Joe Jackson1 

In an interview with ABC News correspondent Chris Connelly, sharp-tongued Jackson Family patriarch Joe Jackson fires back at claims that he was an abusive tyrant that physically and emotionally battered his nine children – most notably, his late son Michael, who would rise from childhood stardom as part of The Jackson 5 to become the biggest pop star in the history of the recording industry.

“Michael was never beat as they call it,” Jackson says during Primetime: Family Secrets – The Jackson Family: Life After Michael, airing tonight @ 10PM on ABC.

“And everyone spanked their kids when they did wrong. But not beat. Katherine spanked Michael more than I did, ’cause I was workin’ two jobs and she was at home with him the most,” the 79-year-old former stage dad explains.

While Joe admits he may have been a tough manager – and father – he insists that has always love his son.

“I do what’s right. And I love my family. My son. And that’s about it. I try to perfect everything I do.”

“I was very demanding, but I got things done,” he added.

Joe also slams Michael’s most painful claim against his father – the belief that infamy in youth robbed him of the chance to have a normal life.

“There was a lot of times I’ve been hearin’ on the news that Michael say he didn’t have a – a childhood. He had his brothers. He had all his sisters to perform with. You know, to play and have a good time with.”

And when asked if he has any regrets about the way he raised the late King of Pop, Joe says: “No. I don’t have any regrets. Yeah, we brought him up the right way.”