Janet Jackson apologizes amid storm of criticism for super bowl stunt

Jet, Feb 23, 2004

Janet Jackson has issued an apology for her Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show performance with singer Justin Timberlake in which Timberlake snatched off part of her bustier, revealing her breast.

Ms. Jackson admitted it wasn't an accident.

"My decision to change the Super Bowl performance was actually made after the final rehearsal. I am really sorry if I offended anyone. That was truly not my intention. MTV, CBS, the NFL had no knowledge of this whatsoever, and unfortunately, the whole thing went wrong in the end," she said of the one-second flashing.

Timberlake apologized shortly after the show and blamed the debacle on a "wardrobe malfunction."

But widespread criticism remained, as well as an inquest by the Federal Communications Commission.

According to the FCC, non-cable TV channels cannot air "obscene" material at any time and cannot air "indecent" material (lacking "serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value") between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

"This was done completely without our knowledge," said Chris Ender, entertainment spokesman for CBS. "It wasn't rehearsed. It wasn't discussed. It wasn't even hinted at.... This is something we would have never approved. We are angry and embarrassed."

CBS faces an FCC investigation into whether the Super Bowl show violated decency laws, with potential fines of up to $27,500. If applied to each CBS station, the fine could reach into the millions.

FCC chief Michael Powell said that the agency had begun a formal investigation. He declined to speculate on what the FCC would do once the investigation was finished.

Sources at MTV stated the halftime fiasco was "Unrehearsed, unplanned, (and) completely unintentional."

"We were really ripped off. We were punk'd by Janet Jackson," Tom Freston, chairman of MTV Networks said, referring to MTV's reality show that makes celebrities the butt of practical jokes.