FCC Probes Janet's Breasts
 

Janet Jackson's Bare Breast Sparks FCC Probe


Mon February 02, 2004 12:41 PM ET

By Jeremy Pelofsky

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An outraged Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell on Monday ordered an investigation into the broadcast of the Super Bowl's halftime entertainment show, during which singer Janet Jackson's right breast was exposed.

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

"That celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt," Powell said in a statement. "Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better."

Television networks are already on the defensive, with the FCC taking a more aggressive stand against indecency over the airwaves and Congress threatening to sharply raise the fines for such incidents.

Viacom Inc.'s CBS television network, which aired the show, and MTV, which produced the halftime bonanza, apologized for what they described as an unscripted moment.

A spokesman for CBS had no immediate comment on the probe and a Viacom spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

"We attended all rehearsals throughout the week and there was no indication that any such thing would happen," CBS said. "The moment did not conform to CBS broadcast standards and we would like to apologize to anyone who was offended."

Powell promised a "thorough and swift" investigation by the agency's enforcement division. Scores of complaints were coming in to the FCC about Jackson and other portions of the entertainment segment of the game.

When the FCC was bombarded with complaints about the fashion show by lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret that aired on Walt Disney Co.'s ABC broadcast network in 2001, the agency declined to take action because the material was not "so graphic or explicit as to be patently offensive."

CBS picked up the lingerie show after ABC reportedly declined to air the fashion show the following year. As part of a tougher stance against indecency at times when children are likely to be watching, the FCC is considering action against General Electric Co.'s NBC television network for an incident in which U2 rocker Bono said "f---ing brilliant" when accepting an award on a live broadcast.

Federal indecency rules bar the broadcast of obscene material and limit the airing of indecent material that contains sexual or excretory references in a patently offensive manner to late night hours when children are less likely to be watching.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...t&section=news

People care about the strangest stuff... O'Reilly's standin spent about half an hour railing against the halftime show and the commercials. Who would remember it in a week, if there wasn't this tongue-clucking media hooplah?

Totally agree. That's why I'm glad that I didn't really give a damn about the hoopla over the commercials...they've become just spots like any other day as far as I'm concerned, and this whole thing with Janet will turn around, especially if the FCC does this probe thing.

It's absolutely ridiculous that a woman's breast on TV causes an investigation, fines, an uproar, angry letters etc.... Are we fresh off the Mayflower or what?

Why do our children "deserve better"?

Well where do you draw the line then? I don't really have that big of a problem with the boob shot myself, but am getting tired of entertainment becoming more about shock value & how low can you go.

Crap is crap, bad taste is bad taste, does it have to be on every single program, every radio station, every magazine 24/7?

You've got children, where do you draw the line? And even if no children are involved do we need to be bombarded with garbage to be entertained?

You think boobs are garbage? Boy, I sure don't. And my kids see them all the time and will continue to.
As for the other garbage that's on TV, I just don't watch it. Easy enough.

A staged boob shot of a washed up artist strictly for hype during an event that should be suitable watching for the entire family?

Yeah, it was garbage.

Why did the boob make it any less suitable? It was gargage to begin with.

I'm all for shock-value how-low-can-you-go shows on TV. I don't watch them, but hopefully they can pave the way for more uncensored shows and movies outside of the premium channels.

As far as I'm concerned the concept of "bad words" is idiotic. The only reason I'd want to propagate it to kids is to avoid hassle from other parents, not out of some inherent benefit.

Ahh, now we're on the same page. ;-) That's the point I was clumsily trying to make I guess....I thought it was so bad in fact I never saw the boob shot, tuned out long before it got to that point.

Crap is crap, bad taste is bad taste, does it have to be on every single program, every radio station, every magazine 24/7?

Yep. You think anything else sells in this country, anymore? People eat this shit up no matter how much entertainment you feed them that contains no plot or substance.

OK, so I didn't intend to come off as such a prude here. I just think that as a society we are losing any sense of decency, and that the people who choose to should at the very least be able to watch the few broadcast stations without being submitted to soft core porn and excessive violence.

And (where it is appropriate) hooray for boobies! In honor of my 100'th post in this odd place, I'd be happy to review any amateur submissions.

OK, so I didn't intend to come off as such a prude here. I just think that as a society we are losing any sense of decency, and that the people who choose to should at the very least be able to watch the few broadcast stations without being submitted to soft core porn and excessive violence.

Nah -- you don't come off as a prude.

