M.I.A. (real name Mathangi Arulpragasam) extended her middle finger during her Super Bowl XLVI performance of “Give Me All Your Luvin’” and now the NFL is singing “Give Me All Your Money” — $16.6 million to be exact.
The NFL started the arbitration process against the Sri Lankan singer-rapper last September. At that time, the NFL demanded $1.5 million for her alleged breach of performance contract and her tarnishing its goodwill and reputation.
Now the NFL is seeking an additional $15.1 million as the alleged value of public exposure she received by appearing on the halftime show. The number is calculated by what advertisers would have paid for ads during the two minutes she performed alongside Madonna.
M.I.A.’s lawyer Howard King responded in legal papers: “The claim for restitution lacks any basis in law, fact, or logic.” King presented evidence of other halftime shows with questionable content, including Michael Jackson’s crotch-grabbing incident during the 1993 Super Bowl Halftime Show. He also cites Prince’s use of his guitar as an innuendo of masturbation, and even Madonna’s use of female dancers in provocative positions. The legal defense hinges on the NFL using her as a scapegoat
Since the incident, M.I.A. has made light of the situation. When asked by NPR about why she made the gesture, she provided a story of a Hindu goddess Matangi, whose symbol is the middle finger. She laughed, then said, “Do you like that? It’s good, isn’t it?” Then she called the NFL’s cheerleaders more offensive than her performance.
On Monday, M.I.A. tweeted “@madonna ummm ….. can i borrow 16 million ?” She shouldn’t hold her breath waiting for a response because Madonna called M.I.A’s use of the middle finger “out of place” and a “teenager, irrelevant thing to do.”