Blame AT&T. AT&T is to blame for everything. Why not blame AT&T for how bad the Black Eyed Peas were?
The choice of the Black Eyed Peas was intended to bring some youthful vigor back to the halftime show after the NFL — feeling burned by the infamous "wardrobe malfunction" of Janet Jackson with the aid of Justin Timberlake in 2004 — chose a string of safe, near-geriatric icons for the halftime for the next six years, ending on a low note with a much-maligned concert by The Who last year.You did "Sweet Child O' Mine" and near-geriatric icon Slash appeared. Then you did "(I've Had) The Time of My Life." Did near-geriatric icon Jennifer Grey back out at the last moment?
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And pray tell, who runs AT&T? Sarah Palin.
I would think a non profit should do the show rather than evil profit seekers. How about Marine band or US Army chorus.
Is there such a thing as 'near-geriatric defensiveness?'
Althouse seems overly focused on uppity whipper snappers [I think that's what you near-g folks call them.]
Shouldn't he be "performing" during the performance? Quaint, I know.
I have a guy working for me who said he loved the show. It was his favorite part, by far.
He's late forties, has eight kids, and listens almost exclusively to country music. I didn't know what to say in response to him. All I could think of (w/o lying by agreeing that it was a great show) was to say that the costumes reminded me of Tron. He agreed. I seek common ground/ civility.
I failed to understand why Slash was there. He just popped up out of the stage, and played his riff. How was that relevant?
Chuck Berry would have put on a better show.
"The worse"?
I did not watch it but seeing Fergie just makes me think of taking a bathroom break. Depends should have tried to get her as a spokesman. Spokeswoman. Whatever.
Holy crap that was awful, and I say that as a fan since "Let's Get Retarded" was first released. The sound levels were everywhere, Fergie was somewhere between shrieking and fading, and will.i.am can't sing without AutoTune. Normally that's not a problem, since he's more rapper than singer, but "I've Got a Feeling" actually requires the males to sing too.
@Mary Beth
Spokesbladder.
The lameness of the Super Bowl halftime show is part of its charm. Or maybe all of its charm. Has there ever been a good one?
Sad that the largest company headquartered in Dallas could not provide adequate service for the crowds of spectators.
But being unprepared for the crowd was not limited to AT&T. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones failed to provide hundreds of temporary seats for which tickets had been sold.
Perhaps AT&T didn't crash but cell signals at the stadium were jammed for security purposes. The Secret Service uses technology to block cell signals and individuals can also buy jamming devices online.
"The lameness of the Super Bowl halftime show is part of its charm. Or maybe all of its charm. Has there ever been a good one?"
It's when we eat (though that was difficult this year. Too nervous.).
OMG! However did the world survive that horrible 15 minutes without Will.i.am's text pontification?
wv: nontatp. The one BEP w/o ink?
"The worse." Ironic that a troupe of illiterates used their halftime show to implore Obama to get American kids educated.
"The worse." Actually, the worse was singing to Obama to educate the children.
It is said that we are now in the final decline of the republic, when even the bread and circus is failing to amuse.
Near-geriatric Slash? He's only like 45!
Had a funny conversation with my boss today while trying to explain who the heck the black eyed peas are and that Boom Boom Pow was ridiculously popular. He doesn't know who they are because he quote "doesn't listen to terrible music". Heh.
FLS: "Sad that the largest company headquartered in Dallas could not provide adequate service for the crowds of spectators."
What kind of service was expected of Exxon Mobile? Sad.
He's only like 45!
Like wow, man.
Oops, wrong century..
I hear Andy Williams liked it.
The one benefit of the half time show was it inspired me to google the Black Eyed Peas, and more than the group, to read the wikipedia articles on each of the members.
Which turned up some very interesting stories.
And yeah, I realize that finding reading background material on a famous band more interesting than listening to or watching them certainly identifies me as outside their target audience.
1) How 90s can you get, spelling your name Will.i.am?
2) Did Fergie completely forget how to sing? First she's incontinent, now forgetful. Uh oh.
3) What was with the Janet Jackson costumes?
4) Slash ... my wrists; please!
Did Exxon Mobil move to Dallas? When did that happen?
Poor Irving. First the Cowboys left, now this.
FLS: What, then, is the largest company headquartered in Dallas? Dallas and Irving as you know are of a piece.
@Michael
I believe FLS is referring to AT&T, which moved HQ to Dallas in 2008 (according to Wikipedia).
Several months ago we received notices that as a legal condition of the All-tel deal Verizon was selling us to AT&T.
Ok.
We received paperwork and emails and all sorts of information, picked out our new phones, and waited for shipment.
And waited. And waited. And we are still waiting.
Verizon isn't great but at least they show up. At&T? not so good.
How 90s can you get, spelling your name Will.i.am?
I would expect, sadly enough, that he thinks it's rather clever.
Has there ever been a good one?
