Almost six years after the career-changing incident, Justin Timberlake apparently has regrets over the way he treated Janet Jackson in the wake of their 2004 Super Bowl scandal. The two were performing what was sure to be a showstopping routine during half time of the game when at the end of a song,Timberlake ripped open Jackson's shirt to reveal her naked breast covered by a pastie. Viewers had to be keen of eye to catch the momentary flash, but the fallout lasted for years.
Both Jackson and Timberlake apologized, with Jackson calling it a "wardrobe malfunction", however only Jackson's career seemed to suffer in its wake. Timberlake, for his part, denied knowing Jackson was topless, and distanced himself from her allowing the media and the public to draw conclusions she alone was responsible for the flash. Janet was left alone to deal with the fallout as she watched her album sales fall and her endorsements dry up. She retreated from the public eye, becoming a recluse and gaining quite a bit of weight. "Nipplegate" on CBS was seen by an estimated 140 million viewers and brought unprecidented complaints to the FCC and a huge fine for the network. Now, Timberlake says he's sorry. He told Entertainment Weekly he regrets his handling of the situation. “I wish I had supported Janet more. I am not sorry I apologized, but I wish I had been there more for Janet,” he said.
Personally, I used to be a JT fan. I loved his music and his style of dancing, but the way he treated Janet...really left a bad taste in my mouth. He came out of it with his career intact, but in my opinion he abandoned her like a coward. He was the one who actually ripped her shirt, not her. He humiliated and exposed a Black woman on international television. Why wasn't it considered assault? How can you blame someone for someone else ripping their clothes off? I never understood that. Even if they had planned it, they should have stood together to take the heat. Instead, he took the easy way out. I never forgave him for it and never bought anything else he did. He lost a fan in me back in 2004. How did you feel about it? Do you think he's being sincere now?
