Reunites pop star and his Nipplegate network

CBS appears not to hold any kind of grudge against Justin Timberlake for that whole Nipplegate thing.

The network announced on Tuesday (Oct. 17) that Timberlake will headline CBS' "Victoria's Secret Fashion Show," which will air on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 10 p.m. ET.

Although Timberlake is a Grammy-winning artist and his "FutureSex/LoveSounds" album is selling will, his selection for this particular event is more than a little ironic. If you'll recall, CBS opted not to air the annual celebration of lingerie in 2004 in aftermath of Timberlake and Janet Jackson's ill-fated Super Bowl halftime performance and the subsequent tensions with the Federal Communications Commission.

"The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show" had always generated FCC complaints due to its assortment of barely-dressed models. ABC aired the show its first year and it subsequently moved to CBS. Neither network ever received an FCC fine for the show.

However, the ratings for the program have declined every year since its inception. ABC's 2001 telecast drew 12.3 million viewers, while 10.5 million and 9.4 million watched on 2002 and 2003 on CBS. Following that 2004 hiatus, CBS brought the show back last winter and drew only 8.9 million viewers.

For 2006, the network has plotted a variety of stunts including Timberlake's performance, a special appearance by Heidi Klum and runway strutting by models including Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima, Karolina Kurkova, Alessandra Ambrosio, Selita Ebanks and Izabel Goulart. The event will take place at Los Angeles' Kodak Theatre for the first time.