Super Bowl 2012: NBC Embarrasses Itself with Self-Promotion and 'The Voice'

Leave it to NBC to self-promote itself to death during its inordinately long pre-game coverage of the Super Bowl.

The latest from the Peacock Network was a singing and dancing routine featuring basically every single show on the network. NBC's programming is struggling, and the pre-game theatrics may have done more to highlight the problems at the network than it did to celebrate what little success they have had.

The song ends with a confused Jimmy Fallon trying to understand why he wasn't apart of it. What a way to cap it off!

The singing routine even featured Donald Trump, whose career has morphed into such shamelessness that he needs to tease what few fans he has left with notions of running for president. This is the same man who spent a good portion of a year suggesting that the president was not born in the United States, all the while hosting a program where celebrities can be his apprentice.

Indeed, NBC is grasping at straws by pushing their uninspiring programming in their seemingly endless coverage of the Super Bowl.

In late November, with all-new programming, NBC could still manage only fourth place in the ratings. The network, which may still be reeling from the debacle of pushing perhaps its most prominent talent, Conan O'Brien, out the door, appears desperate to keep its head above water.

The program following the Super Bow will be The Voice, which is basically a knock off of American Idol. When a network has the Super Bowl, it's typical to run a show the network really wants to succeed following the game. NBC chose a reality show in a genre that is largely saturated and extremely tired.

When the pre-game show isn't singing and dancing it has Nick Cannon doing lame interviews with Carson Daly, who is barely relevant at 1:35 in the morning.

There is some sympathy that needs to be dealt for some at NBC with the Broadway-style song introduced three hours before the game. Bob Costas and Brian Williams, two broadcasting legends, were participants in the stunt. One would hope that they voiced their displeasure with the singalong but begrudgingly agreed to be a part of it because of their loyalty.

NBC appears to have reverted to the 1980s, when it was referred to as Nothing But Cosby.

Let's just hope they don't bring Faith Hill back for Sunday Night Football next year.