Winner or Loser? The 2004 Superbowl Halftime Show

[shereads]

That was a reference to your thread, "Ashamed to be from Sweden."

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[MR. Gibson]

I think also it was morally wrong for janet and justin to do what they did on tv but all I am really saying is give NFL,CBS,MTV. janet and justin a reasonable fine for this and let's all move on with our lives for goodness sakes! that's all! and please come back Colly. we are all just stating our opinions here!

 

[Anakin20]

the bottom line...

I love how the FCC can be so holier-than-thou when it comes to a flash of pasty-covered boob, but this moment has been brought to you by Coors Light, whose large, fake-breasted women in tight jiggling t-shirts are supposed to be part of our children's view of the normal world?
Hypocrisy is the true evil in the world. One country can have weapons, one cannot. Wet, jiggling t-shirts shown in a sponsor's commercial is good...
You get the point. To cancel Janet's invitation and pull a scene from ER (supposedly, I thought I saw 80 year-old titty, really) just shows that our governments are so hell-bent on telling us what is right and wrong, that we've stopped deciding for ourselves.
Oh, and by the way, aren't those Victoria's Secret models and wrestling bimbos and Britney's new videos on around the same time?

HYPOCRISY!

 

[magichandslee]

My response is simple. Every human being I have ever dealt with in my day to day work at the Health Clinic I work in have breasts and nipples.
Both male and female, and the sensory endings are exactly the same.
But in a society that can best be described as suppressed, to do a blatant act at 4 in the afternoon when everyone knows that children are watching, was no more than an attempt at titilation.
Ms. Jackson is of no importance, her co-hort, same import.
That is what is wrong, a simple lack of respect.
Then the spinoff was the TV show, "ER" . In REAL life, we bare the chest, we use the pad, and time is saved opening the chest when the situation becomes panic!

To be frank, this rarely works, death is the result and most common at this point. The instant recovery of a heartbeat is one out of about 10.

So this was a real life incident, portrayed in a real life manner, powerful, dramatic, and traumatic, reduced to a blur. The moment and magic of death, one day we will all face this!
Yet this made it demeaning and antisexual, or possible sexual yet repressed. This is all in the eye of the beholder.
I found myself ashamed for the management, knowing they were fools bending to those who think any kind of sexuality is dirty.
A woman, bare breasted, in her moment of meeting her maker, is dirty?
The alternative, just view the backs of workers trying to save a life?
I don't think so.
How could that moment, so well-written and portrayed, become a moment of blur as if it was filthy somehow?
I don't know.
I do know, this Nation has a LOT of growing to do.

Lee

 

[minsue]

My response is simple. Every human being I have ever dealt with in my day to day work at the Health Clinic I work in have breasts and nipples.
Both male and female, and the sensory endings are exactly the same.
But in a society that can best be described as suppressed, to do a blatant act at 4 in the afternoon when everyone knows that children are watching, was no more than an attempt at titilation.
Ms. Jackson is of no importance, her co-hort, same import.
That is what is wrong, a simple lack of respect.
Then the spinoff was the TV show, "ER" . In REAL life, we bare the chest, we use the pad, and time is saved opening the chest when the situation becomes panic!

To be frank, this rarely works, death is the result and most common at this point. The instant recovery of a heartbeat is one out of about 10.

So this was a real life incident, portrayed in a real life manner, powerful, dramatic, and traumatic, reduced to a blur. The moment and magic of death, one day we will all face this!
Yet this made it demeaning and antisexual, or possible sexual yet repressed. This is all in the eye of the beholder.
I found myself ashamed for the management, knowing they were fools bending to those who think any kind of sexuality is dirty.
A woman, bare breasted, in her moment of meeting her maker, is dirty?
The alternative, just view the backs of workers trying to save a life?
I don't think so.
How could that moment, so well-written and portrayed, become a moment of blur as if it was filthy somehow?
I don't know.
I do know, this Nation has a LOT of growing to do.

Lee

I couldn't agree more, Lee, and I certainly couldn't state it nearly as well. I was so very disappointed in ER for their last minute edit, but I suppose I can't blame them for trying to avoid the backlash. Courage does not last long on primetime network TV.

- Mindy

 

[shereads]

I couldn't agree more, Lee, and I certainly couldn't state it nearly as well. I was so very disappointed in ER for their last minute edit, but I suppose I can't blame them for trying to avoid the backlash. Courage does not last long on primetime network TV.

- Mindy

Rumor has it that the "patient" on ER was wearing a gorgeous sunburst nipple medallion. Now we'll never see it.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I do know, this Nation has a LOT of growing to do.

As long as no children will see it!

