Justin Timberlake Recalls How Classic “D–k in a Box” SNL Skit Nearly Didn’t Air

Although Justin Timberlake is a member of the mega-popular *NSYNC, the singer also contributed to some of the most memorable moments in pop culture. Looking outside *NSYNC, Timberlake showcased his ability to act in the Oscar-winning film The Social Network. Or there was that time he revealed the now-famous full denim outfit that came fitted with a denim cowboy hat. And who could forget when he performed with Janet Jackson during the Super Bowl halftime show back in 2004? But among all his moments in the spotlight, he appeared to truly shine on Saturday Night Live, and according to the icon, one skit caused some backlash from the FCC. 

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On Saturday (January 27), Timberlake returns to Saturday Night Live as the musical guest for the evening. With the episode hosted by Dakota Johnson, the night is sure to be full of surprises as Timberlake just released his new single, “Selfish,” discussed his upcoming album Everything I Thought It Was, and announced a new tour. That all happened within just the last few days.

In an interview on the YouTube series Hot Ones, Timberlake recalled how his famous “D–k in the Box” skit had the FCC on alert. He told host Sean Evans, “They said you can’t say ‘d–k’ on the air. And we were like, ‘Oh, right.’” 

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Timberlake Trusted The Writers

Although Timberlake and the SNL cast worked with the FCC to bleep out a total of 16 uses of the word, the singer explained, “The irony of that is that bleeped-out version I think is the funnier version.”

Timberlake also discussed collaborating on the original idea with then-SNL cast member and writer Andy Samberg. “We hit it off immediately.” Going through the conception process, he noted how the group created two guys out of touch with reality with a unique fashion sense. After one of the writers suggested the popcorn box prank, Timberlake admitted, “I said, ‘That’s super creepy, bro.’ To which we then said, ‘Yeah, that is super appropriate for two guys who are are super misled about what’s appropriate.’” 

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Trusting the writers, Timberlake watched the skit quickly become an SNL legend as it currently has over 15 million views on YouTube. A fan even wrote, “I’ll never forget when I saw this live, I couldn’t believe what I just saw. I couldn’t stop laughing.” 

Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images

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