Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The only way through is to slog through the muck one step at at time.

Giving in to doom is how we fail to fight for ourselves & one another.

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

Jesus, Mary, & Joseph how is that election even close?

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

How any woman could possibly vote for this smug smarmy piece of misogynistic crap is beyond understanding.

When we show up, we win.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

Jack be nimble, jack be quick, hurry up and indict this prick.

Sometimes the world just tells you your cat is here.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

Republicans do not trust women.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

Dear Washington Post, you are the darkness now.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

Tide comes in. Tide goes out. You can’t explain that.

The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

The real work of an opposition party is to hold the people in power accountable.

You are here: Home / Sports / Half Time Open Thread

Half Time Open Thread

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Have I mentioned I hate all this crap at halftime? And I guess I just don’t get the whole Black Eyed Peas phenomenon.

Steelers look pretty craptacular, too. If I see Larry Brown in a Packers jersey, I’m going to have to start drinking.

*** Update ***

This has been going on for an hour now, I think. I honestly think I would rather watch the Packers score than this halftime show.

Reader Interactions

226Comments

  2. 2.

    mr. whipple

    And I guess I just don’t get the whole Black Eyed Peas phenomenon.

    Me neither, but I’d say this is better than I expected.

  3. 3.

    Morbo

    This halftime show is some absolutely agonizing shit. Someone please help me get my hands off my own throat.

  8. 8.

    Shoemaker-Levy 9

    If poorly performed techno-rubbish is the best our culture can come up with then we truly are doomed.

  10. 10.

    Martha

    I Think the show is pretty awful, but what do I know. The commercials are mostly awful too, except for Darth/VW and Teleflora/Faith Hill. And I’m terrified the Packers will play true to form in the 2nd half, which will mean great pain and agony in this house and happiness to you John. Sigh.

  12. 12.

    Nicole

    The costuming makes the four of them look like some kind of low-end Marvel Superhero team. Like Alpha Flight, minus Sasquatch. And the dwarf.

  14. 14.

    Uncle Clarence Thomas

    .
    .
    This game of which you speak… Who’s winning, the Quitter or the Bullshitter?
    .
    .

  16. 16.

    No One of Consequence

    Fail show is fail.

    Anything that has me hankerin’ for the days of a sun-symbol-nipple-shield-slip from a 40-something ex-pop-sister-symbol-whatever, well…

    Must be pretty bad.

    Hell, why not have Prince back for Silhouette Masturbation II — Digilectric Boogaloo ???

    They could add pixels and Tron II type stuff…

    Oi.

  21. 21.

    Poopyman

    If the Packers score 1st in the 2nd half I’ll turn on the Puppy Bowl.
    …
    Except it went off at 5:00! Crap!

    Between interceptions and penalties the Steelers are doing a real job on themselves. The injuries don’t help, either.

  23. 23.

    wobblybits

    @cathyx: I’m not judging them solely by their half time show. They have sucked each and every time I have seen them live (hubby has worked/played for them a few times)

    ETA: Different strokes for different folks and all that.

  30. 30.

    Michael

    We liked it a lot, but we also have teens still living at home, so we’re familiar with the genre.

  36. 36.

    passerby

    I’m going to have to start drinking.

    “start drinking”? It’s Superbowl Sunday and your team is in the game. “start drinking”? ? What’s wrong wichu?

  40. 40.

    MobiusKlein

    My kids luv teh black eyed peas, so can it.

    Nobody pissed on your grapefruit today.

    (Grownups these days, get off my spectrum!)

  41. 41.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Ok, how much you want to bet that the “fans” jumping up and down frantically in front of the performers were paid to do so?

  42. 42.

    Tim

    I have long believed that the Black Eyed Peas suck. Totally.

    And that Fergie is one of the ugliest alleged sexy women the American public have had shoved down their throat in a long time.

    My guess is she had too much plastic surgery too early and now she just looks weird. I remember closeups of her in that “Poseidon Adventure” remake that made my skin crawl. Trout lips/nose job/filler and botox.

  44. 44.

    comrade scott's agenda of rage

    Halftime show? WTF is that?

    Digiorno pizza almost done than it’s back next door to watch the actual game.

    And man have the commercials been lame this year.

  45. 45.

    Binzinerator

    @martha

    And I’m terrified the Packers will play true to form in the 2nd half
    That’s what I’m afraid of too.

    It was an awesome 1st half though.

  46. 46.

    Michael

    @asiangrrlMN:

    So that WAS Usher.

    The man is an outstanding performer. He took on the role of Billy in an upper tier traveling version of “Chicago”, and from all reports, was a real crowd pleaser.

    The hip-hop was just a means to an end.

  58. 58.