 

[sweetnpetite]

There are still some conservatives out there, but the party of the conservatives has been hijacked by the religious right and the Neo-cons. These people aren't conservative SnP, they are reactionary. They embrace change, as long as it's change towards the kind of world they want for everyone.

I don't really care who shows their boobs on TV. If you read my works you can tell I have nothing against tits I also don't have children so they could be showing XXX porn 24/7 on CBS and it wouldn't make any difference to me.

Here's the catch, they don't. And both performers were well aware of what they do and do not allow. And both of them went right ahead and showed their asses (or tits) in this case. The complete arrogance with which these people seem to act enrages me. Laws, rules, regulations apply to other people, not to me, I'm a star! Horse feathers.

If you are a liberal or a Democrat you should be even more pissed off than I am. A whole lot of parents are now angry because thay feel they were blindsided. If you are a serious parent and try to regulate what your kids see on Television, you naturally feel like you can relax your guard and let them watch the super bowl. It's a sporting event and a family thing in millions of households. Come election time the prompt FCC investigation and (I am guessing) super stiff fines is going to be grist for the republican campaign. And it will not surprise me one bit if new laws to protect "common decency" get enacted that further step on our civil rights.
.

If nothing comes of it it was still an extremely arrogant and stupid stunt. If big brother wins another victory over my civil rights because of it, then it was a crying shame.

-Colly

Well, I agree that it would be a crying shame. But the person who I'm going to be pissed off with is 'Big Brother' not Janet Jackson. Yes, stars do tend to think that they deserve special treatment, but artists and performers do tend to push the envelope. It's pretty much their roll in society. Yeah, we like to think that they should just sing and kiss the public's ass, but that ain't gonna happen. the number one fear in this country is public speaking, so anyone with the balls to stand up and sing in front of a nation is not going to be content to 'follow rules' and go with the flow. Rock and Roll (and Hell, America if anyone even remembers) is all about breaking the rules.

Uptight neo-con christians who don't want there children exposed to the 'filth' of a woman's breast, should know better than to sit in front of the 'boob tube' listening to the 'devil's music.' IN fact, when they announced that the half time show was being put on by MTV, they should have snapped their tv sets off immediatly.

 

[mcfbridge]

Kid Rock

Forget the Janet Jackson thing. Kid Rock was living proof that the one thing you apparently didn't need to be in that show was talent.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Well, I agree that it would be a crying shame. But the person who I'm going to be pissed off with is 'Big Brother' not Janet Jackson. Yes, stars do tend to think that they deserve special treatment, but artists and performers do tend to push the envelope. It's pretty much their roll in society. Yeah, we like to think that they should just sing and kiss the public's ass, but that ain't gonna happen. the number one fear in this country is public speaking, so anyone with the balls to stand up and sing in front of a nation is not going to be content to 'follow rules' and go with the flow. Rock and Roll (and Hell, America if anyone even remembers) is all about breaking the rules.

Uptight neo-con christians who don't want there children exposed to the 'filth' of a woman's breast, should know better than to sit in front of the 'boob tube' listening to the 'devil's music.' IN fact, when they announced that the half time show was being put on by MTV, they should have snapped their tv sets off immediatly.

When people begin to live together in anything larger than family groups, rules are developed that govern how they interact. It's a basic component of moving from barbarism to civilization. Depending upon the people, the conditions and the culture those rules may varry from place to place. The rules may also vary from the deadly serious and necessary (Which side of the road we all drive on) to the rediculous and intrusive (No blowjobs in this juristiction by god).

My male freinds assure me that a woman's breasts are entertainment, in fact they have on occasion tried to drag me to the local gentleman's club. It's legal, and popular, but not exactly the kind of place you intend to take Jr. In the heirarchy of performers and artists exotic dancers tend to fall somewhere beneath street painter and mimes. Pop stars, at least while their careers are near the zenith rival Athletes and Movie stars in the heirarchy. Exactly what envelope was she supposedly pushing here?

I like to smoke on occasin and even though the reports on second hand smoke that say it is so harmful have been proven to be so devoid of scentific integrity that even the judiciary has dismissed them, it's still illegal. If I light up after dinner at Che' Paul's I am going to get asked to leave at best, arrested at worst. It's against the law.

Janet was pushing no envelope of creativity. Like me with my nic fit she was just breaking the rules. Unlike me, who would fully expect to be punished, she was expecting what? Adulation? Better album sales? Some free Pr?

In a creative sense it was nothing new, women have been showing their tits for attention for years, ever been to Mardi Gras? No audience of millions, but otherwise straightlaced women will flash the world for a string of beads that can't be worth a nickle. If you walked up and offered them a dollar to flash you they would most likely be insulted. In New Orleans durning carnival women showing their boobs isn't against the law, it's expected and people take their kids. In that particular venue it's not even frowned upon.

