In case you missed it, Justin Timberlake headlined this year’s Super Bowl halftime show and people are dragging him for what they call “the worst halftime show ever”.
14 years after his controversial performance with Janet Jackson in 2004 — where he tore her top and a wardrobe malfunction revealed one her breasts — Timberlake was back to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show. While Jackson took all the blame and suffered unjust public embarrassment that derailed her career, Timberlake got the opportunity to come back on stage for a halftime performance, solo this time.
People called out Timberlake for throwing Jackson under the bus for the infamous “Nipplegate” scandal. Prior to his performance, some said that the only way they could forgive him is if he’d publicly apologize to her and give the stage to her.
The only way I'm going to be into Justin Timberlake's Super Bowl performance is if he walks out, grabs his mic and says, "I'd like to publicly apologize to Janet Jackson — and now, here she is to do the halftime show without me!" and then disappears via a trapdoor in the floor.
— noah michelson (@noahmichelson) February 2, 2018
Im old enough to remember #NippleGate. Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson performed at the Super Bowl. There was a "wardrobe malfunction." They pilloried Janet and only Janet. Her career never recovered after that. JT meanwhile gets to perform again. All of that is wrong.
— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) February 3, 2018
14 years ago today, the "wardrobe malfunction" happened at the Superbowl.
Have you ever noticed that they ALWAYS blamed Janet Jackson, as if it wasn't a pre-planned thing and everyone was in on it, including Justin Timberlake? pic.twitter.com/BbYhr6nXlZ— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) February 1, 2018
Janet Jackson got dragged relentlessly after the '04 Super Bowl halftime, while Justin Timberlake got off unscathed. He publicly threw her under the bus, but doesn't think he needs to publicly apologize. We revisit the fallout before his second SB halftime https://t.co/xglXbRCVg5
— Rhiannon Walker (@InstantRHIplay) February 1, 2018
If Justin Timberlake plays "SexyBack" twice in a row and then publicly apologizes to Janet Jackson for ten minutes, it will be a good half-time show. Otherwise, no thanks.
— Judy Berman (@judyberman) February 2, 2018
Rethinking this entire Justin Timberlake halftime situation and realizing I just can’t forgive him for what he did to Britney and Janet Jackson. You heard me. #GaySuperBowl
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) February 5, 2018
Not watching Justin Timberlake's Super Bowl performance unless Janet Jackson gets to come out and rip the clothes off his crotch with no repercussions while Justin is subsequently banned from performing anywhere for a long time! 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙
— Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) February 2, 2018
Apparently @MichaelRapaport doesn't see the racism & misogyny at play when Justin Timberlake is allowed to return to the SB halftime stage while Janet Jackson was/is banned. Looks like he's NOT as #woke as I thought he was.. #SelectiveVision #TimesUp #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay
— Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) February 5, 2018
But Janet Jackson didn’t come up on stage and no public apology was heard. In fact, Justin Timberlake even tried to redeem the 2004 mishap by performing “Rock Your Body” again — the very song he was singing when he exposed Jackson’s breast.
So, to add insult to injury, Justin Timberlake is performing Rock Your Body – the very song he performed when he exposed Janet Jackson's breast. Disgusting. #TimesUp #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay
— Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) February 5, 2018
On the same day of Timberlake’s Super Bowl halftime performance, people united on Twitter under the hashtag #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay and called out the NFL for allowing Timberlake to perform again while banning Jackson after the 2004 incident, calling it “white privilege and misogyny in action.”
Last time Justin Timberlake performed in a #SuperBowl halftime show, Janet Jackson was the headliner.
That night almost ended Janet’s career. Meanwhile, Justin is invited to perform again.
White privilege & mysogny in action.#JanetJacksonAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/FO88uVZyWi
— Av Gutman (@abgutman) February 4, 2018
Stoked to see JT perform the halftime show. Though to be fair, it would be even better if Janet Jackson were there. Ya know. To rip his shirt off and accidentally ruin his career. #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay
— Briana Buckmaster (@OfficialBrianaB) February 4, 2018
TIL YOU DO RIGHT BY JANET, EVERYTHING YOU THINK ABOUT GONNA FAIL JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE. #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay pic.twitter.com/ijk89Djvw0
— George M Johnson (@IamGMJohnson) February 5, 2018
She influenced a generation. Celebrate #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay with us. This is: Janet Jackson. https://t.co/T1iNhbzb62 🙏
📸: Solaiman Fazel pic.twitter.com/uVLWv82ArQ
— Spotify (@Spotify) February 5, 2018
Just a reminder that Timberlake’s career did not suffer and Janet Jackson’s was derailed. #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay
— Christine Nangle (@nanglish) February 5, 2018
Apparently @MichaelRapaport doesn't see the racism & misogyny at play when Justin Timberlake is allowed to return to the SB halftime stage while Janet Jackson was/is banned. Looks like he's NOT as #woke as I thought he was.. #SelectiveVision #TimesUp #JanetJacksonAppreciationDay
— Elgin Charles (@ElginCharles) February 5, 2018
Justin Timberlake got dragged not only because of Janet Jackson but also because of his tribute performance to Prince that included a holographic image of the singer who passed away in 2016 — something that Prince once referred to as “the most demonic thing imaginable”.
20 years before his projection appeared during Justin Timberlake's halftime show, Prince made it clear how he felt about using technology to perform with an artist who had passed away. #SuperBowl https://t.co/Guxi2B6PlV pic.twitter.com/XwdIctpAt1
— E! News (@enews) February 5, 2018
Okay punkass justin Timberlake. You was cool till you pulled that Prince bullshit. You dissed Prince on a track of yours and you dissed him onstage when you lowered the mic stand onstage when prince won an award. Later for ya ass
— Sinbad (@sinbadbad) February 5, 2018
Katy Perry did not ride a 30 foot tall golden lion, Beyoncé did NOT perform a tribute for Black Lives Matter and Lady Gaga did NOT fall off a roof for Justin Timberlake to disrespect Prince and wear a camouflage suit at the Super Bowl
— ْ (@pradacarey) February 5, 2018
Justin Timberlake under fire for performing a duet with a projection of Prince at the #Superbowl half-time, despite dissing Prince in his 2007 song and Prince's strong belief against technology like the ones used tonight. pic.twitter.com/d4rCIjo2PM
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) February 5, 2018
One Twitter account even created a thread about why Justin Timberlake is “cancelledt”.
In honor of today's Super Bowl halftime headliner, I wanna dedicate a thread as to why Justin Timberlake is trash✨✨✨
— Romeo Santos (@ByeAshy) February 4, 2018
Some people were surely not happy about his presence at the Super Bowl but they are clearly living at every moment of him getting called out and dragged for what they think he deserves of.
Justin Timberlake is getting dragged from every corner of the music industry and I am living 😂
— Mpumi Ngwenya (@thisismpumi) February 5, 2018