 The performance gained widespread attention from the media after M.I.A. extended her middle finger to the camera near the end of her verse instead of singing the word " shit " . Media criticized M.I.A. for the gesture and compared the incident to Janet Jackson 's 2004 wardrobe malfunction . People said , " Call it a finger malfunction ? Madonna was supposed to be the center of attention during the Super Bowl halftime show Sunday , but the Queen of Pop was upstaged by her collaborator M.I.A. , who flipped off the camera at one point during the performance , prompting swift apologies from the NFL and NBC . " Madonna herself expressed her disappointment during an interview with host Ryan Seacrest on his talk show , On Air with Ryan Seacrest . She felt that it was a " teenager ... irrelevant thing " for M.I.A. to do during the show , since it was " out of place " . Brian McCarthy , spokesman for the NFL said , " Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers . The NFL hired the talent and produced the halftime show . There was a failure in NBC 's delay system . The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate , very disappointing , and we apologize to our fans . " McCarthy also clarified that the gesture was not revealed during rehearsals , M.I.A. improvised it on stage . The league later fined the rapper a total of $ 16 @.@ 6 million as penalty , which was resolved through a confidential agreement in 2014 . 
