now listen. I hate Justin Timerlake simply for being a part of N'Sync as much as any rational person should...

I saw the stevie wonder song you are refering to. Now, it's my understanding that he wrote almost all (if not the entire) album. I don't like his cheap-hip-hop style, but you gotta give him credit for the funk soul song. That was really talented.

But I still will scream long and hard that I hate Justin Timberlake (as I try to hold on to any indie credibity that I may still have...)!

not sure what is meant by "wrote almost all of the album". maybe he wrote the lyrics, but the neptunes claim that most of the songs were originally songs they wrote for michael jackson. with super-producers today it's really hard to say what a pop stars's contribution is to their own album. besides, justin tortures me with his awful beat-boxing. please make him stop.

Yeah. Ix-nay on the beat-boxing.

That said (and preparing to duck), I thought he was pretty good last night. He made a terrific Jessica Simpson and Robin Gibb.

I thought he did a great job, and he now has a new fan. He would appear to have the charisma and personality to transcend the teen-pop ghetto. He also knows how to make the most of his rather small voice - his falsetto is particularly strong.

It should be noted - unless I really fell asleep here - that Stevie Wonder is not dead. I read the post and the comments with a pit forming in my stomach as I waited for confirmation.

Thank you and goodnight.

Stevie is alive and well - Jim works on a metaphorical level more often than the average bear.

The Theory *hearts* Timberlake.

And that was a pretty good SNL. I give it two thumbs up.

Indeed. Every time I recall "The Barry Gibb Talk Show," I crack up. SNL hasn't made me laugh that hard in a very long time. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Timberlake was a really entertaining host.

he did do a wonderful 'functionally retarded' Jessica Simpson.

i appriciated his duet with kermit the frog. classic.

hehehe... douchebag

You have to give the guy credit: he fronted the most popular recent teen-pop group, he had the instincts to make a fine pop-R&B album in the manner of his musical hero MJ - all of the above with a small, not particularly impressive natural voice. In addition, he is a confidant, seasoned performer, a talented mimic, a reasonable actor, is funny, and is quite likeable. He fills his role quite well.

I am really astounded. I didn't see SNL this week, but you guys seem to genuinely think it was funny. This comes one week after I watched them turn Jack Black into a mediocre comedic actor. How is it that SNL can rally around Justin for a great show and leave a physical comedian like Jack Black out in the cold?

Interesting. Or maybe there are some upcoming Timberlake movies costarring with Steve Zahn and that dude who F'ed that pie that I don't know about.

don't worry. they'll kill the show in re-runs in the off-season.

Perhaps the praise here is as effusive as it is because he was much better than anyone expected - expectations run both ways.

Really, I didn't expect much from it, so I was very pleasantly surprised. Especially after my profound disappointment with the Jack Black ep. Now *that* one should have had me on the floor.

In my opinion, H'wood producers looking to replicate the success of Chicago with a spate of movie musicals would do well to phone up Mr. Timberlake. He's young and handsome, can act a little, can dance a lot, and has magenetism.

And though that small voice referred to earlier could never fill a Broadway theater, I think it could be massaged to sound great in Dolby.

I'm all for it. This show-tune-queen would love to see more Hollywood musicals.

Excellent point CC, he would do well.

There was an interesting interview with Donny Osmond in Salon.com today.

He survived with variety shows, Broadway, the Amazing Dreamcoat and now gameshows.

Timberlake is an entertainer, which he proved on SNL, but if he had to make his nut over the next 25 years (to get the same age as Donny) then he needs to do much more than sing, since he can't sing that well, and the beatboxing is just asking to get his ass capped, never mind having Stevie Wonder go all pinata on him.

"but the neptunes claim that most of the songs were originally songs they wrote for michael jackson"

They wrote these songs WITH Justin to give to Michael. So yeah, he helped write it.

This SNL episode was one of the better ones. Kudos to Justin and the writers.

I agree that it was a good SNL ep- but the Kermit sketch? WTF? How in the world did they get permission from the Jim Henson people to have Kermit the Frog appear in such a ribald sketch, and change the words of "Rainbow Connection" to include "the lovers, the douchebags, and me?"

Not as bad as Conan O'Brien's "Vomiting Kermit" character, however...

Am I the only one who noticed the Led Zeppelin homage in Justin's song "Cry Me A River"? Hearing the riff of "The Ocean" ripping through that song made me do a double-take, and had to run and stick Houses Of The Holy in the cd player to make sure. Yep, it definitely was it - chopped up, but unmistakable. Is this in the original song? (Never bothered to listen to it before . . . let's just say Justin's "not my kind of thing.")

Am I the only one who noticed the Led Zeppelin homage in Justin's song "Cry Me A River"?

Oh man, you are just creeping me out. And I'm not a Led Zep fan (more Dread Zeppelin, uh huh).

I'm sure Justin is a nice guy, but he really needs to face up to a tribunal for that shilling for MickeyD's. I don't love it.

Okay, who's planning on watching SNL tomorrow to see what they do with Britney (aw, geez, I can't even get over that I know about this shit -- somebody please help me).

I'm just hoping the "homage" was intentional. I hope I'm correct that it's only in this live version.