No, really.
So the crew on the Today show was commenting on Katy Perry's video with Elmo that apparently won't be shown on Sesame Street because of outrage that it was too racy.
It's totally not. And Today agreed. Matt Lauer said he was wishy-washy in that he originally saw their point but now thinks its ridiculous. The only argument that can be even possibly be made is that Perry's outfit shows too much cleavage, and as Anne Curry (who I expect to be wise) said "Kids have seen those before."
But after a comment that basically said "People just like to manufacture outrage" -- which is something I fully support the media as often as possible -- Al Roker pointed out that it didn't matter anyway because "Katy Perry is a cartoon character already."
I see more skin like that at any Wal-Mart back home in much less appealing but more sexual ways. And I won't say you can't have a problem with that. but there's a not-very-fine-line when telling a woman who isn't dressing proactively that she is demeaning and misogynistic.
I guess if you're going to teach kids to be shamed about anything remotely sexual, you've got to start early. But don't these proud Americans realize how much they sound like their dreaded Taliban when they start insisting women be overly modest.
But I might be over-reaching. Meredith is probably onto something when she says that people are looking for a fight. So let me give them one. Bank of America is heavily promoting the fact that you can deposit money in their ATMs without a deposit slip or even an envelope - just put the money in and it will count it and add it to your account. Anyway, in the commercial, when people are rattling off their deposit amounts, one man -- who doesn't look like a drug dealer but you never know - says he's putting in 4 20s. Do we really want to send this pro-pot message to our kids? Should drug users really have convenient banking? Enough is enough, BoA.
(Please feel free to not get this joke.)
