Remember the furor around the Super Bowl halftime show? The one where M.I.A. was guest starring alongside Madonna and she flipped the bird? No, it wasn't this year's Super Bowl. It was 2012. If you forgot about the controversy, you're forgiven, because some of us sure did. Anyways, the NFL haven't forgotten about it, and now they're looking to get $1.5 million from the alt-pop star for breach of contract.
"M.I.A., as a member of the public and a noted member of the music entertainment industry, was unquestionably aware of the adverse consequences sustained by the NFL, and the public outcry provoked, by the Janet Jackson 'wardrobe malfunction' during the halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVIII," read a statement from the NFL.
Howard King, M.I.A's attorney, gave a slightly more pointed response than our initial raised eyebrows.
"Of course, the NFL's claimed reputation for wholesomeness is hilarious," he said. "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, and the raping of public entities ready to sacrifice public funds to attract teams."
Well then.
M.I.A. tends to overplay her "edgy" card, but the NFL has bigger issues to deal with, especially considering the recent $700 million-plus settlement the league just finished with victims of concussions. And especially considering that everyone else has already forgotten the incident. Literally. NBC and the FCC already declined interest in a suit.
