“I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond. I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn or did not speak up for what was right,” he wrote on Instagram. He continued, “I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism,” Timberlake continued. “I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed. I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from … " Timberlake also spoke out on the sociopolitical and cultural issues that manifested in his treatment versus the women he was accused of victimizing. “The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. It’s designed this way. As a man in a privileged position, I have to be vocal about this. Because of my ignorance, I didn’t recognize it for all that it was while it was happening in my own life but I do not want to ever benefit from others being pulled down again,” he wrote. “I have not been perfect in navigating all of this throughout my career. I know this apology is a first step and doesn’t absolve the past. I want to take accountability for my own missteps in all of this as well as be part of a world that uplifts and supports,” he concluded. “I care deeply about the wellbeing of the people I love and have loved. I can do better and I will do better.” Timberlake came under fire on social media following The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears, which documented much of his behavior towards Spears after their split. The ire extended to his and the media’s treatment not just of Spears, but also of Jackson.
Why did fans call out Justin Timberlake after Framing Britney Spears?
In the documentary, clips were shown of Timberlake appearing to capitalize on their breakup while promoting his debut solo album, Justified, most famously in interviews (including one with Barbara Walters, in which he said she broke his heart) and in his music video for “Cry Me a River,” which co-starred a Spears doppelganger that wore an identical outfit and accessories to the “Toxic” singer. The film also depicted some of Timberlake’s interviews in which he boasted about his sex life with Spears, which somehow only served to scandalized her and not him.
When did Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears date?
Timberlake and Spears dated from 1999 to 2002.
When did Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson perform at the Super Bowl?
Timberlake and Jackson performed together at the Super Bowl in 2004.
What happened with Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl?
During Jackson and Timberlake’s portion of the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2004, Timberlake ripped off a piece of Jackson’s top, briefly exposing her nipple at the final “Bet I’ll have you naked at the end of this song” line from his hit “Rock Your Body.” The accidental exposure, which became infamously known as a “wardrobe malfunction,” lasted 9/16ths of a second before Jackson covered herself up. After the incident, MTV, which produced the halftime show that year, and its parent company Viacom, reportedly blacklisted Jackson from their television networks (including VH1), as well as radio stations under their corporate ownership. In 2006, “Nipplegate” was declared the “most searched item in Internet history” by the Guinness Book of World Records. It even led to the creation of YouTube, because one of the video site’s founders had such a tough time finding footage of the wardrobe malfunction online. Nearly a decade after the incident, former FCC chairman Michael Powell admitted Jackson was unfairly blamed for the incident, saying in a 2014 interview, “I personally thought that was really unfair. It all turned into being about her. In reality, if you slow the thing down, it’s Justin ripping off her breastplace.” Timberlake suffered no true ramifications for Nipplegate, even going on to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in 2018, and also never publicly came to Jackson’s defense, even after she was unduly punished for so long. Next, see Britney Spears recreate her “Baby One More Time” look!
