For Janet Jackson fans, the years which followed 2004’s SuperBowl gate are marred by the star’s fall from grace in the court of public opinion and decline on the charts.
Today, these fans have learned that her decline, which some Pop spectators put down to her age and supposed inability to compete with the likes of then- “newbies” Beyonce & Ciara, was fuelled by a petty and vindictive CBS executive.
An unbelievable revelation below…
The disgraced CBS boss Les Moonves is under fire after he was accused of sexually abusing members of his staff and is now named as the man who polluted the public’s opinion of the icon.
‘The Huffington Post’ reports…
Jackson became a years-long fixation for Moonves after the so-called “wardrobe malfunction” of 2004, when her breast was exposed for nine-sixteenths of a second after Justin Timberlake tore a piece of fabric off her bustier during their Super Bowl halftime performance. CBS and MTV (a subsidiary of Viacom, the parent company of CBS at the time), which produced the halftime show, faced a torrent of criticism and a $550,000 Federal Communications Commission fine.
Jackson and Timberlake both said the incident was truly a malfunction ― that Timberlake was only meant to rip away the leather on Jackson’s bustier to reveal red lace, but instead ripped away everything, leaving her breast exposed to over 100 million Super Bowl fans.
Moonves, however, was convinced it wasn’t a malfunction, but rather an intentional bid to stir up controversy. Moonves has been open about the fact that the incident caused him embarrassment, and he told sources who spoke to me that Jackson, in his mind, was not sufficiently repentant.
Moonves banned Jackson and Timberlake from the 2004 Grammys broadcast airing on CBS the week after the Super Bowl. But Timberlake was allowed to perform after he tearfully apologized for the incident, according to conversations Moonves had with my sources.
The CBS chief executive, according to sources who spoke to me, was furious that Jackson didn’t make a similarly contrite apology to him. The fallout from the incident inflicted significant damage on Jackson’s career ― which until that point had produced 10 No. 1 hits ― and still reverberates to this day.
Moonves ordered Viacom properties VH1 and MTV, and all Viacom-owned radio stations, to stop playing Jackson’s songs and music videos. The move had a huge impact on sales of her album “Damita Jo,” which was released in March 2004, just a month after the Super Bowl.
A major point of controversy, particularly among Jackson’s black fans, was that the reaction to the wardrobe malfunction fell solely on Jackson’s shoulders, even though Timberlake was the one who actually pulled off the fabric to reveal her breast. While Jackson’s career was significantly damaged, Timberlake’s flourished. CBS insiders who spoke to me felt strongly that Moonves played a large part in how Jackson was perceived by the public.
A spokesperson for CBS declined to comment for this story.
Seven years after the 2004 incident, Moonves told several sources he was furious when he found out Jackson had signed a book deal with Simon & Schuster for her book True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself. Simon & Schuster is owned by Viacom.
“How the fuck did she slip through?” Moonves asked while recounting the story to a source who spoke to me. He told another source that heads were going to roll as a result of the deal.
It’s not clear whether Moonves ever actually took action against anyone who gave Jackson the book deal, but his tone when he spoke about Jackson was so aggressive, one source said they couldn’t speak to me on the record because “I’m not interested in having that man following me to the grave and trying to screw me over the whole time.”
![Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025: Janet Jackson, Eminem, N.W.A., & Rodney Jerkins Nominated [Full List]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/janet-jackson-eminem-nwa-songwriters-hall-fame-tgj-464x260.jpg "Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025: Janet Jackson, Eminem, N.W.A., & Rodney Jerkins Nominated [Full List].")
Whoa…first Bobby Brown scandal and now this?
Yeah 4o year old sèx isn’t a scandal, it’s bored negros on black twitter.
Lol exactly, nobody cares or is thinking about that mess except messy twitter negroes lol. Even so, its still not a scandal.
That’s because Janet is a trailblazer in every way! Janet and her brother Michael MADE MTV! They were the ones who got it poppin with their groundbreaking videos! And let’s not forget JANET MADE YOUTUBE….Janet’s iconic tittty was the first video to truly go viral! YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim said the INSPIRATION for YouTube came from Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl performance! He said he couldn’t find the video clip after the event, which led to the idea of a video sharing website!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube
And yes, Janet got the D from Bobby and that’s all she needed! Just like so many men do on the daily! I can’t stand fake rage! We are seeing so many people overreacting to nothing at all these days! Les Moonves can kiss my black assss! *Plays New Agenda* ??
