Worst (and Best) Super Bowl Halftime Shows

British band will rock halftime show, says source, but NFL won't confirm

(NEWSER) - The Who may be joining the ranks of recent Super Bowl performers Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and Prince. A source tells Sports Illustrated the British rockers will play the Feb. 7 halftime show, but an NFL rep says only, “When we have something to announce, we’ll announce it.” The band’s rep tells MTV , “Am afraid at this point we know nothing about it.” More»

will.i.am honored to be chosen over, say, Cheap Trick

(NEWSER) - The Black Eyed Peas will be the first non-classic rock act to rock the Super Bowl halftime stage since Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's 2004 nipple slip performance. "They could have picked anybody," will.i.am tells Rolling Stone . "They could rock a million and get Cheap Trick. I love me some Cheap Trick, those motherf***ers is dope. But it says something that they picked us." In a Black Eyed Peas mood? Click here for a video of the Today staff "performing" their hit "I've Got a Feeling." More»

It was hardly the most offensive thing about the Super Bowl: Sasha Frere-Jones

(NEWSER) - NBC, the NFL, and MIA herself have now all apologized for the singer's middle finger incident at the Super Bowl—but why? "Unless somebody was handing out Xanax with the foam fingers, Lucas Oil Stadium was ringing with the music of profanities" during the game, writes Sasha Frere-Jones in the New Yorker . What's more, viewers at home were subjected to commercials likening women "to sofas, cars, and candy," he notes. So what's with the outrage? It's ridiculous to imply that "profanity is somehow more harmful to our children than images of violence and misogyny." More»

The Material Girl herself

(NEWSER) - After weeks of rumors , the NFL and NBC confirmed last night that Madonna will perform at this season's Super Bowl halftime show. And the Feb. 5 performance is sure to be a spectacle, because the AP reports she's collaborating with Cirque du Soleil on her act. New York points out that the timing is right for the Material Girl—her movie WE opens in the US two days prior to the game, and she's working on a new album. The gig should provide good publicity for both—unless, of course, she bombs like last year's act did . More»

From Kim Kardashian's booty to Pete Townshend's moves

(NEWSER) - The Super Bowl is about a lot more than just football, beer, and funny commercials—it also offers a chance to make some of the weirdest prop bets ever. Sam Greenspan lists 11 especially crazy ones—all of which he bet on—on 11 Points :

• National anthem: How long will it take Carrie Underwood to sing? The over/under is 1:42.
• Superdome: How many times will announcers mention Hurricane Katrina between kickoff and the final whistle? The fine print: Only the exact phrase "Hurricane Katrina" counts.