As far as Joe goes, he did a lot of hurtful things that affected his kids, verbally and physically. You can tell not just from Michael's recollections, but from Marlon and others in brief moments. I don't think they dismiss Michael's words in a malicious way, but downplay how things went due to keeping the image up AND keep family issues out of the public's ears (which has failed miserably)
For what was said in Schmuley's book, some of the book...comes off shady, but it says more about him than Michael, who was definitely being taken advantage of
They're a complex family for sure with so many layers and relationships that we as fans can't generalize them entirely. Yes Michael distanced himself from several members due to their past actions but also most likely, lack of trust for so many people in those last five years of his life. He's not the only one who kept a distance for various reasons. Marlon and Janet also kept certain relatives at arms length. Doesn't mean they don't love each other, they just can't deal with that person's crap lol
Yes, a complex family. I do believe that there would have been little success for the J-5 group if Michael had not been in it. It was his charisma and amazing talent at such a young age that propelled them all to stardom. You just have to LOOK at that group performing to understand that. Culturally, they were in a unique situation to become superstars. This was an African-American group (boy-group) but because they were children, that neutralized prejudice -- at least to some extent. CUTE kids, and unusual in their talent, and anyone could love them. That they were children allowed them to "cross-over" into white venues more easily -- a LOT more easily -- than if they'd been adults. Michael as the lead was the MONEY-MAKER, not only for his family, but a significant source of income for Motown. It's very likely that those who worked with them knew about the beatings, but to do or say anything would have cut off the money-faucet. If Michael had been in a school, it's possible marks from beatings would have been noticed and some action taken, but instead he had tutors who could have been fired and easily replaced. I think to keep their jobs, they stayed silent. Same with Suzanne de Passe, and others they worked with. The group had an identity that was carefully crafted and spun -- an American Dream identity, that perpetuated the mythology that in America ANYONE could rise to the top based on merit and hard-work. That there was child-abuse going on would have shattered that mythology. A cute song like ABC would not have had success if the public knew that the children were being beaten at home! From an early age, Michael learned there was reality, and there was PR. I'm sure to NOT follow the family party-line would have meant punishment. He was truly caught.
Much has been said, usually as a kind of excuse, that "Joseph created the J-5 success" as some sort of genius at promotion and management. What is NOT mentioned is the possibility that Michael would have risen to stardom anyway, as an ADULT. His talent was so vast, that's entirely possible. Imagine him at the age of 20 auditioning for Motown, and what could have happened? And if so, he would have had a more normal childhood. The brothers were older and had had some experience of going to school and the normalcy of that, but Michael didn't have that opportunity. He's often said that losing his childhood was a source of grief for him throughout his adult life. That, too, was child-abuse. Also abusive were the early gigs playing in bars and strip-clubs, which are settings inappropriate for children! Joe must not have cared, and Katherine couldn't do anything about it because it paid the bills. Surely she knew about the beatings, but she didn't act as a mother should, putting the children FIRST regardless of the hardship that caused the parents. She, too, is complicit, IMHO.
As far as his relationships with the rest of the family are concerned as adults, for Michael it seemed to be a case-by-case basis. Randy took terrible advantage of him during the trial (financially, and with MJJSource) and I think there was little contact there. As an adult Janet has distanced herself from the family, and is noticeably absent about paying the bills for the extended family, or taking care of Katherine financially. It seemed to be all Michael, all the time. And then there's Jermaine, who wrote a horrifically disrespectful song about Michael. It would be hard to recover from such a public display of jealousy.
And so, there is the mythology of a "dynasty," and the different reality that it was primarily Michael who propelled his family to riches, at horrific personal expense. The family continues to perpetuate the mythology, for whatever they can get FROM it.
