Photo Credit: Justin Timberlake/Instagram
It took a couple decades but Justin Timerlake finally apologized to Janet Jackson for 2004’s ‘Nipplegate.’ Every year during the Super Bowl, the discussion of what Timberlake did to Jackson comes up. Ripping her boob out on national television irreversibly hurt her career while his career did the opposite yet somehow he’s never found it in himself to take ownership of what happened all of those years ago. But it wasn’t some revelation he had. It took #JanetJacksonAppreciateDay trending for him to speak up. Mariah Carey called the day Colin Kaepernick Appreciation Day given that the NFL is now suddenly cherishing kneeling, that is after they blackballed him.
But what really sparked the apology to Janet, even though he didn’t say what he was exactly apologizing for was outrage at him after a documentary about Britney Spears came out. The NYTimes did a documentary on her called Framing Britney Spears showing how the media made her life a living hell to include all of the culprits and major players over the years who helped make it so, the deterioration of her mental health and none other than Justin Timberlake is featured in it. Not only did Timberlake’s career take off on the destruction of someone ele, that someone being Jackson, but he made fun of Spears accusing her of cheating in a music video with a body double while bragging about sexual conquests with her. And this bragging occurred while she was being brought to tears over sexually suggestive clothing in music videos at the time.
Timberlake’s apology was released on Instagram and read saying, “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. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism.
“I specifically want to apologise 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.
“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 recognise 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.
“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. I care deeply about the wellbeing of the people I love and have loved. I can do better and I will do better.”
*blank stare* It’s good that he’s apologizing for his actions even if he should have done so 20 years ago. And the sad part is that it really feels that it was his management that forced him to say something before the cancel mob really got to him. And if that had happened, he would have brought it on himself.
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