As Super Bowl LVIII approaches, the NFL has never felt more connected to pop culture.
In fact, the last time that the Super Bowl received this sort of mainstream coverage — albeit, for a reason much different than Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift — was 20 years ago from Thursday.
It was February 1, 2004, that the New England Patriots faced the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston. But while the game — which helped establish the Patriots as a burgeoning dynasty — was notable in its own right, the event itself is best remembered for its halftime show.
In a performance produced by MTV, Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson headlined a show that also featured P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock and Jessica Simpson. Very few, however, could likely even tell you that anyone besides Timberlake and Jackson took part in the performance, as it is best remembered for its final sequence, in which the former NSYNC star ripped a portion of Janet’s outfit off, revealing most of her bare breast with a shiny pasty over her nipple.
You can watch the full halftime show below.
The fallout from the halftime show — which was broadcast on CBS — was vast. The incident, known as “Nipplegate,” raised several questions, including but not limited to: Was the “wardrobe malfunction” — a term coined by the incident — planned? Did Timberlake reveal Jackson’s breast without her consent? If it was planned, who knew about it beforehand? And how much blame should have been placed on CBS, MTV and the NFL?
In the days following the halftime show, Jackson embarked on an apology tour, insisting that the spot was planned, but that Timberlake was supposed to reveal a lacy red bra, which had slipped during her performance. Several conspiracy theories also emerged as a result of the incident, including the belief that it was a ploy to distract the general public from the Iraq War and that Timberlake was seeking to upstage his ex-girlfriend, Britney Spears’, MTV Music Awards performance with Madonna months earlier.
Even two decades later, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive explanation for what actually happened. Most, however, agree that it was unfair how much backlash Jackson faced for the incident, especially when compared to the lack of criticism that Timberlake received.
In many ways, the legacy of “Nipplegate” is that it was the first true celebrity controversy of the internet age. In fact, the Guinness World Records later credited Jackson with being the “Most Searched in Internet History” and the “Most Searched for News Item” due to the incident.
A celebrity scandal that blurs the lines of fiction and reality, spawns countless conspiracy theories and raises questions about free speech? Are we sure that this happened in 2004 and not 2024?
Either way, it’s fascinating to look back at the most infamous halftime show in Super Bowl history and see how far we’ve come — which actually might not be that far at all.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.