MTV Has Not Banned Lady Gaga’s ‘Telephone’ Video

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading ...

CNN reported that video had been banned by channel; it actually began airing on MTV early Friday.
By Gil Kaufman

Lady Gaga in her “Telephone” video

Photo: Interscope

In the wake of reports that surfaced over the weekend claiming that MTV had banned Lady Gaga’s nearly 10-minute-long video for “Telephone,” a spokesperson for the channel clarified the situation on Monday (March 15).

“MTV did not ban Lady Gaga and Beyoncé’s ‘Telephone’ video — in fact, we premiered it on Friday, March 12, on-air and online at MTV.com, two days before this story was falsely reported,” said MTV Executive Vice President of Music and Talent Amy Doyle. “Fans can continue to catch the video as we repeat it on-air and online.” Music videos generally air on MTV weekdays between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m.

The rumor appears to have begun with a segment that aired on CNN on Sunday in which reporters Fredricka Whitfield and Jacqui Jeras discuss the video — which at press time has been viewed more than 14 million times on YouTube since its release late Thursday — and say that MTV had banned the clip. The CNN segment has circulated widely on the Internet, but does not currently appear to be on the CNN site; it can be viewed on MediaIte.com.

“It’s so strong, so suggestive, so sexual, so violent as well, that MTV has said, ‘We’re not even going to air this, so it has banned the airing of this video,’ ” Whitfield said, without citing a source. At press time, a spokesperson for CNN had not responded to MTV News’ requests for comment.

The “Telephone” video went live on MTV.com at 12:30 a.m. on Friday, an hour after it premiered on E!, and began airing on MTV that morning at 9:30 a.m. as part of the “Lady Gaga Artist Collection,” which ended with a full-length airing of the video, a spokesperson for the channel said.

The epic, Jonas Εkerlund-directed “Telephone” clip, already a fan favorite, stars Gaga and Beyoncé and includes a head-spinning array of pop-culture references, ranging from the obvious (”Thelma and Louise,” Tarantino films) to the not-as-obvious (”Dune”). Jai Rodriguez, who plays a reporter in the video, said Gaga and Beyoncé were both “epic” and focused during the shoot. Of the clip, Gaga has said she’s “always trying to convolute everyone’s idea of what a pop music video should be.”

Related Videos