Child abuse prevention group wants NFL to boot The Who from Super Bowl

[Brian Damage]

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — A South Florida child abuse prevention group wants the NFL to reconsider booking The Who for the Super Bowl halftime show.

Child AbuseWatch.net objects to Pete Townshend performing because of his 2003 arrest by British police on suspicion of possessing child pornography. He was eventually cleared but placed on a sex offenders registry for five years as part of a formal police caution for accessing a website containing images of child abuse.

The Pompano Beach group's founder and CEO Evin Daly told the South Florida Sun Sentinel newspaper that their concerns are focused on Townshend.

"I'm a fan of the band, I grew up with The Who. Pete Townshend is the only issue, and the issue is that he's a former registered sex offender," Daly said. "The issue is, it sends the wrong message to American families."

He did not return phone or e-mail messages on Friday.

In a Dec. 17 letter to Daly, Joe Browne, the NFL's executive vice-president of communications and public affairs, said the league was aware of Townshend's arrest. He also noted Townshend's charity work.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told The Associated Press on Friday that Townshend and The Who will perform in the Feb. 7 halftime show at LandShark Stadium in Miami.

"U.K. police cleared him since he was doing research for a project on child abuse," McCarthy said.

Messages left on Friday for The Who's U.S. record label, Universal, and the band's publicist were not immediately returned.


Child AbuseWatch.net: http://www.abusewatch.net/

[Pitooey]

Get em out of there...........

[JamesG]

There will always be groups bitching about something...

They didn't find anything on him after investigating his computers and he payed for the access as part of his research against child porn.

He has now been cleared of any wrong-doing so I don't see any issue here.


Then again I don't watch football so I wouldn't be watching this anyway..

[phoebe7165]

Originally Posted by JamesG

There will always be groups bitching about something...

You are so right about that!! Geez!!!

Now I absolutely despise hearing about sexual predators or anybody I hear about dealing with child porn, and I am all for stopping child abuse, but when I heard that The Who was doing the half-time show, what was going on in Pete's life didn't even cross my mind!!

"It sends the wrong message to American families"?? How about the sports stars who get arrested for whatever and are still idolized. Like that doesn't send a wrong message to American families?

Like JamesG said, he's been cleared of it, and it's all in the past.

[MrCleveland]

Townsend is anti-child abuse. He had those photos to show people how bad it is...and it is bad!

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by phoebe7165

You are so right about that!! Geez!!!

Now I absolutely despise hearing about sexual predators or anybody I hear about dealing with child porn, and I am all for stopping child abuse, but when I heard that The Who was doing the half-time show, what was going on in Pete's life didn't even cross my mind!!

"It sends the wrong message to American families"?? How about the sports stars who get arrested for whatever and are still idolized. Like that doesn't send a wrong message to American families?

Like JamesG said, he's been cleared of it, and it's all in the past.

I remember that he actually contacted the police to let them know that he was looking it up. Doesn't sound like the actions of an actual kiddie-porn perv. Sometimes one feels they have to go to the "dark side" to understand something about the dark side. It's like George C. Scott in the movie
'Hardcore' where he entered the porn underground to find his runaway daughter. I don't believe that Pete Townshend did it because he was some kind of slime, he believes he was a victim himself of molestation. Roger Daltrey believes he is innocent as well, and never saw him do anything improper or immoral in that regard in all the years he's known him. It might not have been the right way to go about doing research that may help the next person, but he did what he did and he's been cleared of it.

So if these guys want a ban on The Who for Townshend's actions, in order to
"protect families", what do they have to say about Victoria's Secrets ads and
beer commercials? I certainly don't, but they're being hypocritical.

