Earlier today, someone from NPR’s All Things Considered called me, seeking an interview about Erykah Badu’s controversial new video for her song “Window Seat.” I said sure, and we talked for about 10 minutes or so — about the video, about her standing in Dallas, about community reaction to it. Et cetera and so on. He told me he had to go talk to his editor and he would call me back to let me know when it was going to run. He did call back, except it was to tell me that his editor had been seeking comment on his own, he’d found someone else, and they were going with that. No big deal.

There were options as to who that mysterious someone could be: Hunter Hauk of Quick, since he nabbed an exclusive interview with Badu; Pete Freedman, since he’s the music editor of the Dallas Observer and, I believe, was one of the first to post the video; and Robert Wilonsky, also of the Observer, since he’s Robert and always seems to be the guy tabbed for things like this. If you asked me to put money on it, I would have said it would end up being Wilonsky, though they might call Pete first.

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There's no question but that Erykah Badu's managed to capture the Zeitgeist with Erykah Badu Window Seat Video Uncut if only for one day, but the thinking here is it's going to be for another three, especially since Badu's managed to piss off the City of Dallas for making it there without a permit.

Erykah Badu Window Seat Video Uncut has started talk because it channels the JFK Assassination in Dallas. But what was left out of the discussion was that Erykah Badu herself strips naked and is shot in the video.

While there may have been a deliberate attempt to upset people by generating the question "Why focus on a presidential assassination?", it's not clear that was the actual intent of the video. Apparently what Erykah Badu is trying to say is she's shedding her skin to be who she is, but society has a way of trying to destroy anyone who would seek to be who they are outside the cultural bounds assembled for them.

The end result is assassination.

What's interesting about her take, which I don't agree with, is that it comes at a time when self-expression has found its outlet in New Media. Anyone can quickly express who they are via video, blogs, websites, and podcasts. Moreover, they can do it safely. Just look at what Erykah Badu herself has done with Erykah Badu Window Seat Video Uncut.

But the real story is how Erykah Badu cracked the Internet marketing code by producing a video that in some way touches the sensibilities of American culture and makes us think.

The question is will the City of Dallas attempt to press charges, or just leave Erykah Badu alone.

I hope Dallas has better things to do.

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