Bobby was the sh|t back in the 80s though. The only scandal is him using Janet-”s fame to sell his book and get TV movie ratings. He also hooked up with Madonna too. That movie was boring. Whitney”s larger than life personal is the only thing that made the movie a non-snoozer. No matter how much he tried to downplay it Whitney”s huge celebrity and fame took over his life and he was seething and jealous of her. Janet just used him for dome D and Bobby was falling in love with her, buying her cars and gifts, etc like a sucker.
That’s the truth
It doesn’t just sound like this guy is evil and vindictive but also that he has mental health issues he needs to get medical attention for.
None the less, Janet is back and despite the haterz her talent cannot and will not be denied (see accolades and slaying choreography, stage presence, beauty and keeping entertainment of her concert goers on LOCK). ???
I think Janet”s weird personality also caused some of this. It is very hard to read her. I remember after the incident she went on David Letterman with her an ample cleavage revealing dress and laughed off the incident.
This white trash evil executive Moonves is certainly a demon and had no right to attack Janet for decades after that incident but at the same time I believe Janet”s team was wrong for not apolo-lying like Justin”s team did and deadening the issue. When Janet went on Oprah to explain the issue it was like Oprah was pulling teeth to get the details of the incident from her. Janet probably thought that silence on the issue was the best way to quiet it like celebs did back on the 60s, 70s, and 80s but by 2004 society had moved on from that to the beginning stages of social media where an explanation is expected all the time.
In summary, do I believe Moons is an evil demon that should be punished? Yes. Do I believe Janet is at fault somewhat? Yes. I believe she had the wrong team at the time. She should have not done the stunt in the first place. When you were as big as Janet was at the time you don’t take career risks like that. She should have just wore a sexier outfit and performed and that would have been sufficient to get the career buzz she sought at the time because nobody comes close to her dancing and stage presence at the time (even Michael because at 200rl4 he was already retired and a stay at home dad.)
Completely agree!
Jizzmine victim blaming once again… why should Janet not wear the kinda clothes and cover up out of guilt when it was an accident and as if an exposed tir is the apocalypse? Shut up.
Anyone else agreeing with this scum ain’t studied Janet’s lyrics or artistry hard enough.
Shut up b|tch. Paula u are so obsessed with me you are bringing up my name on posts I did not even comment on. Resputia is right and I agree with her comment. Your obsession of me is so bad that you missed her point. She is not “victim blaming” at all here but rather stating Janet could have easily gotten the career boost she sought by simply wearing a more appealing outfit and just performing. The stunt was unessecary and it backfired. To pretend as if the stunt was not planned is ridiculous! What Resputia said was that the stunt should have not been done in the first place. Go back to school queen and learn how to read with comprehension before trying to attack somebody. You are the one who is vile scum pos and not me. I’ll be nice though. Two snaps for you queen for having the nerve to try and read me but you miserably failed. Now bow down and respect me. The Legendary Jasmine, and stop accusing commenter of being me just because they are more insightful that you.
Paulo STFU nasty trick. Don’t be coming for me or my girl Jasmine u f.ucking vile TRASH! When u see me or her comment don’t say sh|t u dirty peasant. Tired of putting ur m***** looking ass in check. Wetback assh0le u out of line and out of order n|gga. Sashay ur t***** ass away back to the street corner where u work or go back to the park bench where ur dirty homeless ass sleeps.
Reductive. *sips tea*
Rasputiaed. *Laughs at how that vile heshe Paula just got verbally demolished by his Royal Heiness Rasputia*. You can be my servant b|tch. You will do what I tell u b|tch.
Petty b|tch. Scum b|tch. Servant b|tch. Peasant b|tch. Stank b|tch. Lice b|tch. Homeless b|tch. T***** b|tch! Sk@nk b|tch. HeShe b|tch. Ugly b|tch. Lonely b|tch. Stupid b|tch. Broke b|tch. Dirty b|tch. Toothless b|tch. Illegal-alien b|tch! Taco-Smelling b|tch.
Don’t make me call immigration on ur ass b|tch. U better get on your knees and clean my floors u stank peasant homeless trash b|tch.
