Justin Timberlake Performed but That Was Not *NSYNC

The *NSYNC reunion Justin Timberlake told us would not happen at Super Bowl LII really did not, to the surprise of no one at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and at home. People thought it looked like the group was there, but it was just impostors.

During his pre-game press conference, Timberlake said the other members of *NSYNC would not be joining him. The only people on the stage would be his Tennessee Kids band.

Timberlake told reporters that there will be no special guests, including Janet Jackson, as he wants to perform songs he has never done live before.

“It’s a moment where you have the opportunity to bring so many people together through what I think is the greatest art form, which is music,” Timberlake said, reports The Associated Press. “And so that has been sort of the ethos of inspiration behind putting the set list together.”

Joey Fatone also repeatedly said there would be no *NSYNC reunion at the Super Bowl.

“I’m here right now,” Fatone told TMZ. “If I was doing something, I’d be at rehearsals right now … there’s your proof.”

This week, Fatone told TMZ again that he was not going to perform, even though he was in Minnesota. Fatone said he would bet $1,000 that he will not take the stage with Timberlake.

“Is any of the other guys out here? Do you see any of the other guys?” Fantone told TMZ. Fatone said he was only going to the Super Bowl to support his friend.

Timberlake’s halftime show performance was expected to focus on his new album, Man of the Woods, which includes the lead single “Filthy.”

This was Timberlake’s third time performing at the Super Bowl. In 2001, he performed with *NSYNC, since the band was still together. In 2004, he performed with Janet Jackson, and exposed part of her breast, giving birth to the phrase “wardrobe malfunction.”

“Yeah and I stumbled through it, to be quite honest,” Timberlake said during his press conference this week. “”I had my wires crossed, and it’s just something that you have to look back on and go, like, ‘OK, well, you know, you can’t change what’s happened but you can move forward and learn from it.’”

Photo credit: Twitter / Betsy Klein