed.
“And it was based on a contract between the parties that never existed”
- Matt Murphy
Murphy argues Lively pursued the case out of ego rather than advocating for independent contractors' protections.
“She didn't do it because, in my opinion, she was driven by ego and trying to settle a score”
- Mark Geragos
Geragos predicts the public will allow Jackson's legacy to be restored, citing the film's box office.
“Yes, the public will allow it. And the fact that it has exceeded everybody's expectations in terms of the box office”
- Matt Murphy
Murphy, despite a career prosecuting child molesters, says people should allow themselves to enjoy Jackson's music.
“I think we all need to allow ourselves to enjoy the music”
Listen from 2:08:19 · Michael Jackson child sexual abuse allegations
- Megyn Kelly
Kelly faults parents who let children sleep in Jackson's bed, saying no normal unrelated man wants that.
“Nope, no normal man wants a child in his bed. They just don't”
People
In the conversation
- Megyn KellyConservative broadcaster and podcaster
- Mark GeragosAmerican criminal defense attorney who represented Michael Jackson; co-host of In the Well
- Matt MurphyFormer prosecutor quoted asking where the district attorney is in the Guthrie case
Discussed
- Joe JacksonFather and manager of the Jackson family, parodied in a Druski sketch
- Johnnie CochranAmerican attorney who brought Geragos onto Jackson's legal team
- Benjamin BrafmanNew York defense attorney briefly on Jackson's 2003 defense team
- Thomas MesereauAttorney who won Jackson's acquittal at his 2005 trial
- Tom SneddonSanta Barbara County district attorney who prosecuted Jackson
- Jordan ChandlerBoy whose 1993 accusation against Jackson ended in a civil settlement
- Gavin ArvizoAccuser in Jackson's 2005 criminal trial
- Dan ReedDirector of Leaving Neverland
- Conrad MurrayPhysician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death
- Macaulay CulkinActor and Jackson friend who has denied being abused
- Jaafar JacksonJackson's nephew who plays him in Michael
- Mike SmallcombeJackson biographer who disputed the Neverland train station timeline
- Blake LivelyAmerican actress who sued Justin Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios
- Justin BaldoniAmerican actor and director of It Ends With Us
- Bryan FreedmanAttorney for Baldoni and Megyn Kelly
- Lewis J. LimanU.S. district judge presiding over the Lively case
- Katie PorterDemocratic candidate for governor of California
- Scott PetersonCalifornia man convicted of murdering his pregnant wife Laci Peterson
Topics
- Michael Jackson child sexual abuse allegations
- Michael (2026 film)
- Leaving Neverland
- Lively v. Wayfarer Studios
- People v. Jackson
- Living with Michael Jackson
- Child abuse
- Statute of limitations look-back laws
- Fame
- Anti-SLAPP laws
- Death of Michael Jackson
- JPMorgan Chase sexual harassment lawsuit
- 2026 California gubernatorial election
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From the publisher
Megyn Kelly is joined by Mark Geragos, co-host of "In The Well," to discuss the new Michael Jackson movie "Michael" dominating the culture, the controversy over his legacy back into the spotlight, credibility questions surrounding his accusers, the phenomenon of representing Jackson at the trial, the abuse Michael Jackson suffered throughout his childhood at the hands of his father, the truth about the completely unique level of fame he achieved, the various child abuse allegations made against Michael Jackson, why the accusations remain so difficult to assess years later, major questions surrounding the accusers featured in "Leaving Neverland," the changing story we've heard from them over the years, and more. Then Matt Murphy, co-host of "In The Well," joins to discuss the shocking 2003 interview moment of Michael Jackson talking about kids, how the comments fueled public backlash and legal scrutiny, Blake Lively’s lawyer attempting to spin her client’s brutal legal loss after she settled for no money, the remaining battle over attorney fees, why Blake Lively’s legal strategy against Justin Baldoni was doomed to fail, whether her lawyers are trying to cover their own failures now, and more. Subscribe to MK True Crime to find ALL the new shows: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MKTrueCrime?sub_confirmation=1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mk-true-crime/id1829831499 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4o80I2RSC2NvY51TIaKkJW Social: http://mktruecrime.com/ BeeKeeper's Naturals: This Memorial Day go to https://beekeepersnaturals.com/MEGYN or enter code MEGYN for 25% off your order Ethos Life Insurance: Protect your family with life insurance from Ethos. Get up to $3 million in coverage in as little as 10 minutes at: https://ethos.com/MK Byrna: Go to https://Byrna.com or your local Sportsman's Warehouse today. SimpliSafe: Visit https://simplisafe.com/MEGYN to claim 50% off any new system!
Summary, chapters and key points were generated from the episode transcript on September 28, 2026. Quotes are checked word for word against the transcript.