Hypocrisy on TV and the FCC

[Tasselfoot]

hopefully all of you have at least heard about the opening from Monday Night Football this past monday. if not, i'll describe it. Nicolette Sheridan from the ABC TV show Desperate Housewives was hitting on Terrell Owens and eventually drops her towel to convince TO to stay with her and not go play in the game.

Obviously, every major party involved with this opening was informed and approved it before it aired (ABC, NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles). Jeffrey Lurie (the owner of the Eagles) even commented in Monday's paper that he greatly enjoyed the opening.

THEN.... step in the conservatives. Monday afternoon and Tuesday started the backpedaling and the foot-in-mouth syndrome. Official apologies were released from the NFL and ABC saying that they were wrong to release the offensive content.

Now, the question is.... why. Of course, the obivous answer is that a few thousand people (read: kill-joy conservatives) whined and complained to ABC/NFL/FCC about it, and in a completely hypocritical move, the NFL and ABC apologize. now, a few thousand complaints vs 17 million people who watched MNF 2 nights ago. if i were in the position of a representaive of the NFL or ABC, i most certainly wouldn't give an apology. there was nothing wrong with that segment. there was no nudity. there was no profanity. it was funny, in context with the show Desperate Housewives (which i've seen every episode of), and gives more face time to TO. they approved their actions before it aired, they MUST stand by their actions after it airs.

I can not stand the way Michael Powell has turned the FCC into a neo-nazi organization bent on controlling the airwaves with his staunch, conservative, Republican ideals. Everything has spiraled out of control from Janet Jackson's jewel-cladded nipple to where it will eventually become that no live program will be allowed to air without a few second delay. What is next? No anti-christianity on tv either? i'm sick of the rules and covers that are being placed on our 1st ammendment rights. ABC is allowed to show the back of a naked woman just as much as some conservative has the right to turn it off, lest he go blind from the horrid sin of the flesh.

I'm sure i have more that i'd like to say, but i'm writing this all at once, and its all kind of venting out of me. so, i will wait for replies and go from there. yes, i'm very opinionated. i tried to contain my cynical desire to use profanity or vulgarity in my rantings.

PS - all of this started for me with Howard Stern.