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    1. Celebrity

    Justin Timberlake is Reportedly “Seething” Because He Thinks Britney Spears Drama Is “Overshadowing His New Music"

    So, cry me a river?

    Danielle Campoamor's avatar
    By Danielle Campoamor
    Published 2 February 2024 In News

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    Justin Timberlake is reportedly "seething" because he thinks Britney Spears drama is "overshadowing" his new music.
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
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    Justin Timberlake said it himself: "What goes around... comes around."

    According to Page Six, a source close to the Trolls star says he is "seething" because he believes the drama surrounding his ex-girlfriend Britney Spears is "overshadowing his new music."

    “Justin had hoped the backlash (from Spears’ memoir) would’ve blown over by now so that he could focus on his new album, which he’s very excited about," the source told the publication. "But every day is something new."

    Timberlake has been scrutinized for years for how he allegedly treated Spears during their relationship and many of the public comments and jokes he made about her in the years that followed, primarily about their sex life and her mental health.

    Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears during Super Bowl XXXVI.

    Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears during Super Bowl XXXVI.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    In Spears’ bestselling, scathing memoir, The Woman in Me, the pop star said she was "described as a harlot who'd broken the heart of America's golden boy," after the former couple called it quits in 2002 and after three years of dating.

    Shortly after their split, Timberlake alluded to rumors that Spears had been unfaithful by casting a Spears look-alike actress for his "Cry Me a River" music video.

    “The truth: I was comatose in Louisiana, and he was happy running around Hollywood," Spears wrote, before alleging that Timberlake had actually cheated on her "several times."

    “There’s always more leeway in Hollywood for men than for women,” she added. “And I see how men are encouraged to talk trash about women in order to become famous and powerful. But I was shattered.”

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    Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears at the "Crossroads" Hollywood premiere.

    Justin Timberlake & Britney Spears at the "Crossroads" Hollywood premiere.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    in addition to the release of “Cry Me a River,” Timberlake repeatedly made crude and disrespectful comments about his sex life with Spears, BuzzFeed reports, and in the years that followed made public, not-so-thinly veiled jabs at Spear’s highly-publicized and scrutinized mental health condition.

    Timberlake has yet to publicly comment on any of the allegations in Spears' memoir, but in December, 2023 seemed to allude to them during a performance at the opening of the Fountainbleau Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Before performing "Cry Me a River," Timberlake told the crowd: “No disrespect.” He then started singing the line: “But aren’t all just entertainers?” 

    In January, Spears inexplicably apologized to Timberlake for the allegations she made in her memoir. In a now-deleted Instagram post, Spears wrote that she wanted to "apologize for some of the things I wrote about in my book."

    "If I offended any of the people I genuinely care about I am deeply sorry," the post continued. "I also wanted to say I am in love with Justin Timberlake’s new song 'Selfish' It is soo good and how come every time I see Justin and Jimmy together I laugh so hard?"

    SNL musical guest Justin Timberlake performs "Selfish" on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

    SNL musical guest Justin Timberlake performs "Selfish" on Saturday, January 27, 2024.

    (Image credit: Getty Images)

    Shortly after, Timberlake added fuel to the controversial fire he is allegedly so upset about by telling a New York crowd that in no uncertain terms he is done apologizing.

    "I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize to absolutely f****** nobody," Timberlake said, according to People.

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    Spears quickly responded with another Instagram post, TMZ reported, featuring a golden hour shot of the moon, clouds and a basketball hoop and one scathing caption.

    "Someone told me someone was talking s*** about me on the streets !!! Do you want to bring it to the court or will you go home crying to your mom like you did last time???" the singer wrote. "I'm not sorry !!!"

    If Timberlake is truly upset about how much oxygen this so-called revived "feud" is taking up, maybe.... don't talk about it?

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

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    Danielle Campoamor
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    Weekend Editor

    Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.

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