Punkie's Online Diary
The Ongoing Saga of Punkie into the 21st Century

02/04/2004 Entry: "For the love of Boobie..."
I don't usually watch sports, but the Superbowl is one of those things you always hear about at work and such, so while I was hacking away at my laptop, and Christine was drawing, we had the Superbowl on as background noise. The commercials were okay (not great), the half-time show was pointless and generic, and for once I thought the game was the best part (after the second half). Oh, did I mention the half-time show?
"Hey," I said to Christine. "It looks like Janet's bodice popped open, exposing a boobie." Christine gave a noncommittal, "Really?" and I was forced to wonder if I had dreamed it up. CBS didn't say anything about it, but when the third quarter started, an announcer made a slight passing about nudity. So slight, it could have meant anything. I scoured the web, but nothing yet. About an hour later, it showed up on Fark.com. So it did happen! Oh well. Weird.
Well, I would have forgotten it right then and there, but thanks to the media, now it's all I hear about. Janet's boobie. Janet's boobie. For shame. Janet's boobie. Think of the children! Janet's boobie. Oh, give it a REST!
Yesterday, my son was watching TV with me, and we came across MSNBC, who had, of all people, Jerry Falwell commenting on Janet's boobie. MSNBC played the (blurred out) clip of the moment over and over and over again. It was so weird and so damn funny at the same time. There'd be Falwell's face, and then the clip, then the interviewer, then some wild-eyed lady, and then the clip, and then Falwell again, and then the clip, and then a spilt screen of the wild-eyed lady and Jerry, arguing about verbal nuances which took a wild spin into sexism ("You said what about boys seeing this, are you saying it's okay to show this to girls?"), and then back to the clip. It was hysterical. My son and I were laughing so hard, tears came down our faces. I mean, they just kept showing the clip, and then condemning it, and then showing the clip again! Over and over, while these clowns discussed morality of our youth. It was like watching a circus where everything was going wrong at the same time.
And the funniest part was the subject. Janet's boobie. What is the big deal? They act like someone executed a child into the flames of Hell or something. The shock, horror, and outrage are really out of proportion.
Janet was born with those. She grew them naturally, like every other woman. They serve as nourishment for babies, and are very useful as a sensual aid for sexual encounters. They belong to her, not you, Jerry Falwell. She can do with them what she pleases. You seem to have no problem that it occurred during a game known for its violence between players. A game where people physically tackle each other. Violence is okay, but show a boobie is disgraceful? Besides, the event also featured misogynous commercials for beer, an ad starring a flatulent horse, and another one for erectile dysfunction drugs. Not that *I* am complaining, but it seems kind of weird that all you can talk about is Janet's boob.
Makes me wonder who you're REALLY trying to convince, Jerry.

The Peanut Gallery responds with: 3 comments

I just don't get it. The American public is just fine with female frontal nudity in movies, but 5 seconds of ONE of Jackson's mammaries is enough to make people more angry than finding out that George the Second sent us to war on forged reports of weapons of mass destruction? What is WRONG with these morons? I'm so tired of this crap. I suppose they're going to turn this into some weak excuse to get the general American public to say "Yes" to even more censorship under the battle cry of "decency" and "what about the children?"....
FFS, people need to get a freaking grip. If we want to get all worked up about something, we could at least get our priorities straight and turn our anger and attention to the assclowns we stupidly allowed into political office and the steady undermining of our constitutional rights, destabilization of our economy, the convergence of church and state and alienation of our allies these rabid dogs are perpetrating. Or maybe get upset about REAL social issues like poverty, hunger and unemployment, which is RISING while people rage about one momentarily bare breast or some other obviously trivial publicity stunt. How about huge vampiric corporations that suck the talent and livelihoods of artists and sue schoolchildren for sharing music files to the point where the American sheep herd is rolling eyes in terror at the idea that their doors will be kicked down and their possessions carted off if they share music they have paid their hard earned cash for in the first place? Is that okay?
Maybe people are just so scared of big business and government that they have to shake their fists and light their torches to put an end to the evil boobie-monster to make themselves feel more free. They know that our little King George won't spank them for lynching some cheeky rock star's career (who had the gall to show a bit of nipple for less time it takes to blink an eye) in the name of HIS definition of "family values". I don't think I need to tell you what that says about the state of our Union.
Jesus wept.
Posted by Little Miss Grimm @ 02/09/2004 04:05 PM EST

The thing I thought was weird was that there wasn't outrage over the Kid Rock flag-poncho. I have nothing against wearing flag imagery, or even one tied around one's neck as a cape (or waist as a skirt). But to make a poncho, you have to make a CUT into the middle of the flag, and that just seems a little off.
Nice pierce though -- I'm interested in getting my nip redone, and I like seeing options for the jewelry stuff.
Posted by webpixie @ 02/09/2004 12:44 PM EST

My whole issue with BoobieGate was the whole idea of womens' clothes getting torn off as entertainment. That, and the realization that I had just seen a really crappy halftime show. Janet was performing 15 year old songs with completely dead-looking eyes, which were only occasionally visible with all of the hair she had hanging in her face. Must Joe Jackson suck all the life out of his kids?
OTOH, though, I found a really odd disconnect with the juxtaposition of the Outraged Talking Head and the Great Boob Escape being played over and over again like the Zapruder film.
"Back, and to the left...Back, and to the left...Back, and to the left..."
Well, more like "Out, and to the right", but you get my drift.
I guess what worries me is the fact that most of the outrage seems to be of the sort that believes that America's tween-age girls will start bareing themselves on a regular basis, since they apparently have no free will of their own. You know, the whole "kinderwhore" panic.
This always amused me, since adults seem to believe that dressing girls in non-sexy clothing will somehow protect them from the creeps of this world. Having gone to Frost and Annandale, I must report that I could have worn a burkha to school everyday, and the Junior Auxiliary Tailhook members in the halls would have still tried to grab my ass.
Not to mention the fact that being a blond, virginal Mormon girl did nothing to keep Elizabeth Smart safe. There are a sizable number of creeps that have a "innocence" fetish; or know that girls that have been kept in the dark by their parents about sex (or "innocent", as the general public likes to call them) are more likely to be panicky and embarassed in an encounter, rather than give them the cussing out they deserve.
On the bright side, this upcoming Grammys will feature OutKast performing with Earth, Wind and Fire and George Clinton. Talented performers performing! What a concept!
Posted by Malle Babbe @ 02/04/2004 08:51 PM EST

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