Timberlake Gets His Game On
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by Lia Haberman
May 7, 2003, 11:30 AM PT
Forget the sensitive artist shtick, Justin Timberlake is showing his true colors.
The 'N Syncer has been tapped as a special correspondent for Turner Sports. While he'll continue his successful day job as a pop superstar, Timberlake will also report from several sporting events for TNT and TBS. Watch for the mop top to file dispatches from the NBA playoffs, NASCAR races and the PGA championship for TNT and Major League Baseball and college football games for TBS.
"We are excited at what this unique marriage between the world of sports and entertainment can bring to our high-profile sports properties," said Turner Sports executive producer Mike Pearl in a statement released Tuesday. "Justin's interest and enthusiasm not only in the NBA, but in all sports should help provide our broadcasts with a new, fresh approach."
The popster has shot hoops with fellow celebs and professional athletes at the NBA All-Star Weekend the past two years. Last year, Timberlake scored a long-range jumper over TNT analyst Kenny Smith, a two-time NBA champion with the Houston Rockets.
Already, Timberlake has filmed promotional spots for the NBA playoffs opposite Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. Dubbed "The NBC Playoffs…Justified," the spots feature Johnson reminiscing about old school players while Timberlake talks about the skill of basketball's current A-listers.
The TV gig is in addition to Timberlake's other projects. Currently in the U.K. on a concert tour, the singer kicks off his U.S. summer tour with Christina Aguilera, "Justified and Stripped," June 4 in Phoenix and wraps up in St. Paul, Minnesota, on August 24. He's also mulling an offer from Warner Bros. to play Jimmy Olsen in the studio's new Superman; he received a copy of the script last month.
In spite of his solo success, Timberlake doesn't plan to say "Bye Bye Bye" to his boy-band roots. 'N Sync has announced they will reunite early next year to record another album even as the band's members continue to work on their own projects: Lance Bass appears on NBC's The Search for the Most Talented Kid in America and continues to dream of outer space, Joey Fatone, who dabbled in theater (Rent) and film (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), is preparing a comedy album, and JC Chavez is wrapping up his electronica album,
