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I Really Like Justin Timberlake. Huh.

By Courtney Enlow | Posted Under Celebrities Are Better than You | Comments (29)

snlJustinTimberlake2.jpg

You know, sometimes there are certain people, celebrities, you just feel you’re supposed to loathe. You’re supposed to find them lame and awful and have a general sense of hipster superiority (not that we Pajibans know anything about that).

And that summed up my attitude towards Justin Timberlake for a long time. An arbitrary brush-off and eyeroll with a smattering of “but, seriously, ‘What Goes Around Comes Around’ is a fucking amazing song.” And I honestly don’t know why. Maybe it was his I’m-trying-to-be-so-cool-and-make-people-forget-I-was-in-a-boy-band shwagger, maybe it was my own “Britney, I got you, gurl” attitude, I don’t know. But I know circa SNL appearance number two, I was starting to turn.

Then things turned again with his apparent want to be honored for The Social Network, a performance that was completely directed, not acted, and a subsequent push for awards and accolades. Then I listened to “Motherlover” again and got over it.

Now with the nearing of Bad Teacher and Friends With Benefits, movies I genuinely want to see, and yet another awesome SNL appearance, I am finally ready to admit it. I like JT. I love him. I want to be friends with him and wear his hats sometimes. There. I said it. I said it and I wouldn’t take it back.

Now you. Who have you come around on? Like the proverbial rom-com lead, who did you hate only to discover you truly loved them all along, preferably through a series of wacky misadventures? You think about it. While you do that, here’s some JT and The Kunis adorability.









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Comments

Andy Samberg. Mostly because of his Lonely Island joints.

Also, Drew Barrymore. I can't believe I was so harsh in my criticism of her acting and her adorable lisp. I now realize that it isn't her fault that her acting ability hasn't evolved at all since E.T. I just adore her perky little smile and her ability to make every movie she's in that much brighter with her numerous talents. I really can't imagine what kind of shit pile the Charlie's Angels movies would have been without her. I Love you Drew!!!11111!!1!!1LOL

Posted by: admin at May 24, 2011 2:06 PM

Brussels sprouts and southern-style cabbage.

Posted by: Jerry at May 24, 2011 2:11 PM

The attached video is appropriate because Mila Kunis is someone I’ve come to NOT loathe after her performance in Black Swan.

(I’ve always loved Justin. Even with his horrible blonde-dyed hair and super cheesy boy band outfits. But his performance in The Social Network had me going: “That can’t be Justin! Is it? Nah. No way. But…maybe? No. I’m just crazy. That’s totally not...OH MY FUCKING GODS THAT’S J MUTHERFUCKING T!”)

Posted by: Scully at May 24, 2011 2:16 PM

JT still isn't really redeemed in my eyes after NSYNC. I have a few of his songs on my iPiece, but I still don't really like him. I'm a total curmudgeon, I know.

Posted by: Amanda6 at May 24, 2011 2:24 PM

I was a Backstreet Boys fan back in my days of poor judgement, so there's still that residual loathing from then, but damn, it can't be denied that he's got charisma and talent in spades. Bastard

But I still hope Olivia Wilde's not boning that. Someone who has won me over despite my initial apathy.

Posted by: Jos at May 24, 2011 2:24 PM

I've been feeling more or less the same way, but I'll be damned if I'm not Team N*Sync til I D-I-E! You can be Team N*Sync AND Team Brit Brit. I'm living proof.

Posted by: MeganTheFirst at May 24, 2011 2:33 PM

Katherine Heigl. She's so sweet and genuine and seems like someone I would want to be fri -
*GORF* sorry, I thought that might be funny but it just came back up harder than Daenarys' horse heart luncheon. My bad!

I'll just second the Drew Barrymore thing. She killed it in Gray Gardens, and she wins me over with the endearing weirdo goofball stuff.

Posted by: bostonadrianne at May 24, 2011 2:36 PM

Not that I didn't have love for Courtney before, but thankyouthankyou for this post bc it summarizes my current JT feelings EXACTIMENTly!

Posted by: beet salad at May 24, 2011 2:38 PM

Now to set the hook.

Posted by: admin at May 24, 2011 2:38 PM

In other words, I'm glad to know there is a place where I can accept my shame without being ostracized.

Posted by: beet salad at May 24, 2011 2:40 PM

Why would they ostracize you when the eviscerations are so much more entertaining beet salad?

Posted by: Odwalla Imparts at May 24, 2011 2:45 PM

all right, very funny. who stole my wallet?

Posted by: bostonadrianne at May 24, 2011 2:47 PM

I came to the same revelation about JT after watching the latest SNL opener. He actually made me giggle. For the first time I found myself wondering who this Justin Timberlake fellow was, and that maybe I should check him out. And then I immediately felt very old.

Posted by: katy at May 24, 2011 3:03 PM

Oh, I have one. And it's a weird one. Garrison Keillor. I really don't like A Prairie Home Companion. I totally don't get it, and my mom has hated him for as long as I can remember. So, I sort of instinctively also didn't like him. But, I have starting reading some of his writings online, and I saw the Prairie Home Companion movie. I though ok, I kind of get it. But, recently I have started to catch the writer's almanac on NPR in the morning. And now I get it. I like him and he is kind of endearing and he has things to say that are worth listening to.

