Robin Thicke, Mod Carousel, and Sexual Objectification

On March 23, 2013, the R&B singer Robin Thicke released the song "Blurred Lines" and quickly generated controversy over the degradation and sexual objectification of women both in the lyrics and in the video. Since then, Mr. Thicke has said the song and the video were meant to poke fun at the traditional misogynistic view of women. I'm not sure everybody got the memo.

On July 21, 2013, Mod Carousel, a Seattle based boylesque troupe released a parody video of Blurred Lines in which the male and female roles are reversed, that is, the men get objectified. The results? See for yourself below but so far, Huffington, Jezebel, and others are all giving it a thumbs up.

Below

video #1: the "clean" version of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines: I've included the lyrics so you can follow along.

video #2: the unedited version (Ooo la la)

video #3: Mod Carousel turns the tables (Ooo le le) (Le = French masculine article. Okay, not my best joke)


Published on Mar 20, 2013 by RobinThickeVEVO
Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell

[Intro: Pharrell]
Everybody get up
Everybody get up
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey

[Verse 1: Robin Thicke]
If you can't hear what I'm trying to say
If you can't read from the same page
Maybe I'm going deaf,
Maybe I'm going blind
Maybe I'm out of my mind
[Pharell:] Everybody get up

[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke]
OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you
But you're an animal, baby, it's in your nature
Just let me liberate you
Hey, hey, hey
You don't need no papers
Hey, hey, hey
That man is not your maker

[Chorus: Robin Thicke]
And that's why I'm gon' take a good girl
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
You're a good girl
Can't let it get past me
You're far from plastic
Talk about getting blasted
I hate these blurred lines
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me
[Pharell:] Everybody get up

[Verse 2: Robin Thicke]
What do they make dreams for
When you got them jeans on
What do we need steam for
You the hottest bitch in this place
I feel so lucky
Hey, hey, hey
You wanna hug me
Hey, hey, hey
What rhymes with hug me?
Hey, hey, hey

[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke]
OK now he was close, tried to domesticate you
But you're an animal, baby it's in your nature
Just let me liberate you
Hey, hey, hey
You don't need no papers
Hey, hey, hey
That man is not your maker
Hey, hey, hey

[Chorus: Robin Thicke]
And that's why I'm gon' take a good girl
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
You're a good girl
Can't let it get past me
You're far from plastic
Talk about getting blasted
[Pharell:] Everybody get up
I hate these blurred lines
I know you want it
I hate them lines
I know you want it
I hate them lines
I know you want it
But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me

[Verse 3: T.I.]
One thing I ask of you
Let me be the one you back that ass to
Go, from Malibu, to Paris, boo
Yeah, I had a bitch, but she ain't bad as you
So hit me up when you passing through
I'll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two
Swag on, even when you dress casual
I mean it's almost unbearable
Then, honey you're not there when I'm
With my foresight bitch you pay me by
Nothing like your last guy, he too square for you
He don't smack that ass and pull your hair like that
So I just watch and wait for you to salute
But you didn't pick
Not many women can refuse this pimpin'
I'm a nice guy, but don't get it if you get with me

[Bridge: Robin Thicke]
Shake the vibe, get down, get up
Do it like it hurt, like it hurt
What you don't like work?

[Pre-chorus: Robin Thicke]
Baby can you breathe? I got this from Jamaica
It always works for me, Dakota to Decatur, uh huh
No more pretending
Hey, hey, hey
Cause now you winning
Hey, hey, hey
Here's our beginning

[Chorus: Robin Thicke]
I always wanted a good girl
(Pharell: Everybody get up)
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
You're a good girl
Can't let it get past me
You're far from plastic
Talk about getting blasted
I hate these blurred lines
(Pharell: Everybody get up)
I know you want it
I know you want it
I know you want it
But you're a good girl
The way you grab me
Must wanna get nasty
Go ahead, get at me

[Outro: Pharrell]
Everybody get up
Everybody get up
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey
Hey, hey, hey



Published on Mar 28, 2013 by RobinThickeVEVO
Blurred Lines (Unrated Version)

Published on Jul 21, 2013 by Mod Carousel
Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines ft. T.I., Pharrell
Mod Carousel, a Seattle based boylesque troupe, does a sexy parody of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines music video.