Wow!
However, Look how the tide has TURNED. JANET IS SELLING OUT SHOWS AND CELEBRATED AS AN ICON. While Justin Timberlake— has flop after flop. JANET IS A ICON AND GODDESS AND MUSIC ROYALTY. FU MUSIC INDUSTRY
He only has one flop ?
BISH NO. HIS 20/20 PART 2 WAS A FLOP AND HIS COUNTRY BOY MAN OF THE WOODS WAS A FLOP. 2 FLOPS BACK TO BACK BISH. FURTHER MORE IT’S TOO EARLY FOR YOU TO BE RIDING HIS 2 INCH D*ICK BISH. FK OFF.
Why are you trying to take jabs at him, as if he did something wrong? And you say Janet is selling out shows, but Justins album flopped. Well Justin is also selling out shows, actually he is selling out Stadiums. Janet is playing in arenas. Janet is a legend, but don’t knock Justin because he is an Icon in his own right as well.
Ain’t KARMA a Bytch!
I’ve always known this. The sad part is Janet released some of her best work between 2004-2008. Feedback and Luv should have been smash hits.
CHILD. JANETS BEST WORK WAS CONTROL AND RH. NATION AND THE JANET CD. ANYTHING AFTER THAT IS CUTE.
The fact that you ignored Velvet Rope makes your point NULL & VOID. Thanks for playing.
Velvet Rope is by far Janet’s best work ever. The albums u named are amazing but none compare to the genius of VR. Try again sis
The Velvet Rope and Unbreakable are also amazing and up there with those albums you mentioned. Her worst album in my opinion is All For You (love the song but the album as a whole did not age well) and 20 Y.O. Discipline and Damita Jo are good but not among her best.
I wouldn’t say her best work but The Danita Jo album is MY fave Janet album and 20 yo is actually a very good fun album. Discipline had great songs like feedback, rock wit u, and luv but it was really missing the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis touch.
I’m with Bam and Calleb. Damita Jo and Unbreakable are up there with The Velvet Rope and Rhythm Nation. But janet. is actually one of my fav albums from her.
Janet is my #1 and there is no doubt she was done dirty but I believe she would’ve weathered the storm more quickly had Damita Jo not been so generic. Though it has a few gems on it, she just didn’t come as hard as a Velvet Rope or All For You. Had she released Discipline or even 20 Y.O., I think the “scandal” would’ve been mitigated to the over reaction hysteria we all see it as today. But she’s getting her recognition now and I couldn’t be happier because she is both legend and an icon! As well as a survivor.
I don’t know how old you were in 2004 but radio refused to play her. The only stations that gave her any love was the old school R&B stations that still support her. MTV, VH1 and all pop stations ignored her. There was nothing wrong with Damita Jo and she promoted the hell out of it.
and she was still breaking radio records at 36 with all for you… it was the most added single across all formats at radio EVER. radio wouldn’t have just totally abandoned her overnight.. even with a so so new single.
Pat radio blocked her and so did mtv and vh1 which made investors shy away. By the time Feedback came out in 2008 she was still being blocked and black people decided to lobby around for her supportand the single did well mainly because of club play. Radio and mtv / vh1 certainly abandoned her. Many white people are still unaware of the many videos she released post 2004.
Les Moonves is the Dirtbag of the century! Karma is roasting his ass & he deserves it!!!
Funny I think Damita Jo was far from lackluster or so so it’s really great. Discipline is the weakest of the three.
Truth is- Damita Jo still sounds good. So many potential hits.
Discipline is the only album I never listened to because I didn’t feel Janet was interested in it. It is the only album that she did not write on since she became a pop star.
I think that Damita Jo is actually a much better album than All For You.
Duh even tho damita jo was kind of all over the place compared to previous works her video and performance skills could have saved it had she not been blacklisted….she was performing at the super bowl which alone lets u kno she was still in the peek of her career
What a lot of people don’t realize is that Damita Jo actually sold really well despite the blacklist. But the radio boycott made it fade out sooner than it would have and by the time 20 Y.O. was released only the urban stations supported her.
