Janet Jackson recalled the exact moment her bond with Michael changed: "He would laugh about..."
Beyond the glamour of the entertainment industry, Michael Jackson had a deeply troubled personal life. Jackson, who grew up with three sisters and five brothers, sadly had a complicated relationship with them. Janet Jackson is another member of the Jackson family who achieved significant success in the music industry. While not as globally renowned as Michael, she still made a notable impact on the music scene. However, Janet had her own struggles, especially the challenges of living in her brother Michael's shadow.
In her documentary titled 'Janet,' which aired in January 2022 on A&E and Lifetime, Janet revealed a darker side of her relationship with her brother Michael, as per the NY Post. "There were times when Mike used to tease me and call me names. Pig, horse, slut, or hog, cow," Jackson said. "He would laugh about it, and I'd laugh too, but then there was somewhere down inside that it would hurt," she continued. "When you have somebody say you're too heavy, it affects you."
Janet also reflected on the challenges of carrying the Jackson name, acknowledging the intense public scrutiny that came with it, especially during Michael’s controversies and legal battles. "It was frustrating for me," she admitted. "We have our own separate lives, and even though he's my brother, that has nothing to do with me." Despite this, she emphasized her loyalty to him, saying, "But I wanted to be there for him, to support him as much as I possibly could."
Janet also opened up about Michael's legal troubles that also affected her. Reportedly, in 1993, 13-year-old Jordan Chandler accused him of inappropriate conduct at his Neverland Ranch. The case was settled out of court in January 1994 for $23 million. Janet reflected on the impact of the settlement, stating, "Michael wound up giving money to the family. He just wanted it to go away, but that looks like you're guilty." The scandal also affected her career, as she revealed, "When that came out, Coca-Cola said, 'No, thank you.' Guilty by association. That's what they call it, right?" Despite the controversy, she and Michael later collaborated on a song 'Scream,' which addressed his public trials.
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Janet also recalled that a shift in her relationship with Michael began in 1982 when his 'Thriller' album catapulted him to superstardom, as per Wusa9. "I remember really loving the Thriller album, but for the first time, that's when I felt it was different between the two of us, that a shift was happening," she said. "He would always come in my room, and we'd talk, and this particular time, he came in my bedroom. Neither of us said a word to each other, and then he got up and left. That's the time Mike and I started going our separate ways. He just wasn't as fun as he used to be." While the siblings may have had a strained relationship, Janet paid tribute to her late brother on the 14th anniversary of his passing. The Black Cat' singer paid homage by sharing a heartfelt photo of them, per Telegrafi. She posted the image, featuring the siblings smiling by a window overlooking the city skyline, accompanied by a simple white heart emoji.