Gary Graff
DETROIT (Billboard) - Four years after flashing her breast at the Super Bowl, Janet Jackson dropped a saucy segment from her concert at a largely empty Detroit arena on Tuesday to comply with a Michigan state law that prohibits simulated sex acts in a public performing space.
Officials at the Palace of Auburn Hills approached Jackson's camp with concerns about the three-song "Discipline" segment Tuesday afternoon. An arena spokesman said "we explained the law, asked her not to do it, she complied. We did not ask her to cut the song. That was her call."
During the segment, Jackson usually pulls a male fan from the crowd, ties him down and "molests" him while her dancers mime various sexual acts, including masturbation. She's done the same thing on previous tours, including performances at the Palace and other Michigan venues.
In a statement, Jackson's manager Kenneth Crear said "Janet did not want to disappoint her Detroit-area fans again, so we adhered to Michigan's state ordinance and trimmed the 'Discipline' segment of the show so it would not be canceled."
Jackson's show was a make-up date for an original September 27 show that was one of several postponed when she was sidelined with a bout of migraine-induced vertigo.
During her encore Jackson explained the omission to the 8,000 fans at the 21,000-seat venue, and apologized, adding, "We hope you enjoyed the show we gave you." She made no mention of the postponement, however.
Jackson wraps up the North American leg of her Rock Withchu Tour on Saturday at New York's Madison Square Garden. She is on tour to promote her album, "Discipline," which topped the U.S. pop chart in March, but failed to arrest her sliding sales.
Reuters/Billboard
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