Program Length: 1 hour
Produced: 1999

Inside "Outside" presents a very contentious set of important personal and social issues, and a discussion of it can be very powerful in helping students clarify theirs and others’ values and attitudes. The panel discussion centers on George Michael’s music video, "Outside," which depicts sex outside of the privacy of the home, outside the sanctity of marriage, and the official repression of that sexual behaviour. Discussion leaders should preview the video before using with groups.

"Outside," the music video within this episode, might be interpreted as promoting sexual activity outside of the home, promoting sexual activity outside of marriage or love, and/or protesting authorities’ repression of sexual expression in public. A further issue deals with MuchMusic’sresponsibility to its audience in broadcasting such a contentious video and potentially influencing impressionable viewers.
"Outside" presents opposite and same-sex kissing and simulated oral and genital opposite-sex sex. In most cases, it also portrays public voyeurism of these acts, by either photographing them through an intrusive camera or showing a camera in the frame as it records the activities. It also portrays frequent police presence in oppressing public sex.

Because "Outside" is filled with compelling images of opposite and same-sex physical contact, the many issues can easily become entangled. As people discuss, they will need to be clear as to which of these issues they are addressing so that they are not misunderstood or confused. Discussion leaders may be wise to distinguish between these issues early in the discussion. The issues may be articulated in the form of the following questions, which are implied rather than stated in the video, and are listed in the approximate order in which they arise:

1) Is sexual activity something that should remain in the home, if not the bedroom, or is sexual activity appropriate and acceptable in public?

2) Would public sex be fun if it did not involve an element of risk in being caught and charged? Is the main issue in "Outside" sex, or is it about needing increased thrills and risks in life?

3) Do some people apply a double-standard to music videos, where they object to images of same-sex contact but not to images of opposite-sex contact?

4) Are the police correct in arresting people for public sexual activity, or is this beyond their mandate?

5) Are people infatuated with public expressions of sexuality and is this unhealthy, or do public expressions of sexuality serve a useful function because they affirm our humanity?

6) Is George Michael’s "Outside" promoting healthy discussion of the above issues or is it, as some critics say of Madonna’s and Marilyn Manson’s music videos, using outrageous images to promote the sale of the music?

7) What is MuchMusic’s responsibility in showing a controversial music video such as this? Is MuchMusic fulfilling its responsibility to its viewers by providing a music video that encourages them to question and examine society’s values and, ultimately, to think for themselves?
Refer to these questions as is necessary and appropriate in the course of the discussion.

The Panelists:
Chris Sheppard, DJ, Performer and Radio Host, member of "Love Inc."
Greg Paul, Minister, Musician and Community Outreach Leader
Jane Stevenson, Pop Music Critic, Toronto Sun
Jeanne Beker, Host of "Fashion Television," MuchMusic alumnus
Irshad Manji, Host and Senior Producer of "The Q-Files"
Sarah Crawford, Director of Communications, MuchMusic, and Director of Media Education, CHUM Television

Background: Beverley Hills Police arrested George Michael in a public washroom and charged him with "Engaging in a lewd act." George Michael paid an $810.00 fine and performed 80 hours of community service. He has subsequently released "Outside."

1. In an interview early in the show, George Michael states: "Some of the kicks was that I might get found out. I’ve put myself in that position before."
What might these statements suggest were his reasons for engaging in a lewd act in a public washroom? How do they connect to the opening lines of the song:
"I think I’m done with the sofa
I think I'm done with the hall
I think I'm done with the kitchen table, baby
Let's go outside
In the sunshine"
How does this moment relate to question #2? Would sex in public be fun if it did not involve an element of risk in being caught and charged? Is this an issue about sex or about needing increased thrills and risk?

2. "Outside": The Video
(Due to miscommunication, the first presentation is of an edited rather than unedited version of the video. The unedited version is screened about halfway through the program. The editing in the first presentation comprises pixilating out the details of some images, but no removal of footage.)

