The Olivia Newton-John video "Physical"

[mleach]

Right now I am going through my old video tapes transferring them to DVD. Today I was watching an interview from the early 80's between singer Olivia Newton-John and Dick Cavett that appeared on HBO. I assume the year was 1983 since Olivia was talking about her then new- movie "Two of A Kind". Anyway Cavett brings up the Physical video and the controversy surrounding ( I remember that ) but Cavett went on to say the video was actually banned in Utah. Wikipedia says the song was banned in South Africa and by some broadcasters in Canada and in the UK but didn't say anything about Utah.

OK, who exactly banned this clip in Utah? Local TV there? Was the clip blocked out on MTV in that state? And with that being said, is it even possible for a state/city/county to ban a song/movie/TV show from their region? Not talking about porn of course.

In the past I have heard both yes..they do have that power and no..they do not. Which is it?

And what happens say if a county/state does have the power to ban a song/TV show and the station located there goes on and airs the "content in question" anyway?

I can't think of any examples where a state ( much less a city ) actually banned a TV show though I seem to remember radio host Mike Harvey years ago had mentioned that the tune "Louie Louie" was "banned" in at least one state. Indiana?

 

[LKellerIII]

Right now I am going through my old video tapes transferring them to DVD. Today I was watching an interview from the early 80's between singer Olivia Newton-John and Dick Cavett that appeared on HBO. I assume the year was 1983 since Olivia was talking about her then new- movie "Two of A Kind". Anyway Cavett brings up the Physical video and the controversy surrounding ( I remember that ) but Cavett went on to say the video was actually banned in Utah. Wikipedia says the song was banned in South Africa and by some broadcasters in Canada and in the UK but didn't say anything about Utah.

OK, who exactly banned this clip in Utah? Local TV there? Was the clip blocked out on MTV in that state? And with that being said, is it even possible for a state/city/county to ban a song/movie/TV show from their region? Not talking about porn of course.

In the past I have heard both yes..they do have that power and no..they do not. Which is it?

And what happens say if a county/state does have the power to ban a song/TV show and the station located there goes on and airs the "content in question" anyway?

I can't think of any examples where a state ( much less a city ) actually banned a TV show though I seem to remember radio host Mike Harvey years ago had mentioned that the tune "Louie Louie" was "banned" in at least one state. Indiana?

Back in the days of Louie, Louie, (50s, 60s) it was not unusual for a state or city of have censorship laws. In the early 60s, they would advertise controversial or racy books as "Banned in Boston" if you can imagine that liberal city having censorship laws. But by the mid 1970s, the more permissive society and Supreme Court decisions had changed all that.

But aside from government censorship, it was not unusual for songs to be pulled from the radio due to public outcry. In the mid 60s, the song "Itchycoo Park" (Small Faces) was pulled from the Los Angeles Top 40 stations for the objectionable lyrics, but it was voluntary, not government censorship. The shocking lyrics:

"I'd like to go there now with you.
You can miss out school,
Won't that be cool?
Why go to learn the words of fools?
What will we do there?
We'll get high.
What will we touch there
We'll touch the sky...

So they're skipping school, education is stupid, and they're doing drugs. Very bad!

Government censorship was pretty much a thing of the past by the 1980s - even in Utah. But remember, it's a very conservative state and the LDS Church has a lot of influence, so I would guess that the banning of Physical was not by government edict, but was just something that the Utah media agreed upon amongst themselves.

I spent some time in semi-rural Utah in 2006. They actually have a movie rental store there called Clean-Cut Video. All the movies in the store are regular feature films with the naughty parts cut out. Their logo is a reel of film next to a pair of scissors. In rural Utah, Blockbuster is daring.

Itchycoo Park:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJzcF0v1eOE

 

[bk77]

I would imagine it would actually still be possible even today for some small town to at least restrict tv. Maybe not due to censorship of a certain program or even a channel but rather if they played that "get outside and play" card instead. Say for example some mayor feels that the people in that town should set aside family time away from the tube such as Saturday afternoon for example and the town lets the people who live there to vote on it. If such a thing passes, the results would be interesting. For a big city to do this, that really would be an impossible task.

But even for a small town or a very rural county of course it would be impossible for to prevent OTA singals from reaching that town say on that Saturday afternoon but if we are talking about some small town who is too far away to pick up digital signals and the viewers there really are at the mercy of the local cable company and the DBS services, I would imagine the restricting of TV or at least an attempt to do so really wouldn't be that far out of reach.

