Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl Incident: The Most Controversial Halftime Show Ever

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Janet Jackson had her life turned upside down after the Super Bowl incident on February 1, 2004.

During the Super Bowl XXXVIII, the NFL and MTV chose the iconic singer Janet Jackson to perform in the halftime show.

Jackson initially performed a combination of “All for You,” “Rhythm Nation,” and an extract of “The Knowledge” before giving her powerful performance on the song “Rock Your Body” alongside surprise guest Justin Timberlake.

Furthermore, as Timberlake sang the lyric “Bet I’ll have you naked by the end of this song,” he accidentally tore her costume, exposing her right breast to 140 million viewers for less than a second before the CBS broadcast immediately cut to a wide shot of the stage.

After this embarrassing Super Bowl incident, Janet Jackson grasped widespread attention and backlash from people, which created hurdles in her music career.

Janet Jackson issued an apology after the performance, saying that the incident at the Super Bowl was accidental and unintended and that Timberlake was only meant to pull away a bustier and leave the red-lace bra intact.

She further added:

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

Via ESPN

In addition to Janet Jackson, singer Justin Timberlake also apologized, calling the accident a “wardrobe malfunction,” whereas CBS, NFL, and MTV denied any knowledge of the incident and all responsibility.

Many speculations sparked, stating that it could be intentional when the lyrics and actions matched perfectly, while some stated it was just a coincidence.

Additionally, the Federal Communications Commission imposed significant fines on all the companies involved and pursued an eight-year investigation, ultimately losing its appeal to uphold a $550,000 fine against CBS.

The Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show became one of history’s most controversial televised events.

How The Super Bowl Controversy Hurt Her Music And Acting Career!

After the Super Bowl incident, Janet Jackson faced criticism for years, which directly affected her music and acting career.

Moreover, just a few months after the incident, CBS permitted Justin Timberlake to appear at the 46th Grammy Awards ceremony but didn’t allow Jackson to attend, forcing her to withdraw as a presenter.

Janet Jackson was scheduled to introduce the Luther Vandross Tribute at the Grammy, but CBS, which also broadcast the Super Bowl, reportedly canceled the invitation.

Similarly, the Super Bowl incident halted Janet Jackson’s dream to star in the biographical movie of singer and activist Lena Horne.

Horne was reportedly angry about Jackson’s stunt at the Super Bowl and pressured ABC to remove Jackson from the project.

However, Jackson’s representatives stated that she willingly withdrew from the project.

Janet Jackson’s eighth studio album, Damita Jo, was released in March 2004, and it was titled after her middle name debuted at number two on Billboard 200.

While the album garnered mixed to positive reviews, many critics focused more on the Super Bowl incident than on evaluating the album itself.

Moreover, the former CBS CEO Les Moonves ordered Viacom properties VH1 and MTV and all Viacom-owned radio stations to blacklist Jackson’s songs and music videos which negatively impacted on sales of her album.

Many believed Moonves played a large role in ruining Janet Jackson’s career.

Nevertheless, in November 2004, 100 Black Men of America Inc. honored Janet Jackson as a role model.

She received the Artistic Achievement Award in recognition of a career marked by consistent and extraordinary success.

The organization also responded to criticism regarding the controversy by saying that one can’t judge an individual’s worth based on a single moment.

Despite facing criticism for her Super Bowl incident, Janet Jackson continues to thrive in her music career.

In Case You Didn’t Know

  • Guinness World Records recognized Janet Jackson as the “Most Searched Person in Internet History” and the “Most Searched News Item.”
  • Jawed Karim, a YouTube co-founder, revealed that the Super Bowl incident inspired the platform’s creation because he struggled to find online videos of the event.
  • A year after the incident, Janet Jackson began recording for a ninth studio album, 20 Y.O., in 2005.
  • Janet Jackson began her Las Vegas concert residency, Janet Jackson: Las Vegas, on December 30, 2024.
Suruchi Lohani
Suruchi Lohani
Suruchi is a business management student with a strong passion for writing, particularly when it comes to sports. She loves creating articles and blogs that explore various aspects of the sports world. With a curious mind and a love for both academics and creativity, she constantly seeks to expand her knowledge and share her insights through her writing.

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