CBS Censors Alice Cooper’s Performance on The Late Late Show

Alice Cooper was back on Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show on CBS the other night, and entertained the studio audience with a performance of a song from his new album Along Came A Spider. The song, entitled “Vengeance Is Mine,” was enjoyed in its entirety by the studio audience (depending on individual tastes, of course), but that was not the case for the home viewers.

During a particular portion of the performance, Cooper pretends to strangle a female from the studio audience with a silk scarf. Cooper’s new album tells the story of a serial killer, a subject that should not be considered unusual for Cooper, who has a decades-long reputation as a shock rocker who is known for his creepy theatrics during his live performances.

Well, whoever it is at CBS that decides what’s appropriate for broadcast and what is not, decided that  Cooper’s faux strangulation was a little too much for the late-night home audience, and the segment was cut from the broadcast.

Does anyone else detect a whiff of hypocrisy in the air emanating from CBS? This is the network that broadcasts programs like Criminal Minds, that CBS describes as a program that “revolves around an elite team of FBI profilers who analyze the country’s most twisted criminal minds, anticipating their next moves before they strike again.”

Looking at the website for the program, it appears there is no shortage of scenes that some might consider a bit too graphic for TV. Check out the video excerpt of the episode called “Officer Down,” and decide for yourself if that’s more graphic than Alice Cooper pretending to strangle someone with a silk scarf.

By the way, Criminal Minds airs at 9:00 PM, more than three hours earlier than The Late Late Show which comes on at 12:35 AM.

CBS also carries the CSI series of programs, and although I have never watched an episode, I suspect there are plenty of graphic scenes featured on those programs, which air at either 9:00 or 10:00 PM.

I’m sure there are other programs on CBS that regularly feature graphic and violent scenes, but I think I’ve made my point.

I don’t consider myself much of an Alice Cooper fan, but I don’t like hypocrisy, and censoring Alice Cooper pretending to strangle someone during a program that airs in the wee hours of the morning while airing programs containing scenes of people being blown up or shot hours earlier in the evening sure smells like hypocrisy to me.

Tags: Alice Cooper, CBS, Censored, Craig Ferguson, Late Late Show

Alice Cooper To Perform on Craig Ferguson Show Tonight

Alice Cooper fans may want to program their DVRs or Tivos or plan a late bedtime tonight if they want to catch Alice perform on Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show.

Cooper who appeared on Ferguson’s show not that long ago, seemed to get along quite well with the talk show  host and Cooper will re-visit the show tonight accompanied by his band. Cooper will also take some time to sit and chat with Ferguson.

Word from Alice Cooper’s official site is that they will be performing a song called "Vengeance," which I presume is shorthand for a track from his new album entitled "Vengeance is Mine."

Ferguson’s show airs on CBS at 12:35 AM ET/PT, following the Late Show With David Letterman.

Cooper is currently working on his Psycho Drama tour, which is scheduled to wrap up on December 1.

Tags: Alice Cooper, Craig Ferguson, Late Late Show, Perform