Designer claims Janet Jackson Super Bowl incident was planned

Wayne Scot Lukas, the costume designer for Janet Jackson, has alleged that the infamous 2004 Super Bowl halftime wardrobe malfunction was a deliberately planned moment. In an interview with TMZ, Lukas claimed the performance was modified just two days before the event in Houston, Texas, to create a more provocative spectacle.

According to Lukas, the original concept involved exposing Jackson's backside using a pearl-decorated G-string. However, the plan was changed to have Justin Timberlake pull away part of Jackson's bustier, exposing her breast. The designer stated that the production's original script intended for cameras to immediately cut to black following the exposure, but this technical safeguard failed.

Lukas also disputed the term “wardrobe malfunction,” alleging that Timberlake coined the phrase to shift responsibility onto the performers. The designer noted that he and several colleagues lost their jobs following the incident and were bound by morality clauses in their contracts. He expressed hope that Timberlake would address the event in an upcoming Apple TV documentary series.