You know something went horribly wrong when you have to pull your music video less than a day after posting it. Which is what happened when No Doubt released their music video for “Looking Hot,” which featured Gwen Stefani making the less-than-enlightened decision to dress up and act like the most stereotypical Native-American ever. As in, imagine that part in Peter Pan where the cavalcade of offensive stereotypes break out into a musical number? It was like that. Via HuffPo …
Released Friday, the video is cowboys-and-Indians themed and the stereotypical images including headdresses, tepees, and smoke signals. They got negative feedback from the Native American community once the video was posted on YouTube. “As a multi-racial band our foundation is built upon both diversity and consideration for other cultures,” No Doubt said in a statement on their website. “Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. Although we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California, we realize now that we have offended people.”
First off, do people still really use the term “Indians” when referring to Native-Americans? Really? You do realize the only reason that name came up was because the first European settlers to come here thought they made it to India, and were too stupid to correct themselves. Second, I’m pretty sure if they actually spoke to Native Americans, the following conversation would have happened:
Gwen: Mind if we dress up as stereotypes and dance around in a teepee?
Native American: YES. YES I ABSOLUTELY DO MIND.