You know, I'm not so conservative and out of touch with my inner 16-year-old that I don't take some pleasure in the whole Janet Jackson thing, but what really torques me is how damn whimpy everybody is about it. From Justin's vapid "clothing malfunction" line...yeah, I'll bet your hand had nothing to do with it either. Did an errant rhinestone catch on your cuff link, ChaChi? To ABC's insistance they had no foreknowledge. I just wish *somebody* who gave the green light would stand up and say, "It's a boob. Get over it." I mean, I've seen bigger cajones from Lilith Faire participants when it comes to the defense of the bare breast.

And don't think I wouldn't mind a little Europeanization of our hand-wringing when it comes to nakedness, either. On many/most European beaches, it's quite common that women go topless. Sure, there might be a few giggles here and there, but overall, it turns out to be no big deal. My only problem with this little display is that it had no message or particular meaning...it was merely sensationalism for it's own sake and inappropriate for the younger viewers--not from the standpoint that they don't probably see that sort of thing when Mommy steps out of the shower and whatnot, but that it was in a context that is difficult to understand other than, "Janet Jackson is 37 and on the verge of pulling a Michael...she needs a way to create buzz and that coochie mama Madonna stole her lesbian thunder."

I'm not going to get all melodramatic about it; arguing that our morals are sliding into the mire. I just wish that when people want to make a splash, they did it with some guts. Lenny Bruce, where are you when we need you?