Prince. In the (purple?) rain. Super Bowl XLI.
Sometimes it just takes a Midwesterner to put on a good show.
!FLAG!
Hyperbolic use of "Geriatric" on the 'Slash'. Against the offense. Penalty is this comment and mini-GNR marathon on Youtube.
Near-geriatric Slash? He's only like 45!
In drug-addled rock star years, that's like 65.
Look at this way. The NFL lucked out. If the Eagles had made it Vick would have insisted on a dog act.
And if the Jets made it, Woody Johnson would have insisted on Tia Tequila. Didn't he have her whack his daughter or something like that there?
"But being unprepared for the crowd was not limited to AT&T. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones failed to provide hundreds of temporary seats for which tickets had been sold."
He wasn't unprepared. He is a crook. He went to the Fred Wilpon School of Franchise Management.
Did near-geriatric icon Jennifer Grey back out at the last moment?
I doubt I would have recognized her had she appeared, so changed is she...
When BIP came on we turned our attention to food and talk, and before we even knew it, the second half was starting.
Worse, we completely missed the marching bands.
Paddy O, see the Wikipedia history of the Black Eyed Peas article. The last line of the third paragraph. It was quickly edited to become less interesting.
Jerry Jones is basically a reverse King Midas. Everything he touches inevitably turns to shit.
I wish they would quit with the idea that Janet Jackson was some kind of hip, young, icon. The woman was nearly of a grandma pop act as the much maligned rockers of the past few years.
Come to think of it, the Black Eyed Peas aren't exactly new to the scene.
Triangle Man & FLS: didn't catch the Dallas/Irving nuance. ATT Cellular is based in Atlanta, GA. FYI
Mary Beth,
Hilarious. Not surprised that was edited out but it was good fun while it lasted.
What's funny is that while I was watching them, I got curious about their backgrounds because they so didn't seem to stand out as performers. I figured they must have good friends who promoted them or otherwise just happened to be the right group at the right place at the right time. Celebrity is fickle and sometimes nonsensical.
Turns out it was a little bit of of both.
"The worse." Ironic that a troupe of illiterates used their halftime show to implore Obama to get American kids educated.
Snort.
Maybe they can get edjimicated the socialist way.
Teachers should just take the good grades from the smart and hardworking kids and spread them around.
Problem solved!
A's for all!
Then we wouldn't be the worse tweeters evar!
Maybe I'll start calling myself Fre.em.an.
Missed the halftime show, but I'm sure the BEP made geriatric look good by comparison. Maybe next year the Stones will be back.
Speaking of geriatric, anyone else notice the preview of Johnny Depp's new movie? Boy, is he aging badly.
He mo igrant dan obama.
I confess: I loved the halftime show. I'd never seen the Black Eyed Peas before and it was interesting, watching them deal with malfunctioning microphones. I was glued to the tv, waiting for the next foul-up. How many other years do the performers get dinged for lip syncing? Not this year! There was actual dancing on stage, some of it pretty good. I have no idea who those guys were (my daughter told me but I have geriatrically forgotten)...but they could dance. Plus...PLUS...the glowstick people! How awesome was that? Reminded me of the opening ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics. Someone else said--and again, I don't remember where I read it--that the glowstick people brought Woody Allen-as-a-sperm to mind. It was all very entertaining. If I had paid for it, maybe I'd see it differently.
The Stones? Nah...I'll be in the kitchen tidying up. Who wants to look at Jagger anymore? Or ever did?
I'd suggest Big Band music or something orchestral with cannons or--here's something unexpected for a football game--a marching band!
AT&T is really Southwestern Bell. The child swallowed the parent.
AT&T had a chance to showcase its services and blew it. It's as if GM's courtesy cars for the Pontiac Silverdome Super Bowl wouldn't start.
"near-geriatric icon Slash appeared"
oh please, you superannuated hippy.
Football halftimes should be marching bands. Period.
Beldar said...
Football halftimes should be marching bands. Period.
Oh great Jebus NO!!! I hate marching bands. HATE THEM!!!
Fergie has said before that since her voice is a gift from God, insulting her singing is like insulting God. Stop dissing God, you guys.
Black Eyed Peas had a chance to showcase its services and blew it.
FIFY
The ability of a 35 year old to tweet was not the service anybody was trying to showcase. Besides, the halftime show was sponsored by Bridgestone (HQ in Nashville, TN if that is relevant to anyone). If will.i.am wanted to showcase the sponsor, he would have done drifting circles in a Bridgestone equipped Dodge Viper with Eminem in the passenger seat, while avoiding the beavers surrounding the stage. Such a show would have been infinitely better than watching will.i.am attempt to tweet during an aweful sounding performance.
"Has there ever been a good one?"
Prince, 2007
Bridgestone Tires' headquarters are in Kyobashi, Tokyo, Japan.
FLS irreverently irrelevant.
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