Of course would a giant cable system like Comcast for example or Direct TV be willing to cut off the signals to viewers in that town even for a few hours one day a week law or not, would they do such a thing without putting up a fight? I have my doubts they will just shrug their shoulders and say "what the hell, its just a few viewers anyway".

I remember back in the early 1980's when the CBS kids news show 30 Minutes did some show about a small Texas town that had banned video games. After the voters in that town passed the law, the arcades closed and the stores that were located there couldn't sell them either. Then about a year or so later I believe the same town started to allow video games once again since the people who ran the town didn't expect video game makers like Atari and chains like K-Mart to get their lawyers in motion. Duh !! What did they expect?

 

[RicoGregg]

The song "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie" was actually banned in Boston circa 1912. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, but I understand that it was somehow baseball-related. OK.

In the 1950s, several towns tried banning rock n' roll, and a few even passed laws that prohibited any local radio stations from playing it. There was one problem, actually several, with that. For one thing, the federal government dealt with regulating radio stations, not localities. The municipalities simply had no jurisdiction over what stations could and couldn't play. Then there were constitutional issues. Any politician of any party who has issues with the Constitution should be recalled immediately.

I don't see how the state of Utah could ban a song, or much of anything else. If someone in St. George is watching the "Physical" video on HBO or Showtime, which showed it often as time-filler between movies, and he's paying for the premium service, which both come out of New York City, is he going to be subject to arrest, fines, and jail time for watching TV in the privacy of his own home?

If there was any common sense there, and I'm sure that there was, I don't think that the state of Utah would want to take on such an expensive constitutional issue.

 

[LKellerIII]

The song "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie" was actually banned in Boston circa 1912. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, but I understand that it was somehow baseball-related. OK.

In the 1950s, several towns tried banning rock n' roll, and a few even passed laws that prohibited any local radio stations from playing it. There was one problem, actually several, with that. For one thing, the federal government dealt with regulating radio stations, not localities. The municipalities simply had no jurisdiction over what stations could and couldn't play. Then there were constitutional issues. Any politician of any party who has issues with the Constitution should be recalled immediately.

I don't see how the state of Utah could ban a song, or much of anything else. If someone in St. George is watching the "Physical" video on HBO or Showtime, which showed it often as time-filler between movies, and he's paying for the premium service, which both come out of New York City, is he going to be subject to arrest, fines, and jail time for watching TV in the privacy of his own home?

If there was any common sense there, and I'm sure that there was, I don't think that the state of Utah would want to take on such an expensive constitutional issue.

As I said, if Physical wasn't shown on the Utah airwaves in the 80s, it was most likely voluntary censorship by the local stations...possibly after some phone calls from LDS church officials. The network affiliates and local stations there are most likely owned by Mormons, in any case. But people still would have been able to see the video on HBO, or even MTV...if there were cable systems there that carried MTV in those days.

As for towns banning rock and roll...I remember that happening. And they banned dancing too. But when Kevin Bacon came to town attitudes started to change...uh...oh yeah - that's the plot to Footloose...

 

[WMC2006]

Watch this video of Olivia performing Physical on Solid Gold in 1981 and you might figure out why some people tried to ban the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow1gS3m1ckM

One of the finest videos I've ever seen on youtube ;D


Didn't certain tv stations (including WCVB here in Boston) try to ban NYPD Blue well before the premiere because of all the supposed nudity we were going to see? It ended up being David Caruso's butt...big deal. I much more enjoyed Sharon Lawrence's gratuitous nudity later in the series. I think Hill Street Blues may have gone through some sort of censorship during it's time, as well.

 

[mleach]

The song "Wait 'Til the Sun Shines, Nellie" was actually banned in Boston circa 1912. Why? Your guess is as good as mine, but I understand that it was somehow baseball-related. OK.

In the 1950s, several towns tried banning rock n' roll, and a few even passed laws that prohibited any local radio stations from playing it. There was one problem, actually several, with that. For one thing, the federal government dealt with regulating radio stations, not localities. The municipalities simply had no jurisdiction over what stations could and couldn't play. Then there were constitutional issues. Any politician of any party who has issues with the Constitution should be recalled immediately.

