The Breast Half-Time Show Ever

A half-time extravaganza featuring Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake went awry when Timberlake ripped off the leather cup concealing Jackson's right breast. CBS, MTV, the NFL, and Jackson and Timberlake themselves have publicly apologized for the publicity stunt. The revealing spectacle has attracted the attention of the federal government, who is investigating the show further. Michael Powell, chief of the Federal Communications Commission, promised to find out whether CBS violated decency laws. If this is indeed the case, fines could amount to $27,500 per station, which would mean millions for CBS.

For an alternative perspective, check out the Drudge Report.

Once Jackson finished her dance routine involving Timberlake, it all happened so fast. CBS cut the camera shot quick enough for viewers to question if what they saw was real but not quick enough for the image to escape everyone's memory. "Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the television for a celebration," said Powell in his statement. "Instead, that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt." CBS claimed the action occurred without their explicit consent. Timberlake called the incident a "wardrobe malfunction."

"Hey, man, we love giving you all something to talk about," chuckled Timberlake. On Monday, Jackson offered a statement. "The decision to have a costume reveal at the end of my halftime show performance was made after final rehearsals. MTV was completely unaware of it," she said. "It was not my intention that it go as far as it did. I apologize to anyone offended, including the audience, MTV, CBS and the NFL."

This stunt greatly offended much of the audience, as is the typical reaction with most poorly conceived publicity stunts. The threshold for decency is being tested again. It seems with each appalling image or action seen, society gains a new level of acceptance. From Jackass to the Madonna and Britney Spears kiss, MTV has pushed the envelope on several occasions. CBS has already revoked MTV's status with planning the half-time show in the future.

MTV needs to be confined to cable television. I find their publicity stunts to be corrosive to society's moral decency. The fact that Jackson and Timberlake's incident caused so great a controversy only intensifies the problem. We need to take the word "Publicity" out of "Publicity Stunt. Once our backs are turned on the rich and spoiled and their desperate cries for attention fall on deaf ears, society can progress. Until then, the scum of Hollywood will continue to poorly represent society.