The
Story Of Nipplegate
THE
CLASSIC TALE THAT REVOLUTIONIZED LIVE BROADCAST CENSORSHIP
IN AMERICA DURING SUPERBOWL XXXVIII FEBRUARY 1 2004 Tell
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Nipplegate!
If you missed it, gather around kids.
Here's a little story we call Nipplegate!
During Superbowl XXXVIII on Sunday February 1 2004,
an event involving America's favourite, familial past-time,
that encompasses strategic plays of violence for surpreme
dominance apart from wars, meaning Football or "American
Football", something went awry. Yes, a minor glitch
occured at this symbolic event that every red
blooded
American lives and in some cases dies for! A glitch so minor
that it had a profound impact not only on America's favourite
family past-time but on America at large.
Whether or not you know anything about the Superbowl or football
for that matter, one thing you must know is that Americans
do not joke around with their favourite family past-time.
Of course not! It's tradition! It's tradition to play and
watch football; it's tradition to paint your face the colour
of your favourite team; it's tradition to have vendors selling
you drinks and hot dogs; it's tradition to have a half time
show; it's tradition to have scantily clad cheerleaders; it's
tradition to see who paid for premium commercial spots during
America's favourite family past-time even if it's for erectile
dysfunction. After all, how can you have a family past-time
without a family? It's just tradition! American tradition!
Needless to say, the tradition continues but for some, things
may never be the same because of a stitch in the excessively
priced Superbowl time. Things will not ever remain the same
for some because it is a startling reminder that despite the
changing times, traditional mindblocks retain its stagnating
nature. Yes the more things change, the more they stay the
same. I'm sure some of you are asking, well what do you mean?
Remember when it was mentioned that a half time show was a
part of tradition? Well this is where Nipplegate begins. Superbowl
has seen its fair share of acts during it's half time presentation
and of course to keep up with the times, MTV was placed in
charge of the Superbowl Halftime Performance acts. Of the
series of artists set to perform out of Kid Rock, Nelly and
P Diddy was Janet Jackson and a surprise guest. Well certainly,
Janet Jackson has a reputation for high caliber performances.
We must certainly remember that she is a JACKSON. Oh yes,
a Jackson! Why? Well, you'll see what I mean eventually.
In any case the halftime show kicked off with P Diddy, Nelly,
Kid Rock and then Janet Jackson. The surprise guest appeared
during Janet Jackson's performance. It was Justin Timberlake
singing his hit song, "Rock Your Body". Then something
happened. If you blinked, you probably missed it but ask any
tradition fearing idealist and they will tell you it occured
regardless of whether it was witnessed or not. Simply put,
on cue to Timberlake's song lyric, "I'll have you naked
by the end of this song." Timberlake reaches over Jackson's
costume and rips off a piece revealing Jackson's right breast
containing a nipple shield. Cameras cut away from the scene
within a millisecond of the gesture. Nothing was said about
it in the commentary when the game resumed. In fact there
was more of a commentary about a streaker on the field prior
to the game resuming than the perceived shirade during the
halftime performance but then all hell broke loose hours after
the amped Superbowl event.
A government group called the Federal Communications Commission
aka the FCC had received complaints about viewing Jackson's
breast during this traditional, family event every red blooded
American holds near and dear to their hearts. To this irate,
tax paying, voting populous, it was their constitutional right
to seek retribution for a faction that tainted the very core
of their traditional beliefs. They had questions and wanted
answers immediately. Now the government was already having
issues with its populous over another American past-time,
the war on Terrorism and being an election year, there was
increased pressure looming from the prevailing government
to take some kind of counteractive measure. If they took no
action, the idea of having two strikes against a voting populous
meant millions of strikes against a victory in the forthcoming
election. Clearly, this populous was angry. Kids were watching!
How could something so immoral occur during a family
event? Something like this taints our tradition! How could
another JACKSON get away with something?
In the meantime, Timberlake headed for the backdoor claiming
a "wardrobe malfunction" and scampered from the
caper leaving Jackson to take the heat. This set the stage
for an all out witch hunt or as the FCC would call it -- an
investigation into the millisecond shirade that tainted the
glistening morality of the nation. Now this issue was almost
at the boiling point prior to Nipplegate. Apart from the infamous
Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Madonna kiss on MTV's
Video Music Awards the summer before that went undaunted,
there was also Bono from the band U2's "F Word"
slip just a week prior to the Superbowl. To many, the event
in question, now titled Nipplegate simply put the icing on
the cake. In an attempt to reclaim moral values, the FCC then
postituted Jackson in carrying out this political agenda.
It was a devious tactic to divert the perils of foreign policy
by making an example out of a domestic case. The political
assault would then crossover into Jackson's career and even
evoke other groups to lash out against the ongoing fires that
burned at the stake.
For starters, Jackson was uninvited to the Grammy Awards ceremony
in light of the FCC's decision and like Timberlake, was only
allowed to attend if she publically apologized. In addition,
actress Lena Horne, dropped Jackson from her project where
the songstress was to assume the leading role, playing Horne
herself. MTV outright refused to play any of Jackson's videos
from her new album. Radio stations also followed suit and
stayed clear from Jackson's material. Outside of Jackson's
world, broadcast networks began utilizing 7 second delays
on live broadcasts for fear of being fined for to another
Nipplegate scandal. There began a surgence of claims citing
both gender and ethnic discrimination by many groups. They
questioned things like -- If that were Britney Spears and
Bobby Brown, would the outcome be the same?; Is this a problem
because America got a glimpse as to what an African American's
breast looks like?; Justin is just as responsible as Janet,
afterall, he ripped her costume off didn't he? and on and
on.
Despite the backlash, the government had accomplished its
mission and the populus danced for joy. Just retribution was
saught! Once again morality and tradition were restored at
the cost of the public humiliation and disgrace of an individual.
Afterall, its an American past-time isn't it... a strageic
play of demolition for supreme dominence.
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