Sky has pulled its Michael Jackson “Urban Myths” episode after the King of Pop’s family expressed concerns with the comedic take.
“We have taken the decision not to broadcast ‘Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon,’ a half-hour episode from the Sky Arts ‘Urban Myths’ series, in light of the concerns expressed by Michael Jackson’s immediate family,” the British TV channel said Friday through a spokesman. “We set out to take a light-hearted look at reportedly true events and never intended to cause any offense. Joseph Fiennes fully supports our decision.”
In this now-yanked installment of the British anthology series, Fiennes played Jackson as described in a story first reported in Vanity Fair. The half-hour television version took a comedic look at the bizarre true-life tale.
In the magazine story, a former employee of Jackson’s claimed that the pop star invited Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor to see him perform in New York City prior to the 9/11 attacks.
But after the terrorist attacks that toppled the World Trade Center towers, the story goes that the three rented a car and tried to drive back to California on their own, making it as far as Ohio.
Brian Cox was featured as Brando, while Stockard Channing portrayed Taylor in the filmed version of the alleged events.