EXCLUSIVE: The Michael Jackson Only I Know — Sister Janet Opens Up About Abuse Allegations Against Him and the Heartless Insults He Hurled at Her
Janet Jackson detailed her brother's insults and abuse scandals.
June 24 2026, Published 3:51 p.m. ET
Janet Jackson has never forgotten her brother Michael's cruel taunts, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
"There were times when Mike used to tease me and call me names: 'Pig, horse, slaughter hog, cow,'" recalled the star, who began having body image issues at age 11. He would laugh about it and I'd laugh too," she added, "but then there was somewhere down inside that it would hurt."
Janet Breaks Silence On Michael
Michael Jackson teased Janet and called her cruel names.
The revelation is just one of many the 55-year-old singer made in the Lifetime documentary, Janet., which chronicled her journey from child star to actress and pop music icon.
Her account of life with her brother has resurfaced as fans get set to mark the 17th anniversary of the singer's death aged 50 on June 25, 2009, after a fatal dose of the tranquilizer propofol, which he used to help himself get to sleep.
While the four-part series featuring his sister Janet covers a lot of ground, including her high-profile divorces and infamous 2004 Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction, the most shocking disclosures are reserved for her brother, whose legacy has been marred by multiple accusations of sexual abuse starting in 1993.
"Janet has been the keeper of her family's secrets for decades," an insider told us.
They added: "But it's great she found the strength to open up about Michael in the hopes of bringing closure to the Jacksons, and his alleged victims."
Private Doubts Come To Light
The singer made numerous disclosures in a Lifetime documentary.
Publicly, Janet has maintained that she believes her brother is innocent of abusing young boys.
"I know my brother. He didn't have that in him," she states in Janet. "(He) would never do something like that."
The case against Jackson stretches back decades.
In 1993, the parents of then 13-year-old Jordan Chandler filed a civil suit against the superstar, claiming the Gary, Indiana, native had "repeatedly committed sexual battery" on their son.
Months later, the multiplatinum singer denied the allegations in a live TV address.
To avoid a trial, however, the Bad singer eventually settled with the family for more than $20million.
Scandals That Shadowed A Legend
Janet Jackson maintained her public belief in Michael's innocence.
He could not avoid court 10 years later, when he was formally charged by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department. with child molestation following a raid on Neverland.
He posted $3million in bail, and in 2005, the criminal case went to a headline-grabbing trial.
A young cancer survivor, Gavin Arvizo, testified Jackson, who had befriended him, had "masturbated" him and served him alcohol the star called "Jesus Juice."
Despite damning evidence, the King of Pop was acquitted of all charges that June, but his troubles were far from over.
Jackson became more and more reclusive as he struggled with drug addiction. In fact, the cardiac arrest that killed him was caused by a lethal combination of sedatives and propofol.
In August of 2009, his death was ruled a homicide, and his physician Conrad Murray served two years in jail after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
And after his passing, even more accusations surfaced.
In the controversial documentary, Finding Neverland, choreographer Wade Robson and former child star James Safechuck claim they were both abused by Michael for years.
Michael's estate released a statement at the time accusing the men of lying, saying the documentary was "yet another lurid production in an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson" – and later sued HBO over the network's plans to air the special.
Living In Michael's Shadow
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Janet Jackson maintained her public belief in Michael's innocence.
All of which leaves Janet in an unenviable position.
"I'm still guilty by association," she says in Janet, adding her career took a major hit because of the scandals.
Coca-Cola pulled out of a deal when accusations went public.
Janet added: "(They) said, 'No, thank you.' But, that's the way the world works."
Between her disastrous appearance at the Super Bowl and the shadow of Jackson, traumatized Janet stuck by her brother's side as sexual abuse allegations mounted.
"I wanted to be there for him," she said of her next-oldest sibling in the family of nine kids.
She also admitted on the show her struggles with body image began when she starred on the hit sitcom in the late 1970s.
She broke free of her father's influence and took the reins with her groundbreaking 1986 album, Control.
In order to escape her strict family, she secretly wed singer James DeBarge in 1984, but says she left him because of his addictions.
Janet – who would perform with her brothers the Jackson Five in Las Vegas as a young child – said "I do" again to her creative partner René Elizondo Jr. in 1991 and they split in 2000.
The mother-of-one was also hitched to Wissam Al Mana from 2012 to 2017.
