FX and Hulu Working on Documentary About Janet Jackson's Super Bowl Show "Malfunction"

After blowing the lid off of Britney Spears' conservatorship, The New York Times is now investigating Janet Jackson's Super Bowl "malfunction" for its next documentary with FX and Hulu.

By Lindsay Weinberg Nov 02, 2021 12:15 AMTags
Watch: Justin Timberlake Apologizes to Janet Jackson & Britney Spears

Janet Jackson's infamous Super Bowl performance is getting the documentary treatment.

The docuseries The New York Times Presents—which released two searing episodes about the Britney Spears saga this year—is now turning its attention to Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl halftime show for a special coming to FX and Hulu on Nov. 19. 

"Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson" will include "rare footage and interviews" with multiple people who were "at the controls that night in Houston" when co-performer Justin Timberlake pulled off Jackson's leather bustier to reveal her breast on national television.

According to a press release from the networks, the show will provide insight from music titans, members of the Jackson family and NFL execs in order "to reconstruct an incident that shook the country and explain how it shaped culture in the decades to follow."

"In 2004, a culture war was brewing when the Super Bowl halftime show audience saw a white man expose a Black woman's breast for 9/16ths of a second," reads the announcement. "A national furor ensued... The woman was Janet Jackson, and her career was never the same. The man was Justin Timberlake; his stardom only grew."

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Every Time Janet Jackson Has Made History

The New York Times will ultimately examine "the racial and cultural currents that collided on the Super Bowl stage," documenting how the Super Bowl show impacted Jackson's career. 

"Malfunction: The Dressing Down of Janet Jackson" comes on the heels of the NYT's "Framing Britney Spears" and "Controlling Britney Spears" episodes. 

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The two prior shows renewed interest in Spears' conservatorship case, which led fans to call out Timberlake for his behavior toward both ex-girlfriend Spears and co-performer Jackson in the early aughts.

The 'NSYNC alum addressed the backlash in February. "I've seen the messages, tags, comments and concerns and I want to respond," he wrote on social media. "I am deeply sorry for the time in my life where my actions contributed to the problem, where I spoke out of turn, or did not speak up for what was right. I understand that I fell short in these moments and in many others and benefited from a system that condones misogyny and racism."

Timberlake added, "I specifically want to apologize to Britney Spears and Janet Jackson both individually, because I care for and respect these women and I know I failed." 

Jodi Gomes serves as director and producer for the upcoming episode.

E! News reached out to reps for Timberlake and Jackson for comment.