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Dana Perino Outraged That M.I.A., ‘Not Even An American,’ Performed At Super Bowl

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by Frances Martel | 7:34 pm, February 6th, 2012

» 59 comments

It is the biggest secular holiday of the year, so naturally much of today’s The Five revolved around last night’s Super Bowl events. The crew particularly stopped on the first case of indecent conduct during the Halftime Show since Janet Jackson exposed her breast to America: British/Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. giving the finger to the camera, as she does in the music video for the song being performed, “Give Me All Your Lovin’.” Most found it vulgar on its face, but Dana Perino objected not to the gesture but to M.I.A.’s presence at all: why would Madonna perform with a rapper who was “not even an American?”

Perino’s comments came during a discussion Greg Gutfeld began with a description of M.I.A. as an “okay singer who marries catchy hooks to adolescent agitprop,” or “Betty Boop reading Mao’s Little Red Book.” He went on to explain M.I.A.’s outspoken comments against wealth while marrying a wealthy heir, and concluded that, hey, “it beats the Black-Eyed Peas.” Bob Beckel suggested it was reasonable for the FCC to fine the network, though Eric Bolling noted that there really isn’t anything that the network could do to prevent something like that, as “it’s lip-synced… you can’t have a seven second delay.”

Perino then got her turn, and she argued that it was all-around terrible. It seemed to have been meant as an off-hand joke comment at first, and may have continued to be as she chided Madonna (who hasn’t exactly spoken with anything resembling an American accent for some time) for squandering an event co-headlined LMFAO, Cee-Lo Green, and Nicki Minaj by featuring a weird foreigner. But she pressed on with it long enough for her point to be at least somewhat serious, comparing the performance to the pre-game crooning of “America the Beautiful” by Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert (Wikipedia tells me these are country singers) and Kelly Clarkson‘s version of the national anthem (Clarkson must make up the America points™ from Perino she loses for supporting Ron Paul by winning a reality TV contest with the word “American” in it). “Why can’t we have some America in our football?” she demands, before the conversation turns to Patriot Tom Brady‘s wife… Brazilian Gisele Bundchen.

Surely there are plenty of problems with this argument on its face, if taken seriously, starting with the plain fact that there is so much to hate about M.I.A. that has nothing to do with her nationality! The fact that she takes herself entirely too seriously for someone that presses random buttons on a cheap 1980s Moog and calls it a “song;” her vocal and, as far as anyone can tell, complete ignorance of politics; cover art that looks like what appears on the screen when your Super Nintendo cartridge breaks mid-game. It is not an unpopular opinion in many circles to call her a hypocrite in her personal life; professionally, “Betty Boop reading Mao’s Little Red Book” is right on the money. Even pointing out that her calls to violence and references to terrorism are anti-American would be better than to call her plain unAmerican. That she wasn’t born in a certain part of the world or does not arbitrarily subscribe to a particular culture Perino upholds above all others in the context of football is a pretty bad place to start.

It’s bad because it assumes that where one is born has something to do with whether one is an American or not; it reduces American culture to an arbitrary act of nature and not a state of mind that millions of loyal Americans swear to uphold every day as they become U.S. citizens. It also ignores the history of the Super Bowl Halftime Show: one that has featured such cornerstones of American music as The Who, The Rolling Stones, U2, and Phil Collins, and has had themes such as “Salute to Caribbean” and “From Paris to Paris of America.” America the state of mind is large, it contains multitudes, and it is above all inclusive. Excluding foreigners from our biggest holidays isn’t exactly how America got to be the world’s last superpower.

Plus, Perino leaves a very salient question open by alienating MIA as the “non-American” portion of the Halftime Show: do you really want to highlight that America is to blame for LMFAO?

The discussion via Fox News below:

Bob Beckel, Dana Perino, Eric Bolling, fox news, greg gutfeld, Halftime Show, LMFAO, M.I.A., Madonna, Super Bowl, The Five

Gloves Jack Donahue

Dana has no outrage or even regular rage in her.
Anonymous

The Bush Administration’s Press Secretary, everyone.
Anonymous

I agree with Perino. That’s why the only acceptable Half Time shows for me were U2 and The Who.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QUGVMSBBEAOYINQ5UOKMV36IQA Sanchia

LOL! I love her mock outrage at a foreign singer M.I.A but I don’t recall her up in arms at U2.
david r

Frances, this just proves my point. Super Bowl is the new Thanksgiving. Dana’s even patriotic about it. Americans were ready for another holiday. Thanksgiving falls too close to Christmas and Hanukkah, with way too much emphasis on turkey and ham. Thanksgiving has now fallen into Christmas’ orbit.
http://twitter.com/Staciisa_bitch Staci Chase

But it was good.
Ricci Dats Me

WOW… Suddenly CASTRO is the smartest person in our hemisphere? I mean his description of THE NEW GOP is sadly the view of about 50% of this country and easily 100% of the world. BUT, who cares, the NEW GOP doesnt care about other countries (its part of the disease of xenophobia) and they SURELY dont care about Castro or his thoughts..
”the greatest competition of idiocy and ignorance that has ever been.” -GOP Race description by unbiased outsider.. and some of us who live here and dont want to be associated with the likes of “Dana “Genius” Perino”…
Anonymous

The only reason Dana Perino knew that MIA wasn’t american is because of her skin.
http://twitter.com/GreenEyedLilo Jayelle

Another salient point: Some of the players, such as Jason Pierre Paul of the Giants, were not American. Should Pierre Paul not have contributed to the game because he’s Haitian? There are players from abroad in many other sports, too–the NHL would be nothing without Canadians, Russians, and Finns, for example.

