Interview With Jermaine Jackson
Aired January 9, 2003 - 21:00 ET
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, after his baby dangling shocked the world, Michael Jackson called it a terrible mistake. But it's hardly the first time he's making all of us wonder about what he's thinking.
Tonight his older brother Jermaine Jackson joins us to shed some light on his brother Michael and on growing up Jackson and a lot more. Michael Jackson's older brother Jermaine Jackson for the hour and your phone calls next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We welcome to LARRY KING LIVE tonight Jermaine Jackson, a return visit. He was with us sometime back. He was the man in the middle in the Jackson family. First came...
JERMAINE JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: Jackie.
KING: Second came...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Tito, myself, Marlon, Michael.
KING: So he's -- you're there right in the middle of the five. No. 3 on the Jackson prodigy of brother. And he's the older brother of Michael Jackson, as we said, musician, singer and businessman. Founder and CEO of Earth Care, a nonprofit organization trying to alleviate human suffering. We'll discuss that in awhile.
But basically we're here to discuss the Jacksons and -- well first, what was it like growing up Jackson? I remember when you -- I remember when you played Miami. You were just -- what was that like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That was...
KING: You were -- you were like the black Osmonds.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Oh, really?
No, it was wonderful. It was always someone to talk to. There was a lot of fun. We had a lot of things that we did that normal children do.
KING: Did the show business thing start like before Michael was born? Were you singing? What are the ages?
JERMAINE JACKSON: My God. During that time, I remember rehearsing ever since I was probably 9 or 10 and Michael being 5 or 6.
KING: Was it your father that drove all of you into the business?
JERMAINE JACKSON: My father and my mother, pretty much. My father, yes.
KING: Did you like it right away? Were you the kind of kid who liked...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, that's all we knew. We grew up in entertaining, loving music and wanting to be like the Motown artists and my father saw that and it started with Tito playing his guitar. And he broke a string. And my father noticed that Tito was playing this guitar, so he said, Well, show me what you know how to do. And so we started singing and playing and that's when he took that focus and just said, Well, I'm going to spend all my time working with this.
KING: You all have the same speaking voice, it seems, right?
Did you -- where did you learn to play bass?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I taught myself, but I was always just watching bass players like James Jamerson (ph) and Larry Graham from Sly and the Family Stone.
KING: So what -- Jermaine help me -- was the first big break that the Jackson 5 got that made you well known?
JERMAINE JACKSON: There was a lot of big breaks. But I say coming to Motown; Barry Gordy seeing what we had and having that vision. Golly. And Diana Ross -- Gladys Knight who really discovered us, who brought us there.
KING: Where did she see you work?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She saw us at a show in Chicago, I think, and then she brought us to Motown and we auditioned for all of these incredible stars.
KING: What was your first big TV appearance?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I would say probably "The Hollywood Special" and "The Ed Sullivan Show."
KING: Ed Sullivan was like news when he put you on, right? Here they are, the Jackson 5.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes.
He was incredible just watching him backstage. And i asked him a question. I said, Do you do this every show? because he would smoke a cigarette and then put it out right before they called him and step on it and walk out. It was great.
KING: Was Michael always -- once you got into this groove and Gladys Knight discovered you and now you're on television -- was he always like the centerpiece, that cute little boy with all that talent? JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael was unique from day one because his whole thing was just wanting to absorb one's mind and to sort of learn. He studies a lot. And he -- during the time it was I guess James Brown, and Joe Tex and a lot of the artists who moved a lot -- and Jackie Wilson. And just watching him from a young age.
I remember we went to a school PTA meeting. He sung "Climb Every Mountain." And that was the first time when we saw Michael had this ability to sing these notes that were just so high and...
KING: Yes, that's a tough song to sing.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It was just amazing. Amazing.
KING: The dancing -- was that trained or was that natural?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Natural.
KING: He never took lessons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Never took lessons.
KING: Vocal or dancing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Vocal or dancing. It's natural, man.
KING: Why did the Jacksons end?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, the Jacksons didn't end. What had had happened was, we had a wonderful run with Motown and the brothers felt that they wanted to write their own music and during the time, Motown had this very close group, Suzanne DePasse, Barry, Franz Mizel (ph), Deke Richards, Freddy Parande (ph). A group called "the corporation" who was writing all our music and....
KING: You wanted to be on your own more?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. We wanted to be on our own so they left and I stayed in the crib. A lot of hoopla.
KING: So when did the Jacksons break up?
JERMAINE JACKSON: The Jacksons. The Jackson really never really broke up. We've held that thing together so when Michael was...
KING: When Michael was a tour, there's someone from the Jacksons always involved?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. No. When Michael does a tour, Michael tours because he has such great success with "Thriller" and things like that. But it's just that the chemistry of just the original Jackson 5 coming back together is like magic for all of us.
KING: Do you get back together?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Not just on stage. Off stage as well. KING: You're still a very close group?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Very close.
KING: Let's -- we're here to discuss primarily Michael. We are going to discuss Earth Care and the like later.
Jermaine, what's with your brother? First, what do you make of that dangling incident in Germany?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I felt that he was caught up in the excitement and...
KING: What was the scene? People were outside the...
JERMAINE JACKSON: There were thousands and probably close to 60,000 people down there giving him the cheers and the love and he got caught up in the moment. And I think it's a lot to say it wasn't the wisest thing to do, but he loves his children. His intent was not to hurt his child in any way. He's a wonderful dad. And I think the media has taken things out of context. I really feel that.
KING: But he said it was a terrible mistake.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Right. Right. Right.
KING: Have you talked to him since?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We speak, yes.
KING: Do you speak a lot?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Would you say you're close?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We're brothers. We are close. We have to be close.
KING: I know some brothers who aren't close.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, we're close because -- I'll tell you what. We weren't raised to be not close. We were raised to -- family is so important to us and that's what has kept us to this point. I mean, growing up in Gary, having the morals and the principles and just the love for one another and the love for God is what enabled us to deal with Hollywood and all this stuff that's going on out here.
KING: How about Michael having his children wear red veils on an outing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I'll tell you, I think if he wants to do that, let him do it. The question is, when you have to keep your child contrived of being a child and seeing different things, Disney World, Disneyland, this and that. I mean, he wants to take his kids out. We all have to be careful with our children today because there's so much going on with kidnapping.
KING: But they're going to grow up in a weird world, in a sense. Weird may be the wrong word. But they're not going to see real life, are they?
JERMAINE JACKSON: They'll be because Michael instills the right things in them, although he has the ability to give them what they want. I was just there. And he's -- they're very disciplined kids.
KING: A couple years ago, I spent about half hour with your brother in a hotel room here in Los Angeles. He's the shyest person I have ever met.
Has he always been that way or is he different around family? Because he is shy. He hid behind the door -- he hid behind the door for like five minutes.
And he has that Batman thing. He has a Batman statue.
JERMAINE JACKSON: See what it is, with our family, on stage we're comfortable and small crowds it's sort of we feel a little uncomfortable. But on stage it's where we sort of feel very natural.
KING: Anything goes on stage, right? With Michael? He's like two different people on stage and off, isn't he?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Well, it's the electricity. It's that feeling that comes in your bones and you want to let it go. I mean, you want to give the people what they want.
KING: More of the saga of Michael Jackson, his brother Jermaine, the whole Jackson story. We'll be including your phone calls as well.
By the way, I taped an interview this afternoon with Sean Penn. It will air Saturday night on LARRY KING INTERVIEW. I urge you to watch it. Sean Penn. His only interview discussing his trip to Iraq.
Right back with Jermaine Jackson right after this. Don't go away.
KING: Are you close siblings? Are all of you in touch with each other? Is the Jackson family a close family?
