Lena Dunham Defends Taylor Swift: Kanye West’s ‘Famous’ Video Is ‘Disturbing’ and ‘Sickening’


Lena Dunham, creator of hit HBO series, Girls, went to Facebook to share her thoughts on Kanye West’s “Famous” video. West re-creates Vincent Desiderio’s Sleep by arranging the naked likenesses of Kanye and many other celebrities including Taylor Swift, Kim Kardashian, Chris Brown, Donald Trump, Amber Rose, Caitlyn Jenner, Rihanna, Anna Wintour, Ray J, and Bill Cosby. Dunham mentions she feels,”feel sad and unsafe and worried for the teenage girls who watch this,” according to The Washington Post. West has yet to get the desired reaction from the subjects of his “Famous” music video.

Dunham voiced her discomfort with the video and called the imagery “disturbing” and jokes on Twitter saying she at least brought a cake.

“…One of the more disturbing artistic efforts in recent memory.”

Though Kanye has called the video “a comment on fame,” the imagery in the video brings up parallels to date rape, New York Magazine reports. This is especially unnerving considering Kanye’s past lyrics about Swift and (seeming) support of Cosby, according to New York Magazine.

Dunham begins her message complimenting the Kardashian family, noting she loves the way they depict women “as better in numbers and masters of their own destiny.” Lena says she’d spend all summer at “Kamp Kardashian.” After a mini Kardashian tribute, Dunham breaks Kanye’s “Famous” video down.

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Lena Dunham defends Taylor Swift amidst Kanye ‘Famous’ video controversy. [Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images]

Lena Dunham Is Not Impressed By Kanye West’s Video

In the lengthy Facebook essay, Lena mentions having to view the unconscious, waxy bodies of famous women so soon after the Brock Turner case, according to Uproxx.

“Let’s break it down: at the same time Brock Turner is getting off with a light tap for raping an unconscious woman and photographing her breasts for a group chat… As assaults are Periscoped across the web and girls commit suicide after being exposed in ways they never imagined… While Bill Cosby’s crimes are still being uncovered and understood as traumas for the women he assaulted but also massive bruises to our national consciousness… Now I have to see the prone, unconscious, waxy bodies of famous women, twisted like they’ve been drugged and chucked aside at a rager? It gives me such a sickening sense of dis-ease.”

Lena Dunham Defends BFF Taylor Swift

Dunham announced her love and appreciation for Taylor Swift, her admiration for singer Rihanna, and respect for Vogue editor, Anna Wintour. Dunham mentions it is hard for her to see people she admires being reduced to “waxy breasts.”

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Taylor Swift and Lena Dunham catch up. [Christopher Polk/Getty Images for NARAS]

“…Because seeing a woman I love like Taylor Swift (f*** that one hurt to look at, I couldn’t look), a woman I admire like Rihanna or Anna, reduced to a pair of waxy breasts made by some special effects guy in the Valley, it makes me feel sad and unsafe and worried for the teenage girls who watch this and may not understand that grainy roving camera as the stuff of snuff films.”

Dunham says she is void of a “hip” or “cool” reaction to the video, a reaction Kanye may have anticipated from viewers.

“I’m sure that Bill Cosby doll being in the bed alongside Donald Trump is some kind of statement, that I’m probably being trolled on a super high level. I know that there’s a hipper or cooler reaction to have than the one I’m currently having. But guess what? I don’t have a hip cool reaction.”

Chris Brown is the only other celebrity who has publicly remarked on their likeness in the video. Brown does not share the same sentiments as Dunham. Chris commented on the video directly from Instagram, “Why I gotta have the plumbers butt/ crack showing WAX figure?????????????????. This ni**a KANYE CRAZY, talented, but crazy????????????????”

“Here’s the thing, Kanye: you’re cool. Make a statement on fame and privacy and the Illuminati or whatever is on your mind!…But I can’t watch it, don’t want to watch it, if it feels informed and inspired by the aspects of our culture that make women feel unsafe even in their own beds, in their own bodies.”

Do you agree with Lena Dunham? Is it insensitive for Kanye to have created “Famous” with the nude likeness of other celebrities? Sound off in the comments below!

[Photos by Jemal Countess/Stringer/Larry Busacca /Getty Images]

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