And she wasn’t ordering a whiskey
M.I.A. performed in the Super Bowl halftime show last night with legend Madonna and fellow artists Cee Lo Green and Nicki Minaj. Madonna showcased classics like, “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer” along with her new single, “Give Me All Your Luvin’”.
The twelve minute show was a roman-themed spectacle complete with gladiators, acrobatics and one big middle finger. It seems M.I.A. had stolen the show with one swift move, much like Janet Jackets “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004. NBC is calling the incident a “spontaneous gesture,” and the NFL called it an “obscene gesture”, according to EW.com. Many articles are stating that M.I.A. also coupled her gesture by saying, “I don’t give a shit,” but that it isn’t really audible. Some people beg to differ.
Even though the media and moms all over the country are up in arms about the incident, MTV does point out a trend that is worth mentioning. M.I.A. is, voluntarily or not, part of a group of artists known for their “eff-the-man personas,” including, but not limited to, Johnny Cash, Eminem and Tupac, and using their middle fingers has been, as MTV says, “a time-honored tradition.”
M.I.A.’s “obscene gesture” definitely made the show a little more interesting, but it’s hard not to wonder if her actions will further limit future halftime shows; the FCC has already proved to be a powerful force not to be reckoned with.
