Chasez Out of Pro Bowl, Rips NFL
Thu Feb 5, 6:35 PM ET Add Entertainment - E! Online to My Yahoo!
By Sarah Hall
Hey, Justin, why you gonna do JC like that?
Thanks to the controversy caused by the Justin Timberlake-Janet Jackson Boobgate scandal, the NFL has decided to cancel a halftime performance by Timberlake's fellow 'N Syncer, JC Chasez (news), NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy confirmed to E!
Chasez had initially planned to perform "Some Girls (Dance with Women)," a song from his upcoming solo album, during halftime of the NFL Pro Bowl this weekend.
The singer said in a statement that the NFL expressed concern over some of his lyrics, and asked him to perform "Blowin' Me Up (With Her Love)" instead.
The song was featured on the soundtrack for 2002's Drumline--a film that was rated a staid PG-13.
But those lyrics, too, caused NFL hackles to rise, as they included the words "horny" and "naughty"--words that Chasez said he reluctantly agreed to change.
However, still smarting from the R-rated Super Bowl festivities, the NFL decided to steer clear of any potential for further embarrassment.
"We thought it was over the top," McCarthy told TelevisionWeek.com. "It was because of the song, and how we believed it was going to be choreographed. We wanted to go in a different direction."
McCarthy said that Chasez had not been holding rehearsals at the Pro Bowl. As a result, the NFL made a preemptive strike, barring any possible wardrobe malfunctions from the halftime show.
Instead, spectators have the opportunity to get lei'd, in a Hawaii-themed celebration of the Pro Bowl's 25th year in the Aloha State. Entertainment will feature hula dancers, drummers, conch shell blowers and local singers.
The NFL offered Chasez the consolation prize of performing the national anthem before the game, which he initially agreed to do. But on Thursday he changed his mind.
He released a statement attacking the league's leadership, saying it has "clearly become so disoriented it has reduced itself to bashing me and my music to divert attention from the fact that the NFL screwed up at the Super Bowl."
Chasez said he had enjoyed a positive relationship with the league in the past, but felt "mistreated" after being dropped.
"While I agree the mishap at the Super Bowl was a huge mistake, the NFL's shallow effort to portray my music as sexually indecent brings to mind another era when innocent artists were smeared with a broad brush by insecure but powerful people," Chasez stated. "That's not the America I love. Nor is this the NFL I love. I'll sing the national anthem anytime, anywhere, but not for this NFL."
It's not like the lost gig is leaving Chasez with a lot of free time on his hands--the singer has a slew of upcoming television performances scheduled to promote his debut solo album, Schizophrenic, due out Feb. 24.
***Anyone get the feeling the NFL is being run my hyper-sensitive arch-conservatives?!!*** (See the Playmakers Thread)
I know Janet made a bad and inappropriate choice, but PULEEZE!! JC CHASEZ?!!
NFL = Censorship
Threaded Mode