Debate over Prince's halftime show

[Soxy]

Was Prince using his guitar as a giant Phallic symbol? Or do people just need to get a damn life?

 

 

Prince's Halftime Imagery Questioned

 

By JAKE COYLE

AP Entertainment Writer

Published February 6, 2007, 10:16 PM CST

 

NEW YORK -- In the sensitive post-wardrobe malfunction world, some are questioning whether a guitar was just a guitar during Prince's Super Bowl halftime show.

 

Prince's acclaimed performance included a guitar solo during the "Purple Rain" segment of his medley in which his shadow was projected onto a large, flowing beige sheet. As the 48-year-old rock star let rip, the silhouette cast by his figure and his guitar (shaped like the singer's symbol) had phallic connotations for some.

 

A number of bloggers have decried "Malfunction!" -- including Sam Anderson at New York magazine's Daily Intelligencer. Daily News television critic David Bianculli called it "a rude-looking shadow show" that "looked embarrassingly rude, crude and unfortunately placed."

 

CBS spokesman Dana McClintock said Tuesday that the network has received "very few" complaints on Prince's performance. CBS last aired the Super Bowl in 2004 when Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake's "wardrobe malfunction" sparked criticism and a subsequent crackdown on broadcast decency from the Federal Communications Commission.

 

But this time, it was the NFL that produced the halftime show (MTV had in 2004). Spokesman Greg Aiello said the league has received no complaints.

 

"We respect other opinions, but it takes quite a leap of the imagination to make a controversy of his performance," Aiello said. "It's a guitar."

 

The majority of the reaction to Prince's performance has been laudatory, including positive reviews from The Associated Press, the New York Times and USA Today -- all of which noted the lack of controversy in this year's halftime show. AP Entertainment Writer Douglas J. Rowe wrote: "He delivered one of the best Super Bowl halftime shows -- ever."

 

For decades, the electric guitar, by nature, has been considered phallic. From Jimi Hendrix's sensual 6-string swagger to Eddie Van Halen's masturbatory soloing, the guitar has often been thought an extension of a male player's sexuality.

 

Was Prince's pose phallic?

 

"The short answer is, of course it is," says Rolling Stone magazine contributing editor Gavin Edwards, who points out that on Prince's "Purple Rain" tour in the mid `80s, he performed with a guitar that would ejaculate, squirting water out of its end during the climax of "Let's Go Crazy."

 

"All that said, it didn't seem like a sn*****ing little puppet show," adds Edwards. "I think it was one of those things because a guitar at waist level does look like an enormous phallus."

 

By enlarging his shadow, it's possible Prince intended to accentuate this aspect of his solo, but it's just as likely it was accidental. (You can find videos of the halftime show at YouTube.com.) A message left with Prince's publicist Tuesday wasn't returned.

 

The late-night shows have taken notice. On CBS's "The Late Late Show" on Sunday night, host Craig Ferguson said of Prince: "He was obviously very happy to be there, wasn't he?"

 

Stephen Colbert reacted with mock outrage on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report" Monday night: "They knew that they were dealing with a lustful, pansexual rock 'n' roll deviant," said Colbert, who joked that the sheet hid (not enhanced) Prince's "demonic guitar phallus."

 

In recent years, Prince has scaled down his performances, which were once renown for their gymnastics. His mini-concert at the Colts-Bears game in Miami included parts of "Purple Rain," "Let's Go Crazy," "Baby I'm a Star," Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," the Foo Fighter's "Best of You" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Proud Mary."

 

The Minnesota native has attracted controversy before. Tipper Gore launched a campaign to place a warning sticker on his 1984 album "Purple Rain" because of the lyrics to the song "Darling Nikki." Though his musical style has been expansive, he's best known for funky, sexually charged songs like "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Get Off."

