10 years of fallout from Janet Jackson’s halftime show

December 9th, 2003

For the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show at Houston’s Reliant Stadium, MTV – producing their second straight halftime performance – recruits a lineup that includes Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Diddy, Kid Rock and Janet Jackson. NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue says in a statement at the time, “We are pleased that a star like Janet Jackson will join the roster of entertainers who have made the Super Bowl Halftime so special.”

February 1st, 2004

Even before the Janet incident, Kid Rock riled up the TV audience by wearing sleeveless stars-and-stripes poncho during his portion of the halftime show. Many viewers complained to the FCC that Rock’s wardrobe constituted desecration of the American flag. Sexually suggestive dance moves courtesy of fellow halftime performers Nelly and Diddy also helped put prude viewers on edge before the Nipple-gate opened.

February 1st, 2004 (Janet takes the stage)

The Janet Jackson-centric portion of the halftime show goes smoothly as the singer performs “Rhythm Nation” and “All for You.” However, producers opted to have Jackson remain onstage for Justin Timberlake’s halftime closing slot. (Similarly, if hometown girl Beyoncé was asked to perform at the halftime instead of delivering “The Star-Spangled Banner,” we could have avoided what came next.)

The video can be rewatched frame-by-frame and scrutinized like the Zapruder film. There wasn’t much choreography leading up to the moment; Jackson just follows Timberlake around the stage while he sings “Rock Your Body.” They briefly dance together as they make their way back toward center stage for the grand finale. Throughout the performance, Timberlake’s moves were fluid, as if they’d been rehearsed a million times. However, on the closing “Bet I’ll have you naked …,” you see his approach to Jackson’s bustier is stilted and unsure. Although a natural righty, he watches as his left hand makes the crucial grab toward Jackson’s wardrobe and pulls on the cue “… by the end of this song.” For 9/16ths of a second, millions of viewers see Janet’s bare breast and its strange star-shaped nipple shield before Jackson realizes what has happened and covers herself up. Timberlake, red lace in his left hand, looks appalled as producers cut away to a distant long shot and firework display.

No one remembers the second half of the Super Bowl. (Seriously, name one down that happened in the 3rd quarter.) The New England Patriots win. Tom Brady is named MVP. The spotlight goes rushing back toward Janet Jackson.

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