JANET JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: You know, I still wish that we were a lot closer than what we truly are. The most important thing is that we're there for one another if we need each other. We stay out of each other's business. We've always been like that. We won't interfere or, you know, just come in between anything unless the other asks for us, you know, to intervene. But we've always been that way. I think the most important thing is that we are there. We know that we love each other and we're there for each other.
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KING: You would say amen to that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Amen. Amen.
KING: Michael has two children. And his custody, right? He has custody of the children?
JERMAINE JACKSON: They're always with him.
KING: That's what I mean?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: And you say he's an outstanding father?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Wonderful dad.
KING: Now, explain the unexplainable. It seems that drive all of us crazy about your brother. The plastic surgeries. What is that all about?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know, you have to say to yourself who hasn't? I mean, his whole thing is, if there's something that you feel that you want to change, and then you do that.
KING: Course you have a right to do it. Don't you think it's a little odd?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. Because we look at him. We hear him. We feel him. He's my brother. And that's what you go by.
KING: Why does he change so much?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, when you look at -- there are many people in the past who have done many things to themselves and they're not talked about like my brother is.
KING: They're not as famous as your brother.
JERMAINE JACKSON: True, but see, when you say that, they're not as famous, that's true. But when you look at how these things are taken out of context. There's so many other things.
KING: Like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Like, to sort of -- we're about to get engaged in a war and to cover a story like the way he looks and about the child, that's kind of a bit much.
KING: But he's become a major entertainment figure.
JERMAINE JACKSON: And it also has a lot of -- it has a lot of consequences and responsibilities, too. And still, when you look at just his level of consciousness and where he is, and his ability, I think it's done purposely to sort of just get him away from the masses, the people. And when you sort of come in between that, you betray someone as this character that's crazy. Just with all the things. Even those crazy allegations about child molestation. Pinning these things on my brother. He is my brother. He's a wonderful person.
KING: Discuss that. What was that like for him when he went through that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That was crazy. It was just crazy. Having someone to say, you give me $20 million or I'm going to make sure that you never sell another record in your life.
KING: That was the threat made to him.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It was extortion. It was all types of things. And then having the district attorney during the time to come to our house and break open medicine cabinets and safes and this and that. What were they looking for? And at the same time while all this is going on, I produced a show called the Jackson family honors. Michael comes out while all this is going and gets a 20-minute standing ovation to see the love and reception from the people. During the time -- our district attorney is watching this. He rose at the TV and said, we'll never get him. What it is, Michael's a powerful in his art, and that creates problems in other areas. And I do believe that there are attempts in people to try to discredit that. I mean even with...
KING: Why? Why do they have it in for Michael Jackson?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Larry, it is very deep. I can go back to way back, into into -- in which the conditions of we as black people were brought here and stripped of just our beliefs, our history, our culture. And then...
KING: This is a tragedy of America. There are other black entertainers.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But still, when you have someone on that level and then sort of taking away just your history and then you become one of the biggest stars in the world and he happens to be black. These things, they all add up. And then the way to discredit that today is to say all of these crazy things that are said in the press to make the public think, that he's finished, he's crazy, he's nuts. He's a talented person. He's a wonderful person.
KING: And he's a complex person. Obviously he is a complex person.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, but look, there was -- Michelangelo, who was very eccentric, very different, who dressed weird and this and that. They called Einstein weird, who is known as one of the greatest minds ever. William Shakespeare, who we still today can go see his plays and stuff.
KING: Genius has it. It's fair to try to examine it. In other words we look at someone like Michael Jackson.
JERMAINE JACKSON: True, but still. Look at his heart. Look at his music. Look at what he's done for people. Look at the influence. We've been influenced. And you have to say, he's a wonderful person.
KING: As brothers, concerning facial changes, when you ask him about it, obviously I would ask my brother if he changed a lot. Why are you doing this? What would he say?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, first of all, he has this skin disease and it's a discoloration of pigmentation of the skin.
KING: Didn't know that.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know that now. But still, it's like we talked about the surgeries and everything, and Hollywood is full of it. We know that. But that's not -- if I wasn't happy with something or if you wasn't happy with something, you would make a change.
KING: Why does he do it a lot?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He doesn't do it a lot. What it is is like -- that's not what we judge him on. We judge him on the person he is or his contributions to the world. If my brother was to go into politics and then that's something to be -- that's something that they would speak about because of the fact that his...
KING: He's asking for your vote.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: You're saying treat him as an entertainer.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Treat him as a human being.
KING: Hard to do. In this complex society. Of course it's hard to do.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But, you spoke to him. What did you think?
KING: I thought he was extremely shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Give me the answer. Forget about...
KING: He was very gentle and nice. He was gentle and very nice and very shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Thank you.
KING: On stage, he ain't shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: We'll be right back with Jermaine Jackson. We'll be going to your calls in a little while. Don't go away.
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MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: There have been many disgusting statements made recently concerning allegations of improper conduct on my part. These statements about me are totally false. As I have maintained from the very beginning I am hoping for a speedy end to this horrifying, horrifying experience to which I have been subjected.
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MICHAEL JACKSON: Just think, nobody thought this would last.
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KING: Michael Jackson and his ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley. Are they friendly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Very much.
KING: So even though the marriage ended, they're still remain friends.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Let's touch some other bases. Is he in a lot financial trouble?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: That's false reports?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That's false.
KING: Doesn't have a lot of debt and all that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's false
KING: OK. Some suggest his time as a major artist has passed. That music is now passe and we're in new eras of music and Michael Jackson is yesterday.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Who thinks that?
KING: I don't know. I'm just telling you critics sometimes say that.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Who are the critics? The media, right? That's not true.
KING: You're saying if he started a major tour tomorrow it would pack them in?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Larry, we, and Michael was part of this, we did a lot of work in the early years before the Jackson 5 of just getting the foundation down and just the training. And you're never finished until you're finished. And I think the tours, if we were to tour collectively as a family...
KING: Right now.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It would be through the roof. You would be there. It would be through the roof.
KING: Are you thinking about it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Very much.
KING: The Jackson family may reunite.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Jackson 5, yes.
KING: Reunite and tour.
JERMAINE JACKSON: A world tour this time.
KING: Starting this year?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, not this year because we got to get the product out.
KING: Next year?
He denounced the Sony record chief Tommy Mottola, who by the way resigned today from Sony and is forming his own company. They will do business with Sony, we understand, his new company. But he resigned as chairman of Sony. What do you make of that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I felt that a lot of these rumors started from Sony, these financial rumors and things like that. My brother is fine. I think it was a question of going after something greater than his last LP. I think it was a ploy to try to take his publishing and at the same time -- this is my opinion.
But I do feel that not just Michael saying what his sales were. There was Celine Dion, there was the "Men in Black" soundtrack album. There was Marc Anthony. Lot of artists weren't happy. To have the biggest artists in the world to make complaints about a record label like Sony, who's a major, major machine. What hope does that give other artists?
KING: Were you surprised that Michael spoke out?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Not really, no. Because he got to a point where he was just fed up to it and he wanted to show the world what was going on. This last album that he released was very good album, very good album, but they didn't get behind it. All this was part of a plan to discredit, to say he's finished...
KING: Why would they not want to get behind their own product?
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's a bigger price tag the publishing instead of the LP. We'll go into that later. It is a bigger price tag.
KING: Are you still friendly with Barry Gordy?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Barry Gordy is the reason why we are out here and wonderful person. I have shed a lot of wonderful years with him and my ex-wife, who is his daughter Hazel. We had a wonderful time.
KING: Are you working on a book?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. "Legacy: Surviving the Best and Worst. " Looking -- meeting with certain publishers seeing can we go that extra mile. Seeing who's willing to support a book tour world wide and things like that. It's about growing up. Growing up in Gary and our childhood and things that...
KING: Tough town Gary, Indiana, isn't it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, there were incidents like my brother Jackie, we would go into a market and he would say I'm going to get a cake today so be ready to run. He would get this spice cake and take it and we'd run across the field. And the store guy would be chasing us. We were running until our hearts about to pop out of our chests.
