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Friday, January 31, 2014

The Heard

The ghosts of Super Bowl halftimes past

Posted By Rob Boylan on Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 3:00 PM

As the Boss said, step back from the guacamole dip. Put down those chicken fingers down and turn the television all the way up. Or don't, either way is fine. There has long been a love/hate relationship with the viewing audience and the Super Bowl halftime time show. There is a peculiar set of guidelines that go into picking the performers, one that was drastically altered after Janet Jackson and nipplegate and the fear of heavy FCC fines. The act has to be hugely popular and have a stable of greatest hits and have some kind of appeal to the widest possible audience, either the people watching for the game or the people watching for the commercials. For the most part, that makes the halftime show a bathroom break for me during the one football game a year that I watch (one I watch for the commercials unless the Giants are in it, then I watch for the football). This year's card of Bruno Mars and the Red Hot Chili Peppers isn't hugely attractive to me, but I'm mildly interested in what Flea does because he's a lunatic and Under the Bridge has a lot of nostalgic value to me. While I was thinking about nostalgic value, I though it would be a good idea to go back and find the five most interesting halftimes since the show became an actual event with Michael Jackson in 1993. One last thought: it's a real shame that Queen never got to play the halftime show.

*****

Super Bowl XLII, 2008 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Glendale, AZ Winner: NY Giants Highlight: American Girl, the heart and guitar light show. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haCk5XFj1lw

*****

Super Bowl XL, 2006 The Rolling Stones Detroit, MI Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers Highlight: Satisfaction, and Mick's joke in the preamble. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Xro6eccXQ

*****

Super Bowl XXVII, 1993 Michael Jackson Pasadena, Ca Winner: Dallas Cowboys Highlight: Billie Jean+moonwalk, MJ's leaping entrance from under the stage and Jennifer Batten's six-foot high hair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idg8TNknvDU

*****

Super Bowl XLIII, 2009 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Tampa, FL Winner: Pittsburgh Steelers Highlight: Tenth Ave Freeze Out, the Boss sliding crotch first into the camera... and of course, the Big Man's solo on Born to Run. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DanA9DlT92c

*****

Super Bowl XLVI, 2012 Madonna (w/ LMFAO, Nikki Minaj, MIA, Cee Lo Green) Indianapolis, IN Winner: New York Giants Highlight: Like a Prayer, the break dancing, that guy on the highwire who kept landing on his balls. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_mJZP0OUI4

Tags: Madonna, Michael Jackson, sports, Super Bowl, Bruce Springsteen, tom petty, The Rolling Stones, Football, Half time show, Nikki Minaj, MIA, Cee Lo, Bruno Mars, Red Hot Chili Peppers

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