People sing They Don't Care About Us at US protest

[InvincibleMJ]

Couldn't agree more ^

 

[elusive moonwalker]

Exactly

 

[TinnyandOdd]

"Cobain made it clear that the only compromise he would accept was a sticker covering the penis that would say, "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile."

And no one called him a pervert (and it wasn't even his own baby photo.) *sigh*

 

[Snow White luvs Peter Pan]

Then, whoever came up with the tribute How To Become A Legend when michael recirved the Grammy Legend Award is such a "perverted" individual for including that baby Michael picture in the bathtub at 4:50.

It's outrageous their shallow agenda caused many people not appreciating how brilliant TDCAU and the whole album are for taking words out of context or giving more importance to political correctness.

 

[HIStory]

Then, whoever came up with the tribute How To Become A Legend when michael recirved the Grammy Legend Award is such a "perverted" individual for including that baby Michael picture in the bathtub at 4:50.

Actually in that montage his peen seems to be brushed off. LOL. Sometimes US prudery can result in funny things.

 

[analogue]

I guess that every parent who has naked baby pictures of their kids are perverts as well

 

[Paris78]

D.B.Anderson @DBAnderson1 · 21 h ago

Thanks @Gawker for putting my Michael Jackson piece on the front page! http://gawker.com/

D.B.Anderson @DBAnderson1 · 21 h ago
More love to @Gawker for also putting the Michael Jackson story on the Sony Hack blog: http://sonyhack.gawker.com

 

[TinnyandOdd]

I guess that every parent who has naked baby pictures of their kids are perverts as well

Big pervert family over here :ciao:

 

[SarahJ]

Guess you can add me to that list.

Oh and my parents as well

 

[Snow White luvs Peter Pan]

Actually in that montage his peen seems to be brushed off. LOL. Sometimes US prudery can result in funny things.

Well, if people freaked the f.ck out over an exposed breast due to a wardrobe malfunction, what could we expect about a an innocent, nude baby picture? :doh:

I don't think Nirvana's Nevermind cover is offensive but I didn't read crtics wastinf their time on such tiny detail to assest a serious review on the material. Why most of them become tabloid crap when it comes to Michael? I hate double standars!

 

[Tygger]

Sony Hack Re-ignites Questions about Michael Jackson's Banned Song-D.B. Anderson Dec 17th

I have no clue why this author insists on stating TDCAU was banned when the song NOR the prison version of the short film was banned. EVER.

It makes a nice headline for the author however; it is simply untrue and illogical. If the song itself was banned, there would be some documentation of that and documentation discussing how the banned song charted on Billboard.

I know for fact neither version of the short film was banned because I saw them with my own eyes at the time. The first time I saw the prison version was NOT after Michael’s passing on Vevo or the Vision dvd set. It played routinely on BET. As I said before, the Brazil version was played in favor of the prison version. Ask Sony why.

I will give the author credit however for looking into the Sony hacked emails, completing some research, and discovering the controversy happened before the song was even released and listing the names of those in the particular group who sought to label Michael unfavorably. Yes, the group included - but, was not limited to - those in Michael’s own camp and Sony executives.

Maybe now others will have a better understanding as to why some were against Michael’s Estate signing with Sony. Michael’s issues were not exclusive to Mottola and predated the Invincible era. Michael's own handwritten notes publicized after he passed via the AEG civil trial showed he did not want to work with Sony again.

 

[InvincibleMJ]

Yes it was - At least in some channels. The ban was removed somewhere around 2007 I remember I was very surprised it was included in MJ's birthday special, that's also when they started airing BOW full version each time they aired BOW. Not all channels have the same restrictions so it is possible you saw it on BET while it was blocked in MTV\VH1. Just like BET blocked one of Eminem's videos (Just Lose It) when MTV didn't.

 

[Tygger]

InvincibleTal, if the short film was banned then, which version was and why was the banned removed in 2007?

MTV/VH1 were more inclined to play the Brazil version in favor of the prison version which is what they did. That is not the same as an effective ban.

BET did indeed ban Enimen's ridiculous video because it mocked a painful moment in Michael's life and they supported Michael when he requested the video not be played. MTV/VH1 did not support Michael in that manner.

