Super Bowl Controversy: M.I.A Middle Finger Blamed on 'Adrenaline and Nerves,' Madonna 'Livid'

M.I.A stirred controversy Sunday after flashing the middle finger during the Super Bowl Halftime Show 2012 starring superstar singer Madonna. Though sources close to M.I.A supposedly issued an apology, Madonna is reportedly livid.

The 36-year-old stomped her food up on a pedestal before she sang I don't give a s--- during Give Me All Your Luvin and gave the middle finger to the camera. M.I.A's inner ciricle said that the singer flipped the middle finger because of adrenaline and nerves during the Super Bowl Halftime Show, according to The Sun.

She wasn't thinking. She was caught in the moment and she's incredibly sorry, said insiders close to the British rapper.

NBC, the channel that broadcasted Super Bowl 2012, was caught by surprise and broadcasters attempted to blur the obscene gesture, but were a millisecond too late.

Both the NFL and NBC apologized for the incident, each pointing the finger at the other in what appeared to be a quick cover-up to prevent backlash similar to that which happened in 2008 after Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction.

Brian McCarthy, the league's vice president of communications, said: 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.

And NBC's spokesperson countered: The NFL hired the talent and produced the half-time show. Our system was late to obscure the inappropriate gesture and we apologize to our viewers.

M.I.A's publicists at Interscope had no comment on the matter as of Tuesday morning, according to The Daily Mail.

MTV UK reported that The Sun alleges Madonna is livid with the London-born rapper. The 53-year-old apparently had no idea that the Paper Planes singer had flipped the middle finger at the event; but around 111.3 million viewers caught her in the act.

A source told the tabloid: Madonna wasn't impressed. She prides herself on professionalism. M.I.A did nothing similar in rehearsals. Nobody knew she was going to pull this stunt. Madonna wanted to put on a world-beating performance. But everyone ended up talking about this girl's middle finger.

Rolling Stone reported that M.I.A may be fined for her middle-finger gesture if the FCC decides to punish NBC for airing footage of the lewd act. The performer reportedly signed a contract with the NFL agreeing to indemnify the NFL for any money it may be forced to pay for any FCC fines.

This clause was enacted after the Janet Jackson nipple-incident in 2004 at Super Bowl XXXVIII. That snafu resulted in a $550,000 fine for CBS. Although the fine was eventually thrown out by a federal appeals court, the Super Bowl comes complete with solid precautions now just in case.