A stunningly beautiful, 43 year old, Janet Jackson finally broke her silence in an interview with ABC’s Robin Roberts. For the first time ever, Janet allowed Robin Roberts, television cameras and the world into her Malibu, California home. Janet spoke on how the family tried to intervene on Michael’s behalf but to no avail. A very poised, demure yet quietly confident, Janet is still very torn over Michael’s death. She admits not having seen the blockbuster movie about the King of Pop, “This is It”. “I don’t know if I will ever see it but I definitely can’t see it right now…too soon, too hard”.
Was Michael in denial? “I wish he could answer this question for you and not me. I felt that he was in denial.” “You can’t make ‘em drink the water. … I’m a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer — but it’s, it’s something that you can’t do for them. Something they have to do for themselves.”
Do you believe Dr. Conrad Murray is to blame for Michael’s death: “He was the one that was administering. I think he is responsible. … The truth always prevails. that’s the way that I see it.”
Should Dr. Murray be practicing?: “No, I don’t, not at all. So this can happen to someone else, another family?”
On helping Michael with drug addiction Janet references helping her first husband James DeBarge with his addiction: “It kinda goes back to my first relationship, something that you have to want. … it’s something they have to want.”
On marrying James DeBarge at a young age: “I wanted to be on my own and get out of the house. We were the kind of kids that — we — obeyed our parents, really obeyed our parents. If they said no, you don’t ask why. You just understand that it’s no.”
James DeBarge’s drug addiction was responsible for their breakup:: “He was my first love and very much so. And there was a lot going on in our relationship, a lot going on with him, I should say. And — just being so young and not really — not really knowing what life is really all about, just beginning to explore life and wanting to — help him, thinking I could change him, if I only could do this and that, and not realizing that it was something that he had to do and want for himself.”
On speculation about being married to Jermaine Dupri or still dating him: “I know people thought we were.(married) … I just heard that today. Someone said to me, or just yesterday, someone said, ‘You engaged,’ and I said, ‘Who am I engaged to?’ And they said to Jermaine. I said, ‘Oh, I am?’” “I adore him. Absolutely adore Jermaine. Love him to death and we’re still very good friends to this day. Very good friends, but that’s all I’ll say.”
On Michael’s children: “They’re well, very well. …They’ve been able to deal with it…they’re still kids. Honestly, they’re doing very well.”
On Michael: “It will get better over time but that pain will still always be there. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think about him.” The phone’s going to ring and I’m going to hear “Dunk, its me”.
Janet has a new CD out with all her hit songs “Number Ones”. “Its classic me, dance, upbeat, lots of harmonies”. I wish Janet all the best as she continues discovering herself, her womanhood and living life without her brother Michael Jackson.
