Justin Timberlake’s DWI arrest video shows him awkwardly explaining his job to police, saying, “It’s hard to explain… I’m Justin Timberlake.”
Justin Timberlake awkwardly explained what he does for a living during his June 2024 DWI arrest, according to newly released police footage that is now drawing widespread attention.
The 45-year-old singer was arrested on June 18, 2024, after leaving a restaurant in Long Island, New York. Authorities initially charged him with one count of driving while intoxicated, along with two traffic violations — running a stop sign and failing to maintain his lane. His attorney, Edward Burke Jr., has maintained that the singer was not intoxicated at the time.
In September 2024, Timberlake agreed to a plea deal, pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
In the footage, Timberlake is seen telling a Suffolk County police officer that he was simply following friends home. When asked about his vehicle, he explained that he was driving a rental car for a few days.
As the officer continued questioning, Timberlake said he was on a world tour. When asked to clarify his occupation, he hesitated before saying, “It’s hard to explain … I’m Justin Timberlake.” At the time, he was headlining his “Forget Tomorrow” tour.
The video also shows officers conducting a series of sobriety tests. At one point, Timberlake remarks that the tests are “hard,” and later says his “heart’s racing” as officers shine a light in his eyes.
Timberlake had previously sought to block the release of the body camera footage, filing a petition in Suffolk County Supreme Court on March 2. The filing argued that making the footage public would cause serious harm to his personal and professional reputation and subject him to public ridicule, while serving no legitimate public interest.
The footage was ultimately released on March 20 following a settlement with local authorities, including the Sag Harbor Village Police Department. Under the agreement, a redacted version of the video could be made public, ensuring that it would not constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy.
At the time of the arrest, Timberlake was driving behind Estee Stanley and her husband Bryan Furst. In the footage, Stanley is seen asking officers what is happening as Timberlake is taken into custody.
When officers inform her that Timberlake was driving under the influence and had failed the tests, she expresses disbelief and asks if she can hand him his phone. She also makes a lighthearted appeal, referencing his hit songs in an attempt to persuade officers.
Timberlake is then taken away in police custody, while Stanley is later permitted to drive his car home.
