Justin Timberlake may have shot himself in the foot with his vehement defence of his recent DWI arrest.
The Prince of Pop, 43, has alienated industry insiders with his handling of the situation, including initially denying any guilt and cracking jokes about the incident, per a new report by Radar Online.
“This is a case of Justin’s Type-A, never-back-down personality getting the best of him and causing real damage,” an insider shared with the outlet.
Timberlake was arrested in June after allegedly running a stop sign in Long Island’s Sag Harbor, with police noting signs of intoxication. Despite being offered a plea deal, the pop star initially fought the charges, and only later admitted to making a “mistake.”
Despite the fact that Timberlake “has some really experienced publicists and managers offering sound advice…he’s not listening to them.”
Rather than following the typical path of public apology and accountability, Timberlake made light of the situation during a recent tour stop in Boston, joking with the crowd, “So, uh, is there anyone here tonight that is driving? No, I’m just kidding.”
Industry insiders believe his actions reflect a “dark side of his personality.”
“He loves a fight, even when he’s losing,” a source noted.