M.I.A. flips the bird during Super Bowl halftime show performance

Nicki Minaj, Madonna and M.I.A. perform during the Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 5, 2012, in Indianapolis, Ind.

/ Christopher Polk/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) While Madonna's halftime show had no wardrobe malfunctions, British singer and rapper M.I.A. was spotted on stage flipping the bird during the performance of the Queen of Pop's new single, "Give Me All Your Luvin."

The NFL and NBC have already issued an apology for the singer's gesture that was viewed by some 110 million viewers on NBC and an uncounted number of people online.

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"The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing and we apologize to our fans," said Brian McCarthy, spokesman for the NFL, which produced Madonna's halftime show.

M.I.A., who is best known for her 2007 hit "Paper Planes," was seen giving the gesture as she sang the lyrics, "Imma say this one, yeah, I don't give a s- -t." The expletive couldn't be heard clearly, but after her gesture the screen briefly blurred in a late attempt to cut out the camera's shot.

"The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show," NBC spokesman Christopher McCloskey said. "Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers."

M.I.A. and singer Nicki Minaj are featured on Madonna's new single and joined the 53-year-old singer on stage for a cheerleader-inspired performance of their new song, toting gold pom poms.

In 2004, Janet Jackson's infamous halftime show wardrobe malfunction with Justin Timberlake caused the Federal Communications Commission. to impose a $550,000 fine on  CBS..

[Sky017]

I am not in agreement with it, however it is noteworthy that in the song's (official?) video on You_tube, MIA also does the same thing.

In other words, did anyone screen the video for the song to see what may have surfaced in the performance and thereby guide the performers accordingly?

[davyjreading]

She is a pig, nuff said.

[davyjreading]

She is a pig, nuff said.

[Saint808]

M.I.A. is a Indian (Sri Lankan Tamil) artist from London. Here real name is Mathangi Arulpragasam. In the United Kingdom the middle finger isn't as extreme. It simply means "screw off". She should had stuck to whatever they rehearsed but I'm sure she got into the moment and because she hasn't been relevant in America since the early 2000's

She had a song called "Paper Planes" kind of a political actives. She also had a song in the movie Slum dog Millionaire(played during train scene). I forgot what she looked like til I found out that was her. She honestly is a one hit wonder in the US but maybe a bit more popular in the UK amongst the young hipster political crowd. I feel like in America "the bird" is a little more like F### you while in the UK is more like leave me alone and let me be me. Kind of like the uproar when G. W. Bush(like W. Churchhill) did the peace sign with palms out which in the UK is like calling someone a vagina.

[ssporleder]

She showed no class but overall and if I exclude MIA, I think the rest of the show was pretty good. I wish the TV viewers could have seen the floor video a little more.

If Madonna did lip-sync, she did a heck of a good job.

[RandallRichard]

These people need to get a life. It was a finger after all, most of us have 4 on each hand and and display them openly all the time. Do they think that there is anyone anywhere who hasn't seen it displayed in this way? If they haven't it won't mean anything and they wouldn't have even noticed. This whole "uproar" is just plain silly.

[tdvtt]

Another tempest in a teapot. Thank you very much! Now the whole world knows about the ill-placed "finger" instead of just those who watched on TV. How long must we endure this excruciating torture that the pious FCC wipes on the nation.

[inverse137]

You show me a parent that is "shocked and outraged" by this and I will show you a parent that is a failure.

Here's how this plays out....you are watching the show with your kid...the "incident" happens. You talk to your kid about it.

It's called being a parent.

You don't whine about it and protest and all this other spinning the wheels crap that does NOTHING.

You talk to your kid...imagine that.