2. Joe Would Watch His Children Rehearse With a Belt In Hand, and Beat Them for Any Mistakes, Especially Michael As the Star of the Family
Numerous accounts from bystanders and witnesses have confirmed that Joe Jackson was a brutal perfectionist towards his children. Michael reminisced about times his father would watch them rehearse for hours on end, sitting in a chair with a belt ready. If any mistakes were made, especially by the young star Michael, their father would launch into punishment with the belt. One cannot even imagine the stress of having to rehearse cheerful music under the threat of painful punishment endlessly.