Janet Jackson not in the mood to joke around

Janet Jackson. Picture / Reuters

Singer Janet Jackson was in no mood for jokes when she got a cheeky introduction from actor Alan Cummings as she received a humanitarian award from a gay rights group.

Jackson apologised for her lack of humour in her first public appearance since brother Michael's acquittal on child molestation charges.

"My family and I have just gone through the least-humorous chapter of our lives," she explained. "I'm going to leave the jokes to the late-night [comics], if that's okay."