    Nom de Plume

    Oh lord. I’m trying not to be too cynical, but damned if the Steelers always start getting these calls sooner or later…

  61. 61.

    Mark S.

    I HATE talking babies. That will be the first thing banned when I become dictator. National healthcare and pot legalization soon to follow.

    I don’t mind talking dogs though.

  62. 62.

    asiangrrlMN

    @Nerull: You summoned him! TDS had a cute intro with Bieber and Jon Stewart switching bodies. FYWP won’t let me enmbed.

    @suzanne: The Who.

    @Mark S.: Totally agree with you. Creeps me the fuck out. Although, my first edict as king would be to have all my favorite actors (male and female) perform a play for me. Nekkid.

  63. 63.

    Jay C

    Oh Joy – another Etrade talking baby – as cogent an argument for abortion as I’ve ever seen,…

  66. 66.

    Violet

    @Nerull:

    At least it wasn’t Beiber.

    And there he is. Figured we couldn’t go a full Super Bowl without a Beiber sighting.

  70. 70.

    Warren Terra

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Ok, how much you want to bet that the “fans” jumping up and down frantically in front of the performers were paid to do so?

    They were costumed identically and they performed the same dance moves in synchrony. In fact, their motions were anything but “frantic”. I don’t know what you were watching; I saw a whole bunch of professional dancers on the field.

  72. 72.

    justawriter

    It is said that the British Army wore red coats so that if their commanders were wounded, the blood would blend in and the soldiers would not lose hope. That is why both teams wear yellow pants.

  77. 77.

    Veneficus

    Yeah, that halftime show was just horrible. I feel sorry for Slash, what with being felt up by that screeching harpy Fergie.

  79. 79.

    Mary G

    I missed the whole halftime and just turned it on in time for the Steelers TD! All of a sudden it’s close.

  80. 80.

    Moonbatting Average

    oh for fuck’s sake. Steelers call = Steelers TD. Enjoy your “luck” yinzers.

  83. 83.

    The Dangerman

    @suzanne:

    …Black Eyed Peas or The Who?

    I missed the BEP this year, but it could NOT have been worse than The Who (which, given that half the band is dead, wasn’t really The Who).

  84. 84.

    Warren Terra

    Awfully sporting of Steely McBeam and Co to do a series entirely on the ground, what with the Packer QB hors de combat and all.

  89. 89.

    Cacti

    Nice of the zebras to put the Stealers at mid-field with a phantom face mask.

    Is there ever an egregious call in the Super Bowl that doesn’t benefit them?

  92. 92.

    wobblybits

    Can someone explain to me why so much military stuff is mixed in with sporting events? It is a bit creepy.

  94. 94.

    morzer

    @justawriter:

    No, it isn’t. Red dyes were cheaper, and the shift to red was largely a matter of happenstance during the English Civil War. Nothing to do with blood at all.

  101. 101.

    wobblybits

    @cathyx: The only recording I liked are the songs they did (along with others) on Sergio Mendes’s album, “Timeless”. Outside if that, I’m not a fan.

  104. 104.

    Cacti

    @wobblybits:

    Can someone explain to me why so much military stuff is mixed in with sporting events? It is a bit creepy.

    There seems to be more than the usual amount of jingoism this year.

  110. 110.

    frosty

    @Violet: US Football has always been a metaphor for war. Baseball not so much. (see George Carlin for the details) I don’t think you see it in any other sports, either.

  114. 114.

    Michael

    BTW – for those who want to celebrate something other than the ode to senile old fool Reagan, it is Bob Marley’s birthday today.

  118. 118.

    cyntax

    So watching on DVR delay and just got done with the halftime show. Holy shit was that not the most schizophrenic thing ever? Who the hell got paid to come up with that abomination? It was the kitchen sink of half time shows.

    Alright, going back to mix more margaritas and see if the Steelers can make this thing interesting.

  124. 124.

    askew

    The only good sports/singing mashup I’ve seen was Shakira doing the World Cup opening concert. She was awesome.

    Damn, I thought I was the only one who liked that performance.

    The BEPs were really vanilla which is too bad. Outside of Prince and U2 in 2011, I can’t remember a decent Super Bowl halftime performance in years.

  125. 125.

    MikeJ

    @frosty: Grr. Responding pointing out England/Argentina and England/Germany. WP eated it. Tried to post, and of course flagged as a dupe.

    FYWP. FYWP. FYWP.

  128. 128.

    Jay C

    As an aside, does George W. Bush have to taint every future sports championship with his presence

    ?

    Just the ones in Texas, apparently…

  129. 129.

    Violet

    @Poopyman:
    I figured Timothy Hutton must be desperate or something. BTW, he said he was Timothy Hutton in the voiceover. I wouldn’t have recognized him.

