Justin Timberlake jokingly referenced his arrest for allegedly driving while intoxicated at his tour stop in Boston.

On Saturday (June 29), the 43-year-old singer and actor cracked a one-liner about the incident during his concert at Boston’s TD Garden amid his Forget Tomorrow world tour.

“So, uh, is there anyone here tonight that is driving?” Timberlake asked the cheering crowd in a fan-captured clip posted on TikTok. “No, I’m just kidding,” he quickly added.

The comment drew a mix of gasps and laughter from the crowd. The “SexyBack” followed the wisecrack by asking the audience who’s attending for the first time and who’s seen him before, according to TMZ.

Timberlake was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor, N.Y. on June 17. He was arraigned on one count of “driving while intoxicated” the following day.

“It was ascertained that the defendant was operating said vehicle in an intoxicated condition in that his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage was emanating from his breath, he was unable to divide attention, he had slowed speech, he was unsteady afoot, and he performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests,” according to the police report filed by officer Michael Arkinson.

“I had one martini and I followed my friends home,” Arkinson also quoted the 10-time Grammy winner as saying in his report.

Last week, Timberlake broke his silence following the arrest during his show at Chicago’s United Center on June 21.

“It’s been a tough week,” the singer told concert-goers. “I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back.” He added, “We’ve been together through ups and downs and lefts and rights … but you’re here and I’m here, and nothing can change this moment right now.”

JT’s lawyer Edward Burke Jr. has stated that he will “vigorously” defend the star against the allegations. “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time,” Burke said in a statement.

Timberlake’s next court hearing is scheduled for July 26, the same day he is scheduled to perform at Tauron Arena Krakow in Poland.

BOSTON — The Red Sox ended the season’s first half with a thud.

All isn’t lost, of course. Boston shouldn’t be judged solely on one rancid sample against the San Diego Padres.

A perfect June weather night at Fenway Park was about the only highlight after the top of the fifth inning on Friday. San Diego unleashed a stunning barrage to key a 9-2 victory. Each of the first nine Padres who came to the plate reached safely and scored.

There have been more good evenings than bad for the Red Sox to this point. They sat at 43-38 entering Saturday’s second half — a far cry from any last-place predictions in the American League East. Boston is also within striking distance of a wildcard berth, entering the day just a half game behind the Kansas City Royals for the third spot.

“We’re in the mix to make it to the playoffs,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We have a good baseball team that can do a lot of good things.

“There’s other stuff where we have to get better, but at the same time I’m very pleased with the way we went about our business in the first part of the season and the way some guys progressed.”

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One of the standouts from the last time Boston reached the postseason was in the building. Xander Bogaerts was honored with a video tribute after the first inning and treated to a warm standing ovation. The former Red Sox shortstop stepped out of the visiting dugout and tipped his cap, currently an injured member of the Padres offering thanks to his former home.

Bogaerts delivered one of the last truly worthwhile swings this ballpark has seen in recent years. His two-run homer against Gerrit Cole in the 2021 wildcard matchup sent an electric shock through the grandstands. The Red Sox dismissed the New York Yankees, blitzed the Tampa Bay Rays and had the Houston Astros on the ropes before falling in the A.L. Championship Series.

Since then? Disappointment. Underperformance on the field and a lack of boldness in the front office. John Henry’s organizational pivot to less aggressiveness in free agency and former chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom’s inability to chart a definitive course at the last two trade deadlines has created festering frustration here.

How will Craig Breslow fare a month from now? The crowd on this particular night was short of a sellout, and more than a few San Diego fans were able to purchase their tickets of choice in the field boxes. It’s a scene that’s repeated itself when the Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies or any other big-market franchise has visited town, and it needs to be stopped.

More: These overachieving Red Sox are making a fan out of John Rooke. How about you?

That only happens by creating a real reason to believe in the home team. Per Cot’s Contracts, Breslow has more than $19 million in available Competitive Balance Tax space before he incurs any penalties. Boston should have the finances and prospect capital to buy if it makes the long-overdue choice to do so.

“We’ve shown we can play really good baseball,” Red Sox catcher Connor Wong said. “We’ve got to keep defending and keep pushing.

“It’s a long season. Anything can happen.”

Masataka Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder are the only current position players seeing regular time who are over 30 years old. A tight race into September and October could be invaluable for further developing younger options like Wong, Jarren Duran, David Hamilton, Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu and others. Refusing to support them and selling off pieces — with Cora already in the last year of his contract, no less — would send a rather different, more discouraging message.

Nick Pivetta cruised through his first four innings before getting crunched in the fifth. His earned-run average is up to 4.52, and that’s all too common in a rotation that’s taking on a bit of water. Brayan Bello has rocketed to a 5.55 ERA in what to this point has been a disappointing 2024 season and Kutter Crawford seems to have hit a wall — a 5.97 ERA in his last six starts and a 4.54 ERA through his last 12.

That’s obviously a primary area the Red Sox should look to reinforce. A right-handed bat to offer some balance in the lineup wouldn’t hurt either. As for shedding veteran pieces like Pivetta, Kenley Jansen, Chris Martin and Tyler O’Neill, consider this: you’re not losing them for “nothing” in free agency if they can somehow help you reestablish credibility as a franchise genuinely trying to play deep into the fall every year.

“I do believe — I truly believe — there are going to be meaningful games here in September,” Cora said.

Let’s hope. We’ve waited long enough. One bad night shouldn’t spoil the hope of what could be to come over the next month — and, maybe, the next four.

bkoch@providencejournal.com

On X: @BillKoch

BOSTON – A man has been arrested in connection to a bar fire at the Squealing Pig in Boston’s Mission Hill neighborhood.

Prasshida Baruwal, 23, of Everett, is accused of setting the bar on fire on Tuesday morning. He is charged with arson, breaking and entering at nighttime to commit a felony, destruction of personal property and more.

“I thought it was by accident,” says Boston neighbor Diamond Nichols. “Honestly, it does make me a little nervous.”

Witnesses watch as bar is set on fire

Police said that witnesses on the scene spotted the suspect outside of the bar, breaking glass and taking videos of Baruwal dressed in black. One witness spotted the suspect dropping what they thought was a lit napkin before the bar exploded into flames, and surveillance video confirmed the action.

The Boston Fire Department was able to control the flames, but not before the bar was severely damaged and several nearby cars were melted.

“That’s scary. That is scary,” says Cameron Kuck.

“Puts it into more perspective when it’s next door to you”

The area is full of college students living off-campus.

 “There are people walking around right next to and around the restaurant, so that is scary. Someone is doing something super illegal, very dangerous, and if someone gets hurt, that’s totally like a federal thing, a crime,” says Kuck, who goes to Berklee College of Music.

Neighbors are stunned and upset that their favorite bar is gone for the summer.

“We were just talking about crime in the city. It’s all around us but obviously puts it into more perspective when it’s next door to you,” says Northeastern college student Sydney Brikhahn

“We’re going to have to hope that something like this doesn’t happen again,” says Northeastern College student Allie Ziegler.

Police are still investigating the incident.