Just things. We did a lot of things that most people don't really know about. But the greatest thing of all growing up in Gary is that preparing us for Hollywood, which we didn't know during the time because we had the mother and father. We had the love in the family. We had the discipline from the father. We had the love. And just being before the street lights were out.
So once we got that break in the music industry, everybody was saying, is success going to destroy them? No, because we don't forget Gary what was it was like in that two bedroom house big as a two car garage. And that's what it's about.
KING: What is Michael's health like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: e's strong. He's healthy. He just had a spider bite which was very frightening.
KING: What was that all about? He was in court over that right? He couldn't come one day because of a spider bite. Did you see the bite?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He showed me the bite. It was unbelievable. He pulled me in a room and his pants leg up. I said, my God. He said, it looked well then. The spider was a brown recluse, I think, which is very poisonous. Swelled his hands up and his body, everything.
KING: Other than that, is he in good health?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's very strong. He's very strong. He doesn't have the muscle mass that I have, but he's very strong.
KING: Jermaine Jackson is the guest. We'll take a break, come back and go to your phone calls. The older brother of Michael Jackson, the founder and CEO of Earth Care. We will, promise, ask about that as well and all of that right after this.
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(SINGING)
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KING: Very talented? You were just back from St. Croix. Anything happening there with the Jacksons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We have a project there, robin bay in conjunction with Kurtis (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out of Hartford, Conneticutt. It's a beautiful project.
KING: You're building something?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, it's the biggest...
KING: Resort?
JERMAINE JACKSON: ... resort in the Caribbean. We got the support of the governor and lieutenant governor. It's a wonderful project. The first phase is 300-room hotel with...
KING: This is a new feel for you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, this is what I have been doing for the last 14 years now.
KING: Really? Michael interested in it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It's a family thing that we're doing.
KING: Before we got to the calls, you were in New York on 9/11?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes.
KING: How did you here about it? Where were you? JERMAINE JACKSON: We were in bed getting ready to catch a plane to go back home. We had just finished a show the night before for Michael's 30th. It was unbelievable. I think it was one of the brothers who said turn on the TV. Look at what's going on here.
KING: You're in a hotel.
JERMAINE JACKSON: We had our kids there and the whole entire family was there.
KING: Michael was there?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It was one of those moments where you say, what's going on so we finally got out. We arranged this huge buses and we drove. We drove from New York to L.A. It was one of the greatest times 'cause we got a chance...
KING: All the jacksons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We got a chance to stop in places. And go and walk into places. In Memphis and have sandwiches and people would say, is that Mrs. Jackson? They noticed my mother first. But it was lot of fun.
KING: Daytona Beach, Florida as we go to calls for Jermaine Jackson.
CALLER: Good evening, gentalmen. Coming from an entire family of megasuperstars, can you please share with the audience how your family has managed to stay out of the nightmare of drugs.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know, I was just speaking to Larry earlier. Family is so important. We've been very blessed to sort of have a very good upbringing. And the love for one another and the love for god. And not letting being in the business, but not being of it. It's very important and we're still able to...
KING: Yes, but how about the temptations?
JERMAINE JACKSON: The temptation. The love for children, the joy and things like that.
KING: No one in the family ever had a drug problem?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Never. Never. I mean, it's just something we don't believe in.
KING: Springfield, Virginia, hello.
CALLER: Hello, good evening, gentlemen. I'd like to know, with all the situations that surround Michael that you see happening to him, who is the person in the family that can -- that Michael either turns to or that can sit down and say, Michael, this isn't right? What were you thinking and dangling your son? Who could be almost straight up. You're being very supportive.
KING: Who's his rock?
JERMAINE JACKSON: His rock is his god.
KING: But is there no one...
JERMAINE JACKSON: His rock is his family. But at the same time, Michael -- Michael, his intent was not to hurt his child.
KING: He made a mistake. Who is it he would talk to?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He would talk to his mother, his father. Whoever the closest to him. At the same time, like I said earlier, we've all make mistakes. There was a time when we all used to toss our kids up in the air and catch them, but now that's not the thing to do.
KING: Is there someone he confides in more like the oldest brother.
JERMAINE JACKSON: He confides in all of us but at the same time, he was in Germany during the time. I'm pretty sure once he saw what the big wave of the media that was getting from that, he called my mother. But, no, my brother is not a crazy character. He's not the wacko Jacko that people say. He was caught up in the moment.
KING: Pleasington, California.
CALLER: Good evening. I happen to be lucky enough to see you perform in the San Francisco area in '73. And all nine of you were so talented. I was so impressed. My question is, how many nephews and nieces are there in the family now?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Wow.
KING: Yes, how many are there.
JERMAINE JACKSON: That's a tough question. There's always one coming. There's probably 25.
KING: Is Michael a good uncle?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Very much. He comes to get the children and they go to Toys "R" Us and they close the store down.
KING: They close the store for him?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: That's not normal.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But that's not what he's asking for. That's not what he's asking for. But if you go in the store and they say, do you want the store? But the bottom line is, the children have fun. And that's what's important.
KING: Good way to shop. Tampa, Florida, hello.
CALLER: Hello. I was wondering whether Michael Jackson's children like? Are they talented like Micheal? Do you anticipate them have a singing and having a singing career.
KING: How old are they?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I am not sure. I think Prince is probably five or six, and Paris is probably four.
KING: Do they show any musical talent?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, they're all talented all the time.
KING: I know.
JERMAINE JACKSON: You would have to speak to him about the development of his children, which we can try to make that happen for you.
KING: We're going to try to set that up.
KING: New York City, hello.
CALLER: Yes, hello. I'd like to say I'm a big fan. I'm from Michigan. I grew up listening to your group, Jackson 5 and I'm a big fan. But my question is, and you eluded to it earlier about the health. I am concerned about the number of surgeries that Michael's had on his nose. It looks as though it's been chiseled down to the bone, quite frankly. Does he have any health ramfications through that or from that.
KING: Fair question. We've all seen the nose. Just seems to...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Why do we keep barking on his nose?
KING: Because people like him.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, like him, love him for who he is.
KING: They care about him. If they think he has -- suppose god forbid he has a cancerous thing on the nose, would be people would be scared.
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's fine. When he told the world he had a problem with his leg, no one believed him. He's fine. He's fine.
KING: So he just keeps changing his nose.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, he doesn't keep changing, but he's fine. When I look into his eyes and I hear him and I feel him. That's the Michael.
KING: You're the brother. Jermaine Jackson.
By the way, what is Earth Care?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Earth Care is an organization that we started about two years now, we have a 501-c-3. We're busy focusing...
KING: The whole family or just you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Myself. I get the family involved once I get the table set.
KING: What's its purpose?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Purpose is to sort of challenge this AIDS problem that is around the world. Our focus is Africa right now. I had the opportunity of working with Larry Jones in Feed The Children. We opened up an abandoned baby center in Nairobi and doing housing and building clinics.
KING: It's an epidemic in Africa.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, it is.
KING: We'll be right back with Jermaine Jackson. The organization, by the way, is Earth Care. Can we get more information? Do you have a website?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Sure. Sure. I will get that for you.
KING: We'll be right back. Don't go away.
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KING: Looked like you had a good time doing that video. That was Jermaine. That was fun, huh?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: By the way, we asked about Lisa Marie. Does Michael keep in touch with Debbie Rowe, his second wife?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm pretty sure, yes. Yes. But those are questions that you should ask him.
KING: Because he's got the children though, right?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Toronto, hello.
CALLER: Yes. Hi Jermaine. How are you doing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Pretty good. And you?
CALLER: Good, thanks.
Two quick questions. First, when you guys were growing up as the Jackson 5, how did Janet and LaToya take it?