She chose however to do it on national television, in a way that was absolutely sure to get noticed. She chose to do it during an election year, with a dangerously far right group in charge of the country just looking for fodder for the campaign to come. Artistically it was less than nothing, a tawdry PR stunt when lip syncing is base enough to remove artistic merit from most anything that occurs at the superbowl, unless you count the coreography which is sometimes a triumph of that particular artistic discipline. In the current sociopolitical enviornment it was irresponsible at best, reprhensible at worst, not for showing her tit, but for her lack of judgement. If it was a statement, a protest or done to shake up the establishment and get the rule changed then she and he would have said so rather than crayfishing faster then Rummy when reporters ask about Iraqi WMD's.

I don't view women's breasts as indecent. In point of fact I don't view any part of a woman's anatomy as indcent. Certainly I don't get up in the morning and immediately cover mine because I am ashamed of them. I do cover them, but that has a lot more to do with it being effing frigid up here and a personal sense of modesty. In that sense the rule is silly. Nakedness however, still equates to indeceny in this country, if you don't believe me try going grocery shopping topless (if you are in a warmer clime, up here that would be grounds for a nice padded cell).

If censorship laws are tightened and it certainly appears that they will be, I won't be mad at the Neo-cons or the religious right. Give the Devil his due, that has been a goal of theirs for several years now and they have made no bones about it. I will be pissed at JJ and JT for offering them the very things the Neo-cons and religious right lacked to drive that agenda. An obvious example and public furor.

-Colly

 

[shereads]

Just as it's becoming more difficult for kids to shock their parents, it's becoming damned difficult for an entertainer to get media attention:

"The Robert Blake murder trial has been postponed because it's receiving negligible ratings among the target market, males 18 to 30." - Dennis Miller

 

[mcfbridge]

philosophizing

Since everyone seems to be going into deep thought on this, I'll throw my 2 cents in.

I certainly have no love for censorship. I doubt anyone who reads or write on this site does. However, there are limits.

I am a serious parent of a teenage daughter.

While I certainly respect anyone's right to read, watch, perform, etc. anything they feel is appropriate, I also demand my right not to.

It is one thing to air a show with adult content. Anyone who watches it should know what they are getting into.

It is quite another to air adult content during the super bowl. While the above person is correct, MTV supplying the show should have been a warning, I still resent this type of material showing up in this venue. And as I stated earlier, the Kid Rock bit was much more disgusting than JJs tit flash.

Finally, while we're on the subject, my real pet peeve along these lines is TV show promotions. I can be watching a show with my daughter that is perfectly appropriate, then the network will run a promo for one of their raciest shows, by showing the raciest scene they can come up with.

It is one thing to say that a parent can turn the channel and avoid racy shows at the wrong time. It is quite another to sneak in this sort of material without any warning at all

 

[destinie21]

I think Janet and co did what they set out to do. Her name is on evryones lips young and old, she's right out there in the lime light waiting for her album to drop. The parents who are so outraged have the kids who are going to buy the album or download the songs and buy the magazines. Moreover when she goes on tour there's going to be people attending to see if she can one up herself. Yeah she may have to pay fines but the record will be plaitnum.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I think Janet and co did what they set out to do. Her name is on evryones lips young and old, she's right out there in the lime light waiting for her album to drop. The parents who are so outraged have the kids who are going to buy the album or download the songs and buy the magazines. Moreover when she goes on tour there's going to be people attending to see if she can one up herself. Yeah she may have to pay fines but the record will be plaitnum.

Actually, by some arcane formula I don't think she personally is facing any fines. Unless I misread the news articles the FCC only has the power to fine the network. Even the producer (M-tv) is safe.

-Colly

 

[OldnotDead]

Please, I beg you to ask these parents at what point in that performance they began to realize that the sexual content of the song and the costumes and the dance might not be appropriate for young children.

It's as if these "furious" parents needed the sight of skin to awaken their Parental Guidance radar.

That's nothing but laziness.

AH HAH!!!! as the old man finally sees someone seeing one of the real issues that has yet to be addressed.

I was going to wait until I read all the pages, but Sher has touched on the edge of my personal outrage about this incident. And, to date, on any news cast I've seen, no one, conservative or liberal has hit what, to me, is the real meat of the obscenity of the incident.

M TV produced a half time show that pandered to the lowest common denominator of stereotypical, six pack guzzling, male sports couch potatoes.

Forgive me if I do not have the facts and sequences correct, I was on strong drugs for most of the game trying to deal with an abcess that was very painful. But what I do remember is earlier in the show a group of female dancers that wore something akin to cheerleader outfits and then took them off to reveal much sexier lingerie-like dance costumes. Might meet the 'decency' standards, but certainly wasn't what I would chose to watch with my children.

