Justin Timberlake's 'mean' encounter with his fans in viral video divides Internet

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Justin Timberlake left the Internet divided about his behavior after a video showing him yelling at a group of ecstatic fans who challenged him to race them while driving went viral. 

The TikTok video was later shared by an X (formerly Twitter) user, @beyoncegarden, with the caption, "Why is justin timberlake so mean omfg." 

Justin Timberlake's apparent 'mean' interaction with fans

In the now-viral clip, the individuals are seen driving down a road beside a car with tinted windows and shouting, "That's Justin Timberlake, bro roll down the window!"

"You want something?" the 'Sexy Back' singer asked repeatedly while he rolled down his window as the cars halted at a red light.

To which, the fans said, "Let's race, let's race."

"Get out of here you f*****g kids," said Timberlake, before he ended the conversation, as per the Daily Mail.

Justin Timberlake was arrested in Sag Harbor in June 2024 for driving while intoxicated

Justin Timberlake was taken into custody in Sag Harbor, New York, on 18, 2024, and charged with driving while intoxicated after failing a field sobriety test and admitting to drinking one martini before getting behind the wheel.

In September 2024, the 'What Goes Around... Comes Around' singer pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of driving while impaired. 

As a part of his plea agreement, Timberlake had to make a public safety announcement about the dangers of drunk driving.  

In a press conference, he warned, "Even if you've had one drink, don't get behind the wheel of a car. There's so many alternatives. Call a friend, take an Uber, take a taxi. This is a mistake I made, but I hope whoever's watching and listening right now can learn from this mistake. I certainly have."

The 'Mirrors' singer expressed similar sentiments during the court hearing, stating that he grew up in a small town and understood the impact his arrest had on Sag Harbor.

The NSYNC member was also given a 90-day license suspension, a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, and 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choosing.

Justin Timberlake's 'mean' behavior divides the Internet

While the pop star's fans immediately flocked to social media to defend him, others thought that he could have simply kept his window up. 

Defending Timberlake, one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "Idk honestly it seems like they just provoked him while he was doing his own thing. i don’t think he was necessarily mean— perhaps, irritated after being yelled at by bunch of people…"

"They were being annoying Leave my man Justin alone," a person wrote and another added, "Never thought I would ever defend Justin Timberlake but these people were harassing him and his actions were not mean at all." 

"It’s one thing if they wanted a pic or said they liked his work but they just bothered him to ask to race and record him while driving on top of that," one more observed. 

Meanwhile, others found the singer's behavior inappropriate, with an individual writing, "So is he just accepting his fate as most hated because he’s settling in just fine lol."

"Isn’t his license still suspended from that DUI," one wondered.

The user who shared the video, @beyoncegarden, wrote in a subsequent tweet, "Y'all really are riding down for him omg i respect it , but i remain in the stance that it was mean & he could've kept that window up i fear."

"Celebs wouldn’t have their platform without fans," another person expressed, while one more said, "He didn't have to open his tinted window." 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.