And my second question is, with LaToya, is she still distancing herself with you guys or have you talked to her lately? And how's she doing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, well to answer your first question growing up as the Jackson 5, LaToya and Janet was pretty much watching and absorbing.
KING: No jealousy? They didn't want to make it the Jackson 7?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. No. But we were very -- just proud how Janet just came out there and just sort of soared and developed into this beautiful woman.
KING: Has LaToya mended fences or not?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Latoya is -- we're all together again. My mother is the happiest right now.
KING: When the Jackson tour next year, is it going to be the Jackson 5 or are the girls are going to go too?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I'll tell you . I wouldn't mind, the girls -- the whole entire family. But I have four other brothers that have to make that...
KING: As of now it's the Jackson 5, right?
JERMAINE JACKSON: ...that decision. Yes, but just to answer that question. LaToya is back with the family and we're very, very happy.
KING: Redding, California, hello.
CALLER: Hi. How are you doing, Mr. Jackson?
KING: Hi. Go ahead.
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm fine, thank you.
CALLER: OK. I want to know how is your mom's health doing? Is she doing OK?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She's fine, thank you. CALLER: Yes. And happy new year to both of you.
KING: Thank you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Happy new year to you.
KING: To Murray, Kentucky, hello.
CALLER: Hello. Jermaine, I'm just curious. When you're asked to talk about and defend Michael when he's buried under so many lies and rumors, do you ever get annoyed and or bothered by coming to his defense?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Do you know what it is? He's my brother. And when you know the difference and when you know things are like -- misconstrued and -- you want to say something and you want to speak from your heart.
It bothers me. I want to speak out and just say, Hey, it wasn't that way. But it bothers us, but we know why. It is because of just the level of success and where he is right now. This is a very pivotal point. And to have people dump on him all these things...
KING: But he's got a staunch friend and brother in you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm his brother. I will do whatever I have to do. Not just for him, for all my brothers.
KING: Whiteville, North Carolina, hello.
CALLER: Yes, Jermaine. I would like to know when you're going to do another solo album?
JERMAINE JACKSON: After we do the brothers album. Because I -- the focus is the family. And the brothers. That's what started all this.
KING: Your brothers are going to do an album. Then they're going to tour.
To Ft. St. John, British Columbia, hello.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. Love your show. Watch it every night.
KING: Thank you. Thank you.
CALLER: Hey, Jeremy, one question I've had is Elvis Presley. Is Michael a fan of his? Because they're so much alike.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, very much. We're fans of Elvis, too. We grew up watching his movies, everything. We like him.
KING: Did you ever meet him?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We met him one time in the elevator in...
KING: Vegas?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I think it was Tahoe. And he came and we were doing a show there. And he came in and we were coming down or some were going up. And he said -- something like, Oh, yeah, you Jackson boys.
But we were in awe because it's Elvis.
KING: Michael was there, too?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: It's Elvis. So it's the Jackson 5 and Elvis on this elevator? Just an ordinary little elevator trip.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: We'll take a break and be back with our remaining moments with Jermaine Jackson on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE.
Don't forget tomorrow morning James Van Prague returns. Get a lot of calls for Jim.
And Saturday night, make a note to watch, news weekend, special interview with Sean Penn. We'll be right back.
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KING: We're back. Mill Valley, California, for Jermaine Jackson. Hello.
CALLER: Good evening. Thank you for taking my call. Larry, if you could help direct this question. First of all the Jacksons have been fabulous. The question has to do with if you could define Michael's sexual orientation between asexual, bisexual, transsexual, or homosexual?
KING: She's gone through all the sexual things. I guess these rumors constantly persist. Michael, is he heterosexual?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael's a wonderful person.
KING: You don't want to comment on the sexuality?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael's a wonderful person. I'll leave that up to you. When you speak with him.
KING: OK. London, Ontario. Not a court. You don't have to respond. London, Ontario, hello.
CALLER: Yes, hi. First of all, I just want to say that I'm a huge fan. Thanks for taking my call. My question is, with so many celebrities having suffered at the hands of the media and so many security risks, I wonder what's involved in terms of security. I know as a huge fan of Michael and all the Jacksons, we're really concerned about his security. and if you could sort of touch upon what kinds of measures are being made or security as an issue.
KING: How well is he watched over?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's protected. He's very careful. But at the same time, he wants to enjoy himself. He wants to go and do...
KING: You can't have a normal life.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's tough for him.
KING: When you tour, you're going to have massive security, right? Touring, you're putting him in a different city every night.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. You'll be there.
KING: Is Elizabeth Taylor a special friend?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes, she is.
KING: Bowling Green, Kentucky, hello.
CALLER: Hello.
KING: Hi.
CALLER: This question is for Jermaine. I love the way you're handling the questions about your brother. I think that's very supportive of you. My question is for Janet. She doesn't have any children right now, but does she see herself having children in the future?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She loves children, but I think it's just finding the right partner. But she loves children, yes.
KING: I did mention the second marriage. Did that end badly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I really don't know.
KING: You don't know Debbie Rowe then?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Debbie Rowe?
KING: Yes, I mean you know her.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, not know her, know her. I know that's where the children came from.
KING: Did that end badly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I really don't know. You would have to speak with him about that.
KING: When people say that he's a boy in a man's body, Michael Jackson, is basically still a child. Is there some truth in that? That's not a critique. As Yogi Berra said, there's a little boy in all of us.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, to tell the truth, there is a little boy in all of my brothers because we feel that we've never left that whole thing that we shared in Gary. But at the same time, we find ourselves living our lives, our childhood through our children at times because we were working all the time and touring and getting ready for shows and practicing.
KING: Very non-normal childhood.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Not non-normal. Because at the same time it was worked in with our everyday things. I remember the brothers and us pulling wagons and collecting pop bottles. Going to the store getting pop -- yes.
KING: Warrenton, Pennsylvania. Hello.
CALLER: Yes, hello.
KING: Go ahead.
CALLER: Yes. I'm calling for Mr. Jackson.
KING: You're on. Go ahead. Speak to him.
CALLER: How are you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm fine. Thank you.
CALLER: Good. The question I'm asking is, I'm looking at my screen and I'm seeing "Michael Jackson's Brother" on the screen. I'm thinking to myself, we're not talking to Michael Jackson. We're talking to Jermaine. Why isn't "Jermaine Jackson" on the bottom of the screen?
KING: I don't plan what goes on the bottom of the screen. Let me give you an explanation, and maybe he'll respond to it. If people tuned in and didn't know this face, the best identity is to -- does that bother you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: Because it would bother me.
JERMAINE JACKSON: What? KING: Because it says "Michael Jackson's Brother". That's done for identification for people who are hitting their clicker and tuning in. If you've been watching you know, of course, that it's Jermaine.
JERMAINE JACKSON: See my whole reason for being here is to sort of set the record straight and answer things that are sort of cloudy in one's mind that the media has misconstrued.
I don't care whether you put Michael at the bottom of the screen, whatever. We're all the same. We're family. That's that union we have in that unity. And I would do the same for Jackie, Tito or Marlon. Or randy. We're family. And that's why I'm here.
KING: That link has never been broken, has it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. We were put here to do what we're doing, and from the success, to give back and help other people who are less fortunate.
KING: Good luck, man.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Thank you.
KING: Jermaine Jackson, older brother of Michael Jackson, founder and CEO of Earth Care, nonprofit organization alleviating human suffering, concentrating in the area of AIDS, musician, singer, businessman. Good guy.
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Aired January 9, 2003 - 21:00 ET
LARRY KING, HOST: Tonight, after his baby dangling shocked the world, Michael Jackson called it a terrible mistake. But it's hardly the first time he's making all of us wonder about what he's thinking.
Tonight his older brother Jermaine Jackson joins us to shed some light on his brother Michael and on growing up Jackson and a lot more. Michael Jackson's older brother Jermaine Jackson for the hour and your phone calls next on LARRY KING LIVE.
