Shakira and Rihanna’s music video ‘evokes homosexuality,’ Turkey’s TV watchdog says

ISTANBUL

Shakira and Rihanna's 'special closeness' and 'erotic dancing' in the 'Can’t Remember to Forget You' video was caught on the radar of Turkey's TV watchdog.

TV watchdog RTÜK has fined two private broadcasters for airing the music video of Shakira and Rihanna’s latest hit, “Can’t Remember to Forget you,” on the grounds that the stars’ “special closeness” and “erotic dancing” in the video “evoke homosexuality.”

In its ruling, the watchdog described the content of the video with elaborate details, repeating many times that the scenes are staged “on a bed” and deciding that the images could set a negative example for children.

“In the music video in question, Shakira is seen lying on a bed with her hands between her legs. Both female artists are in the same bed, half-naked, only wearing very revealing dresses as they snuggle in the bed,” RTÜK’s statement said.

The watchdog also observed that at times either Shakira or Rihanna “showed special closeness by laying, holding to each other’s back.”

“It should be considered that the erotic dancing and movements in the clip are images that could evoke homosexuality and could be taken as a model by children and youths,” RTÜK concluded.

Both Show TV and Dream TV, the latter a music video channel, received fines for airing the video of the song, which has become an international hit.