ACCORDING TO THE GLOBE & MAIL, Dire Straits' smash hit "Money for Nothing" has been BANNED on Canuck airwaves. Why? Because of the word "faggot". Really.
The 1980s song Money for Nothing by the British rock band Dire Straits has been deemed unacceptable for play on Canadian radio.
In a ruling released Wednesday, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council says the song contravenes the human rights clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters’ Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code.
The panel noted that Money for Nothing would be acceptable for broadcast if suitably edited.
Well, here's a great version, with ol' Slowhand to help Mark out. Aw, that ain't workin', you play yer guitar on the MTV . . .
Unfuckingbeleiveable.
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ReplyDeleteChrist on a cracker, the next thing you know they will be banning Mark Twain for using racially insensitive language...
ReplyDeletethe thing is, while that word is a nasty word, Knopfler is not a nasty guy. The whole song is done "in character" and was inspired by the conversation between a couple of electronics shop employees that he overheard. I look forward to Knopfler's comment on this, if any attempt is made to get them.
Can we now expect to see the banning from the airwaves of all hip-hop and gangster rap that uses the terms "ho" "bitch" and "nigger" ?
Now how am I going to get my chicks for free
ReplyDeleteAgreed, that's goofy. We are becoming a nation of censorious, perpetually-offended pussies.
ReplyDeleteRight on Rev — the fact that the song lyrics are "in character" (especially if you've ever seen the original MTV video) makes this SO preposterous. The lyrics are superb; this is like getting upset over some lyric by Noel Coward or Frank Zappa. When Frank released "Dancing Fool", people got upset over the lyric, "You're Jewish? — Love your nails". Really.
ReplyDeleteIt was pretty funny this morning. I was listening to AM640 and it was like MTV memory lane. First you hear parts of Money for Nothing played every break with prominent bleeps, then Beavis and Butthead, I mean Mike Stafford (who looks like Beavis!) and sidekick, whining about how we're practically living in Iran now.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, over on another station, the Westboro Baptist spokesperson was busy gay bashing, which was the appeasement to avoid picking the 9 year old girl's funeral.
Even Knopfler doesn't use the bad word in his performances, as you can see from the video you provided.
Funniest is the whining about taxpayer subsidized political correctness, when of course the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council is operated and funded by the broadcasters themselves.
Methinks the CBSC was put up to this or perhaps snookered by Kory. We've got to get rid of this nuisance before Fox North arrives, no? Otherwise how will Fox North get away with insist that armed rebellion is necessary and liberal MPs need to be shot?
This so soon after the festive season and so many broadcasters playing one of my favourite seasonal tunes, "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues. (I think BBC Radio banned it right from the get go... wusses.)
ReplyDeleteThey really don't seem to understand the concept of portraying a character, be it in literature, art or music. And yes, it is unfortunate that such sexist and homophobic people still exist, and I understand that words have power, but understanding context is key. Erasing and censoring only serves to keep us ignorant of what ugliness exists.
Granted, I don't listen to the radio a lot, but an Edmonton business that I worked in used to have The Bear radio station playing all the time. I heard the edited version of "Money For Nothing" (the entire "faggot" section was removed, not just bleeped) at least two or three times a day for the entire time I worked there. I quit working there over five years ago.
ReplyDeleteSo, this is news, how? I stopped being offended by "edited for radio" music when I listened to Slayer back in the 80s.
For fuck's sakes, Canadian zealots were trying to ban one of the least offensive bands ever, the Barenaked Ladies, in the early 90s, and they successfully (for a time) banned the song "Prison Sex" by Tool around the same time. Most radio stations still blank out curse words.
I'll be happy when I can hear Maynard from Tool scream "Fuck L. Ron Hubbard and fuck all his clones" on the radio, but until then, I'll stick with my MP3 player instead.