We welcome to LARRY KING LIVE tonight Jermaine Jackson, a return visit. He was with us sometime back. He was the man in the middle in the Jackson family. First came...
JERMAINE JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: Jackie.
KING: Second came...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Tito, myself, Marlon, Michael.
KING: So he's -- you're there right in the middle of the five. No. 3 on the Jackson prodigy of brother. And he's the older brother of Michael Jackson, as we said, musician, singer and businessman. Founder and CEO of Earth Care, a nonprofit organization trying to alleviate human suffering. We'll discuss that in awhile.
But basically we're here to discuss the Jacksons and -- well first, what was it like growing up Jackson? I remember when you -- I remember when you played Miami. You were just -- what was that like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That was...
KING: You were -- you were like the black Osmonds.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Oh, really?
No, it was wonderful. It was always someone to talk to. There was a lot of fun. We had a lot of things that we did that normal children do.
KING: Did the show business thing start like before Michael was born? Were you singing? What are the ages?
JERMAINE JACKSON: My God. During that time, I remember rehearsing ever since I was probably 9 or 10 and Michael being 5 or 6.
KING: Was it your father that drove all of you into the business?
JERMAINE JACKSON: My father and my mother, pretty much. My father, yes.
KING: Did you like it right away? Were you the kind of kid who liked...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, that's all we knew. We grew up in entertaining, loving music and wanting to be like the Motown artists and my father saw that and it started with Tito playing his guitar. And he broke a string. And my father noticed that Tito was playing this guitar, so he said, Well, show me what you know how to do. And so we started singing and playing and that's when he took that focus and just said, Well, I'm going to spend all my time working with this.
KING: You all have the same speaking voice, it seems, right?
Did you -- where did you learn to play bass?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I taught myself, but I was always just watching bass players like James Jamerson (ph) and Larry Graham from Sly and the Family Stone.
KING: So what -- Jermaine help me -- was the first big break that the Jackson 5 got that made you well known?
JERMAINE JACKSON: There was a lot of big breaks. But I say coming to Motown; Barry Gordy seeing what we had and having that vision. Golly. And Diana Ross -- Gladys Knight who really discovered us, who brought us there.
KING: Where did she see you work?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She saw us at a show in Chicago, I think, and then she brought us to Motown and we auditioned for all of these incredible stars.
KING: What was your first big TV appearance?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I would say probably "The Hollywood Special" and "The Ed Sullivan Show."
KING: Ed Sullivan was like news when he put you on, right? Here they are, the Jackson 5.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes.
He was incredible just watching him backstage. And i asked him a question. I said, Do you do this every show? because he would smoke a cigarette and then put it out right before they called him and step on it and walk out. It was great.
KING: Was Michael always -- once you got into this groove and Gladys Knight discovered you and now you're on television -- was he always like the centerpiece, that cute little boy with all that talent? JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael was unique from day one because his whole thing was just wanting to absorb one's mind and to sort of learn. He studies a lot. And he -- during the time it was I guess James Brown, and Joe Tex and a lot of the artists who moved a lot -- and Jackie Wilson. And just watching him from a young age.
I remember we went to a school PTA meeting. He sung "Climb Every Mountain." And that was the first time when we saw Michael had this ability to sing these notes that were just so high and...
KING: Yes, that's a tough song to sing.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It was just amazing. Amazing.
KING: The dancing -- was that trained or was that natural?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Natural.
KING: He never took lessons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Never took lessons.
KING: Vocal or dancing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Vocal or dancing. It's natural, man.
KING: Why did the Jacksons end?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, the Jacksons didn't end. What had had happened was, we had a wonderful run with Motown and the brothers felt that they wanted to write their own music and during the time, Motown had this very close group, Suzanne DePasse, Barry, Franz Mizel (ph), Deke Richards, Freddy Parande (ph). A group called "the corporation" who was writing all our music and....
KING: You wanted to be on your own more?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. We wanted to be on our own so they left and I stayed in the crib. A lot of hoopla.
KING: So when did the Jacksons break up?
JERMAINE JACKSON: The Jacksons. The Jackson really never really broke up. We've held that thing together so when Michael was...
KING: When Michael was a tour, there's someone from the Jacksons always involved?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. No. When Michael does a tour, Michael tours because he has such great success with "Thriller" and things like that. But it's just that the chemistry of just the original Jackson 5 coming back together is like magic for all of us.
KING: Do you get back together?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Not just on stage. Off stage as well. KING: You're still a very close group?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Very close.
KING: Let's -- we're here to discuss primarily Michael. We are going to discuss Earth Care and the like later.
Jermaine, what's with your brother? First, what do you make of that dangling incident in Germany?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I felt that he was caught up in the excitement and...
KING: What was the scene? People were outside the...
JERMAINE JACKSON: There were thousands and probably close to 60,000 people down there giving him the cheers and the love and he got caught up in the moment. And I think it's a lot to say it wasn't the wisest thing to do, but he loves his children. His intent was not to hurt his child in any way. He's a wonderful dad. And I think the media has taken things out of context. I really feel that.
KING: But he said it was a terrible mistake.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Right. Right. Right.
KING: Have you talked to him since?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We speak, yes.
KING: Do you speak a lot?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Would you say you're close?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We're brothers. We are close. We have to be close.
KING: I know some brothers who aren't close.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, we're close because -- I'll tell you what. We weren't raised to be not close. We were raised to -- family is so important to us and that's what has kept us to this point. I mean, growing up in Gary, having the morals and the principles and just the love for one another and the love for God is what enabled us to deal with Hollywood and all this stuff that's going on out here.
KING: How about Michael having his children wear red veils on an outing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I'll tell you, I think if he wants to do that, let him do it. The question is, when you have to keep your child contrived of being a child and seeing different things, Disney World, Disneyland, this and that. I mean, he wants to take his kids out. We all have to be careful with our children today because there's so much going on with kidnapping.
KING: But they're going to grow up in a weird world, in a sense. Weird may be the wrong word. But they're not going to see real life, are they?
JERMAINE JACKSON: They'll be because Michael instills the right things in them, although he has the ability to give them what they want. I was just there. And he's -- they're very disciplined kids.
KING: A couple years ago, I spent about half hour with your brother in a hotel room here in Los Angeles. He's the shyest person I have ever met.
Has he always been that way or is he different around family? Because he is shy. He hid behind the door -- he hid behind the door for like five minutes.
And he has that Batman thing. He has a Batman statue.
JERMAINE JACKSON: See what it is, with our family, on stage we're comfortable and small crowds it's sort of we feel a little uncomfortable. But on stage it's where we sort of feel very natural.
KING: Anything goes on stage, right? With Michael? He's like two different people on stage and off, isn't he?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Well, it's the electricity. It's that feeling that comes in your bones and you want to let it go. I mean, you want to give the people what they want.
KING: More of the saga of Michael Jackson, his brother Jermaine, the whole Jackson story. We'll be including your phone calls as well.
By the way, I taped an interview this afternoon with Sean Penn. It will air Saturday night on LARRY KING INTERVIEW. I urge you to watch it. Sean Penn. His only interview discussing his trip to Iraq.
Right back with Jermaine Jackson right after this. Don't go away.
KING: Are you close siblings? Are all of you in touch with each other? Is the Jackson family a close family?
JANET JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: You know, I still wish that we were a lot closer than what we truly are. The most important thing is that we're there for one another if we need each other. We stay out of each other's business. We've always been like that. We won't interfere or, you know, just come in between anything unless the other asks for us, you know, to intervene. But we've always been that way. I think the most important thing is that we are there. We know that we love each other and we're there for each other.
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KING: You would say amen to that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Amen. Amen.
KING: Michael has two children. And his custody, right? He has custody of the children?
JERMAINE JACKSON: They're always with him.
