The Super Bowl Turns 40
By Keith Boykin, in sports
Friday, February 3 2006, 1:58PM
There won't be any "wardrobe malfunctions" at Ford Field this weekend. Instead, the Super Bowl will be a family friendly event. So look for traditional values like sex, violence, alcohol, capitalism and gambling. It's Super Bowl XL, and the XL stands for 40.
The NFL is also hoping there won't be any musical controversy either. After Detroit native Aretha Franklin complained about the absence of Motown performers from the Super Bowl lineup, the league quickly scrambled to add some more soul into the broadcast. "How dare you come to Detroit, a city of legends -- musical legends plural -- and not ask one or two of them to participate,'" Franklin told the media in January. Never fear. Stevie Wonder, John Legend, Joss Stone and India.Arie are now scheduled to perform in the pre-game show, and the Four Tops will also perform but it will not be broadcast. And last but not least, Aretha herself will sing the national anthem along with New Orleans native Aaron Neville.
As usual, the halftime show is expected to be the world's most watched musical event, and this year the performing honors go to the Rolling Stones. Also as usual, advertisers will pay a pretty penny. Thirty second ad spots sell for $2.5 million, about $83,000 a second. You can see some of the spots at SuperBowl-Ads.com before the show game. And finally, the forecast calls for a high of 28 degrees on Sunday and a chance of snow in Detroit. But fans in the stands won't feel the cold under the covered stadium in Ford Field.
Comments conceal
Shannon
February 3 2006, 5:44PM
I'm so tired of Joss Stone! I'm sorry, but you can find better singers than she in most black churches. I don't know why people allow themselves to be so impressed by her. It's only because she's white and she sounds better than Britney Spears!
phd2b11
February 3 2006, 9:56PM
Kudos to Aretha for making the league stand up and take notice!
cmoney
February 3 2006, 10:31PM
All of these halftime events have been lame as hell since "nipple-gate". I feel like I'm living in the 50's with all of this prudish censorship. There is no one performing that I would even remotely hope to see have a wardrobe malfunction (The thought of Aretha or Mick Jagger unclothed for even 2 seconds makes me want to hurl). This year, I'm just going to watch the damn game!! Go Pittsburgh!!!
naturalblkluv
February 4 2006, 2:06AM
every since Janet pop a booby, every TV performance at major events is down right boring. since when did they think only old white people attended or watched those event.
i might look in on it, but since my panthers lost, ill be getting a good table at the busy 6pm time slot at mt favorite soul food restaurant.
Jeff Hobbs
February 4 2006, 3:09AM
I'll be cheering for my boyfriend the GAY Seahawk!! Go baby GO!
mess
February 5 2006, 12:04AM
Hey, don't OUT Stephen Alexander.
Jeff Hobbs
February 6 2006, 4:12AM
sean alexander? the devout christian? please. he named his daughters Heaven and Trinity. The don't get any more Christian than that!LOL Sean is not my baby daddy!! My baby daddy is a big butch lineman!:)
blacklatina
February 6 2006, 9:29AM
THANK YOU SHANNON!!!!! I'm so glad that SOMEBODY finally said something about this chick. ....so overrated and such a darn drag. Now, I'm all for giving credit where it's due but she is not good at all...I'm sorry. They may as well had Ms. Spears because at least she would've given us the best lip-sync show of the century! I can take that over bad singing any day.