[TJL]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

I remember that he actually contacted the police to let them know that he was looking it up. Doesn't sound like the actions of an actual kiddie-porn perv. Sometimes one feels they have to go to the "dark side" to understand something about the dark side. It's like George C. Scott in the movie
'Hardcore' where he entered the porn underground to find his runaway daughter. I don't believe that Pete Townshend did it because he was some kind of slime, he believes he was a victim himself of molestation. Roger Daltrey believes he is innocent as well, and never saw him do anything improper or immoral in that regard in all the years he's known him. It might not have been the right way to go about doing research that may help the next person, but he did what he did and he's been cleared of it.

So if these guys want a ban on The Who for Townshend's actions, in order to
"protect families", what do they have to say about Victoria's Secrets ads and
beer commercials? I certainly don't, but they're being hypocritical.

Well said! With all the suggestive ads they show during the Superbowl, this organization is aiming at the wrong target.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by TJL

Well said! With all the suggestive ads they show during the Superbowl, this organization is aiming at the wrong target.

[MrCleveland]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

I remember that he actually contacted the police to let them know that he was looking it up. Doesn't sound like the actions of an actual kiddie-porn perv. Sometimes one feels they have to go to the "dark side" to understand something about the dark side. It's like George C. Scott in the movie
'Hardcore' where he entered the porn underground to find his runaway daughter. I don't believe that Pete Townshend did it because he was some kind of slime, he believes he was a victim himself of molestation. Roger Daltrey believes he is innocent as well, and never saw him do anything improper or immoral in that regard in all the years he's known him. It might not have been the right way to go about doing research that may help the next person, but he did what he did and he's been cleared of it.

So if these guys want a ban on The Who for Townshend's actions, in order to
"protect families", what do they have to say about Victoria's Secrets ads and
beer commercials? I certainly don't, but they're being hypocritical.

Couldn't have said it better!

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

I remember that he actually contacted the police to let them know that he was looking it up. Doesn't sound like the actions of an actual kiddie-porn perv. Sometimes one feels they have to go to the "dark side" to understand something about the dark side. It's like George C. Scott in the movie
'Hardcore' where he entered the porn underground to find his runaway daughter. I don't believe that Pete Townshend did it because he was some kind of slime, he believes he was a victim himself of molestation. Roger Daltrey believes he is innocent as well, and never saw him do anything improper or immoral in that regard in all the years he's known him. It might not have been the right way to go about doing research that may help the next person, but he did what he did and he's been cleared of it.

So if these guys want a ban on The Who for Townshend's actions, in order to
"protect families", what do they have to say about Victoria's Secrets ads and
beer commercials? I certainly don't, but they're being hypocritical.

Well said!! Let's just hope Victoria's Secret doesn't decide to use "See Me, Feel Me" in their ads.

[ABlairican Pie]

Originally Posted by catlover79

Well said!! Let's just hope Victoria's Secret doesn't decide to use "See Me, Feel Me" in their ads.

Not that I have any problem with Victoria's Secret, or course. It's America's Roman holiday, and we should be allowed to celebrate accordingly.
I think that this child abuse group should find more deserving targets rather than a famous rock performer who feels that he was molested in his younger years. Where's the victim's support group for Pete Townshend?

Yeah, Victoria's Secret may not be for children, but it's certainly a good inspiration who want to make children. I'm sure there's a bunch of censorship groups and temperance groups already targeting VS and Anheuser-Busch.

[ABlairican Pie]

And besides, what about all the hundreds of performers over the years who have played the Superbowl, whose own personal lives have been less than exemplary?

Are the Osmonds the only group that can play the Superbowl?

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

And besides, what about all the hundreds of performers over the years who have played the Superbowl, whose own personal lives have been less than exemplary?

Are the Osmonds the only group that can play the Superbowl?

The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith - not exactly the Osmonds.

[TJL]

Originally Posted by ABlairican Pie

Are the Osmonds the only group that can play the Superbowl?

Only in my happiest of dreams!

[Chocoholic]

I really don't see what the problem is. He was cleared of all charges and proven to be totally innocent.

LOL at the Osmonds comment