Yes, M.I.A. Did Flip Her Middle Finger During the Super Bowl Halftime Performance (VIDEO) (POLL)

Both NBC and the NFL Issued Statements Apologizing for the Gesture

As the infamous Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction has forever set the bar for inappropriate behavior during the Super Bowl halftime show, M.I.A.'s decision to flip her middle finger while performing with Madonna during Sunday's show might not seem as big a deal.

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But both NBC, which broadcast the Super Bowl XLVI halftime performance to more than 100 million people, and the NFL have issued statements apologizing for M.I.A.'s bird flip, which also served to confirm that it actually happened for those who didn't catch the finger play.

"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."

Meanwhile, TV Guide reports, the NFL also apologized, and put some of the blame on NBC.

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"There was a failure in NBC's delay system," the NFL via a statement. "The obscene gesture in the performance was completely inappropriate, very disappointing, and we apologize to our fans."