I wonder how many conservative social commentators saw the Nipple Flash of Doom and ran to call their booking agents. I missed the actual event last night, since I always assume the half-time show will be crap, but this afternoon at the bank I was treated to clips of it while I was standing in line at the bank, interspersed with a guy in a suit going on about how parents can’t even let their kids watch sports anymore. He linked this to the Britney-Madonna kiss on the MTV awards, and the news channel helpfully supplied clips of that as well.
I’m in the “It’s a boob, get over it,” camp. It couldn’t have compared to my shock at the Charmin commercial where a football player appeared to be tickling another player’s ass.
I called to complain because I was offended by the entire half-time show. It was totally inappropriate in the context of the superbowl. The fact that Mr. Timberlake deliberately tore Ms. Jackson’s costume, which obviously was made to be torn, at the end of song was not even the icing on the cake to the poor choice of the half-time show, Kid Rock and the flag was. I am not offended by boobs in places and situations where I expect to see boobs. I am not offended by full frontal nudity when I expect full frontal nudity (Equis for example). The super bowl half-time show is not where I expect to see either.
For half-time I expect something vaguely entertaining, vaguely pretty with the sexual content of a PG or PG-13 movie. I admire the tonal definition of the cheerleaders bodies just as much as the next guy, but during a game I do not want to see any more of said bodies than the normal costume shows.
The entire half-time show, not just Ms. Jackson’s nipple, was totally inappropriate for the superbowl. That is why I was offended and that is why I complained.
Fox should’ve gone for one. Timberlake should’ve gone for two.
What I find comical is CBS (and everyone else) focusing on the 1 second boob flash, when any other aspect of that halftime show was as crude. If CBS was pissed at MTV because the whole show sucked (which it did), then fine. Instead, CBS is acting like it was an episode of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood up until that nasty harlot flashed her bosom.
For everyone ranting about “uptight parents” your missing the forest for the trees. The issue isnt the boob itself, its that the Superbowl halftime isnt the place for it. Would you mind Janet showing up on “Blues Clues” and showing her piereced breast? Why not? Its just a boob, dont be uptight!
Besides being at the wrong place for such a thing, it now is overshadowing what should be rememberd as one of the best games in recent memory. Now, three years from now people will be saying “Remember the game where Janet showed a boob?!”. When they should be saying “Remember when New England eged out Carolina…what a great game?!”
Can you explain how anyone is injured by viewing a female breast? Can you explain why what you “expect” has any relevance to anything? Can you tell me who appointed you a national nanny who gets to decide what the rest of us can watch on television?
How did Kid Rock hurt the flag, btw? He was waering it like a shirt. So what? I thought he was doing it to show patriotism, what’s the big deal. You’re a flag cop too? It’s a piece of fucking cloth with some stripes on it.
Why don’t you save your outrage for unjustified wars in Iraq or the Patriots Act or racism something else that actually hurts people. I don’t need you to monitor the content of my Superbowl viewing for me, m’kay.
Far be it from me to frown on boobage, but DtC, I have to say your logic is faulty. Some people already got it: It’s a matter of expectations. No one expects boobs at half-time and so it’s an issue.
By your logic, DtC, one should not complain if the half-time show consisted of fully nude lap dances for the entire squad of players on each team. Not that I would complain, but I can certainly understand those who would. It’s just a matter of degree.
BTW, Kerry better come out soon and denounce said boobage, or the Pubs will have a field day. Boobs at half-time --> gay marriage!
From the far-away shots and the video, it did look almost like a pasty, but from the closeup, it’s quite clear that it is a barbell piercing and a piece of jewelry called a ‘Nipple Hugger’. Those interested can google the Nipple Hugger, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it at work.
Those interested in the close up shot which makes evident that it was not a pasty can find that at my blog site, by clicking on the links in the post from last night. That site is http:// blog.mirthless.org. Do not view this from work, or if your young kids are around and you don’t want them to see nudity.
I have deliberately put an extra space in the URL and made sure the images themselves are not on the first page of the blog, so this shouldn’t be a problem with the ‘two click’ rule.
Seems to me Michael Jackson did a half-time show some years ago, complete with crotch grabbing and simulated humping. Was there any outcry over that? I somehow doubt it.
The dancers behind some of the singers were doing far more outrageous and interesting things than showing partially-clad boobage.
As for Kid Rock draping himself in the flag, get a fucking grip. Remember the outrage when Jimi sang the national anthem in his own inimitable style? It’s not against the law to wear the flag, tear the flag, spit on the flag or fornicate on the thing that I’m aware of. And when he tossed it over his shoulder, there was someone there to make sure it didn’t hit the ground.
Dangerosa has figured out who was behind Janetbowl 2004.
It was all a shrewed marketing ploy by Tivo. In a month, they’ll debut a commercial about Janet and the Super Bowl and have a tagline like ‘Don’t you wish you had recorded that? With Tivo, you did.’
I don’t get why an unexpected boob is any more of an issue than an unexpected elbow. A breast is not sexual. I don’t get why we have to pander to the backwards, neurotic hangups of those who fear nudity.
It wouldn’t bother me. Nudity is not sex. Nudity does not harm children. Lap dances is taking it to an extreme but the problem would not be the nudity it would be the debasing of women for the entertainment of men. That would be offensive whether they were clothed or not. Mere nudity is harmless. Two seconfds of boobage is especially harmless.
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic]
Can you explain how anyone is injured by viewing a female breast? …QUOTE]
Well, with all of the hardware on hers you could poke an eye out!
Well thats a dumbass statement. Do you let your kids see you walking around naked? Would you let your neighbors come into your house naked in front of your kids? If you came home and the MALE babysitter was naked with your children, would you mind that?? And at what age would you have a problem with Nudity for your kids? Sure a 2 year old wouldnt care, but what about your 11 year old? or 14? You sure you want your negihbor coming in your house naked when your 14 year old is home…alone? Even if nothing is happening, wouldnt that just kinda freak you out a bit?
Your right, a boob is not hurting anyone, espcially 2seconds of said booby. But as said many times, that wasnt really the point. There is a place and time for things, and it wasnt the place NOR the time last night.