Then to top it all off, we get a very suggestive dance, with apparently even more suggestive language (which I didn't understand at the time in my fog) and Justin tears off a piece of clothing. NOW STOP RIGHT THERE!!!

I do not care if under the clothing is a breast, an ass or the Budweiser Clysedale! Tearing off clothing is a sign of violence. The song was not about Janet being seduced, it was about her being 'taken'. THIS should be what should really outrage liberal and conservative alike.

but unfortunately, as Colly has already alluded to, one side will take up the cause and force the other side to defend it when something like this should really illustrate what both conservatives and liberals have in common - sons and daughters.

I have always been outraged that the discussions and even prosecutions regarding Clinton/lewisnsky were focused on the sex. What was wrong about that was that a boss used his position to his advantage. Since she was technically a consenting adult, there was nothing illegal, but there was everything unethical about it.

NOW was absolutely silent, because they had to support the liberals defending Clinton. Once again NOW is silent. They have a perfect opportunity to CHANGE the discussion and put the focus where it belongs.

I want my sons to know that women are not to be abused. I want my daughter to know that she does not have to tolerate any kind of violence or abuse. I do not like the messages provided by M TV and the like that encourage such behavior.

As Colly correctly pointed out, the exposed breast will be the lightning rod to attract all sorts of scrutinty and potential change. I understand the core of the hearings is to increase the fines available for levy in the future.

Sher ties in the outrage of more homeless children, most of them with a female single parent, not watching the Super Bowl than the number that might have seen a naked breast. Does anyone know how much of that population experiences daily incidents of violence against women? Talk to any manager of a homeless shelter and they will tell you that a major overnight issue is the protection of the weaker individuals that congregate together.

I will bet all my dollars against a dozen hot Krispy Kreme's that not one of the soundbites on any nightly news show tonight will have one person talking about violence against women. Yet, to me, that was the most outrageous part of the show. And ALL of that was in the program from the very beginning and part of the rehearsals for any of the involved executives to see.

Personally, I think Janet and Justin showed bad judgement, but they are merely actors who play out a script written, directed and produced, for the most part, by others. Their little contrived stunt was wrong, but not because a part of the anatomy was exposed. It was wrong because it represents a behavior that should not be tolerated.

So when those NFL and CBS execs are all testifying today and saying 'WE didn't know' - I say to them "BULLSHIT!" you got exactly what you paid for and now you're whining about paying the price. Thumbs down and let the lions eat them.

 

[Couture]

So when those NFL and CBS execs are all testifying today and saying 'WE didn't know' - I say to them "BULLSHIT!" you got exactly what you paid for and now you're whining about paying the price. Thumbs down and let the lions eat them.

Amen on that one. If it was your show and one of your employees broke the regulations, your company would have to pay the penalty.

Personally, I don't see the big deal about it. I wouldn't have wanted my kids to see it and I can sympathize with others. But, seeing a partially naked breast will no more scar them for life than watching a bunch of grown men on the field pat each other on the ass and try to clobber their opponents in some sort of homoerotic orgy of violence.

What is there to investigate? This stuff happens all the time. Fine CBS, just like they do Howard Stern. CBS can sue MTV. MTV can sue Janet and Justin. Problem solved.

Now, we've got a president whose administration lied and got us into an unnecessary war with American casualties. I want to see some investigating being done on that.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

For Sher,

And anyone else with a strong stomach and keen sense of humor

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/breast.html

-Colly

 

[minsue]

For Sher,

And anyone else with a strong stomach and keen sense of humor

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/breast.html

-Colly

I watched that one this morning and was wondering if you had seen it yet.

- Mindy, still grateful to you for pointing that site out

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Janet Jackson has no morals. Not only does she expose innocent children for the life-threatening trauma of seeing a woman's naked breast, but last night, I saw her in a movie, making out with Eddie Murphy!

*throws up*

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I watched that one this morning and was wondering if you had seen it yet.

- Mindy, still grateful to you for pointing that site out

Every thrusday there is a new one and I try not to miss any

-Colly

 

[shereads]

For Sher,

And anyone else with a strong stomach and keen sense of humor

http://www.markfiore.com/animation/breast.html

-Colly

So much for my being a pacifist. I felt a strong urge to yank the chain.

 

[minsue]

So much for my being a pacifist. I felt a strong urge to yank the chain.

That made me chuckle which then turned into a fit of giggles and now I'm just grinning like a moron.

 

[Pure]

Nice animation!!

Have you heard that the boob was more accessed at Yahoo than 9-11 material (in its time)???