New York — Celebrity talk show host Oprah Winfrey waded into the Michael Jackson debate Monday, hosting an hour-long interview of the men who say the late superstar sexually abused them as minors.

The special aired on HBO after the conclusion of the network's presentation of a bombshell four-hour documentary entitled "Leaving Neverland," which has thrown the late Jackson's legacy into question nearly a decade after his death.

Calling sexual abuse "a scourge on humanity," Winfrey said "this moment transcends Michael Jackson. It's much bigger than any one person."

Winfrey -- channeling her decades of experience as one of America's foremost talkshow hosts -- unpacked how Jackson's accusers began to identify themselves as victims, and why they remained silent for so long.

Robson said he had testified in 2005 on behalf of Jackson, who was ultimately acquitted of those sexual abuse charges, because "if I was to question Michael and my story with my Michael, it would mean I would have to question everything in my life."

James Safechuck, 41, told Winfrey how Jackson "would cry for you, or he would cry because he's so lonely. You want to be there for him."

But fatherhood and seeking help encouraged them to speak candidly about their experiences, they said. — AFP