In the "Janet Jackson" documentary, the singer's "Fame" costar Debbie Allen makes an appearance. I was under the impression that there was no baby, and I wanted to believe its not true. ", "To be honest with you, I didn't know," he continues. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Shortly after she married at 18, rumors swirled that Janet Jackson had a secret daughter she had given away. 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 two were married in 1984 when Jackson was 18 and DeBarge was 21. Janet Jackson and James DeBarge, who were briefly married in 1984, had a daughter together, DeBarge's brother Young DeBarge has claimed on a radio program. We've received your submission. In 2016, according to Entertainment Tonight, DeBarge, who ran into legal trouble for his drug use in 2011 and 2014, appeared on the show "Growing Up Hip-Hop "and claimed that he and Jackson had a secret daughter together. "A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant because I had gained weight," Jackson said. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. "No one really knew how it was working out until things kind of surfaced," he said. I eventually learned that he was into drugs," she claimed. Janet Jackson did not have a secret baby in the '80s that she kept from husband James DeBarge and the world. "I had started taking birth control pills, and back then, you could pick up weight taking them. Distractify is a registered trademark. Hollywood Life Fellow stars including Mariah Carey, Missy Elliott, Janelle Mone, Paula Abdul and Tyler Perry also contributed to the series. For years, Janet Jackson and James DeBarge have been at the center of a secret baby scandal. 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. Janet Jackson is shutting down long-standing rumors that she and first husband James DeBarge welcomed a secret child during their year-long . By 18, she was married, saying part of her decision to tie the knot was to try and have a little control over her life at a time when her father was controlling her image. Janet did become a mother decades later when she and her third husband, billionaire businessman Wissam Al Mana, welcomed a son, Eissa, in January 2017. 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. Janet Jackson Shuts Down Rumors of a Secret Baby with James DeBarge The Grammy-winning Rhythm Nation artist married DeBarge in 1984, when she was just 18. Some People Think The Claims Against Him Were Just a Distraction. Janet Jackson airs Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Jackson followed through on McClain's request in 1985 (via Insider). 'Janet Jackson' Doc Talks Michael, Joe and James DeBarge Baby Rumor Janet Jackson denies secretly having a baby with ex-husband James DeBarge. These days, Janet has a very different life and relationship. They went to Grand Rapids, Mich. and eloped. "They weren't very revealing about what the relationship was about.". 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. Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61 How could I keep a child from their father? she asked in interview. ", What Janet Jackson's Short Marriage To James DeBarge Was Like. I remember driving back home to my parents house, I was just done. "I could never keep a child away from James. The singer was starring on season four of NBC's Fame . I was just incredibly innocent, she says with tears in her eyes in the documentary. display: none; But who knows what goes on behind closed doors? However, the rumored story goes back all the way to 1984. Janet Jackson addressed a long-circulating rumor that she had a secret love child with ex-husband James DeBarge whom she gave to one of her siblings to raise. But the couples marriage was short-lived, ending in an annulment in November 1985 after Janet found out that the Rhythm of the Night crooner had been using drugs. 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. "There were a lot of nights I would go searching the streets looking for him. Jackson, 55, denied ever having a child with singer James DeBarge. ET recently spoke to Jackson's good friend, Tyler Perry, who said he was "excited" for her pregnancy. Janet Jackson Denies Hiding A Secret Child From James DeBarge I could never do that. Janet Jackson Addresses Rumor She And James DeBarge Had A Child In The 80s Jackson reflects on her failed marriage to James DeBarge, their fights over his alleged drug use and persistent rumors Janet's sister raised their secret love child. In fact, one woman made headlines last month when she claimed to be their long lost daughter. Click to Subscribe to Get Our Free HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter, Julia Stiles' Baby Born: Actress Gives Birth To 2nd Child With Husband Preston Cook, Katherine Schwarzenegger Displays Baby Bump In Denim Overalls While Out & About, Janet Jackson Super Bowl Scandal: What To Know About The Backlash & Feud With Justin Timberlake, Janet Jackson Songs: The Best Of Her Best For The Ultimate Playlist. 42,867, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved How the creator of Dilbert went from star to "train wreck" 3 min read. Forty years later, Janet is still trying to shut down the story. "I'm tired of the truth not coming forward, and people being a coward when it comes to it. A lot of the kids thought I was pregnant cause I had gained weight and I had started taking birth control pills, she says. All Rights Reserved. James' mother, Etterlene DeBarge, also spoke with Inside Edition because she believed she found James' child. Janet will be available to watch on Sky Documentaries and NOW from Monday 31 January. ", 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. I could never do that, thats not right., So how exactly did all the rumors get started? Janet Jackson talks growth, body confidence and aging on cover of Allure magazine In a 2016 appearance on Growing Up Hip Hop, in which his daughter, Kristinia DeBarge, was a cast member,. Sign up for notifications from Insider! She confirmed it on the deathbed.". Sitemap, Your California Privacy Rights I had started taking birth control pills, she explained, during the time she was on Fame. Jackson, 50, is now pregnant with her first child with husband Wissam Al Mana. "I wanted to be able to stand on my own feet and at that time I felt there was no other way to get my own life unless I got married," she said. And then because [my brother] Randys daughter looks so much like me, they started saying it was Stevanna.. My sister Toya said if that's what you want to do, then you should do it. She spoke about how DeBarge left her alone in a hotel room for three hours. That's not a life for anyone. In her new documentary, Janet Jackson denies the rumor that she had a child with James DeBarge. Janet Jackson Responds to Rumor of a Secret Child With James DeBarge It wasnt easy for us to see each other being that she was very well protected by her mom and dad, said DeBarge. 