Furthermore, I don’t think M.I.A.’s gesture is any ruder than the language children of Patriot fans were hearing at home for much of the game. What irritates me about it most is that professional scolds like the American Family Association and Parents Television Council are using it to garner donations and media attention. At least M.I.A’s finger only took a few seconds.
Anonymous

I have this really strange tingly feeling in my belly that if MIA were white Perino wouldn’t give a damn about the American requirement.Hey, that’s just my opinion!
ganmerlad

More likely she looked at Wikipedia like I did the first time I noticed M.I.A. for something controversial she did.
Anonymous

I swear these people act stupid for our enjoyment. The Who, U2, The Rolling Stones, and Fergie from the black eyed peas are all recent Superbowl acts that aren’t american. Conservatives are knowledgeable about some things, but never talk to one about Pop culture. Oh Paul Mccartny and Sting as well
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

outraged?

i think someone needs to lighten up a tad…(and it’s not Dana)
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

Why doesn’t Miss “I don’t know what the Cuban Missle Crisis is” Perino just come out and say it: “she’s not white’
I didn’t hear these FOX morons complaining when the British Rolling Stones, the Irish U2, the British The Who or the British Paul McCartney headlined the show.
ganmerlad

What a stupid thing to say “Why can’t we have some America in our football?” Perino notices one person who isn’t American, and next thing you know, the Superbowl has been taken over by foreigners. Or something. Completely over the top ridiculous statement. (Fortunately, she did not notice Cirque Du Soleil as well.)
Anonymous

Once again proving that anyone associated with Bush is a complete idiot.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_LUKTQTZLZUTCR3SGOO76TTVOGY moremonkeybusiness

They shouldnt have disco ball music at halftime. The Super Bowl should have only rock music. Next year ACDC
Centrist79

I guess she missed O’Reillys comment on dealing in facts.
http://mikechimeriblog.com/ Mike C.

I’ll take the high road and chalk it up to an honest mistake for Dana. When I saw the link to this story on the homepage, I immediately said to myself, “Hello? Rolling Stones!”
But I have a feeling that Super Bowl XLVII will have a tamer halftime band or solo artist to avoid what happened last night. How about Van Halen?
Anonymous

or republican.
Anonymous

Dana was making a joke and France’s didn,t get it. France’s embraces the humor of the left but doesn’t like it when a conservative makes a funny. France’s has to make a mountain out of a molehill.
Anonymous

Riiiiight…..
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

see also Super Bowl headliners Sting, Phil Collins, U2, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Fergie
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

she’s always been a moron:
“I was panicked a bit because I really don’t know about . . . the Cuban Missile Crisis,” said Perino, who at 35 was born about a decade after the 1962 U.S.-Soviet nuclear showdown. “It had to do with Cuba and missiles, I’m pretty sure.” So she consulted her best source. “I came home and I asked my husband,” she recalled. “I said, ‘Wasn’t that like the Bay of Pigs thing?’ And he said, ‘Oh, Dana.’ ”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/09/AR2007120901336_2.html
http://twitter.com/juvus juvus

I guess she has never watched a superbowl half time show before.Sting, the Who, Sir MCartney and the list goes on.

I thought she was smart but I guess I was wrong.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

Bono and Roger Daltrey are Real Amuricuns!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bart-Morgay/100001554351938 Bart Morgay

She’s not smart she is a blonde Fox talking point.
Ben

lol
Anonymous

I’m sorry but Dana Perino and outraged, do not remotely belong in the same sentence. Thus, I didn’t bother reading, since I’d watched the show and knew that the headline was bogus.
Anonymous

Fergie not an American? Her Wiki page states that she was born in California. You must be confusing her with someone else.
Anonymous

Not even American? Is she kidding? Has she been living under a rock this past decade?

U2, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, I’m pretty sure they aren’t from America.

I was not a fan of the half time show this year, the last couple haven’t been that good, in my opinion, but to argue that someone shouldn’t have been on the half time show because they weren’t american, especially in light of the recent acts that have done the show, is just plain naive and foolish
Anonymous

hmmm I thought she was british? If thats the case my mistake
http://profile.yahoo.com/VJCURIAZYOFCMHS3RICMPIMPOM jOkEy SmUrf aLLsTaRz

Perino is an idiot…doesn’t she know that M.I.A.’s husband is American? She is dumb for shooting at the hip, and having it backfire.
http://twitter.com/Darr247 Darr Darr

She probably thinks The Who shouldn’t have been there in 2010, Rolling Stones in 2006 or McCartney in 2005, huh. Or Sting in 2003 and U2 in 2002.
Love of Country

If Dana Perino is dumb, that makes you twice as stupid as an eggplant.

