From some bloke named mjclikesit:

Ok, here it goes..I auditioned for a featured extra role in the new Madonna video titled "American Life". I'm home now after a 16 hour day (my second and last) and am too tired to go into everything, but I will summarize. It was shot at LA Center Studios in downtown LA (the same studio was shooting the new Legally Blonde movie in the stage next door). It takes place at a fashion show with a VERY camoflage theme. VERY!!! Behind the catwalk are 3 vertical blue screens which when the video is put together will show Madonna in different costume changes (thats all I know about that) and the rest of the background are stripes of vertical greyish camoflage. Before I go on, I do want to say that I can not see how this video is going to be allowed on MTV more than once..you'll hear why in the following. Also, the song rocks! I love it, I didnt the first listen but then I LOVED it! Its hard to absorb a song in sections like I did, so once I heard it all together, I realized how brilliant it was. It is upbeat and has an underground feel to it. It is a mixture of electronica, a little acoustic and yes...RAP!!! But, the rap is not like eminems, its totally Madonnas. To sum it up, the song is about how she has lived way beyond what she believes is "The American Dream", but (and I quote) "nothing is what it seems". The first day of shooting had a really layed back funny feel to it. The video had a lot of humor and a lot of sexiness to it. The second day, however was bloody, gory and VERY CONTROVERSIAL!! She is in a tight camoflage outfit with an S & M flair, she is brunet and looks fantastic and in great shape. She talked to all of us and DANCED amazing!! In one scene she dances in and out of the sunroof of a very war like Mini Cooper and comes off the hood, does her rap and gives the camera the finger. She raps about "having a maid, assistant, chauffer, etc.". I know it might sound stupid, but its not. You'll get it when you hear it. She also proclaims in the song that she is neither jewish or christian. She, later in the day uses a contraption that is bolted to the top of the car to HOSE DOWN the paparazzi that are at the fashion show. Totally hysterical!! OK, I need to finish...Things that are controversial are rare in the first day of shooting except for the fact that one of the male models had an obviously huge hard on poking thru his barely there pants. The entire second day (today) was controversial and slightly nauseating. Picture parapolegics (spelling?), limbless (for real) men and women, bloody babies, bombs (one grenade she throws) and a lot of beatings all happening on the runway. I think its all brilliant and have a feeling that this one will be a classic. But, I feel that this will be too much for MTV and wait till the politicians get a crack at it. The theme of the video is that if the US goes to war, there will be nothing but blood and misery. Madonna is back and shes still the same (thank god!).

This will be interesting to see. She gets a kick out of doing videos that stir up controversy.

Sometimes, they're not that controversial. They're just awful.

come on, madonna's controversial days are behind her. give me one example of something controversial she did after her 'erotica' period. only her music has gone through some changes the last decade or so, but she stays mainstream; open to the masses. maybe through her videos she has tried to make a few statements, but not that extreme that mtv won't play them. and i bet whatever this person saw on the videoshoot will be only a few seconds of the final video. at least that always suprises me when watching programs like mtv's 'making the video'..

neat! can't wait

OOOH! this sounds very cool!

I used to absolutely love Madonna but her whole career is fucking calculated now it makes me sick, Oh the video wont get played. Surprise fucking Surprise. If Simon Powell performed music as well as producing it, he would be Madonna. It is no wonder people look at Madonna's 80s output with more affection than the cold measured stuff she released during the 90s. She just leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth now. I wonder what she will do next. I know Poverty as something fashionable. Oh i just remember Eminem is doing that already..

WildheartXXX said:

you don't think that stuff was calculated in the 80's?

she's still got it. Rockit baby!

WildheartXXX said:

Have you listened to the albums "Something To Remember" or "Ray Of Light"? They're anything but cold. And they put her 80's work to shame.

