Jackson Parents Join Son's Defense

Dec. 12 -- Defending their son against child molestation allegations, Michael Jackson's parents say the media are misrepresenting their son and tarnishing his reputation as a legendary pop star.

"There are many vicious people out there … just because he loved children, this is the only thing they could get him on," Jackson's mother, Katherine, said in an in an interview airing Monday on Britain's ITV network.

Watch exclusive excerpts of the British documentary tonight on 20/20.

The singer's parents said they never felt a need to warn their son about the dangers of showing affection to children, especially behind closed doors.

"You can hug a kid behind a closed door, 'cause there's nothing wrong with hugging a kid or nothing. But, they're so — I don't know what you call it — here in America …. You can't hug a kid, you can't spank him or nothing," said his father, Joe Jackson.

Joe Jackson said the media have misinterpreted what he called his son's simple affection for kids. "They can twist anything they want to. … If they don't like you, they gonna try to fix it so you can fall down with it," he said.

Stars Join in Defense

Jackson's parents and family aren't the only ones defending his character. Fellow performers are speaking out in support of him as well.

"At the end of the day, it's about evidence. Where's the evidence?" said rap star LL Cool J. "Yeah, I know he got plastic surgery, I know he may not be what you consider to be the guy next door, but where's the evidence? I'm a fan, I support him a hundred, zillion percent."

Grammy Award-winning singer Alicia Keys said: "I feel offended by the way that the media is handling a man who really has been a major force in American culture since the day that he was born, virtually … And I really think that he deserves much more respect than he's getting right now."