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FCC: Moss moon dance okay

Thursday, March 16, 2006

The Federal Communications Commission announced a ruling on Wednesday that said Randy Moss' moon dance at Lambeau Field on Jan. 9, 2005, was not indecent enough for the FCC to fine Fox affiliates, according to the MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL.

Some viewers complained to the FCC that Fox showed Moss' gesture.

Moss, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, scored a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in a NFC wild card playoff game. Near the goal post Moss pretended to moon the crowd in that part of the stadium. Fox cameras showed the pantomime once for a few seconds and broadcaster Joe Buck denounced Moss for his decision.

"Assuming without deciding that the broadcast of a mimed 'mooning' depicts a sexual or excretory organ and thus falls within the subject matter prong of our indecency analysis, we nevertheless conclude that the material is not patently offensive as measured by contemporary community standards for the broadcast medium and thus is not indecent," the FCC said in a statement.

"While we can understand why many viewers may have perceived the player's touchdown celebration as plainly inappropriate, we do not believe that his fully clothed display titillates or rises to the level of shocking behavior," it said.