UPDATE: Do the "dark patches" make YOU uncomfortable? (Video: See the anchors debate it here.) Because of your comments and some internal debate, we are now putting this to a vote. A lot of you seem to think the censor tape is silly, so we are asking: Should TODAY take it off? We'll reveal the answer on the show this Friday. VOTE NOW
Original post: As we auction the original nude paintings created by our anchors for the series "Today Takes On," some of you have asked why we chose to cover the private parts of the paintings with tape when we show them on air. (Meredith and Ann had fun trying to take the tape off and expose their art.)
I asked the producer of the segment, Robin Sindler, how we made the decision to cover the paintings. I thought it might have been a decision made by a legal department still fearing the kind of controversy when Justin Timberlake exposed Janet Jackson at the Super Bowl in 2004...
But to my surprise, Robin said the decision to put tape over the paintings was made by our senior broadcast producer, Don Nash. While I wish there was some in-depth reason why, Don jokingly told me, "Some of the dark patches made me uncomfortable."
So to all of you who asked, there is your explanation.
And don't forget to place your bid. All money goes to charity, and the auction ends Friday at 8:30 a.m. ET.