If you’re searching for your next true crime fixation, Netflix’s Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam is definitely worth checking out – although it may leave you with a sense of unease in more ways than one.
The recently released docu-series delves into the life and downfall of the late Lou Pearlman, renowned for creating some of the most popular boy bands of the 1990s, such as Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.
Despite his apparent success as an entrepreneur, running airline and blimp businesses under his Trans Continental banner, Pearlman’s dealings were not as they seemed behind the scenes.
Caution: the following material may be disturbing for certain individuals.
Despite facing allegations of financial exploitation, both the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC took legal action against Pearlman and were able to successfully terminate their contracts.
When his own attorney filed a lawsuit against him, the FBI revealed the truth: Pearlman had been operating one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history.
Despite some mention of Pearlman’s personal life, the three-part documentary only briefly addresses the allegations that he was a sexual predator.
Despite never facing any charges, Pearlman consistently denied the allegations, as revealed in the documentary by O-Town member, Erik-Michael Estrada, who stated, “I never witnessed it. It was not a part of my life or experience.”
Despite acknowledging “suspect behavior,”he expressed sympathy for any potential victims or individuals who may have been exploited if those actions did occur.
After Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam was released on Netflix, a fan went on Reddit to express their thoughts, stating, “This man, with all his wealth and influence, deliberately chose to be around young boys. The picture of him with Justin on the boat made me feel extremely uneasy.”
Another individual commented on Twitter, “Lou Pearlman’s downfall was a result of his own greed. I hold no sympathy for him.”
Some people were bothered by the fact that the docu-series utilized AI to produce scenes of Pearlman reading passages from his book ‘Bands, Brands and Billions’ posthumously.
Some viewers found it to be “a bit unsettling,”while others questioned the reasoning behind it, stating “Why was this done? It shows a lack of good judgement.”
Nevertheless, one person commented, “The AI narration is not as creepy as I expected. It’s the pictures of him hugging young boys that are making me feel uncomfortable.”
Huffpost has been critical of the documentary, noting that it either glosses over or neglects important details about the case.
This also acknowledges that a significant portion of the boy bands’ achievement can be attributed to the contributions of Black artists, and that it comes shortly after the release of ID’s Fallen Idols, which exposed accusations of sexual assault against Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys.
The allegations against Nick Carter aren’t addressed in Dirty Pop
The article also references well-known aspects of Pearlman’s history, such as the accusations made against him in a 2007 report published by Vanity Fair.
Steve Mooney, a hopeful singer who worked as Pearlman’s assistant and resided in his home for a period of two years, revealed to the outlet, “There were some guys who made jokes about it; I recall one singer asking me, ‘Has Lou tried to take advantage of you yet?’”
“It is clear to me that the man was a sexual predator. Every single person with talent was aware of Lou’s intentions. If they claim otherwise, they are not being truthful with you.”
Viewers at home have noticed that Dirty Pop has not delved into this topic in great detail.
“Despite the overwhelming response and success of Quiet on the Set, I had hoped they would delve into exposing Lou’s disturbing behavior,”one Redditor remarked. “However, the only statement made was from a man who identified as asexual.”
Another individual concurred, stating that while the interviews were well done, the journalism lacked depth and felt superficial. It was more of an introductory piece, and they wondered if there would be a follow-up.
To discover more about true crime, learn about the current whereabouts of Jonathan Meijer, also known as the ‘Man with 1000 kids’, watch the latest Andrew Tate documentary, and find out about the fate of Phil Spector.
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