CBS Apologizes for Jackson's Exposure (MTV will not produce another Halftime show)

Yahoo! News ^ | 2-2-04 | AP

[pseudo-ignatius]

NEW YORK - CBS apologized for an unexpectedly R-rated end to its Super Bowl halftime show, when singer Justin Timberlake (news) tore off part of Janet Jackson (news)'s top, exposing her breast.

The two singers were performing a flirtatious duet to end the halftime show, and at the song's finish, Timberlake reached across Jackson's leather gladiator outfit and pulled off the covering to her right breast.

The network quickly cut away from the shot, and did not mention the incident on the air.

Timberlake said he did not intend to expose Jackson's breast.

"I am sorry that anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl," Timberlake said in a statement. "It was not intentional and is regrettable."

Wade said CBS officials attended rehearsals of the halftime show all week, "and there was no indication any such thing would happen. The moment did not conform to CBS' broadcast standards and we would like to apologize to anyone who was offended."

The Super Bowl halftime show, which also featured P. Diddy, Nelly and Kid Rock, was produced by MTV, CBS' corporate cousin in Viacom.

"We were extremely disappointed by elements of the MTV-produced halftime show," Joe Browne, NFL executive vice president, said. "They were totally inconsistent with assurances our office was given about the content of the show.

"It's unlikely that MTV will produce another Super Bowl halftime."

MTV issued a contrite statement, saying the incident was "unrehearsed, unplanned, completely unintentional."

[elli1]

Connecting some dots here, IMO this was a planned to upstage the Lingerie Bowl that was supposedly airing during the SuperBowl halftime.

[cyncooper]

And if the nipple is pierced, all the better. Gather the family round to watch while a couple sing a raunchy song and he exposes her....It's all just so natural.

Right?

[mewzilla]

The two singers were performing a flirtatious duet to end the halftime show...

Flirtacious?!

[shiva]

It amazes me that so many churches arrange their schedules around the Super Bowl.

And what the hell's wrong with that?

[jaz.357]

Was this any different?

[tapatio]

If anyone was offended by this, don't EVER watch Wild On! Goodness!

That is precisely everyone's point!If you want to watch someone have their top ripped off knowingly that is you prerogative,but when you are not even given the choice,that is infringing on the rights of those who do not want to lower their standards to that level.

[SheLion]

I never heard of Wild On --- and wasn't going to watch it or let my kids watch it --- it's one thing for people to turn on their cable tv's to intentionally watch strip shows or whatever gets their attention --- but some of us want our kids watching wholesome shows --- and we thought the Superbowl might be one.

Oh! Guaranteed!!!!  I, too, do not want kids to see "peep shows" but this happened so fast that I don't think anyone really thought it was real.  Only those that were up close and personal!  Now they are saying she was covered by a silver tassel, but I didn't even see THAT!

I'm not condoning what Justin and Janet did......but it happened so fast that I didn't see anything, and I "was" taken aback, but then I laughed. Because I thought it was "planned" and if it was "planned," surely she had flesh colored material under her costume.

But the people who sang at half time are very big with the youth!

[the invisib1e hand]

America at its best and America at its worst.

Take a side. Fight for what is right.

I don't want to put up with that trash. Screw your trash behavior. Screw your ghetto mentality. Take it somewhere else. Go to hell, MTV.

[kinghorse]

In the black corner weighing in at a 190 lbs of indignant anger, Slamming Sharia Law. In the blue corner weighing in at a bloated and visually disgusting 230 lbs, Awful Americana.

I'll take what's behind door number 3, thanks.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

I wasn't shocked, just annoyed at the second-rate singers and lame lyrics. But Justin Timberlake's sarcarstic response is an insult - now I'm angry.

[SoCal Pubbie]

While you're right that the general move to push the envelope plays a role, I think this is a direct move to head off efforts at counter programming like the Lingerie Bowl. The problem is, broadcast TV can never compete with cable and pay per view in terms of racy images, so CBS tries to lower the bar as far as where they can go. Unfortunately, at this rate the Super Bowl XLV halftime show will feature cheerleaders performing live sex acts with that cute little Budweiser donkey.

[Interesting Times]

From the film clip, not only was it a planned event, but CBS knew in advance. They dropped that camera angle in less than half a second. The only way that happens is if a producer is sitting there with his hand on the switch...

[Jaded]

Aside from that one moment, there was the usual "I must grab my crotch every 20 second performance" from Nelly and what Justin and Janet were doing before the unveiling was way past flirtatious.

[ken5050]

Janet Jackson's breasts are as real as her brother's protestations of innocence....

[petitfour]

What folks should do is demand that their cable providers or satellite providers DROP all Viacom channels from their line-up. And then they should drop cable until the provider complies.

We subscribe to the most basic cable you can get. We get CSPAN, our local networks, WGN, and a few other unremarkable channels. We only get these because we occasionally want to watch the news without having to put a wire clothes hanger strategically on the television set. However, we're still getting MTV-type smut. We're cancelling it all.

[new cruelty]

Oh the horror, the horror of the evil female breast... bad breast!!! How dare Americans be exposed to breast.... Tom Robbins wrote a book about a ranch of Lesbians ran by some crazy rich guy.... he thought women's bodies were evil too... bad, bad, women's body...

No kidding. I mean, look at the performers, janet jackson and justin timberlake... what else should one expect? Move along, there is nothing to see. All that happened here was some guy ripping off a woman's breast cup in front of millions of people, many of which are children. And people act like such an act is a bad thing. Sheesh. Shame on them. Reminds me of what Clayton Williams once said -"Bad weather is sort of like rape. As long as it's inevitable, you might as well lie back and enjoy it." Only the act of ripping off someone's clothes and exposing breasts in front of children doesn't really appeal to me. And clayton williams' analogy was way off the mark.

[Bikers4Bush]

Maybe you didn't have kids from 3 to 8 at the Super Bowl party you were at but we had them at ours and they were watching the halftime show.

The second half was spent answering a lot of questions, none about the game.

I hope the FCC goes after them with both barrels.

[FITZ]

But the people who sang at half time are very big with the youth!

My own kids would never be caught dead with a Timberlake CD --- they're more into rock which is fine with me. I think pop music is pretty bad off right now --- worse than ever. My kids actually were watching the Superbowl and looking forward to the half time shows but apparently got bored in the first few minutes --- they didn't have to see this desperate ploy --- they had wandered away from the tv.

[Porterville]

Well we better arrest all the women in Asia and Africa who run around without tops too... oh, horror.... female breast, what will we do??? We must save the children from the breast.... It is for the children... it is always for the children... Reminds me of a Ashcroft moment, when he put a drape over a marble statue.

[Porterville]

Right, the FCC, sure they will.