Of all the crappy apologies from white dudes, can we safely say that Justin Timberlake’s apology was one of the worst? Like, it was so bad, so late, and it just didn’t feel authentic. Justin didn’t even say whether he would offer personal apologies to both Britney Spears and Janet Jackson privately. I mean, there could be another reason for that – I doubt either woman wants to speak to him. But that doesn’t change the fact that A) Justin sucks and B) he conveniently chose to issue his apology statement just two weeks after his latest film was released on Apple+. But according to “sources,” Justin isn’t doing any of this for the publicity.

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’s really from the heart. This isn’t 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 how the media teated them following his breakup from Spears and fallout from Jackson’s 2004 Super Bowl performance.

Our source added that Timberlake is serious about being a part of the solution.

“He realizes he needed to speak up and that it’s been long enough,” they said. “He knows that he has sometimes benefited from these moments, and that he should’ve said something sooner to defend both of them. He means it, and he’s very happy that he’s able to speak up now. It’s a bigger conversation and he wants to do his part to help move solutions forward.”

[From Page Six]

“He knows that he has sometimes benefited from these moments” – “sometimes” is doing a lot of work there. Start there and pinpoint every single time you’ve benefited from your white male privilege and then come back and try to play it off as “sometimes.” “He realizes he needed to speak up and that it’s been long enough” = he can’t continue pretending that he doesn’t see all of the hashtags and criticism and if he could ignore it all for twenty more years, he totally would. “He wants to do his part to help move solutions forward” – I am very curious if he ever mentions any of this again.

Meanwhile, one good thing came out of all of this – people began streaming and downloading Janet Jackson’s album Control around the time of JT’s fauxpology.

Janet Jackson got more than an apology from Justin Timberlake … she got a revival. Janet’s 1986 album, “Control,” has skyrocketed on the charts since Justin issued his mea culpa Friday over her 2004 Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. As you know, she was skewered by critics, while Justin remained silent and unscathed.

Well, “Control” hit #1 on the Apple Top 40 U.S. Pop Album Chart a week ago — before Justin’s apology. It was the 35th anniversary of the album. But after the apology it’s going really strong … now the 8th most downloaded album on Apple iTunes.

Janet took to social media and said, “I was at home just the other day by myself, and I began to cry. I was crying because I was so thankful for all that God has blessed me with, all that he has given me, and I’m so thankful for him being in my life….I’m so thankful for all of you being in my life. You’re so special to me, and I want to thank all of you for making ‘Control’ number one once again. After 35 years, never in a million years would I think that this would happen. I really appreciate you, and I love you so, so much. Thank you.”

[From TMZ]

As TMZ notes, people were already streaming and downloading Control before Timberlake’s apology, but they kept going and going when JT showed his ass again. I’m 100% behind “punishing” JT by elevating Janet’s music and Britney’s music. I wonder if the kids have rediscovered Rhythm Nation yet? That was my favorite Janet album growing up, I was completely obsessed with it. I hope fans rediscover Britney’s Blackout, which I think was a really underrated album at the time and still, today. “Gimme More,” “Freakshow,” and “Piece of Me” are three of my favorite Britney songs and they’re all on that album.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.