Janet Jackson Praises Father in Speech as He Lays in Hospital With Late-Stage Cancer

Janet Jackson Praises Father in Speech as He Lays in Hospital With Late-Stage Cancer
American actress and singer Janet Jackson arrives at the premiere of "Nutty Professor II" with her father Joe Jackson, in Universal City, CA 24 July 2000.(Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images)
Colin Fredericson
6/24/2018
Updated:
6/24/2018

Janet Jackson praised her ailing father, Joe Jackson, in an acceptance speech, while he holds on with stage four cancer at the hospital.

Janet said she owed her fame and success to her parents while accepting the Radio Disney Music Awards’ first ever Impact Award.

“It’s beautiful, it’s humbling to be recognized as someone that has had a positive impact, but if I have been fortunate enough to impact others it is only because I, myself, have been greatly impacted by positive people in my life,” said Janet, via Radio Disney’s YouTube channel.

Honoree Janet Jackson accepts the Icon Award onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Honoree Janet Jackson accepts the Icon Award onstage during the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 20, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

She goes on to specifically refer to her mother and father in the speech.

“My mother nourished me with the most extravagant love imaginable. My father, my incredible father, drove me to be the best I can. My siblings set an incredibly high standard, a high bar for artistic excellence.” said Jackson.

Honoree Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 20, 2018. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Honoree Janet Jackson attends the 2018 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 20, 2018. (Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)

Presenter Raven-Symoné said the award would be renamed the Janet Jackson Impact Award.

In a 2011 interview with CNN, Janet Jackson confirmed that her father hit her as a child. She hinted that she and her sibling, Randy, the youngest of the Jackson family, may have had it easy.

Joe Jackson attends the "Clouds Of Sils Maria" premiere during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2014 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)
Joe Jackson attends the "Clouds Of Sils Maria" premiere during the 67th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 23, 2014 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images)

“He has his issues, his things, the way he was brought up. He’s set in his ways. I think he did the best that he could. I think he did a wonderful job with us, I mean the outcome. The way he went about it, I don’t know if I agree with that,” Janet told CNN.

A Daily Mail report last week revealed doctors diagnosed Joe Jackson with pancreatic cancer, and that the condition was terminal. He requested family members and other visitors be denied access to him, according to the report.

After pleading with Joe’s manager, Charles Coupet, Jackson family members were able to gain access to him at his hospital bed by Tuesday, Daily Mail reported.

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Colin is a New York-based reporter. He covers Entertainment, U.S., and international news. Besides writing for online news outlets he has worked in online marketing and advertising, done voiceover work, and has a background in sound engineering and filmmaking. His foreign language skills include Spanish and Chinese.
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