Posted by: Nimue at May 24, 2011 3:06 PM

I'll chime in on the Drew Barrymore love. Also Penelope Cruz. For so long I thought that she just kind of looked like a duck and was mainly famous for dating her co-stars who all sucked (Cruise, McConaghey, etc.) but then ... I think it was Vicky Cristina Barcelona, in which she kicked ass. And Nine, in which she also kicks some ass. And she even finally got the whole dating a co-star thing right (because, Javier Bardem? OHYES). And now I kind of love her.

Posted by: Samantha at May 24, 2011 3:10 PM

Justin is always solid on SNL. The last appearance was good. Too bad they kept inserting Sir Gaga in skits. The skits were good and she wasn't terrible. But the skits could have been better if they had someone with comedy skills.

Posted by: cliff torres at May 24, 2011 3:16 PM

I can't think of anyone I've come around on. But I still haven't come around on Timberlake. I just don't get it. And while I love Mila Kunis I'm a lot less likely to see that movie with both of them in it. Plus the trailer makes the plot look generic.

Posted by: Dave at May 24, 2011 3:39 PM

Well, I didn't hate him, but .. Tom Cruise. Hear me out.

Back in the '90s, before he was married a bunch of times, everybody my age loved him, thought he was the greatest thing since chocolate. And I just didn't. I recognized he was reasonably attractive, but that cocky thing just didn't work for me. He was OK, but I never slavered over him. He was too white bread.

Now everybody's talking about what a freak he is and I agree that he's weird, but I kinda like him now and I think he's proved himself as an actor and producer at least, in spite of his ill-advised marriages and talk show appearances. When he just shuts up and appears in movies, he's likable. But once he goes off-script, he gets into trouble.

Posted by: Slash at May 24, 2011 3:40 PM

Britney Spears. Hate hate hated her when she first came out. I still don't think she's a good singer - but she is one hell of a performer. She puts on a SHOW. And then when she went crazy (and probably/maybe/definitely still is) I felt a little sorry for her, and then I just accepted that I like her songs. They're catchy and will almost always make me dance.

Posted by: Kristobel at May 24, 2011 4:03 PM

Seriously...I just had this as my facebook status! No lie, it was "After 13 years, I am finally a Justin Timberlake fan."

Took a while (like, ten years) to get over the Nsync aversion factor, but at opening song in last week's SNL tipped me over the edge.

Posted by: Lexie at May 24, 2011 4:13 PM

Matthew McConaghey. I was completely Meh on him in A Time to Kill but now I could watch The Wedding Planner, Failure to Launch and How to Lose a Guy in Ten days on a loop and never be bored.

(Really, with my questionable taste in movies, it's a wonder Dustin lets me hang out here.)

Posted by: TWoPFan at May 24, 2011 4:18 PM

****whispers****Justin Bieber

---runs away

Posted by: latvianluck at May 24, 2011 4:34 PM

BSB 4-EVA, but yes, I love JT.

Once I hate a celebrity, it's hard for me to come around. I'm more likely to start disliking someone I once loved (re: Brad Pitt).

Posted by: Mel C. at May 24, 2011 4:48 PM

I felt that way about you Courtney

I'm totally just kidding, I've alway liked you. The person I've sort of come around on is Lady Gaga. I still don't like her music and I think the outfits are mostly stunts to keep her in the news and when she talks about her "art" it sounds to me like she played a game of mad libs using arty sounding words and none of it makes sense. Despite of all that, when I see her in interviews and she isn't talking about how awesome she is I find her personality strangely endearing and funny and I could totally see myself being friends with her and hanging out with her in trashy bars drinking cheap whiskey.

Posted by: elgarcon at May 24, 2011 5:58 PM

Sometimes it's scary how much we think alike, Courtney.

Posted by: Figgy at May 24, 2011 11:46 PM

And I've turned around on Leonardo DiCaprio. I used to hate him--and I still can't watch Titanic without laughing at how girly he seems. But after Gangs of New York, I've realized that the guy is hugely talented, and though not really likable, I can definitely admire the guy.

Posted by: Figgy at May 24, 2011 11:49 PM

Lady Gaga is a recent one for me. I fought tooth and nail, but her songs are catchy as hell. Plus she has a sense of humor and she comes off as oddly sweet in most interviews.

And The Bieber. I'm not a fan of his music. Really. It's just that the more vitriol I see thrown his way, the more I want to defend the little guy. He sings mediocre songs and makes a shit ton of money doing it. The kid isn't bloody hurting anyone. Yet the way people (many of whom are adults) wish for absolute harm to come to him unsettles me, especially since his biggest crime is making preteen girls hormonal.

Posted by: Kala at May 25, 2011 1:00 AM

Alec Baldwin. Totally redeemed himself with 30 Rock, SNL and he's also very funny on talk shows. Starting to think it was Kim all along.

Posted by: kirbyjay at May 25, 2011 9:39 AM

Justin TimberGAY; sleep with all the hot women you want because deep in the night you long for Tom Cruise to be entwined in bed with you in a sweaty 69 and you WEEP.

Posted by: Mr. Stitch at July 1, 2011 10:30 AM