Several Days Late to the (Super Bowl) Party

1.It’s rare when the public is up in arms for seeing brief nipple. Usually it’s a reason to celebrate. My entire teen years were spent trying to see as many naked boobies as possible.

2. How many people actually SAW it? I blinked, and it was gone. I only put 2 and 2 together the next day when TV news teased a controversy about the halftime show. Then I literally said, “Ah ha!”

3. There was a streaker who appeared right after the infamous halftime performance. I bet he (they’re usually male, aren’t they? Makes me so proud!) feels slighted for not being mentioned in stories about Janet “Flashdance” Jackson.

4. Just what is a wardrobe malfunction? I thought that would be when Batman’s utility belt rendered him sterile. I’m so glad my clothing isn’t so complex.

5. There never was a consensus on the proper name for the scandal. Jacksongate sounds like it’s about Michael. Boobygate, Nipplegate, Tittygate, Rippedcostumegate, Nobragate, Bozongagate – they’re all too obvious and won’t fit easily in a headline. None trip smoothly off the tongue, either.

6. Former Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (who broke the Watergate scandal) are reportedly reuniting to try to uncover the truth about the scandal. They want to get a closer look at the issue, and are sure to write a stunning exposé about their findings. Their plan of attack includes lifting and separating fact from fiction. They promise to keep us abreast.

7. Why two people who allegedly have talent would do such a thing is beyond me. I’m not a fan of Justin Timberlake or Jackson, but they’ve proven themselves in music circles. They’ve unfortunately been rewarded for the stunt, despite Jackson’s misty-eyed videotaped apology. Notoriety is expensive; they’ve paid the price and will reap the benefits.

8. At issue seems to be the slippery slope caused by stupid live stunts such as this. Madonna and Britney kiss. After a soft-core porn dance number, Timberlake rips off part of Jackson’s costume and wah-lah! Why are we surprised? And what’s next? The Grammys will have a brief tape-delay during the broadcast so they can censor anybody's opened packages, nipular infractions and unseemly utterances.

9. I think if nobody said anything about the incident, it would have gone away. See No. 2. It didn’t become an issue until it was shown again and again on the news, until my local daily paper (and others across the country I’m sure) made a huge deal about it. There it was, huge on the front page! With before and after photos!

10. This sort of behavior should be relegated to Girls Gone Wild videos and infomercials (which, by the way, appear on some broadcast stations late at night). This way we know when and where to expect it.

While in the scheme of things it’s not a big deal, it kind of is a big deal – much bigger than the occasional curse word that pops up in other live broadcasts. We’ve got to have standards for TV, because art reflects life and sets examples for the youngest members of our culture. Sad fact, true, but it’s reality. Is this what we want to be known for? Is this really who we are? No and no. It’s that same culture that blew the incident out of proportion and made it an even bigger deal. It surrounds us, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it.