Janet Jackson Finally Explained What Went Down With Justin Timberlake In 2004

In a post-Framing Britney Spears world, many fans of pop culture have revisited their relationship with celebrity — and with one celebrity in particular. After the 2021 New York Times documentary dug into Justin Timberlake’s relationship with Britney Spears, viewers soon rallied for the “Cry Me a River” singer to apologize not only to his ex but to Janet Jackson, too, whose career suffered after the pair’s ill-fated Super Bowl performance in 2004. Sure enough, he did apologize — and according to Jackson in her self-titled Lifetime documentary, there are no hard feelings.

“Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion,” Jackson said in the four-part film, which aired across two nights, Jan. 28 and 29. “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.”

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The “accident,” of course, refers to the moment in the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show when Timberlake tore a piece of Jackson’s top off, exposing her breast in the process. After the pair’s performance, Jackson’s career took a big hit. She was seemingly shut out from future work with CBS and other projects. Timberlake, though, was not subjected to the same fate — he even appeared at the Grammys that year and went on to perform at the Super Bowl once again in 2018.

Many fans felt he’d let Jackson take the fall, and growing backlash in early 2021 finally prompted Timberlake to respond publicly. “I’ve seen the messages, tags, comments, and concerns and I want to respond,” he wrote in a statement posted to Instagram on Feb. 12. “I am deeply sorry for the times in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism. I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed.”

It turns out that the two artists had actually had a conversation behind the scenes in 2004 in which Jackson advised Timberlake not to come out with a statement amid the Super Bowl scandal. “I said, ‘If I were you, I wouldn’t say anything,’” she continued in her doc.

Despite the double standard, Jackson doesn’t blame Timberlake. “Justin and I are very good friends and we will always be very good friends,” she added. “We spoke just a few days ago. He and I have moved on and it’s time for everyone else to do the same.”

Of course, that last part may take some time — especially for those fans who have vocally supported Jackson from Day 1. As the top memes and tweets from the documentary prove, viewers came prepared to drag Timberlake for his involvement in Jackson’s career fallout. But as the “Rhythm Nation” singer herself urged viewers, it’s OK to forgive and forget. (Well, if you want to.)