Sunday Times 2
Controversial singer M.I.A. fighting $1.5 million fine for swearing
View(s):M.I.A.is fighting a $1.5 million fine for swearing during the Super Bowl half time show in 2012. The Bad Girls singer was seen on live TV flipping her middle finger and mouthing ‘I don’t give a s**t’ at a cameraman during her appearance with Madonna and Nicki Minaj singing Give Me All Your Luvin at the sporting event.
The action lead to the US National Football League (NFL) to start legal action against her. The NFL filed their complaint with the American Arbitration Association in March 2012, despite broadcaster NBC and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) both saying they would take no further action.
The complaint calls the middle-finger an ‘offensive gesture’ which is ‘in flagrant disregard for the values that form the cornerstone of the NFL brand and the Super Bowl.’ Sri-Lankan born M.I.A. – real name Maya Arulpragasam – wasn’t paid for her performance at the event, but did have to enter an agreement acknowledging ‘the great value of the goodwill associated with the NFL and the tremendous public respect and reputation for wholesomeness enjoyed by the NFL.’
The contract added ‘all elements of performance, including without limitation wardrobe, shall be consistent with such goodwill and reputation.’ M.I.A.’s lawyer, Howard King, claims she is planning to fight back against the NFL.
He told the Hollywood Reporter: ‘She is going to go public with an explanation of how ridiculous it was for the NFL and its fans to devote such furor to this incident, while ignoring the genocide occurring in her home country and several other countries, topics she frequently speaks to.
‘Of course, the NFL’s claimed reputation for wholesomeness is hilarious, in light of the weekly felonies committed by its stars, the bounties placed by coaches on opposing players, the homophobic and racist comments uttered by its players, the complete disregard for the health of players and the premature deaths that have resulted from same.’
The singer – best known for the hit song Paper Planes – flipped her middle finger and swore into the camera during her rap solo as over 100 million fans around the world watched the performance. While all eyes were on Madonna during the now infamous performance back in 2012, broadcasters were caught by surprise by the singer and scrambled to obscure the gesture in time.
The screen briefly went blurred in what seemed like a late attempt to cut out the camera shot. The NFL, which produces the show, and the broadcaster, NBC, both apologised immediately but blamed each other for the incident.
Brian McCarthy, the league’s vice president of communications, said: ‘There was a failure in NBC’s delay system. ‘The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans.’
And NBC’s spokesperson countered: ‘The NFL hired the talent and produced the half-time show.
Shortly after the performance, a source inside M.I.A.’s camp claimed the rapper was struck with ‘a case of adrenaline and nerves.’
‘She wasn’t thinking,’ said the source, who requested anonymity but was with the artist at Lucas Oil Stadium. ‘It wasn’t any kind of statement.
© Daily Mail, London
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