The Janet Jackson documentary was recorded over 5 years, starting with her eighth tour back in 2017. Night one of two-night documentary event premiered on January 28th. Here’s some of the highlights of what we learned from the Janet documentary.
The documentary is pretty thorough, almost surprisingly so. A lot was learned from the Janet documentary. You get a pretty detailed look at Janet’s childhood and we get to see her come into her own with her Control album on night one. We also learn about her first two serious relationships/marriages.
Night One:
Janet was born in Gary, Indiana, but explained that she was so young living in the 2 bedroom family home with her 2 parents and 8 siblings, that she didn’t remember where she slept or much other parts of her childhood.
Prior to filming the documentary she had not been to Gary since she was about 8 years old.
Tito Jackson revealed that he taught himself how to play his father’s guitar and his brothers would sing along as he played. Their mother knew and had an idea that they had talent that could grow into something, but it wasn’t until Tito popped a string on the guitar that their father found out. Initially, he was furious, but after their mother made Tito play, he quickly saw the potential.
After they moved to Los Angeles they would throw parties at the house. Janet and Randy revealed that David Bowie was the first person to offer them drugs. “Michael and I are sitting in one of the other rooms away from the party and Bowie walks in. He offered us some of what he was doing to get high. We didn’t know what it was… no thank you.” – Randy
There was a petition to get the Jacksons to move out of their Los Angeles neighborhood because they were Black.
Janet says she doesn’t remember being asked to be in the Jackson 5 residency show in Vegas. She was just put into it and she became a major part. “After that first show I was fine, I was never nervous again…” Janet did 2 shows a night at 7 years old.
Janet accidentally left a recording of her singing in the studio. She was playing around, but Randy, Michael and her father heard it and her father decided that she would sing. Janet says she never wanted to, she wanted to go to college and study business law. She even told interviewers that she wanted to go to Pepperdine.
Janet Jackson started dating James DeBarge when she was 16 years old, even though they knew each other from a young age. She married him at 18 years old.
Says she didn’t want to do the show “Fame,” but it was her father’s choice. Joe was still her manager at the time.
Janet’s second husband René Elizondo documented 10 years of her life, which people didn’t get to see until this documentary.
Night Two:
At the time Janet Jackson signed the biggest contract for a female artist for $40 million on Virgin Records.
Janet almost signed a deal to be the spokeswoman for Coca-Cola in the early 90s, but right as it was about to happen, the first Michael Jackson allegation came out and Coca-Cola subsequently backed out the deal.
Janet revealed that she started developing weight issues when she was 10 years old working on ‘Good Times’. As she was growing breasts they would tape her chest down in order to make her look younger.
She also explained that she is a stress eater.
Janet revealed that although she loved Jermaine and they were even engaged, they ended up breaking up because 1) she heard he was cheating, 2) he was a workaholic and really didn’t have enough time for a girlfriend.
Jermaine basically admitted to cheating, saying that women wanted him more because he was dating Janet.
Images courtesy of Lifetime/A&E
What are some of the highlights of what you learned from the Janet documentary?? Let us know in the comments.
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