Following allegations of sexism and misogyny against Justin Timberlake over his treatment of ex-girlfriend Britney Spears, and the “wardrobe function” with Janet Jackson in the Super Bowl in 2004, he apologized to both in an Instagram apology.
“I have seen the messages, labels, comments and concerns and want to respond,” he wrote. ‘I am deeply sorry for the times in my life when my actions contributed to the problem, where I in turn spoke or did not talk about what was right. I understand that in these moments and in many others, I have fallen short and benefited from a system that endorses misogyny and racism.
“I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson separately, because I care about and respect these women and know that I have failed.”
In both cases, his apology dates back almost 20 years: he and Spears dated when they were both teenage stars, and during that time he publicly said he slept with her (she claimed she waited until she was married), and later vaguely accused her of cheating on him – a tale that played out in the video for his song “Cry Me a River” in 2002, in which an actress who looked like Spears appeared.
This situation recently resurfaced in the “Framing Britney Spears” documentary, which focuses on the conservatism she has undergone since 2008, but discusses the sexist and judgmental way she has been treated by the media and others during her career.
The Super Bowl scandal revolves around what Timberlake described as a “wardrobe function,” in which he pulled back part of Jackson’s outfit and bared her chest, causing widespread public outcry and an aggressive investigation by the Federal Communications Commission . While the situation was never fully explained in public, Jackson carried the criticism, while Timberlake, who withdrew her garment, largely managed to evade responsibility and in the following year became one of the biggest music stars in the world. , and even returned in 2018 as the Super Bowl artist. In contrast, Jackson’s career suffered a severe blow in popularity and public opinion, and in many respects it never fully recovered.
Timberlake’s post concludes: “I also feel compelled to respond in part because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because it’s a bigger conversation I want to be passionate about and from which I will grow.”
“Framing Britney Spears”, said director Samantha Stark VarietyLast week that she did not approach Timberlake for comment on his treatment of the singer. “We did not ask Justin Timberlake for comment, just as we did not ask a number of other people who appeared in archive material for comment,” she said. ‘Interviewees make points about the media coverage surrounding the exposition … Unlike other people who asked us for comment, we do not make any allegations against Justin. We simply let the footage play. ”