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Dean Calls FCC Probe of Breast Incident 'Silly'
Reuters News Service ^ | Feb. 2, 2004 | Reuters

Posted on 02/02/2004 6:01:05 PM PST by Rennes Templar

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Sometimes a breast is just a breast. Howard Dean, a physician and a Democratic presidential candidate, on Monday dismissed as "silly" a government inquiry into whether indecency rules were broken during the broadcast of the Super Bowl halftime show when pop diva Janet Jackson's bodice was ripped to expose her right breast.

"I find that to be a bit of a flap about nothing," the former Vermont governor said. "I'm probably affected in some ways by the fact that I'm a doctor, so it's not exactly an unusual phenomenon for me."

During the break in the National Football League's championship game, singer Justin Timberlake reached for Jackson as they sang a duet and tore off part of her black leather bustier.

Federal Communications Commission chairman Michael Powell promised a "thorough and swift" investigation of the stunt aired during one of the most popular American television broadcasts, which also attracts a major worldwide audience.

"In general, I think the FCC does have a role in promoting some reasonable standard of decency," Dean told reporters aboard his campaign plane. "However, considering what's on television these days, I think the FCC is being pretty silly about investigating this."

Dean, who does not have cable television at his home in Burlington, Vermont, said Americans could inadvertently turn on "far worse things" while "cruising through cable at regular viewing hours."

"I don't find it terribly shocking relative to some of the things you can find on standard cable television," he added. "I think the FCC probably has a lot of other things they should be pursuing."

The CBS broadcast prompted widespread outrage and the FCC launched its inquiry after receiving complaints from the public.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bds; boycott; boycottviacom; broadcastnotcable; broadcastrules; culturewar; disrespectheflag; fcc; fccregulation; finethem; goingtonewhampshire; goingtosouthcarolina; hedonists; howarddean; liberals; libertines; mtv; nipplegate; outoftouch; seebs; stripshow; superbowl; technologygap; unamerican; viacom; yeeaaahhhhhhhh
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To: Baynative
I was thinking the same thing.Actually,Jesse would have a legit point if he protested this charade.Timberlake publically humliated and degraded a black woman and in the most shameful and arrogant manner.It looked like the whole scene could have come out of the Seventies exploitation movie Mandingo!
If I was a black male,I think I would have said,"What the ****"!?
121 posted on 02/02/2004 8:46:08 PM PST by Riverman94610
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To: Rennes Templar
I'm probably affected in some ways by the fact that I'm a doctor...

Leave the docs out of this Dean. The reason has more to do with you being a slimy Rat politician.

122 posted on 02/02/2004 8:47:30 PM PST by Plutarch
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To: ambrose
"I don't find it terribly shocking relative to some of the things you can find on standard cable television," he added. "I think the FCC probably has a lot of other things they should be pursuing." This isn't cable TV its broacast TV, and you don't expect to see a half naked woman during a football game.
123 posted on 02/02/2004 8:51:36 PM PST by JimDingle (Give Dingle a Jingle)
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To: JoJo Gunn
Problem is, people are addicted to it.
124 posted on 02/02/2004 9:24:45 PM PST by Rennes Templar
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To: LisaMalia
"I actually had a poster on another thread tell me that kids had no business watching a football game in the first place."

O.K., name some names. I have to know, LOL! What poor freeper has not ever had a chance of taking a kid to a ball game?

125 posted on 02/02/2004 10:35:01 PM PST by hope (John French Kerry: International global elite's choice.)
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To: DeFault User
Boob pandering for attention:


126 posted on 02/02/2004 11:36:35 PM PST by weegee
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To: EternalVigilance
"I find that to be a bit of a flap about nothing," the former Vermont governor said. "I'm probably affected in some ways by the fact that I'm the Doctor of Love, so it's not exactly an unusual phenomenon for me."

Now that's funny!