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. How historically accurate is "The Crown". she joked, recalling their parents were "shocked" when they found out she got married. Filmed over the course of five years, Janet examines the stars personal life, as well as featuring archival footage of some of the biggest moments from Jacksons music career, including the infamous 2004 Super Bowl performance with Justin Timberlake. After they eloped to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where they were married by DeBarges uncle I even remember putting a ring on my finger and putting it on the wrong finger, said Jackson the groom left his bride alone on their wedding night. In the documentary, Jackson rationalized that she thought the rumors came from a focus on her weight. 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.. McClain pressured Jackson to annul the union only eight months after the wedding, based on 1986 reporting from People. & 2023 CBS Studios Inc. and CBS Interactive Inc., Paramount companies. Janet Jackson and James DeBarge's Relationship Timeline Born on August 22, 1963, as the seventh child to Robert DeBarge Sr. and Etterlene Abney DeBarge, James Curtis DeBarge also hails from a musical family that became famous in the early 1980s. Hollywood Life, Latest Hollywood Celebrity & Entertainment News. The 55-year-old artist addressed. Last month, Jackson and her hubby stepped out again in London, holding hands. Janet Jackson denies having secret baby with James DeBarge - Page Six In her new docuseries, Janet Jackson reminisced about her marriage to James DeBarge in 1984. In her new documentary, she's setting the record straight. "I couldn't believe it. }, First published on October 24, 2005 / 10:04 PM. Janet Jackson Denies Secret Baby With Ex James DeBarge The marriage was annulled a year later. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. 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). Jackson, 39, secretly married Rene Elizondo Jr. in 1991. 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. Back in the day they were saying that I had a child and I kept it secret, Janet said in an interview in her new documentary, Janet Jackson. It seems no matter where Janet Jackson turns, she deals with control in some form or another. 71,303, This story has been shared 60,642 times. 2023 Oscars: Watch scenes from the best picture nominees ", "So that rumor started going around," she added, before getting emotional as she said she "could never keep a child away from James" if they had one together. "One of her adoptive parents died," he said. "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? 45,187, This story has been shared 42,867 times. The marriage was annulled just a year later, in 1985. ", According to Rebbie, she didn't even meet James until after the two said "I do.". Jackson had a visible baby bump when she was spotted out and about in London, England, in late September, in pictures exclusively obtained by ET. 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. She even shares a harrowing story of rolling around on the floor with James, fighting to take pills from him. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Janet Jackson denies long-standing rumors that she secretly had a baby with ex-husband James DeBarge in the 1980s in her new documentary. But it is, he told his daughter Kristinia DeBarge in a November 2016 episode of the WE tv series Growing Up Hip Hop.. ", "They were saying I was raising her daughter," added Rebbie. 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. 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. "I don't know what's going to happen. How could I keep a child from their father? Janet Jackson James Debarge Daughter - A Secret Child? Heres what you need to know. WATCH: Janet Jackson and Husband Wissam Al Mana Step Out for the First Time Since Announcing Pregnancy. At the time, Jackson had a recurring role in the hit TV series "Fame," and fans paid attention to her physical appearance. October 24, 2005 / 10:04 PM I remember times I would find the pills, I would take them and try to flush them down the toilet and we would be rolling around on the floor fighting for them. When asked about the rumors that the newlyweds were battling, El replied, "All I've seen is that it's all peaches 'n' cream. Janet Jacket gives. Earlier this week, James DeBarge's mother Etterlene DeBarge claimed that she had DNA proof that Janet Jackson gave birth to child during her year-long marriage to James back in the 1980s. 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. "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. How could I keep a child away from their father? Where is James DeBarge Now? - The Cinemaholic ", DeBarge said Renee "is a wonderful singer.". 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. "He was so mad and so frustrated and when he got out of the car, I locked the doors. Janet Jackson's Daughter: The Truth About Her 'Secret Baby' Revealed She was still heavily controlled (get it?) 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. Keke Palmer and Darius Jackson Welcome First Child, Baby Boy Leodis 'Leo' Andrellton. According to a later report from Radar Online. ", In a 1985 interview with the Los Angeles Times, James' brother El shared that his family, the DeBarges and the Jacksons, another famous music family from the era, had known each other for quite some time and that James and Janet had dated for two years before they eloped. Offers may be subject to change without notice. In 2017, Debarge told Radar Online that the existence of his child with Jackson was "not a secret" and that a woman had contacted him to reveal herself as his daughter. And I thought it was wise for me to speak out now because it needs to be addressed. What's more, Bunny said that Tiffany was one of about 10 women who contacted her family claiming to be the secret child in what Bunny called "fame seeking.". Later that night while at a hotel, James told Janet he would "be right back," but didn't return for several hours. By signing up, you agree to our But it is." 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. Janet quickly learned that James was very heavily into drugs, something she couldnt see when they got together, pointing to her own innocence. Trending News #ControlTheNarrative #Iconic Janet4ever @lifetimetv, That said, Bunny didn't buy it. "How could I keep a child from their father?" The nuptials only lasted for a year, with the pair separating in 1984 due to DeBarge's . Published on January 26, 2022 06:30 PM. In March 2017, James' sister Bunny DeBarge wanted to clear the air, so she reached out to Inside Edition, where all the classy air cleaning happens. According to DeBarge's mother, Etterlene DeBarge, Jackson had separated from . Janet Jackson clears up decades-old rumor she had a secret baby with ex Janet Jackson Finally Addresses Secret Love Child Rumors In New Docuseries 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. Crying, she then told her producer, "I don't want to talk about this anymore. James said he always had his suspicions that Janet had a baby. I don't know, maybe it's this person in me that wants to help people. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. We've received your submission. After Jackson had finally had enough, it culminated with them getting an annulment in 1985.