Madonna will perform at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show

NBC announced last night that this year's Super Bowl halftime entertainment would be provided by none other than the material girl herself, Madonna. Do you find that news underwhelming? Maybe this not-at-all overblown video announcement from last night's Lions-Saints game will get your blood pumping!

Finally! I know I used to constantly ask myself, when will the legend that is Madonna finally play the Super Bowl? And now I have my answer: six years after she put out her last good song! (That sounds harsh, but... have you listened to Hard Candy? The answer is no, you have not, and there's a reason for that.)

I know that the halftime show has to appeal to the widest possible audience, and that the producers are still scarred by Janet Jackson's bejeweled nipple, and that's why most of the recent picks are big names that hit their peak popularity in the '80s. And that's fine, I guess — I'm not about to argue that Bruce Springsteen and Prince and The Who aren't great or fun to watch. But aren't there really, really popular artists who are producing music right now who could handle this job? Doesn't everyone love/tolerate Beyonce? (Okay, bad example: she will be in labor.) The Super Bowl halftime show isn't the time or place for unexpected or edgy performances, but the choice of Madonna — whom I still love, don't get me wrong — just feels so safe and blah. But I guess I'll still watch it instead of switching over to the Puppy Bowl.

As long as she doesn't play any new songs.