SCOTTSDALE - WTAE anchor Sally Wiggin apologized “to anyone who was offended” when her right breast was exposed during the Super Bowl halftime show while she was performing a medley of songs with Tom Petty.During their rendition of "Roll Another Joint," when Petty and Wiggin reached the line "And you don't know how it feels, You don't know how it feels," Petty pulled off a part of Wiggin's costume, revealing her right breast adorned with a large, sun-shaped nipple shield, a piece of jewelry worn to accentuate the appearance of a nipple piercing.
A spokesperson for the local FOX affiliate FOX 53 said it is believed to be the first time that a local female television personality has exposed herself during a Superbowl halftime show to a national audience.
FOX officials had no comment about the incident, but industry insiders said the buzz from the incident helped propel the second half of the Super Bowl to its highest television ratings ever, topping even last year's ratings following the halftime show in which Meadville’s Sharon Stone reprised her famous scene from the film Basic Instinct. That episode prompted then Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to issue a directive making underwear mandatory for all on-air talent involved with NFL broadcasts.
Ms. Wiggin issued this statement last night: “The decision to have a costume reveal at the conclusion of the show was entirely my decision. WTAE and the NFL were completely unaware of it.” WTAE News Director Bob Longo said he was “satisfied with Sally’s explanation,” adding that “the drama and intensity surrounding a Super Bowl can, at times, be so overwhelming that even the most circumspect individuals may find themselves doing things they wouldn’t ordinarily do.” FCC Chairman Kevin Martin has promised a full investigation.
