She’s back in control. For years, Janet Jackson has remained out of the spotlight, opting to lead a very private life following several major scandals. But come January 28th, all of that will change, as Janet celebrates the 40th anniversary (WHAT?!) of her 1982 self-titled debut album with an all-new documentary special looking back at her life and career — and Janet is going DEEP.
In the first, full-length trailer for the two night special, Janet talks about everything: from her childhood to the spotlight, to being the little sister to the legendary Michael Jackson, to perhaps the moment that defined her career in the early 2000s. Who could forget the infamous 2004 Super Bowl “Nipplegate” incident with Justin Timberlake when, while performing onstage, Justine ripped part of her top, only to accidentally expose one of her breasts. Despite both performers apologizing over the wardrobe malfunction, it was Janet who had to deal with immense scrutiny and public backlash.
In the trailer, Janet doesn’t speak directly about the night in question, but rather is shown reacting to news from her people of Justin Timberlake’s returning to headline the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2018. Not only that, the documentary confirms long rumors that JT asked Janet to perform with him during the game. Though we don’t hear her response, you can see it all right on her face how shocked she is — and we know she didn’t actually show up for the performance in 2018, so clearly she turned him down.
But the documentary promises to go even deeper than that. Longtime fans will finally get to hear Janet open up about being a mother to her baby boy Eissa Al Mana, her relationship with her family, and perhaps most incredibly, the child sex abuse allegations against brother Michael, which she has rarely spoken on. She very famous stood by him during his trial when he was alive and again after his death in 2009, when more accusers came forward ten years later in in the 2019 HBO documentary Leaving Neverland. But at one point, Janet says in reference to the scandal that she felt, “Guilty by association. I guess that’s what they call it, right?” Could she be changing her stance?
Part one of two of the documentary Janet Jackson is set to premiere on Lifetime and A&E on Friday, Jan. 28th.