He wanted her to kneel to him and beg his disgusting old white ass and she said FU I ain’t doing that! But white boy JT “tearfully” apologizes oh please you just all let him slide because he is white. It’s really sad how much Janet lost from all of this though. I can imagine how depressing it must have been to be denied everything after you’ve contributed so much to the world. Now disgusting old white man is being kicked out of CBS for sexual harassment. I hope Janet she’s CBS for letting this old creep get away with this. I know they are all ready to give her everything now.
They should give her the SuperBowl half-time slot in 2019.
So Nicki wasn’t lying when she said they spent milliins to end her BUT she ain’t going no where! It’s never only about the music. Money power & respect. Keep fighting!
No, she was lying. Nice try tho…blooop
Someone would have called a Janet a liar too.
Lol this literally has nothing to do with that. No one has blacklisted Nicki and she’s had ton of radio support and is not blocked from attending any award shows.
All i can is wow. Thats crazy this reminds me of that movie called queen that i seen about queen elizibeth and how all the men tried to rip her from throne, but then killed them all whom tried to do her wrong. However the case janet is a jackson and she will continue to murder the stage now they need to offer her the superbowl. Just because.
MAN!! I would LOVE for her to do a SOLO superbowl performance! The way technology is now and with the camera footage angles, etc.. smh. She’d KILL IT! LIKE she always do BUT she’ll have this BIG platform to reintroduce herself. ❤
And hopefully she won’t invite a bunch of guests this time. I felt there wasn’t enough of her during her 2004 performance slot.
The African American woman career, ????????? That is Janet Jackson
So you’re saying the record company should sue them for discrimination
All I have to say is God works in mysterious ways. He will make your enemies your foot stool. Janet will be fine.
She make her money she goes on tour so if they did that …. in the words of DJ Khaled. They played themselves
The irony of this. That devil tried to blacklist her and now HE’S facing sexual assault accusations?
Lol karma is truly a savage b*tch lol.
And hits wife on The Talk always had a snooty attitude towards Janet all because she didn’t apologize when they wanted her too, which she eventually did yet the lies continue.
ciara did not ruin janet career.
ciara you mean c. i a r a who married russ
That’s not what they were sayin they were saying it was made to look like Janet couldn’t keep up with then newbies Beyoncé and Ciara but that wasn’t true as seen by the few performances she was allowed to do.
Les Moonves is responsible for black listing Janet Jackson on radio and television! What I want to know is, who helped him, who knew and allowed Les to sabotage Janet’s career? All should be punished, not just Les! i believe Janet’s costume was altered to make sure her b****** were exposed during the Super Bowl Half-time show, Janet just wasn’t aware of it!
Girl I always said Janet was destined sadly to fall eventually when they’ll get a chance at her. Because remember that was the same time the media was going hard as hell after Michael, it was to my assumption they wanted to get all the Jacksons and Janet wasn’t far from It. Many greats were attacked harshly too like around then Ex – Whitney, Mariah, Prince –
This is the smoking gun. The evidence has always been there but now no one can deny it.
Massagenistic racism!
Son of a Bytch!! Karma is fierce tho. Moonves just lost his job for sexually harassing female employees at CBS Network. God don’t like ugly
Oh Janet, as well as PRince and Paris, and other Jacksons have been active giving out clues that Michael Jackson faked his death!
Watch the GREATEST OMG movies of our lifetime here: http://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/alive2michaeljackson and http://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/aliveiiimichaeljackson and http://www.vimeo.com/ondemand/improvedalive1
Oh Janet, as well as PRince and Paris, and other Jacksons have been active giving out clues that Michael Jackson faked his death!
Watch the Greatest OMG Movies of our lifetime called “Alive Trilogy of Michael Jackson Documentaries” available on amazon
They’re still not doing right if you ask me. Janet got a swift blacklisting with no questions asked, but this white man gets to stay on while they investigate the charges against him. Kick him out and haul him into court!!
I mean isn’t she working nowadays & has her billionaire ex-husbands child she’s in the clear..??♂️
RR
Can’t keep a sista down… Everything makes so much sense now!
That she knew about it and just smiled through it all refusing to kowtow to the m******* speaks to her character. Janet I love and respect you.
We knew this already. Its about times you others are now catching up. KARMA! is allnI can say.
JANET JACKSON is actually in a good space right now . A new baby & some what reasurgence of her career not that she ever really left. Just slightly derailed . But always trending & relevant or else you wouldn’t hear nothing about her.