# Pete townsend at super bowl **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 25, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554 "2009-12-25T16:36:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/41 "2009-12-29T18:33:34Z")
Or Puppy Bowl, with the Kitty Half Time show. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/42 "2009-12-29T19:41:45Z")
No, it’s on CBS. BTW, several Townshend fans I know have been in touch with both CBS and The NFL. Both organizations vetted Pete BEFORE making the decision to have The Who play, so the protests will NOT accomplish their goals. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/43 "2009-12-29T21:11:56Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > 2004 - Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson, Nelly, P. Diddy, Kid Rock > > … > > None of those acts strikes me as being out of anyone’s comfort zone, not even Justin and Janet up to the time of their “wardrobe malfunction.” I recall watching the ‘04 Super Bowl at my in-laws’. We had the audio muted during halftime, which caused the closed-captioning to kick in. I don’t recall the exact lyrics, but whatever Nelly was singing was **absolutely** out of my comfort zone for a show that my nephew and nieces were watching. I also seem to recall Justin’s line “Gonna have you naked by the end of this song.” ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/44 "2009-12-29T21:24:19Z")
I think it’s the only NFL game all year where the entire halftime show is on TV . When I was a kid they actually showed the bands at halftime on TV. Our local high school band was excited because they played at a NFL game so they were shown on TV. They stopped showing bands in the 70s. For college games you may see a few seconds of the band. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/45 "2009-12-29T21:46:37Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > They advertise freaking BEER during the superbowl. Won’t someone think of the children? Indeed. And they still play _Rock & Roll Part II_ at games…so clearly they’re willing to fund convicted repeat offender purchasers of child pornography. ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/46 "2009-12-29T22:01:47Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Indeed. And they still play _Rock & Roll Part II_ at games…so clearly they’re willing to fund convicted repeat offender purchasers of child pornography. Maybe not, [according to Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_and_Roll_Part_2): > [@](#): > > In 2005-2006, Glitter was convicted on child sexual abuse charges in Vietnam. After the conviction was upheld in court, the NFL asked teams to stop playing the song, although Glitter had already been convicted and imprisoned on child pornography charges in Britain in 1997. The NFL has allowed a cover version of the song by the Tube Tops 2000 to be played.[3] Subsequently, some professional and college teams in the US and Canada have discontinued using the song. ---
**Author:** ![MwNNrules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@MwNNrules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MwNNrules)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/47 "2009-12-29T22:41:40Z")
When I heard that Pete Townshend was caught with child porn, I was disappointed as hell. The Who are great, and how can you not have respect for the man who popularized the windmill? When I looked further into the case on the internet, I was glad to hear that he had an adequate sounding excuse, although it’s still suspicious. My stance is that the Who should be allowed to play at the Super Bowl (assuming the honor of their guitarist (or any of their other members) doesn’t fall under scrutiny again. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/48 "2009-12-29T22:48:51Z")
This is kind of exhausting, but I guess I have to keep at it. Pete WAS NOT caught with CP. He was given a warning for submitting credit card information to a web portal. Nothing more. Being put on the list for 5 years was a formality that went along with the warning. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/49 "2009-12-29T22:49:43Z")
> [@MwNNrules](#): > > When I heard that Pete Townshend was caught with child porn, I was disappointed as hell. A victim of childhood sexual abuse, in the course of writing his autobiography, researches the availability of child porn on-line, then voluntarily - and preemptively - gives all his computers to the Police to search. Is what way does this make him “caught”? Pete is innocent. ---
**Author:** ![MwNNrules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@MwNNrules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MwNNrules)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/50 "2009-12-29T22:56:51Z")
I knew that the scrutiny was with his credit card. Sorry if I didn’t make it clear enough in my post. I’d just heard from someone (evidently ignorant) that he was caught with child porn. Anyways I didn’t know that Pete Townshend was a victim himself. Damn… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/51 "2009-12-29T22:59:03Z")
One more time for the record, Townshend was _not_ caught with child pornography. There was no child porn on his computer. What he did was provide credit card information to a website claiming to advertise it. He was expanding an article he had written on child abuse into a book and doing research on availability. The police searched all his computers and found no actual child porn. He was _cleared_ of any charges that he possessed child porn, and cautioned for providing credit card information to the website purporting to be able to provide it. He did not actually attempt to buy any. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/52 "2009-12-29T23:01:07Z")
> [@MwNNrules](#): > > I knew that the scrutiny was with his credit card. Sorry if I didn’t make it clear enough in my post. > I’d just heard from someone (evidently ignorant) that he was caught with child porn. > Anyways I didn’t know that Pete Townshend was a victim himself. Damn… He wrote an entire rock opera about it called _Tommy_. ---