I don't see how the state of Utah could ban a song, or much of anything else. If someone in St. George is watching the "Physical" video on HBO or Showtime, which showed it often as time-filler between movies, and he's paying for the premium service, which both come out of New York City, is he going to be subject to arrest, fines, and jail time for watching TV in the privacy of his own home?

If there was any common sense there, and I'm sure that there was, I don't think that the state of Utah would want to take on such an expensive constitutional issue.

As I said, if Physical wasn't shown on the Utah airwaves in the 80s, it was most likely voluntary censorship by the local stations...possibly after some phone calls from LDS church officials. The network affiliates and local stations there are most likely owned by Mormons, in any case. But people still would have been able to see the video on HBO, or even MTV...if there were cable systems there that carried MTV in those days.

The LDS and Utah....I wonder if there are other places around the US where a certain religious group has as much power as the LDS does in Utah when it comes to the mainstream media?

In Colorado, I have no idea how much influence Focus On the Family has with the two main Colorado Springs' stations.. KKTV and KRDO but in Denver, Focus is considered more/less a joke there. I have even heard conservative talker KOA crack jokes about them on the air not to mention its quite common to see many of cars around Denver sporting the bumper sticker "..Focus...on your own damn Family".

Dittos with Pat Roberston and the Hampton Roads, VA market. And I would imagine the Charlotte stations could had cared less with The Bakkers when they had their PTL Club there.

Jerry Falwell and Liberty Baptist in Lynchburg, VA...over the years I have heard rumors that he has tried to block certain shows from airing on Lynchburg's WSET-TV and the Roanoke stations as well but the stations there have always had denied that.

What about Jimmy Swaggart and the Baton Rouge stations?

 

[nightfly61]

After watching the Solid Gold "Physical" there's been tons of other episodes where the SG Dancers were dressed more risque than Olyvia! Funny they tried banning the video, but the song was all over the radio. I do remember one music video MTV banned, it was "Naughty Naughty" by Danger Danger...same w/ Madonna's Like a Prayer & Erotica.

 

[WMC2006]

there's been tons of other episodes where the SG Dancers were dressed more risque than Olyvia!

That would be pretty much EVERY episode of Solid Gold.

Too bad Marilyn McCoo never dressed like that during the years she hosted. 8)

 

[dhett]

The LDS and Utah....I wonder if there are other places around the US where a certain religious group has as much power as the LDS does in Utah when it comes to the mainstream media?

Yeah - the Catholic Church and the nation, thanks to NBC.

There's no evidence that the LDS Church requested that the videos be banned, is there? Or is it more like the stations self-censored, anticipating that the video would offend LDS sensibilities.

Yet that's what NBC did with the SNL show where Madonna tore the picture of the pope. The scene wasn't seen in areas where SNL is not live. Maybe the Catholic Church pressured NBC, but more likely, they self-censored, anticipating that the scene would offend Catholic sensibilities.

 

[nightfly61]

After watching the Solid Gold "Physical" there's been tons of other episodes where the SG Dancers were dressed more risque than Olyvia! Funny they tried banning the video, but the song was all over the radio. I do remember one music video MTV banned, it was "Naughty Naughty" by Danger Danger...same w/ Madonna's Like a Prayer & Erotica.

Not to mention many 70-s & 80's shows like Charle's Angels, Fall Guy, Dukes of Hazzard, Saved By The Bell & Dallas where the females jeans or shorts were so tight they, well, I'll just say could have been considered obscene to air today! Wonder why that is. Not that I was complaining though!

 

[johnnya2k6]

Yet that's what NBC did with the SNL show where Madonna tore the picture of the pope. The scene wasn't seen in areas where SNL is not live. Maybe the Catholic Church pressured NBC, but more likely, they self-censored, anticipating that the scene would offend Catholic sensibilities.

That was Sinead O'Connor, not Madonna.

 

[WMC2006]

Several years ago, Martin Lawrence guest hosted and his monologue (part of it anyway) was on feminine hygiene. It aired live in the east and nowhere everywhere else and I vaguely recall hearing that Lawrence was banned from the show for life.


Anyone watch the Golden Globes last night?? It was obviously on a delay as there were several instances of the sound going out for a few seconds. They did miss the guy giving the finger to Mickey Rourke, though. That was front and center for everyone to see. And the final guy accepting the final award dropped the F-bomb when they were trying to end the show. The audio cut it but if you can read lips, you know what he said.

