Free Republic

The other day, Sen. Zell Miller, the Right's favorite Democrat, gave a compelling speech in which he lamented the "deficit of decency" in America and pondered ways by which we might regain our moral bearings. During the speech he noted the many attacks on morality by the "Culture of Far Left America" and an out-of-control federal judiciary, remarking that it's happening in a number of areas "whether it is removing a display of the Ten Commandments from a Courthouse or the Nativity Scene from a city square" or "eliminating prayer in schools or eliminating 'under God' in the Pledge of...

Most of us are well aware of what happened during halftime of the Super Bowl. The Federal Communications Commission is investigating, CBS is apologizing, and advertisers are asking for refunds. After the halftime display, shock and dismay circled the globe. Well, not really shock. The real surprise was that it wasn't that shocking. Did anyone really expect to have Janet Jackson, who resembles her brother Michael circa 1987, only more masculine and without the Cub Scout entourage, on stage, and not expect something controversial? Who would possibly think that P. Diddy, Puff Doodle, Pop Cheeto – or whatever he calls...

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Terri Carlin wants to make Janet Jackson's bare breast into a federal case. Carlin filed a proposed class action lawsuit in U.S. District Court this week against Jackson, singer Justin Timberlake, broadcasters MTV and CBS and their parent company, Viacom. Carlin alleges in the Feb. 4 suit that she and others who watched the halftime show during the Super Bowl were injured by the performers' lewd actions when Timberlake ripped off part of Jackson's costume, exposing her breast. In the lawsuit, Carlin charges that the exposure and "sexually explicit conduct" by other performers during the show injured...

As Kid Rock finished screaming his part of the Super Bowl halftime show last Sunday evening and the camera faded away, he took the American flag that he had cut in the center and draped over himself like a poncho, and flung it to his drummer who dropped it on the ground where it stayed during the rest of the show. I thought about that this week and about how the whole fiasco was symbolic of where much of American popular entertainment is today. Except it's not lying on the floor, but rather lying in the gutter. The whole halftime...

To: All Viacom Employees From: Mel Karmazin Date: February 03, 2004 RE: Super Bowl Half Time Show As you know, the incident during the Super Bowl's Half Time Show on Sunday has received a significant amount of attention both in the media and in Washington, D.C. Because of the speculation and misinformation about what transpired, I want to update you on the facts and also on what we are doing to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. First let me say that everyone at Viacom, CBS and MTV was shocked and embarrassed about what transpired at the end...

The chief federal regulator of broadcasting said Monday he is "outraged" by the Super Bowl halftime show which wound up with singer Justin Timberlake tearing off part of Janet Jackson's costume, exposing her breast. Timberlake blamed a "wardrobe malfunction," but Federal Communications Commission chief Michael Powell called it "a classless, crass and deplorable stunt." MTV, which produced the show, and CBS, which broadcast it, both said they had no idea that their halftime show Sunday night would include such a display. "CBS deeply regrets the incident," spokeswoman LeslieAnne Wade said. The two singers were performing a flirtatious duet to end...

The Federal Communications Commission will investigate CBS's sleazy halftime show, Chairman Michael Powell said today. "I am outraged at what I saw during the halftime show of the Super Bowl. Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the television for a celebration. Instead, that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt. Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better," Powell stated. "I have instructed the commission to open an immediate investigation into last night's broadcast," he said. A spokesman had earlier merely said the agency was launching a routine investigation because it had received...

From the Its All a Matter of Perspective Department Exhibit I: Ohio State Cheerleader Tara Zinslen on kicking a 20 yard field goal at halftime during the National Championship game last Friday night:It brought at least a moment of respect for both [women and cheerleaders]... We (the women) had a lot of pressure on us, especially being cheerleaders and girls," Zinslen said. "But that kick kind of sealed it: We are athletes, too Exhibit II: ESPN.com's Brian Murphy:Did any of you see the halftime promotion at the Fiesta Bowl? It featured cheerleaders from Miami and Ohio State, trying to kick...