The Jacksons 2004

[updated in 2009 with added chapters]
 
 
35. The Press


  One of the biggest problems with which my family had to fight for many years it's the press. It is a dilemma because on the one hand it is necessary, on another it would be quite good to manage without it.

   You in fact know, that my family did not stand the former Latoya's manager Jack Gordon. He has brought to her and us a lot of sorrow, and I just cannot express, how glad I am, that she has left this person. To tell the truth, we feel the consequences till now.

   Let's start with the theme of the cruel treatment with children. I do not remember anymore, did Latoya made it up or it was Michael but it very much oppresses me.

   Let's return to when Michael was small. Already in 2 years he was much more developed, than other children at this age. We already had 4 boys and 2 girls, therefore it was rather tiresome - to have a 7th the child who was cleverer than all of us taken together. Anyway, it cost big efforts to us, to keep on him a tight rein. When I, tired, after my 2 jobs sat in the living room, sometimes happened, that Michael played basketball with his little bottle and used my head instead of a basket. Certainly, I could not become angry about it, he did not want to hurt me and it was fun, but I have understood, that sometime later I have to accept drastic measures.

   In 3 years Michael continued to play basketball and then he started to use a shoe for this purpose. But I too became more skilled and in time evaded. I and Katherine already then have agreed, that she punishes girls, and I the boys, therefore I slightly tweaked his ass, not too hard, simply that he knew, that he cannot do it.

   When Michael was 4, he already could run so quickly, that had time to slip away from me before I could spank him. He simply crept under a bed, and there nobody could reach him. After a while we already laughed to death again, when he again did something stupid and a big dressing-down waited for him.

   I never touched Latoya, it was Katherine's business. Therefore you can imagine yourselves how strange it has sounded for my wife and I when there have appeared messages, that we beat our children. One snow ball can cause an avalanche, but it is important for me, that the public has found out the truth.

   Thus I rushed from one extreme measure to another, tearing apart between the desire to address to cameras and make a statement, or simply to keep quiet, not to give new food for the rumors.

   Many people at all do not realize, that these charges are senseless. Since the 60s my boys grew, so to say, in front of everyone's eyes and if I treated them bad, it would not remain unnoticed. Besides small Michael was so faster than me, that I hardly could follow him.

   When Michael became the superstar, he complained, that he did not have childhood. Certainly, I accustomed him to work. But in fact there are children who do not have even a chance to work because they die from under eating or epidemics. And certainly, he did not play with neighbour's children, but eventually he had many brothers and sisters, and he has never found out of a loneliness of an only child. My children always played together in a garden or home. So I cannot feel any sympathy. At our place always, on a regular basis there was a domestic meal on the table, there were clothes, roof beyond the head and parents who remained together, loved and encouraged children, promoted the development of their talent. And it exactly led Michael to that he became the best artist in the world.

   I have been destroyed, when Michael has told Oprah that had vomited when he saw me. Michael has to be grateful for everything that has dropped out on his share in the childhood. Today, there are so many black children at all do not know, who their father is. And if he has a problem that he had to work so much since the childhood, he had to solve it privately and not publicly say such things.

   He and Latoya have to understand how stupid sounds something like that. Katherine and I have created a basis that they could achieve their dreams. They probably take it for granted, because they do not know how is it - not to have parents who love you. But anyway, whatever they say, it never could prevent me from helping them in future.

   To tell the truth, I till now have not overcome, what was been told about Michael during that time when Chandler accused him. I can cope with it, if the media slings mud at me, but to claim, that Michael sexually molested a child, it's already too much. In the certain sense, the media has harmed Michael, the same as the people who accused him.. Even in an article of a good journalist it always was possible to read between the lines, that Michael has done something incorrectly. Nobody has taken into account, that the reason for charges was avidity.

   I will give you an example of an appearance of similar false reports. When Michael and Lisa-Marie have divorced, one journalist from B.R.E., Steve Ivory, has talked about it in front of the camera. He had no clue, what was he speaking about, because he is absolutely not familiar neither with Michael, nor with Lisa-Marie, but he claimed, that scientologists - the church to which Lisa-Marie belongs - have forced her to leave Michael. Ivory has declared in that program that he knows Michael since the 70's, but this is complete lies! Maximum, he could get familiar with him as with an artist - on a stage and during rehearsals, but in fact it is far from the meaning, that he is friends with him and knows, what happens in Michael's private life.

   Similar things constantly happen if musical journalists get confused in rumors around Michael's life. It has very much angered me, because Michael's lawyers have informed everybody on divorce, and it was clear, that despite of divorce, Lisa-Marie and Michael have remained friends. Besides it's nobody business, to what church Lisa-Marie belongs, and it seems to me awful when someone who does not know her at all, claims, that her church put pressure upon her so she'd divorce.

   However, Ivory also has declared, that Michael has a problem to live together with someone. Probably, he judges others according to himself. In any case, he had not even a slightest clue why they have divorced at all, and Michael is very much in a condition to share his life with somebody. It is simply mean to say similar things about a couple which till now is very close.

   It is even stranger, when some journalists in general do not have any feeling of tact. For example Tony Panzera many years worked in "Soul" magazine. When Panzera has left, many photos suddenly were gone from the archive of the magazine. Some of these photos including Michael's children's photos, have emerged then in the book which Panzera has written. Ivory as ghost-writer, certainly because of money, of course participated in the writing of this book. However later he has accepted the offer of Michael's press-agent, to write Michael's musical biography. On the one hand, he has taken money from Panzera for the contribution to the book which is read as a tabloid article, and then he has accepted money from Michael's record company for that he will write about the peaks of my son's career. And toward the end he also spreads disgusting rumors on TV.

   It is disgusting to me, when people declare themselves judges above our family. Ivory and Panzera are only 2 examples of infringements with which we constantly struggled. Most of all it would be pleasant to me, if the reporters would be limited to that they would inform on music, films and performances of my children, instead of making up stories about what happens in their private life.