UPDATE:No Doubt has apologized and pulled the video, though you can still watch it below. The band released the following apology: "As a multi-racial band our foundation is built upon both diversity and consideration for other cultures. Our intention with our new video was never to offend, hurt or trivialize Native American people, their culture or their history. Although we consulted with Native American friends and Native American studies experts at the University of California, we realize now that we have offended people." Watch the video and tell us: does that statement change your opinion at all?
It seems like the jury is still more or less out on No Doubt's don't-call-it-a-comeback. If you recall, its last video for the admittedly catchy "Settle Down" seemed like an all-too-transparent ad campaign. This time around, the band takes a more organic approach for the "Looking Hot" video.
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There's definitely no doubt that Gwen Stefani looks hot (so many puns in that sentence). The song is fun, sure, though it doesn't have the lyrical pizzazz or aesthetic depth of the band's earlier tracks and videos. We hate to sound pretentious, but it's true.
And, then, there's the question of the whole "Indian" appropriation thing — which, in this case, apparently fits into a larger story involving cowboys and some kind of Zorro figure. This kind of characterization and stereotyping is done so often in music videos that it's not only offensive but pretty confusing. Why is this still happening? Have we reached a point where it's not distasteful anymore? While we appreciate Gwen's equestrian abilities, we're not exactly sure what great artistic value these costumes brought to the video.
Are we being too hard on them? Does Gwen's wardrobe ruin the video for you, or are you a die-hard fan no matter what?