Shoo the kiddies from the room. Hurry, get Grandma to the kitchen. It’s half-time at the Super Bowl, a prime-time gentlemen’s lounge act complete with sadomasochistic attire and stripper pole.
It was a show, all right — an amazing display. One wonders if those “woke” Pepsi executives who must have approved the ghastly, exploitive half-time show are hearing about it from the #MeToo folks today.
If not, they should.
The festivities began with Shakira displaying how many ways one can perform a pelvic tilt. It can be done in the prone position, the seated position, and, of course, while standing. But that was just the warmup for 50-year-old Jennifer Lopez, who appeared in a black leather S&M suit that ripped off to display, well, almost nothing save a pair of thunder thighs in sequins. Let’s just say there was very little fabric to join those sequins. It was all so very embarrassing — for JLo, the nation, and for all women, including her 11-year-old daughter.
But wait — there’s more.
As Lopez squeezed the life out of that stripper pole between her legs, anyone with a modicum of decency was left bug-eyed. Is this really what we want our children watching at a national athletic event? Is it necessary? If social media is any barometer, there are many this morning questioning this ridiculous spectacle.
Franklin Graham, son of Billy, wrote, “I don’t expect the world to act like the church, but our country has had a sense of moral decency on prime-time television in order to protect children. We see that disappearing before our eyes.” Another female tweet raged: “I’m going to dress like a whore and emulate sex acts- live in front of the whole country; then cry #MeToo.”
Apparently, the “crotch popping choreography” didn’t bother Jeb Bush, who wanted everyone to know that he thought it was the “Best Super Bowl half time show ever.” The website PopSugar gushed, “Not only was the six-minute show entertaining, invigorating, and highlighting an important message, but it was a joyous celebration of Latinx culture that we’ll be replaying for days to come. Seriously, they really know how to throw a half-time show.” Lady Gaga took to Twitter and enthused, “What a fun half-time show I danced and smiled the whole time. Such powerful, sexy women!!!!” Then she added a couple of puckered red lips to punctuate her message of approval to the country.
The Super Bowl is a uniquely American enterprise. In many ways, it’s a visual expression of who we are and what we value. On the field, the players demonstrate fierce competitiveness. Such drive, ambition, and accomplishment are attributes that portray the many splendid character qualities of our nation and its people.
Perhaps the corporate executives who pay for the half-time show might consider the bigger picture in the future by asking themselves a few cogent questions: What does this show say about America? What does it say to the rest of the world about who we are and what we value? What message does it send to our children?
Pepsi had a captive audience last night — literally, millions of people were tuned in. Sadly, the company took that opportunity and sullied it with promiscuity, sexual innuendo, and smut.
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Read more from Leesa K. Donner.
