No Doubt takes down ‘Looking Hot’ video

Rappler.com

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The band apologizes in their website, saying 'Being hurtful to anyone is simply not who we are'

NOT HOT. Gwen Stefani in a frame from a fan's own 'Looking Hot' video. Screen grab from YouTube (3TRmusic)

MANILA, Philippines – “Multi-racial” band No Doubt decided to take down their music video for the song “Looking Hot” from their reunion album Push and Shove on November 3, Saturday. 

The video directed by Melina Matsoukas was published on the evening of November 2, Friday.

According to a report by Spin.com, Matsoukas had been involved in controversy before when she was accused of “ripping off other artists’ work” for two projects she did with Rihanna.

One case resulted in a lawsuit filed against Rihanna by photographer David LaChapelle for certain images in her “S&M” video directed by Matsoukas.

Back to “Looking Hot”:

It was the subject of many negative reactions for “mocking American Indian culture,” from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton who said:

Screen shot from perezhilton.com

To website Homorazzi.com who said:

Screen shot from www.homorazzi.com

But it was perhaps (now) former No Doubt fan Margaret “Emmy” Scott who sent the band the strongest message.

In a thread, Margaret wrote:

“I am a Spokane/Winnebago/Three Affiliated Tribes woman and grew up in the Winnebago Indian Reservation in Nebraska. The 90s were my *** years and in my adolescence I was badly bullied even having to transfer schools.

In high school I was not treated well either going to a predominantly non-Native school and not fitting the social norm but through music I gained enough confidence to be myself and not let what anybody thought of me bother me. Songs like “Just a Girl” empowered me as a female and as an individual.

Gwen, I always looked up to you for being confident and uniquely you which is part of the reason I loved No Doubt. Even later as I have been attending college “Just a Girl” helped me realize I was in a bad relationship.

This is why I was deeply saddened to see the music video for “Looking Hot.” As a Native woman whose college educated mother chose to raise me on the reservation in order to be close to my culture and always be proud of who I am and where I came from, I was deeply offended by your trivialization of my culture. Eagle feathers, beadwork designs, the way that you fix your hair, even down to the colors that are used in traditional regalia all have spiritual and/or religious meaning for American Indian people.

Many of these dances that we do at powwows have been done for hundreds of years and have a ceremonial purpose behind them. Being tied up in a prisoner type situation singing, ‘Go ahead and look at me ‘Cause that’s what I want’ does more than add insult to injury.

It makes light of American Indian woman that were raped and brutalized during U.S. colonization of America…” (Read Margaret’s complete message here.)

In response to the backlash, No Doubt iimediately posted this message in their official website:

Screen shot from www.nodoubt.com

Your thoughts? – Rappler.com

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