I don't think we're losing our sense of decency, I think that the entertainment industry is both out of ideas and grabbing at whatever they can to make money. Not surprisingly, this is the kind of stuff that sells.

When was the last time anything other than softcore porn or excessive violence got this much attention in online forums and at the office watercooler? These messages are proof enough that the industry has found what works -- "the boob" is now more of a celebrity than the person it is attached to.

That still doesn't stop me from being irritated about what is on the television and airwaves, though. I wouldn't mind seeing writers actually use their heads to provide something entertaining. I haven't flipped on the television, lately, (except for the superbowl) because I got tired of the fact that the most popular show for awhile was about people eating bugs.

Personally, all the hype that goes along with the Super Bowl and those damned commericals is garbage to me.

*I shouldn't go there..*

Janet is hardly washed up.

When was the Superbowl?

You folks shock me! You don't remember the government study comissioned by congress back in 1997? It was covered on 20/20. Basically the study showed that even the briefest exposure to off-colour langauge would cause children under the age of 7 to burst into flame!

Seriously, they need to hammer ethics into the kids today more than anything, but that's a dirty word as well.

I don't see anything about nudity.:)

The fuss over nudity is to distract us from the real immorality...violence, crime, homelessness, drug addiction and other *real* problems.

NSFW
That being said , the whole nipple HooHaa was staged , it had to be . she was wearing a nipple shield ,

See ,

the last was a close up , here is a wider view .

By the way, ladysycamore, I appreciate the topic sentence you composed for this thread.

It didn't have to be staged at all...some people do things to their body that are for certain eyes only.

like your Prince Albert :eek:

And you know this how?

They seem to be still singing.

Particularly photo #3 appears to indicate a total lack of concern over the bareness of the breast ... and a rather proud outthrusting thereof, IMHO.

Ok. Next question. Fake or real? It seems a bit perky to be real. On the other hand the outfit is providing some support.

Hmmmm.

WHO FUCKING CARES?

You'd think nobody ever saw an adult human female breast before. I mean it's not like they were engaged in a sex act. Yet people talk about this like it's the end of Western Civilization as we know it.

OK. Maybe some of those uptight dudes in Congress haven't seen one. My mistake.

It's all part of the New Prude political movement, which claims that society is collapsing and kids these days are no good, thanks to these evil secularists.

What we need is more graphic violence and other antisocial acts portrayed on TV so that we can turn our kids into good little desensitized killing machines. Sex distracts them from their true divine purpose...killing in the name of God and Country (tm).

Most men. Well maybe they don't care deeply about this particular breast. But the female breast will be interesting as long as there are men around to appreciate them.

Yeah, but think of the safety issues. She might have put out that guy's eye.

Sure, nudity's all fun and games until somebody loses an eye. :whofart:

And the beat goes on.:haha:

Holy shit...is that the Diceman?!

No, Rob Schnider (sp).

He did that schtick on Leno earlier this week.

from bad to worse...
 

:haha:

Funny...I didn't see so much concern over Eminem's blatent and deliberate using of violence to sell his records...well hot damn, he even got awards for it!!!!!! Now he's supposed to be the best thing since the discovery of fire. Misogyny and gay bashing rules now!!!!..*tsk* :rolleyes:

And I have a feeling that other nations are just laughing their asses off at the US right about now..."Silly Americans...our children see breasts everyday, and they're just fine!" :D

Anyway, the latest fallout from ETOnline:
http://et.tv.yahoo.com/newslink/index.html#l2

MTV LOSES GIG
February 5, 2004

An Orange County, CA, high school has reportedly pulled out of a deal they had with MTV to film a reality show there. Parents angry over JANET JACKSON's breast-baring during the Super Bowl halftime show prompted the Laguna Beach Unified School District board to forbid MTV from filming students on school grounds. The show would have given the district as much as $40,000, plus royalties, for college scholarships.

Justin Breaks His Silence
February 4, 2004

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE told KCBS TV he wanted to get something off his chest about the Super Bowl halftime controversy --and did he ever. Reporter MARK COOGAN caught up with Timberlake as he was leaving the rehearsals for this Sunday's upcoming Grammy® Awards and he launched into a heartfelt speech, saying, "I do understand how unfortunate this is. I do understand that there were a lot of people that were completely offended by what happened, including my family." Timberlake reveals he had been on tour when the request for him to do the Super Bowl came. He says he initially turned down the gig, but accepted when he got a personal call from JANET JACKSON. Because he was busy in Spain, Timberlake says he couldn't attend most of the halftime rehearsals. He had one day's notice of Janet's plan to do a "costume reveal" and says he was under the impression that the move would only expose a red bustier. "When what happened happened," says Justin, "I was shocked and appalled. I was completely embarrassed." As for CBS' decision to add a video delay to the Grammys, Justin says, "It's a great idea."

