Dear Matt, Meredith, Ann and Al,
What a great question you ask about Katy Perry’s Sesame Street video with Elmo—What is and isn’t appropriate for children? (see Today show ) This is my “mom” take.
What a simple fix this could have been. The video with Elmo was entertaining and appropriate in content. All Katy needed was a mere two extra inches of fabric across the top of her otherwise adorable costume.
That is the good news. The deeper, more important question is—was Katy’s recent performance on the Today show appropriate for children?
A month ago, Katy was featured at one of your well-attended concerts in Rockefeller Center, promoting her new cotton candy-scented CD, Teenage Dream. This performance was the reverse of the Sesame Street performance. Her wardrobe had the extra fabric and was therefore appropriate. What was inappropriate for children was the content of the performance.
The Today show concert was dreamily feminine, all pink cotton candy and lollipops. In attendance were young, wide-eyed girls totally enraptured by the vision in front of them. The target market, based on the pink cotton candy, lollipop set and tutu wardrobed dancers, was obviously 5 – 10-year-old girls. Yet the content of her songs (being mouthed by the children in the audience) was very mature and inappropriate.
Katy Perry sang these three songs:
I Kissed a Girl
I got so brave, drink in hand lost my discretion
It’s not what I’m used to just wanna try u on
I’m curious for you caught my attention
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it
It felt so wrong it felt so right
Don’t mean I’m in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
No I don’t even know your name it doesn’t matter
You’re my experimental game just human nature
It’s not what good girls do not how they should behave
My head gets so confused hard to obeyTeenage Dream
We drove to Cali and got drunk on the beach.
Got a motel and built a fort out of sheets.
I finally found you. My missing puzzle piece.
I’m complete. Let’s go all the way tonight.
No regrets, just love. We can dance, until we die.
You and I, will be young forever.
You make me feel like I’m livin’ a teenage dream.
The way you turn me on I can’t sleep.
Let’s run away and don’t ever look back.California Gurls
California girls, we’re unforgettable.
Daisy Dukes, bikinis on top.
Sun-kissed skin, so hot will melt your popsicle.
Oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh.
California girls, we’re undeniable.
Fine, fresh, fierce, we got it on lock.
West coast represent, now put your hands up.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
Sex on the beach we don’t mind sand in our stilettos.
We freak in my jeep, Snoop Doggy dog on the stereo…
Toned, tan, fit and ready. Turn it up cause its gettin’ heavy.”
Sex on the beach, drinking, experimental sex, cheating, “going all the way” and running away are not appropriate subjects for young girls. In fact, sex, alcohol, and running away can be life-threatening for children. These are very good reasons why it is against the law for children to have sex and drink.
Visually, Katy was appealing and appropriate for a child. Her message, however, was dangerous. My question for you is this – Is Katy being deceptive by targeting young girls with an innocent look and a dangerous message?
