Super Bowl XLI: Pushing the Envelope?

Once again, the Super Bowl raised some eyebrows this year, both good and bad. And it was more of what happened off the field than on it that grabbed peoples' attention.

The Snickers Commercial
This ad featured two auto mechanics inadvertently kissing while sharing a Snickers bar, then trying to make up for their error by acting more masculine. Gay rights groups are protesting because they think this is gay-bashing. Others would say it promotes the gay lifestyle. Personally I thought it was tasteless and disturbing. M&M Mars has pulled this ad off of the airwaves and it appears it is no longer on their website.

General Motors Robot Contemplates Suicide

I thought this was a cute commercial - until the despondant robot jumps off a bridge. Of course it was all a dream and, of course, robots would never do that. But again, the message that was conveyed was disturbing, implying that suicide was okay. Perhaps it was art imitating life, especially when you consider that GM (and other car makers) are essentially committing suicide with their business practices.

Prince's Halftime Performance [link]
Not since Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction have we had a controversy with the halftime show. The controversy here was the point at which the shadow of Prince and his custom-made guitar were projected against a large sheet of fabric which had a phallic connotation.

Now I've never been a fan of Prince, but I thought he performed wonderfully. I can also see - quite clearly - what is implied by the offended masses. But I also see it for what it really is - a man and his guitar. That's really the only way one can properly play a guitar, and I don't believe any other meaning was intended. What I questioned more was: What was up with that thing on his head?

So another Super Bowl passes - and again, the envelope was pushed. We live in a society where the envelope of morality is constantly pushed; it's just expressed more artistically at the Super Bowl.

Next year the Super Bowl will be played just a few miles from my house. At least it won't rain - unless they forget to close the roof and it's raining (now that would be a controversy!).