Janet Jackson is one of the biggest and most influential pop stars of the last four

decades, but she's also endured plenty of controversies which extend beyond her infamous

wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl.

Now she's the subject of a four-hour TV documentary called Janet Jackson.

It's time to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her first album.

I'm Aisha Harris.

And I'm Stephen Thompson today. We are talking about Janet Jackson on Pop Culture Happy

Hour from NPR.

Joining us is Sam Sanders, the host of NPR's. It's been a minute. Welcome, Sam.

Thank you for having me.

Oh, it is such a pleasure. So the new Janet Jackson documentary is definitely authorized.

She is a producer on it along with her brother Randy. And it isn't stingy with the accolades.

It makes sure we know that Janet Jackson has sold more than 160 million albums, one five

Grammys, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 2019.

It makes sure to tell us about her time spent acting on TV shows like Good Times and Fame,

as well as in movies like Poetic Justice. And it notes her influence on wave after wave

of pop stars in the years since. But it also rangles with several major controversies

in Janet Jackson's life. As the youngest child of the Jackson family, she's had to overcome

both a famously overbearing father slash manager and the complex legacy of her brother Michael,

whose legal issues and sexual abuse allegations affected her own life and career. Janet Jackson's

first two marriages to James DeBarge and Renee Elizondo, Jr. were beset by rumors and strife

and her 2004 performance with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl concluded with the famous

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