It's possible that some of the more offensive scenes will be edited out. The "Die Another Day" video was sorta violent,and it was still shown on MTV.But,as always,I am really eager to hear this song and see the video.Madonna rarely disappoints me
[This message was edited Sat Feb 8 15:01:56 PST 2003 by DavidEye]



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[This message was edited Sun Feb 9 10:47:26 PST 2003 by DavidEye]

Well who knows if this is really true. With every project she does there's someone pretending 2 work on the set, writing up stuff like this.

I don't get what people have with this Madge calculated thing. If anything, her music from the nineties has been more intimate and she comes across as more accesible.

DavidEye said:

Out of curiosity, when have you been disappointed with Madonna?

TRON said:

I was disappointed with the "What It Feels Like For A Girl" video.I love that song so much,and I wanted Madonna to do a really strong,effective video with a great message.And of course,I am usually disappointed with most of her movies

Speaking of her movies...'Swept Away' comes out on DVD this Tuesday,for anyone who is interested.

DavidEye said:

I agree. I didn't like this one either. The random violence was ridiculous. Didn't care much for the Die Another Day video either. I really hope she divorces Guy soon. The violent influence he's got on her just doesn't suit her work.

purpleone said:

The video for "What It Feels Like for a Girl" was banned in the US.

Moonbeam said:

it wasn't banned, per se. they did show it. it just wasn't suitable for heavy rotation. and good for them. she looked bad, it was stupid, and pointless

AaronUnlimited said:

I must be mistaken! I thought it was indeed banned. I remember there being a lot of hoopla around the time of its release. I personally think it's a great video. I know you aren't a fan of the violence of her videos as of late, though.

I believe it was banned like Justify My Love, only to be played once. Erotica was the one saved for late night airings.

Madonna's new CD is now titled 'American Life'.

TRON said:

Yeah,'WIFLFAG' was only shown on MTV and VH-1 one time,then it was banned forever.I don't think "Justify My Love" was ever shown on the video music networks,but I remember "Nightline" showing it in it's entirety,during a segment discussing the controversy behind it all.

From MTV news:

In addition to her new album, American Life, Madonna also plans to release a box set before the year is out, marking the 20th anniversary of her recording career.

The 11-song American Life (April 22) was co-produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai, who also co-produced her Music (2000) and the recent James Bond tune "Die Another Day." The album's title track will be the first single, with a video by controversial director Jonas Akerlund (Smashing Pumpkins, the Prodigy); the video was completed in Los Angeles this week, the singer's spokesperson said. Madonna co-wrote the songs on American Life with Guy Sigsworth, Gem Jones and Les Rhythmes Digitales' Jacques Lu Cont, who was the musical director and keyboardist on her Drowned World Tour. Among the tracks slated for inclusion are "Hollywood," "Nothing Fails" and "Love Profusion."

The box set, whose contents have not yet been announced, is timed to coincide with the 20th anniversary of Madonna's 1983 self-titled debut, which yielded the hits "Lucky Star," "Borderline" and "Holiday." A release date has not been set for the box, according to the spokesperson.

TRON said:

If they played it, then it wasn't banned. They just chose not to play it.

AaronUnlimited said:

Same difference.

TRON said:

:p it's not!

Justify My Love - played once on Primetime. Never played again.

What It Feels Like - played once on MTV. Never played again.

I doubt MTV chose not to play the video cuz they didn't like it or cuz it was failing miserably on the charts.

TRON said:

yes. banned from MTV. after that, she put it out commercially and took it back from MTV. they didn't have permission to air it anymore whether they wanted to or not.



correct. but they could have played it. they just didn't. it wasn't banned if it got played. it was "banned" in the same way that Erotica was "banned" ie, limited showing with a disclaimer, under the guise of "MTV news"



why would they play the videos of unpopular songs?

Yeah, but they actually played 'Erotica'. I guess it falls somewhere inbetween the two. I can't really see 'Old Kuntz Home' and an ATM robbery on MTV since Madonna refused to edit it.

My roommate's sister is supposedly gonna be in this video.

We'll see.