News: Perfume Genius

Michael Stipe has reacted angrily to news that Google banned a YouTube ad for Perfume Genius’ new record featuring two men in a topless embrace.

“For YouTube to deem this advertisement as ‘non family safe’ is dumbheaded discrimination,” said the former REM frontman of the decision, which Google said was taken on the grounds that the ad was ‘promoting mature sexual themes’. “I find their actions in doing so disgraceful and cowardly. YouTube, shame on you. You were born of the 21st Century, now act like it.”

Matador label posted an ad on the website featuring a topless Mike Hadreas hugging a burly-looking fellow, who also — horror of horrors — happens to be topless.

OK, so that man also happens to be gay porn star Arpad Miklos, whose adult CV includes starring roles in Bonesucker and CSI: Cock Scene Investigation — but Google weren’t to know that, unless they are dirty grumble-watching bastards.

Anyway they decided to take down the ad, with the following muttered excuse:

“Any ads that contain non family safe material are disapproved. I noted to the team that the people in the video are not entirely unclothed, but the overall feeling of the video is one of a more adult nature, including promoting mature sexual themes and what appears to be nude content. As such, the video is non family safe. In order to have this video ad approved, you will need to bring it into compliance with our policy.”

Matador responded by posting the video on Vimeo instead. Watch it below, and experience its morally degrading effects for yourself. Perfume Genius’ album, Put Your Back N 2 It, is released in February.

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