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Radio Host 1
You're on the Burch Show. All right, Janet Jackson. First of all, I will say this, that normally we do not take interviews. If stipulations go along with those interviews,
Radio Host 2
I would say you can talk to this celebrity, but you cannot ask about their personal life at all whatsoever. And please don't ask about the one dramatic thing that happened to them in the last five years.
Radio Host 1
I think there are some shows that will book that interview and they sort of feel like the, the level of the celebrity is so high that there's entertainment value just in having that person's voice on the radio. I don't feel that way. So we have always said that if they give us stipulations, we don't take the interview. We've passed on big Time interviews before we passed on Ryan Reynolds because he wouldn't talk about Scarlett Johansson.
Radio Host 2
And it was right after they got married.
Radio Host 1
Right after they got married. How can you have an interview and not ask about that? It just doesn't seem authentic.
Janet Jackson
Right.
Radio Host 3
Eric Estrada.
Radio Host 1
We didn't do Erik Estrada because he wouldn't talk chips.
Radio Host 4
Yeah.
Radio Host 2
So I was trying to think of
Radio Host 4
the other guy's name and just like in the 70s. I can't remember that other Baker, John
Janet Jackson
Baker on the show.
Radio Host 4
Anyway, sorry, Wendy. So TV show in the 70s.
Janet Jackson
Go ahead.
Radio Host 1
The Janet Jackson interview here. I think I felt a little bit differently about it. Jeff sent out an email saying, look, here's the deal. We can have her, but you're not allowed to ask about Michael. And my initial reaction was like, how can we authentically do that? I mean, this is the biggest thing that happened to her in the last year. So how is it possible that we take this interview? So I started playing it over in my head, and it really was a no risk proposition because we were recording the interview and if there was nothing to play for you guys, we just wouldn't play the interview. Really. You know, perhaps we wouldn't play the interview, but we thought that we could ask her questions that sort of had to do with Michael without asking her about Michael. And maybe she would sort of take the bait and she would share with us everything that's happened.
Radio Host 2
Well, and I think too, you have to remember that her publicity people are looking out for her with all radio stations that she talks to. And you can imagine some jerk, you know, morning host somewhere around the country being like, so how do you feel about your dead brother? Or do something really, really tacky and really offensive and hurtful. And I think that, you know, as they get to know us better, they know that we're not gonna handle it that way. That's tacky and rude. I mean, you wouldn't ask anybody about their, you know, sibling that just died. Like, you wouldn't bring it up in a brash way, but I think a lot of morning shows around the country would bring it up in that way and be really offensive and hurtful.
Radio Host 4
We suffer from the mistakes of so many other stations.
Radio Host 1
And, you know, from time to time, we might have been guilty of it also with other celebrities, lesser celebrities, but in this case, Jenna's right. We're walking. We're walking a really tight line here because we didn't want to be tacky, but. But we did want to have an interview that had some more meaning to it. So we started talking to Janet about it yesterday, and sure enough, about halfway through the interview, she did indeed lighten up and give us some insight about. She's been great, like, for her, the last year.
Radio Host 2
Yeah. And I'm sorry. She's typically a difficult person to interview because she's very quiet and subdued.
Radio Host 1
She's guarded, and how could you not be?
Radio Host 4
Right?
Radio Host 1
You know? So as I was playing this interview over in my head yesterday afterwards, there's so many other questions I think we could have asked or I could have asked specifically that would have made it better. But I was so focused on not offending that I wasn't even listening to the answers. Like, she talked about the Scream video, and there's a perfect opportunity there to say, what do you remember most about the Scream video? And she would have obviously started talking about Michael, but I chickened out. I just didn't want to offend her, you know? But she did open up about some stuff, and a lot of stuff. She opened up about her weight loss and her weight gain, how she views the tabloids, how she's become very, very protective of her nieces and nephews, about Jermaine Dupree and their relationship. And she's gonna tell you it's not what you guys think it is, but this is Janet Jackson. And the reason she's talking about it. She's got a new CD out today.
Radio Host 2
Yeah, it's Number Ones. It comes out today, has a new single on there, but it's 33 of her number one hits.
Radio Host 1
Oh, and I want you to listen for this also. Were there some times during the interview yesterday where her voice sounded so much like Michael? Like, the way she. The way she inflects, and specifically when she was talking about not wanting to talk about all these Number Ones, she got so humble about not wanting to talk about her success. I think she even says it's embarrassing to talk about these things, which is exactly what Michael used to say.
Radio Host 2
Hmm.
Radio Host 4
I know their singing voices got very similar. Like Janet. Some. Some of Janet's songs on One of her CDs, I thought was a little. They started sounding a lot singing. So I'm curious to hear this.
Radio Host 1
Janet Jackson on The Birth Show. Q100.
Janet Jackson
Hello.
