Spike Lee, VFW, Michael Powell: More Super Bowl Bitching

Written by Eric Olsen
Published February 04, 2004

The VFW is pissed about Kid Rock wearing an American flag as a poncho in the Super Bowl halftime show:


    The VFW is upset that media outlets are ignoring the poncho Rock wore during the Super Bowl halftime show, which was made by cutting a slit in an American flag. Rock later tossed the flag into the crowd.

    The VFW's commander in chief, Edward Banas Senior, says Rock's outfit was "in poor taste and extremely disrespectful." Banas lamented that the NFL, MTV and CBS have issued apologies for Justin Timberlake's ripping Janet Jackson's clothes but have said nothing about Rock.

    ....FCC chief Michael Powell said Tuesday that the agency had begun a formal investigation, and a letter was sent to CBS. "It's well under way," he said.

    All five commissioners expressed concern about the Super Bowl broadcast, but Powell declined to speculate on what the FCC would do once the investigation was finished.

    Powell said he wasn't happy with the halftime show in general, including Rock's performance. [AP]

Spike Lee - who has become the nation's scold - is pissed about Janet's wayward mammary:
    Film director Spike Lee criticized Janet Jackson's surprise breast-baring during the Super Bowl halftime show last weekend as a "new low" of attention-getting antics by entertainers.

    ....Lee, speaking at Kent State University's regional campus in Stark County, Ohio, on Tuesday night, said there has been a decline in artistry.

    He said it's not enough to be a good singer, and that entertainers "have to do something extra" - such as the openmouthed kiss Madonna gave Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera during the MTV Video Music Awards in August.

    "What's gonna be next? It's getting crazy, and it's all down to money. Money and fame," said Lee, the director of "Malcolm X" and "Do the Right Thing." "Somehow the whole value system has been upended." [AP]


And Janet apologized again:
    Jackson issued another apology in a videotape released to the media. The pop star had apologized Monday night in a written statement.

    "I am really sorry if I offended anyone. That was truly not my intention," she said. "MTV, CBS, the NFL had no knowledge of this whatsoever, and unfortunately, the whole thing went wrong in the end."

Actually, it went wrong in the front.

CBS is instituting a delay system for their Grammy broadcast Sunday:

    The one-second flashing continued to cause reverberations Tuesday, as CBS said it would institute a video delay system to avoid any recurrence at the Grammy awards.

    Timberlake, who is nominated for five Grammy Awards, is scheduled to perform on Sunday's telecast. Jackson is supposed to present an award.

    "Unfortunately, we cannot count on those who appear on our air to live up to our standards," said Martin Franks, CBS executive vice president.

    CBS faces a Federal Communications Commission 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.

Career media professional Eric Olsen is honored to be the founder and publisher of Blogcritics.org, which, quite frankly, rules - as do his wife and four children.
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Spike Lee, VFW, Michael Powell: More Super Bowl Bitching
Published: February 04, 2004
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Section: Video
Filed Under: Music: News, Video: News, Video: Television
Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments

#1 — February 4, 2004 @ 13:05PM — Docent Shark

I remember a time (Viet Nam/Easy Rider period) when wearing an American flag was punishable by death, or at least a severe beating at the hands of semi-domesticated construction workers.

Then after 9/11, you couldn't spit and NOT hit some politico and/or celebrity wearing a flag sweater, shirt, jacket, or hat.

The CONSERVATIVE RIGHT loved it when this fashion craze fit their agenda ("...keep your eye on the flag, America, you're getting sleepy...sleepy...sleepy..."), but that opened the floodgates for morons like Kid Rock.

One wonders why "Old Navy" gets a free pass from the VFW.

Talk about offensive, IT'S THEIR FRIGGIN' LOGO!!!

Ah, what a country.

PS: Look for the next craze to be American Flag Pasties.



#2 — February 4, 2004 @ 15:30PM — Emily

I read earlier today that ABC has asked the Oscars to go on a five second delay as well, though this request was apparently made before the incident at the Superbowl.

#3 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:06PM — Brandy

i am so mad u people need to get beat up or something. janet jackson didnt do anything wrong and i think u people should go suck on a monkeys ass. i hope something bad happens to you, you raciest pigs. MTV< VH1 anybody who had a problem with janet jackson needs to suck a horses penis or suck on dinosaure bones.oh yeah people stop lyinng cause michael jackson is innocent PUNKS!!!!!!!

#4 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:10PM — Eric Olsen

that sums it up

#5 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:11PM — brandy

janet jackson is the bomb and i love her to death. i just want her to know that whatever she does i am behind her 110% she is the hardest working artist in the business today amd we need more like her. and janet please do a concert out in california before i have to go to collage.

#6 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:12PM — Eric Olsen

art school, eh?

#7 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:18PM — SFC SKI

I don't agree with Kid Rock's uses of the flag as a poncho, but I will give him credit for being one of the few entertainers to come down to Iraq and entertain the troops.

#8 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:24PM — Eric Olsen

it would appear he was simply ignorant of the connotations since he has certainly been among the most vocally pro-American entertainers over the last couple of years

#9 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:30PM — SFC SKI

I agree.
It is interesting that if he had worn a poncho that was decorated to look like a flag, no one would say a thing. It's a fine distinction, I know.

#10 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:36PM — Eric Olsen

I guess the distinction is between their "thingness"

#11 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:46PM — SFC SKI

DOn't start with the technical terms, Eric, I am a simple man.

#12 — April 21, 2005 @ 15:51PM — Eric Olsen

sure you are

#13 — May 29, 2006 @ 20:21PM — LaToya [URL]

I think Janet Jackson told him to do it. I love Justin he's just not like that.I've known him to long.ever since NSYNC started .He would never do anything like that. If any one disagrees with me then you should go dye in a horse's ass.

#14 — July 8, 2006 @ 10:11AM — aruban boycott

I just filed a complaint about the VFW sending me unsolicited Vietnam CDs and silly wall coins and expected me to pay for it. These bastards have been hounding me for 20 years with the their marketing bs.

The VFW needs to clean up their own act and quit spamming veterans.

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