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. The New Lifetime Documentary 'Janet' Lets Janet Jackson Tell Her Own Story, Was Michael Jackson Framed? 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. According to a later report from Radar Online. All Rights Reserved. I don't know where that ridiculous idea came from. I could never keep a child away from James. Janet Jackson and James DeBarge were married from 1984 to 1985. Janet Jackson shuts down rumours that she secretly had a child with ex-husband James DeBarge in the '80s, detailed in her upcoming documentary "Janet". ", What Janet Jackson's Short Marriage To James DeBarge Was Like. According to her, her Fame co-stars believed the rumor because she was gaining weight something Janet. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. She confirmed it on the deathbed.". And then because [my brother] Randys daughter looks so much like me, they started saying it was Stevanna.. She eventually welcomed son Eissa in 2017, who just recently celebrated his 5th birthday, with Wissam Al Mana ,who she married in 2012, but divorced in 2017. She had already released two albums to middling success by that point and wanted to independence from her notoriously controlling father and manager, Joe Jackson. The gossip really got out of hand, though, when people dragged Jacksons family into it. Jackson was in her late teens at the time. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. 2023 Oscars: Watch scenes from the best picture nominees Janet Jackson denies long-standing rumors that she secretly had a baby with ex-husband James DeBarge in the 1980s in her new documentary. Heres what you need to know. At the time, the speculation took different angles. ", Though Janet said she saw a lot of good in him and "wanted that to take precedence, as opposed to this ugliness," she also acknowledged that he "needed help. Rachel DeSantis. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). They later eloped, but their marriage was annulled in 1985. ", DeBarge said Renee "is a wonderful singer.". According to the rumor,. In the "Janet Jackson" documentary, the singer's "Fame" costar Debbie Allen makes an appearance. In her new docuseries, Janet Jackson reminisced about her marriage to James DeBarge in 1984. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Trending News These days, Janet has a very different life and relationship. 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. My sister Toya said if that's what you want to do, then you should do it. Janet Jackson's ex-husband, singer James DeBarge, just dropped an alleged baby bombshell. They separated in 1999. The "Rhythm Nation" singer eloped with DeBarge in 1984, but the marriage was annulled in 1985. The singer and James DeBarge were married for less than three months when she was just 18. In the documentary, Janet says, point blank, "I could never keep a child from James. Also responding to People's questioning, DeBarge dramatically said that Jackson was more than just his wife she was his sister, his mother, his everything. She also attributed weight gain at that time to the birth control she was on. Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret, Jackson said, per People. ET has reached out to Jackson for comment. By signing up, you agree to our 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 could never keep a child away from James. It was at that age, in fact, that Jackson embarked upon her short-lived marriage to singer James DeBarge, of the family group DeBarge, behind '80s R & B pop hits like "Rhythm of the Night" and "All This Love. McClain pressured Jackson to annul the union only eight months after the wedding, based on 1986 reporting from People. And back then, you could pick up weight taking them, and thats what happened to me, so that rumor started going around.. Jackson eloped with James in September 1984 when they were 18 and 21, respectively. So that rumor started going around.". 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved. I was under the impression that there was no baby, and I wanted to believe its not true. It was an attempt to take control of her life from father Joe Jackson that convinced an 18-year-old Janet Jackson to secretly marry childhood friend James DeBarge only to then have to deal with his drug problems. But no, I've never had a child. It seems no matter where Janet Jackson turns, she deals with control in some form or another. James said he always had his suspicions that Janet had a baby. There were times when Mike used to tease me and call me names, she recalled, before listing examples: Pig, horse, slaughter hog, cow., He would laugh about it and Id laugh too, but then there was somewhere down inside that it would hurt, she continued. The Control singer remembers the chatter first starting to spread in 1984 on the Season 4 set of NBCs Fame, in which she played Cleo Hewitt. Morga. His sister Bunny DeBarge later told Inside Edition that a woman claiming to be DeBarge and Jackson's daughter had come forward, but that she believed the woman was just