    @suzanne:
    Adrien Brody! Yum! That was a good commercial. Nicely done.

  130. 130.

    Warren Terra

    Oh hey, Fox just showed us “President George W Bush”. I knew we had a former President of that name, but not an actual one.

  134. 134.

    Yutsano

    @Loneoak: Now would bea decent time for a defensive stop on Green Bay’s side. Just sayin’.

    @Loneoak:

    Of course he was sitting next to Jerry Jones. Fucking axis of evil, right there

    Where the fuck is that damn asteroid I ordered anyway?

    And a kick gets whiffed…interesting.

  141. 141.

    Michael

    GB gotsta score this next possession to put this pig away, otherwise, the Stillers are going to win by 4.

  155. 155.

    Violet

    The Chrysler Detroit Eminem ad was good. Kind of drew me in. Good for Chrysler for supporting the city.

  157. 157.

    4jkb4ia

    @Mo MacArbie: When Bruce did it, it was good, although it was a grave condensation of his usual show.

    @asiangrrlMN from two threads ago:
    The whole verse is, IIRC–

    If you want to drink a cold one on the weekend, and get a little loud,
    If you want to say, I’m sorry, or I love you, but you don’t know how,
    If you want to get the nerve to tell that stupid boss of yours to shove it next time he yells at you,
    Well, this is country music, and we do.

    So a good country song is substituting for the flowers, not just this one.

  158. 158.

    Xantar

    The Eminem Chrysler commercial did what it had to do. Got the message across in such a way that I will remember it later, and didn’t piss me off in the process by glorifying douchebaggery. And now I kind of want a gospel choir remix of Lose Yourself.

  169. 169.

    Warren Terra

    Even as one born and raised in the Emerald city, which it dissed more emphatically than the other cities mentioned, I rather liked the Chrysler ad. It was nonsense, but it was pretty nonsense, in a good cause.

    The Groupon ad a couple breaks back, though, the one with “Tibet’s getting wiped out but hey maybe we can get you a deal on their cuisine” – that was just lousy.

  171. 171.

    Southern Beale

    Evening folks. I’m finding the game and the ads and the half time show all a little boring. Kinda wishing we’d gone to a movie tonight instead.

    Is it just me?

  179. 179.

    debit

    @Southern Beale: Not just you. Maybe I’d care if one of them was my team, but I doubt they’ll ever get to the big dance again in my lifetime. But I’m not bitter.

  181. 181.

    OldDave

    On the Chrysler commercial – love the Fox Theatre. I’ve never been to the one in Detroit, but have been to several shows at its twin in St. Louis.

  184. 184.

    Jay C

    ATTN: John Cole

    This thread is getting kinda lengthy – we can has 4th-quarter SB thread pleez?

  201. 201.

    passerby

    Stillers are not suckers. Rodgers good but most underestimate Pitt’s hunger and legacy. Good game so far.

    Half time show and commercials stupid as usual.

  202. 202.

    hitchhiker

    I liked the legless skier killing it on the high terrain commercial. Totally made my night.

    Also I’m happy that somebody unearthed the tape of the first Stupid Bowl, which I watched with my dad when I was in 10th grade and he was still alive and as happy as I ever saw him.

    The halftime show was . . . really? They sounded like bad American Idol wannabees on television. Maybe it was better live.

  206. 206.

    cckids

    @suzanne: I liked it too. But it wouldn’t have killed them to thank all us hard working ‘Murkins who bailed their asses out. They didn’t resurrect Detroit all on their own.

    edited for sense: typing while +3 Irish

  215. 215.

    Napoleon

    “is Roger Goodell from PA?”

    NY, but he went to college near Pitts. In fact he has been a good friend of a cousins family since those days.

    BTW his dad was the guy Nelson Rockefeller appointed to fill Bobbie Kennedys Senate seat after he was assassinated. Nixon hated him (first Rep Sen to come out against the war). He is talked about in Nixonland.

  221. 221.

    bago

    I wake up and go out to grab a filet and martini. Then some jerk puts on a football game. Heathens.

  225. 225.

    Chris Dowd

    You know- its funny- the half time show gets bigger and glitzier every year- but yet- it always seems stale to me- like a mimic of a culture almost- forced- artificial- like I’m watching a re-enactment of a culture. But I generally feel that way about the culture and the arts at large anyway in this country- that we are on a loop tape culturally- that we all know by heart. And it seems like it comes from the top down- that it isn’t real. That this stuff- without the exposure of our corporate culture- would not be liked by that many people. I don’t know- the half time show of the superbowl sorta seems like an apropos metaphor for the country at large- ossified- stale- in a rut- going through the motions to get the paycheck.

    My two bits.

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