October 4, 2004

JACKSON FAMILY GRANDCHILDREN SPEAK OUT ABOUT THEIR UNCLE, MICHAEL JACKSON, IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH CBS NEWS CORRESPONDENT HATTIE KAUFFMAN, TO BE BROADCAST OCT. 7 AND OCT. 8 ON "THE EARLY SHOW"

Two-Part Interview Includes Sit-Down with Jermaine Jackson

Five of Michael Jackson's nieces and nephews talk exclusively with CBS News' THE EARLY SHOW national correspondent Hattie Kauffman in a two-part interview to be broadcast on Thursday, Oct. 7 and Friday, Oct. 8 (7:00-9:00 AM ET/PT). Kauffman sits down with four-year-old Jermajesty Jackson and eight-year-old Jaafar Jackson, sons of Jermaine; Randy Jackson and Donte Jackson, twin 12-year-old sons of Randy; and 14-year-old Genevieve Jackson, daughter of Randy, who reveal their feelings about the current allegations against their uncle and how it has affected their lives.

Following is an excerpt from the interview. You must credit: CBS News' THE EARLY SHOW:

Genevieve: "We're like every other family out there. You know, people, I don't understand, people think we're so different. But no, we're not, we're just normal, you know? We have family days." ????
Randy: "We watch movies with each other. Do all the regular stuff." ????
Genevieve: "When they were putting him in handcuffs, like, that really hurt our feelings." ????
Donte: "And they called him 'wacko.'"
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Genevieve: "Yeah, they should think about the family, but, I guess they don't. Because, us kids, you know, we get hurt from that, because that's our uncle."

When asked about how kids tease them at school, Genevieve Jackson says, "They know inside that my uncle is innocent. So, they just want to tease us just to be cruel, because they're not happy with themselves."

Kauffman also sits down with Michael Jackson's brother, Jermaine, who reveals why he felt it was important that America hear from the children. "I felt it was important to show the public that we have children. We are just like any other family. We are like the Brady Bunch, but we're the Jackson Bunch. But at the same time, we have feelings. And I wanted them to express how they felt about what was going on with their uncles as well as what was going on with the aunties," said Jackson. (More)

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THE EARLY SHOW is broadcast weekdays (7:00-9:00AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Michael Bass is the senior executive producer and Victor Neufeld is the executive producer.

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Press Contact: Leigh Farris 212/975-2856 farrisl@cbsnews.com