Video: Live - 'Overcome' (Remembering 9/11)

Within 48 hours of the attacks on the World Trade Center, documentarians Camera Planet pieced together footage from around the site, which had come to be known as "Ground Zero".  They submitted the video to VH1, with Live's 'Overcome' as a backing track.  The network aired it immediately, without receiving clearance from the band.  The following message would scroll along the bottom of the screen:

"HOW TO HELP:  TO DONATE MONEY TO THE FAMILIES OF THE VICTIMS OF TUESDAY'S ATTACKS:  UNITED WAY (THEN A PHONE NUMBER)...AMERICAN RED CROSS (THEN A PHONE NUMBER)...SALVATION ARMY (PHONE NUMBER)...CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA (PHONE NUMBER)"


When Ed Kowalczyk, the singer of the band and 'Overcome's songwriter, saw the video later in the week, he eagerly gave MTV Networks permission to use the song.  In fact, the footage was later edited and became the track's "official" video.



It seemed like that video played every ten minutes, like clockwork, on every single video channel on cable.  In the week following 9/11, I must have seen it over a hundred times.  It's one of the greatest memories to stand out from that week for me.

Today In Culturally Insensitive Programming

VH1 Classic is airing 24 hours of RUSH concerts, videos and documentaries on September 8th, to commemorate the Jewish new year, Rosh Hashanah.  They're calling it RUSH Hashanah.  Slightly insensitive toward the Jewish community.  In the Jewish faith, the new year is the beginning of a period specifically set aside to focus on repentance.

Very smooth, VH1.

Women Can Be Tools - According To VH1

After two seasons of the same old gimmick, Tool Academy has decided to try something new. They're going Co-ed. The VH1 Neanderthal magnet has it's first lesbian tool. Don't get me wrong, I'm not considering this "Must See TV" by any stretch of the imagination, but if there is nothing else on at 3 in the morning, and I mean NOTHING else, I might watch it.

The problem I know I'm going to have with this is that, knowing VH1, it's not going to do anything to bring about a positive stereotype for lesbians. It's going to be generalized and sensationalized. Look at their other shows. You're not going to get positive role models from Rock of Love, Flavor of Love or I Love New York. Then again, I don't think people are going to look back twenty years from now and see Tool Academy as the turning point in gay and lesbian culture as portrayed in the media.

OK. I'm off of my soapbox. If you would like to check out the first episode, which aired this last Sunday, I've embedded it below. Enjoy.

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