Mischa Barton was apparently channeling her inner
Janet Jackson during a very revealing scene in last week's episode of The O.C..
During a dimly lit bedroom sequence, Barton, clad in a skimpy pajama
top, rises from her bed. In a don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-it shot, her
breast briefly pops out of her top before she covers it.
Television-obsessed Website TVgasm.com was the first to report the
nipple-slip after being alerted to it by a sharp-eyed fan. "The shot
was so dark, it was hard to notice," the site's report reads. "I sent
the video to the TVgasm forensics lab for enhancement, and what we got
back was a very grainy yet very recognizable boob exposure." There you
have it--official proof. Though millions of viewers were tuned into the
primetime soap at the time of the accidental breast-baring, a Fox
spokesperson said the network has not received any complaints.
However, in this time of fierce watchdog groups and an ever-vigilant
FCC, the network is not out of the water just yet. Ever since Jackson's
breast-baring incident during her halftime performance at the 2004
Super Bowl led to a record $550,000 fine for CBS, the phrase "boob
tube" has lost some of its luster. After the wardrobe malfunction heard
'round the world, numerous shows, including America's Next Top Model
and ER, edited footage to ensure that nothing that could be judged
inappropriate made it onto the air. Apparently, the powers that be over
at Fox were looking the wrong way when Barton's breast made its brief
appearance on The O.C.
Now in its third season, the glossy teen drama has failed to live up to
the ratings it generated in its first and second seasons. For the week
ended Sunday, The O.C. landed in 78th place, with some 5.7 million
viewers, per Nielsen Media Research. No data was available on just how
many of those viewers spied Barton's boobie during the episode.