A US TV network has been forced to apologise after one of the Super Bowl’s half-time acts extended her middle finger and appeared to say the word shit during her performance.
British singer M.I.A. was in the middle of her contribution to a performance of Madonna’s new single Give Me All Your Luvin when she a raised middle finger.
She was also heard to say a barely disguised expletive: “I don’t give a shit.” Although it wasn’t entirely audible in what appeared to be an attempt by the network to cut it using its time-delay.
The incident can be seen at around 12 seconds into this video:
YouTube: ATownHR23
The incident sparked memories of the now infamous “wardrobe malfunction” during the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show when, in front of tens of millons of viewers, pop star Justin Timberlake ripped away a piece of Janet Jackson’s clothing, exposing her bare nipple.
That incident put then-broadcaster CBS in hot water with the US Federal Communications Commission and last night broadcaster NBC was quick to issue an apology.
“We apologize for the inappropriate gesture that aired during halftime. It was a spontaneous gesture that our delay system caught late,” NBC spokesman Christopher McCloskey told Reuters.