 

[InvincibleMJ]

Sorry - I meant the prison version was banned. The Brazil version wasn't. I think Anderson actually clarified that in another paragraph in his article. The official reason for the ban was the violence in the archive footage they show in the video. For BOW panther dance it was the "violence" too, maybe sexual insinuation too, I can't be sure. I only remember I thought It was ridiculous because I've seen worse in more recent music videos that weren't banned. It was very exciting to see the ban was removed.

Anyway, I brought up Eminem's video just to show that they don't have same policies and it's possible BET did air it when MTV didn't. I know the reasons and I think BET did the right thing.

 

[ivy]

Prison version was banned in several countries citing violence as a reason. in USA , MTV and VH1 aired prison version only after 9 PM. MTV Europe would only air it after midnight. That meant the video would get limited air time. That's why it was replaced with the Brazil version.

So the author is correct in saying prison version was banned - as it was banned outside USA. and in USA it was subjected to a very limited / controlled air time. This is widely reported and easily available on Internet.

 

[Tygger]

So the author is correct in saying prison version was banned - as it was banned outside USA.

In 1996, Jackson enlisted Spike Lee to create the short film for his song, "They Don't Care About Us." You may have never seen it however, because it was banned from American television. And radio stations in the U.S. were reluctant to play the track because Jackson was accused of using "racist" language in it.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bs-ed-messenger-king-20141209-story.html

Radio stations were reluctant to play it and one of the short films Jackson created for the song was banned in the U.S.
http://perceptive.kinja.com/sony-hack-re-ignites-questions-about-michael-jacksons-p-1672116301

Wrong Ivy.

The author NEVER stated it was banned outside of the U.S. and I have continually maintained the song AND it's short film was NOT banned in the U.S.

Adding: I lived in the U.S. at the time so what I am saying is fact. No internet search is going to negate what I saw with my own eyes.

 

[ivy]

^^
and no one is disagreeing with you so there's no need to get defensive. you can clearly see that I also wrote it wasn't banned in USA but it was banned outside USA. So we aren't saying opposite things.

So what's the issue? It's not like author made up that the prison version video was banned. So is the issue that the author didn't clarify where it was banned? To me banned in country x,y,z means it was banned so the authors info isn't necessarily wrong. Some even might argue the limitation on MTV and VH1 is a type of a ban. But I guess you are approaching to this from USA only and/or BET only perspective. That's your prerogative. There's no need to turn this into an argument.

 

[souldreamer7]

I think what Ivy is saying is - back then because of the controversy, it was technically 'banned' everywhere, but that is was still played after 9 PM in the USA & after midnight in Europe. It's not listed as a banned video in The United States of America though, It's listed under censored videos. Since the controversy, and the making of the Brazil version that one started being played more often after awhile because of the that..yet the first video was still aired and this was later on after the second video was even made.
However, I do remember stations like BET still yet playing the first TDCAU video, because it wasn't banned, it's still played now everywhere, The prison version is usually listed before the Brazil as I've seen sometimes, both are listed & aired.

Controversy was apart of the censorship of the TDCAU video - both really, and brings me back to my original post.. today and yesterday the videos, the song, has a message people world wide relate to because it's real and honest.
It's being sung by those standing up to injustice and I truly believe Michael Jackson himself knew this then and he knew it for the future, with both videos with the song the true honest message always prevails and stands up to the test of controversy and human injustice. I'm sure that he hoped things would change, these things are always a sad..

Also, I have seen ppl saying that TDCAU got popular more so after Michael passed away, because of TII showing the song, well, it absolutely made TDCAU more popular, yet it made it more popular everywhere..or should I say 're-born' for all of the world because I remember everyone from everywhere wanting to learn The Drill and They Don't Care About Us full dance routine. It was apart of TII promo because Travis Payne was hosting parties teaching fans how to do the dance. I remember everyone from everywhere wanting the TDCAU with The Drill at the beginning MP3. So Good, the song was re-birthed. unk:

I was looking on wiki at TDCAU video and they have it all wrong, you guys. Someone who has a wiki account should edit it. They have The prison version as the second made video.

Wrong Ivy.
The author NEVER stated it was banned outside of the U.S. and I have continually maintained the song AND it's short film was NOT banned in the U.S.

Adding: I lived in the U.S. at the time so what I am saying is fact. No internet search is going to negate what I saw with my own eyes.

Prison version was banned in several countries citing violence as a reason. in USA , MTV and VH1 aired prison version only after 9 PM. MTV Europe would only air it after midnight. That meant the video would get limited air time. That's why it was replaced with the Brazil version.
So the author is correct in saying prison version was banned - as it was banned outside USA. and in USA it was subjected to a very limited / controlled air time. This is widely reported and easily available on Internet.

