Janet Jackson's Brothers React to Justin Timberlake's Apology over That Wardrobe Malfunction

BY Allie GregoryPublished May 13, 2021

Tito, Marlon and Jackie Jackson have reacted to Justin Timberlake's public apology to their sister Janet Jackson over their shared 2004 Super Bowl halftime show and that infamous "wardrobe malfunction."

Following the release of Hulu's New York Times Presents doc, Framing Britney Spears, Timberlake issued an open letter to both Spears and Jackson, expressing regret over the ways the two women were treated following public controversies involving him.

In particular, Timberlake acknowledged how the halftime incident — where he ripped a piece of Jackson's wardrobe and exposed her breast — actively propelled his career, while Jackson's arguably suffered. At the time, he stated: "I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism."

Now, Jackson's brothers have accepted his apology in conversation with Andy Cohen for his SiriusXM show, Radio Andy, noting that "it takes a man to step up and do that."

"First of all, I just want to thank Justin Timberlake," Marlon Jackson told Cohen. "But we'd like to move forward because that was out there, the negativity about it. As they say in the old days, 'Long as they're talking about you, good or bad, you still in the public's eye.'"

So far, Janet has yet to publicly respond to Timberlake's apology. 

The infamous 2004 controversy has seen new attention in recent months, with the Framing doc team's announcement that they'd soon explore the incident in a new documentary. So far, Timberlake and Jackson have both said they don't plan to participate in the feature.

Listen to an excerpt from the Radio Andy interview below.

Tour Dates

Latest Coverage