Radio Host 1
Hello. Hi, Janet Jackson.
Janet Jackson
Hi.
Radio Host 1
You sound amazingly like Janet Jackson.
Janet Jackson
Well, I wonder why.
Radio Host 1
Weird. How are you today?
Janet Jackson
I'm very well, thank you.
Radio Host 1
Good. Hey, we need your help with something that we started this morning. How much time are you spending in Atlanta these days?
Janet Jackson
Not much.
Radio Host 1
Like, are you saying 30% of your time now is spent in Atlanta?
Janet Jackson
No.
Radio Host 1
20%. Do I have a 10? Can I get five?
Janet Jackson
I spent time in Atlanta doing the film why Did I Get Married Too?
Radio Host 1
Okay, here's our beef. Because you have spent some time here before is the word Hotlanta is absolutely driving us crazy.
Janet Jackson
But when people say that.
Radio Host 1
Yes. It's like nails on a chalkboard for us.
Radio Host 2
It's just old news. And everybody outside of Atlanta keeps using it to refer to Atlanta.
Janet Jackson
Yeah, well, I guess because it's old news for you guys. Did it stem from there? I mean, I know it's about you, but was it created in Atlanta?
Radio Host 1
Well, the rumor is that, like, the Board of Tourism started this, like, 25, 30 years ago.
Janet Jackson
Oh, really?
Radio Host 1
But it's just so cheesy that we started a campaign this morning to stop using the word Hotlanta. And there is nothing that has more credibility than when a celebrity backs your campaign.
Janet Jackson
Well, why would you. I mean, it's part of what also helped to put you on the map, aside from the music that's come out of there, being a Georgia peach and all that, all that good stuff.
Radio Host 1
Because it's like, we got the A now, people. You know, it's just Hotlanta just for people that live here sounds so dated. And you have to follow us on this because we need your support.
Radio Host 3
It's like if you went to. If you went somewhere from. I'm assuming you're calling us from California, from Los Angeles.
Janet Jackson
Yes.
Radio Host 3
So it's like if you called us and we were like, hey, Janet, what's
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going on in LA LA Land at lax?
Radio Host 3
Yeah. You'd kind of be like, eh. You wince a little bit.
Janet Jackson
No, it wouldn't matter to me, honestly. But see, you have a lot of older people that probably still say that. Right?
Radio Host 1
Well, we're trying to push those people out.
Janet Jackson
That's awful. They can't do.
Radio Host 1
No, just young people in Atlanta.
Janet Jackson
That's all we want.
Radio Host 2
We want new, exciting trends.
Janet Jackson
All right?
Weight Watchers Advertiser
Atlanta's not part of the.
Radio Host 1
All we're asking you is when you tell people that you've spent some time in Atlanta, when they jokingly say back to you, oh, Hotlanta, how is it the first thing you politely say is, well, they don't call it Hotlanta anymore.
Janet Jackson
Okay, so I'm supposed to say this in our conversation. Yeah.
Radio Host 1
You know, when it comes up when you're talking in LA around celebrities, when anybody says Hotlanta, if you could just correct them and say, you know what? They really don't call it that anymore. That would Be tremendous for us. Okay, we got a deal.
Janet Jackson
Okay.
Radio Host 3
And you know what would help, too, also? If you said, and Tyler Perry doesn't like it either.
Janet Jackson
No, I'm not putting that on. You have to speak to him about it.
Radio Host 1
So, Janet, number Ones comes out tomorrow, and I'm looking at this thing and 33 number ones from around the world. 33. Does that number even, like, astonish you?
Janet Jackson
At times. It's a great body of work. I've never thought about. Okay, how many number ones do I have? I keep moving and keep going and keep creating. But when I look at the body of work, I mean, it's pretty good. It's pretty good.
Radio Host 1
It's pretty good. That's like saying the Mona Lisa is a pretty good painting.
Janet Jackson
I feel embarrassed.
Radio Host 2
Well, you should be proud of yourself. It's amazing. And I want to hear about the new single, Make Me. What is this all about?
Janet Jackson
It's about being at a club, and there's this guy that, you know that's a great dancer. You want him to get up and move. Get up and have a good time like everybody else.
Radio Host 1
You know, When I look at some of the songs on this list here, just when I hear the word of the song, it will bring me back to a time in my life when that song was popular. Like, Control brings me back to college. If I just say the words, like black cat, will it do the same thing for you too? Does it bring you back to that time?
Janet Jackson
Mm, it does. Either creating the song or being on the Rhythm Nation tour performing it.
Radio Host 1
So if I say the word nasty, the song nasty, what do you think of?
Janet Jackson
I think about how the song was created. Walking down the street in Minneapolis, and guys were kind of trying to get at me, and it was driving me nuts.
Radio Host 1
How about the song Scream initially?
Janet Jackson
What do you think of shooting the video? I would say shooting the video.
