Driving back from errands today, I
heard the radio edit version of Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines. Now
I've heard the uncensored version many times and I don't have a
problem with it, although I understand a number of ladies have their
panties in a bunch about the lyrics being “rapey”. Meh....for me it
just doesn't register high enough of my scale of things to worry
about.
It's catchy, even though the song
sounds like it's been sampled from Marvin's Gaye's Gotta Give It Up.
I'm more of the generation that hates the whole idea of sampling. Go
write something original already.*
Anyway, they get to the part in the
song that says “You're the hottest bitch in this place.” (
classy, I know ). Well, for the radio edit,
instead of using “bitch” they substituted “ho”.
Really? ...ho?
I realize I'm not up on my urban-speak,
but last time I checked, HO was short for WHORE.
I understand that term is used regularly
in music, and I properly don't care. However, I would like to point
out (and I'm probably splitting hairs from a gangsta-perspective)
“bitch” does not equal “ho”.
So I was left scratching my head,
because this meant someone actually thought that an urbanized,
shortened version of WHORE is more wholesome for the afternoon radio
audience's virgin earballs, and therefore less likely to offend than
“bitch”.
Has this person been residing in a deep
cave in the Amazon, under a moss-covered rock since 1970?
“Bitch” stopped being an insult
somewhere around 1985, people.
I equate calling a woman a “bitch”
with calling a man an “asshole”. By the way, I know plenty of
“assholes” that are perfectly happy to own that.
Look, I'm no raging feminista, but if
you were to poll most ladies today, I can pretty much guarantee most
of us would prefer “bitch” to “ho”, thank you very much.
* Also... get off my lawn.