 

Prince's previously most talked-about performance came at the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, where he donned yellow, butt-baring pants, (a stunt later spoofed by Howard Stern). Always eccentric, he famously changed his name to The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, then to simply a symbol and finally back to Prince. He also became a Jehovah's Witness in the mid-`90s.

 

But Prince's halftime performance, though celebrated, came in a much different cultural environment, where even the fleeting outline of a man and his guitar could, for some, suggest shaded depravity.

 

"If people want to be hypersensitive, they can be hypersensitive," says Rolling Stone's Edwards. "Those trombones are phallic, too. What are you going to do?"

[NorthSideSox72]

I wish some of these morons who are offended by the occasional breast or vague reference to body parts would devote their energies to violence in the media, instead of nudity and sex. It amazes me that there is a part of our culture that is so hyper-sensitive to the exposure of someone's body, but could care less about the stunning (and desensitizing) amount of violence out there in movies, video games and TV.

[Balta1701]

I'm still trying to figure out why Prince covered a Foo Fighters song in front of a hundred million viewers.

[southsider2k5]

I'm still trying to figure out why Prince covered a Foo Fighters song in front of a hundred million viewers.

 

Foo Fighters aparently covered a Prince song a while back as a tribute.

[Balta1701]

Foo Fighters aparently covered a Prince song a while back as a tribute.

I know that, but as far as I know, they didn't do that @ the Super Bowl.

[Soxbadger]

So far about the Foo Fighters song Ive read that.

 

Prince was/is a Jehovas Witness.

 

The legal organization for the Jehovas Witness is "the watchtower".

 

Prince starts the song Watchtower. I believe he edited the song to say (prince kept a view), and then goes into the Foo Fighter song. The theory is that it is a reference to Prince no longer wanting to be affiliated with Jehova's Witnesses.

 

But thats just a theory based on speculation. Otherwise its strange that he chose such a random song. My first guess was that some how prince actually wrote it (like Sinead O'Connor's nothing compares to you) but doing some research that doesnt seem to be the case.

[witesoxfan]

I say we just ban football. I mean, I've never seen it, but I'm sure at some point a player has grabbed another man's junk. The thought of a person groping another person on TV is offensive to me.

[Rex Kickass]

I think its because Prince, in concert is just as much a bandleader as he is a singer. He does songs he loves - not just songs he writes.

 

Very James Brown actually.

[longshot7]

So far about the Foo Fighters song Ive read that.

 

Prince was/is a Jehovas Witness.

 

The legal organization for the Jehovas Witness is "the watchtower".

 

Prince starts the song Watchtower. I believe he edited the song to say (prince kept a view), and then goes into the Foo Fighter song. The theory is that it is a reference to Prince no longer wanting to be affiliated with Jehova's Witnesses.

 

But thats just a theory based on speculation. Otherwise its strange that he chose such a random song. My first guess was that some how prince actually wrote it (like Sinead O'Connor's nothing compares to you) but doing some research that doesnt seem to be the case.

 

Interesting theory. But I think it's a little too out there to be true.

 

Foo Fighters covered "Darling Nikki" as a b-side several years ago. I saw it as repaying the favor, and why not do it at the Super Bowl? Prince probably didn't know what songs he was going to play until he got up there anyway. He covers tons of s*** - that's one of the great things about seeing him live.

[Kyyle23]

Regardless, I thought Prince's performance was fantastic given the conditions and the audience he was performing to.

[bmags]

guitars in general are phallic symbols.

[Kid Gleason]

Hahahahahahaha!!!

 

When we were watching the halftime show, and that part came about, I said "hm, I wonder how long until we see the news about Prince and his penis in silohette"!!! LOL!!! A few other people laughed and said "no kidding".

 

Seriously, I came to work the next day, asked a buddy here about it, and he said "no, I didn't get that out of that part at all".

 

I am a little surprised more people didn't get the impression of the "phallic" symbol there. Heck folks, we ARE talking about Prince here, and I am not sure if Prince knows about anything other than sex. I think the only reason I saw it was because we were dealing with Prince. If it was (to use the above name) Dave Grohl, I would not have seen the phallic symbol. But with Prince, come on, it's all sex.