KING: That's what I mean?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: And you say he's an outstanding father?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Wonderful dad.
KING: Now, explain the unexplainable. It seems that drive all of us crazy about your brother. The plastic surgeries. What is that all about?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know, you have to say to yourself who hasn't? I mean, his whole thing is, if there's something that you feel that you want to change, and then you do that.
KING: Course you have a right to do it. Don't you think it's a little odd?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. Because we look at him. We hear him. We feel him. He's my brother. And that's what you go by.
KING: Why does he change so much?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, when you look at -- there are many people in the past who have done many things to themselves and they're not talked about like my brother is.
KING: They're not as famous as your brother.
JERMAINE JACKSON: True, but see, when you say that, they're not as famous, that's true. But when you look at how these things are taken out of context. There's so many other things.
KING: Like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Like, to sort of -- we're about to get engaged in a war and to cover a story like the way he looks and about the child, that's kind of a bit much.
KING: But he's become a major entertainment figure.
JERMAINE JACKSON: And it also has a lot of -- it has a lot of consequences and responsibilities, too. And still, when you look at just his level of consciousness and where he is, and his ability, I think it's done purposely to sort of just get him away from the masses, the people. And when you sort of come in between that, you betray someone as this character that's crazy. Just with all the things. Even those crazy allegations about child molestation. Pinning these things on my brother. He is my brother. He's a wonderful person.
KING: Discuss that. What was that like for him when he went through that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That was crazy. It was just crazy. Having someone to say, you give me $20 million or I'm going to make sure that you never sell another record in your life.
KING: That was the threat made to him.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It was extortion. It was all types of things. And then having the district attorney during the time to come to our house and break open medicine cabinets and safes and this and that. What were they looking for? And at the same time while all this is going on, I produced a show called the Jackson family honors. Michael comes out while all this is going and gets a 20-minute standing ovation to see the love and reception from the people. During the time -- our district attorney is watching this. He rose at the TV and said, we'll never get him. What it is, Michael's a powerful in his art, and that creates problems in other areas. And I do believe that there are attempts in people to try to discredit that. I mean even with...
KING: Why? Why do they have it in for Michael Jackson?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Larry, it is very deep. I can go back to way back, into into -- in which the conditions of we as black people were brought here and stripped of just our beliefs, our history, our culture. And then...
KING: This is a tragedy of America. There are other black entertainers.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But still, when you have someone on that level and then sort of taking away just your history and then you become one of the biggest stars in the world and he happens to be black. These things, they all add up. And then the way to discredit that today is to say all of these crazy things that are said in the press to make the public think, that he's finished, he's crazy, he's nuts. He's a talented person. He's a wonderful person.
KING: And he's a complex person. Obviously he is a complex person.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, but look, there was -- Michelangelo, who was very eccentric, very different, who dressed weird and this and that. They called Einstein weird, who is known as one of the greatest minds ever. William Shakespeare, who we still today can go see his plays and stuff.
KING: Genius has it. It's fair to try to examine it. In other words we look at someone like Michael Jackson.
JERMAINE JACKSON: True, but still. Look at his heart. Look at his music. Look at what he's done for people. Look at the influence. We've been influenced. And you have to say, he's a wonderful person.
KING: As brothers, concerning facial changes, when you ask him about it, obviously I would ask my brother if he changed a lot. Why are you doing this? What would he say?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, first of all, he has this skin disease and it's a discoloration of pigmentation of the skin.
KING: Didn't know that.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know that now. But still, it's like we talked about the surgeries and everything, and Hollywood is full of it. We know that. But that's not -- if I wasn't happy with something or if you wasn't happy with something, you would make a change.
KING: Why does he do it a lot?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He doesn't do it a lot. What it is is like -- that's not what we judge him on. We judge him on the person he is or his contributions to the world. If my brother was to go into politics and then that's something to be -- that's something that they would speak about because of the fact that his...
KING: He's asking for your vote.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: You're saying treat him as an entertainer.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Treat him as a human being.
KING: Hard to do. In this complex society. Of course it's hard to do.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But, you spoke to him. What did you think?
KING: I thought he was extremely shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Give me the answer. Forget about...
KING: He was very gentle and nice. He was gentle and very nice and very shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Thank you.
KING: On stage, he ain't shy.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: We'll be right back with Jermaine Jackson. We'll be going to your calls in a little while. Don't go away.
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MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: There have been many disgusting statements made recently concerning allegations of improper conduct on my part. These statements about me are totally false. As I have maintained from the very beginning I am hoping for a speedy end to this horrifying, horrifying experience to which I have been subjected.
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MICHAEL JACKSON: Just think, nobody thought this would last.
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KING: Michael Jackson and his ex-wife, Lisa Marie Presley. Are they friendly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Very much.
KING: So even though the marriage ended, they're still remain friends.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Let's touch some other bases. Is he in a lot financial trouble?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: That's false reports?
JERMAINE JACKSON: That's false.
KING: Doesn't have a lot of debt and all that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's false
KING: OK. Some suggest his time as a major artist has passed. That music is now passe and we're in new eras of music and Michael Jackson is yesterday.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Who thinks that?
KING: I don't know. I'm just telling you critics sometimes say that.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Who are the critics? The media, right? That's not true.
KING: You're saying if he started a major tour tomorrow it would pack them in?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Larry, we, and Michael was part of this, we did a lot of work in the early years before the Jackson 5 of just getting the foundation down and just the training. And you're never finished until you're finished. And I think the tours, if we were to tour collectively as a family...
KING: Right now.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It would be through the roof. You would be there. It would be through the roof.
KING: Are you thinking about it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Very much.
KING: The Jackson family may reunite.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Jackson 5, yes.
KING: Reunite and tour.
JERMAINE JACKSON: A world tour this time.
KING: Starting this year?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, not this year because we got to get the product out.
KING: Next year?
He denounced the Sony record chief Tommy Mottola, who by the way resigned today from Sony and is forming his own company. They will do business with Sony, we understand, his new company. But he resigned as chairman of Sony. What do you make of that?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I felt that a lot of these rumors started from Sony, these financial rumors and things like that. My brother is fine. I think it was a question of going after something greater than his last LP. I think it was a ploy to try to take his publishing and at the same time -- this is my opinion.
But I do feel that not just Michael saying what his sales were. There was Celine Dion, there was the "Men in Black" soundtrack album. There was Marc Anthony. Lot of artists weren't happy. To have the biggest artists in the world to make complaints about a record label like Sony, who's a major, major machine. What hope does that give other artists?
KING: Were you surprised that Michael spoke out?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Not really, no. Because he got to a point where he was just fed up to it and he wanted to show the world what was going on. This last album that he released was very good album, very good album, but they didn't get behind it. All this was part of a plan to discredit, to say he's finished...
KING: Why would they not want to get behind their own product?
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's a bigger price tag the publishing instead of the LP. We'll go into that later. It is a bigger price tag.
KING: Are you still friendly with Barry Gordy?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Barry Gordy is the reason why we are out here and wonderful person. I have shed a lot of wonderful years with him and my ex-wife, who is his daughter Hazel. We had a wonderful time.
KING: Are you working on a book?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. "Legacy: Surviving the Best and Worst. " Looking -- meeting with certain publishers seeing can we go that extra mile. Seeing who's willing to support a book tour world wide and things like that. It's about growing up. Growing up in Gary and our childhood and things that...
KING: Tough town Gary, Indiana, isn't it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, there were incidents like my brother Jackie, we would go into a market and he would say I'm going to get a cake today so be ready to run. He would get this spice cake and take it and we'd run across the field. And the store guy would be chasing us. We were running until our hearts about to pop out of our chests.
Just things. We did a lot of things that most people don't really know about. But the greatest thing of all growing up in Gary is that preparing us for Hollywood, which we didn't know during the time because we had the mother and father. We had the love in the family. We had the discipline from the father. We had the love. And just being before the street lights were out.
