Singer Justin Timberlake, who is white, tried to take inspiration this week from an award acceptance speech by actor Jesse Williams, who is black.
What could possibly go wrong?
During his speech at the BET Awards, Jesse Williams, the “Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob and civil rights advocate, condemned what he called the unequal treatment of black people across America. “We’ve been floating this country on credit for centuries, and we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind, while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil,” Williams said to a standing ovation.
Timberlake, the “Can’t Stop the Feeling” singer, tweeted that he was “#inspired” by the actor. But some of Twitter didn’t want to hear it.
They accused Timberlake of “appropriating” black culture and failing to use his public platform to help call for racial equality. One user, Ernest Owens, who is a blogger, even blamed Timberlake for Janet Jackson’s notorious “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 half time show at the Super Bowl halftime. (Timberlake was performing with Jackson when her breast popped out of her top. It was he who actually put the phrase “wardrobe malfunction” into the public lexicon.)
So does this mean you're going to stop appropriating our music and culture? And apologize to Janet too. #BETAwards https://t.co/0FwBOQR24D
— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) June 27, 2016
Owens’ tweet has been “Liked” by about 3,000 people.
Timberlake tried to respond with a message of unity.
https://twitter.com/jtimberlake/status/747276674073395200
But that only made things worse—particularly the suggestion that “we are the same.”
I actually love Justin Timberlake's music, but his opinion is so trash. As a white person, you're not allowed to say "we are all the same"
— ho (@sluttyblackboy) June 27, 2016
not only did justin timberlake ignore the question but he subliminally dismissed the notion that cultural appropriation does not happen
— unpforgettable pfire (@firefire100) June 27, 2016
#JustinTimberlake by saying we are all the same dismissed Jesse Williams speech entirely and proved his point at the same time well done ????????
— cocoarose (@Princesskeshia1) June 27, 2016
Some people on Twitter stood by the singer, saying he did no wrong and is wrongly being targeted as the perpetrator of something much larger.
This Justin Timberlake drag is so dumb… ????????… I don't think ppl know the difference between appropriating and appreciating lol
— AunBae SaltedRose (@They_LoveAC) June 27, 2016
So basically, @jtimberlake is apologizing for not apologizing for being white.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) June 27, 2016
Williams, for his part, didn’t join the Twitter debate, either to support Timberlake or to condemn him.
Timberlake eventually succumbed to the haters, explaining that he was responding to a specific tweet and not making a general claim. He apologized and even conceded he probably shouldn’t have made the comment in the first place.
I feel misunderstood. I responded to a specific tweet that wasn't meant to be a general response. I shouldn't have responded anyway…
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) June 27, 2016
I forget this forum sometimes… I was truly inspired by @iJesseWilliams speech because I really do feel that we are all one… A human race
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) June 27, 2016
I apologize to anyone that felt I was out of turn. I have nothing but LOVE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US.
–JT
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) June 27, 2016
In the end, a speech about black empowerment wound up dragged into a petty Twitter smackdown of a celebrity who supports black empowerment—but who happens to be white.
Really?
we have literally turned jesse's moment into justin timberlake's moment and that's the biggest problem
— mama africa (@thatgirlsalina) June 27, 2016
