the essentials in brief
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The 57th Super Bowl will take place from February 12th to 13th, 2023.
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Rihanna will perform in the halftime show.
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Some of their predecessors have already caused serious scandals.
The halftime show is an integral part of the annual Super Bowl. From Janet Jackson to Christina Aguilera to Eminem – big stars have already made memorable appearances at one of the most important sporting events in the world. Some performances were so memorable that they are counted among the biggest Super Bowl scandals.
Janet Jackson and the Nipplegate
At the 38th Super Bowl in 2004, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake paid tribute. He tore off a piece of her top as part of the joint appearance and accidentally exposed Jackson’s chest. The singer wore a so-called nipple shield, but the outcry was still great. From then on, Jackson had to live with hearing her songs less often on the radio and the Super Bowl halftime shows have been delayed by a few seconds since Nipplegate.
Jackson later complained in an interview with talk show host Oprah Winfrey that only she had been finished after the scandal appearance – Timberlake got off lightly. For his part, Timberlake admitted to having “probably taken ten percent of the blame”. “I think America is stricter on women,” he said.
Prince and his provocative shadow
At the 2007 Super Bowl, Prince caused a stir when he performed a guitar solo behind a curtain. Only the shadow of the musician who died in 2016 could be seen – which, among other things, seemed to reveal a large penis.
Partly because of this, the Federal Communications Commission received over 150 complaints. In one of them there was talk of four children. “One of them wanted to be a quarterback and now he’s going gay. […] Thank you CBS for making my son gay,” it said in the direction of one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States.
Christina Aguilera and the Anthem Fail
The Black Eyed Peas were responsible for the halftime show at the 45th Super Bowl in 2011. But it was none other than Christina Aguilera who caused a sensation even before the game. The pop diva performed the US anthem, whereby – professional or not – she omitted part of the text and sang a verse twice or wrong.
Aguilera then apologized in a public statement. She let the moment sink in and forgot everything around her: “I can only hope that everyone felt my love for this country and that the true spirit of the anthem was conveyed.”
MIA and the middle finger
Which performance was less discussed in this country, but was no less scandalous, is that of MIA The British rapper performed at the 46th Super Bowl in 2012 with superstar Madonna and meanwhile stretched her middle finger into the camera. This led to a court case, which is why MIA published a video statement. She explained that the dancers who also performed on stage were all under the age of 16. You would have made yourself a sex object with the approval of the NFL. In comparison, her finger is harmless, so MIA
Anyone who had expected that Madonna would rush to her singing colleague’s side was wrong. Because the Queen of Pop finally stated that she was “very surprised”. The then 36-year-old behaved like a teenager in the situation. “What was the point? It was just inappropriate.”
Beyoncé, Pictures and the “Blackout Bowl”
As for the 47th Super Bowl in 2013, then-halftime act Beyoncé felt something else was inappropriate. After the NFL final, she had unfavorable pictures of herself removed that the US photo agency Getty Images had published. But that’s not all.
At said Super Bowl fell in the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, the power went out partially. As a result, the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers had to be temporarily suspended. The Super Bowl thus became the notorious “Blackout Bowl”.
The 57th Super Bowl is coming up
It remains to be seen whether there will also be a scandal at this year’s Super Bowl. One thing is certain: R&B and pop singer Rihanna will appear in the halftime show. The event is also worthwhile for film fans to see the trailers for the 2023 film highlights. The NFL Finals will take place on the night of Sunday February 12th to Monday February 13th. Kickoff is on February 13 at 12:30 a.m. German time. ProSieben broadcasts.