The American Way: Janet Jackson et al Sued For Flash

The Smoking Gun has the details on the first known lawsuit filed in connection with the Great Super Bowl Flash of 2004:

A Tennessee woman yesterday filed a proposed class action lawsuit “on behalf of all Americans” who watched the Super Bowl halftime show and were somehow injured by Miss Jackson’s adorned nipple. In the below federal complaint, Terri Carlin, a 47-year-old Knoxville bank employee, contends that Jackson’s exposure and other “sexually explicit conduct” during halftime festivities caused viewers to “suffer outrage, anger, embarrassment and serious injury.” Details of those supposed injuries were not further described in the complaint filed by attorney Wayne A. Ritchie II. Along with Jackson, Carlin has named as defendants Justin Timberlake, CBS, MTV, and Viacom. Carlin’s complaint seeks compensatory and punitive damages, though an exact dollar figure is not specified. But it seems billions would be in order since Carlin notes that punitive damages should not exceed the gross revenues of all defendants for the past three years.

That would only be in the billions – and you were concerned this would be unreasonable?

I would respond with the usual tut-tutting about the mindset of America today that says if anything displeases, troubles, inconveniences or offends your sensibilities, then sue the shit out of everyone remotely involved. Maybe this woman was sued by the RIAA for file sharing and is pissed at Big Media.

Whatever – it’s stupid.