Much ado about nothing...
Justin Timberlake Chooses Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman Over Motown
By Yoji Cole and Polya Lesova
February 24, 2004
Pop singer Justin Timberlake is side-stepping controversy by bowing out of a commitment to co-host the ABC network's "Motown 45."
Timberlake, who was to host "Motown 45" with veteran recording artist Lionel Richie, will instead be in Canada filming his first motion picture.
"When Justin was asked to host the Motown 45th Anniversary special, he gladly accepted, but alerted us to the fact that he was in talks to star in his first motion picture with Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman and that at the last minute there could possibly be a scheduling conflict. The movie, in fact, is scheduled to be shot in Canada at a time which no longer allows Justin to host the 'Motown 45' special. He has cancelled all television appearances through the end of April to allow him to concentrate on making the movie," said Jeff Margolis, executive producer of "Motown 45," in a statement.
Enlisting Timberlake as host of a show created to celebrate Motown's hit singles brought the singer even more controversy three weeks after the NFL half-time show in which he exposed Janet Jackson's breast while singing his song "Rock Your Body."
"The selection of Timberlake is a cultural insult to the black community," said Najee Ali, a community leader in Los Angeles and director of Project Islamic HOPE, the civil-rights component of the American Society of Muslims. The coalition urged all concerned citizens to call, fax or e-mail ABC in protest.
ABC received three faxes Friday protesting Timberlake's involvement with show, said the publicist for "Motown 45." A new co-host has yet to be named.
Founded in Detroit 45 years ago, Motown has become an emblem of R&B and soul music around the world. The record label launched the careers of some of the most prominent African-American artists including Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Richie and the Jackson Five.
Choosing Timberlake as co-host was seen by some as an effort to attract a young, white demographic to the show.
"This special should not be compromised in the pursuit of a crossover audience," said Ali.
Timberlake has been anointed as, "the new king of pop," because of the success of his first solo album. He has collected awards at ceremonies that range from the Grammy's to the MTV Music Video Awards, where he attributed his success to those who produced his solo debut, such as Pharrell Williams and Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, who both are African American.
In December, Rolling Stone magazine anointed Timberlake "the new king of pop," comparing him with Michael Jackson, whose career accelerated after Motown-25.
Part of the outrage over the selection of Timberlake comes from the Super Bowl incident, when he tore off part of Janet Jackson's top, which caused her breast to appear to 90 million TV viewers. Timberlake was harshly criticized for distancing himself from Jackson and not bearing his share of responsibility in the media frenzy that followed. Although Jackson did not appear at the Grammy's, Timberlake, who won two awards and was nominated for five, was there.
Timberlake also apologized for his part in the Super Bowl halftime show after CBS executives said he would not be permitted to attend if he didn't apologize.
A "Motown 45" publicist was unable to confirm whether the controversy surrounding Timberlake co-hosting the show will factor into their choice of a replacement.
The special will be taped at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on April 4. All proceeds from ticket sales to the event will be donated to the United Negro College Fund.
I/WE got bigger fish to fry than to worry about who's hosting an awards program....why do we care?? If JT hosts..big deal....is that going to change any of the accomplishments of MOtown?? BOO on folx that actually takes the time to protest this BS
Linear Mode
