Timberlake on Wednesday insisted he thought only Jackson's bustier would be revealed, not her breast, when he yanked at her costume. He said he understood "how unfortunate this is."
"I do understand that there were a lot of people that were completely offended by what happened, including my own family. And I think that's probably the part that's frustrating the most for me, and it's completely, completely, completely, regrettable," he told KCBS-TV outside the Staples Center, where he was rehearsing for the Grammys (news - web sites).
Jackson, meanwhile, is thinking twice about appearing for the Grammys telecast, her publicist, Steven Huvane, told CNN. "We don't think she's going to go," he said.
The one-second flashing revealed Jackson's right breast clad only in a sun-shaped nipple covering to some 89 million viewers.
The singer has issued videotaped and written apologies and denied that the NFL, CBS or MTV, which produced the halftime show for CBS, knew of her plans. Jackson's spokeswoman said a red lace garment was supposed to remain.