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newsmakers
newsmakers
NFL apologizes for obscene gesture
new york
British hip-hop artist M.I.A.’s obscene gesture in the Super Bowl halftime show is prompting apologies from NBC and the NFL. But it isn’t immediately registering as a moment that viewers latched onto.
The digital video- recorder maker Tivo said Monday that there wasn’t an appreciable bump in viewers who played back the moment where M.I.A. extended her middle finger. She was a guest singer during Madonna’s performance of “Give Me All Your Luvin’” on Sunday night’s show.
Tara Maitra of Tivo said the company would check to see if more people played back the moment Monday after there was publicity about it. Tivo has 2 million customers in the U.S.
The NFL blamed NBC for being not quick enough to censor the gesture, while NBC noted that the NFL is responsible for the content of the halftime show.
Super Bowl sets record for viewers
NEW YORK
For the third- consecutive year, the Super Bowl has set a record as the most-watched television show in U.S. history.
The Nielsen Co. said Monday that an estimated 111.3 million people watched the New York Giants beat the New England Patriots on Sunday night. That narrowly beat the 111 million who watched Green Bay’s win over Pittsburgh last year.
Randy Travis arrested for public intoxication
SANGER, Texas
Country singer Randy Travis has apologized after being arrested on a charge of public intoxication outside a North Texas church.
Denton County sheriff’s spokesman Tom Reedy says police in the town of Sanger arrested Travis early Monday after spotting a vehicle parked in front of a church and finding an open bottle of wine and Travis smelling of alcohol.
Reedy says Travis, whose hits include “Forever and Ever, Amen,” was brought to the Denton County jail about 1:30 a.m. and released six hours later.
The singer, who lives in the small town of Tioga near Sanger, apologized in a statement to The Associated Press “for what resulted following an evening of celebrating the Super Bowl.”
Vindicator wire services