10 years of fallout from Janet Jackson’s halftime show

July 2008

The Third Circuit Court rules in favor of CBS, saying the FCC “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” by levying such a massive fine for what the Third Circuit Court deemed an accidental split-second of nudity. The FCC promise to appeal and take the case to the Supreme Court.

September 2009

The Supreme Court opts not to hear case between CBS and the FCC, but they send it back to Third Circuit Court for re-examination. During this time, the FCC argues that the incident was preventative since CBS had tape delay available to them, however CBS counters that the technology was still in its infancy and they were unable to utilize it in time.

November 3rd, 2011

Because the Jackson incident was deemed “fleeting indecency” Third Circuit Court again rules in favor of CBS and voids the fine. In July 2012, Supreme Court once again chooses not to hear FCC’s appeal.

February 5th, 2012

Madonna, long a lightning rod for controversy, is recruited by the NFL to perform at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. While the Material Girl is on her best behavior, her guest and frequent shit-starter M.I.A. promptly gives the middle finger to the millions watching at home.

September 2013

It’s revealed that M.I.A. is battling a $1.5 million lawsuit filed by the NFL after she flipped America the bird. By comparison, CBS was only fined $550,000 by the FCC in a lawsuit that lasted eight years.

January 2014

A decade removed from Nipplegate, former FCC chairman Michael Powell admits that the committee acted “unfairly” toward Janet Jackson following the incident. He tells ESPN that the FCC overreacted. “I personally thought that was really unfair. It all turned into being about her,” Powell said. “In reality, if you slow the thing down, it’s Justin ripping off her breastplace.” The comments are a complete turnaround from Powell’s own words 10 years earlier, when he called Nipplegate “a new low from primetime TV.”

 

Article Appeared @http://entertainment.msn.com/news/article.aspx?news=850289

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