**Author:** ![MwNNrules](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f8ce5/32.png) [@MwNNrules](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MwNNrules)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/53 "2009-12-29T23:04:30Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > He wrote an entire rock opera about it called _Tommy_. Wow. Well I guess that just goes to show that I’m just as ignorant as the guy who told me he was caught with child porn. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/54 "2009-12-30T01:13:14Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > A victim of childhood sexual abuse, in the course of writing his autobiography, researches the availability of child porn on-line, then voluntarily - and preemptively - gives all his computers to the Police to search. > > Is what way does this make him “caught”? > > Pete is innocent. You know, I could almost believe that until he came out and defended Michael Jackson and claimed he was being unfairly prosecuted. How the fuck would he know this??? And if in fact he was so concerned about children, wouldn’t he keep his mouth shut unless he knew FOR A FACT that Jackson was not fooling around with teenage boys? To me , it looked as if he was saying, “see folks, the cops are screwing up again, just like they did with me.” I love Townshend’s music, but there is something fishy about a guy giving his credit card (PAYING MONEY) to this evil, getting caught, being put on a sexual predator registry, and then DEFENDING Jackson. Very fishy. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/55 "2009-12-30T01:47:56Z")
> [@koufax](#): > > You know, I could almost believe that until he came out and defended Michael Jackson and claimed he was being unfairly prosecuted. Did you read my earlier post? Pete met him one time in 1984 and they hit it off–that’s it. He didn’t know him. He defended a fellow artist he admired and liked based upon **one** meeting. > [@koufax](#): > > And if in fact he was so concerned about children, wouldn’t he keep his mouth shut… Anyone, I repeat **anyone** that knows **anything** about Pete is aware that has **always** had a tendency to speak before engaging his brain. > [@koufax](#): > > To me , it looked as if he was saying, “see folks, the cops are screwing up again, just like they did with me.”…Very fishy. There isn’t anything I can say to change your mind. You seem inclined to believe people who are using Pete’s celebrity to garner publicity for their cause. (A worthy cause–unfortunately headed by ill-informed and mean-spirited people) They are spinning the facts to suit their needs, in order to gain support. It’s working, I guess. It won’t make any difference, but let me quote someone involved in the story back in 2003. This is a statement from Shy Keenan, British Children’s Champion and founder/spokesperson for the Phoenix Survivors: > [@](#): > > Initially, Phoenix Survivors (a web based support group run for and by victims of child sexual abuse) loudly condemned Mr Townshend. > > However, moved by an overwhelming response from Mr Townshends fans, calling for us to take a ‘much closer look’ at this case, we did, and it became absolutely clear that Mr Townshend did indeed do ‘a very stupid thing ‘ which we do indeed condemn, however, it was also absolutely clear to us that Mr Townshend is by no means, any kind of child molester. > > We feel the justice system got it wrong on this occasion and was far too heavy handed, **we do not believe that his name belongs on the Sex Offenders Register** , (as it makes a complete mockery of what the SOR is supposed to represent) and we wish Mr Blunkett would remove his name from it. > > Mr Townshend’s suicide would have been both a terrible loss and a terrible injustice, he is a good and decent man who did a very stupid thing and has MORE than paid for it. He has always been very honest about what happened and we feel he deserves our trust. We hope he can recover from this and we wish him well for the future. > > –Shy Keenan ---
**Author:** ![koufax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7ea924/32.png) [@koufax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koufax)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/56 "2009-12-30T02:00:24Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > It won’t make any difference, but let me quote someone involved in the story back in 2003. This is a statement from Shy Keenan, British Children’s Champion and founder/spokesperson for the Phoenix Survivors: Well, that did make a difference. And I still LOVE his music, but Townshend has to be one of the stupidest people ever born. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/57 "2009-12-30T02:43:20Z")
If I (we?) succeeded in convincing you that Pete is one of the stupidest people ever born instead of being guilty of possessing CP, I consider that a victory! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/58 "2009-12-30T03:03:00Z")
I don’t know what pete was doing and since I’m nto privy to the investigation i could care less… hauling the geriatric set out time and time again after Janet J… Come on… we are all SUFFERING for this… who’s on the bill next year?? The Eagles?? Heart?? come on… As much as they drive me batshit at least Coldplay is not old enough to be US presidents… lol ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/59 "2009-12-30T03:10:46Z")
> [@fuzzypickles](#): > > Maybe not, according to Wikipedia: > Quote: > In 2005-2006, Glitter was convicted on child sexual abuse charges in Vietnam. After the conviction was upheld in court, the NFL asked teams to stop playing the song, although Glitter had already been convicted and imprisoned on child pornography charges in Britain in 1997. The NFL has allowed a cover version of the song by the Tube Tops 2000 to be played.[3] Subsequently, some professional and college teams in the US and Canada have discontinued using the song. Much better, though the NFL’s solution seems weird…doesn’t he still get royalties from cover songs!? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554/60 "2009-12-30T03:46:01Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > If I (we?) succeeded in convincing you that Pete is one of the stupidest people ever born instead of being guilty of possessing CP, I consider that a victory! 😛 The Straight Dope: Promoting Ignorance Since 2009 (it’s not taking nearly as long as we thought). > [@Chicagojeff](#): > > I don’t know what pete was doing and since I’m nto privy to the investigation i could care less.. hauling the geriatric set out time and time again after Janet J.. Come on.. we are all SUFFERING for this.. who’s on the bill next year?? The Eagles?? Heart?? come on.. As much as they drive me batshit at least Coldplay is not old enough to be US presidents.. lol Well, at least The Who don’t suck. > [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Much better, though the NFL’s solution seems weird…doesn’t he still get royalties from cover songs!? Songwriters and publishers get royalties from covers. AFAICT, Gary Glitter only wrote the lyrics to Rock and Roll (ie., the first bit), while the tune and arrangement was done by Mike Leander. Since only Part II is played in stadiums (ie., the kazoo/“hey!” bit) I think only Leander (or his estate) gets paid for the cover. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pete-townsend-at-super-bowl/522554.md?page=4)