Superbowl Halftime Show

[Sercee]

For those of you who, like me, were unfortunate enough to actually have the Superbowl on the TV this weekend...

So Prince played the Halftime show. During his rendition of Purple Rain there was a huge sheet behind him with his shadow projected on it for a guitar solo, for which he played his 'special' guitar in the shape of his symbol. There is now, in the usual prudish style of the American Right, a controversy around the fact that his guitar looked.... wait for it... phallic. They say it was on purpose and was unsuitable for tv (just like Janet's nipple!).

What do you think?

My opinion is that everything looks phallic - pens, pop bottles, drinking glasses, name it. It's the nature of the shape, it's very versatile (don't be getting any ideas, guys!). So yes, a silhouette of a man playing guitar from the hip looks phallic. Was it on purpose? Probably, Prince has been guilty of that before. Should people be offended? Not unless they want to censor every disney movie or kids show that has adult innuendo for our amusement that no kid will every get.... oh wait, that's every kids show...

It's widely known that children start out innocent. They see things differently than we, with our years of 'experience and wisdom' do. There's a purity test out there that features a beautiful vase with figures on it. What you see tells you how childlike your mind is: if you see dolphins you're innocent. If you see naked people you're not. Children will almost always see dolphins. So, if you're at the superbowl watching Prince with your kids, chances are the kids that you're trying to protect from the violent images of society (what are they doing at an NFL game??) are only going to see a guy playing guitar. You're the only one that's going to see a phallus. If you're offended then you obviously feel shame regarding the human body and you need to get your head out of your butt because there isn't anything to be ashamed of.

End rant.

[Draconis]

i agree that america is over the top with sesitivity, many national monuments in america and around the world are depictions of phallus', eiffel tower, Washington Monument and many other things, pyramids could be viewed as 'nipples', America cant make distinctions of what is and isnt acceptable

[Sobek]

well i was fortunate not to get superbowl fever, thank the gods im in australia where like almost no one cares lol, and not a prince fan lol...im not too sure if i know any actually.

i think America's main problem is it has a lot of those groups complaining about all manner of things and its trying to satsify everyone, which, cannot be done.

[[ForestWitch]]

It's Prince. Of course it was phallic and of course it was on purpose! This is the guy who once had a guitar that would spurt fluid from the end of the neck of his guitar! He's far less raunchy than he used to be, of course, but his fans would have been downright disappointed if he didn't do ANYTHING that was a little risque!

I would agree that most kids wouldn't pick up on the phallic imagery, though. People are mainly upset because Prince has such a long history of being such a "naughty boy." (Have I mentioned that I ADORE Prince!) Even if they did get it, why would that be so terrible? I've never understood all the fuss about protecting kids from any and all sexual knowledge.

[Sercee]

LOL
I hate Prince with a passion...

[[cosmo]]

I agree, Prince sucks. And so does football.

[Sobek]

oh excellent, other people who see sense.

[[ForestWitch]]

Ah well, I'm biased. I was living in the Twin Cities when the buzz was first building about Prince just before he burst on the national scene. I saw him live when he was 19 at the Artist's Quarter, before his music became so controversial and when it was really all about virtuoso guitar playing and a brand new fusion of funk and rock. If you don't listen to funk and R&B you wouldn't realize, or care, how truly innovative his sound was at the time.

I quite agree that football sucks, though!