Michael Jackson and cancel culture's dilemma

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The other night, as a sort of psycho-cultural experiment, I tried to watch The Usual Suspects, for many years one of my favourite movies. I couldn't do it.

I stopped less than two minutes in. The film is brilliantly done and I used to quote the dialogue all the time. I'm pretty sure I'll never again quote a single line. All because the film stars Kevin Spacey and was directed by Bryan Singer, both of whom have come down hard as the #MeToo movement storms through the entertainment industry.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 16, 2019, with the headline Michael Jackson and cancel culture's dilemma. Subscribe