Articles

(Haven't had time to upload all of the articles yet so until I do here is the article printed in Seule Muse with Justin a few months after he and Camille first were married. Enjoy!)

 When Justin Timberlake walks into a room people stand up and take notice and today is no different from the rest. As he strides into the restaurant in a pair of baggy jeans, blue screen tee shirt, and a trucker hat, all eyes are on him and for a moment it seems as if the entire world has stopped spinning. I, myself, am in awe of the celebrity that he is, and as he introduces himself, hand outstretched, I feel like a thirteen year old whom has just met their idol – and I’m not even a fan of his music.

When I agreed to take on this interview I wasn’t expecting much beyond idle conversation. I had seen this guy on television and was notorious for changing the channel to the dismay of my two young daughters. Still, when he took his seat across from me in the leather-upholstered booth, I’ll be the first to admit that I was mesmerized by his presence. America’s poster boy claims another victim.

“The thing about love nowadays, in my opinion, is that it’s rare. You can become infatuated with someone and fall into a steady routine but you’re not really in love. You’re just comfortable and afraid of change.” Timberlake explains as we scan our menus provided to us by a lovely waitress named Meg whom is obviously smitten by my dinner guest. “I think that with the times everyone is so caught up on wanting everything all at once, quick, fast, and in a hurry that we pass up the real thing. We want love delivered to us like we’re in the drive-thru at a fast food restaurant and it doesn’t work like that.”

These words, coming from him, are almost laughable to me as I sit back to think about where he has been and where he is at now in his personal life. He spent three years in a serious relationship with pop princess, Britney Spears, only to break things off and go on a spree of “drive-thru” relationships with the likes of Janet Jackson, Alyssa Milano and dancer, Jenna Dewan. After a quick wooing of Cameron Diaz during a burping contest at Nickelodeon’s Kid’s Choice Awards he spent a few years playing the role of side dish before pulling back in at “Girls R Us” in search of another young filly to hold his hand. Is it me, or do two serious relationships really give him credibility on knowing what love truly is or is he just another young guy that thinks he knows it all?

“I’ve definitely had my fair share of disappointments when it comes to relationships and I’ll be the first to admit it. I know there are a lot of people out there waiting to see how things will fall apart this time but I’m not worried about the outside view of what’s going on in my life. My only concern is the life that Camille and I are starting together. This is as real as it gets.” He takes a moment to thank Meg for bringing our drinks before continuing to speak. “I’ve been in love before and I’m no stranger to the fact that it takes work to make a relationship last between two people. There is so much more involved than just saying the words. I can tell Camille everyday that I love her but if I’m not there showing her how much and how deep it goes then there’s no point. Actions speak so much louder.”

Suddenly he sounds like an expert on love and he’s only just begun to talk. I’ve been married for ten years but now I’m feeling like we’ve just switched places. He’s twenty-four years old, a newlywed, and somehow he’s schooling me on what it’s all about.

“My wife is an original,” he winks proudly, changing the subject slightly. “I don’t think they really make them like her anymore.”

His wife, Camille Henderson, from outside appearances alone truly is one of a kind. The singing sensation exploded onto the scene with an innovative musical style all her own that took the world by storm and has been a media darling ever since. No other music artists in recent history have taken off so meteorically – besides Britney. Justin seems to have a way with dating the girls on top.

“I think about her all the time. Its like everything that I do nowadays is in relation to her and how it’s going to affect us in the long run. If I take this gig in Westchester or do a promo tour in Central America how long are we going to be apart? Do I really need to do this interview right away?” He explains, expressing his thought process through sequences of hand gestures. “These are all questions that I have to sit down and hash out before I make a move. I have responsibilities now, as a husband, that I didn’t have before but I’m embracing them. I feel more liberated being married than I did when I was single. Does that make any sense at all?”

If I took a poll of all of the married men in America I’m sure that there would be a chorus of “hell no” resounding throughout the universe. If he’s asking me, as a workingwoman, wife, and mother of two as well then, no, he makes no sense at all. On the other hand, though, I understand him completely when he starts to go into further detail.

“Being single, no matter how glamorous it may seem to be, is really lonely. Knowing that you have someone that is always going to be there for you no matter what stupid shit you pull is a blessing from God. I find a lot more comfort in going home and seeing this beautiful woman that belongs to me, that I belong to, instead of having to patrol the clubs for someone to keep the other side of the bed warm every night.”

