This post brought to you by a French test tomorrow morning, DayQuil, the SuperBowl, and work.

[aruan]

This office is a graveyard. There are only two copy editors here, and I'm the only one night editing. I'm thinking oogobs of AP stories and apologies in advance for the extraneous commas with regard to tomorrow's issue.

Also, Cameron isn't working tonight! Where's my happy, brainy, funny editor-in-chief? Laura, the managing editor is here, but even she's not half as much fun without him.

On another note, why did Janet even do the halftime show? She doesn't have anything to promote, right? What I'm snickering over is the possibility that they got her for Justin, or that Justin listed her as a clause in his performance contract. Teehee. *is twelve*

Quote of the Night:

"If I ever find out I only have 24 hours to live, I think I'm going to spend it playing football. That way it'll last at least a month."
-dacey

P.S. "I just want to get drunk, curl up in bed, and sleep."
-Brandy, copy editor

Amen to that. *kicks sniffles* I feel so last season.

P.P.S. Bwah! There's already a press release that came across the AP wires from CBS apologizing for the SuperBowl boob-flashing incident. So, apparently, not intended. What I love is Justin's face in the pictures, once he realizes he grabbed too much, the tactful averting of his eyes but too much in shock to actually react. Heh.

Comments

[tavellafic.livejournal.com]

Janet's got a new album coming out.

Re:

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

When? And she's incredibly high-profile, so why hasn't this been mentioned anywhere? She's not doing press yet, and she didn't perform anything new...

I'm not doubting you, I'm just saying that she wasn't necessarily the one who came most naturally to mind as the halftime show centerpiece.

Re:

[tavellafic.livejournal.com]

She's pretty famous. And I bet her record company lobbied MTV pretty heavily, as it made a good launch spot for the album. And the little naked stunt made sure that everyone would be talking about her, not anyone else in the halftime show, and thus they'll play her new single. Magically released right on the heels of the super bowl, due to "overwhelming worldwide demand" (http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040201/nysu030_1.html). You don't need a lot of prepublicity if you can get the right kick off publicity that becomes news in itself. Ala Justin at the VMAs.

Re:

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Aah, yes. I keep forgetting (repressing?) how the entertainment industry works. Excellent points, thank you.

Re:

[tavellafic.livejournal.com]

Yup. I'm just boggled by the number of adults that looked at a costume that was *clearly* a tearaway (*snaps*, people!) and a move done on 'get you naked' and said 'it was an accident!' Just because they put on surprise faces. Of course she covered up afterwards, the news had already been made.

Smart move by Janet, but I'm not so sure by Justin, especially the week before the Grammies. Instead of what would have been hopefully a night of questions and coverage about his newfound music credibility, it's going to be Janet's Boobs all evening. And having chosen the denial route, I think he looks kind of callow, instead of sexy and newly adult.

The thought of the kind of private rehearsal they must have done for that move amuses me, though. It cries out for fic.

Re:

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

It's really too bad that I don't find Janet Jackson sexy at all. *shrug* As for the stunt, I don't know. Justin doesn't look quite as surprised as he should, but Janet sure looked freaked. It'd be interesting to know who's ultimately responsible. Like you said, the snaps are obvious, and someone posted a photo where they're obviously already coming undone at the top during the performance, but besides that, what else was Justin going to rip? The reach had intent, and I don't see how it could've gone any other way.

Again excellent points regarding Justin. Yeah, that was a pretty crass, classless stunt, and his nominations, the credibility he's earned not just in the R&B community but from the freakin' Grammy committee will definitely play second fiddle to the event, staged or not. Which we'll know soon enough - just sit him down with the right New York DJ.

I tease because I love. *g*

[vivamexico.livejournal.com]

Yup, she's got a new album coming out in March. The first single's supposed to hit radio tomorrow. From what I've heard, it isn't very good. But it's Janet, so I'll give it a chance.

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fan, but I assumed since she's such a big name and I watch my fair share of entertainment news, someone would've mentioned it. *shrug* I like tavellafic's explanation above. I guess who I should've been thanking is Janet's management and MTV.

Re:

[vivamexico.livejournal.com]

I've seen some articles on her new album on MTV.com, but other than I haven't heard anything about it. Janet was actually supposed to be the halftime headliner in 2002, but after 9/11 the organizers decided it would be more appropriate to have a somber halftime show. That's why U2 ultimately performed that year. I don't know if that's why she got to perform this year or not though.

Re:

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

I doubt that last year's events had much to do with it (unless her album was supposed to come out a year ago, too.) Whatever, yo. I'm mostly entirely underwhelmed by her, have the same objections to lip synching as everyone else, and thought the stunt was pretty lame.

I took advertising last semester, and one of the tenets is to build product recognition, of course, but another is to build a brand identity and preserve it. This whole mess may make Janet's stock soar for a bit, but it's definitely cheapening in the end, both to her and Justin's newfound credibility within the music industry. However, their short-term goals have certainly been accomplished. *shrug* Who's to say? Maybe it was everything they (whoever is responsible) intended. Personally, I'm moving on with my life.

Re:

[vivamexico.livejournal.com]

She wasn't supposed to perform last year, though. Last year Shania Twain, No Doubt, and...other people performed at halftime. It was the year before that, the first Superbowl after 9/11, that Janet was originally scheduled for. At the time, she had a new album out.

I'm with you on the "moving on" part. I wasn't online yesterday until late at night, so I was surprised by all the hoopla over the boob stunt. I think there's a cheapening effect happening all over popular entertainment right now, and this stunt was just the latest in a sad trend. I'm not sure what's worse, the actual stunt or the predictable media explosion proceeding it.

Re:

[gjstruthseeker.livejournal.com]

Okay, gotcha. I was thrown by the fact that I still think it's 2003 and the 2001 Bowl is played in 2002, so it was only a year apart in my head, not that I remember Janet's album either way.

I think there's a cheapening effect happening all over popular entertainment right now, and this stunt was just the latest in a sad trend.

Exactly. The whole Britney/Madonna thing, but even before that, the whole Tatu thing and the ever-escalating hemlines and plunging necklines - it's the entertainment industry expoiting a very Puritanical culture that still pledges abstinence and pays its female workforce substantially less than its men. People in general society are afraid of sex, and strong women, and I think the entertainment industry could do a lot to change that but is instead relying on cheapening shock tactics to gain publicity. Sex sells, it does, but it doesn't have to be degrading to the, err, merchandise? That came out wrong, but you know what I mean.

I'm not sure what's worse, the actual stunt or the predictable media explosion proceeding it.

Indeed. They know what will make headlines - famous people doing taboo things, as tacky and fabricated as it might be. Celebrity-obsessed and sexually repressed is a bad combination, but one the entertainment industry has learned to exploit.