As is often the case these days, real life seems to have left The Onion far behind: according to the New York Times, a memo circulating at MTV Europe has recommended that the network cease airing all videos by the B-52s, among other things, in an attempt to avoid images of "war, soldiers, war planes, bombs, missiles, riots and social unrest, executions" and "other obviously sensitive material" for the duration of the war in Iraq. The B-52 ban is only the most absurd example given; other videos that might be affected include "Lucky" by Radiohead and Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," which includes images from Armageddon. It all seems pretty pointless (how much airplay are the B-52s even getting these days, anyway?) until you realize that this could also affect songs and videos with a legitimate message about the war...many more of which, I'm sure, will be appearing in weeks and months to come. (Also, "riots and social unrest" seems pretty broad to me; half the rock videos ever made seem to include social unrest in one form or another. I guess there won't be any airings of Pink Floyd The Wall on British MTV anytime soon....)