Both ABC-TV and the National Football League are doing damage control after negative response to a cross-promotion for Monday Night Football and Desperate Housewives that aired Monday on ABC.
ABC promoted its breakout hit drama in a prerecorded segment to open its Monday Night Football telecast. The skit featured Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan, clad in only a white towel, which was dropped before she jumped into the arms of Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens.
“We have heard from many of our viewers about last night’s Monday Night Football opening segment, and we agree that the placement was inappropriate,” ABC said in a statement. “We apologize.”
The incident comes less than a year after the league’s Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show event with MTV, which received heavy criticism after performer Janet Jackson’s bare breast was exposed in front of some 20-million television viewers.
The league controlled all content for its hour-long televised special held prior to the current season, and worked closely with the performers to ensure appropriate behavior standards are met.
The controversy also comes a month after two brands—Lowe’s Home Improvement and Tyson Foods—dropped its sponsorship of Desperate Housewives because of racy content. No nudity was shown during the ABC segment that appeared Monday.
“ABC’s opening was inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience,” the NFL said in a statement. “While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost.”
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