Janet Jackson / America

[JakeB]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 12:03pm

Here in the UK we've heard very little about the whole Janet Jackson thing, it was a fairly big story in the trashy papers but other than that, it wasn't really that big a deal (I've read stacks more about it here on BWW). Since it happened I've been puzzled to death as to why America has gone Janet-crazy over something so ridiculous, so I wondered whether you could explain.

Maybe it's because we're such an un-PC country; male and female nudity are allowed on free-view channels, and f*** is allowed after 9 o'clock I believe, but this whole Janet Jackson incident has blown way out of proportion. Why couldn't it just be case of 'it happened, let's forget it'? I don't believe that this has dragged on and on and resulted in Grammy bans, time-delays.. can Americans really not cope with seeing a little bit of breast? Are children going to be corrupted by this forever more? No! It's a human body.

In addition to this - why have MTV been told their services are no longer required in making the Superbowl halftime show? So what if it was a planned publicity stunt.. is anyone really 'offended' by this?

So please - what's the problem here?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 12:13pm

I think the problem is not the nudity, but the effect it has on people watching, especially children. When you analyze the sequence, a young man rips the shirt off a woman, it's not an idea that you want to present to the young children that were watching. Children tend to imitate things they see on tv; I can't help but think of the poor kid who was put in jail because he killed a baby girl by practicing wrestling moves on her that he had learned on tv. Sometimes children can't distinguish between what is on tv and what is reality. To me, that is the sad part about this story.

[JakeB]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 1:38pm

I see your point entirely, but surely the whole sex culture is selling bad vibes to kids anyway? In fact, the whole sex culture is kinda spurred on by Justin Timberlake - grabbing Kylie's ass, etc. But I think by making a big deal about it, it's drawing more attention to it. Just a quick cover up would have been enough..

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 2:23pm

I agree that the media has exploited the incident. But the media is in business to sell news and part of their job is to generate circumstances that sell news. Here in NYC we have a public access station that shows programs which include complete nudity. It's been on for years and the escort commercials they show leave nothing to the imagination.

The other point I feel that raises ire among viewers is that there was no forewarning. Americans want the choice of what we do and do not want to see. I think Americans feel uneasy when their choice is taken away.

[JakeB]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 5:02pm

Whilst reading into this whole Janet Jackson thing I found out that thousands of people complain when celebrities swear unannounced. Again, if you make a big deal of the fact that they swore, it increases the taboo. If you sit there like that crazy lady who cancelled her AOL subscription and bathe your children's ears in holy water then they're going to realise that the person did wrong.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 5:12pm

I have seen some freaky weird stuff going on on that MNN public access channel.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 6:05pm

Well, perhaps it has more to do with the fact that she's an ageing popstar with a circus side show for a family that is about to release a long-awaited new album and therefore is trying to insure that she's in the press,papers and covers of every magazine on the planet every minute of the day, mere seconds before her album drops. Hmmm, just my personal opinion. As for her showing her breast on t.v being able to corrupt a minor, well, then they should ban all day time soap operas immediately.

[GottaGimmick]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 7:07pm

I don't know what the big deal about it is either... I have always loved Janet Jackson though...

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 2/7/04 at 9:34pm

I agree with Gothampc that it really wasn't the breast, but the combination of the song and the action and the Super Bowl just wasn't the appropriate show for that kind of performance. Had it been the MTV Music Awards, it would have been no surprise or big deal, but considering the Super Bowl is probably the most-watched television event of the year, it was bound to get this kind of media attention. With the amount of families that watch the show, the backlash was going to be huge. And naturally, the media has to blow it up to epic proportions in order to give Janet the publicity she wanted.

Personally, I hope MTV takes a huge hit for this. I'm tired of them doing whatever they want for shock value and then hiding behind free speech every time a child gets injured or killed imitating one of their stunts. Whatever happened to Music Television? Remember that cable channel that showed music videos?

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 2/8/04 at 3:12am

In my opinion, it is all about the breast. If that moment hadn't happened, there would have been no talk except how boring the half time show (and commercials) was. Sure, some people get offended by the type of songs performed in the halftime show, but no more than the same people getting offended by everything on TV. The breast shot is what sent people over the edge. Not flatulence by a horse. Not erection drugs. Not beer commercials. Not swearing and pushing football players-- a breast. And, one that looked like it was covered in a pasty (no one knew it was a piercing until after the fact).

It is no wonder that Europe thinks we are batty.

[son_of_a_gunn_25]

Posted: 2/8/04 at 3:51am

MTV is also the one's behind making spring break what it is now for most teenagers. I know that really upsets some people.

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/8/04 at 5:47am

It was a BREAST. I don't understand what is SO evil about it. No wonder Aericans have so many body issues when we are taught from day one that your body is something to be ashamed of. The only thing I gave a damn about was thats he has such GAWDY taste in nipple rings.

The breast, as many have said, was a LOT tamer than the rest of the show.

Son, that is VERY true. MTV perpetuates MANY things that I find 100% ridiculous to be honest

I just don't get the big deal about a boob.. as I have said before, it isn't even a real one!

[Jarico]

Posted: 2/8/04 at 7:04am

Here in Spain (Europe ) the Janet Jackson issue was in the news but the real comentaries on TV weren't about the breast, they were about the BIG DEAL that happened on the USA about a breast.

They were making fun of it all the time.

Last week we had in Barcelona the PASARELA GAUDI (GAUDI CATWALK. It is one the modeling weeks here (we have another one in Madrid) and we could see the models' breasts everyday on tv and nobody cares.

Maybe, and just maybe, we are not afraid of the human body. Updated On: 2/8/04 at 07:04 AM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 2/8/04 at 10:02am

I don't blame them one bit for making fun. the entire thing was a fiasco.. damn Puritanical roots.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 2/9/04 at 11:25am

The funny thing is, didn't we already see Janet's breast in her "Velvet Rope" video? Or one of the songs from that cd anyway.
It's nothing new.

It's one thing when it's a music video on mtv where parents can expect that there may be some innappropriate things, and therefore not permit their children to watch. But when you're sitting around watching a football game together, not expecting something like that, it isn't fair. Parents should have the choice of what they want their children to see on television.
Then again, the cheerleaders at those same football games are not really leving much to the imagination either.

Updated On: 2/9/04 at 11:25 AM