 

[firepoint525]

Yet that's what NBC did with the SNL show where Madonna tore the picture of the pope. The scene wasn't seen in areas where SNL is not live. Maybe the Catholic Church pressured NBC, but more likely, they self-censored, anticipating that the scene would offend Catholic sensibilities.

That was Sinead O'Connor, not Madonna.

Interestingly enough, that footage got more coverage on news channels than it ever did on SNL. I saw a rerun of that episode of SNL on Comedy Central, but the photo-shredding scene had been edited out! :'( I don't know why! After all, we've all seen it anyway! ???

 

[firepoint525]

Watch this video of Olivia performing Physical on Solid Gold in 1981 and you might figure out why some people tried to ban the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow1gS3m1ckM

One of the finest videos I've ever seen on youtube ;D

If Olivia were to see that now, she'd probably WANT it banned! It looks like she is wearing a blouse without pants, not really a workout outfit. And if she were actually singing and not lip-synching, she would be too out of breath to actually sing the song after all those exercises!

And the actual video (also on youtube) is not much better! The overweight guys (in that video) were not much to look at. But then, that is the point of the video, I suppose.

Olivia Newton-John wanted to get away from her "girl next door" image, which she had had all through the '70s. Her makeover in Grease was obviously the beginning of that. But by sometime in the '80s, she had become such a seductress that she was embarrassed by her own image! I believe "Soul Kiss" was the beginning of that. After that, she attempted to tone down her image. But of course, by then, her career was beginning to be over with anyway. And she would have, of course, been upstage by Madonna anyhow. She got married, had a daughter, got divorced, and even had a bout with breast cancer. Not all necessarily in that order. Then around 1998, she re-recorded "I Honestly Love You," apparently in an attempt to come full-circle with her career.

 

[nightfly61]

"Make a Move On Me" was another "let me throw myself at the listener" track.
I can't help but remember the old '70's joke...
What is a plumber's dream come true?
To fix Farah's faucet & Olyvia Newton's john. :

 

[andreajesus]

I can't help but remember the old '70's joke...
What is a plumber's dream come true?
To fix Farah's faucet & Olyvia Newton's john. :

that's NAS-TY... ???

 

[bk77]

After watching the Solid Gold "Physical" there's been tons of other episodes where the SG Dancers were dressed more risque than Olyvia! Funny they tried banning the video, but the song was all over the radio. I do remember one music video MTV banned, it was "Naughty Naughty" by Danger Danger...same w/ Madonna's Like a Prayer & Erotica.

David Bowie's China Girl raised a few eyebrows back in 1983. Today even the unedited clip could be shown on Nickelodeon if they still had "Nick Rocks".

Remembering about all this stuff is actually quite funny. Today..who would care LOL. For example last year it seemed there was a brief fad ( or whatever you want to call it ) of songs that were about mental health. Like that hip hop tune with the lyrics "....girl you made me so suicidal.....so suicidal...so suicidal..suicidal" or that tune I heard on a college radio station "....hot hot bipolar woman...she wants to bust ya...bust ya in the mouth..that hot bipolar woman". I have no idea who sang either tune but I am surprised somewhat the so-called mental health folks didn't bitc*.

 

[nightfly61]

I can't forget after Prince turned Sheena Easton into one of his Hoochies in "Sugar Walls" which was banned from radio & video for a while. Not sure if even his edited version of Erotic City made the airwaves back then, though I do hear it (edit) today on occasion).
will never forget Olyvia in the leather tights on the "Shake Shack" though!

 

[SirFreebie1975]

The LDS and Utah....I wonder if there are other places around the US where a certain religious group has as much power as the LDS does in Utah when it comes to the mainstream media?

Yeah - the Catholic Church and the nation, thanks to NBC.

There's no evidence that the LDS Church requested that the videos be banned, is there? Or is it more like the stations self-censored, anticipating that the video would offend LDS sensibilities.

Yet that's what NBC did with the SNL show where Madonna tore the picture of the pope. The scene wasn't seen in areas where SNL is not live. Maybe the Catholic Church pressured NBC, but more likely, they self-censored, anticipating that the scene would offend Catholic sensibilities.

It was Sinead O Connor that did it not Madonna