Janet Jackson is bearing it all in her upcoming Lifetime documentary. The special will air over two nights beginning Jan. 28. The documentary is in celebration of the 40th anniversary of her hit single “Control.” She touches on several personal and professional topics throughout the series, including the allegations against her bother, Michael.
“There’s a great deal of scrutiny that comes with having that last name,” the Damita Jo singer says in the documentary as shown in an extended trailer. The clip also features footage of the Michael famous Neverland Ranch and him leaving a courthouse with Janet and their mom after a day of court proceedings. When Janet is asked if the “allegations” affected her, career-wise, she responds, “Yeah,” she said. “Guilty by association. I guess that’s what they call it, right?”
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Michael addressed the allegations in the only way he knew how, via song. In 1995, he teamed up with Janet for their only commercial duet, “Scream.” Janet told MTV News in 2009 that Michael was inspired to write the song because of the fallout from the allegations, being harassed by media and extorted in multiple ways.
“‘Scream,’” there was so much going on at that time,” she said. “That’s when the — I hate to say this, but — the first allegations [of child molestation] came out and the whole bit. He was very upset and very angry and he had so much pent-up in him that he wanted to get out and say. And when you listen to the lyrics, that’s what it’s about.”
Janet says the lyrics to the song have a dual meaning for her. She too faced her only scrutiny from the media for her support of Michael. “I played the role that I’ve always played in his life: his little sister that was there by his side, that had his back no matter what,” she said. “That’s what ‘Scream’ was for me.”
Janet also speaks on the hit her career took after the infamous wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl, while Justin Timberlake remained unscathed. Janet is a co-executive producer on the documentary, with her brother Randy.
