Justin Timberlake is set to revisit some of the most talked-about controversies of his career, including Janet Jackson's Nipplegate, which was tagged as a wardrobe malfunction.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleJustin Timberlake is reportedly gearing up to revisit some of his career's biggest controversies, including his infamous relationship with Britney Spears and the Nipplegate controversy with Janet Jackson. Janet will reportedly be a part of Timberlake's new project, which, according to Variety, will be released in December 2026. It's a four-part tell-all docuseries on Apple TV.
Justin and Janet will reportedly discuss the biggest controversy in NFL history. He is also said to be talking about some of the new claims made by Britney Spears in her memoir. For the unversed, Britney claimed to be pregnant with Justin's child. In her memoir, Britney talked about getting an abortion, as Justin was not ready. Reportedly, Justin will address the same as well.
Amid the report about the release of the docuseries, let's look back at the Nipplegate controversy. It was back in 2004, when Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson were to perform during the Super Bowl halftime show. But they weren't the only entertainers of the evening; before them, Jessica Simpson, Diddy, Nelly, and Kid Rock also performed. Then Jackson took the stage and performed Rhythm Nation, after which Timberlake joined her, and the duo performed the latter's Rock Your Body.
Towards the end, when Timberlake was singing the lyrics, "Bet I’ll have you naked by the end of this song", Justin tore off a panel on the right cup of Jackson's bustier, exposing her right breast (save for a silver nipple shield). Millions of viewers were watching the halftime show, and a visibly shocked Janet covered herself with the help of her hand. CBS instantly cut the scene, which exposed Jackson's bare chest for a few seconds.
What started as a duet performance and was tagged as a 'wardrobe malfunction' ended up bruising Jackson's career. On the other hand, Timberlake didn't face much wrath, and his career continued to flourish. Back then, several conspiracy theories suggested it was a pre-planned act on stage; however, later, insiders on Jackson's side revealed that the plan was made between the two, but they decided to rip the top, and no exposure was intended. The insider revealed:
"Her red bra was all that was supposed to show, no nipple, no exposure. It was meant to be a little racy, but nobody meant for her breast to show. It became a big deal because Justin grabbed the costume much too hard and, instead of pulling the one small part, he tore the bra part, too."
In 2004, Timberlake issued a brief apology; however, Jackson's family was mad at him for years. In 2018, when he again performed at the Super Bowl halftime show, it sparked a renewed backlash, and people, including Jackson's close ones, pointed fingers at the industry's standards. Jackson's father back then told The Post, "If he’s such a gentleman, he’d make sure Janet [Jackson] is there."
Seventeen years later, in 2021, Timberlake issued a public apology to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. In his apology, he mentioned the times he didn't speak up for what was right. Justin took accountability for failing two women he said he cared for.
Speaking of Jackson, following the backlash, she faced corporate blacklisting, and her music videos were pulled from major networks, including MTV and VH1. Apart from that, she was uninvited from the Grammys, and she lost projects. However, in 2022, Jackson cleared the air about her relationship with Timberlake, stating that they are both good friends. Speaking more about the same, Jackson said:
"Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion. And, of course, it was an accident that should not have happened, but everyone is looking for someone to blame and that's got to stop. Justin and I are very good friends, and we will always be very good friends. We spoke just a few days ago. He and I have moved on, and it's time for everyone else to do the same."
What do you think about the infamous incident involving Timberlake and Jackson?
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