The FCC Received Over 1300 Complaints About JLo And Shakira's Halftime Show
Not everyone was able to see how epic J-Lo and Shakira were in their Super Bowl halftime show
It’s no secret that there are plenty of people who weren’t fans of Jennifer Lopez and Shakira in their amazing Super Bowl halftime show. As soon as their beautiful bodies hit the stage, the Karens came for them, accusing them of being “too sexy” and “not family friendly,” despite them putting on a show that required intense strength, stamina, and athleticism. J-Lo herself has already shut down the haters, calling their complaints “silliness.” But that didn’t stop them from filing more than 1,300 official complaints about the halftime show with the FCC.
The FCC, or Federal Communications Commission, is the federal agency that regulates TV broadcasts, making sure they’re appropriate for the channels and times they air. That includes making sure programming like the Super Bowl halftime show is, in fact, “family friendly,” since it airs on a channel and during a time that it’s likely kids will be watching. The FCC can issue fines to producers when their shows violate its rules for what’s appropriate.
The FCC didn’t issue any fines for the Super Bowl halftime show, but some people really think it should have. Among the complaints the agency received were people calling it a “porno show,” saying it encouraged sex trafficking, and complaining that there should have been a warning before J-Lo and Shakira took the stage to perform their “X-rated strip club performance.” That complaint very clearly came from someone who’s never been to a strip club before.
Some complaints even mentioned the Me Too movement, though not in any way that showed fundamental understanding of what the movement means. “What are you teaching young girls?” a Wisconsin viewer wrote. “Dance around half naked to make men excited then claim #MeToo for harassment? It’s ok to be some sexual being and shake your naked rear end and expose your crotch and dance on a pole in front of the world?” Yikes.
At the end of the day, the complainers are just that: Complainers. The FCC didn’t issue any fines because the Super Bowl halftime show didn’t break any rules. And J-Lo and Shakira (and plenty of their less vocal viewers) know that they put on an incredible show that was powerful, political, and inspiring for women everywhere.
