MTV/VH1 "censors" OOTS video

[Cassandra]

Last week (week of 12/4) I saw for the first time the complete version of the OOTS video. This past Monday night (12/12) on VH1 Classic channel, on the Classic/Current show and on MTV this morning (12/13), I saw OOTS again in and saw that a slight change had been made that wasn't there last week.

In the first sequence where the breasts are forming (circles forming into cones) it is now blurred while in the sequence with woman and child the breasts are clear (but the camera is moving away from the breasts).

Do you think this is a form of censorship on the part of MTV/VH1?
Is this comparable to them blurring out the product name or gestures in rap videos?

Why have MTV/VH1 done such a thing? Have MTV/VH1 been getting negative reactions from viewers/U2 fans regarding the sequence?

As a fan and as a visual artist, I see nothing wrong with the way U2/Catherine Owens did the video. It's a beautiful video. The animated breasts did not offend me at all because it is a very short sequence in the video, does not make a reoccurance elsewhere in the video and U2/CO are not making a statement with the breasts about breasts (they are not big or droopy, etc.).
I clearly think MTV/VH1 is overreacting to the sequence.

 

[corianderstem]

If they did censor it, I'd laugh, because in the With Or Without You video, you can clearly see the woman's nipple as she turns to the side. MTV/VH-1 has never had a problem with that nipple, apparently.

 

[nurse chrissi]

If they did censor it, I'd laugh, because in the With Or Without You video, you can clearly see the woman's nipple as she turns to the side. MTV/VH-1 has never had a problem with that nipple, apparently.

it is just the computer generated ones they have a problem with

 

[Utoo]

It's funny that a computer-generated breast is taboo, but bikini-clad fly girls jigglin' their jelly is perfectly acceptable.....

 

[BVS]

jigglin' their jelly

I saw the video on this morning as I was getting ready and it didn't censor anything.

 

[u2bonogirl]

suddenly I just had a flashback to the breastfeeding FYM thread

 

[If you shout...]

Shake that laffy taffy

 

[Ellay]

Since "Janet Jackson-gate" America just hasn't been the same.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

If they did censor it that's so lame. Look at the other videos they show that objectify women and womens' bodies in such a negative way - the OOTS video is a beautiful tribute to women if you ask me.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Typical MTV. This is why I only watch music videos on my computer these days.

 

[Y2K]

OMG! Are they gonna make this video one of the Late Night Only ones? Where they will only show it uncut past midnight so nobody is tempted to turn to sin because of the CG boobies?

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

I saw it yesterday morning and nothing was censored. Funny that someone brought up the WOWY video, that's exactly what I was thinking when I first read this.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Are you serious?

If that is indeed true, that's really, really sad. Oh, my lord...

Angela

 

[HelloAngel]

Since "Janet Jackson-gate" America just hasn't been the same.

Ah yes. Nipplegate. Good times. Not.

 

[Clawgrabber]

MTV>

what is the point of censoring videos when you never PLAY them...

let's have more short lived dating shows and fat kids who want to be basketball stars...

and real world marathons

 

[martha]

I saw it this morning, or maybe yesterday morning, and it wasn't censored at all.

 

[david]

MTV will give you anything you want except the thing that you want.. And that is CGI BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEWBS.

 

[Cassandra]

Hmmm...nobody saw anything different? I could have sworn that the first couple of times I saw the video last week it was clear and then this week is has this blurring action in the beginning. Okay. So I'm sorry for wasting precious bandwidth with my horrible observation (or the lack of).

 

[RocknRollKitty]

I can't believe there are no stills of this yet!

 

[martha]

I could have sworn that the first couple of times I saw the video last week it was clear and then this week is has this blurring action in the beginning.

Were you wearing your glasses this week when you saw the video?

 

[U2FanPeter]

MTV censored the animated boobies in Radiohead's paranoid Android video in 1997.

u2fp

 

[LMBLover]

Clawgrabber i couldn't have said it better myself!

 

[Cassandra]

Were you wearing your glasses this week when you saw the video?

Yes Martha I had my glasses on at all times. I think what I have to do is find someone who tape the video that first day it was shown (Thanksgiving, right?) then compare it to what's being shown now. And after seeing the two slightly different versions of the WOWY video, I wouldn't be surprise if U2 themselves made the slight modification to the OOTS video.

 

[BigMacPhisto]

I think it's cool if it's censored. That means there's now another edit of the video out there for us nerds to track down!

 

[longingforBono]

MTV>

what is the point of censoring videos when you never PLAY them...

let's have more short lived dating shows and fat kids who want to be basketball stars...

and real world marathons

Oh and you forgot following one of the Simpson sisters to her toenail appointment too. BLECH.

 

[typhoon]

It's funny that a computer-generated breast is taboo, but bikini-clad fly girls jigglin' their jelly is perfectly acceptable.....

That was my first thought too. MTV's attitude on sex: inconsistent.

Then I realized that it has nothing to do with sex at all; MTV simply does whatever sucks the most in any given situation: consistent.