Justin Timberlake’s latest court appearance was a real showstopper, but not the kind he’s used to. On Friday the 13th (a date that might’ve been unlucky for JT), the 43-year-old “Mirrors” crooner traded his microphone for a gavel in Sag Harbor, New York, over a DWI charge.
Now, before you start imagining Justin Timberlake doing a moonwalk in the courtroom, let me clarify: he didn’t actually dance his way through this legal debacle. Instead, he pled guilty to a slightly less scandalous version of his original charge—an impaired driving traffic violation, or DWAI. (For those keeping score at home, that’s like being demoted from “DWI Superstar” to “Minor Traffic Offender.”)
As part of his sentence, JT was hit with a $500 fine, sentenced to 25 hours of community service, and ordered to star in a public service announcement about the perils of drunk driving. Nothing says “I’m sorry” like a cameo in a PSA, right?
Once he had his court proceedings behind him, Timberlake stepped outside, probably hoping for a less-awkward exit than the infamous “cry me a river” scenario. He delivered a heartfelt apology to reporters, making it clear that while he might have made a “mistake,” he hopes everyone watching can learn from his misstep.
In his best “public service announcement” voice, Justin advised, “Even if you’ve just had one drink—please, for the love of all that is good, do not get behind the wheel.” Because nothing says “lesson learned” like a good old-fashioned Justin Timberlake PSA!
