Dear Janet Jackson Fans, Supporters, and Adult-minded Adults,
I am asking—and imploring—you all to boycott the telecast of the 46th Grammy Awards this Sunday night, February 8th due to its unfair treatment (initially un-inviting Janet to the award ceremony, then “playing politics” and changing their mind and re-inviting Janet BUT reducing her original prominence in the ceremony) of her, and the organization’s capitulation to fake-assed “moralists” such as the NFL and CBS.
It is outrageous that Janet Jackson is be used as a “whipping girl” for what is supposedly “indecent” on television. And it is patently foul and unfair that she is being solely vilified and held culpable for the accidental exposure of her—dare I say, beautiful—breast.
All the hullaballo about “crassness” and “standards of decency” coming from the NFL (Superbowl officials) and CBS reeks of hypocrisy and double standard. And MTV’s cowering like a bitch with her tail between her legs is repulsive. (Was Janet not an MTV Icon—its first, as a matter of fact—just over a year ago?) Further, it is unnerving to witness Justin Timberlake moonwalking away from Janet as if he had nothing to do with the “wardrobe malfunction,” as he called it. Regretfully, it has to be said that Justin is behaving in “Classic White Man” fashion; that is, “I did it, but I am not to be blamed.”
This supposedly “Breastgate” matter that is being milked incessantly by the media strains credulity!
That MTV and Super Bowl officials are outraged at Janet's breast being bared—for all of, what, 1 second, max?—at the end of her and Justin's performance is B.S.! Historically, given the crass and foul advertisements typically aired during Superbowl telecasts, the scantily clad cheerleaders bouncing up and down on the sidelines, and ads from previous Bowl years (Anyone remember the Budweiser commercial with the Swedish girls—in bikinis—bobsledding team?), I have to shake my head in disbelief that the Superbowl is—and was ever—considered "family television." Give me a break!
Janet is definitely being made a scapegoat, regardless of whether her beautiful breast was a wadrobe malfunction or an act of creative expression or a declaration of gender bravado (Why should women's breast be taboo when men's aren't?). I'd prefer not playing the "race card," but, as life in this country as a Black man has shown me, "it" (race) is always just beneath the surface of the lives of Black people in this country—the world. I doubt all this Puritanical moralizing would be going on if the “Queen of (purposeful) Shock,” Madonna, had her breast exposed. (No discredit to Madonna's "boldness" intended. But you get the point.)
And so we have Janet being dissed by the Grammy Awards officials? And MTV behaving as if it's the damned Disney Channel?!
Where, I need to ask, is the artistic community? The Hip Hop community? Why the eery silence by P. Diddy and Nelly and Kid Rock? Where is NOW right now? And what about all those proud, breast baring lesbians on bikes demanding gender equality? And what of all those beer guzzling male sports fans who I just know loved what they saw? Where in-the-fuck is everybody who should be supporting Janet?!
This is the last damned straw for me! I am speaking out and encouraging you, all adult-minded adults, artists and fans everywhere who believe in creative expression and gender equality to BOYCOTT the Grammy telecast this coming Sunday, February 8th. No Janet, No Grammy! And, write—yes, WRITE, people—the NFL, MTV and CBS and let them know We are not going to tolerate double standard and hypocrisy!
For more information, Donald and I have set up a Web site, boycottthegrammys.com, with additional information. Pass the word.
Uh…Darrell. You ever gonna post again?
Posted by: Bernie at March 18, 2004 11:15 PMWell, I bet if Janet’s shows her pubic hair/pussy live on TV at the NFL Superbowl - I guess you guys would say, “THAT’S OK. WE SHOULD BE FREE TO DO WHAT WE PLEASE.”
By the way, I watched the Grammy’s and it was GREAT!
Posted by: Janelle at February 12, 2004 11:40 PMIt may or may not be an accident on JANET’S part but from watching the ORIGINAL show it’s clear that Justin knew what he was doing.
I have a tape of the original performance and you see Justin spend about 3 or 4 seconds with his hand over her breast area which can be interpreted as him having “trouble”, or taking time to grasp more clothing than he should have. But on the network media replays they seem to cut the time down to show him reach over and pull her cup off immediately.
But regardless of his actions….it’s the REACTION of other black performers which disgusts me. How black artists (especially females) can still perform with this clown after he exposes a sista on live television is beyond my comprehension.
Posted by: Aries at February 10, 2004 03:21 PMDefinitely boycotted.
