And now to the important news - "wardrobe malfunction".
NFL: No Place for Titillation on Super Bowl Menu
NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue promised a change in league policies Monday to avoid a repeat of a controversial halftime Super Bowl performance that included entertainer Justin Timberlake tearing a piece off Janet Jackson's black leather bustier, exposing her right breast to a worldwide television audience estimated to include over 100 million viewers.
The performance has also prompted an investigation by the Federal Communications Commission.
Speaking this morning at a news conference to present the most valuable player award to New England quarterback Tom Brady, a visibly displeased Tagliabue veered from his normal remarks in such settings and said, "I'm only going to say one thing. We will change our policies, our people and our processes before the next Super Bowl to ensure that that entertainment is far more effectively dealt with and is of far more appropriate quality for the Super Bowl game. And I'm sure I'll have more opportunities to talk about that."
Tagliabue did not take any questions on the subject, but Joe Browne, the NFL's vice president of communications and government affairs, said in an interview that the league had discussed its concerns with MTV, which produced the show, and that the show be family friendly. MTV and CBS, which aired the Patriots 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII, are under the same Viacomm corporate umbrella.
"We expressed our concerns to MTV all during the preparations for the game and we had assurances that the entertainment would be appropriate to all aspects of our audience," Browne said. "We are extremely disappointed and feel consistently let down in that we believe the show was inappropriate for our audience and embarrassing to us and to our fans."
Asked if he felt Timberlake's actions were deliberate, Browne said, "I hope not. I don't want to be naïve, but I hope he did not speak to them about doing it."
FCC Chief Michael Powell, the agency's chief federal regulator, said he was outraged by what he saw at intermission and said there would be "an immediate investigation into last night's broadcast.
"I'm outraged by what I saw during the halftime show of the Super Bowl," he said in a statement issued Monday. "Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the TV for the celebration. Instead, that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt. Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better."
The NFL has been particularly sensitive toward any issues that might appear to be demeaning to women. Over the years, a small number of players have been involved in incidents involving the solicitation of prostitutes, as well as faced charges of spousal or domestic abuse.
Much of the 12-minute halftime show clearly was sexually provocative. During Jackson's number, Cabaret dancers were dressed in red underwear below the waist. Choreography included plenty of bumps and grinds and occasional crotch grabbing. Kid Rock's songs referred to hookers, methadone clinics and beer commercials and Timberlake's song was entitled "Rock Your Body," with lyrics that included "I'll have you naked by the end of this song."
MTV Choreographer Gil Duldulao had been quoted on the MTV network's Web site several days ago saying that Jackson is "more stylized, she's more feminine, she's more a woman as she dances this time around. There are some shocking moments in there too."
But the NFL's Browne said the league had not been made aware of anything out of the ordinary in the show.
"We were asked very early in the planning stages by CBS officials to give some serious consideration to have MTV produce the [halftime] show," Browne said. "At this point, I'm not sure it was a wise decision."
Asked if the league was contemplating a lawsuit, he said "no, it's nothing we would institute."
CBS Sports officials also said they were incensed by the halftime show and issued a statement during the game apologizing to viewers. A CBS source said on Monday the network had no idea it was going to happen and that there was never any choreography during the rehearsals last week that even hinted Timberlake would get that close to Jackson to pull at her top.
"We feel like we were duped by the whole thing," the source said, "Could it have been an accident? Who knows? MTV says they didn't know anything about it either. The only people who would were Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake."
Timberlake issued a statement Sunday night saying "I am sorry anyone was offended by the wardrobe malfunction during the halftime performance of the Super Bowl. It was not intentional and was regrettable." Jackson did not offer an official statement, but her representatives told MTV she apologized for the incident.
On its Web site Monday, MTV said "the tearing of Janet Jackson's costume was unrehearsed, unplanned and completely unintentional and was inconsistent with the assurances we had of the content of the performances. MTV regrets this incident occurred and we apologize to anyone who was offended by it."
But the network also wrote in one Web story that appeared on its site Sunday around midnight that Janet Jackson "got nasty" on the MTV produced Super Bowl halftime show. "Jaws across the country hit the carpet at exactly the same time," the story read. "You know what we're talking about, Justin Timberlake and a kinky finale that rocked the Super Bowl to its core."
Asked about the incident Monday morning, Patriot quarterback Tom Brady said he hadn't seen a replay of the halftime show. "I heard about it," he said. "I wish I could have seen it. Maybe I'll get that on replay."
In another embarrassing incident, the Super Bowl had its first streaker Sunday night -- Mark Francis Roberts, 39, of Liverpool, England, who appeared on the field wearing an athletic supporter just before the start of the second half. He was knocked to the turf by Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham and taken into custody.
Roberts has done this before, as a paid employee of an Internet gambling Web site. The Houston Chronicle reported that a spokesman for GoldenPalace.com confirmed the company had sponsored the stunt, and Roberts had the name of the company written on his torso.
League officials were clearly embarrassed by the lapse of security that allowed him to get on the field. He apparently bought a ticket to the game and dressed as a referee to gain access to the field. He stripped the uniform off as both teams were preparing for the third quarter kickoff.
"It was a lapse of security," Browne said. "You have to remember he made it through all out outside security and in the building process. It's difficult with 70,000 people in the stadium and as at any event to prevent one person from racing onto the field."
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