Justin Timberlake: Miley Cyrus VMA Performance, 'Let Her Do Her Thing'

Justin Timberlake is the latest artist to defend Miley Cyrus' widely criticized raunchy performance at the awards show Sunday. Timberlake had one of the biggest acts at the MTV Video Music Awards with a 15-minute performance.

“Listen, man, you know, it’s the VMAs. What did you guys expect?,” Timberlake told New York City's Fresh 102.7 host Jim Douglas. “I like Miley. I like her a lot. I think, you know, she’s young. She’s letting everyone know that she’s growing up. I just think it’s the VMAs. It’s not like she did it at the Grammys. Let her do her thing. You know?”

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Timberlake went on to name scandalous VMA performances in the past.

“Madonna: Wedding suit, humping the stage. Britney: Strip tease,” Justin said. “This is not an uncommon thing. I actually thought all the bears were really cool."

"If something like that doesn't happen at the VMAs, I feel like it was boring," he added.

On Tuesday, "Today Show" host Matt Lauer also defended Cyrus in the face of vehement dissent from MSNBC's "Morning Joe" cohost Mika Brzezinski during a "Today's Professionals" segment.

Brzezinski called Cyrus' performance "porn" and said that someone at MTV should be fired for allowing the broadcast. Lauer disagreed, saying the former "Hannah Montana" Disney star was merely playing up the fact that she is now an adult and using the shocking VMA performance to generate interest in her new album.

"She's a paid performer and she's trying to bridge the gap between adolescent star and adult star," Lauer said, as panelist Star Jones agreed with him. "She's on the most provocative awards show of the year. I'm not saying it's right. I'm saying we in the media being surprised by it is ridiculous."

Lauer pointed out that Cyrus' performance was the only act people took away from the 2013 VMAs.

"Instead of being criticized, she should get an A-plus for accomplishing exactly what she wanted to do," he said.

Brzezinski did not change her mind, calling the act "raunchy and disturbing."

"Oversexualized is one thing. Is it sexual to stick your face in the face of a life-size teddy bear and stick your tongue out? We're talking about raunch, we're not talking about sexualization," Brzezinski said, adding, "Matt, no, we should denounce (Cyrus's performance)."

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