Justin Timberlake was just arrested, and the internet is already here to prove this isn’t how you bring “sexy back.”
Justin has been trying very hard to regain popularity in the past year. His most recent release, Everything I Thought It Was, failed to impress the critics and his fans, missing the No. 1. spot he must have wanted. And his new arrest is clearly not the way to go.
Once one of the most famous male stars in the music business, Justin Timberlake was met with several controversies throughout his career. First, it was the part he played in the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl. Second, there’s the whole situation with Britney Spears, where Timberlake repeatedly shamed his ex for years for allegedly cheating on him. As the hitmaker preached himself, what goes around comes around, and now the internet had a field day reacting to his arrest.
Justin Timberlake’s arrest led to many savage memes
The “Selfish” hitmaker was arrested in Sag Harbor, New York on June 18 for reportedly driving while intoxicated. In times of hardship, people usually resort to humor, which might be the case when it comes to the quick reaction to the latest news involving Timberlake. Driving while intoxicated is a serious matter, as someone could’ve been hurt or worse. Luckily for the “Cry Me a River” singer, the worst thing that came out of it is that he’s now making headlines and people are making fun of his difficult time.
Multiple reactions involved short clips from his music videos, where Justin showed his dancing skills. Users on X (formerly known as Twitter) joked that, when asked to walk in a straight line, the 43-year-old singer started showing off his moves.
Some even went as far as turning his name into a pun: “Justin Toxicated.” While that isn’t directly tied to his ex’s “Toxic,” the description on the meme card reads, “Caught driving while intoxicated, lose you wallet and seed phrase. Game over.”
As expected, many memes involved references to Spears herself. The singer last addressed her relationship with Timberlake in her tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me, where she alleged she got pregnant by Timberlake and he encouraged her to have an abortion, among other revelations. Fans went as far as referencing some Britney Spears songs like “Criminal,” or posting footage of the singer performing “Womanizer” dressed as a police officer.
So far, Justin Timberlake hasn’t addressed the arrest yet, and he hasn’t released any statements through his reps, either. The singer left the Sag Habor Police Department earlier today and is no longer in custody.
Despite some people treating this as a joke, Justin Timberlake driving while intoxicated is anything but. According to the United States Department of Transportation, 37 people die in the U.S. every day as a result of drunk driving accidents, or one person every 39 minutes. The singer might have attempted a very short drive to a friend’s house, but that could’ve been easily a walk or a ride-share situation. Based on his charges, Justin was most likely under the influence of alcohol and not something drug-related, but nothing excuses his reckless behavior. Hopefully, Timberlake will take the time to reflect on the incident, which could’ve turned out to be more serious than it was.