Janet Jackson Opens Up About Brother Michael’s Death In Harper’s Bazaar Cover Story
September 10, 2009 by TJ
Filed under Magazine Covers, News
Janet Jackson - Harper's Bazaar (click to enlarge)
It’s been more than two months since Michael Jackson died suddenly at the age of 50 and many of his family members have spoken out.
His father, Joe Jackson, has given countless interviews and brother, Jermaine Jackson, has appointed himself somewhat of a spokesperson for the grieving family, but the one person many had hoped to hear from — the King of Pop’s baby sister Janet Jackson — has been relatively silent, until now.
Janet breaks her silence in an intimate interview with Harper’s Bazaar magazine. She admits since Michael’s passing, she’s shied away from watching television to avoid “going crazy” from seeing the media frenzy over who and what caused her brother’s death. “People can have rhinoceros skin, but there’s a point when something’s going to hurt you,” she told the magazine. “Not everyone is stone, stone. I haven’t watched the news in weeks. I had to ask my chef, How’s Obama doing? I haven’t read a newspaper. On top of that, [we've lost] a family member.”
She recalls the last time she saw Michael, just days before her 43rd birthday at a family celebration in May. “We had so much fun that day. We kept calling each other after and saying how great it was.”
While Janet gathered her strength to address fans briefly at the 2009 BET Awards just three days after Michael died, she chose not to speak at his public memorial on July 7 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Michael’s daughter, Paris Katherine, did speak, calling her father “the best daddy you could ever imagine,” a moment that made Janet “really proud.”
She admits throwing herself into her work — which includes a new album due next spring — has helped her deal with the grief, but has a hard time speaking of her brother in the past-tense. “My brother is, I mean was,” she slips up. “You have to forgive me, because it’s really hard to believe he’s passed.”
The interview does have its lighter moments, like when Janet remembers Michael’s simple style, how he began wearing his signature singular white glove, and her newly found acceptance of her mega-watt smile.
The issue is on newsstands now. To read the feature and see pictures from the cover shoot, visit Harper’s Bazaar’s website.
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oh this is sad. Very hard to do I can imagine.