Joe Jackson's Speak's up, but why now?

Joe Jackson has denied ever having beaten his son Michael and claims that he was trying to coax the singer’s kids into show business. Joe went on CNN’s “Larry King Live” Monday night for a sit-down with the journalist, and the conversation inevitably turned to the topic of disciplining kids. Specifically, Larry asked whether Joe was abusive to his most famous son. "The media keep hollering about saying that I beat Michael. That's not true,” Joe told Larry. "Never. Never have. And I -- and I raised him just like you would raise your kids, you know? But harm Michael, for what? I have no reason. That's my son. I loved him and I still love him." Joe contends that he didn’t make any mistakes rearing the entertainer, stating, "Michael was raised properly. He didn't run the streets like most of those other kids that was in his neighborhood." Then Larry wanted to know whether reports that Joe had approached Michael’s kids about performing as the Jackson 3 were true. He tried his best to avoid the subject, and initially evaded the question “That's a bunch of -- I wish I could say what I should say. That's a bunch of bull," he retorted. "They have to be what they are, kids, at the moment." Joe also denied claims that he ever signed paperwork stating he wouldn’t have a hand in raising Paris, Prince Michael or Blanket so his wife Katherine could gain custody of the kids. And Joe maintained his belief that Michael died as a result of foul play, but he had his business partner Leonard Rowe explain the factors behind his stance