While Tom Brady may believe that Janet Jackson’s notorious wardrobe malfunction was ultimately beneficial for the NFL, there’s no one hoping for a repeat of that incident. As the new FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr, gears up for his inaugural Super Bowl leadership, he faces a unique challenge with a straightforward request. Brady, who is making his Super Bowl debut as an announcer, previously argued that the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show mishap wasn’t entirely negative for the league. Yet for Carr, the topic isn’t something he’s keen to discuss.
“This is going to be the first Super Bowl where I’m chairman of the FCC,” Carr stated via Fox News Digital, with a grin. “So one ask I have – please, no wardrobe malfunctions this Sunday. That’s my only ask. That would ruin my evening.” Having taken the reins as chairman last month, Carr didn’t need to invoke the now-infamous incident from nearly two decades ago; simply mentioning “wardrobe malfunction” alongside “Super Bowl” is sufficient for most to grasp the reference.
However, for those who might not recall, the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show was helmed by MTV, concluding with Justin Timberlake’s Rock Your Body. Following the final lyric, “Gonna have you naked by the end of this song,” Timberlake tore away part of Jackson’s costume, inadvertently exposing her right breast. Both MTV and CBS extended apologies post-Super Bowl, but those apologies were insufficient.
The FCC received over half a million complaints, leading to an investigation that ultimately resulted in a $550,000 fine against CBS, although the U.S. Court of Appeals later overturned the penalty. Is any publicity bad publicity? For the NFL, it seems like the answer varies depending on who you ask, but for Carr and the FCC, it’s a definitive no.
