Barbra Streisand Issues Apology For Remarks About Michael Jackson’s Alleged Victims

Barbra Streisand Issues Apology For Remarks About Michael Jackson’s Alleged Victims

This weekend, Barbra Streisand found herself in pretty hot water after an article in the Times U.K. revealed some words deemed insensitive to the alleged victims of Michael Jackson in the wake of the Leaving Neverland documentary on HBO.

In her original statement with the Times, Streisand declared that she did believer Wade Robson and Safechuck, but went on to defend Jackson’s alleged molestation of them: “His sexual needs were his sexual needs […] You can say ‘molested,’ but those children, as you heard say [Robson and Safechuck], they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them.”

Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal

On Saturday, Streisand made an effort to clear up her words, speaking with Entertainment Weekly, she stated that she does not believe “it is OK for the innocence of children to be taken advantage of by anyone.”

She added: “The stories these two young men shared were painful to hear, and I feel nothing but sympathy for them. The single most important role of being a parent is to protect their children. It’s clear that the parents of the two young men were also victimized and seduced by fame and fantasy.”

 “I am profoundly sorry for any pain or misunderstanding I caused by not choosing my words more carefully about Michael Jackson and his victims because the words as printed do not reflect my true feelings,” she most recently said in a separate statement to EW. “I didn’t mean to dismiss the trauma these boys experienced in any way. Like all survivors of sexual assault, they will have to carry this for the rest of their lives. I feel deep remorse and I hope that James and Wade know that I truly respect and admire them for speaking their truth.”