In the "Janet Jackson" documentary, the singer's "Fame" costar Debbie Allen makes an appearance. ", "First they were saying my niece Brandi was my daughter and that I gave her to [brother] Jackie to raise and then because Randy's daughter looks so much like me, they started saying it was Stevanna," Janet recalled. Her mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (ne Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western Jackson reflects on her failed marriage to James DeBarge, their fights over his alleged drug use and persistent rumors Janet's sister raised their secret love child. I cared so much for him, and I saw the good in him as well, and I just wanted that to take precedence as opposed to this ugliness. The superstar believes the rumor began when she was filming the 1980s television show, Fame. And Im sitting in the hotel room in Grand Rapids, Michigan by myself, just 18, and for three hours, he never came back. After decades of rumors about Janet Jackson and James DeBarges daughter and claiming they had a secret child before their divorce, the conspiracy theories were officially dropped. And then because [my brother] Randys daughter looks so much like me, they started saying it was Stevanna.. Jackson acquiesces that her surname is a proverbial blessing and curse. Footage of Jackson rehearsing video choreography with Paula Abdul who also worked with TheJacksons on their Torture video is endearing. Subconsciously, when it comes to relationships, somehow I'm attracted to people that use drugs. What's more, Bunny said that Tiffany was one of about 10 women who contacted her family claiming to be the secret child in what Bunny called "fame seeking.". WebJanet Damita Jo Jackson is an American singer, songwriter, actress and the youngest sister of pop legend, Michael Jackson. "She's just always been so extremely private and is laying low, and I just wish her all the best," Perry said. But I wasnt the help that he needed.. That was the first red flag for Janet, who spent many nights searching the streets for him, often as late as 8 oclock in the morning. I was just incredibly innocent, Jackson said of the relationship. DeBarge also said he believed that Renee resented her situation and the fact that her mother did not acknowledge her. For, the couple has welcomed their first child. Cause I knew that he needed help. Jackson only In the documentary, Janet says, point blank, "I could never keep a child from James. ", The marriage had a negative affect on her professional life as well, as Debbie Allen recalled her being closed off while working on "Fame" and Janet admitted "there were a lot of times I was late for work. Tom Sizemore's family told there's "no further hope" after aneurysm The Instagram post included pictures of the new parents in the hospital and two photos of the newborns face. The two-night, four-hour "Janet" event airs Friday and Saturday night on both Lifetime and A&E. ET has reached out to Jackson for comment. By signing up, you agree to our Janet Jackson addressed a long-circulating rumor that she had a secret love child with ex-husband James DeBarge whom she gave to one of her siblings to raise. Legendary performer Janet Jacksons life will be explored this weekend in a two-part documentary event airing on Lifetime and A&E. After they eloped to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they were married by DeBarges uncle I even remember putting a ring on my finger and putting it on the wrong finger, said Jackson the groom left his bride alone on their wedding night. Both of them tried their best to be with each other. I would wait for James sometimes to pick me up and I mean wait, two-and-a-half hours late. It wasnt easy for us to see each other being that she was very well protected by her mom and dad, said DeBarge. by her father Joe Jackson, whose abusive methods turned her brothers into The Jackson Five. Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret, Janet said in an interview in her new documentary, Janet Jackson. Its been an exhausting and circuitous road from the 670-square-foot house in Indiana which housed the nine Jackson siblings and their parents to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which Jackson entered in 2019. James and the Jackson family kept everything real close, real tight, he told the station. But its the decade-worth of home video footage from Jacksons then-husband, Elizondo, that proves invaluable. She says that, at the time, she was taking birth control pills, which caused her to gain weight. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. I mean, she was there with us all day, every day. Janet Jackson, a two-night four-part documentary, premieres on Jan. 28 at 8:00 p.m. EST on Lifetime. Her first marriage, to singer James DeBarge, ended in divorce after a year. Here are more highlights from the documentary: While Jackson and the dulcet-toned DeBarge singer were only married for a year, tittle-tattle has persisted for decades that Jackson gave birth to a daughter with James,with sister Rebbie recruited as Jacksons proxy in motherhood. The two met when the sibling group DeBarge made its debut on Soul Train while Jackson was there with sister LaToya and brother Jermaine. I dont know where that ridiculous idea came from.. And its just hurtful for someone to see that and just try to take advantage of it Its still painful., In a 2016 appearance on Growing Up Hip Hop, in which his daughter, Kristinia DeBarge, was a cast member, DeBarge himself seemed to confirm the rumor. Her mother, Katherine Esther Jackson (ne Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a country-and-western .