Members of extended Jackson family in reality show

BEVERLY HILLS, California (AP) — Members of Michael Jackson’s extended family are stepping out of what they call “the Jackson bubble” for a reality show.

The six-episode show, debuting Nov. 18 on Reelz, focuses on Alejandra Jackson, the ex-wife of Michael’s brother Jermaine, and her five children. After Michael’s death five years ago, they left the Jackson family home in suburban Encino, a move that a clip from the show suggests wasn’t their idea.

“We didn’t want it to happen that way,” Alejandra’s daughter Genevieve said Saturday at the summer TV critics’ tour.

Son Donte Jackson added, “Some of the politics came into play.”

At the same time, Genevieve said the family lived under constraints at the Encino house.

“We were very sheltered,” she said. “There’s a lot of outside people coming in and out of our house. We had to watch what we said.”

Alejandra Jackson and her brood started a new life away from the home of grandparents Katherine and Joe Jackson. She had two children with Randy Jackson — Genevieve and Randy Jr. — and then married Randy’s brother Jermaine, having sons Jaafar and Jermajesty. Alejandra has raised Donte since he was 2 after he was adopted by Katherine and Joe.

“It’s a long story,” Alejandra said about her love life.

Considering the amount of tabloid attention the Jackson family has received, why not keep their lives private?

“People already had a preconceived judgment of us and we weren’t speaking,” Randy Jr. said. “Now we feel comfortable enough to show how we really are.”