Janet Out of the Grammys
February 4, 2004

ET is breaking news that JANET JACKSON will not be attending this Sunday's Grammy® Awards after all. Sources tell ET that Miss Jackson was scheduled to present the tribute to LUTHER VANDROSS, but since Luther is unable to attend the event due to his health, Jackson has been told her services are no longer needed. Vandross' publicist tells ET he was unaware that Jackson was going to have any part in introducing the homage to the R&B singer. Vandross is nominated for five awards for his album Dance With My Father, but suffered a severe stroke in April and is still in a wheelchair. Jackson's withdrawal comes after an emotional videotaped apology released Wednesday in which she admitted that she alone decided to do the ill-fated reveal at last Sunday's Super Bowl halftime. So far, Jackson's representatives have had no comment. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, who was onstage with Jackson during the performance, is currently still scheduled to perform at the 46th annual Grammy Awards, airing on CBS.

NFL's Pro-Bowl Singing a Different Tune
February 4, 2004

Repercussions from JANET JACKSON's "wardrobe malfunction" and other elements of the Super Bowl show are being felt across the Pacific. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE's *NSYNC bandmate JC CHASEZ's halftime performance at Sunday's Pro-Bowl in Honolulu has been cancelled. In response, Chasez released the following statement: "No one could be more disappointed than I that the NFL has cancelled my halftime performance at the Pro Bowl this coming Sunday. I've told the NFL I understand the pressure that they are under since the Super Bowl." Instead, fans watching the game, which airs live on ESPN, will get to see Chasez sing the National Anthem, and will then be treated to a halftime spectacle of 1,000 dancers, 200 hula girls (presumably with tops on), drummers, two famous Hawaiian singers and the sounds of conch shells. A spokesperson says the show will celebrate the 25 years of the NFL Pro-Bowl in Hawaii. The NFL commissioner says the move is the first example of a policy change. Meanwhile, next week, the Federal Communications Commission is expected to call all parties to Washington D.C. for hearings on the halftime incident. CBS is also continuing its own internal investigation. A source tells ET the network has already reviewed all the tapes shot during Janet and Justin's rehearsals.


Sometimes, this is the saddest nation... :rar:

Summary of Justin's statement: "It wasn't my fault. I wasn't even there. I just did what I was told."

Smart boy, trying to distance himself from the debacle.

Achtung! When you put it that way, it sound eerily familiar.

What irks me is that modern "apologies" never seem to include any acceptance of responsibility by the miscreant. People apologize willy-nilly for the results of their actions, but not for their role in making the actions happen.

If Justin had said "Yeah, I meant to do that. Nice one, wasn't it?", I'd at least give him some cool points for candor.

You know, I have been wondering if there's been any increase in the sales of nipple jewelry as a result of this whole fiasco.

As for that high school... what idiots. Have these people ever SEEN an MTV reality show? I mean come on. Talk about shutting the barn after the horses have left.

Many talk shows have been displaying and explaining nipple shields.

I was momentarily fearful that Star Jones on The View was going to put hers on ...

Ahhh, the things that I miss locked away here in my TV-less office all day.

No one seems to have an issue with subjecting their children to four hours of violence, however.

Maybe we'd all be in a lot better place if we were more concerned over violence and less worried about a little bit of skin.

Deep n Chilled

I don't understand the whole kid thing. A great many of them SUCK ON A TIT for the first year of their life. Tits are made for kids. So what's the problem?

Artificial hangups are stupid.

Well, if Timberlake really was set up, he shouldn't apologize for his actions, because he did nothing wrong.

Me, I think he's lying like a rug, but that's a different matter.

Right russ, I'm having trouble with "I'm a star, my career is doing well, I don't want to be involved with this sleeze. :rolleyes:

Lack of personal responsibility is the hallmark of our American society these days. *Everyone* is a fucking victim. It makes me want to puke.

This is one of the main reasons I'm Wiccan. I'm not allowed to blame anyone else because I was stupid and fucked up. Helps to make one learn faster.

:) Know you have probably heard this one, but, it is from the strange things that happen to doctors and I can't resist.
"The doctor was doing an exam on an elderly lady who was partially deaf. Take BIG BREATHS he said as he put the scope to her chest - she looked up at him and smiled, Yes she said they used to be!"

Wonder if that will ever happen to Janet?