Content of the video:
The opening of the video presents the opening credits of a sleazy movie, with sultry jazz and a stereotypical porn actress. The movie titles are in German. A middle-aged man is beckoned to join a sexy young woman in a men’s washroom. Just as he is about to kiss her, she changes into a wrinkled female police officer who flashes a badge. The word "Hollywood" appears, animated in stars and stripes.
The arrest is in b/w and colour, framed as though through video cameras, both on the ground and in helicopters (reminiscent of you-are-there crime shows, and more recently the famous white Ford Bronco pursuit of OJ Simpson). This is followed by aerial shots from helicopters of colour, then b/w shots of same and different-sex couples embracing in public spaces: in a seaside park, on a ship.
George Michael appears and sings:

"I think I'm done with the sofa
I think I'm done with the hall
I think I'm done with the kitchen table, baby
Let's go outside
In the sunshine
Let's go outside
Take me to the places that I love the best"

As the song proceeds, we see a succession of images:
A public washroom in b/w turns into a disco in colour. George Michael and dancers in police uniforms dance. A pregnant woman in a white bridal gown embraces a man beside a limousine.
A woman walks a man on a leash. The man is walking on all fours. She then pulls the man commandingly into an upright position. An aerial view of a large neon sign: "JESUS SAVES" and on-screen chyro-lettering adds: "all of us" to the statement. Which of these images make a lasting impression on you? Why do you think they remain in your memory? What common ideas link most of the images?
George Michael sings: "I think I’m done with the kitchen table, baby." He does not say "we." Does this suggest that the sex is for him or for he and his partner together? Is the sex in "Outside" for personal gratification or for mutual gratification? Is it recreational sex, or is it making love?

3. "George Michael takes an embarrassing situation and a mediocre song and turns it to his advantage but he does it by promoting and glamorizing a sexual ethic that is really dehumanizing and destructive. It makes people into a purely sexual object. This is all about a sex act that is pointed at an individual’s immediate sexual gratification and has nothing to do with relationship or commitment or intimacy or anything that promotes true human relation."
- Greg Paul

List the sexual images presented in the video. Do Greg Paul’s comments apply accurately to most of the images?

"I think you would say the same thing about TV. For example, commercials promote instant gratification too."
- Irshad Manji

Is Irshad’s response correct? Are TV commercials pointed at an individual’s immediate gratification, and have they nothing to do with relationship or commitment or intimacy, or anything that promotes true human relations?" Except for the portrayal of sex, is there no difference between "Outside" and TV commercials?

4. "Anything we’re trying to teach in terms of negotiating safer sex, holding off on sex, anything like that, you turn on TV and you get this really graphic imagery of unsafe, unprotected sex. Our entire message of being careful and being aware of these diseases is being undermined."
- Elma, a caller from Clinton, ON

Is there a comment in "Outside" on being careful during or delaying sex? Should there be? Is there a good possibility that some viewers may be encouraged to practice casual, unsafe sex as a result of watching this video? Why?

5. "I’m just curious to know why people still think that TV has this responsibility to people to play the role of educator. A television set is not a parent; a television set is not a teacher. We have to teach our kids how to watch TV and how to filter out the bad stuff and how to interpret these images."
- Jeanne Beker

Do you know people who think TV has a responsibility to protect children from dangerous messages? Why might they think that? Jeanne Beker says: "We have to teach our kids how to watch TV and how to filter out the bad stuff and how to interpret these images." How can parents teach their children those skills? When? How can parents learn those skills themselves? Are parents the best people to teach children? Who else might help children learn those skills? How?

6. "I don’t think any video, just because it depicts a certain kind of sexuality, should be judged on its own. I think, on balance, it’s more interesting to look at the informational and entertainment context of a certain video within a service like MuchMusic. I think, on balance, you will find a very large spectrum of kinds of sexuality depicted on MuchMusic. As a broadcaster, we have a responsibility to portray that balance."
- Sarah Crawford

Sarah Crawford says: "I think, on balance, you will find a very large spectrum of kinds of sexuality that’s depicted on MuchMusic." If "Outside" depicts public, casual and same-sex sexual activity, what other videos can you list that portray other forms of human relationships, sexuality and love? Can you name a video that depicts sex in a loving, respectful relationship? Can you name a video that depicts mutual respect in sex? Can you name a video that celebrates the human joy of sex? Can you name a video that depicts sex that is constructing a positive relationship? Can you name a video that depicts sex as comforting and healing? Create a chart that displays the spectrum of these aspects of sexuality. Add some others that you suggest.
Are most of the parts of the spectrum well-represented? Are there more than one spectrum of human sexuality? Do some forms of human sexuality dominate? Which forms, if any, are absent or under-represented? Are these forms absent or under-represented in other media, such as movies or magazines, or only on MuchMusic?