 

[ivy]

I think what Ivy is saying is - back then because of the controversy, it was technically 'banned' everywhere, but that is was still played after 9 PM in the USA & after midnight in Europe. It's not listed as a banned video in The United States of America though, It's listed under censored videos. Since the controversy, and the making of the Brazil version that one started being played more often after awhile because of the that..yet the first video was still aired and this was later on after the second video was even made.
However, I do remember stations like BET still yet playing the first TDCAU video, because it wasn't banned, it's still played now everywhere, The prison version is usually listed before the Brazil as I've seen sometimes both are listed & aired.

Yes it was censored by individual channels. I don't think anyone is talking about an official government ban because there's no such thing. I have been looking over fan sites and there are information that says for example MTV USA aired video once and then send a rejection of further rotation notice due to lyrics. MTV only put it on air after the lyrics were changed and then at after 9 PM due to violence scenes on the video. Similarly many radio stations were reluctant or not playing it due to the lyrics. To me that's at least a temporary ban and a significant censorship. And that's why lyrics changed and a second video was sent out. After all why wouldn't Michael and/or Sony want it to air it in full rotation? As for international I'm pretty sure it was banned by BBC in England (and I hope other members can confirm or deny it) and several other channels across Europe. Fan sites say French MCM played it with no restrictions.

so it wasn't an overall official worldwide ban - no such thing exists. Every individual TV station made their own decision to ban it at least temporarily or to censor / limit it or play it with no restrictions. So everyone is correct here. There have been instances it was banned and there have been instances it wasn't banned and there have been instances it was somewhere in the middle.

Anyway I love the article and I don't see any reason to nitpick an extremely positive article.

 

[souldreamer7]

Hi Ivy I agree. That's the info. I found when trying to find an exact answer. esp. the part about stations making their own decision to air once all the controversy came about.

Thanks for posting more information.

I wanted to add I don't nit pick the article I have been reading this thread since it started and nitpicking began on page one, also I was trying to help @tygger understand your post because as you said, you were basically saying the same thing about the music video.. I was typing my post as you already posted, since I had other things to say.. I should have included tygger quotes.
anyways, I agree with all you've stated. It's interesting finding the history.. or in this case HIStory on things, such as Michael.

 

[Tygger]

So everyone is correct here. There have been instances it was banned and there have been instances it wasn't banned and there have been instances it was somewhere in the middle.

Are you positive?

Ivy, my reading comprehension did not suffer while reading this article. Continue to do your usual and twist words and their meaning in your attempt to somehow be correct.

The author stated it was banned in the U.S. on two separate occasions and on each I posted it was incorrect.

The article is simply NOT about TDCAU being banned being outside the U.S. and/or limited viewings within the U.S.

Note: ONE WORD was changed, not lyrics. No one was reluctant to play the song after Michael had the ONE LYRIC changed almost immediately after the controversy started a breath BEFORE the HIStory album was released. For those who do not remember (or did not realize this while researching): the album was released June 1995 and TDCAU was released as the fourth single from the album in March 1996. That one lyric was changed long before March 1996. The controversy was started by the particular group this author correctly identified which included members of Michael’s own camp and Sony executives.

Lastly, I cannot believe anyone truly believes the prison version contained violent scenes and that was why pop-oriented music video stations like MTV did not play that version while R/B/Dance-oriented music video stations like BET played it freely. I know that was the excuse given but, it is clearly an excuse.

Just because it is on the internet, does not make it fact.

 

[ivy]

Just because it is on the internet, does not make it fact.

can you debunk the information below with proof please? Funny how Michael's then publicist even released a statement about banning of the video... in USA ... by MTV and VH1 ... perhaps you'd like to time travel and tell him it never happened ..

February 9, 1996 he Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed outrage that Michael Jackson has reinstated anti-Semitic lyrics into his song "They Don't Care About Us" for its video release."We were outraged to see Michael Jackson perform the song with the anti-Semitic lyrics on a nationally syndicated television show," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "We had taken Mr. Jackson at his word that the anti-Semitic lyrics were deleted from the song."We accepted your apology, and we assumed that the video would conform with our understanding. Apparently we were wrong...," Mr. Foxman wrote to Mr. Jackson on February 6. http://archive.adl.org/presrele/asus_12/2662_12.html

April, 22 1996: TDCAU short film is banned from broadcasting on MTV USA and VH-1. It played on MTV USA only once, with a notification on rejection of further rotation. This decision was caused not by the video scenes but by the lyrics of the song.

