One might reasonably have expected controversy when the National Football League invited Madonna to play the Super Bowl halftime show in 2012. Surprisingly, the controversy didn’t involve Madonna herself. The problem was that English-Sri Lankan rapper-singer M.I.A., a featured performer during Madonna’s set, gave the cameras the middle-finger salute during her solo spot.
Neither NBC or the FCC took action against M.I.A. for the gesture, but The Hollywood Reporter revealed that the NFL has been waging a legal battle against her for well more than a year. The league claims M.I.A. intentionally breached an agreement to keep her performance in line with the “goodwill and reputation” of the NFL. The rapper-singer scoffed via YouTube, noting Madonna’s provocative chorus of cheerleaders during the performance. “Is my finger offensive? Or is an underage black girl, with her legs wide open, more offensive to the family audience?” The NFL is seeking $1.5 million. — Richard Binder