Radio Host 1
Did we cover Control also?
Janet Jackson
Well, you covered Control.
Weight Watchers Advertiser
How about you cover Control?
Janet Jackson
That was my first time ever being on a stage alone. It goes back to the video, and it was supposed to be, you know, live performance, and I had never performed by myself before. Not like that. Whether it was. We did it at a convention center, and it was a sea of people. And so that was kind of like my first live performance on my own.
Radio Host 2
Janet, on next Sunday, the 22nd, we're hearing that you are slated to open the 37th annual American Music Awards, and it's gonna be a big performance. What do you do to get ready for something like that?
Janet Jackson
Rehearse like crazy.
Radio Host 1
Yeah.
Radio Host 2
Non Stop.
Janet Jackson
Yeah, you rehearse. You rehearse it a good deal. There's a few things that are coming up. So there's been quite a bit of rehearsal and it's been fun and a great deal of fun and trying to just put it all together and hopefully everybody at home and the people in the audiences in the audience will enjoy it.
Radio Host 3
Do you still get nervous right before you go on stage?
Janet Jackson
No, I never got nervous before, except for one time when I did. It was really weird. I think it was. It hadn't been the Velvet Rope project because my hair was red and I was doing the American Music Awards and they asked me, are you nervous? And I said, you know, the funny thing about it, and I was doing an interview, I said, I don't get nervous, but I've got a little something in my stomach tonight. And that was the only time that I had ever gotten nervous as an adult performing.
Radio Host 1
Even with the MTV Video Music Awards. I mean, it was an amazing, amazing tribute and it was such an emotional time for you. No nerves at that at all?
Janet Jackson
No, no nerves. No nerves at all.
Weight Loss Advertiser
And you're working on a book now, right?
Janet Jackson
Yes, I am. It's called True youe. And it's really about. A lot of people have wanted to know how. How I did it, how I lost weight and, you know, I still have issues where I fluctuate and it goes into, you know, my personal life somewhat. And also there are anecdotes from fans that I've collected throughout the years and stories of their lives and certain issues and my music inspiring them and me talking with them. And it stems. I'm kind of jumping all over the place. But it starts from your kid years on up because that's where it started. It stemmed from, for me as a kid, in self esteem and all that went on and in talking to a few stories from young people at that time. I've been in this business since I was 7 years old. So I have a lot of letters that were written to me. So it talks about a lot, from kids to teens to adults. And it goes through the whole gamut in my life as well.
Radio Host 2
Does it include your relationships in it? The relationships you've been through through the years?
Janet Jackson
It's not an autobiography, but it's touches upon certain moments in my life that I think are kind of important, not necessarily a specific relationship, but there may have been something that happened within a relationship that triggered something and caused me at that moment to become this emotional eater that I can be. You see what I'm saying, so it goes through those times and even as a kid dealing with certain issues that still tend to affect me to this day. And some people, it rolls right off their back, some kids and others it sticks with them. So it's like that. So I wish when I was a kid I had a book like this to read. I think it would have been helpful for me. And then there are recipes within the book. Oh, that's cool that, you know, I just didn't want to leave them. Okay. This is what happened in my life and other people's lives. And not trying to be a guru, not saying that I'm some psychologist or psychiatrist, just my point of view and what worked for me and what my concerns are and what I've seen being introduced to so many people throughout this world.
Radio Host 1
Shannon, when you talk about the weight and you talk about dealing with eating, as far as stress goes, is it extremely painful for you when tabloids touch upon that part of your life?
Janet Jackson
It used to be, it's not anymore. But I don't really see it. People can be cruel and that's their job is the way that I see it. That's their job to give as much drama as they possibly can. Because if they're not messy, people aren't going to want to buy the Mac. Think as that's what they're buying it for, for the Mac. Sometimes it's true, sometimes it's not. You know, there are a lot of times when it's not true about the artist, but the artists just don't. Some fight back, some just say, you know what, I don't have time for this. It's petty, I'm moving on. But it can be hurtful.
Radio Host 1
Was there one specific rumor where you learned that lesson and you turned it off at that point?
Janet Jackson
Just tuned out completely?
Radio Host 1
Yeah,
Janet Jackson
there's been a few. There's been a few. But I think it gets pretty painful when they involve like my nieces and nephews, you know, silly stories. Like my nephew is actually my. I'm sorry, my niece is actually my daughter. My daughter is. In other words, I had a child and my brother's raising my child, things like that. It's just crazy.
Radio Host 1
And how do you shield your nieces and nephews from those kind of rumors?
Janet Jackson
It's hard to shield them. I call them and I talk to them and it's very difficult. I have a very big family. But you try to protect them as much as you can. But you know, you try to talk to them and hopefully they understand and they were Born in this. Unfortunately, you can't pick your family that you're born into. They were born into this, and you try to make it as easy as you possibly can for them. So when it comes up, I. I call them and I talk with them, and it's, you know, certain niece in particular, and they say that we look alike. Well, why wouldn't we look alike? We're related.
