Shoplifting. Nudity. Explicit Lyrics. Nazi Symbolism. None are tolerated by Wal-Mart, and after Kanye West’s new explicitly sexual album cover for “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy”was considered indecent by the store, Tina Brown’s website, “The Daily Beast,” threw a hissy fit on his behalf.
“In all honesty ... I really don't be thinking about Wal-Mart when I make my music or album covers #Kanyeshrug!” This tweet, from Grammy-winning recording artist Kanye West was met with open arms from the editors at The Daily Beast who lined up with West and reassured him that he wasn’t the only “victim” of Wal-Mart.
Among those featured in the “blacklisted” gallery was none other than hot Hollywood actress Megan Fox. Fox, who was caught shoplifting a lipgloss from a Florida Wal-Mart store in her teenage years, has been banned from that particular store, and it’s the punishment suffered for that crime that earned her a top spot among the “victims.”
But Fox is in good company, if you consider outspoken political activist, singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow a worthy ally. Crow’s 1996 self-titled debut album included lyrics to the song “Love is a Good Thing” that implicate Wal-Mart for the sale of a murder weapon. “Watch out sister/Watch out brother/Watch our children as they kill each other/with a gun they bought at the Wal-Mart discount stores.” After Crow refused to change the lyrics, Wal-Mart refused to carry the album in its stores.
Other alleged “victims” include Nazi paraphernalia consumers. In 2006, Wal-Mart publicly apologized and issued a recall of a particular t-shirt that, unbeknownst to Wal-Mart, contained a skull-and-crossbones type image sometimes associated with the Nazi’s 3rd SS division.
In 2003, in an effort to comply with “customer concerns” Wal-Mart banned the sale of men’s magazines Maxim, Stuff and FHM.
After the 2003 refusal to stock soft-core pornographic magazines, it is no surprise that Wal-Mart and its customers would object to West’s “artistic” rendition of himself in a sexual position with a naked, winged Phoenix. Considering that Wal-Mart stores sell clothing, toys, electronics and other kid-friendly products, the store’s decision to keep objectionable material off its shelves and out of eye-sight of innocent children is to be commended, not criticized.
