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Once-Hip MTV Proves it's Out of Touch

Brennon Slattery

MTV used to be an imposing cultural force, influencing an entire generation with music and style. Now, it bleeps out the names of file-sharing Websites from Weird Al videos.

In the opening refrain of Weird Al's 2006 ditty "Don't Download This Song," he lists the file-sharing sites Morpheus, Grokster, Limewire, and Kazaa, but in the version featured on MTV's newly revamped music video site, all four names are bleeped out. The irony here is delicious.

For an institute that's supposed to have its finger on the pulse of youth culture, MTV is flashing some serious ignorance. Three out of four of the sites aren't really functioning anymore, so to censor them now is like doctoring history for no valid reason. And how can they honestly believe viewers don't know about these sites, and sites like them?

If you're itching for rebellion and want to hear some file-sharing site names, head over to Weird Al's YouTube channel to watch the uncensored version.

This incident reminds me of the R.E.M. video "Tongue," in which "laid" was bleeped out of the sentence, "Anybody can get laid." What's your favorite censorship?

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