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Janet Jackson's ex-husband, singer James DeBarge, just dropped an alleged baby bombshell. Young DeBarge, 28, said he has recently finished an album. Debbie Allen, who led the TV series as Lydia Grant, remembers being taken aback by their co-stars speculation, too. Speculation about a secret child began swirling as soon as James and Janet broke up. "I couldn't believe it. It seems no matter where Janet Jackson turns, she deals with control in some form or another. Brady: Janet Jacksons Super Bowl Nipplegate was good for the NFL, Justin Timberlakes zodiac sign powers one of the worlds richest singers, There are 30+ shows coming to MSG in 2023. Janet Jackson has dismissed a long-running rumour that she had a secret child with her first husband, James DeBarge, during the year they were married. Subconsciously, when it comes to relationships, somehow Im attracted to people that use drugs.. Born on August 22, 1963, as the seventh child to Robert DeBarge Sr. and Etterlene Abney DeBarge, James Curtis DeBarge also hails from a musical family that became famous in the early 1980s. } Let us all welcome to the world Leodis Andrellton Jackson. Still, even though DeBarge appears in Janet Jackson. In January 2017, Janet and Wissam's son, Eissa Al Mana, was born. On Monday, the veteran star announced that she and partner Darius Jackson had their first child over the weekend. And Debbie Allen, Jacksons co-star at the time in Fame, registers incredulity at the idea. They later eloped, but their marriage was annulled in 1985. Sign up for notifications from Insider! Here's why. "There were a lot of nights I would go searching the streets looking for him. And the shy sweethearts bonded over both coming from musical families while talking on the phone. Crying, she then told her producer, "I don't want to talk about this anymore. In 1984, "That's The Way Love Goes" singer Janet Jackson was just 18 when she eloped with fellow musician, James DeBarge, part of the R&B group DeBarge. display: none; I could never do that, thats not right." The "Janet Jackson" documentary premieres its second set of episodes on Saturday, January 29, on Lifetime and A&E. Jacksons denial could be construed as oblique. Addressing the long-standing rumor in part two of her upcoming documentary, Jackson dispelled the claim that she and James DeBarge had a child in Kiss announce farewell tour set to conclude in NYC We found 107 80s acts on tour in 2023. Who are they? Download theGrio.com today! 2005 The Associated Press. And back then, you could pick up weight taking them, and thats what happened to me. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Janet Jackson denies long-standing rumors that she secretly had a baby with ex-husband James DeBarge in the 1980s in her new documentary. The pair were married when Jackson was 18 and DeBarge was 21. Some People Think The Claims Against Him Were Just a Distraction. ", Calling herself "just incredibly innocent" at the time, she added it was "hurtful for someone to see that and just try to take advantage of it and knowing you don't know any better and lie to you." Still, Bunny has contended in the past that she personally witnessed Jackson being pregnant. That has haunted the family a long time I think we all believe that James and Janet had a child.. 63,868, This story has been shared 55,186 times. Janet Jackson Breaks Silence On Rumored Secret Daughter With Ex James DeBarge Shortly after she married at 18, rumors swirled that Janet Jackson had a WATCH: EXCLUSIVE -- Janet Jackson Pregnant at 50: What a Fertility Specialist Says She Should and Shouldn't Worry About, "I'm tired of the secrecy," DeBarge tells his daughter, Kristinia, when she confronts him about an article she read in which he discusses the claims. That's not a life for anyone. Yes, that rumor still lingers propelled by In 2017, Debarge told Radar Online that the existence of his child with Jackson was "not a secret" and that a woman had contacted him to reveal herself as his daughter. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. "I remember going to Michigan, to Grand Rapids and his uncle, he was a pastor and he married us. In March 2017, James' sister Bunny DeBarge wanted to clear the air, so she reached out to Inside Edition, where all the classy air cleaning happens. We don't know how, but Etterlene thought then 31-year-old Philadelphia native Tiffany Whyte was the daughter of James DeBarge and Janet Jackson. I could never do that, that's not right.". So that rumor started going around., Given the turbulent nature of her marriage with James, which only lasted a year, the rumors of a secret daughter wasnt the only headline that came out of that era of Janets life. But it is., His sister, Bunny DeBarge, said the following year that her family still believes Jackson was pregnant by James when their marriage was annulled. But I wasnt the help that he needed., After one year, the couples marriage was dissolved. Two-Night, four-hour `` Janet '' event airs Friday and Saturday night on both Lifetime a. From Jacksons then-husband, Elizondo, that 's not right. `` Jacksons life will be explored this in! 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