FCC keeps abreast of booby
2004-02-03 12:59
Texas - America was agog and outraged on Monday after watching Justin Timberlake rip the bodice off Janet Jackson to reveal a breast during the country's most watched television event.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the main government media watchdog, launched an inquiry to see whether the display of flesh by Michael Jackson's little sister breached government indecency guidelines.
After 24 hours of mounting public and official outrage and the antics, Jackson on Monday apologised for the incident, saying it had not been planned until after rehearsals had taken place and that it had gone too far.
"The decision to have a costume reveal at the end of my half-time show performance was made after final rehearsals," Jackson said in a statement. "MTV was completely unaware of it.
"It was not my intention that it go as far as it did. I apologise to anyone offended, including the audience, MTV, CBS, and the NFL (National Football League)."
Jackson's spokesperson Stephen Huvane was quoted by CNN as saying the incident "was a malfunction of the wardrobe. It was not intentional. ... He was supposed to pull away the bustier and leave the red-lace bra."
Amid interminable television re-runs of the bustier being wrenched off and speculation over whether or not it was an intentional stunt, Timberlake and the show producers also apologised and insisted it was an innocent "wardrobe malfunction."
But FCC chairperson Michael Powell said he had been "outraged" by events during the half-time show of American football's Super Bowl at Houston, which was watched by more than 100 million people.
"Like millions of Americans, my family and I gathered around the television for a celebration. Instead that celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt," Powell said in a statement.
Powell said he had ordered a "thorough and swift" investigation.
President George W Bush turned off his television just before Jackson flashed her breast. But White House spokesperson Scott McClellan told reporters: "I think our view is that it's important for families to be able to expect a high standard when it comes to programming."
Instead conservative America got a surprising eyeful.
Activist groups were quick to complain. Jan LaRue, chief counsel for the conservative Concerned Women for America, called it a "pornographic show".
She accused the FCC of being too lax in enforcing indecency laws and blamed the National Football League, which organises the Super Bowl, "for approving a pornographic halftime show produced by MTV that was totally consistent with MTV's pornography that they produce all of the time.
The American Family Association also said it was sure the Jackson-Timberlake display was deliberate.
- SAPA