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Behind the glitz of Michael Jackson’s larger-than-life world, Paris Jackson said her father enforced a strict rule to protect his children’s sense of normalcy.
The late King of Pop kept a tight rein on his children despite their unusual upbringing. Jackson recalled her father requiring them to finish their homework and chores before earning weekend fun, limiting television and movies and having them wear masks in public to shield their identities from the intense spotlight surrounding his fame.
“The cool, like very congruent line throughout my childhood that kind of started there and then just continued on wherever we went was, if you’re good, and you do your chores, and you do your homework, and you do the things that you’re supposed to do. Then on the weekends you can go see some animals, and you can go ride some rides, and you can go to the movies,” she told “Call Her Daddy” host Alexandra Cooper.
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Paris Jackson said her father, Michael Jackson, required homework and chores before his children could enjoy weekend outings. (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
“It was made very, very clear that all of the attractions [at Neverland] were not for us,” she added. “That it did not belong to us. That was for, you know, underprivileged children and children that were terminally ill that couldn’t go to like Disneyland.”
Paris said the rule remained in place as the family moved frequently and rarely stayed anywhere for more than a year.
“If we were living in Vegas, and it’s like, ‘OK, if you’re good you can go to Circus Circus on the weekends.’ Or like we were in like some random place in Virginia. Like, ‘OK, if you’re good you can go to Chuck E. Cheese this weekend,'” she recalled.
Michael’s rules extended to television. Paris said his children could watch movies or TV after completing their responsibilities, with an exception of studying film without sound.
Paris Jackson recalled wearing masks in public as part of Michael Jackson’s effort to protect his children from the spotlight. (Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)
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Michael also took steps to protect his children from the spotlight, having them wear masks in public so they could go unnoticed.
“I mean it just, it made sense because it was like, ‘Oh yeah, if you do this now, then you can go to Chuck E. Cheese and be normal this weekend ’cause no one will know who you are,'” the “Wilted” singer recalled. “Like that made sense to me.”
The masks helped Paris maintain some anonymity, but she still understood that her father was famous. What she didn’t grasp was the sheer magnitude of his celebrity.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch attractions were meant for visiting children, not his own family, Paris Jackson said. (Mohamed Hadid/Getty Images)
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“I just didn’t know how famous … There was definitely part of me that, like when I looked out my hotel window, and it was one of the times where like the alias didn’t work and there’s just like a sea of people with signs and stuff – I’m not so naive to think, yeah, everyone experiences this, you know?” Paris admitted. “I just didn’t understand the lengths.”
Jackson, the only daughter of late pop superstar and Debbie Rowe, built an entertainment career through modeling, acting and music.
Paris Jackson has since built her own career in modeling, acting and music, releasing her debut album, “Wilted,” in 2020. Her brothers, Prince and Bigi, have also built careers in the entertainment industry. (Alan Chapman/Getty Images)
After making highly publicized appearances with her family following Michael Jackson’s 2009 death, she pursued modeling and landed acting roles before signing with Republic Records and releasing her debut album, Wilted, in 2020.
She has two brothers, Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson.
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