Justin Timberlake Addresses Recent Drunk-Driving Arrest in Public Remarks at Chicago’s United Center.
Justin Timberlake broke his silence this week after his recent arrest for driving under the influence (DUI) in the Hamptons. His glassy-eyed mugshot went viral worldwide, causing embarrassment for the 10-time Grammy winner and former NSYNC member. Timberlake made his first public comments at Chicago’s United Center on Friday night during a performance of his “Forget Tomorrow” world tour. The singer has reportedly already apologized to his behind-the-stage crew, but this marked the first time he acknowledged the incident publicly.
The “Cry Me a River” crooner told the audience at United Center, “It’s been a tough week,” as he resumed his world tour and performed his first show since the embarrassing DUI bust on Tuesday night. Timberlake continued to express his gratitude towards his fans: “I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back.” The crowd showered him with cheers in response to his heartfelt words.
The “SexyBack” singer, who has two upcoming tour dates at Madison Square Garden on June 25 and 26, was seen drinking a $21 Vesper Martini at the American Hotel earlier that day, where he had been having dinner with friends. After leaving the hotel in his gray 2025 BMW around 12:15 a.m., Timberlake allegedly blew through a stop sign, prompting police officers to pull him over near the hotel.
He was charged with driving while intoxicated and cited for running a stop sign and failure to maintain his lane. The cop who pulled over the world-famous singer did not recognize him or his name, as he appeared “so young that he didn’t even know” who Timberlake was. When confronted about how this situation might affect his tour, the officer responded with confusion, asking, “what tour.
During the arrest, Timberlake told officers that he had only consumed one drink but refused to take a Breathalyzer test three separate times. He attempted to pass field sobriety tests but failed and was taken into custody. A witness at the bar told The Post that Timberlake appeared “wasted,” even grabbing someone else’s drink from the table and drinking it when the owner went to the bathroom.
Timberlake appeared in court later that morning, looking disheveled in a black baseball cap, gray graphic t-shirt with “Live Circuit” on it, and a black short-sleeve button-up shirt. He was released without bail. The singer has acknowledged struggling with “excessive drinking” in the past. Timberlake is married to actress Jessica Biel, with whom he shares two children; Biel expressed shock and disappointment over her husband’s DUI arrest.
If convicted, Timberlake faces up to a year in Suffolk County Jail. However, experts told The Post that this sentence is highly unlikely given the singer’s clean criminal record. More likely consequences include being fined $500 and having his driver’s license suspended for 90 days in New York State.
