Although Taylor Swift is currently all over the news for her appearance in the 2024 Super Bowl, it was decades back in 2004 when football fans were discussing Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl scandal. Appearing on stage with Justin Timberlake, Jackson suffered a “wardrobe malfunction” at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show.
However, in 2022 after Janet Jackson’s highly anticipated documentary aired on Lifetime, she got candid about her controversial Super Bowl scandal. Speaking about the wardrobe malfunction during the second half of her documentary, Jackson revealed that she had a conversation with Justin Timberlake after the incident.
Janet Jackson’s 2004’s Super Bowl Scandal
On Feb. 1, 2004, Super Bowl XXXVIII took place where Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake were called to deliver a stage performance. However, an unfortunate event took place during the halftime show as Jackson began performing with Timberlake. At the end of their Super Bowl halftime performance, Timberlake ripped off part of Jackson’s top which revealed her bre*st to global audiences.
An estimated 100 million plus viewers witnessed Janet Jackson’s bare bre*st during the halftime show, following the wardrobe malfunction. Although Jackson quickly moved to cover herself, by then the damage was already done. Thereafter, the singer started facing intense heat and backlash from audiences.
The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime scandal almost ruined Janet Jackson’s career and even reportedly cut her from the Grammys that very year. Further, she lost several other professional opportunities, while Justin Timberlake‘s musical career catapulted. Jackson was also accused of staging the whole thing for publicity.
Janet Jackson’s Conversation With Justin Timberlake
Facing intense criticism over the years, Janet Jackson finally opened up about the 2004 Super Bowl XXXVIII scandal in 2022. Coming up with a highly anticipated documentary on her life, as reported by CNN, Jackson touched upon the wardrobe malfunction. The singer got candid about what happened in the aftermath of the incident.
Janet Jackson claimed to have had a conversation with Justin Timberlake after the scandal happened. She noted how Timberlake asked her if he should make a public statement about the incident, but Jackson claimed to take the whole thing on herself as she didn’t want him to go through any sort of drama.
“We talked once, and he said, ‘I don’t know if I should come out and make a statement’. I said, ‘Listen, I don’t want any drama for you. They’re aiming all of this at me.’ So I just said ‘If I were you, I wouldn’t say anything’.”
After discussing her conversation with Justin Timberlake in detail, Janet Jackson opened up about the backlash she experienced not just from fans, but even in her professional career. “Honestly, this whole thing was blown way out of proportion.” the singer shared.
“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. Justin and I are very good friends, and we will always be very good friends. We spoke just a few days ago, and he and I have moved on, and it’s time for everyone else to do the same.”
The singer’s documentary premiered in two parts where Janet Jackson discussed her decades-long career, her life, and her complicated family dynamics. Soon after Jackson’s documentary premiered, Justin Timberlake began trending on X.
Watch Janet Jackson’s documentary on Lifetime.
