Edgy over the top politically real video by Madonna. Must see.

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It is being widely censored. The uncensored version is below the fold.This is the most disturbing thing I’ve posted in a while. At least 12 hours or so.The censored version leaves off the part about the President of the United States, George Bush. At the very very end.Thank you and hat tip from The Skeptical Alchemist. Who also has this interesting post.

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21 thoughts on “Edgy over the top politically real video by Madonna. Must see.

  1. … I fail to see what is so disturbing about this music video that would “require” censorship.*Men dressed as women walking on the catwalk.*Women in stalls going ballistic and carving words on the walls.*Women in Islamic-esque clothing*Images of missiles, fighter jets, bombs, sexy dancing and a mushroom cloud.*Madonna crashing in on the fashion show in a modified Mini Cooper.* Madonna’s not a Xtian or a Jew! (She’s just living out the American Dream)* Madonna drives through the crowd with water cannon shooting while a montage of explosions take place; a grenade is thrown and a Bush look-alike catches it and uses it to light a cigar.Provocative? Yes. Disturbing? Sorry. Can’t see it.

  2. this is the greatest video for the 00’s decade…I love it so much!Does anyone still doubt that Madonna is really up there in the creativity department ?

  3. Umlud: The thing that was censored was Bush. I think that the message is about things that are very disturbing such as the war in Iraq, which is very disturbing. Listen to the words, don’t just look at the pictures.But one person’s disturbance may be another person’s provocation.

  4. I reckon the joke is that looking back at this video five years later, we find that life has imitated art once again.

  5. Well, we always knew she was smart (and if you didn’t, you haven’t been paying attention)I think it’s great, but then I’ve been a fan since Lucky Star (Holiday was fluff)

  6. uffda…… interesting discussion going on here.First, this is not a five year old video. It is no more than two years old. the song is from way back but the uncensored version of the video has not been available all along. I learned this from reading the above cited wikipedia link.Second, why is it the case that there is something wrong with a thing being shown that was not produced in the last 48 hours? I do that all the time. The YouTube video of Bobby Kennedy announcing the death of MLK, which I posed weeks ago and linked to yesterday, is probably a few years old and is based newsreel from 1967. Nobody said “Oh, WTF, he got shot, like, a zillion years ago, d00d…”Third, how the fuck do I know? Most of you probably don’t know this about me because I project this air of worldliness and shit, but popular culture is not something I know anything about. I mean, I like Madonna and everything, but for virtually all pop artists active in the last 20 years you could probably find a dozen songs that I would have to say I’ve never heard before. You got the wrong blog for that … try boing boing blog mebbe….Anyway, its a cool video. Very meaningful. Obviously ahead of its time…..

  7. …video of Bobby Kennedy announcing the death of MLK,…based newsreel from 1967.MLK was shot April 4, 1968.I remember the hole in my gut it created

  8. Loved it! The thing that struck me most while watching this time (I had seen clips before) was that a few of the women were in men’s underwear. I might not have given this any thought except that a day or two ago on “The Story” (APM/NPR) Dick Gordon’s guest, in talking about what has become the all-too-common assault of women soldiers (by “friendly” male soldiers) in our armed forces, explained that women are forced to wear boxers when in uniform.

  9. One thing you can say for Madonna: when she decides it is time, she pulls no punches about what is bugging her!Yes, this video is very disturbing, but not in the way the censors seem to think it is. She’s making a really “deep” comment about “the American dream” and its costs and results! Not pretty for those who want “nicy-nice” all the time.Anne G

  10. I need to get my sarcasm-detector fixed. Mr. Laden’s warnings that preceded the video led me to expect bunny rabbits and flowers. While it was not exactly controversial or disturbing, it wasn’t as fluffy as I expected.In response to Umlud, though, who noted “Women in Islamic-esque clothing” as one of the non-controversial things, bear in mind that Rachel Ray’s Dunkin Donuts ad was pulled because she’s wearing an Islamic scarf. Because, you know, Muslims just love paisely.

  11. Thank you Greg for re-posting this. Unless I am wrong, Madonna herself retracted the video – that’s how much people got disturbed by it – but of course, once the cat’s out of the bag…a clone of it will end up on the web 🙂

    Ah Madonna, banal as ever.

    Right. The next time you have the guts of publicly doing something like this, then we can talk about it. Grow up.

    The thing that struck me most while watching this time (I had seen clips before) was that a few of the women were in men’s underwear.

    I think one in particular was a FTM transsexual. You also had women of color, and women “above size 4”. The fact that we find this transgressive or curious tells something about ourselves and our society…no matter whether you think Madonna is a good performer/entertainer/singer or not.

  12. Madonna’s not a Xtian or a Jew!

    IIRC, she’s a Kabbalist. Whatever. This video is great, almost enough to make me decide I don’t 100% hate Madonna after all. (Only 99%, maybe. =grin=)I must say I’m surprised that given her rock-’em-shock-’em history, she pulled the video and released an edited version. I mean, outdone by the Dixie Chicks? Uffda indeed.

  13. Banal indeed! I always thought, that through the familiarizing effects of repetition, you can eventually learn something useful and apply it; like when young, tying up ones own shoelaces over and over again or practicing your chops on a piano keyboard. Boy was I wrong, because it seems evident, that for a majority of Americans, this video represents no more that a trite metaphor of what bores them, rather than the messy and disturbing image of American life that she tries to portray. You would think the toilet scene alone should provoke, at the very least, some comment, whether in wonder of or out of shear anger because of what it insinuates. Then again I wouldn’t be surprised that if she and the rest of her troupe actually did take a shit down the crapper, that that too would be disgracefully exploited and then all to soon forgotten.Speaking to power has always been a difficult and dangerous occupation, but in the American of today, the reverse seems to hold, where the powerless seem sadly ambivalent to their own situation and will actually disregard, even ostracize one of their own, especially when reminded of it. Yes, Madonna, with all her wealth and fame is as powerless as the next person; a position she clearly implies by throwing the cigar to the Bush clone who, upon catching it, lights up in triumphant and self-satisfied aplomb. Who else has the wherewithal to murder hundreds of thousands or allow for the impoverishment of millions at home and abroad, certainly not a pop star.

  14. My harsh comment is this: Those who did not see this as disturbing watched the pictures. Those who recognized this as disturbing listed to the words (and watched the pictures). (Anne: am I right?)One could say this is not a disturbing video, rather, it reflects, characterizes and criticizes a disturbing reality using a powerful combination of words and imagery. Every American, especially those of the suburban middle class and the wealthy, is implicated, but few of those accused will ever get it.The fact that even in the Democratic Party, the current most important issue is gas prices and the economy and not this war is VERY disturbing.

  15. Stew (and what an appropriate name), what majority of Americans are you talking about here? I saw one “banal” comment and a bunch of people saying otherwise. I also saw a backlash that caused Madonna to censor herself. How is this boredom?

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