For the first time, Justin Timberlake has opened up about his night in jail, addressing the audience at a concert in Chicago on Friday night. It was the singer’s first public appearance since his DWI arrest in The Hamptons on June 18. Addressing his fans, Timberlake admitted, “It’s been a tough week.”
He performed at the United Center in Chicago as part of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. “It’s been a tough week,” he began, according to CNN. “I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back.”
He also noted that his fans have also encountered their share of “ups-and-downs and lefts-and-rights.” Timberlake is set to return to New York with two performances at Madison Square Garden on June 25 and 26.
Justin Timberlake’s DWI Was a Series of Embarrassments
On June 18, Timberlake was arraigned and subsequently released from custody after being charged with driving while intoxicated the previous evening in Sag Harbor, New York. The veteran singer and former teen idol spent the night in Sag Harbor’s jail.
According to Sag Harbor police, he was stopped after running a stop sign and weaving his 2025 BMW along the road. He is scheduled to appear virtually in court on July 26, coinciding with the start of his two-night performance in Krakow, Poland. Timberlake reportedly denies the charge, stating he “only had one martini.”
Other sources told the New York Post that the police officer who pulled over Justin Timberlake was so young, that he probably thought ‘N Sync was a Wi-Fi issue.
“He didn’t recognize him or his name,” the insider said about the officer.
Despite His DWI, Justin Timberlake’s Tour Runs Through December
Meanwhile, Timberlake’s attorney, Edward Burke Jr., issued a statement expressing his intent to vigorously defend the singer against the DWI charges. “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time. He is currently awaiting full discovery from the DA’s office.”
Over the years, Burke has represented several high-profile celebrities, including Matt Lauer, Jason Kidd, and Lizzie Grubman.
Following this weekend’s shows, Timberlake is set to bring his tour back to New York. He performs at Madison Square Garden on June 25 and 26, before heading to Boston’s TD Garden. The tour will span several countries before returning to the US, culminating in Missouri this December.