seeking fame. Her two previous marriages were a year-long union with soul singer James DeBarge in the mid . She was the youngest of ten children in the Jackson family, a working-class African-American family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street. They started dating when she was 16, with Janet calling him a "sweet" and "nice guy.". Janet Jacket gives fans a rare look into her love life on the first two hours of her "Janet" docuseries for A&E on Friday night. Janet will be available to watch on Sky Documentaries and NOW from Monday 31 January. In her new documentary, Janet Jackson denies the rumor that she had a child with James DeBarge. WATCH: Janet Jackson and Husband Wissam Al Mana Step Out for the First Time Since Announcing Pregnancy. These lyrics kick-off Janet Jackson's 1986 album "Control": "When I was 17 / I did what people told me / Did what my father said / I let my mother mold me" (via AllMusic). Some People Think The Claims Against Him Were Just a Distraction. "Back in the day they were saying I had a child and I kept it secret," said Jackson, as "Fame" costar Debbie Allen recalled Janet being with them every day on set around the time she would have allegedly been pregnant, asking, "Where was the baby? Jackson was 18 when she and DeBarge first hooked up. 42,867, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved DeBarge reportedly left Jackson alone in a hotel for three hours shortly after their wedding, based on Insider reporting. Michael Jacksons Siblings: From Rebbie To Janet, Where Are They Now? "I had started taking birth control pills, and back then, you could pick up weight taking them. That's not right.". 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. Related: "When I was doing 'Fame,' a lot of the kids thought I was pregnant because I had gained weight and I started taking birth control pills. . Arguably DeBarge's biggest hit was. This story has been shared 71,303 times. It was at that age, in fact, that Jackson embarked upon her short-lived marriage to singer James DeBarge, of the family group DeBarge, behind '80s R & B pop hits like "Rhythm of the Night" and "All This Love." She is now 18 years old. Hollywood Life ", "They were saying I was raising her daughter," added Rebbie. ", According to John McClain, a record executive at Janet's label A & M, the marriage between Jackson and DeBarge could torpedo Jackson's fledgling music career. 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. These were rumors that were just flying around, honey, like hash in a diner, Allen, 72, says. As Insidergoes on to report, in the 2022 Lifetime documentary "Janet Jackson," the star explained that while the young couple was married, she found herself searching the street for her husband at night, and sometimes until early the next morning. Jackson and DeBarge a member of his family's singing group, DeBarge, which had several hit songs in the 1980s eloped in 1984 when she was 18 years old and he was 21. She laughs off the possibility of Jackson keeping a pregnancy secret during that time period, given that she spent so much time around her costars while filming the show. Jackson and DeBarge were married from Sept. 7, 1984, until Nov. 18, 1985. 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", "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. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. How could I keep a child from their father? In her new Lifetime and A&E documentary, Janet Jackson, the 55-year-old denied rumors that she secretly had a baby with her then-husband James DeBarge in the 1980s. After decades of rumors about Janet Jackson and James DeBarge's daughter and claims they had a secret child before their divorce, the conspiracy theories have officially been shut down. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The two were married in 1984 when Jackson was 18 and DeBarge was 21. Where was the baby?. A 2018 Daily Beast article noted that James had experienced addiction and depression at the time of his marriage to Jackson and that her family had vehemently opposed the union. How could I keep a child from their father? she asked in interview. Getty Images It was an attempt to take control of her life from father Joe Jackson that convinced. 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 secret daughter she had given away.. 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. She claimed the rumors started after she gained weight from birth control. Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson are a family of three! 71,303, This story has been shared 60,642 times. Janet tries to shed some light on that in the documentary as well, pointing to a time in her life when she started to put on some weight, but for a very different reason. display: none; The episodes revolve around the early years of the legendary performer's career, from her time as a child star and teen actor up until her first big tour following the release of "Rhythm Nation" in 1989. She spoke about how DeBarge left her alone in a hotel room for three hours. Singer Janet Jackson has, at 50, given birth to her first child, a boy, her publicist confirms. And, when it comes to her personal life, the show covers her first marriage and divorce and the star on her way toward her second marriage. 