Singer Justin Timberlake will release a four-part documentary film on the Apple TV platform in December. As American publication Variety reports, and Rolling Stone after it, the film will address the incident involving singer Janet Jackson during their joint performance at the 2004 Super Bowl.
At that time, during the halftime show of the championship American football game, Timberlake tore off part of Jackson's costume during a dance number, exposing her breast. The performance was broadcast live. The scandal that followed took a heavy toll on Janet Jackson's career: her songs were pulled from radio playlists. Timberlake, by contrast, was barely harmed and returned to the Super Bowl stage in 2017, this time as a solo performer.
The singer himself called what happened a "wardrobe malfunction" and distanced himself from the scandal. However, in 2021, after the release of a film about singer Britney Spears, Timberlake faced a new wave of criticism for his behavior toward both women. He then issued a public apology.
I want to apologize specifically to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson, because I care about these women, I respect them, and I know I failed them. The industry is toxic. It sets men, especially white men, up for success. That's how it's built. As a man in a privileged position, I have to speak about this openly. Out of my own ignorance, I didn't realize everything that was happening in my own life, but I don't want to ever again benefit from others being pulled down.
— Justin Timberlake, in a public apology, 2021
According to Variety, the director of the new series is Fisher Stevens. The publication's sources describe the project as "revelatory." The film is reported to feature Janet Jackson herself, who will discuss the incident. Another source told journalists that Timberlake will also address recent statements by his former girlfriend Britney Spears. Representatives for Timberlake, Jackson, and Apple have not yet commented.
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