The U.S.-based National Center on Sexual Exploitation has slammed CBS for broadcasting a performance by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion during the 63rd Grammy Awards on Sunday.
“In a performance that could have been cut from a hardcore pornography film, CBS allowed a glamourization of stripping and prostitution to be broadcast in front of a national audience – a portion of which were children – for no other reason than for TV ratings,” said Dawn Hawkins, senior vice president and executive director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), in a statement.
In a lip-synced performance that aired at around 10:15 p.m. ET, the rap stars did a racy medley of Megan’s “Body” and “Savage,” Cardi’s “Up” and their collaboration “WAP.”
According to the NCOSE, the segment showed Megan, Cardi and several backup performers “wearing thongs and lingerie, dancing on a stripper pole, and crawling around and twerking on a bed together.”
Hawkins said CBS should not have allowed “this kind of explicit performance” on the Grammys, regardless of the popularity of “WAP.”
She added: “Prostitution and stripping are never empowering for women, as they set up systems that exploit and oppress women. CBS has contributed to furthering the sexual exploitation of women and contributed to the ‘normalization’ of porn culture.”
The NCOSE, founded in 1962, describes itself as a nonpartisan organization committed to “exposing the links between all forms of sexual exploitation.”
Last year, the NCOSE blasted the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira for its “sexually exploitative themes” and “revealing costumes.”
According to preliminary Nielsen data reported by Variety, ratings for the Grammys on CBS hit a record low and were down about 53 percent over last year – although it was the most-streamed Grammy show ever.