“I put the blanket on her and she was crying”: Disturbing Backstage Details on Janet Jackson’s Notorious Wardrobe Malfunction With Justin Timberlake at Super Bowl Halftime Show
Pacing back to the time when an incident during the 2004 Super Bowl, changed the career of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. The headliner performance of the duo ended up being a scandal for both. The entire fiasco happened during the “planned costume reveal” when Timberlake accidentally removed a portion of Jackson’s attire revealing her right brea*t on live television. Jackson’s career went into wreckage whereas Timberlake simply rose to fame.
Years later, the incident is touched upon by the two singers with a recent statement about their relationship with each other. Jackson and Timberlake shared their opinions publically regarding the 2004 Super Bowl scandal.
The aftermath of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s 2004 Superbowl scandal
Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson were featured in the Super Bowl XXXVIII. However, the duo faced a wardrobe malfunction, during the event, wherein Justin Timberlake accidentally revealed Janet Jackson’s right brea*t to 100 million viewers on live TV.
The scandal deteriorated Jackson’s career while Timberlake rose to prominence. The director of Super Bowl, Beth McCarthy-Miller shared “She said, ‘I don’t know, but I had a blanket for Janet to wrap her in and I put the blanket on her and she was crying,’”. Whereas Timberlake stayed and smiled through the interviews.
Timberlake stated, “I am sorry if anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction…It was not intentional and is regrettable”. However, Jackson simply took her time to apologize and state it was not intentional. Soon, Federal Communications Commission interfered in the matter and launched an investigation.
Janet Jackson faced the atrocities
Although the wardrobe malfunction was called unintentional by both the singers, it was still squared upon Jackson’s shoulder by MTV executive Tom Freston. During an interview with Reuters, Freston stated, “Janet Jackson engineered it” and Timberlake was informed about the stunt, just minutes before stepping onto the stage.
Being a part of an unsettling event, made Timberlake furious. He shared, “I’m frustrated at the whole situation, I’m frustrated that my character is being questioned”. Further, Jackson faced the wrath of the Grammys as well when she was asked to step down, whereas Timberlake had no similar pressure. Journalists soon started pointing out the gender game that was allegedly being played.
Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson’s current relationship
Justin Timberlake sat down for an interview after things kind of subsided in 2006. He shared “It’s an understatement to say that it was sort of unfair if you consider it 50-50, I probably got 10% of the blame” with MTV News.
Janet Jackson shared in an interview with Oprah Winfrey, “All the emphasis was put on me, not on Justin,”. Suffering from possible trauma, Jackson soon cover up stating, “We were friends. And not that we aren’t now — we haven’t spoken — but I consider him a friend.” Jackson’s trauma was visible during her interview with Winfrey which touched several people. In 2014, Michael Powell took the first step to call out the injustice towards Jackson.
Ever since 2014, people started standing up for Janet Jackson and few even slammed Timberlake for his unapologetic behavior. In 2016, the Super Bowl scandal was brought up as the “entertainment industry’s ‘gentrification’ of Black culture”. Further being slammed through tweets, Timberlake brought up the 2004 scandal during his 2018 Super Bowl feature.
After 17 years, Timberlake publically apologized to Jackson through his Instagram stating, “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem,”. Despite Timberlake’s former manager slamming Jackson on her social media post in 2021, the singer claimed that the duo is still friends as of 2022. Both singers have moved on with their life and career.
Source: Insider
