Nipplegate II: WWE's "Live Sex Act" Shows Nudity
By Matt Paprocki
The following was posted on BlogCritics.org January 10, 2006.

For over twelve years, Vince McMahon's Monday Night Raw held nothing back for fear of controversy. From the live birth of a rubber hand by an 80+ year old woman (don't ask), sex with a dead woman in a casket, and a little transsexual action in the bathroom, rest assured cable decency is the last thing on Vince's mind. Fans love it, and tonight, they got a real piece of what will undoubtedly be uncontrolled outrage and controversy: Live TV sex.

For the most part, this five-minute segment between new WWE Champion Edge and his girlfriend Lita was un-involving. All of the major "action" was done under cover. However, after Lita removed her bra, the in-ring cameraman made a move around the bed to reveal the unthinkable:

An actual female nipple peeking from underneath the covers on cable TV.

It was obvious the crew knew that was a mistake and the black screen that followed proves it. The commentary crew quickly made sure to use the "It's live TV" excuse. The actual nudity occurred on screen for less than a second, and if you weren't watching closely, you likely missed it. It's quite similar to the Super Bowl moment a few years ago involving Janet Jackson, only Lita's nipple was uncovered.

What will follow will surely be claims of moral outrage from various "parental" groups. They'll tell people how offended they were by it, and urge them to call the FCC, even if they didn't watch. It's likely to become another sign of "moral decline" within their numbers, while everyone else sits idly by wondering what the problem was.

So, to clear the air now: It's a nipple. No one was hurt, no one died, and it didn't damage anyone (especially not the fans in attendance who had cameras flashing quicker than a strobe light). If you were watching WWE programming and found yourself shocked, then you probably should know better than to watch WWE programming in the first place. It's what they do best, and here's hoping they prey on every little piece of this potentially absurd controversy for their benefit.

Pictures removed at the request of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

UPDATE 3:00PM ET
Due to a stern letter from the WWE's legal department, the two pictures we posted to accompany this article were taken down. It's obvious they're going to try to cover this up (pun intended) as much as possible, though that's odd given how the company thrives on controversy.

Also interesting is how other sections of the world handled the broadcast. In the UK, the scene aired uncut, and the "slip" was far more apparent and obvious. In Canada, the camera cut to a long shot of the crowd until Ric Flair came to the ring to disrupt the situation.

Still, it's hard to imagine why they weren't prepared for such a planned segment, or why they even let Lita take off her top in the first place. That's the type of logic that makes the entire thing look and feel staged, even if it was fairly obvious regardless. There was an extra set of clothes in the bed, which Lita quickly slipped on before John Cena came down to the ring and pulled her out from under the covers.

The entire scenario screams publicity stunt because of the way it played out, and why the lawyers even bothered (given how many countless other forums have pictures and video readily available) doesn't make much sense either.

Maybe we should be flattered that they care.