Rekubit Exchange:'Nipplegate,' 20 years later: Body piercer finds jewelry connected to Super Bowl scandal

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LAS VEGAS – Byriah Dailey, a body piercer from Houston, said he was cleaning in his garage recently when he rediscovered a piece of Super Bowl history.

It was the coordinating nipple shield that matches the one worn by Janet Jackson during the halftime show at the 2004 Super Bowl, Dailey said. Since that infamous moment, he has been credited with selling the piece of jewelry to Jackson’s former fashion stylist, Wayne Scot Lukas, days before the game.

“It was a little tarnished because it’s been sitting in a drawer for awhile," Dailey, 53, told USA TODAY Sports.

It’s been 20 years since millions of TV viewers witnessed what became a scandal known as "Nipplegate." Jackson’s right breast, partially covered by a sunburst-shaped nipple shield, was exposed briefly when Justin Timberlake tore off part of Jackson’s costume during their halftime performance.

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That nipple shield was part of a pair that sat unsold for about eight years before it ended up affixed to Jackson’s right breast at Super Bowl 38, Dailey said.

“They were large, and most women wouldn’t be able to wear them," he told USA TODAY Sports. “The height required a taller nipple. So they just didn’t work for the average customer."

'A surprise at the end'

For a USA TODAY story about Nipplegate published in 2018, Dailey told USA TODAY Sports that Jackson’s former stylist, Lukas, insinuated something was afoot when he bought the nipple shield.

Said Dailey, “At the end of it, while we were talking, (Lukas) was like, ‘OK, watch the halftime show. There’s going to be a surprise at the end.' "

In 2018, Lukas had not discussed the matter publicly. But in a story published in 2022 by northjersey.com, Lukas said the reveal was planned by Jackson and her choreographer, Gil Duldulao.

Sunshine Sacks, which has handled publicity for Jackson, did not respond to voicemails seeking comment for this story. Efforts to reach Duldulao on social media were unsuccessful. Lukas did not respond to requests for comment left by voicemail and text message on a phone number listed in his name.

Lukas told northjersey.com in 2022 that he “found that nipple piercing (shield) in Houston a couple of days before because they were going to rip the top off."

Lukas added that he was finally addressing the matter publicly because Timberlake had called the incident a “wardrobe malfunction," and because Lukas was in charge of the wardrobe, he felt unfairly blamed.

In the aftermath of the halftime incident, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigated to determine whether it had been an accident or planned. The FCC tried to fine CBS, which broadcast the 2004 Super Bowl and the brief nudity, but the Supreme Court blocked the attempt.

Who designed the famous jewelry?

Jackson’s representatives found Dailey based off a referral from another store. Ismael Lerma worked at Dare Ware, a former clothing store in Houston that carried jewelry for piercings, but Lerma didn't have the style they were seeking.

“The (only) shield we had was so basic and simple that when I told him, he goes OK, that’s not what they were looking for," Lerma told USA TODAY Sports. “They wanted something more extravagant. That’s when I told them about my friend, Byriah."

While Dailey made jewelry at his own store, Taurian, he did not make the shield worn by Jackson. He said it was purchased from Gauntlet, widely recognized as one of the first body-piercing stores in the United States. Jim Ward, founder of the now-defunct store, wrote in his memoir that he designed the shield worn by Jackson.

After seeing a photo of Dailey's coordinating nipple shield, Ward said it matched the sunburst he designed.

“It dates from the mid-1970s," Ward told USA TODAY Sports. “I created it. I made it with my own hands, the original. And had them cast."

What does the matching shield look like today?

At the request of USA TODAY Sports, Dailey shared photos of the coordinating nipple shield.

In one photo, it appears rusty. In another, shiny. That took two hours of polishing, said Dailey, who pointed out the shield is missing the barbell used to hold the jewelry in place.

Dailey looks impassive while holding a piece of jewelry related to a Super Bowl scandal. He said he's received offers for it, but none good enough for him to part with the nipple shield. And where might the matching shield be, the one Jackson wore?

“I have no clue," he said. “The last I saw it was, I guess was when everyone saw it."