So once we got that break in the music industry, everybody was saying, is success going to destroy them? No, because we don't forget Gary what was it was like in that two bedroom house big as a two car garage. And that's what it's about.
KING: What is Michael's health like?
JERMAINE JACKSON: e's strong. He's healthy. He just had a spider bite which was very frightening.
KING: What was that all about? He was in court over that right? He couldn't come one day because of a spider bite. Did you see the bite?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He showed me the bite. It was unbelievable. He pulled me in a room and his pants leg up. I said, my God. He said, it looked well then. The spider was a brown recluse, I think, which is very poisonous. Swelled his hands up and his body, everything.
KING: Other than that, is he in good health?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's very strong. He's very strong. He doesn't have the muscle mass that I have, but he's very strong.
KING: Jermaine Jackson is the guest. We'll take a break, come back and go to your phone calls. The older brother of Michael Jackson, the founder and CEO of Earth Care. We will, promise, ask about that as well and all of that right after this.
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KING: Very talented? You were just back from St. Croix. Anything happening there with the Jacksons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We have a project there, robin bay in conjunction with Kurtis (UNINTELLIGIBLE) out of Hartford, Conneticutt. It's a beautiful project.
KING: You're building something?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, it's the biggest...
KING: Resort?
JERMAINE JACKSON: ... resort in the Caribbean. We got the support of the governor and lieutenant governor. It's a wonderful project. The first phase is 300-room hotel with...
KING: This is a new feel for you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, this is what I have been doing for the last 14 years now.
KING: Really? Michael interested in it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It's a family thing that we're doing.
KING: Before we got to the calls, you were in New York on 9/11?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes.
KING: How did you here about it? Where were you? JERMAINE JACKSON: We were in bed getting ready to catch a plane to go back home. We had just finished a show the night before for Michael's 30th. It was unbelievable. I think it was one of the brothers who said turn on the TV. Look at what's going on here.
KING: You're in a hotel.
JERMAINE JACKSON: We had our kids there and the whole entire family was there.
KING: Michael was there?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. It was one of those moments where you say, what's going on so we finally got out. We arranged this huge buses and we drove. We drove from New York to L.A. It was one of the greatest times 'cause we got a chance...
KING: All the jacksons?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We got a chance to stop in places. And go and walk into places. In Memphis and have sandwiches and people would say, is that Mrs. Jackson? They noticed my mother first. But it was lot of fun.
KING: Daytona Beach, Florida as we go to calls for Jermaine Jackson.
CALLER: Good evening, gentalmen. Coming from an entire family of megasuperstars, can you please share with the audience how your family has managed to stay out of the nightmare of drugs.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, you know, I was just speaking to Larry earlier. Family is so important. We've been very blessed to sort of have a very good upbringing. And the love for one another and the love for god. And not letting being in the business, but not being of it. It's very important and we're still able to...
KING: Yes, but how about the temptations?
JERMAINE JACKSON: The temptation. The love for children, the joy and things like that.
KING: No one in the family ever had a drug problem?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Never. Never. I mean, it's just something we don't believe in.
KING: Springfield, Virginia, hello.
CALLER: Hello, good evening, gentlemen. I'd like to know, with all the situations that surround Michael that you see happening to him, who is the person in the family that can -- that Michael either turns to or that can sit down and say, Michael, this isn't right? What were you thinking and dangling your son? Who could be almost straight up. You're being very supportive.
KING: Who's his rock?
JERMAINE JACKSON: His rock is his god.
KING: But is there no one...
JERMAINE JACKSON: His rock is his family. But at the same time, Michael -- Michael, his intent was not to hurt his child.
KING: He made a mistake. Who is it he would talk to?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He would talk to his mother, his father. Whoever the closest to him. At the same time, like I said earlier, we've all make mistakes. There was a time when we all used to toss our kids up in the air and catch them, but now that's not the thing to do.
KING: Is there someone he confides in more like the oldest brother.
JERMAINE JACKSON: He confides in all of us but at the same time, he was in Germany during the time. I'm pretty sure once he saw what the big wave of the media that was getting from that, he called my mother. But, no, my brother is not a crazy character. He's not the wacko Jacko that people say. He was caught up in the moment.
KING: Pleasington, California.
CALLER: Good evening. I happen to be lucky enough to see you perform in the San Francisco area in '73. And all nine of you were so talented. I was so impressed. My question is, how many nephews and nieces are there in the family now?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Wow.
KING: Yes, how many are there.
JERMAINE JACKSON: That's a tough question. There's always one coming. There's probably 25.
KING: Is Michael a good uncle?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Very much. He comes to get the children and they go to Toys "R" Us and they close the store down.
KING: They close the store for him?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: That's not normal.
JERMAINE JACKSON: But that's not what he's asking for. That's not what he's asking for. But if you go in the store and they say, do you want the store? But the bottom line is, the children have fun. And that's what's important.
KING: Good way to shop. Tampa, Florida, hello.
CALLER: Hello. I was wondering whether Michael Jackson's children like? Are they talented like Micheal? Do you anticipate them have a singing and having a singing career.
KING: How old are they?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I am not sure. I think Prince is probably five or six, and Paris is probably four.
KING: Do they show any musical talent?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, they're all talented all the time.
KING: I know.
JERMAINE JACKSON: You would have to speak to him about the development of his children, which we can try to make that happen for you.
KING: We're going to try to set that up.
KING: New York City, hello.
CALLER: Yes, hello. I'd like to say I'm a big fan. I'm from Michigan. I grew up listening to your group, Jackson 5 and I'm a big fan. But my question is, and you eluded to it earlier about the health. I am concerned about the number of surgeries that Michael's had on his nose. It looks as though it's been chiseled down to the bone, quite frankly. Does he have any health ramfications through that or from that.
KING: Fair question. We've all seen the nose. Just seems to...
JERMAINE JACKSON: Why do we keep barking on his nose?
KING: Because people like him.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, like him, love him for who he is.
KING: They care about him. If they think he has -- suppose god forbid he has a cancerous thing on the nose, would be people would be scared.
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's fine. When he told the world he had a problem with his leg, no one believed him. He's fine. He's fine.
KING: So he just keeps changing his nose.
JERMAINE JACKSON: No, he doesn't keep changing, but he's fine. When I look into his eyes and I hear him and I feel him. That's the Michael.
KING: You're the brother. Jermaine Jackson.
By the way, what is Earth Care?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Earth Care is an organization that we started about two years now, we have a 501-c-3. We're busy focusing...
KING: The whole family or just you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Myself. I get the family involved once I get the table set.
KING: What's its purpose?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Purpose is to sort of challenge this AIDS problem that is around the world. Our focus is Africa right now. I had the opportunity of working with Larry Jones in Feed The Children. We opened up an abandoned baby center in Nairobi and doing housing and building clinics.
KING: It's an epidemic in Africa.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, it is.
KING: We'll be right back with Jermaine Jackson. The organization, by the way, is Earth Care. Can we get more information? Do you have a website?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Sure. Sure. I will get that for you.
KING: We'll be right back. Don't go away.
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KING: Looked like you had a good time doing that video. That was Jermaine. That was fun, huh?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: By the way, we asked about Lisa Marie. Does Michael keep in touch with Debbie Rowe, his second wife?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm pretty sure, yes. Yes. But those are questions that you should ask him.
KING: Because he's got the children though, right?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: Toronto, hello.
CALLER: Yes. Hi Jermaine. How are you doing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Pretty good. And you?
CALLER: Good, thanks.
Two quick questions. First, when you guys were growing up as the Jackson 5, how did Janet and LaToya take it?
And my second question is, with LaToya, is she still distancing herself with you guys or have you talked to her lately? And how's she doing?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, well to answer your first question growing up as the Jackson 5, LaToya and Janet was pretty much watching and absorbing.