You clueless trolls defend anyone who hates America … unbelievable!
Love of Country

She prooly jus thinks foreigners who are invited to the Super Bowl shouldn’t be flipping off Uncle Sam and millions of children who were watching.

Imagine that, you backwards lookin troll …. she’s disgusted with the Left’s obsession with raunchy behavior.
Anonymous

And Madonna lives in London and has a British hubby. Deal with it.
Dead_Air

Perino is also upset that Tom Brady is having sexy time with Gisele Bundchen.
http://www.facebook.com/nowthatsonyourside Brandon Broze

Ook… What the hell does being “a foreigner” have to do with anything, Dana?? Is that REALLY considered a legit argument on the Right, esp. at Fox??
http://www.facebook.com/nowthatsonyourside Brandon Broze

Exactly HOW did she ever get hired to be Bush’s press sec.? At least the other 2 or 3 were fairly ‘intelligent.’ She’s just a dumb bimbo who’s slightly ‘hot’, but I guess THAT might well be the real reason he hired her.
Love of Country

It’s cute the way you try to condescend after voting for DingleBarry … LMFAO!
Anonymous

It only makes sense to have some ‘worldly’ participation otherwise or let’s not pretend and call the super bowl ‘world’ championship
The Real Royal Emperor

Indeed.

Nor do I hear much outrage at Meryl Streep playing a British Prime Minister.
The Real Royal Emperor

Is Barry Manilow American? More importantly, is he still alive?
Anonymous

Wonder what this cold fish thinks about Beckoms dancing around in his skivvies in his commercial? I’m betting she had no objections to that at all.
Anonymous

She was making a joke about someone who isn’t even American flipping America the bird. This style of football is American, its an American sport targeted at Americans even though people of other countries may also enjoy it.
Anonymous

this “dumb” blonde has a master’s degree in public affairs. Sorry, wrong again.
Anonymous

The NFL indemnified itself contractually, so when the FCC fines the network, the artists will pay the fines. The NFL wants to send a message and won’t care about lawyer fees. No one has heard of MIA and no one noticed her ‘live’ during the show. However, she’ll remember the moment when she writes out some big checks in the future.

Dana will enjoy the story then, because the NFL made sure that artists who use the superbowl to create controversy,, they will pay a huge price for the PR. Either the lawyer fees OR the fine itself will teach a nice lesson about responsibility for your actions…

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/m-i-a-may-be-fined-for-middle-finger-at-super-bowl-20120207

Bottom line. Fool me once, blame on you. Fool me twice, you foot the bill….
Anonymous

I really think only men liked his commercial. Women remember how gorgeous he was, and the ink and tattoos ruined a beautiful canvas. Beckham ten years ago was magnificent.
Anonymous

the only dumb one is someone who knows the nationality of an unknown singer’s husband. That’s something only family members would know….
Anonymous

Why don’t you pull out the race card once again, when you can’t find an counter argument. Is there anything in your life not based on racism?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Just-Ron/100001146318146 Just Ron

Redundancies:
idiot
republican
perino
bush
etc
etc
Joan Kelly

”why would Madonna have a non-American appearing?”

Maybe because she’s human and we’re all in this world together….???
Anonymous

How to handle this??? Cancel the Stupor Bowl – forever.
Anonymous

“American”
The Fox meme.
It’s tattooed on their brains.
Anonymous

Indeed – You have to be ashamed to have voted for a guy who graduated Columbia and made Harvard Law Review. What a moron he must be! (Insert obligatory speculation about the role of affirmative action in his success at two of the country’s top 10 schools here.)
Anonymous

THE 1983 SUPER BOWL GAME INTERRUPTED

                                    BY

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                    Popular
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exclusive scoop sports fans. During the Super Bowl game of 1983 (Miami Dolphins
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                     As NBC
cameras focused on the overhead blimp,and stayed there, 123,000 fans in the stands
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                     Redskin
running back John Riggins, still laughing with the others, told his team it was
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Back Judge was actor/athlete Ray Williams and the cop was actor Frank Murgalo.
It was a great caper and is fully described in a forthcoming book, “Abel
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         PS
A few years ago actor/writer Paul Hiatt, a member of the Merry Pranksters, was
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on that Super Bowl day and added:

      “we were not favored to win and
down by 14 points; the hoax stunt made us all laugh so hard we lost our tension
and energized our resolve to win.”


Nevertheless, the NFL decided to deny the event occurred and warned
reporters they could lose future junkets if they covered it. The Time-Life
photo department destroyed all their still photos. Most others complied except
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reporter. Then too, there were 123,000 witnesses.
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Ron Saegert

Flipping the bird to americans, F…k you to mia. I wish you were m i a