By Hayden Wright
(RADIO.COM) – Sunday night, Jesse Williams accepted the BET Humanitarian Award with an impassioned, provocative speech on the long, uphill journey of #BlackLivesMatter. Justin Timberlake took to Twitter to write that he was "#inspired" by Williams' speech and quickly drew ire from critics who accused him of belonging to a system of cultural appropriation.
Metro national columnist Ernest Owens wrote, "So does this mean you're going to stop appropriating our music and culture? And apologize to Janet too." The latter was a jab suggesting that, as a black woman, Jackson bore the majority of backlash from their infamous 2004 Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction."
Timberlake snapped back with some dripping Southern condescension: "Oh, you sweet soul. The more you realize that we are the same, the more we can have a conversation." Given the context of the event, his words ignited more criticism from the #BlackLivesMatter community on Twitter and prompted a swift backpedal.
"I feel misunderstood. I responded to a specific tweet that wasn't meant to be a general response. I shouldn't have responded anyway," he tweeted soon after. The backtrack then turned into an apology.
"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," he wrote. "I apologize to anyone that felt I was out of turn. I have nothing but LOVE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US."
©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved.
Justin Timberlake Puts Foot In Mouth With BET Awards Comments
/ CBS San Francisco
By Hayden Wright
(RADIO.COM) – Sunday night, Jesse Williams accepted the BET Humanitarian Award with an impassioned, provocative speech on the long, uphill journey of #BlackLivesMatter. Justin Timberlake took to Twitter to write that he was "#inspired" by Williams' speech and quickly drew ire from critics who accused him of belonging to a system of cultural appropriation.
Metro national columnist Ernest Owens wrote, "So does this mean you're going to stop appropriating our music and culture? And apologize to Janet too." The latter was a jab suggesting that, as a black woman, Jackson bore the majority of backlash from their infamous 2004 Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction."
Timberlake snapped back with some dripping Southern condescension: "Oh, you sweet soul. The more you realize that we are the same, the more we can have a conversation." Given the context of the event, his words ignited more criticism from the #BlackLivesMatter community on Twitter and prompted a swift backpedal.
"I feel misunderstood. I responded to a specific tweet that wasn't meant to be a general response. I shouldn't have responded anyway," he tweeted soon after. The backtrack then turned into an apology.
"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," he wrote. "I apologize to anyone that felt I was out of turn. I have nothing but LOVE FOR YOU AND ALL OF US."
©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All rights reserved.
In:
Featured Local Savings
CBS News Bay Area
Detroit designer's handbag makes Oscars appearance with Spike Lee
Rick Jackson withdraws from GOP forum on Black community issues
Water projects getting a boost from Colorado sports betting revenue
Ald. Maria Hadden temporarily closes 49th Ward office due to threats
March Madness fans flock to San Jose for Sweet 16 games at SAP Center
Mom responds after a parent allegedly kidnapped her son over bullying claims
Fani Willis calls Georgia bill that would remove party labels from local races "unconstitutional"
Is prediction market betting dead on arrival for Minnesota lawmakers?