Erykah Badu: Fined $500 and 'Grossly Misunderstood'

By PopEater Staff Posted Apr 5th 2010 06:44AM

Singer Erykah Badu will be issued a disorderly conduct citation carrying a $500 fine for stripping off all her clothes in broad daylight in the middle of Dealey Plaza in Dallas. Badu, who was filming a video for her song 'Window Seat,' walked through the city center of her hometown, tossing her clothes while walking slowly to the tune of the track. Immediately after Badu shed the last garment, a staged gunshot rang and a nude Badu feigned death, as an homage to assassinated president John F. Kennedy -- leaving spectators utterly confounded.

Badu says her stunt has been "grossly misunderstood."

She told Wanda Sykes, "J.F.K. is one of my heroes, one of the nation's heroes... Kennedy was a revolutionary; he was not afraid to butt heads with America, and I was not afraid to show America my butt-naked truth."

Sykes joked that the singer "wasn't afraid to show her badus" in public, but Dallas police aren't laughing. According to the Dallas Morning News, local police state that Badu had disrobed in a public place without regard to other individuals and children, who were in close proximity. Dallas Police Deputy Chief Mike Genovesi said one witness came forward Thursday, telling authorities, "[she] observed Ms. Badu remove her clothing on the public street. The witness had two small children with her and was offended."

Disorderly conduct is a Class C misdemeanor. The ticket -- about as serious as a traffic violation -- will be mailed to Badu. Dallas police say Badu can choose to pay the fine or go to court.

Warning: Video below contains blurred-out nudity.

Comments

(84)

Monday 05 April

By JD

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i don't wanna time travel no more

By karenione

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Everyone is not getting the point. She said it was a tribute and she and others are calling it art. If you watch it all the way to the end, you can easily understand her statement. It is "Well, this will get me noticed." It was not for JFK, it was not for art, it was only for her. She cared about no one but herself. It is in no way art. It is only self-serving.

By Mary

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If I had a butt that big I wouldn't want to be seen in clothes much less buck naked. How is is "art" to do something vulgar in public. She should have been jailed for totally showing herself without "disregard" {the police chief's word, not mine} for the people around her.

By speech

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YOURE JEALOUS!!! YOU WISH YOUR BODY WAS THAT HOTT

By Danni

When we did decided vulgarity and nudity are the same? Why should we be ashamed of our bodies? Why do we have to hide our bodies because we may have a part that someone doesn't like, or that something's too big. It's funny how we can sit there and watch some guy blow a kid's head off on tv, but if there's a boob or even a swear word people throw a fit. The human body is something that should be celebrated and embraced; not hidden away as an ugly secret.

By Buckeyees1995

Mary, no ones care for flat back. You must be one of those.

Tuesday 06 April

By Reece

Seems to me, your a little more concerned with her butt than the act. There are things you can do to improve your self-esteem. Dont be upset with her cause she doesnt have that problem. Chances are no one wants to see you with your clothes off anyway.

By rebel

im not really seeing the prob w her body (not even going to touch the appropriateness of stripping in public) but her butt looks fine to me. thats the shape she is and she looks taut and toned. i would love to look as good as her.

By kathy carlson

I didn't realize that paying homage to someone consists of stripping naked and falling down "dead" - just like the person you are paying homage to (I'm quite sure JFK had no intention of being murdered that day)...I didn't realize that paying homage consists of something called "a stunt." (And the fact that show host Wanda Sykes made jokes only added to the sleaze factor.) Badu should go to the dictionary and look up the word "homage" before she tries using such words. I'm quite sure Caroline Kennedy appreciated your "homage" to her dad. This publicity stunt doesn't make the cut. It definitely wasn't art. Badu, do the world a favor - keep your clothes on and your idea of art to yourself. This act was repulsive at best. Using a traumatic murder and your naked body to make a point has given new meaning to the word "pig." Look that up in the dictionary when you look up other big words to use in the name of your art. Your name will be one of the newer definitions.

By Dwayne

Kathy.....I also don't recall JFK shedding his clothes on the way that day....must have missed it.

By sickofthiscrap

Kathy - right on! She got of EASY. If a male had pulled the same stunt he would have been arrested, thrown in jail and then lived the rest of his life as a registered sex offender.

By llfoeva

Here's the art in the video:

Eryka Badu mentioned that JFK is one of her heros because he was a revolutionary and was not afriad to butt heads against America. He was then shot and killed because he was not afraid to butt heads to fight to change to world and its way of thinking.

Eryka Badu in her video striped down to her birthday suit for all to see and landed in the very spot where JFK was.....she was then shot FIGURATIVLY. Much like how you people are figurativly shoting her down for her revolutionary video and her courage to butt(no pun intended)heads against popular belive and way of thinking....

I dunno...sounds like Art to me. And ive studied art for over 10 years.

By AMack118

Ya'll just killin' me with this "flabby" thing. You mean bcz she isn't shaped like, lets say Paris Hilton (anorexic), she's fat? Kim Kardashian has a fairly big butt for a white chick, yet no one's calling her fat. Get over it, people: thick is the new thin. I don't know a single man who doesn't admire a booty with a bounce. I have a friend with such a shapely behind, she has made GAY MEN do double takes and have flashbacks to their straight lives! Flabby...get that crap outta here!

By the way...Mary? Something tells me you're just another booty-less chick who only wishes to garner that type of attention.

By NahSeriously

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I will keep it simple and plain, you're an idiot

By Jack

ewwww, I threw up a little, think of that naked.

Friday 09 April

By your momma

Jack*** you are the only jungle bunny, you are just mad because you can't have it. You are just another dumb Jack***

By dave

We are the victims of our own puritanism, a country where we have decided that its ok to tune into the SyFy channel and let our kids watch people being ripped apart, mutilated, eaten alive, the grossest kinds of blood letting, killing and maiming, all without editing and without "family warnings. If that decision is what the christian right thinks is moral, while a simply nude woman is gross, disgusting a pervert and causes us to hide our children in fear, then I honest to god dont know what is happening to our own country. Its really really sad.

By ffjsb

Don't blame Christianity for this has been's attempt to regain attention. This kind of crap by Badu is what's wrong with our country. If she wants to make this video on a closed set, that's up to her. But I have the right not to have to see this on a public street. BTW, if she tried this in an Arab or Muslim country, she'd be lucky to escape with her life, let alone a fine.

By FatCatJRG

Jeezus H. on a bicycle. She's gotta azz like a 90 dollar cow.

Wednesday 07 April

By carmoejorkel

Amazing how stupid some people can be!.. I shouldnt respond but i hope you are impotent b/c you shouldnt be allowed to reproduce

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