By the early 1990s,
most of La Toya's connections with her family had been severed.
What had started out as a break for freedom had only seen her fall back
into the same toxic cycle that enveloped her life while in the Jackson household.
With no breakout music releases on the horizon and a wealth of bizarre
side projects orchestrated with one man pulling the strings,
this multi-part documentary series looks at the aftermath of La Toya's damning
comments against her brother Michael, just how far she would be pushed by her
manipulative husband and manager Jack Gordon before she'd break entirely.
Here's the detail.
Publicly disowned
After launching
a scathing attack on her brother at a press conference in December 1993,
La Toya's words shocked fans, the press and indeed, her own family.
Her already estranged ties to her siblings
and parents had now deepened further, leaving her as isolated as ever
and with only one constant in her life, Jack Gordon.
Her relationship with her then manager had
initially started as something of a new chapter for the Jackson middle child.
But gradually, the further she distanced
herself from her family, the worse matters got with Jack as his
controlling and abusive behavior grew dangerous.
But what could she do?
Despite Jack Gordon being arrested briefly in April 1993, La Toya would soon go back
to him and defend his violent outbursts towards her. Since Jack demanded more
and more public declarations that would further shatter her family relationships,
and with no further support system to turn
to, La Toya was lost and completely on her own for the very first time.
In February 1994, the Jackson family hosted their own award
style show named the Jackson Family Honors at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Orchestrated by Jermaine, the event aimed to bring all members
of the Jackson family together to celebrate their closest friends
and collaborators, including Motown founder, Berry Gordy,
and legendary film actress, Elizabeth Taylor.
With proceeds aiming to go to various charities such as the American Red Cross.
Critics in the press accused the show
of being nothing more than a PR stunt and after, quote, allegations of parental
abuse and Michael Jackson's tidal wave of trouble.
Is there enough goodwill left to share?
One journalist remarked.
However, despite the criticisms, many were intrigued to see whether one
member of the Jackson clan would also be asked to take part,
La Toya of course. Before it's taping,
some have speculated that she would make a bombshell appearance.
Gary Smith, the executive producer of the event, said, quote,
I'll be honest with you, I'm not so sure she's welcome at this point.
I don't know what La Toya is going to do.
I really don't.
She could walk up on the stage.
Ultimately, the Jackson Family Honors went
ahead as planned, with La Toya not in attendance.
According to the Los Angeles Times, La Toya claimed her family wouldn't let her
participate unless, quote, she signed a gag order agreeing not
to criticize Michael Jackson or the family any further.
However, this was swiftly denied
by Jermaine as well as by her mother Katherine.
It was also reported that La Toya would attend regardless, albeit in disguise.
Jack Gordon would speak out and say
that this idea was in fact his, but that La Toya rejected it.
Gordon's reason for her to do so is unclear, and even though turning down
a flippant idea may have seemed insignificant, perhaps it showed the first
signs of La Toya's defiance against her manipulative manager.
Down the rabbit hole.
Although she was initially reluctant
to enter the spotlight, La Toya had come to enjoy performing as a music artist.
However, any chance of mainstream success in that field now seemed a distant dream.
But this didn't stop a girl from trying.
La Toya's 1994 album 'From Nashville to You' provided her with a chance to reinvent
herself musically, but this time as a country artist.
Jack Gordon, forever the promotional hype
man, claimed that, quote, she will be the new country western heart throd.
However, 'From Nashville To You' came
and went without so much as a ripple on mainstream charts.
Reviews were critical,
with AllMusic citing the LP as, quote, unriveting, bland and weak.
It seems that La Toya wasn't even convinced with her new sound, stating that it was,
quote, bizarre and doomed from its inception.
With La Toya,
the country's star reinvention scrapped why not go back to Motown?
'Stop in the Name of Love' was released the following year, a sad musical attempt
comprising of Motown covers that was supposedly recorded in just 1 hour.
Failing to chart at all, it appears that history was once again
repeating itself as she grew increasingly dissatisfied with her lacking management.
With Latoya's musical career
in the gutter, Jack Gordon continued as her manager, pursuing any opportunity
to bring in some cash, no matter how far fetched or tasteless it appeared.
This included La Toya becoming an unlikely spokesperson
for the Psychic Friends Network, a telephone based service
whose infomercials aired consistently on late night television.
La Toya would appear on screen encouraging
viewers to dial the hotline's number at a high end cost per minute.
In a similar vein,
La Toya fronted 'Jackson Family Secrets', another high priced phone line
that tempted listeners to call in in hopes of hearing the Jackson sister expose
further salacious details involving her family.
If you thought that wasn't tasteless enough, what about 'La Toya Dreams',
a webcam computer software that, when installed, would allow users to cyber
chat with a variety of women over the internet. While promoting the new venture
during an appearance
on the Howard Stern Show in 1995, La Toya seemed to relish in just how
brilliant it was. A drastic departure from the woman who
just 15 years prior, was embarrassed to sing the vaguely sexual
lyrics in her first single, 'If You Feel the Funk'.
Once the most self conscious and prudence of the Jacksons,
La Toya was now being signed to perform in a number of adult natured productions.
One such was the 'Exotic Club Tour',
a pay per view program that was filmed across a variety of locations.
Despite being the front woman, some noted that the program's subject
matter didn't feel quite natural for the former devout Jehovah Witness
with one patron remarking, quote this is really out of character for her.