On this day - 27th April 1996 (From Adrian Grant , visual documentary book)

Michael's latest video, 'They Don't Care About Us', has been pulled from the playlist of two major music channels in America, MTV and VH1, because of lingering concerns it is anti-Semitic. The song originally contained the lyrics 'Jew me' and '**** me'.

Bob Jones of MJJ Productions, says the singer: "is not a racist, as evidenced by his many endeavours on behalf of people of all religions." An Epic rep agreed, registering disappointment with MTV's and VH1's actions'.

June, 1996: TDCAU short film stayed No. 1 in Top-20 on European MTV for several weeks. The French musical channel MCM played both versions of the short film without restrictions. (??? also played Scream short film without any sound or video cuts, unlike MTV.) The prison version was prohibited on several musical TV channels due to violence scenes contained in the short film.

September, 1997: MTV Europe started playing the prison version of TDCAU short film, but only after midnight.http://en.michaeljackson.ru/civil-disobedience-civil-riot-story-behind-dont-care-us/

Are you positive?

yes , the receipts above makes me quite positive that the video was indeed banned in USA by MTV and VH1 at least temporarily. But if you can show me the opposite, I'm willing to change my mind.

 

[Tygger]

Tsk tsk.

Ivy, did your research show proof of a ban on BET as well and/or the limited airings on MTV/VH1 you also discussed before? I guess you either forgot to research that, lost time researching it, or it did not comply with the only true reason you posted in this thread at all; attempting to prove one of my post wrong.

As I said before, the excuse was the scenes were violent in the prison version. If you do not understand that was simply an excuse because you cannot complete a successful Google search where someone other than me stated such, it is not my concern.

Are you able to find anything stating the scenes were more violent when shown on other music channels that were not BET at the time? Any proof those viewers somehow more sensitive than BET viewers? Seems those scenes were subjective and was a convenient excuse for music channel stations who sided against Michael in favor of those – again, not limited to Michael’s camp and Sony executives - who initiated the controversy.

Again, I do not have to research one moment of this. I lived it and your research will not change what I saw.

 

[HIStory]

I think it is fitting that a song for the voiceless and against the establishment is not particularly liked by the establishment and they make up all kind of excuses about why not to play it. First it was the artificial and ridiculous "anti-semitic" accusation - and I am still puzzled by the fact that so many people were so easily led on by whatever the media told them without thinking for themselves. For anyone who would check it out and have basic comprehension skills and can read context would know it was not anti-semitic at all, on the contrary. Then the video being called "violent" when you have much more violence in other videos that MTV plays without a problem. The so called "violence" in TDCAU prison version is a series of footage of historically famous attrocities against human rights. It's just as violent as the news are. It's not some senseless violence, but it's educational footage about history.

Maybe the video was not "banned" per se, but its airplay was obviously limited on some channels and those channels made up all kind of excuses about why they did not want to play it.

 

[soulmum]

Arguments aside - I just love the fact that Michael's music means so much to so many and it is something they can relate to.

 

[ivy]

Ivy, did your research show proof of a ban on BET as well -attempting to prove one of my post wrong.

well I'm not attempting to prove you wrong given that I wrote that I agree with you in regards to BET, that some channels like MTV, VH1, BBC, MTV Europe at least temporarily banned it while other channels such as MCM and BET didn't ban it all all. I wrote everyone was correct.

So I guess I should ask this, how do you define a ban? BET aired it and you saw it so it wasn't banned in USA - is that your position? How about MTV and VH1, they don't count? Can't the author look to what MTV and VH1 did - aka banning the video - and say it was banned in the USA?

BTW allow me to remind you that this discussion started because you said you had no clue why the author insists the video was banned and it was never ever banned. However now you have a clue that it was banned at least temporarily by MTV and VH1. So again doesn't that satisfy authors claim that the video was banned? Based on everything posted here don't you agree that while the video wasn't banned on BET but it was banned on MTV and VH1 at least temporarily?

