Jackson Parents Join Son's Defense

Dec. 12, 2003 -- 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."

Putting Together the Jackson 5

Joe and Katherine Jackson have nine children, and Joe discussed his idea to get Michael and his older brothers into show business as the Jackson 5.

He said, "If we want to have all these kids they got to be able to do something in life, you know, because, they all went to school and all that but, I'm still thinking about having them involved in show business."

Joe said when Michael started singing with his brothers everything changed. "The harmonies started fitting in. Katherine would work with them when I'm at work, you know. And when I got off from work, I would rehearse them. Sometimes two hours, you know," he said.

Katherine recalled: "When Joe would go to work we'd just sing folk songs or sing together, but I heard them singing in the bedroom singing one of the Temptations' songs. … The harmony was so beautiful. Their older sister Rebbie would stand by the door and listen with me. And she would start to cry, because it was so nice."

Sibling Rivalry?

Joe and Katherine say Michael really stood out from his brothers and sisters at a young age, and never stopped building on his talents.

"There's a lot of entertainers in the world," Joe Jackson said, "but they know none of the entertainers can do a show. They just get up there and sing. You have to have a move going … and also be able to have a show with that singing. And that's Michael."

Michael's fame overshadowed even the considerable talent of his siblings, and distanced him from the rest of the family. There were the usual family frictions, but in Michael's case they were compounded by extraordinary celebrity and the public spotlight.

When Michael was first accused of child molestation in 1993 (he was not charged), his sister La Toya condemned him publicly.Speaking of her brother to reporters, she said, "I love him a great deal, but I cannot, and I will not, be a silent collaborator of his crimes against small, innocent children."

But Michael's mother says the past differences between La Toya and Michael were spurred by La Toya's ex-husband and former manager, Jack Gordon.

"She was with a mean, vicious, wicked man. … And he's on television the other day saying some ugly things."

Last month, Gordon claimed to have seen a lot of boys at his brother-in-law's residence and asked Jackson family members why there weren't also little girls at his home.

Katherine Jackson said Gordon is lying, and claims that Gordon never met Michael or stayed at their home. "He's lying," she said. "And this is what he did to my daughter. He actually had her afraid of me, by brainwashing her … or staging things to make her think that I was out to kill her."

La Toya Jackson and Gordon were married seven years, and divorced in 1997.

An Affectionate Father

Katherine and Joe described Michael as a good father, who has a close and affectionate relationship with his three children. The singer has two children, Prince Michael I, 6, and Paris, 5, from his three-year marriage to Debbie Rowe. His third child, Prince Michael II, was born to an unidentified woman in 2002.

Joe Jackson said his son is more lenient with his children than he was with his own. "I don't think he's strict as I was because during my time, I mean in their time, when they were coming up as kids, there was a lot of bad things happening around in the area and I had to know what was going on to keep them out of trouble," he said.

"He really watches over them. Plus, he has other people there too to watch them as well," Joe Jackson said of his son. "And they have the nannies and things of that sort."

Katherine said she sees her grandchildren about once a month, and sees that Michael has a good relationship with his kids. "His children just love him. And he's a real good father," she said.

Joe and Katherine Jackson say Michael's children are already showing talent for singing and dancing. But Katherine said she's not eager to see her grandchildren follow their dad into show business. "If it's going to cause them as much pain as it's caused Michael, I'd rather them not," she said.