The SuperBowl Controversy

I try to tie in each posting with GT, so did you know that the GT Band played at SUPERBOWL XXXIV??

Hey, speaking of the SuperBowl, did anyone catch the halftime show? Apparently I missed a very special performance by Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. At the end of the performance, evidently Timberlake rips off part of Jackson's top, exposing one breast, which only has some type of metal nipple-clamp of a star on it.

I was listening to Jim Rome as I went to pick up some lunch and bring it back to the office. Rome had me cracking up. Evidently CBS and the NFL are pissed at MTV for what happened, saying that was not part of the rehearsal. He said that Timberlake has come out and apologized for the "costume malfunction". Then he went on a 5-minute rant terring apart Jackson / Timberlake and CBS. I wanted to paraphrase some of his comments:

On Timberlake's apology: "Hey Lake, give me a break. You apologize for the "costume malfunction"? That was no accident. You got upstaged by you ex-gal lip-locking with your grandmother Madonna and you wanted to do better."

On the "costume malfunction": "If that was a malfunction, then why we she wearing a fricking star on her can? Either that is a bald-faced lie, or she just likes to wear stars, in which case she is just a wierd freak. But not like we didn't know that already".

On Janet: "Hey Janet. Did you know the 80's are over? It's about time you came up with a few new moves. Looks like she stole all her moves from brother Wacko."

On the Jacksons: "Hey, memo to ALL the Jacko's - Wacko Jacko, Janet Jacko, Tito Jacko, Marlon Jacko. I think you all need lock yourselves up in the neverland ranch for eternity and just ride on the trolly the rest of your lives, looking at each other and doing things like ripping McCauley Caulkin's shirt off. There used to be a simpler time, when Wacko was black, when Wacko was a dude, when Janet and Wacko looked different, when that other sister who posed for Playboy was not known. Do us all a favor and lock yourselves up in Neverland, because we are tired of seeing your freaky grills.".

On CBS / NFL: "Don't try to pull this "we're upset at MTV" crap. What did you expect when you asked MTV to produce the show? You got porn. You got Janet / Lake porn, you got guys rapping and grabbing their cranks in front of the whole world, you got guys rapping about porno flicks, stippers and doing chicks". You got EXACTLY what you asked for. Why is MTV's award show so popular? Because of all the unexpected things that happen - dropping F-bombs, people getting drunk, people exposing themselves. I have no sympathy for you whatsover. You got exactly what you wanted. Now, I'm no prude, but I can understand families sitting their with their underage children all of the sudden exposed to porn - so what are they supposed to think?"

My own thoughts are the same as Rome's. I caught the Kid Rock performance and thought it was not inline with a family theme. Hey, I like some of Kid Rock's stuff, but it is NOT appropriate for children and it is not appriate for the Superbowl and a global audience. Is this really the best America has to offer? The Janet thing was just plain ridiculous. CBS/NFL/MTV/JanetJackson/Timberlake - they should all be ashamed. But that is what the world is coming to - we had to see Madonna / Britney kiss at least 10,000 times after it happened. We'll be seeing this one plenty of times too.

I did a piece last week on morals / ethics in sports, highlighting some of the problems in collegiate athletics. More like a sociatal problem. We have forgotten about right/wrong and standards. Bottom line is that some things are just not appropriate for children and some things are plain just not appropriate. Having a 2-year old daughter gives me a fresh appreciation of what kids are exposed to and how much tougher it will be compared to 10-20+ years ago. Agree or disagree, it is a sad world sometimes.