It's our opinion that most attempts to show female objectification in the media by swapping the genders serve more to ridicule the male body than to highlight the extent to which women get objectified and do everyone a disservice. We made this video specifically to show a spectrum of sexuality as well as present both women and men in a positive light, one where objectifying men is more than alright and where women can be strong and sexy without negative repercussions.

References

Wikipedia: Blurred Lines
"Blurred Lines" is a song recorded by American R&B recording artist Robin Thicke, for his 2013 album of the same name. The song features guest vocals from American rapper T.I. and American singer and producer Pharrell; all three share writing credits on the song. It was produced by Pharrell. The song was released as the lead single from Blurred Lines on March 26, 2013 through Star Trak Recordings.

Music videos
The music video, directed by Diane Martel, was released on March 20, 2013. The video focuses on Thicke, T.I., and Pharrell casually standing around while they flirt with scantily clad models who pose and somewhat frolic around in the video. At various points throughout the video, the hashtags "#THICKE" and "#BLURREDLINES" flash on screen. The video came in two versions: the original and the "edited" version. The original version features the same models seen in the edited video – though they do not appear topless , instead wearing revealing clothing. Thicke said in an interview with the Associated Press that he had received the approval of his wife, actress Paula Patton, before the video was filmed.

After being on the site for just under one week, the unrated version of the video was removed from YouTube on March 30, 2013, citing violations of the site's terms of service that restricts the uploading of videos containing nudity, particularly if used in a sexual context. However it was later restored on July 12, 2013. The unrated video remains available on Vevo, while the original version is available on both Vevo and YouTube. The unrated version of "Blurred Lines" generated more than 1 million views in the days following its release on Vevo. The three female models are Emily Ratajkowski, Jessi M'Bengue, and Elle Evans.

Asked about the racy content of the video, Thicke responded: "We tried to do everything that was taboo. Bestiality, drug injections, and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, 'We're the perfect guys to make fun of this.' People say, 'Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?' I'm like, 'Of course it is. What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I've never gotten to do that before. I've always respected women.'"

Wikipedia: Blurred Lines (album)
Blurred Lines is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Robin Thicke, to be released on July 30, 2013, by Star Trak Entertainment and Interscope Records.

Wikipedia: Robin Thicke
Robin Charles Thicke (born March 10, 1977) is a Canadian-American R&B singer-songwriter, musician, composer, and actor.

GQ - May 07/2013
Robin Thicke on That Banned Video, Collaborating with 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, and His New Film by Stelios Phili
Robin Thicke's latest music video features mostly-naked models, allusions to drugs and bestiality, and a balloon arrangement that reads, "Robin Thicke has a big dick." So when I met the singer-songwriter for an interview at GQ headquarters, I didn't expect that we'd first talk about mercy killings, home eviction, and cancer (the topics of Thicke's upcoming self-penned short film, Mercy) before moving on to his controversial music video, "Blurred Lines," which is banned, like, everywhere. "What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman," he said. "I've never gotten to do that before." Calm down, folks, it's a joke and everyone in the video is in on it. Thicke's a real Southern gentleman and his soul's as good as his hair.

Jezebel - July 22/2013
This Gender-Swapped ‘Blurred Lines’ Video Is Fucking Awesome by Lindy West
Seattle boylesque troupe Mod Carousel created their own version of Robin Thicke's controversial (and catchy) single "Blurred Lines"—they changed the lyrics, rerecorded the vocals, and restaged the video with all of the genders swapped. The result is pretty amazing.

Feministing - July 23/2013
Mod Carousel remakes “Blurred Lines”–but does it subvert the misogyny? by Alexandra
Yesterday, Lindy West at Jezebel introduced the feminist blogosphere to this maybe brilliant “Blurred Lines” re-do from Mod Carousel. I say “maybe brilliant” because I really want to be into the video, which is fun and sexy and cheeky, and because disagreeing with everyone I follow on Twitter is scary. I can almost convince myself based on the “everything is better queer” rationale, but I’m hung up on two things.

