This is the video for “Looking Hot,” the second single from No Doubt’s new album. It’s bad, isn’t it? The song, the video, it’s just … bad.
But yeah, that whole thing about racism. That’s something, huh? Because the video is so racist that the band pulled the video from their YouTube channel because everyone got so mad that it was so racist. It’s that racist.
Here’s their apology:
As a multi-racial band our foundation is built upon both diversity and consideration for other cultures. Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. Although we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California, we realize now that we have offended people. This is of great concern to us and we are removing the video immediately.
The music that inspired us when we started the band, and the community of friends, family, and fans that surrounds us was built upon respect, unity and inclusiveness. We sincerely apologize to the Native American community and anyone else offended by this video. Being hurtful to anyone is simply not who we are.
Yeah, they basically said “we talked to our Native American friends about it, but if you still want to be an asshole about it, then whatever.” Isn’t that great?
Here’s the thing though: this is just dumb. It’s just so, so stupid. It’s not stupid that people are feeling offended, because yeah, I can definitely see where you could be offended. It’s just that I think there’s a difference between being a bigoted asshole and being ignorant to all the ways in which you can be hurtful to another group of people, and this video is way, way ignorant. I’m not saying it’s ok, and I think they definitely needed to be called out on it and they needed to be told why the video is not so cool. I’m just saying that No Doubt didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. And probably their feelings are hurt that they released such a dumb video for such a dumb song.
Gwen if you aren’t really racist go to Canyon Records, find real Native folks, make a new video with real Natives in it, and redeem yourself.
Then stop making assumptions. It’s embarrassing for you and everyone around you. What will your kids think?
I remember the days when ND were this cute ska band that made great music (including Total Hate with Sublime – a track rooted in the ideas of equality and tolerance) but these days are long gone. I am so tired of hoping that good music will once again be created, but I guess musicians today are just too busy doing reality shows and endorsing cosmetic products for living. Gwen and Co. have turned to these absolute sold-outs, so phony and generic I want to puke.
About the racist controversy, yeah, it’s stupid. It’s like me saying, “oh, I’m not racist at all, look – I married a half Asian guy”. That’s superficial and lazy thinking, and it doesn’t automatically guarantee that I wouldn’t be racist towards some other culture. My fair actions, and my willingness to accept differences and appreciate people for who they are would prove me a non-racist, and not my bragging about having black friends, Asian relatives, or Hispanic employees :)
On another topic, they could have done so much better with the Native American theme. Again, lack of genuine creativity. This video is like a freakin’ caricature. It’s not even funny. Gah, rolling my eyes, off to the next.
High five!
Holy shit what an awful song.
i don’t get it. is it racist because a bunch of white people dressed up like native americans? i’m sorry – i really don’t get it. the song is kind of stupid and boring, but i just don’t see the big deal?
After all the history with what happened to Native Americans when the Europeans got to the Americas, and the consequences they are still suffering to this day (alcoholism, violence, poverty), dressing up like them is just adding insult to the injury. Plus, it is very ignorant — what does “dressing up as a Native American” mean? They are not a homogeneous group, and pretending they are is reducing them to a caricature and trivialising all the very real issues they suffer to this day because of racism.
They should have known better. There are so many cool things to dress up as and still you need to be a racist fuck! Why can’t you just be a hot dog?
well, thanks for calling me ignorant. that helps me understand it better now.
I had trouble understanding the racial tensions of this country for a long time, and I used to think just like you. What’s the big deal, I thought, for me people are people, and there are many other, much more sensible, reasons to dislike them other than their skin color or cultural attributes. I tend to dislike people for being rude, selfish, insincere, etc.; but that’s because the very idea of racism is foreign to me to begin with, and because I wasn’t familiar with how deeply racism is rooted in the history of America – so deeply in fact, that to this very day there are people who truly believe blacks shouldn’t, I don’t know, ride the bus with the white people, and that for many, other cultures and races are a vague, stereotypical mass, with which is okay to joke and ridicule.
After spending some time here, I began to realize that the more open minded and tolerant American people just don’t have patience anymore with anything that is even slightly racist, and they make a big deal out of it because come on, it is OBVIOUS that people are equal in terms of race, it is written so in the constitution, it is 21st century and we all should have moved on from that a long time ago already. Consequently, they simply refuse to let something like this video to slide. It’s not cool.
When trying to understand racism, think in nuances. For instance, I am white, but I’m also an Eastern-European. That is funny, because I am treated differently depending on what kind of prejudiced people I have to deal with. In America racists find me okay, but in Western Europe racists look down on me as one of the poor Balkan subjects. It is astounding how often we encounter racism in everyday life without even realizing it. My favorite examples:
White guy we hired to help us move: You’ll like this town better. It’s the same as your old one, but without all the Asians (while looking my half-Chinese husband dead in the eye)
A family friend, while meeting my baby for the first time: So, where does he get his olive skin from? Must be your side of the family (my son is in fact rather ginger and his skin is very pale)
And the cherry on top of the cake of ignorance: You guys speak Russian in Bulgaria, right?
Wrong. Every single time.
But it’s also kind of funny.
their 15 minutes should have been gone long ago….
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