Justin Timberlake isn't 'cool,' but is a GQ Man of the Year

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Those who can act, sing and dance are often called triple threats. For those who think those talents aren’t enough, there’s Justin Timberlake. The former child star and boy-band member who has a collection of Grammys and loads of commercial success for his music has tried his hand at acting over the years, appearing in films like the Facebook movie “The Social Network” and the based-on-a-true-story crime drama “Alpha Dog.” He also has his own clothing label, tons of endorsements and even bought a golf course. During his down time, he’s helped with charitable causes. Here’s a look back at his career. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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After the extraordinary success of ‘N Sync, the men grew up and focused on solo efforts in 2002. Timberlake’s debut solo album, “Justified,” sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. The album was even well received in the hip-hop community, since it was produced by Timbaland. Timberlake’s second solo effort, 2006’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart. (Ann Johansson / For The Times)

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Timberlake’s song “I’m Lovin’ It” became the McDonald’s theme for a while. The nice thing about starting in a boy band is that nobody can ever really accuse you of suddenly selling out. (Dan Trittschuh / Chicago Tribune)

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Apparently he means it when he sings “Bet I’ll have you naked by the end of this song.” In 2004, Timberlake teamed up with Janet Jackson to do a halftime performance at the Super Bowl. During the show, he tore off part of Jackson’s costume to reveal … a breast! Entering the term “wardrobe malfunction” into the pop culture lexicon, Timberlake later apologized for what the press dubbed “Nipplegate.”

Some members of the African American community felt that Timberlake threw Jackson under the bus after Nipplegate. According to Newsweek, Queen Latifah said, “He loses a lot of my respect for not taking responsibility for his actions. I think that was real shady on his part.” (Elise Amendola / Associated Press)

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Timberlake is also known for his sense of humor. How funny is he? Well, he’s won several Emmys for his work with “Saturday Night Live.” One win was for the 2009 awards show, pictured here, for outstanding guest host. The other was outstanding original music and lyrics in 2007 for that um, music video about an unexpected present in a box. The third win came in 2011 with for his singing monologue.

He’s also garnered two other Emmy nominations in the outstanding original music and lyrics category: for the song “I Love Sports,” which was part of the 2008 ESPY Awards, and for “Motherlover,” another “SNL” number. That video featured appearances by Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson, which should help you figure out what it was about. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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In 2006, Timberlake started his clothing line, William Rast, with his childhood friend Trace Ayala. Justin gives much of the credit for the casual menswear line to his partner. He once joked in USA Today, “Trace does it all and I take the credit for it.” (Dan Steinberg / Associated Press)

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Timberlake, an amateur golfer, bought a run-down golf course in his home town of Millington, Tenn., in 2007. After improvements, it became an eco-friendly site named Mirimichi Golf Course.

He has also partnered with the PGA to host the fall tournament in Las Vegas called the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. (Scott Halleran / Getty Images)

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Life imitates art: “The Social Network” star took a stake in Myspace, with the goal of revamping the struggling site as a destination for music and entertainment. (Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

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Timberlake wed longtime love, actress Jessica Biel, on Oct. 19, 2012, in Italy with 100 guests in attendance.

The Grammy-winner penned a tune for his bride and serenaded her during the ceremony. (Eamonn McCormack / Getty Images)

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Timberlake donned a “Suit & Tie” for his 2013 Grammy performance -- his first musical appearance in seven years -- to support his new solo alum, “The 20/20 Experience.” (Christopher Polk / Getty Images )

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At the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, Chris Kirkpatrick, Joey Fatone, Justin Timberlake, JC Chasez and Lance Bass reunited after 11 years in a throwback 15-minute medley performance before Timberlake accepted the annual Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award. (Rick Diamond / Getty Images for MTV)

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Justin Timberlake costars with Ben Affleck as Richie Furst, a Princeton whiz kid, in the 2013 crime thriller “Runner Runner.” The film is about online gambling and received a lukewarm reception from critics and the box office, debuting the same weekend as Oscar darling “Gravity” starring Sandra Bullock and Affleck’s pal George Clooney. “Runner, Runner” fell short of even the lowest projections with a disappointing $7.6-million start. (Josh Weinstock / Associated Press)

By Nardine Saad

Nov. 12, 2013 12:05 PM PT

Justin Timberlake joins actor Matthew McConaughey, comedian Will Ferrell, rapper Kendrick Lamar and the late “Sopranos” star James Gandolfini as GQ magazine’s 2013 Men of the Year.