KING: No jealousy? They didn't want to make it the Jackson 7?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. No. No. But we were very -- just proud how Janet just came out there and just sort of soared and developed into this beautiful woman.
KING: Has LaToya mended fences or not?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes. Latoya is -- we're all together again. My mother is the happiest right now.
KING: When the Jackson tour next year, is it going to be the Jackson 5 or are the girls are going to go too?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, I'll tell you . I wouldn't mind, the girls -- the whole entire family. But I have four other brothers that have to make that...
KING: As of now it's the Jackson 5, right?
JERMAINE JACKSON: ...that decision. Yes, but just to answer that question. LaToya is back with the family and we're very, very happy.
KING: Redding, California, hello.
CALLER: Hi. How are you doing, Mr. Jackson?
KING: Hi. Go ahead.
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm fine, thank you.
CALLER: OK. I want to know how is your mom's health doing? Is she doing OK?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She's fine, thank you. CALLER: Yes. And happy new year to both of you.
KING: Thank you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Happy new year to you.
KING: To Murray, Kentucky, hello.
CALLER: Hello. Jermaine, I'm just curious. When you're asked to talk about and defend Michael when he's buried under so many lies and rumors, do you ever get annoyed and or bothered by coming to his defense?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Do you know what it is? He's my brother. And when you know the difference and when you know things are like -- misconstrued and -- you want to say something and you want to speak from your heart.
It bothers me. I want to speak out and just say, Hey, it wasn't that way. But it bothers us, but we know why. It is because of just the level of success and where he is right now. This is a very pivotal point. And to have people dump on him all these things...
KING: But he's got a staunch friend and brother in you.
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm his brother. I will do whatever I have to do. Not just for him, for all my brothers.
KING: Whiteville, North Carolina, hello.
CALLER: Yes, Jermaine. I would like to know when you're going to do another solo album?
JERMAINE JACKSON: After we do the brothers album. Because I -- the focus is the family. And the brothers. That's what started all this.
KING: Your brothers are going to do an album. Then they're going to tour.
To Ft. St. John, British Columbia, hello.
CALLER: Hello, Larry. Love your show. Watch it every night.
KING: Thank you. Thank you.
CALLER: Hey, Jeremy, one question I've had is Elvis Presley. Is Michael a fan of his? Because they're so much alike.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes, very much. We're fans of Elvis, too. We grew up watching his movies, everything. We like him.
KING: Did you ever meet him?
JERMAINE JACKSON: We met him one time in the elevator in...
KING: Vegas?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I think it was Tahoe. And he came and we were doing a show there. And he came in and we were coming down or some were going up. And he said -- something like, Oh, yeah, you Jackson boys.
But we were in awe because it's Elvis.
KING: Michael was there, too?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: It's Elvis. So it's the Jackson 5 and Elvis on this elevator? Just an ordinary little elevator trip.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes.
KING: We'll take a break and be back with our remaining moments with Jermaine Jackson on this edition of LARRY KING LIVE.
Don't forget tomorrow morning James Van Prague returns. Get a lot of calls for Jim.
And Saturday night, make a note to watch, news weekend, special interview with Sean Penn. We'll be right back.
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KING: We're back. Mill Valley, California, for Jermaine Jackson. Hello.
CALLER: Good evening. Thank you for taking my call. Larry, if you could help direct this question. First of all the Jacksons have been fabulous. The question has to do with if you could define Michael's sexual orientation between asexual, bisexual, transsexual, or homosexual?
KING: She's gone through all the sexual things. I guess these rumors constantly persist. Michael, is he heterosexual?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael's a wonderful person.
KING: You don't want to comment on the sexuality?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Michael's a wonderful person. I'll leave that up to you. When you speak with him.
KING: OK. London, Ontario. Not a court. You don't have to respond. London, Ontario, hello.
CALLER: Yes, hi. First of all, I just want to say that I'm a huge fan. Thanks for taking my call. My question is, with so many celebrities having suffered at the hands of the media and so many security risks, I wonder what's involved in terms of security. I know as a huge fan of Michael and all the Jacksons, we're really concerned about his security. and if you could sort of touch upon what kinds of measures are being made or security as an issue.
KING: How well is he watched over?
JERMAINE JACKSON: He's protected. He's very careful. But at the same time, he wants to enjoy himself. He wants to go and do...
KING: You can't have a normal life.
JERMAINE JACKSON: It's tough for him.
KING: When you tour, you're going to have massive security, right? Touring, you're putting him in a different city every night.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. You'll be there.
KING: Is Elizabeth Taylor a special friend?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Yes. Yes, she is.
KING: Bowling Green, Kentucky, hello.
CALLER: Hello.
KING: Hi.
CALLER: This question is for Jermaine. I love the way you're handling the questions about your brother. I think that's very supportive of you. My question is for Janet. She doesn't have any children right now, but does she see herself having children in the future?
JERMAINE JACKSON: She loves children, but I think it's just finding the right partner. But she loves children, yes.
KING: I did mention the second marriage. Did that end badly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I really don't know.
KING: You don't know Debbie Rowe then?
JERMAINE JACKSON: Debbie Rowe?
KING: Yes, I mean you know her.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, not know her, know her. I know that's where the children came from.
KING: Did that end badly?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I really don't know. You would have to speak with him about that.
KING: When people say that he's a boy in a man's body, Michael Jackson, is basically still a child. Is there some truth in that? That's not a critique. As Yogi Berra said, there's a little boy in all of us.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Well, to tell the truth, there is a little boy in all of my brothers because we feel that we've never left that whole thing that we shared in Gary. But at the same time, we find ourselves living our lives, our childhood through our children at times because we were working all the time and touring and getting ready for shows and practicing.
KING: Very non-normal childhood.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Not non-normal. Because at the same time it was worked in with our everyday things. I remember the brothers and us pulling wagons and collecting pop bottles. Going to the store getting pop -- yes.
KING: Warrenton, Pennsylvania. Hello.
CALLER: Yes, hello.
KING: Go ahead.
CALLER: Yes. I'm calling for Mr. Jackson.
KING: You're on. Go ahead. Speak to him.
CALLER: How are you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: I'm fine. Thank you.
CALLER: Good. The question I'm asking is, I'm looking at my screen and I'm seeing "Michael Jackson's Brother" on the screen. I'm thinking to myself, we're not talking to Michael Jackson. We're talking to Jermaine. Why isn't "Jermaine Jackson" on the bottom of the screen?
KING: I don't plan what goes on the bottom of the screen. Let me give you an explanation, and maybe he'll respond to it. If people tuned in and didn't know this face, the best identity is to -- does that bother you?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No.
KING: Because it would bother me.
JERMAINE JACKSON: What? KING: Because it says "Michael Jackson's Brother". That's done for identification for people who are hitting their clicker and tuning in. If you've been watching you know, of course, that it's Jermaine.
JERMAINE JACKSON: See my whole reason for being here is to sort of set the record straight and answer things that are sort of cloudy in one's mind that the media has misconstrued.
I don't care whether you put Michael at the bottom of the screen, whatever. We're all the same. We're family. That's that union we have in that unity. And I would do the same for Jackie, Tito or Marlon. Or randy. We're family. And that's why I'm here.
KING: That link has never been broken, has it?
JERMAINE JACKSON: No. We were put here to do what we're doing, and from the success, to give back and help other people who are less fortunate.
KING: Good luck, man.
JERMAINE JACKSON: Thank you.
KING: Jermaine Jackson, older brother of Michael Jackson, founder and CEO of Earth Care, nonprofit organization alleviating human suffering, concentrating in the area of AIDS, musician, singer, businessman. Good guy.
:mueveojos algun alama caritativa que traduzca algo... yo estoy en estado de shock con lo de Mottola y si me pongo a intentar traducir esto desfallezco 8Ð