Radio Host 1
You know, Janet, there's so many exciting things that are going on with you right now. Obviously, the CD that's gonna drop, you got some new stuff coming out next year, the book we talked about. But on the other hand, you know, it's been a whirlwind of emotion for you this year also. What have you learned about yourself this year?
Janet Jackson
Well, I guess I learned it before, too, that I'm. I'm. I'm a strong woman, but I'm a lot, lot stronger than I thought I was.
Radio Host 1
Yeah.
Janet Jackson
Yeah, I'm very. And I think I get that. Well, both of my parents are strong, but my mother is incredibly, incredibly strong. And I think a part of you has to be to be in this business, because a lot of stuff is thrown at you. But this year has taught me that for sure, I'm very. I'm very strong. And even my friends said to me, written me notes saying, you know, I take my hat off to you. Just watching you and seeing you and being with you every day. It's amazing how you can control it all.
Radio Host 2
Who do you lean on the most in the times when you need support?
Janet Jackson
It all depends. Sometimes it's family, sometimes it's friends, sometimes it's. Well, if it's an ex that I still speak with, then it's definitely. He's definitely a friend. That's. That's it. I mean, there have been fans that have been there for me. The fans are always supportive and there for me. So it all depends upon what it is.
Radio Host 1
Is the. The ex that you speak of is that Jermaine Dupree? Is that where you get strength? You're talking about, you know, you're talking to an Atlanta radio station. We had an ass.
Janet Jackson
Yes, Jermaine. He's one of friends. I love, love, love him to death. He's such a sweetheart. He's one of my best friends. And we still are. We're still connected. We're still good friends. We still talk still. And I. That's not me. I'm not that kind of girl that stays in touch with your. With your ex like that. That's not my thing. Never happened. To me before. And, well, there's this one other person that I dated for a very, very short moment that we're still good friends as well.
Radio Host 1
And does he do the same when things are going kind of down? Will he pick up the phone and will he call you?
Janet Jackson
Who's he? The other person or Jermaine?
Radio Host 1
Jermaine.
Janet Jackson
Oh, yes. Yes, definitely. We're there for one another.
Radio Host 1
That's great.
Janet Jackson
And I think it'll remain that way for the rest of our lives.
Radio Host 3
You think you could say something to him about the Hotlanta thing?
Janet Jackson
I definitely will.
Radio Host 1
See, he didn't contribute it because he did. Welcome to Atlanta. It was welcome to Hotlanta. He got it before everybody else did it. Hey, good luck with the new album. I know it's gonna be great, and I'm looking forward to the new stuff that's coming out next year.
Janet Jackson
Thank you so much. I'm excited, too.
Radio Host 2
And we'll be cheering for you, watching the AMAs, for sure.
Janet Jackson
Thank you guys so much.
Radio Host 1
Thank you, Janet.
Janet Jackson
Thanks.
Weight Watchers Advertiser
Bye.
IQ Bar Advertiser
Bye.
Janet Jackson
Bye.
Radio Host 1
So that's Janet Jackson on the show.
Radio Host 2
Very cool.
Radio Host 1
Yeah. So nervous. I think Jen and I were talking before we went into it. Is this that you're so consumed with trying to get information, you know, that you think that listeners want to hear, but you don't want to cross the line of being tacky? And that was weighing on my mind the entire time.
Radio Host 2
Yeah, I think you have to be careful with that, especially in light of, you know, her brother died this year. You know, it's a pretty heavy thing to have to go in front of the press and talk about over and over and over again. And, yeah, we were walking on eggshells at the beginning, but by the end, we got the big laugh out of her.
Radio Host 1
You know, she laughed. Janet Jackson laughed. She liked us.
Janet Jackson
She really likes us.
Radio Host 1
Listen, it's the vert show.
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The Bert Show: Vault – Janet Jackson Interview (Episode 42)
Release Date: May 18, 2026
This special episode from The Bert Show vault features a rare and candid interview with pop icon Janet Jackson. With her new greatest hits collection “Number Ones” dropping and big public performances on the horizon, Janet opens up to Bert and the team about her music, public perception, family relationships, and her personal journey with self-esteem and emotional eating. The hosts discuss the challenges of interviewing a celebrity with strict publicity stipulations—especially following the death of Michael Jackson—and how they tackled sensitive topics while keeping the conversation authentic, insightful, and respectful.
This episode offers a unique blend of vulnerability and fun, showcasing Janet Jackson at a pivotal moment in her life and career. Listeners gain rare insight into her thoughts on fame, family, self-acceptance, and friendship—alongside charming local radio antics—reminding fans and new audiences alike of the multi-dimensional woman behind the legend.