127 posted on 02/03/2004 1:44:15 AM PST by NYCVirago
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To: feedback doctor
In 5, 10, or 15 years when (if) Janet Jackson is mentioned, it won't be for her songs, it will be this. And who will be able to even recall what songs she did.

Heck, I can't recall any of the songs she did *now*, other than to note that she seemed to have started the trend of no melodies in songs!

128 posted on 02/03/2004 1:46:17 AM PST by NYCVirago
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To: Rennes Templar
"I find that to be a bit of a flap about nothing," the former Vermont governor said. "I'm probably affected in some ways by the fact that I'm a doctor, so it's not exactly an unusual phenomenon for me."

He tears clothes off of women normally?

129 posted on 02/03/2004 1:48:55 AM PST by HitmanLV (I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed or numbered. My life is my own.)
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To: ambrose
The free market, and not Washington bureaucrats, should decide what is and is not "acceptable".

There are things called rules and regulations and broadcast standards. Any station with an FCC granted license is told to "play by the rules".

Your logic suggests that since you have a drivers license you have a right to not follow the rules of the road.

Cable by and large is exempt from broadcast standards, since the rules are differnt for "over the air/rabbit ear" broadcast networks and hardwired cable networks. Broadcast stations are supported financially through local advertising, and the last thing they want to do is offend their advertisers. Cable stations to some extent follow the broadcast network model to a certain degree, knowing that children may be tuned in to their station. Stations like HBO and Showtime are completely exempt, because it's assumed the parent pays the bill and expects foul language from unedited theatrical movies. In the case of FX, they're available in many areas on the higher priced digital tier packages, and again, the parents decide if they want 200 more channels to expose their kids to.

130 posted on 02/03/2004 2:15:39 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: Dan from Michigan
but I also don't support the FCC getting involved in content regulation.

Neither do I, but are you suggesting the police aren't supposed to get involved when it's clear your in violation of the law? The FCC enforces the broadcast standards, and stations and broadcast networks licensed by the FCC are expected to follow those standards.

It's the job of the FCC to police the airwaves, just like it's the law enforcements job to police the road.

Don't like that concept? Too bad.

131 posted on 02/03/2004 2:25:25 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: BigSkyFreeper
See, that's what I find amusing. People want Big Brother to do their parenting for them.

The FCC has long since outlived its usefulness. Time to shut it down.
132 posted on 02/03/2004 2:49:54 AM PST by ambrose ("Only The Toes Know...")
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To: ambrose
The FCC is more than just a government agency who's sole purpose of existance is policing TV and Radio stations. Goes well beyond that.
133 posted on 02/03/2004 3:07:05 AM PST by BigSkyFreeper (All Our Base Are Belong To Dubya)
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To: weegee
Excellent.
134 posted on 02/03/2004 4:43:28 AM PST by DeFault User
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To: ambrose
I asked you earlier and maybe you didn't see it. There are laws in place over this kind of programming. Wouldn’t this just be enforcing them?

Do you advocate anything goes at anytime on television? Are you saying these laws are wrong? Then do something to change them. However, right now these laws are in place and they broke them. Because someone feels a law is wrong doesn’t give them an excuse to break the law. There are parental advisories and ratings due to these laws. The laws are not very strict. Look at the garbage allowed. The big brother excuse is just a convenient way to accept this type of behavior. They should face consequences for breaking the law, like anyone else would when they break a law.
135 posted on 02/03/2004 4:56:30 AM PST by GodBlessUSA
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To: weegee
LOL!
136 posted on 02/03/2004 4:56:48 AM PST by GodBlessUSA
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To: hope
This is the thread, the posts I was referring to are toward the latter part of the threads.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1069784/posts?q=1&&page=151

137 posted on 02/03/2004 6:49:20 AM PST by LisaMalia (Buckeye Fan since birth!!)
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To: Rennes Templar
As a mom, I can block most inappropriate shows or channels. But how was I supposed to know I neede to censor the Superbowl?
138 posted on 02/03/2004 7:13:41 AM PST by keats5 (And don't you dare correct my spelling!)
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