Justin Timberlake’s apology to ex-girlfriend Britney Spears and Janet Jackson is the real deal, according to sources close to the star.
‘He did this on his own, and it really comes from the heart. This is not about publicity, ”a source told Page Six.
On Friday, the “Cry Me a River” singer, 40, posted a lengthy apology to the singers for his role in the way the media fooled them after his breakup with Spears and the fallout from Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl performance.
Spears fans in particular have been poking fun at him in recent days after the New York Times doc “Framing Britney Spears” repeated their breakup.
The documentary featured Timberlake claiming on a radio show that he’d had sex with Spears, 39, and claimed his camp pushed the story that they broke up for betraying him.
Meanwhile, there have long been allegations that Timberlake allowed 54-year-old Jackson to take the brunt of the backlash from their infamous Super Bowl halftime show in which Timberlake exposed her chest.
“I’ve seen the posts, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond,” the singer wrote on social media on Friday. spoke out of turn, or did not speak out for what was right. I understand that in these moments and many others I fell short and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism. “
Referring specifically to Spears and Jackson, Timberlake wrote, “I care and respect these women and I know I have failed.” He continued, “The industry is flawed. It sets men, especially white men, ready for success. It is designed this way. As a man in a privileged position I have to speak about this. Because of my ignorance, I didn’t realize it was while it was happening in my own life, but I never want to take advantage of bringing others down again. “
Our source added that Timberlake is serious about being part of the solution.
“He realizes he had to say something and that it has been long enough,” they said. “He knows he has benefited from these moments at times, and that he should have said something earlier to defend them both. He means it, and he is very happy to be able to say something now. It’s a bigger conversation and he wants to do his part to move solutions forward. “
Spears and Jackson have yet to comment on Timberlake’s mea culpa.