Sep 16, 2011

My Peacock-cock-cock

If you follow me on The Twitter, you'll likely know that I was at the Katy Perry concert in Indianapolis last night. It was part of the conference I was attending, so I wasn't exactly a paying customer, but I went anyway -- if for curiosity than anything else. I'll admit that I've tapped to the beat of her catchy tunes in my car, but I wouldn't consider myself a Katy Perry fan by any stretch.

Was it entertaining? 
Of course. There were colors and lights and glowing cotton candy -- all the bells and whistles of a pop concert.

Was I uncomfortable?
Fuck yes, I was! And I will tell you why because I'm sure you're all dying to know.
Katy Perry (or rather her marketing team, but whatever) has based her entire brand around the juxtapositioning of cutesy, childish imagery with shameless over-tones of sex. Of course, this is not a news breaking analogy, nor am I the first or will I be the last to say it, but it is what it is.

Since I do not have her albums, I really only know about 6 of her songs - even that number surprised me, actually. Some lyrics of the lesser known songs really shocked me, but not from a personal perspective.I was shocked because I quickly became painfully aware of how many young girls were there, listening and absorbing it all.

When the Peacock song came on, one of which I had never heard before, I actually dropped my jaw. And it stayed open long after it finished. Again, it wasn't the song I took offense to - I'm a pervert - I thought it was fucking hysterical, but the children - oh, the children in the audience. Why were they there?! Why were parents taking their 7-8-9-10 year old girls to a concert where a woman sings about cocks and performs suggested fellatio on the microphone. (Oh, yes she did) They don't need to see that! NO. No, they really don't.

It bothered me. A lot.

I was still bothered by it when I stumbled back to my hotel room. I went online to further research that particular song. Yeah, I downloaded it because, again, it's priceless, but I was still annoyed, nevertheless. I was checking out videos and I came across a parody version that I found seriously fucking entertaining. I think it trumped the concert, for real. It lifted my mood from annoyed to elated.

Here are some of my favorite parts: 


And this one:


And finally?


SQUAWK! You're welcome.

So, I might have digressed quite a bit from my original point, but oh my gawd, it's hysterical - and it has close to 7 million hits, so I'm not alone in that sentiment. And why can I enjoy this? Because I'm a fucking adult! It's not for kids, yo! Just like the Katy Perry concert. See how I've come full circle there? Yeah, that.

At the end of the day, am I criticizing Katy Perry? No. 
She's an adult (that apparently thinks she's 15) but regardless... an adult. She can do and sing and dance perform whatever the hell she wants to. I'm criticizing the parents that thought it was acceptable to expose their extremely young girls to this spectacle. I don't want to hear the argument "Oh, she's too young to get that!" because I call that bullshit.

Let children be children. 
They have the rest of their lives to become screwed-up sexual deviants, just take me for example. I was only listening to Tiffany and Jem and The Holograms and my 'deviance' started when I was 12. Think about it.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to see the full video, check it out on YouTube.


A Mother Life

19 comments:

  1. Amen. Like our discussion, having two boys and no girls is a big relief for me.

    With that said, I can't get enough of that peacock song...

    ReplyDelete
  2. why does parenting gots to be so hard? i had no idea she would be sexually graphic in her show- her image is so sexy/cutesy/harmless. i can totally see myself showing up with my kids and being shocked- and then what are you gonna do, you're already there.

    ReplyDelete
  3. oh yeah, seems like you forgot to post your glitter picture from the show...

    ReplyDelete
  4. That's it, my child will never ever be exposed to pop culture of any kind. Thanks a lot Katy Perry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've never really liked Katy Perry and I couldn't quite put a finger on why. Now you've explained it perfectly!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree 100%, children should be allowed to be children and not exposed to things like this at such a young age. And if they are exposed? Their parents need to step the fuck up and do some damage control to make sure they don't end up with over sexualized tweens.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I appreciate your commentary on this topic. I have a soon to be 6 y/o princess who thinks she is 16. It's scary. She knows all the songs, and to hear your busting out S&M by Rihanna acapella is disturbing beyond any mother's imagination. She picks it up somewhere but if I could put her in a bubble now and save her from all things pop culture, including Katy Perry, for a least a decade, I totally would.

    ReplyDelete
  8. @NotBlessedMama

    I think if it's not a production put on by Disney or Nickelodeon (or something along those lines), I wouldn't take my children to see a "pop star".

    Ever. End of.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Did you do this so I would cringe.
    So my love of the peacock would falter?
    It will never die.

    I have long said that parents are selfish and do not think of cause and effect. Many do not listen to the lyrics of their childrens songs. Perhaps if more attention was paid we might have a more positive outcome in our teenagers.

    Also?
    I detest Katie perry.

    ReplyDelete
  10. No way would I have taken my daughter to one of these shows when she was 9. She's 17 now. I still wouldn't take her. Actually, more to the point, she wouldn't be seen in public with me.
    Actually, I hear that Katy Perry kissed a girl and she liked it. Now, I'd plunk down a couple bucks to see that.
    My daughter would stay home.
    No sense watching Daddy act like a man.
    That's just icky.

    ReplyDelete
  11. It's really disturbing to me when kids are treated like they are (a) too stupid to be aware of what's going on around them; and (b) allowed to be exposed to non-kid stuff.

    Some parents allow their children to grow up way too fast. They're not miniature adults. And they shouldn't act and dress like they are.

    I'm really glad you wrote this.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is the first time I've come across your mama side. I'm shocked! lol

    I'm ashamed to say that I do like Katy Perry songs... some are catchy so they sorta just fit on the (rare) times that I made it into clubbing.

    BUT, there's no way in hell I'm gonna allow my daughter to listen to her songs. Or watch her concert. Which I will be watching next month in London. Yeah, I know. *blushing*

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have to admit that I also have found myself liking some of her radio tunes....I like that firework video message she does.

    deep throating a mic in front of 15 year olds?...yeah, .....not good.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I take my kid to rock shows here and there--since the music I listen to is about THE MUSIC and not the spectacle.
    I don't know what happened that so many people are okay with sexualizing children. "Toddlers & Tiaras?" Serenity now!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. @Etcette Era

    I can't even stomach the commercials for that f'in show, seriously! ACK.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yup. I was listening to Jem and playing with Rainbow Brite and my deviance started really early too. Yikes. I have 3 daughters. Triple yikes.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just WOW! We live in a society that over sexualises everything... And that pop divas like Katy Perry should know better. Thanks for the heads Up I will NOT be taking my miss 9 to one of her concerts. Luckily she probably doesn't want to go anyway.
    Thanks for Hooking Up at the Hump Day Hook Up.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Yikers, Katy Perry? For realz? Why would anyone take a nine year old to a Katy Pervy concert? Those are no doubt the cool moms that also buy their daughters hot pink sweatpants that say "LOOK AT MY BUM" on the back. So sad. :(

    On a side note, when are we going to the concert with all the pretty men? I'm ready when you are.

    ReplyDelete

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.