Guest: Justin Timberlake, pop superstar and hitmaker who turned boy band adoration into pop superstardom. The podcast discusses his early career, breakup with Britney Spears, impact of 'Cry Me a River' on his career, aftermath of the breakup on Britney's mental health, emotional moments, fallout of the Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident, and a preview of upcoming scandals.
Justin Timberlake's solo career was elevated by the controversial music video of his follow-up single 'Crimey A River'.
Justin Timberlake portrayed himself as a victim in his breakup with Britney Spears, but later it was revealed that he had also cheated on her.
The Super Bowl halftime show incident exposed the double standards and unfair treatment faced by Janet Jackson, while Justin Timberlake faced fewer consequences.
Deep dives
Justin Timberlake's rise to fame with NSYNC
Justin Timberlake got his start in the music industry as a member of the boyband NSYNC. The band found huge success in Europe and America, but their manager's dodgy dealings meant they didn't reap the rewards of their success. Justin eventually went solo, releasing his debut single 'Like I Love You' in 2002. Although the song performed fairly well, it was his follow-up single 'Crimey A River' and its controversial music video that elevated his solo career.
Justin's relationship with Britney Spears and their breakup
Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears were one of the world's most famous couples. However, their relationship came to an end in 2002. Rumors of Britney's alleged affair with choreographer Wade Robson circulated, leading to their breakup. Justin publicly spoke about the breakup, implying Britney's infidelity and portraying himself as the victim. Britney, in her memoir, revealed that Justin had also cheated on her during their relationship.
The Super Bowl halftime show controversy
During the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, Justin Timberlake performed with Janet Jackson. Towards the end of their performance, Justin exposed Janet's breast, leading to widespread controversy and media backlash. The incident, deemed a 'wardrobe malfunction,' resulted in FCC hearings and public outrage. Justin issued multiple apologies, distancing himself from any intentional wrongdoing and portraying the incident as an accident.
Backlash and fallout from the incident
Following the Super Bowl incident, Janet Jackson faced severe consequences, including damage to her career and unfair treatment from the media. Justin Timberlake faced less severe consequences and continued to pursue his solo career. The incident sparked debates about racism and misogyny, and the fallout had significant implications for both artists and the entertainment industry as a whole.
The controversy surrounding Justin's response and apologies
Justin Timberlake's initial response to the incident involved downplaying his involvement and framing it as a misunderstanding. However, he issued several apologies in the aftermath, expressing regret and acknowledging the unintentional nature of the incident. The apologies were seen by many as shifting blame onto Janet Jackson and failing to take full responsibility for his actions.
Welcome to the second part of our series on Justin Timberlake. Just saying his name is enough to elicit a reaction. For some, he’s the hitmaker who turned boy band adoration into pop superstardom. For others, he’s the prime example of everything to dislike in a celebrity.
This episode was researched by Eilish Gilligan and audio produced by Annabelle Lee.
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