Once our appetizers are catered to us we move into small talk about various different subjects, some seemingly off the wall. He loves having fans and being recognized all around the world but he hates people prying into his business. There has been a few times where he’s lit up a joint or two with friends but he cut the narcotics usage once settling down with Camille. He’s always telling jokes but – not so shockingly – he finds that he’s the only one laughing.

“I think I’m damn funny,” he quips. “I don’t care what anyone has to say about it because I’m amused and that’s all that matters!”

It isn’t until the point where we finally receive our dinners that we move back into the subject of his love life. I’ve been itching to ask him about his honeymoon and what it’s like being married to Camille Henderson. Though he was extremely open in the beginning he seems much more relaxed than when he came in. For a moment, this is an old friend instead of the guy that has graced the cover of thousands of magazines.

“Cam’s very special to me and she means the world in my eyes,” a dreamy and contented look seems to wash over his face and it’s quite obvious that though he’s looking in my direction he’s not really seeing me. I imagine him thinking about her smile or the way that she laughs – but I don’t ask him what he’s seeing. I only want to get so far into his head.

“With the type of careers that we have its really easy to become jaded about going to exotic places and traveling but I haven’t seen anything like that with her. She can visit the same place twenty times and still be enamored.” Timberlake chuckles and lifts his fork to spin it through the pasta on his plate. “Still, I wanted to do something special so I decided to rent a private island in the Bahamas for our honeymoon. We had a few friends come out every now and then but all in all it was just the landscape and the two of us.

“Caribe Cay was something that I’m never going to forget for so many different reasons. It’s a beautiful expanse of land, for one, very luxurious…I got to spend quality time alone with my wife and we shared something magical. Anyone that knows Camille knows that she’s adamant about waiting until marriage for sex and she did that. People just don’t do that anymore but she did it. She gave me a part of herself that no one else in this world has ever experienced and that makes me the luckiest man in the world. Her dad’s going to kill me now but, hey, what can you do?”

I laugh at his little joke but I’m not sure if it’s because of who he is or if suddenly his off-the-wall humor has soaked into my subconscious. It’s amusing to think that someone as high and mighty as he is still has to face the music. Just because he’s a superstar it doesn’t mean he doesn’t have to answer to his significant other’s father on certain situations.

“Being married to Camille is wonderful. At this point, with her finishing her tour and us just coming back from our honeymoon, we spend a lot of the time just laying around in bed and relaxing together. It’s probably the only normalcy that I have in my life in all actuality.” He smirks while checking a text message on his phone and replying to it quickly before setting down the cellular phone on the end of the table. “That’s my baby right there…um, let’s see, we go grocery shopping and we cook together, do housework, watch TV. We’re just as boring as the next couple! We try not to do too much going out right now because we don’t want to subject the world to our constant public displays of affection or anything, but there is a lot of going out, socializing, and everything. We do a lot of NBA games together.”

He says that they try not to do a lot of public settings because of the PDA’s? I’ve seen more photos of them sneaking smooches at NBA games and little outings than of Justin and ex-flame Cameron Diaz vacationing in Hawaii! The media blitz on the couple is ungodly.

Unable to resist, I bring this up, and he can’t help but to laugh. He knows that the paparazzi are all over them all the time but its something that they can’t really escape. All they can do is try to deal with it and live their lives to the fullest. Satisfied with his answer I move on to the questions about his future because I can tell that he’s suddenly fidgety as if he has somewhere else to be.

“As far as the future goes I want to take it to the limit both in my career and in my relationship with my wife. I intend to continue giving my all to my fans through my music and doing what I do best, which is performing. On the home front I am so excited about just being with Camille and starting a family. I want to be a father so badly that you wouldn’t believe! I want a house full!”

After a few congratulatory words on his recent marriage and wishes of good luck he offers to foot the bill for our dinner date. Standing up and shaking my hand he tells me that he has to get going but it was a pleasure sitting down with me for our chat. Positive that his sudden hastiness is due in part to the text message he received from Camille, I shake his hand, sat farewell and watch him start on his way out.

Once again the world comes to a standstill and the restaurant falls silent. A few brave souls, including Meg, request autographs as he nears the doors and he graciously scribbles his name on napkins before continuing on his way. Little does he know is that I spied the text message that had received: J, could you pick up an Oreo McFlurry from McDonald’s for me? I taped the game for you so we can watch it when you get home. I love you, Cam

Sounds to me like it’s back to the drive-thru…

- Sonya Hunt