7. Is George Michael in good company?
We see a montage of video clips showing the following celebrities who have been in the news for committing sexual indiscretions:
Jimmy Swaggart
Mick Jagger
Hugh Grant
Pamela Anderson
Prince Charles
Lady Diana
Michael Jackson
Heidi Fleiss
Monica Lewinsky
Is it accurate to suggest that George Michael’s indiscretion ranks with the others? If all of these people have committed sexual indiscretions, does this make George Michael’s indiscretion seem more "normal," or human? If all of these people have committed sexual indiscretions, does this suggest that society is deteriorating? Which is more significant, the fact that these people committed sexual indiscretions, or that their indiscretions became major news? Did you hear of George Michael’s indiscretion on the news, or from this video? Is George Michael using his video to explain why he did what he did, or to suggest that it was no big deal?

None of the other people have made a music video about their indiscretions, although Monica Lewinsky and Lady Diana wrote books, and Jimmy Swaggart and Hugh Grant made televised apologies. Why do you think these people made public responses to their indiscretions? Do you think George Michael made his video for the same purpose? Why? What does it say about George Michael that he has responded artistically to his experience? Is he more honest for addressing it? More exhibitionist?

8. Why are people so interested in celebrities' sex lives?
"There are several reasons. Everyone’s interested in sex and everyone can have sex. This is the Information Age, so we want information. It makes life more interesting. Everyone has deviated once in different ways at different times and I think it [knowing celebrities deviate] makes us feel a whole lot better about our humanity."
- Jeanne Beker

Do you agree with Jeanne Beker’s responses? Why? Can you suggest any other reasons why people are so interested in celebrities’ sex lives? Are most people interested, or only a small few?

9. "We had a version where [the two cops kissing] was pixilated out. We thought that was homophobic. That version was rejected by this network because it made a really negative statement."
- Sarah Crawford

MuchMusic’s policy is to show a video in its original form or not show it at all, but not to edit, as is often done by MTV. Do you agree that MuchMusic should respect artists’ work by not editing? Or should MuchMusic show all videos submitted, but with some editing? Do you agree with MuchMusic’s decision to reject this version of "Outside?" Why? Should MuchMusic have devoted an entire TooMuch4Much episode to this video, or did MuchMusic give the video undue exposure and promotion by making it the subject of this program? Explain.
What can viewers gain from viewing and discussing this episode of TooMuch4Much? Can this video be used with all ages of viewers, or should it be restricted to certain ages? Why? Would parents benefit from seeing and discussing this video? Why?

10. Consider the following questions that are raised in the video. What conclusions have you come to about each question? Your responses may be reported as group oral presentations or written essays.
a) Is sexual activity something that should remain in the home, if not the bedroom, or is sexual activity appropriate and acceptable in public?
b) Would public sex be fun if it did not involve an element of risk in being caught and charged? Is the main issue in "Outside" about sex or about needing increased thrills and risks in life?
c) Do some people apply a double-standard to music videos, where they object to images of same-sex contact but not to images of opposite-sex contact?
d) Are the police correct in arresting people for public sexual activity, or is this beyond their mandate?
e) Are people infatuated with public expressions of sexuality and is this unhealthy, or do public expressions of sexuality serve a useful function because they affirm our humanity?
f) Is George Michael’s "Outside" promoting healthy discussion of the above issues or is it, as some critics say of Madonna’s and Marilyn Manson’s music videos, using outrageous images to promote the sale of the music?
g) What is MuchMusic’s responsibility in showing a controversial music video such as this? Is MuchMusic fulfilling its responsibility to its viewers by providing a music video that encourages them to question and examine society’s values and, ultimately, to think for themselves?

Written by: Neil Andersen
Neil Andersen is an award-winning Curriculum Consultant with the Toronto District School Board. He is also a speaker and consultant in media and communications technology. His most recent work includes the Between the Lines CDs, the teachers' study guide for the award-winning Scanning Television, and study guides for Space, Bravo! and MuchMusic's Cable in the Classroom broadcasts of original media literacy programming.

For more information about MuchMusic's educational programming -- or to give us your feedback -- please contact: 

Kim Rapagna
Manager, Public Affairs
CTVglobemedia Inc.
krapagna@ctvglobemedia.com