More like this
Janet Jackson’s breast makes a reappearance
Singer’s ‘wardrobe malfunction’ at the 2004 Super Bowl exercises America’s highest court
The US Supreme Court, which down the years has considered such weighty matters as the right to abortion and voter discrimination - hence the fuss over who should replace Justice David Souter following his recent resignation - has ruled on the ongoing matter of Janet Jackson's infamous 'wardrobe malfunction' at the 2004 Super Bowl.
This was the moment when, as 90 million TV viewers watched Jackson accompanying Justin Timberlake in the half-time music spectacle, Jackson's right breast popped out of her bra. More than half a million complaints were received by CBS and the federal communications watchdog, the FCC, fined the TV company $550,000 for airing it.
In July last year, an appeal court threw out the FCC fine, ruling that since the glimpse of Jackson's breast lasted all of nine-sixteenths of a second, it was a 'fleeting moment', and anyway CBS could not be held liable for the malfunction of Jackson's bra.
But the Supreme Court is having none of it. 'Fleeting' is no excuse: only last week the same nine-member bench upheld the FCC's policy of threatening fines against even the fleeting use of a swear word on live television. The Supreme Court has ordered the appeal court to revisit the Jackson/CBS case and consider reinstating the fine. ·
Comments are now closed on this article
Comments
It is interesting that any complaints should be made in a country which leads in the provision of pornography to the world.
It's because they have made the human mammary gland an object of capitalist manipulation, which depends on the real object of desire to babies, the nipple, always being hidden. A sick society which has made an art form out of violence, bloodshed and death, finds a symbol of baby nutrition threatening and obscene. You just couldn't make it up. Theoretically, the nipple has a star over it, so within the bounds of American 'taste' Janet was still obeying the rules. Maybe it's because she's black.
Are these people for real, half a million complaints.American films contain more swearing, blasphemy,murders ,rapes and they get half million complaints because Janet Jacksons boob was on display for 9 sixteenths of a second.Pathetic