Saturday, April 3, 2010

Erykah Badu to be charged with disorderly conduct for stripping in public for a performance art video shoot

I have never heard of Erykah Badu before. She is a performance artist. She just shoot a music video in the same Dallas plaza where JFK was shoot. Because she stripped naked in public, she is now being charged with disorderly conduct.

The New York Daily News covered this story. What I thought interesting was some of the comments. Here's the story and comments:

Erykah Badu charged with disorderly conduct for stripping in Dallas video shoot for 'Window Seat'
Erykah Badu has come under fire for stripping naked in a Dallas plaza where President Kennedy was shot in 1963 - for a scene in her new video for the song, 'Window Seat.'
Erykah Badu has come under fire for stripping naked in a Dallas plaza where President Kennedy was shot in 1963 - for a scene in her new video for the song, 'Window Seat.'

The singer Erykah Badu has been charged with disorderly conduct by Dallas police after stripping naked in a public square while filming her latest music video...

She can be seen walking through the square removing her t-shirt and pants followed by her underwear, while curious passers-by look on.

The singer then falls to the ground to the sound of a gunshot.

"The City attorney's office and the Dallas Police Department has decided to charge the entertainer known as Erykah Badu with disorderly conduct," a police spokesman said.

"After much discussion we feel that these charges best fit her conduct when she disrobed in a public place without disregard to individuals and small children who were close by."

The police spokesman said they have received calls from people across the country complaining about her behavior and a citation will be issued shortly...

"I would never disrespect JFK," she wrote on Twitter. "his revolutionary thinking is my inspiration. my performance art has been grossly misinterpreted by many."

Here are some interesting comments:

Badu should be ashamed of herself... she knows that black people cannot get away with doing the same thing two white people did and not get in trouble with the law.... I thought she had more sense than that... [Tom's note:Matt and Kim won a MTV award this year by walking in NYC while singing and stripping. They are white.]
Kevin McLean

I believe much ado (no pun intended) is being made over nothing!!! This country is far behind the Europeans re: nudity. If she was grossly over or under weight then I would be offended!! I consider the human body to be a work of art created by God!!!
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jhndgls

Artistically, it was uninteresting. Aesthetically, no thanks. In terms of publicity, cheap and effective. Chief Wiggum says: "Mmmmm, Mama!....I likes what you draggin' in yo' wagon!"
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RedSkyInJuly


Just because it is a music video doesn't mean she is trying to sell sex. She actually IS an artist -- a performance artist whose primary medium is voice/music. Unfortunately, her work is misfiled because of the medium she uses and much of what she does is diminished or ignored. I would be willing to bet that many of the people who have posted are not fully familiar with her music, her art, her message, or her life except on a very superficial level as presented by the media. There is a LOT of nudity in performance art. There is also a LOT of other types of words, activity, and products that incite very strong reactions. Making people think and feel and react is an important part of what an artist does. Many "classic" works in all genres of art were originally dismissed, disrespected, and disdained because they made people -- especially the dull, proper masses of sheep in all classes of society -- feel differently and asked them to think differently...
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Bluejeans

For all the people that didn't get, get this. You won't get. The message is beyond your comprehension. Go sit on your couch and watch TV. The offended people that are in such an uproar, are the same idiots that pay money to go into Lady Bird's fine arts museum and see ancient naked voluptuous white women. Now try to focus, this is art.

She is a super pot head and a nut. She should have gotten a permit and did this on a closed set not out in public and in front of children! She is a mother of 3 children. Would she like it if someone stripped naked in front of them and pretended to be shot in the head?
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LucilleG

5:13:32 PM
Apr 3, 2010

Most of you haven’t even seen the video well I have and first off the song is jamming. Secondly, Erykah is an Artìst and this video will still be watched and appreciated 15 years from now. Also, Erykah’s body is fantastic (she’s had a couple of kids too), so don’t be a hater."

For the full article, click here

Ms. Badu picked the wrong state for her video. Remember, Texas was the state where a school teacher was fired for taking kids to the Dallas Art museum because they saw nude sculptures in the museum. And she even had the parents permission.

What I liked about this story was the "what about the children" angle of the police chief. Obviously most adults could care less, so they have to bring up children since they can't comment that they didn't care either.

Ms. Badu certainly got her 15 minutes of national fame.

As for her art work, time will tell. Don't forget when the Eiffel Tower was originally built, French citizens hated it and wanted it torn down.

I wish her good luck and hope she fights the charges.

Tom Mulhall
Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa
Located in sunny Palm Springs, California
http://sunnyfun.com
For more information or reservations, call 800-786-6938

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