NBC Apologizes for M.I.A.'s "Spontaneous" Middle Finger Gesture During Super Bowl Halftime Show

It wasn't a "wardrobe malfunction," but Super Bowl XLVI's halftime show managed to stir controversy. M.I.A., who participated in the halftime show headlined by Madonna, flipped off millions of viewers in a blink-and-you-missed-it moment during the performance of Madonna's new single "Give Me All Your Luvin.'" Click here to see a photo.

"We apologize for the inappropriate gesture that aired during halftime," NBC said in a statement. "It was a spontaneous gesture that our delay system caught late."

Super Bowl halftime show: Did Madonna get all your luvin'?

The NFL also issued an apology, but placed blame on NBC. "There was a failure in NBC's delay system," the league said in a statement. "The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans."

M.I.A.'s "spontaneous gesture" will surely remind many of Janet Jackson's "wardrobe malfunction" in 2004, which resulted in new time delays in live TV and a record $550,000 fine the FCC levied against CBS (the fine was finally thrown out in court just last November).

Did you see M.I.A.'s gesture on TV? Were you offended?