‘Incident’ Controversy With Janet Jackson Super Bowl, Blacklist Controversy – The Hollywood Reporter

Jenna Wortham, a culture writer for New York Times, at a point in Incident: Janet Jackson’s Change. “But let’s never forget what they did to Janet. Let’s never forget that outrage. What is the price to pay for this woman? And is it worth it? ”

Latest chapter in The New York Times presents… The FX on Hulu series attempts to answer this, framed within the context of the racism, sexism and ultimately ageism the singer has to endure not just after a controversial moment in the show. performed the 2004 Super Bowl tournament during Jackson’s professional career.

“The pressure on her has to be enormous,” said Cathay Hughes, founder and president of Urban One Inc., of Jackson’s career. “White executives always start from the premise of what is acceptable to their white audience.”

The hour-long documentary tackles various issues surrounding the 2004 Super Bowl’s famous “wardrobe incident,” including conservative political and cultural backlash, investigations, and fines. FCC as well as the response in the mass media. Nearly two decades after the event, each new “action” peels off another layer of punitive response to the music powerhouse and Black female pioneer of what happened on the Stage. NRG Stadium.

Including claims that former CBS president and CEO Les Moonves wanted a direct apology from Jackson and Justin Timberlake after promising NFL officials that the mid-show would be family-friendly. According to the doctor, this happened during their separate appearances at the Grammys that year, scheduled for just a week after the Super Bowl event.

While the media implied that Jackson was not invited to perform at the show, the former director of communications for the Recording Academy, Ron Roecker, said that the Grammys never did and Jackson withdrew.

Matt Serlic, former Virgin Records CEO, said: “It was like another request for something that was just an accident, something that felt unnecessary to put entirely on her, ” Matt Serlic, former Virgin Records CEO. “So she didn’t do it, and good for her.”

Due to her absence from the ceremony, Moonves – who was fired in 2018 following sexual harassment and assault allegations against him – deemed Jackson’s response “insufficient”. , follow New York Times reporter Rachel Abrams. He also allegedly asked executives if he could get Jackson to pay the FCC fine following the congressional investigation into the televised event.

“More than anything else, Moonves feels that he has been publicly shamed,” she said

The hour-long documentary also remarkably reveals details of the events leading up to and the immediate aftermath of February 1, 2004 from those present. That includes commentary from former MTV vice president Salli Frattini, NFL special events director Jimamonds, and Paul Tagliabue, NFL commissioner from 1989 to 2006, who shared their accounting of the game. argumentative.

Docs dislike what is known and performance wise decisions before the live Super Bowl through both rehearsal and communication between executives, show producers, and musicians P. Diddy, Kid Rock, Nelly, Jackson and Timberlake. That included a climactic performance element – a scene involving Jackson, a ripped dress and a jumpsuit underneath – that was rejected because it “didn’t work” in terms of staging.

“The NFL gave me the notes, CBS gave me the notes. And we all ended up agreeing that we wouldn’t do it. And [Jackson] Frattini said.

But the former MTV executive and several prominent NFL executives from the documentary also said there were concerns ahead of the show after the costume rehearsal. Dietg specifically cites a two-page memo regarding “things that need to change,” which includes lyrics by P. Diddy and Nelly, as well as Kid Rock’s wish to wear a flag. America.

Continuing to emphasize what is known before the event, Trouble addresses reported on wardrobe adjustments after the show’s final costume rehearsal. Through this, it ultimately narrows down Timberlake’s role in the halftime event. According to Frattini, the hour-long gaze was clearly centered on a “small, minute-long conversation” between Timberlake and Jackson’s stylist in her dressing room just before the show.

But it also examines Timberlake’s behavior before, during and after the controversy, including several clips of the former N’SYNC member making disparaging remarks about Jackson during the lead-up to and aftermath of the controversy. Super Bowl event and illustrate how his career has grown Jackson stopped. According to the document, Timberlake’s post-performance responses coincided with a report from the Super Bowl stage manager that Jackson, who Frattini said was on the plane back to LA before the producers could speak. Talk to her – cried when she left the stage.

“Here we are trying to ask who it happened to – because it happened to she — and she was gone,” Frattini said.

The document doesn’t make any definite conclusions about how Jackson felt at the time or whether it was a planned performance element – singer declined to comment, Timberlake and Moonves also. But it raised questions around whether she knew what was going to happen and why she was unwilling to answer.

The document also doesn’t make it clear whether Jackson was ever intentionally and actively blacklisted after the show. However, it does document how various companies and industries, including Disney, Virgin and the team that made a Lena Horne documentary, have withdrawn public support and association with the singer. after this event. Clear Channel’s chief legal officer, Andy Levin, denied a potential concerted effort by the nation’s then 1200 local station to boost Jackson’s newly released album. Damita Jo after the controversy.

“All programming decisions are made locally, so there can be no system-wide blacklisting,” he said. “Now, if there is a local blacklist, say in Salt Lake City, because the program manager there knows his audience is outraged by what Janet did on Super Bowl Sunday Sunday , that is completely conceivable.”

Although there was no appearance or comment from Jackson herself, several members of her family – including her brother Tito Jackson – have suffered backlash that has significantly affected the singer’s career. guest artist.

“I don’t know if blacklisting is a word they’re trying to do with my sister, but it looks like they’re trying to detract from her career,” he said.

Taj Jackson, Janet’s grandson and member of T3 agrees, calling it “vandalism”. “For me, when you’re behind the scenes influencing another artist’s career, you can call it what you want, but her career suffers because of someone with a damaged ego. .”