Did anyone catch radio talk show host Wendy Williams on CNN? Anderson Cooper had her on to talk about Tittygate. She said the hubbub is a black/white thing and I agree. I mean am I to believe that in this homo-hateful country we can accept televised gay smooches (btw between women ONLY) but not a boob flash? Nah. The scorn for blacks run deep…
What kills me, tho, is when black celebs and thinking people, like Spike Lee, criticize the poor woman. Am I alone in thinking that now is not the time to be calling a spade a spade, especially when it only shows what a hypocrite you are? I love that whenever I heard Spike’s comments on the radio it was followed by “Spike Lee, director of the upcoming “Booty Call.” Open mouth, insert foot. He looks like an ass.
Posted by: dkny at February 10, 2004 12:36 PMI think it sucks that Janet wasn’t at the grammys for something, well, um, ok, a mistake. Let bygones be bygones. Boycotted the grammys anyway.
Posted by: epatterson at February 9, 2004 05:44 PMI wasn’t planning on watching the grammys and i’m definitely not planning on watching them now!!! when are they, anyways?
Posted by: Sir Mildred Pierce at February 9, 2004 02:37 PMI did not watch…although I wanted to see my favorite artist (Prince) perform the opening act…I just thought that the Grammy’s, CBS and all involved have taken this thing too far and a persecuting Janet and even Justin seems to be backing out of it. I feel that although the costume reveal was planned that it went wrong and that was happened was not intentional. It just frustrates me that the same people who…2 seconds before it happened….thought that Janet was an ICON, a classy, talented lady…1 second after would think the absolute worst of her. I’m sorry but I don’t judge people that easily and I have given both Janet and Justin the benefit of the doubt that it was not uspposed to go that way. If Janet wanted to expose herself…she has many HBO specials where she would have not been hindered. What makes people think that she has that little respect for herself.
Posted by: cohco at February 9, 2004 01:36 PMhttp://www.petitiononline.com/AFY516/petition.html
Posted by: Trin at February 8, 2004 04:50 PMThis all seems like a storm in a teacup to me. I live in South Africa, and not only do we have bared breasts in magazines (women’s magazines, parenting magazines, etc) but women (both white and black) breastfeed their babies in public without anyone caring. No one runs around protesting forms of traditional dress in which women do not wear tops. For crying out loud, just how puritanical can many Americans be?
Posted by: T'Mar at February 8, 2004 03:15 AMLike someone said in an email I read; “let him who make no mistakes cast the first stone.” Janet did nothing wrong in my eyes. I feel that it was one of her best performances. I am sorry that the mishap occured, but I assure anyone that Ms. Jackson has moved on…and it bothers me to see that persons are crazed over one mishap and would discredit YEARS of community service, both in the U.S.A, and the world..its stupid..as an international (BAHAMAS)fan, I 100% support Janet in what ever she does…
ALWAYS A PROUD JANET FAN…
Jacob G.Williams NASSAU,BAHAMAS
Posted by: Jacob Williams at February 7, 2004 10:11 PMI agree with you, but it wasn’t an accident. She planned to expose her breast as a way of getting publicity for her new album. More power to her.
Posted by: Aaron at February 7, 2004 08:03 PMI wasn’t going to watch the grammys anyhow. I didn’t watch the superbowl either.
I strongly believe that women with nice breasts should be allowed to show them whenever they please, for the sake of a better world.
Posted by: Vladimir at February 7, 2004 07:57 PMThe hyper-hypocrisy in our contemporary pop-culture surreality is meandering rapidly toward some strange pomo malopropism. I never watch the Grammys, either, but I will pass the word.
Posted by: Mac at February 7, 2004 06:36 PMI’m a little on the fence, as well as confused about this one.
I will say that I think Janet is taking too much of the blame for this. For me, it was never specifically about the bare breast, it was about the act of a man ripping a woman’s clothes off. Rehearsed or not, planned or not, in good fun or not, to me it simulates assault during a live show, period.
To my understanding, Janet was no longer needed for the tribute to Luther, since Luther will not be able to make it to the Grammys. That’s the story I heard. Anything aside from that probably means she’d have only been sitting in the audience with other non-presenters, and I strongly doubt this is a case of them “not wanting her on the premises”. If she was slated to perform, it’s a different story. Was she slated to perform? I don’t know the full story.
Yes, I agree that Justin is being a straight-up b*tch, but at the end of the day, he still has his color to fall back on. I don’t usually play the race card in these matters, but situations like this have proven time and time again that it’s much easier for a white celeb to recover from these things than a black one. Such is social acceptance.
Boycott the Grammys? I didn’t plan on watching it anyway. If that counts as boycotting, so be it. I always thought the ceremony was nonsense, it’s obviously run by people that do not listen to music.
Posted by: nOva at February 7, 2004 06:29 AMI wholeheartily agree… I am boycotting the Grammy’s also… Fight the power…
Posted by: Rocka at February 6, 2004 06:46 PMSpeak on it, BROTHA!
Posted by: Julian Johnson at February 6, 2004 06:31 PM