Katy Perry's 'Dark Horse' video re-edited after accusations of blasphemy
YouTube


After going one step further than her usual casually offensive cultural appropriation, Katy Perry was pressured into scrubbing her "Dark Horse" music video of a controversial reference to Allah, which had sparked a change.org petition that had gained traction and garnered negative publicity for the pop singer.
Muslims declared the video blasphemous for its depiction of a suitor who gets zapped and turned into a pile of sand while wearing an Allah pendant. (See a before-and-after comparison of the shot in question here.) While the petition originally demanded the music video be removed in its entirety, original petitioner Shazad Iqbal called the erasure of the pendant a victory.
No word on if we can petition to remove the nightmare-inducing image of Juicy J emerging from a rainbow sarcophagus from our memories, though.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Watch the (now scrubbed) version below. --Samantha Rollins
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Some mainstream Democrats struggle with Zohran Mamdani's surprise win
TALKING POINT To embrace or not embrace? A party in transition grapples with a rising star ready to buck political norms and energize a new generation.
-
How to make music part of your vacation
Let the rhythm move you
-
What is credit card churning and why is it risky?
the explainer Churners frequently open new credit cards with the intent of earning a welcome bonus and accessing other perks
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read