The 500 - #259 - The Velvet Rope - Janet Jackson

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone Magazine's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

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Album: #259
Album Title: The Velvet Rope
Artist: Janet Jackson
Genre: R&B, Trip Hop, Pop
Recorded: 3 Studios (Minnesota, New York, Los Angeles)
Released: October, 1997
My age at release: 32
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not At All
Is it on the 2020 list? Yes, at #318, dropping 59 spots
Song I am putting on my Spotify Playlist: Got 'Til It's Gone

Over the past 45 years, singer, songwriter, dancer and actress Janet Jackson has carved out a remarkable career. The youngest child of North America's most famous musical family, The Jacksons, she has sold over 100 million albums and holds the record for the most consecutive top ten entries on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart by a female artist.

Jackson's socially conscious and sexually provocative lyrics are as ingenious as the many genres of music from which she draws the inspiration for her unique sound. Additionally, her high-energy, elaborately choreographed and technically innovative stage productions have become legendary.

Lights and lasers on Jackson's 2023 Together Again tour

However, despite these accolades and her mountainous success,  she might best be remembered for a brief, but controversial, moment during the half-time performance at the 2004 Super Bowl. Her right breast, covered partially by a star-shaped nipple shield, was revealed to a television audience that exceeded 90 million in an event that has been memorialized by the unfortunate and lazy moniker "nipple-gate".

In brief, "nipplegate" occurred at the finale of Jackson's performance when, joined by singer Justin Timberlake, the duo sang his popular song Rock Your Body. The final lyric in Timberlake's hit is "Bet I'll have you naked by the end of this song". Consequently, the plan was for the former N'SYNC vocalist to tear the leather breast cup off Jackson to reveal red, lacy "lingerie" underneath.

Jackson, performing with Justin Timberlake at 2004 Superbowl

However, when Timberlake crooned the final lyric and pulled on her bustier, both the black leather and red fabric came free, momentarily revealing Jackson's breast. Some speculate that the "mishap" was intentional. However, both Timberlake and Jackson have maintained for 19 years that it was a legitimate "wardrobe malfunction".

Jacson, covering up, moments after the "wardrobe malfunction"

Jackson's breast was visible for less than a second. But that was enough to spark discussions (and outrage) that eclipsed an exciting main event --Tom Brady and the New England Patriots winning their second NFL Championship, 32-29, against the Carolina Panthers. The internet was inundated with searches in the days that followed, crashing Janet Jackson's site. In fact, YouTube co-founder and creator Jawad Karim has stated that he was inspired to create the video platform after "having difficulty finding footage of the wardrobe malfunction online.

In a survey following the event and Jackson' apology, it was clear that the majority of parents were not troubled about the mishap, with only 17 per cent indicating they were "very concerned". Perhaps it was the mili-second “exposure” that irked publicity-minded politicians because the White House got in on the act by issuing a statement and the U.S. Congress went on to hold hearings into the prime time television flub.  Adding to the outraged Washington frenzy the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into this "shameful display", eventually fining broadcast company CBS half a million dollars. FCC Chairman Michael Powell also issued a statement, saying: "Clearly someone had knowledge of it. Clearly it was something that was planned by someone." Despite not being able to determine who the "someone" was, Powell’s statement continued, "'she' probably got what 'she' was looking for", ostensibly ascribing all the blame to Jackson.

CBS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Les Moonves was reportedly "obsessed" with ruining Jackson's career because he considered her apology insufficient, according to the 2021 documentary Malfunction: The Dressing Down Of Janet Jackson. Indeed, Moonves blacklisted her music and music videos from all CBS/Viacom media outlets, including MTV, VH1 and more than 200 radio stations. From the sidelines, it seems incredulous that the sight of a patch of female flesh would inflame someone to such drastic action.  Incidentally, Moonves was fired from CBS in 2018 after being credibly accused of sexual harassment, intimidation and assault.

Les Moonves when Chairman and CEO of CBS

What about Timberlake? Well, unsurprisingly, a familiar double standard was at play and it only elevated his career. He remains one of the world's biggest selling artists and returned to host the Super Bowl Half Time show 13 years later.

Timberlake at the Super Bowl in 2017

In his detailed examination of the event and the fallout, journalist Johnny Harris aggregated data from 200 news articles of the time of the Great Uncovering in 2004. He learned that only half of them mentioned Timberlake in passing" and one-third failed to mention him at all. Additionally, Harris examined the language used by reputable media outlets, including the New York Times and Washington Post. A clear pattern emerged where the media chose words to portray Jackson as the sole perpetrator and provoker, while framing Timberlake, who actually removed the breast cup, as an innocent victim.The Boston Globe was carried away, noting: "Justin Timberlake reached over to that infamous right breast of Janet Jackson". Infamous?  It's as if Jackson was a mythological siren using her irresistible feminine charms to lure the 22-year-old Timberlake to a rocky shore of decadence.

As the hoopla built around the event, my clever friend James jokingly, but poignantly, commented, "I'll never understand how anyone could be angry about a boob?" True enough. Not only are they beautiful, they sustain life and half the population have them -- more if we count fat guys.

At the time, I didn't think much about it all, but since the tempest in a bra cup nearly two decades ago, I have come to understand better how shabily women are treated by the media. The Pamela Anderson/Tommy Lee sex tape theft which resulted in illegal videocassette copies being sold to the public is another case in point. Anderson was painted as shameless and whorish, while Lee was celebrated as cool, virile and well-endowed.

The TV series Pam & Tommy helped me rethink the 1995 events

Although I regret the jokes I made (or laughed at) in the past, I am pleased with the progress I've made as a human over the 19 years since "nipplegate" and the 28 years since the Pam and Tommy Sex Tape. Anderson and Jackson have soldiered on and both report that they are happy with their place in the world. Jackson is currently on her 10th concert tour, called Together Again, and it is selling out stadiums, arenas and ampitheatres in 37 cities across North America. As my students would say -- "You slay girl!"

 **The Velvet Rope was Jackson’s sixth and was certified triple platinum in both the U.S. and Canada. It was my first time listening to it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth a listen.