Though it’s been more than a decade since Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson’s breast on live national television during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, the world hasn’t forgotten just how little he’s ever said about it. Following the incident, Janet was forced to give a video statement and accepted blame, while Timberlake issued his own statement calling the incident “regrettable†and moved on with his reputation still intact while hers suffered. With Timberlake set to return to the halftime stage next month, he is now addressing Nipplegate in a new interview with Zane Lowe. “I stumbled through it, to be quite honest. I had my wires crossed and it’s just something that you have to look back on and go like, ‘Okay, well you know, you can’t change what’s happened but you can move forward and learn from it,’†he says, noting that it wouldn’t happen again.
Timberlake also says that he and Janet “absolutely†have made peace and resolved the situation. Appearing to respond to lingering accusations that he didn’t do enough to defend Janet at the time and has since avoided the subject, he added, “And I don’t know that a lot of people know that [he and Janet are on good terms]. I don’t think it’s my job to do that because you value the relationships that you do have with people.â€