Showtime to Air Documentary About Pivotal Moment in George Michael's Career

By Rich Juzwiak | September 18, 2017 | 9:40pm

Entertainment

In 1990, George Michael risked throwing his immense fame away for the sake of his artistry. He was tired of being a commodity, and instead of merely complaining, he actually did something about it. Coming off the phenomenal global success of his solo debut Faith, he recorded a mostly downcast, singer-songwriter album Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1, refused to appear in any of its videos, and threatened to never let himself be photographed again. So much of his ethos at the time is documented in the single “Freedom ’90”:

I think there’s something you should know

I think it’s time I told you so

There’s something deep inside of me

There’s someone else I’ve got to be

Take back your picture in a frame

Take back your singing in the rain I just hope you understand

Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

Why one of the biggest stars of the ’80s would turn his back on superstardom and the audacity such a move took will be explored in George Michael: Freedom, a documentary premiering Saturday, October 21 on Showtime. Variety reports that this is an authorized doc narrated by Michael and as such is his “final work” completed before his untimely death last year.