REM Frontman Michael Stipe Disgusted After Homoerotic Album Promo Is Removed From YouTube
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Written by Elliott Batte
Former REM vocalist Michael Stipe has hit out at YouTube after they removed an advert for Perfume Genius’ new album ‘Put Your Back N 2 It’ – because it featured two gay men staring at each other romantically.
The 16-second advert was deemed by YouTube managers as inappropriate, saying that it ‘violates our Adult Image/Video Content policy.’ Now, Stipe has taken to his personal Tumblr site to express his disgust at the removal of the video. Also critical of the decision to pull the advert is Matador Records, the label Perfume Genius is signed to.
“I've been listening to the new Perfume Genius record; it is a beautiful and amazing record and a stunning 2nd album and achievement,” Stipe wrote. “But in trying to advertise the record and first video, this short clip has been banned by YouTube.
“For YouTube to deem this advertisement as "non family safe" is dumbheaded discrimination; I find their actions in doing so disgraceful and cowardly. YouTube, shame on you. You were born of the 21st Century, now act like it.”
Matador’s Nils Bernstein continued the outburst, saying: “I should note that this isn’t a user-uploaded video - the music video itself is on YouTube and not even flagged as 'adult' - this is what’s called a "pre-roll" ad, those annoying ads that we pay YouTube to run before videos you want to watch. So it seems they're worried about upsetting unsuspecting viewers that don’t want to see two men looking romantically at each other.”
But YouTube replied the Bernstein, saying: “The ad has been disapproved because it violates our Adult Image/Video Content policy. Per this policy, video content, audio, static imagery, and site content must be family safe.
“Any ads that contain non family safe material are disapproved. I noted to the team that the people in the video are not entirely unclothed, but the overall feeling of the video is one of a more adult nature, including promoting mature sexual themes and what appears to be nude content.”
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