• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 15, 2008

Is the skank back in big-event TV, in this new WGA-strike TV world? Some are trying.

Victoria's Secret is returning as a Super Bowl advertiser for the first time since 1999. While company products may not be skanky, you can make an argument for cheap, obvious, clichéd women in lingerie.

There is no question about GoDaddy.com. The Internet-domain selling company offers up sex-tainted creative during the Super Bowl, commercials that typically have big-breasted women in tight fitting T-shirts. GoDaddy CEO Bob Parsons has said Fox, which will air the Super Bowl, has already rejected a spot that contains the word "beaver." That's skanky.

We don't know the whole list of Super Bowl advertisers -- but we can only guess there'll be the obvious college-humor spots (usually animals beating up on humans or each other), head-scratching creative (where we can't tell what's going on), and, some commercials with an association to sexual topics.

Years ago we had a number of male-erectile dysfunction medication ads. That didn't sit well with the NFL looking to make the Super Bowl more of a family event. Then there was Janet Jackson's breast. The NFL has taken great efforts to avoid a skanky TV program -- apart from the sideline cheerleaders.

For its part, Fox is offering up a red-carpet-like awards pre-show hosted by "American Idol"'s Ryan Seacrest. That should mean some beautifully dressed performers -- and some not. And that's only the start. These days, when the writers' union, WGA, smells red carpet, TV producers shutter. If a picket line should occur, it won't be skanky --but surely low-rent and without class.

Other poor-taste activities go along with this -- such as the grunting and hurt inflicted on the field. The NFL would rather you not think of that, nor all the gambling that goes on off the field by office pools, pros in Vegas, and elsewhere.

But watch for key scuzzy signs -- such as Justin Timberlake showing up, ripping open a bag of marshmallows.

It'll show up when you least expect it .