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Janet Jackson

 

Lisa Robinson’s “There Goes Gravity: A Life in Rock and Roll” autobiography

In the 1980s, in a lengthy talk to promote her solo album Control, Janet Jackson told me that the nasty tabloid press coverage of Michael was just part of show business. “Michael told me that when you hear bad things about yourself,” she said, “just put your energies into something else. Put it into your music—it’ll make you stronger… So many stars do [some plastic surgery], but the press picks on certain people. I think if more people could afford it they’d do it too. I see nothing wrong with it. Aging is a sad thing. I don’t see anything wrong with staying young as long as you can.”

“Rock & Soul” magazine (September 1984)

But along with the presents, protectiveness, and plain old brotherly love, comes a lot of teasing as well. A brother wouldn't be a brother (even if his last name is Jackson) if he didn't tease his baby sister.

"I'm used to it", laughed Janet, who interprets the teasing as a show of love. "Marlon is a big tease and kids me constantly. So does Michael. In fact, Michael gave me my new nickname. You won't believe it, but my nickname is now Slaughter Hog."

A nickname like Slaughter Hog seems totally off the wall. Even Janet isn’t too sure how Michael came up with it.

"I was walking down the hall at our home", reported Janet, “and I heard someone just cracking up laughing behind me. It sort of echoed down the hallway. I turned around and said, 'Who is that?' I heard a voice say Slaughter Hog. It was Michael and he was laughing, just cracking up in laughter. He said. 'That's your new nickname — Slaughter Hog.' He turned around and started walking down the steps, laughing the whole time. I thought. 'Oh well, another nickname." But I don't mind.

“Bop” magazine (1984)

His encouragement sometimes takes the form of teasing where weight control is concerned, and baby sister Janet is often the target for good-natured Michael!

"Michael's a tease", says 18-year old Janet, who will be a regular on the television series "Fame" next season.

"But I don't mind. When you are the baby in a family of nine, you get used to teasing, and I like it! Michael will definitely get on me about my weight, though. I have a tendency to gain a little, especially in my booty. I can't help it. It's just the way I'm built, and besides, I love food--French, American, Italian, you name it and I love it!

"Anyway, Michael will come right out and tell me I'm getting fat. Or he will make cracks about my behind. It's all good-natured and I know he is just trying to help me. But we can't all be like Michael. He eats healthy food and he burns a lot of calories up because he has so much energy and is always on the go. I admire him for his discipline."

..."I became a vegetarian, because I didn't want to feel left out. Everybody else had converted, so I decided to do it, too. It was hard to give up steaks, but I did it and Michael really encouraged me. He's lucky he stays so thin without much trouble. Sometimes I think it's easier for guys. I know it is in our household!"

 “Larry King Live” (March 16, 2008) (archived)

KING: Michael has said he didn't have a childhood.

JACKSON: Yes, for sure.

KING: All right, now, that's sad, don't you think?

JACKSON: Yes, of course it is. Yes.

KING: You want to be like a normal kid.

JACKSON: But that -- you know, it's kind of like a catch-22. That was normal for me, as well. Like I saw it with my brothers and then I got into it. But, once again, I still had a, you know, a little taste of the other side, as well.

...KING: What do you make of the anniversary of Thriller?

JACKSON: It's huge. It's big, number one everywhere. Good for him. Twenty five years, how fast did that go by?

KING: When that came out, when it was recorded, did you think it would be what it became?

JACKSON: I knew I loved it. I knew that I loved it. As a matter of fact, he played, as he always did when we were very close growing up, and every time he would complete a project, he would play the entire album. He had a great sound system in his car. We would sit in the car and we would listen to the album from front to back. I loved every song I heard.

...KING: A number of years ago, you and Michael did a musical video together called Scream. Let's take a look.

KING: What was it like working with him?

JACKSON: We had fun. That was our first time ever working together since we were kids, and he had asked me when I had done the Rhythm Nation album to do a song with him, but I wouldn't.

KING: Why not?

JACKSON: I hadn't felt like I came into my own yet. I didn't want anyone to think I was riding his coat tails. So then I did the Janet album and I was on tour and I got a call, dunk -- That's my nickname from my family, one of my nicknames. Dunk, let's do something together. I said all right. This time, I feel I'm ready.

KING: Where does Dunk come from?

JACKSON: Do you really want to know?

KING: Yes.

JACKSON: From a donkey. See now -- My body was shaped like a donkey. I got teased a lot as a kid. I got called a lot of names.

KING: Including Dunk?

JACKSON: Dunk, pig, cow, slaughter hog, horse.

KING: That had to be a lot of laughs. That was very good for you.

JACKSON: Laughs for somebody.

...Larry King: Michael never had dance lessons?

JACKSON: None of us. My brother Jackie and my sister Rebie, when they were kids, they used to enter dance contests and won every single one of them. No, we never studied dance or anything. Just watched musicals and see a dance scene of Fred Estaire or Ginger Rogers or Eleanor Proulin (ph), just start tapping.

 

“Piers Morgan Live” (February 15, 2011) (archived)

Mike and I were very close. We used to go to this restaurant called Love's, I don't think it's there anymore, and we used to get a ton of dinners. And we'd drive around in the car looking for homeless people to give them to.

"We used to do it all the time, and just give them food. And one guy said, 'I don't want your stinking food!' And I was like, 'Let's get out of here!' He (Michael) was the one who was driving and I was the one passing out the food. But that's the only time there was any sort of rejection."

 

“Hollywood Bulletin” (November 9, 2010) (archived)

“If Michael were a color, he would be not one color but all the colors,” she said. “He represented so much for me. We were very close growing up and I remember nothing but good times. We were very, very close growing up. There were times when he was my teacher. There were times when he was my best friend. There were times when he was my brother. There were times when he was like a producer or a partner in writing. We’d sit and create songs together just for fun. We’d do fun, little, silly melodies that you never forget through your life.

“I remember that as kids – my brother Randy, Mike and me – we had many chores around the house. After dinner, we’d have to clean the kitchen. So we’d each take a job. I’d do the dishes; Mike would sweep the floor; Randy would be cleaning up all the center tops and that’s when we would create music. We’d create a song, melody. We’d create lyrics. We’d do three-part harmony. So it was fun. We made it fun. We just had nothing but good times.”