http://www.detnews.com/20...-81974.htm

Monday, February 7, 2005


Paul McCartney's safe halftime show offended no one, but bored many

His performance appeared to be aimed at pleasing FCC, not the TV audience.

By Mekeisha Madden / The Detroit News


Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press

Paul McCartney holds up his guitar after a spiritless halftime performance at the Super Bowl.

Rock legend Paul McCartney proved that safe isn't always a good thing.

No, McCartney didn't flash a mammary gland, a la Janet Jackson, but more jaded viewers might have preferred that than the boredom they endured. The Super Bowl halftime show should be something viewers anticipate, not an opportunity to finally check the batteries in their home's smoke detectors.

By the time McCartney, 62, sang "Hey Jude," even the young people who were presumably paid to cheer and clap in the front row seemed to suddenly go off the clock.

Not even McCartney's stiff-armed wave could pump life into this performance.

The Fox network and NFL officials wanted a squeaky clean halftime show and they got it in spades. The most controversial part of the one-time Beatle's show was McCartney's cross-shaped stage. Maybe that could offend non-Christians or something?

This wasn't even a show custom made for classic-rock lovers or families. Clean doesn't have to be dull. McCartney's show was clearly for the Federal Communications Commission. Hopefully it enjoyed the show.

For the FCC and parents alike, anything is probably better than pop singers Justin Timberlake's and Janet Jackson's sheepish looks after he ripped off her latex breast plate.

Fox even passed on a beer ad that mocked the wardrobe malfunction. (CBS, the network that aired last year's Super Bowl, got slammed by 540,000 complaints to the FCC and thousands of dollars in fines that it and its affiliates are still fighting.)

There weren't any lip-synching controversies this year. McCartney's voice sounded authentically raspy and worn. Maybe he should have had a hot spot of tea.

The better show was Alicia Keys pre-game performance of "America the Beautiful" with blind and deaf children from the late legend Ray Charles' former school who signed and sang along to pay tribute to Charles.

Although the appearance of actor and former rapper Will Smith, who introduced the "America the Beautiful" performance, served no real purpose other than to plug his movie "Hitch" (oh yeah, he's from Philadelphia like the Eagles), the segment was the only redeeming show the Super Bowl had.

The very first show, which featured The Black Eyed Peas, Charlie Daniels and Earth, Wind & Fire, fell flat, especially when it closed with one of the Peas wishing everyone a "Happy Football" What?

But at least that was mildly entertaining, if confusing. McCartney was just ho hum.

You can reach Mekeisha Madden at (313) 222-2501 or mmadden@detnews.com.

No disrespect to Sir Paul McCartney, but his performance was hella dry.

I respect Paul McCartney but I kept flipping the dial while the halftime show was on because I knew I was going to be bored silly. The times I did check it out, I was proven right.

I tried 2 like it but...

dreamfactory313 said:

Not surprising at all. After while singing Hey Jude over and over starts to sound stale as a can of thats been on the shelve too long.

Hotlegs said:

I want sum beans...

What are people expecting with Paul McCartney? Am I missing something?? He's not known to be a song and dance man so what's the big surprise in him just performing songs?? I just don't understand what people were expecting.

paisleypark4 said:

Are sure about that b/c you know what they say?

" Beans,beans good for heart the more you eat'em the more you "

EverlastingNow said:

-----
I guess we expect Paul to act like he wanted to at the Superbowl. He looked bored.

Hotlegs said:

The more u fart
The better you feel
So eat them beans with EVERY meal!

Somebody musta wanted to watch it. It was TiVo'ed more than last year's halftime show.

It wasn't bad but it wasn't excatly great. I think a lot of people might have showed up just to see if Janet was even referenced but from what I heard, pop dropped out after the second half and I think the snoozefest was to blame. I seriously think that it shows the hypocrisy of the right or the fact that most people are sick of sanitazing the airwaves. Either way, it's all good.

BTW, I think the fact that this is coming from the Detroit news is kind of a call to those organizing it next year to do a better job and maybe get a native of the area to be on a real show...but who?



[Edited 2/8/05 8:22am]

what? Heather wasn't there to flash?????

as old as the Rolling Stones are, i think it would have been a bit more exciting with them on there...

missfee said:

I absolutely agree! They would have rocked!

dreamfactory313 said:

hell yeah!!!

Oh it wasn't that bad...of course I knew what to expect. How can he not be bored doing all those songs just like the records year after year?

And shit, compared to last year it was absolutely brilliant! Kid Rock was the best thing last year, that's how bad it was.

I think the only Halftime show I've seen that I liked was Stevie Wonder doing Sir Duke.

Shoulda got Prince.

I actually liked the show.

I was singing along
to some well crafted songs that didn't need empty spectacles to enthrall.

Too many halftimes have been spent with rappers yelling unmelodic verses beside aging musicians who embarass themselves by pandering to youth.

I was sooo glad not to hear any rappers shouting over each other I didn't know what to do. So glad not to see any butt shaking or midriffs.

I felt clean, wholesome watching it. It took me back to more innocent eras.

And I realized how much I missed those.