Quote, I think there's so many scandalous
things going on with her family right now that she shouldn't associate with places
like this, commented a journalist from the Miami Herald.
However, the pay per view event proved to be somewhat of a success,
even returning for a second series due to popular demand.
Further amping up her celebrity sexpot
image would be another collaboration with Playboy.
But rather than posing for another front
cover, La Toya would reveal even more of herself, but this time on film.
Ever since VHS had become a household staple in the 1980s,
Playboy capitalized on the medium by selling a series of video centerfolds,
first starring their contracted models, but then later featuring celebrities.
Cidney Rakowitz,
the vice president of public relations and promotions at Playboy,
would comment quote when we started the phenomenon of the celebrity video,
La Toya was one of the first people that we had featured.
The tape itself turned out rather bizarre, featuring a dramatization of Latoya's
alleged childhood trauma, with an actor portraying the Jackson
patriarch entering her bedroom at night before turning into a lion.
When questioned concerning the portrayal
of her father and her alleged sexual abuse, La Toya responded to host
Geraldo Rivera that quote, things do slide in there, don't they?
And if you want to interpret it that way
or perceive it that way, that's fine, go right ahead.
When eventually released,
the tape sold upwards of 50,000 copies, another somewhat success for La Toya,
but perhaps not in the field she had originally desired.
Despite these side ventures bringing a sizable income
for a time, Latoya's reputation had spiraled downwards in the public's mind,
with many in the entertainment industry and the general public seeing her as
nothing more than a joke or an unashamed opportunist.
Someone who began their career with good intentions but ultimately sold out,
using any and every opportunity to stay relevant, no matter the personal cost.
Even projects that weren't overtly sleazy such as a fitness videotape were seen as
another cheap gimmick of La Toya to squeeze every last drop of her D-list notoriety.
However, with a dwindling music career and increasingly uncomfortable side gigs
to contend with, a more explosive story was bubbling up to the surface,
la Toya and Jack Gordon's marriage.
Breaking Point
La Toya's relationship with Jack Gordon had been kept somewhat
ambiguous during the early years of their marriage.
When they tied the knot in 1989,
there were numerous conflicting reports, some speculating the union was
unconventional but valid, others claiming it was all a hoax.
Gradually throughout the 1990s,
the duo teased the public with details of their dysfunctional marriage.
That it was unconsummated, that they were not even in love,
as well as Jack's aforementioned brief spell in custody in the spring of 1993.
That moment seemed to be a turning point, as over the next few years,
both La Toya and Jack would talk openly about problems in their union,
resulting in a never ending 'he said, she said' played out on a public stage.
La Toya many times
stating publicly she wanted to file for divorce with audience members and even
the hosts themselves, encouraging La Toya to break free from Jack
and truly live her own life independently.
It appears that no matter how much she
heard encouraging words of advice, La Toya wasn't able to truly take
that first step to escape from the man who controlled her every move and who she
had feared so intensely for the past decade.
However, in 1996, everything changed.
By this time, Jack Gordon was continuing to take any gig he could get for La Toya
hellbent on eking out every last drop of profit from his golden goose.
This included work at venues such as strip clubs with less than stellar reputations.
At a club in Pittsburgh, La Toya was employed to act as a celebrity
host, introducing the night's talent that evening.
However, when she got there, the starlet was instructed to strip on stage herself.
Upon her refusal, this drew a rabid heckle
from the predominantly male audience, prompting LaToya to flee the stage.
Not only did Jack reportedly beat her
for not submitting to the client's demands, but soon after,
Jack made it clear that he was working on getting La Toya into the film business.
However, not in the type of films La Toya had initially intended to feature in,
as these were exclusively pornographic features.
According to friend Barbara Nacross, quote,
when it became sleazy, degrading, demeaning and immoral,
there's something in La Toya Jackson that could not continue.
The Jackson middle child had had enough
many times before, but the final bit of strength she needed
to break away would come from her entrenched faith.
La Toya recalls that being able to have access to the Holy Bible felt like her
only kind of protection against Jack Gordon.
From having this protection, she gradually began to defy Jack,
despite his threats that he would kill her should she try to leave.
One day, whilst Jack was taking a shower, La Toya ran to her phone book,
flicked to the letter J and dialed the first number her eyes set upon,
which happened to be her youngest brother Randy.
Frightened, she quickly told her brother that she needed help and needed it now,
the terrifying threats of Gordon ringing loudly in her head.
Eventually, Randy came to meet La Toya, whisking her way back to the family
compound in Encino, all whilst Jack was none the wiser.
After nearly a decade of estrangement from her family and abuse from her husband
turned manager, La Toya had finally done it.
She'd been able to find the courage to stand up to Jack and rekindle her
family ties, seeking help in her darkest moments.
But although she was physically away
from Jack for the time being, he wasn't going to give her up without a fight.
Now back in the family home,
seeking redemption amongst her brothers, sisters and parents,
she also knew that the inevitable divorce proceedings would cause its own dramas.
And a fierce legal battle was also likely to be on the horizon.
La Toya Jackson had broken free.
But it wasn't all over yet, not by a long shot.
Keep an eye out for part six,
where we'll investigate La Toya's brutal divorce from Jack Gordon,
her reconciliation with her family, and what exactly lays ahead for her.
Thanks for watching the detail. We'll see you next time.