Cable?? ........... What is cable?.......... I don't have cable.
But seriously, I have no problem with the censoring of the lyrics. Yes, as adults we have all heard the songs may times over and we do know the words, but broadcast t.v. has to satisfy the requirements of the lowest common denominator of the masses. My six year old son loves football and I should not have to send him out of the room for the half-time show. As a realist, I know my son has heard these words before, but as a parent, I don't want someone who is glamorized on t.v. making my son think it is acceptable to say those words. I'm sure I'm not alone in this thinking. If it were just me, then yes, play it uncensored. But it is not just me.
As far as MTV goes, it is not what it once was. In fact in my opinion it should not be allowed to call itself MTV anymore. There is almost no music shown and if it is then it is on one of these shows where they don't play the whole video or they keep interrupting it with video bites of other things. But, MTV is a choice that is available as an alternative to broadcast t.v. and is directed at a specific demographic audience and so it can be "trashier". Which is why I don't let my son watch MTV. It's my choice.
I shouldn't have to make that choice when it comes to a national media event such as the superbowl. Is it inevitable that my son will use profanity? Yes, it probably is, but I want him to be old enough to be able to decide if it is the correct thing to say and not say it because he is six years old and the guy on t.v. said it. I believe profanity is something to say when you can't say anything else and when my children are involved I would like to censor the world. It is horrible when you can't even walk through the grocery store with out hearing someone cursing. Now before this turns into a political thread about the "right to free speech" how about my right to not have to hear it.
And in the meantime if I want to hear the lyrics to the "old" Stones favorite, I'll put on the cd, plug in my headphones, and poison my mind while my kids are watching something educational.