Was the Janet Jackson - Justin Timberlake breast stunt cool?

While revelling in the titillation value of and hysterical media frenzy following the Super Boob performance, Daze Reader has overlooked a fundamental question: was it cool? Nathalie at Cup of Chicha wasn't impressed:

[Justin Timberlake's] inability to spark sexual chemistry, already obvious, was exaggerated by his pairing with Janet Jackson at yesterday's Super Bowl Halftime show. Corseted in Hellraiser leather, Jackson exuded about as much natural voluptousness and hot-bodied willingness as a mechanical wind-up toy -- all hard edges and an unresponsive fidelity to planned choreography. Timberlake, on the other hand, was dressed in boyish street clothes, and humped and grinded her like a drunk clubber who refuses to acknowledge his dance prey isn't moving. Then, in a move meant to convince us that the Halftime number was more bawdy than embarrassing, Timberlake reached for Jackson's bra cup and stripped it.

[...] If it was intentional, it was also intentionally ambiguous; Timberlake looks surprised, but he obviously had instructions to remove some layer of clothing (while, btw, singing, "have you naked by the end of this song"). And while Janet's outfit had a snap-on-snap-off bra cup, she has the expression of a real victim in the photo, right. (Though, admittedly, even intentional flesh contact with Timberlake might be traumatizing.) Either way, there's no joie de vivre in this unveiling -- no sexy daring or fuck-you pride. The sensationalism, if intended, is lazy, as if sensationalism were nowadays more a fact than a performance. Britney and Madonna's kiss, at least, still enacted cultural tropes, virgin bride and whore. Timberlake and Jackson don't even wear matching outfits, or dance well together. If Timberlake wanted to top his ex's public display of sexuality, and Jackson wanted to rejuvenate her pop icon status, they should have at least tried to make their effort sexy.

Another not-cool verdict from Rupert at Wired Tales.

Look, it's not the breast per se. I'm a big fan of breasts. I think I'd already seen enough of Janet Jackson's, but that's not the point. It's the nature of the stunt. There's no art, no grace, no beauty to it at all. It's just a Beavis and Butthead moment where two extremely well paid children snicker at each other, "You flashed a boob, heh-heh, heh-heh". People bring families to the Super Bowl, whether in person or via television: It's a game. It's not the time or place for a surprise Sexual Freedom statement. The key word is "surprise".

Can't argue with either one.

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