Sun 6 Nov 2005
While driving home today, my radio was tuned to 99.7FM, and I think it was Dr. Labouche or whatever her name is speaking. She was talking about Madonna and her career, and while mentioning her previous albums, she said something about a song that came from her 1985 album, and I quote: “Like a …. you know what”!
She said something about not being able to say the word!! Hold on a second here, the word VIRGIN is considered too much for our dear listeners?!? But songs like Candy Shop are fin?! lol!
What about the show sponsored by Virgin megastore?! Would the word عذراء be considered too much in an Arabic show?! It makes absolutely no sense to censor an innocent word like virgin!
This has to be added to the list of other silly censorship ideas by 99.7 FM! Another great example has to be the one Zaydoun mentioned about the song American Idiot!
Also, I have to add the Bohemian Rhapsody cesorship of the phrase “Bismillah” which they sing as a chorus in the middle of the song -
Bismillah! No … we will not let you go -let him go-
Bismillah! We will not let you go -let him go
Bismillah! We will not let you go -let me go
In 99.7 the phrase is replaced with some wierd tones, which ruins part of the song! I wonder, do they censor the phrase Bismillah if sung in Arabic songs? Like -
Bismilllaaaah, Bismillaaaah, bidaaaina wilbaady bism Allah, tiwakkaaal yal azrag 3ala allaah!
Freddy Mercury, the guy who wrote the words for Bohemian Rhapsody was born and raised in India, so the word Bismillah is probably something that was used around him alot early on. Anyway, thats beyond the point, there’s nothing bad in the use of the word in the song, but its funny that its censored in 99.7, although I heard the full version once on 99.7 recently!
I would love to see the official document about which words to censor and how!
12 Responses to “99.7 and censorship…?”
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November 6th, 2005 at 12:58 am
I think censored words go way beyond a list in a document, if any. Even if they don’t violate such a document, Announcers and show hosts now practice self-censorship because they’re afraid of controversey at least.
Kind of “eb3id 3an el shar o ghannela” attitude.
Another cost diminishing freedom.
November 6th, 2005 at 2:14 am
Freddy Mercury is from Iran. I think Dr. Labouche has the worst announcer’s voice; it’s muffled and as the American ‘nasal’ quality; she sounds like she has a cold every day of the year. And I remember one time R Kelly’s ‘Ignition’ was requested and she said it was banned. And yeah I sort of agree with Jandeef, I mean it’s better to be safe than sorry; you don’t want to get a call from ‘flan el flani’ who proposes a computerized announcer to avoid any ‘lewd’ words thrown at the innocent populace of Kuwait.
November 6th, 2005 at 4:58 pm
or they can not air any song with a tricky vocs in it.!easy
November 6th, 2005 at 9:28 pm
boycott 99.7
boycott kncc
boycott ktv
oh and by the way .. am back
www.rampurple.com/blog
got jealous of u guys talking about the blogosphere the other night
November 6th, 2005 at 9:48 pm
@Erzulie.. Q8ism is right Freddy Mercury is from India.He is a Zoroastrian Indian (also known as Parsi).I just confirmed that from Wikipedia too.
Yes Q8ism you are so right. I have noticed how some words just go *beep* in between some songs. Then on some hip hop tracks there seems to be no censor at all.
Though if “Bazaar” sees all this they will just write bunch of People without any social life (bloggers) are at it again ;).
Keep Up the great Blog.Cheers!!
Jagu
www.rumbling.net
November 7th, 2005 at 12:26 am
That’s hilarious - I had no idea ‘virgin’ can reach cuss word status!
November 7th, 2005 at 12:53 am
Hmm… I don’t remember hearing like a virgin on 99.7…
But I’m defintely sure that the word “american” isn’t censored from American Idiot…. but I *think* they censor the word fuck in “I’m the fuckin american”…..but then again, I never heard that word clearly in the uncensored version as well lol..
But yaa…the media is censored way beyond necessary here… i gave up watching movies in the cinema…
November 7th, 2005 at 3:40 am
Jandeef, ee thats what i want to know! What rules are they using?! If not, do they have the right to block whatever they want? o with our policy of tarheeb, mithil ma gilt…ib3id 3an el shar o ghaneela!
erzulie, I thought he was from Iran too, but he actually came from India. O I totally agree with u about hating Dr.Labouche!
kila ma6goog, ee walal 7araam ruining the songs! Just dont play them!
rampurple, wb wb! I already boycott KNCC, 99.7 is just bad and annoying but havent done anything that deserves a full boycott! KTV is great if u like football, ktv3 kicks ass!
rj nair, thx for comment and welcome to my blog!
i heard about that Bazaar issue!! I would love to get my hand on it! Do u know which issue it is?
McArabian, yes….dont EVER call any girl a virgin anymore in Kuwait ;P
crash, I know ive heard like a virgin b4 on 99.7, and i know for a fact it wasnt censored, and also American Idiot was definitely censored when I heard it and I couldnt stop laughing! I agree about censorship going out of control with no real regulations! Also, its great to know a fellow cinema boycotter ;P
November 7th, 2005 at 8:20 am
Maybe licking lollipops and hitting spots is not as bad as virgin. I dunno? Maybe she was paranoid about losing her job is she said something bad.
“Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on Thursday September 5th 1946 on the small spice island of Zanzibar”
November 7th, 2005 at 11:28 am
Thank You for the warm welcome Q! I have been a regular for some time..didnt have a blogger ID to leave comment before.
Dont know which edition of Bazaar that write up came. I am gonna check it now with a female co worker who religiously collects Bazaar Mag:P.
William exactly right mate..
“Freddy Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar to Zoroastrian Indian (also known as Parsi) parents Bomi and Jer Bulsara. They had emigrated to Zanzibar so Bomi could continue his job as a middle-ranking cashier at the British Colonial Office”
Good Day
J
www.rumbling.net
November 8th, 2005 at 10:32 am
They disallow words like virgin because the Men In Beards (MIB) recognise them. But they allow words like nana because well… the MIB still haven’t reached that intelligence yet. No offense to all the beards. You know what I mean.
November 10th, 2005 at 11:30 pm
Q…I hate to be the boring fact-checker babe..but please excuse my anal, obssesive-compulsive, type-A personality, and allow me to deffer…Freddie Mercury was in fcat, born in Zanzibar to Persian parents and not India…ok i’ll be on my merry fact-checking way now…peace