As I said before, the excuse was the scenes were violent in the prison version.

huh? how is this relevant? I agree with you that it was an excuse to ban the video. Author himself blames individuals and some sort of conspiracy resulting in the ban. I also think "anti-semitic" was an excuse too, especially after Michael explained the lyrics. So no one thinks the ban reason was valid or makes sense but it doesn't change that the video was banned for whatever reason or excuse. so I'm not sure I get your point here? Are you trying to say "It was an excuse so that banning doesn't count?"

Again, I do not have to research one moment of this. I lived it and your research will not change what I saw.

good for you but allow me say something. As you pointed out the author's title calls this "banned song" and goes on to explain how the video was banned. As I pointed out and showed some examples majority of MJ sites/blogs/groups/ books mention to the ban of the video. So among fan community this is a widely accepted information. You are the one who is claiming a ban in USA never ever happened. You are the one who is rejecting what is presented to you in regards to MTV/ VH1. If you are correct that no ban happened in MTV/VH1 then wouldn't the rest of the community be better if you share the info/evidence to back it up and correct the misconception about the ban as you claim? You don't have to do it but then I wouldn't be surprised that the general consensus (and author's conclusion) was that the video was banned as all the available information points to that.

ps: I refuse to get personal and insulting. That has got old and tiring. I'm certain we can discuss a topic without the little jabs. No?

 

[serendipity]

I only saw the prison version on the French MCM, that's where I taped it from back then. Never saw it on MTV Europe and I used to watch it like 24/7. Never saw it on VH1 either. Just the fact that 99% of the time most stations will air the Brazil version should tell you the prison one was either banned or greatly censored (ie. aired only after 10 PM)

 

[Tygger]

Ivy, did your research show proof of a ban on BET as well -attempting to prove one of my post wrong.

Classic Ivy, taking a poster’s words out of context to continue some warped point for whatever your reasons. What happened to the rest of that sentence? laughs

I am not under the illusion there was a discussion between you and me and I am not under the illusion there is a discussion now. Your only purpose to post in this thread was to somehow prove me wrong after you combed my posts to find something you could possibly attempt to correct after countless Google searches.

Shall I assume the dates MTV/VH1 aired the prison version in limited runs is not posted on the internet despite others here stating they saw it with their own eyes? So much for their own so-called ban.

Shall I assume there is no receipt on the internet the short film was more violent for MTV/VH1 viewers who were more sensitive to the audio of the short film despite the so-called offensive word being removed from the audio before the short film even aired? So angered was MTV/VH1 by Michael's so-called violence that they did not ban the short film as per their release you found on the internet; they simply limited the viewings. I and other posters here have seen those limited viewings.

It is not widely accepted among fan communities that the song and/or short film was banned; that is why you researched it.

For those of us who lived through it, we know the song was never banned and the short film was not banned because the prison version WAS played while the Brazil version was played eventually in favor of the prison version; particularly on pop-oriented music channels.

For some of us who lived through it, we were far too eager to purchase Michael’s HIStory album and purchased it immediately upon its release. The version we purchased contains the unaltered version of TDCAU and it is grand to hear it in its unaltered glory!

Yes indeed it was good for me to have lived it.

 

[InvincibleMJ]

Why does it bother you that much when people say it was banned or partly banned? it's not some anti-MJ thing you know and it's not even harmful if it's wrong... I don't get it. It's not like it's a brand new information this song wasn't embraced by the music industry.

 

[tricia70]

I think it is fitting that a song for the voiceless and against the establishment is not particularly liked by the establishment and they make up all kind of excuses about why not to play it. First it was the artificial and ridiculous "anti-semitic" accusation - and I am still puzzled by the fact that so many people were so easily led on by whatever the media told them without thinking for themselves. For anyone who would check it out and have basic comprehension skills and can read context would know it was not anti-semitic at all, on the contrary. Then the video being called "violent" when you have much more violence in other videos that MTV plays without a problem. The so called "violence" in TDCAU prison version is a series of footage of historically famous attrocities against human rights. It's just as violent as the news are. It's not some senseless violence, but it's educational footage about history.

Maybe the video was not "banned" per se, but its airplay was obviously limited on some channels and those channels made up all kind of excuses about why they did not want to play it.

f

so true about the violence in they don't care about us. it was clearly historical footage of events that were played in the news. This was definitely an excuse because as we all know man in the mirror had news footage of violence and yet they did not band that song did they? To
.me it was more about pacifing the Jews because they were all up in arms about how anti-Semitic Michael was which was ridiculous as we all know.
I