Stylist Says Justin Timberlake Set Up Janet Jackson's "Wardrobe Malfunction" to One-Up Britney Spears at VMAs

Update:

FYI: A source close to Justin Timberlake tells Cosmo that Wayne Scot Lukas’s claim that Justin intentionally staged Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” at the 2004 Super Bowl to one-up Britney Spears is a lie, and wonders why he hadn't spoken out before now.

Original story:

Stylist Wayne Scot Lukas claims that Justin Timberlake intentionally staged Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" at the 2004 Super Bowl in order to one-up Britney Spears—who made headlines for kissing Madonna at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Scot Lukas told Page Six that Justin “insisted on doing something bigger than their performance. He wanted a reveal.” Apparently the original plan involved Justin stepping on the back of Janet's dress to expose a pearl G-string: “Janet was going to be in a Rocha dress, and [Justin] was going to step on the back of her dress to reveal her butt in this pearl G-string,” he said, explaining plans changed before the performance.

Justin called the incident a "wardrobe malfunction," which Scott Lukas takes issue with. “I wouldn’t call it a wardrobe ‘malfunction’ in a million years," he told Page Six. "It was the most functioning wardrobe in history. As a stylist, it did what it was intended to do."

Justin issued an apology to Janet Jackson as well as Britney Spears in February 2021 after his treatment of them was featured in the documentary Framing Britney Spears, saying in part "I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed. I also feel compelled to respond, in part, because everyone involved deserves better and most importantly, because this is a larger conversation that I wholeheartedly want to be part of and grow from."

Janet's album Control started topping charts after the doc's release, and she thanked fans in an emotional video. “You’re so special to me and I want to thank all of you for making Control number one once again after 35 years. I never, never in a million years, I would never think that this would happen. I really appreciate you and I love you so, so much. Thank you.”

Keep the Janet support going and stream Control below!

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