Huffington - July 23/2013
Gender-Reversed 'Blurred Lines' Parody By Mod Carousel Is Sexy, Thought-Provoking
Given the massive controversy -- not to mention runaway success -- of Robin Thicke's summer hit "Blurred Lines," it's not surprising that someone eventually decided to create a gender-reversed version of the video. Luckily for us, the newest parody, created by Mod Carousel, is clever, thought-provoking and very sexy.

official web site: Mod Carousel

Ha ha ha

The Atlantic - July 23/2013
A Guide To the World of 'Blurred Lines' YouTube Parodies by Zach Schonfeld
With its relentlessly inescapable melody and questionably misogynistic (also: NSFW) video, Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" is clearly destined for YouTube parody heaven. By now, it has dozens of spin-offs—some more ill-advised than others. Many play with the gender objectification question raised by the initial video, while others are just, well, yeah.

Time - July 23/2013
VIDEO: ‘Blurred Lines’/Growing Pains Mashup: Robin Thicke and his dad Alan are better together by Melissa Locker
While Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” is the song of the summer, Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” which features T.I. and Pharrell Williams, is a close second. The insanely catchy and controversial earworm with the racy and NSFW video, has been omnipresent on the radio this season and hit number 5 on our list of the best songs of 2013. Now finally, someone (The Hood Internet, specifically) has paired up Robin Thicke’s track with the theme song to Growing Pains, the 80s sitcom that starred his father, Alan Thicke.

Published on Jul 22, 2013 by The Hood Internet
BLURRING PAINS

Published on Aug 30, 2013 by Auckland Law Revue
Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines [Feminist Parody] "Defined Lines"
The Law Revue Girls want to define those supposedly "blurred lines". Enjoy our parody of Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke. Lyrics below.

Every bigot shut up (x 2)
Hey hey hey (x 3)

Boy you'd better quit all your sexist ways
So hear our manifesto of the modern age.
It's time to undermine
The masculine confines
Coz we don't wanna grind,
Gri-ii-iind.

You think that you're so slick,
Let me emasculate ya!
Because your precious dick
Can't beat my vibrator.
We're feelin' the frustration
From all the exploitation.
Prepare for your castration.

(Chorus)
So we can fuck this man's world,
With all its bullshit,
Girls don't deserve it.
We ain't good girls:
We are scholastic,
Smart and sarcastic,
Not fucking plastic.
Listen mankind!
If you wanna get nasty,
Just don't harass me:
You can't just grab me.
That's a sex crime!
Yeah we don't want it -
It's chauvinistic.
You're such a bigot!

What you see on tv
Doesn't speak equality,
It's straight up misogyny.
Don't want you to come on my face!

You think you're hunky (hey hey hey)
You wanna hug me (hey hey hey)
Don't you mean fuck me?

One thing I ask of you:
Don't assume that we all just wanna screw.
Gotta respect me for me to be your boo.
We don't want no scrubs, no we don't approve.
Need a universal role reversal,
In real life not a dress rehearsal.
Gotta resist all the gender roles,
Time to put misogyny on parole,
Put exploitation on probation,
Time for you to witness our liberation!
There's more to life than penetration,
And sexual discrimination.
So tonight we ignite our civil rights,
Resist chauvinism,
Win the fight,
Coz you're livin large just like a montage
Of you and your friends actin' out Entourage.
But we ain't whores to do your household chores,
To make you a sandwich when we're on all fours.
From history to herstory.
Know you got some opinions that we don't agree.
Need to call my sister Joan of A-R-C,
Bake a feminist cake, Antoinette Marie.
Yeah, guys, we got spies,
Know all you wanna do is fertilise,
But avert your eyes from my thighs,
Never tell a bitch that she gotta drop a size.
You wanna box gap? Show me your six pack.
Wanna landing strip? You'd better get ripped.
I apologise if you think my lines are crass,
Tell me how it feels to get verbally harassed.

(Chorus)
So we can fuck this man's world,
With all its bullshit,
Girls don't deserve it.
We ain't good girls:
We are scholastic,
Smart and sarcastic,
Not fucking plastic.
Listen mankind!
If you wanna get nasty,
Just don't harass me:
You can't just grab me.
That's a sex crime!
Yeah we don't want it -
It's chauvinistic.
You're such a bigot!

2013-07-24

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