Timberlake was bestowed the magazine’s “#Hashtag of the year” honor, Lamar was rapper of the year, McConaughey was the magazine’s leading man of the year, Ferrell was funnyman of the year and Gandolfini was honored with a tribute cover on the mag’s five-cover 18th annual edition.

The “Suit & Tie” crooner has had quite the 2013, indeed, stating that he doesn’t see himself “as someone who’s ever going to be defined by one moment.”

PHOTOS: Justin Timberlake’s career in pictures

The 32-year-old ‘N Sync alum pulled off a successful comeback with the release of “The 20/20 Experience” and all its hit singles and tour, staged “Timberweek” with late night host Jimmy Fallon, performed at the White House, hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the fifth time (earning himself another Emmy nomination), released the second part of his album, #hashtagged his way back into our hearts, reunited with ‘N Sync at the MTV Video Music Awards and starred in Ben Affleck’s “Runner Runner.”

“I’ve been doing this professionally since I was 10,” “The Mickey Mouse Club” alum told the mag. “If entertainment years were dog years, man, I’d be like Gandhi. I’d be like 250 years old.”

But still he asserts that he isn’t cool. (Wha!?)

“Listen, I’m not cool,” he said. “Being cool is about keeping your blood pressure steady. So no. Don’t be cool. Be passionate. Be dedicated. Be tenacious. Be uncompromising. Be pissed. Be happy. Be sad.”

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This coming from the triple threat who’s become a golden boy of the sketch-comedy circuit and is married to Jessica Biel ...

“I’ve made a career out of doing things that I should not be doing. I wasn’t cool about it,” he said. “Because being cool would have meant I passed up on those opportunities. If you do that, it’s because you’re afraid. And what are you afraid of? You know?”

Still, he’s getting these accolades despite the “double whammy” that came later in the year upon the box-office bomb of “Runner Runner” and the release of the second part of his album, “The 20/20 Experience Part 2.” He started off his interview with GQ’s Amy Wallace on the wrong foot, giving her these cutting quotes, which he later apologized for.

“Sometimes I find it funny that I’ve been able to acquire the patience it takes to be kind to people in our business. Because sometimes I just want to ... kill everybody,” he said of the critiques.

“This face. This recognizable face that you work so hard to get — not because you want the recognition but because you know you’re made to do it,” he added. “The movie didn’t do well at the box office, so I should quit? Hold on a second. If I was somebody else, you wouldn’t have said that. I have the number one album this week, and I shouldn’t have released it? Come on, man. You sound like a .... It just shocked me because, like, you’re trade magazines. None of your opinions count. And by the way, none of you can do it.”

But he composed himself later in the interview, Wallace said, and delivered a handful of observations that made us fall in love with him all over again.

As for the other Men of the Year, GQ deputy editor Michael Hainey took to the “Today” show Tuesday to talk about them.

Hainey called McConaughey — star of critically acclaimed “Mud” and “Dallas Buyers Club” — as a “full-on ‘McCona-ssance.”

“He’s gone from that guy who played bongos naked to now, like, full-on leading man.”

PHOTOS: Justin Timberlake’s career in pictures

Lamar is “the rapper who stole the crown this year,” Hainey said. The “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” rapper went platinum in 2012, opened for Kanye West and made headlines when his explicit lyrics leaked online and when he feuded with rapper Drake after the MTV VMAs. He was also named No. 1 MC in the country by MTV.

“Anchorman” star Ferrell is joined by his broadcast alter-ego Ron Burgundy on the mag’s cover. The comedian has appeared in several viral videos this year (a Lakers security guard, a member of the USC Spirit of Troy marching band) and took the stage at the Emmy Awards in September with his three sons.

As for Gandolfini, the magazine paid tribute to the late “Sopranos” star and also noted that his work in the indie film “Enough Said” with Julia Louis-Dreyfus also has him as a potential award-season contender.

GQ’s editor-in-chief Jim Nelson feted the men Monday with a private dinner at Carbone in New York City with guests including Timberlake, his wife, Jessica Biel, actor Ethan Hawke, Willie Geist, Questlove, Ronan Farrow, Patrick Stewart, Emily Ratajkowski, ASAP Rocky, Tunde Adebimpe, Neil Barrett, David Chang, Ronan Farrow,Taran Killam, Mark McNairy, Eniko Mihalik, Alyssa Miller, Stephen Moyer, Frank Muytjens, James Purefoy, Kehinde Wiley and Italo Zucchelli.

GQ’s Men of the Year issue hits newsstands Nov. 19.

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