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US regulators to review Jackson breast incident

US regulators on Monday vowed to investigate whether indecency rules were broken during the broadcast of the Super Bowl half-time show when pop diva Janet Jackson's bodice was ripped to expose her right breast.

During the break in the National Football League's championship game Sunday in Houston, singer Justin Timberlake reached for Jackson as they performed a duet and tore off part of her black leather bustier, prompting widespread outrage.

The game garnered the best Super Bowl ratings in six years, and the incident provoked wall-to-wall coverage on cable news networks. President George W. Bush was asked to comment but said he fell asleep before the half-time show.

US Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell promised a "thorough and swift" investigation of the stunt aired during one of the year's most popular American television broadcasts, which draws a major worldwide audience.

"That celebration was tainted by a classless, crass and deplorable stunt," Powell said in a statement that was echoed by others on the panel. "Our nation's children, parents and citizens deserve better."

But despite a public outcry over the incident, police in Houston said no charges would be brought because prosecutors determined there was no criminal act. Police chief Joe Breshears said "actions that may seem in poor taste do not necessarily rise to the level of violations of Texas law."

The CBS network, which broadcast the game, and MTV, which produced the football half-time bonanza, apologized for what they described as an unscripted moment.

Timberlake said the baring of Jackson's breast resulted from a "wardrobe malfunction," while Jackson herself said the disrobing went further than she had anticipated.

"The decision to have a costume reveal at the end of my half-time show performance was made after final rehearsals," she said in a statement issued by her publicist. "MTV was completely unaware of it. It was not my intention that it go as far as it did. I apologize to anyone offended."

Some questioned whether it was unplanned, since MTV's Web site promised ahead of the show "shocking moments" and Timberlake sang the line "I'll get you naked by the end of this song," moments before the incident.

Still, Jackson's label, Virgin Records, capitalized on the attention, announcing that her new single Just a Little While, was being delivered to US radio outlets on Monday, ahead of schedule.
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