3:00 in the morning, 4:00 in the morning. Jackson herself addressed the rumors in Vibe in 2001, posted on R & Being, stating "They say the kid's in Europe or that one of my brothers or sisters is raising it. I remember eventually deciding to get a divorce -- or an annulment, it only lasted a year -- one day he wanted me to drive him to his brother's house and that's when I told him," she explained. "I was under the impression that there was no baby, and I wanted to believe it's not true. A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant cause I had gained weight and I had started taking birth control pills, she says. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider Somewhere along the way, a story came to light that Janet had gotten pregnant while starring on the hit show, Fame, and had a secret daughter tucked away no one knew about. On that note, when asked if there was a chance for the couple to reconcile, Jackson replied, "I don't know, I really don't know. I could never do that, thats not right." The Emmy Award winner, 29, announced the birth of their first child, a baby boy they named Leodis "Leo" Andrellton on Monday. We found 107 80s acts on tour in 2023. Who are they? Janet was two years out from her first self-titled album and wouldn't release Control, the album that turned her into a mega-star, for another two years. The documentary explains that tabloids suggested Jackson's sister Rebbie was raising the child or even that Jackson's adopted niece was really her own child. The 55-year-old artist addressed the rumours in the second part of the forthcoming documentary Janet, along with a number of other gossip items she had heard about herself over the years. } How historically accurate is "The Crown"? 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. 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. According to a later report from Radar Online, the woman and DeBarge eventually took a paternity test that proved they weren't related after all. ", 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. Privacy Notice But who knows what goes on behind closed doors? Thats not right, Jackson, 55, says in the upcoming two-night Lifetime and A&E special. The singer's big pregnancy news came after she announced in April that she would be postponing her tour to start a family. The pair were married when Jackson was 18 and DeBarge was 21. For years, Janet Jackson and James DeBarge have been at the center of a secret baby scandal. Once she became famous in her own right, it was only a matter of time before she would be on the receiving end of some wild rumors. The 55-year-old artist addressed. James' bombastic revelation came at a particularly sensitive time, as Janet was expecting her first child at 50, and gave birth to her son Eissa Al Mana in January 2017. Last month, Jackson and her hubby stepped out again in London, holding hands. 4 min read. The comments given by him were able to support most reports which revolved around . I wanted to be able to stand on my own feet, the 55-year-old pop superstar revealed in the two-part documentary Janet Jackson which premieres on Lifetime and A&E over Friday and Saturday nights. On January 3, 2017, Jackson and her then-husband Wissam Al Mana welcomed their son, Eissa Al Mana. "Her adoptive mother and on her death bed said she told her. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { "I don't know what's going to happen. "I remember going to Michigan, to Grand Rapids and his uncle, he was a pastor and he married us. One of the biggest things being teased about the doc ahead of its premiere was Janet finally addressing persistent rumors she and first husband James DeBarge had a secret love child in the '80s -- a kid she supposedly had her sister Rebbie raise to keep up the ruse. ET recently spoke to Jackson's good friend, Tyler Perry, who said he was "excited" for her pregnancy. Published on January 26, 2022 06:30 PM. His comments lent support to reports that have circulated for years claiming Janet has a "secret" daughter. I could never do that, that's not right.. Jackson's publicist didn't immediately return a call from The Associated Press on Monday. And the shy sweethearts bonded over both coming from musical families while talking on the phone. This story has been shared 168,331 times. Young DeBarge said the. The marriage was annulled a year later. He calls every once in a while and says 'Hi,' but I really don't know.". In an interview on A&E and Lifetime's two-part docuseries, Janet, Jackson shut down the 30-year-old . 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. I remember times when I would find the pills and I would take them and try to flush them down the toilet, and we would be rolling around on the floor fighting for them 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, cause I knew that he needed help.