Singer MIA to NFL: I'm the One Who's Unwholesome?

Remember when M.I.A. flipped the middle finger at the end of her 2012 Super Bowl halftime performance? Yeah, lots of people don't remember, or at least don't care anymore, including the FCC and NBC. But that's decidedly not the case with the NFL. The Hollywood Reporter says the league has been waging a low-profile legal battle against the singer ever since the performance and is seeking $1.5 million from her for sullying its brand.

Well, the legal battle is low-profile no more. The performer's attorney says she's going public over what she sees as the league's "ridiculous" and hypocritical stance. Witness this beaut of a statement:

• "The NFL's claimed reputation for wholesomeness is hilarious in light of the weekly felonies committed by its stars, the bounties placed by coaches on opposing players, the homophobic and racist comments uttered by its players, the complete disregard for the health of players and the premature deaths that have resulted from same, and the raping of public entities ready to sacrifice public funds to attract teams."

(More MIA stories.)