Justin Timberlake's much-anticipated return to "Saturday Night Live" over the weekend did not resonate well with the audience.
The show, airing on Saturday, January 27, featured Dakota Johnson as the host and the NSYNC member as the musical guest.
Surprisingly, Justin unexpectedly entered during Dakota's opening monologue, leading many to speculate that he appeared to undermine her.
Dakota's Monologue Marred
As Justin Timberlake joined her for the introduction, Dakota Johnson couldn't help but wonder why he had appeared.
In response, the "Cry Me A River" singer reminded her of his previous hosting experiences, silently mouthing "five times" and displaying his five fingers.
"Ya, well, that was ten years ago," Dakota cheekily said, prompting the former boy band star to question the passage of time, "Was it that long?"
"Either way, I'm so happy you chose my show for your comeback," Dakota discreetly said.
"Comeback is that what we are calling it?" he replied, before Dakota responded, "Ya, I mean comeback in a good way."
Justin later joked, "Oh okay, I see what this is. This is a joke. First, he was bringing s--- back, and now, he has brought it back."
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Interruptive Stint Sparks Outrage
Amid a scripted performance, Justin Timberlake faced criticism for his impolite interruption of Johnson.
According to OK magazine, one user expressed their disapproval, pointing out how Justin's need to steal the spotlight during Dakota's monologue on SNL and constantly reminding everyone of his five-time hosting record was characteristic of his behavior.
"Always has to make everything about himself to try & overshadow a woman. He hasn't changed & never will. What a weak little self-centered, misogynistic man," another X, formerly Twitter, user said.
In another social media post, a statement emerged: "The presence of Justin Timberlake interrupting Dakota Johnson's monologue on SNL simply reinforces why I hold a negative opinion of him."
They went on to say, "It baffles me that he lacks the self-awareness to withdraw from a skit where he attempts to overshadow the female host, fully aware of his previous allegations of extreme misogyny."
In a different perspective, one person drew attention to the incident involving SZA and Justin Timberlake on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show."
Comparing it to a moment on SNL when Justin attempted to overshadow Dakota Johnson's monologue, they remarked, "Justin Timberlake speaking over SZA is giving very much SNL tonight when he tried to overshadow Dakota Johnson's monologue," and shared a clip from the interview in 2020.
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