[FlaSoxxJim]

Interesting theory. But I think it's a little too out there to be true.

 

Foo Fighters covered "Darling Nikki" as a b-side several years ago. I saw it as repaying the favor, and why not do it at the Super Bowl? Prince probably didn't know what songs he was going to play until he got up there anyway. He covers tons of s*** - that's one of the great things about seeing him live.

 

Foo Fighters have also covered Prince's Vanity 6 composition Drive Me Wild. It was on the Everlong UK EP release and maybe released elsewhere too.

[Mplssoxfan]

I think its because Prince, in concert is just as much a bandleader as he is a singer. He does songs he loves - not just songs he writes.

 

Very James Brown actually.

I used to go to a little jazz club in downtown Mpls pretty regularly on Wednesday night to visit friends who worked there. A decent smooth jazz band played there, nothing too fantastic -- there'd usually be about 25-50 people there.

 

One night I show up and there are a couple of limos out front. I walked in and who was behind the keyboards but His Royal Badness! He played with the band for an extended set, maybe about an hour and a quarter. I usually didn't have to pay the cover, but my $5 that night was pretty well spent, I'd say.

[The Critic]

I think The Easily Outraged were so disappointed that Prince didn't actually whip out his junk that they had to find some way to think LONG AND HARD about his junk, to draw attention to his junk, and to discuss his junk with anyone who'd listen, and the guitar silhouette was an easy enough way to do that.

If they really think that THE CHIIIIIILLLLLLDRENNNNN (because it's always about the chiiiiillllldrennnn, and never about their own repression or demented fantasies) would see Prince perform and believe that he has a dick the size of a guitar, then they have seriously failed at sex education....and you just KNOW they teach that themselves at home, because they certainly don't want it taught in schools.

 

It's much to-do about nothing, just another retarded scare tactic to frazzle the mindless followers and a reason to threaten to boycott someone or something.

Edited February 7, 2007 by The Critic

[Steve9347]

I must say, I and the drunk fellows beside me kinda laughed when that shot went up. It looked like a nice, big, fat c*ck.

[LowerCaseRepublican]

I was chuckling. I was like "Damn, that totally looks like a wang." in a very outrageous comedic sense.

[Brian]

I'm still trying to figure out why Prince covered a Foo Fighters song in front of a hundred million viewers.

 

When he started singing it, I was like, "What is doing?"! And he totally ruined it!

[DrunkBomber]

Considering i had to get to the bar by noon to hold my seats, the half time show was a little hazy to me. I doubt if I was at home i would of tuned into the NFLs half time show though.

[Rex Hudler]

We figured we would check out the beginning of the show and fast forward through the rest to catch up to live action (love the DVR!) but watched the whole thing.

 

The show looked awesome in HD. I thought it was probably the best halftime show I have ever seen. I am not a huge Prince fan, but I liked the Purple Rain days. The fact that he was out there jamming in the rain and his dancers were all over the stage in heeled boots in a downpour made it even better.

[Texsox]

guitars in general are phallic symbols.

 

Yep. And judging by the "guitar faces" that waaaaay to many players make, painful to play.

[knightni]

 

I dunno...it's an awful stretch.

 

I hear that kids shouldn't wear shorts either because naked knees look like breasts.

Edited February 8, 2007 by knightni

[LosMediasBlancas]

 

I dunno...it's an awful stretch.

 

I hear that kids shouldn't wear shorts either because naked knees look like breasts.

 

 

 

Looks more like a giant pitchfork was rammed through his body.

[DrunkBomber]

Looks more like a giant pitchfork was rammed through his body.

Which might of made for more entertainment

[LosMediasBlancas]

Which might of made for more entertainment

 

LOL, I agree. I just watched the video on youtube and he, uh, well sucked.