Vigilant media outraged by middle finger almost no one saw

Sorry New England. The Patriots lost on Sunday, bested by the New York Giants 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. But that’s not the only game story that’s been making headlines this week.

Popularly known for over two decades’ worth of trendsetting and occasionally outrageous behavior, the one and only Madonna was chosen as the NFL championship’s halftime entertainment. And even the “material girl” was left upstaged by one of her co-stars – a Sri Lankan rapper known as M.I.A.

During a performance of Madonna’s newest single “Give Me All Your Luvin’,” the 53-year-old singer was joined onstage at Lucas Oil Stadium by M.I.A. (actually Mathangi Arulpragasam) and fellow artist Nicki Minaj. But during M.I.A.’s portion of the song, the rapper quickly flashed her middle finger at the camera, while also uttering the lyric “I don’t give a shit.”

Naturally, the fallout since that moment has been…well…ridiculous.

Though numerous news sources have admitted that many viewers likely missed the finger flashing because it was so brief and that even the expletive that was uttered was practically inaudible, audiences should be universally reviled by such actions.

But wait there’s more.

According to British newspaper the Metro, the reasons behind M.I.A.’s gesture have only grown more complicated as the week has progressed. New speculation suggests that the “bird” may have been intended for the “Paper Planes” rapper’s fiancé Benjamin Bronfman, who has recently split from the star. However the official story remains that the incident was simply an accident, and the result of too much “nerves” and “adrenaline” from the performance itself.

Watch the Associated Press’ coverage of M.I.A.’s halftime antics here:

Whatever the case, at least the country wasn’t subjected to another “wardrobe malfunction” like that which occurred during Janet Jackson’s performance at Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Yet, with both Nicki Minaj and M.I.A. currently promoting new material (the tracks “Stupid Hoe” and the perhaps conveniently-titled “Bad Girls” respectively) a little bit of controversy could go a long way in helping move a couple extra albums, not to mention Madonna’s own forthcoming full-length release MDNA, which hits shelves on March 26.

While Madge has gone on the record to say that she, “wasn’t impressed” by M.I.A.’s actions, the singer who once did this and this could end up laughing all the way to the bank thanks to such a memorable show.

Couldn’t hurt right? The bird has always been the word.

For more information on M.I.A. please visit www.miauk.com.

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