The “Vanguard Award” added Michael Jackson’s name in 1991.
However, there were rumblings from Jackson detractors who called for MTV to change the name of the award that the network says is the “VMAs’ highest honor.” It doesn’t look as if the network will be removing Jackson’s name anytime soon, a move that Wade Robson calls “an unfortunate choice.”
“I don’t personally need MTV to do one thing or the other, but as child abuse survivors all over the world watch to see whether society will support them or not if they have the courage to come forward, in that regard, it’s an unfortunate choice,” Robson said to The Wrap. Robson and a man named James Safechuck were featured on the documentary Leaving Neverland earlier this year. In the series, they described being “friends” with Jackson when they were small children and shared details of alleged sexual abuse by the King of Pop. Jackson passed away in 2009.
[via]